Complaint Handling Reviews

The Complaints

The complaint in this case arose following the applicant’s contact with the police regarding his purchase of a boiler which was not delivered to or install in his property. We have reviewed the handling of a single complaint, namely that:

• The police failed to investigate the applicant’s allegation of fraud following a male failing to carry out work on the applicant’s property.

Police Scotland’s Decision

Police Scotland did not uphold the applicant’s complaint.

Our Findings

We have found that Police Scotland did not handle the applicant’s complaint to a reasonable standard.

Consequently, we have made a recommendation to address the shortcoming in Police Scotland’s handling of the complaint. In summary, we have recommended that Police Scotland conducts any further necessary and proportionate enquiries into the complaint and then provide the applicant with a further well-reasoned response.

Our recommendation should be implemented by Police Scotland within two months of the date of this report.

Outcome

Police Scotland implemented the recommendation made in this case. In doing so, they carried out necessary and proportionate enquiries and a further response was thereafter provided to the applicant with a full explanation as to why the threshold for the crimes of theft or fraud were not met by the circumstances of the case.  Notwithstanding the conclusion that no crime had been committed, this further response acknowledged the failure by Police Scotland to appoint a single point of contact, appropriate learning was identified, and an apology provided.

Police Bodies : Police Scotland