The PODE Complaints Process

At The PODE, our mission is to provide expert, impartial support on pensions in divorce. We hope you’re delighted with our service, but if you feel we’ve fallen short of your expectations - or you simply have feedback - we want to hear from you. Your insights help us enhance our work.

Who Can Complain

• Anyone who has engaged our services or been affected by our work

• Complaints may be lodged by the divorcing party, their legal representative, or any authorised person acting on your behalf

How to Raise a Complaint

You can contact us via any of the following channels:

• Email: hello@thepode.co.uk

• Post to:

  Complaints Team
  Pecunia Veritas Ltd
  17-18 Berkeley Square
  Bristol
  BS8 1HB

Acknowledgement

Within 3 working days of receiving your complaint, we will:

• Acknowledge receipt in writing (by email or post)

• Provide the name and contact details of the person handling your complaint

Our Investigation

• We undertake a fair, thorough, and objective review of all complaints

• Our Complaints Officer will gather all relevant information, including feedback from colleagues involved in your matter

• We aim to conclude our investigation within 20 working days

• If we need more time, we will update you with reasons and a revised timeframe

Outcome and Resolution

After completing our investigation, we will send you a written response detailing:

• The findings of our review

• Any remedial actions or service improvements we propose

• A timeline for implementing agreed actions

Where appropriate, we may offer:

• An apology

• A corrective measure or refund

• Clarifications or explanations to address your concern

External Review via EWI Member Complaints Procedures

If, after our internal review, you remain dissatisfied, you can raise a complaint against The PODE’s membership status through the Expert Witness Institute’s Member Complaints Procedures:

• Complete the EWI online Complaint Form available at https://www.ewi.org.uk/For-Lawyers-the-Public/Complain-about-a-member (ewi.org.uk)

• For complaints concerning professional conduct under the Joint Expert Witness Institute & Academy Code of Practice, refer to the EWI Member Complaints Procedures document (February 2024) (ewi.org.uk)

All complaints received by EWI will be handled in accordance with their published procedures, ensuring transparency and fairness.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

All complaint information is handled in accordance with GDPR and treated with strict confidentiality. We only share details with those directly involved in investigating or resolving your complaint, or where required by law.

Learning and Improvement

We record all feedback. Our senior leadership team regularly reviews this information to identify trends and drive service improvements. Thank you for helping us to continually raise our standards.