1. Purpose

Fixena aims to provide a trusted environment for homeowners and professionals to connect and manage home-related services.

Most interactions will be straightforward, but occasionally a user may have a concern about:

• another user;

• a professional;

• a homeowner;

• a job;

• a Match;

• a review;

• a payment;

• platform behaviour; or

• Fixena itself.

This Procedure explains how Fixena handles complaints and disputes.

It is designed to provide a clear and fair process while recognising that Fixena is a platform connecting homeowners and professionals and is not automatically a party to the contract for the underlying work.

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about:

• Fixena;

• a Fixena service;

• another user’s conduct

• a professional’s conduct

• a homeowner’s conduct

• a review;

• a Match;

• platform functionality;

• privacy;

• verification; or

• another matter connected with Fixena.

A dispute is a disagreement between two or more parties.

For example:

> A homeowner believes work was defective.

> A professional believes the work was completed correctly.

Or:

> A homeowner believes an invoice is higher than agreed.

> A professional believes additional work was requested.

Fixena may help facilitate communication, but Fixena does not automatically determine who is legally or factually correct.

Where a dispute is directly between a homeowner and professional, we encourage the parties to communicate with each other first where it is safe and appropriate.

This may involve:

• explaining the issue;

• reviewing the original quote;

• checking the agreed scope;

• providing photographs;

• discussing remedial work;

• reviewing invoices; or

• agreeing a reasonable resolution.

This does not prevent anyone from contacting Fixena or exercising their legal rights.

Where there is a safety concern, harassment, suspected fraud or another serious issue, users should not feel obliged to contact the other party first.

Complaints can be submitted to:

hello@fixena.co.uk

Where Fixena introduces an in-platform reporting or complaints facility, users may also submit complaints through that facility.

A useful complaint should include, where possible:

• your name;

• account email;

• relevant job or Match;

• name of the other user;

• dates;

• description of the issue;

• relevant messages;

• photographs;

• invoices;

• quotes;

• other supporting evidence; and

• what outcome you are seeking.

You should only provide information that is relevant to the complaint.

Some matters require faster attention.

These may include:

• threats of violence;

• serious safety concerns;

• suspected fraud;

• account compromise;

• serious harassment;

• suspected identity theft;

• serious privacy breaches;

• malicious activity; or

• other circumstances presenting an immediate risk.

Fixena may prioritise these matters and take temporary protective action while investigating.

Where there is an immediate risk to someone’s safety, users should contact the appropriate emergency services rather than relying solely on Fixena.

Depending on the circumstances, Fixena may:

1. acknowledge the complaint; 2. review relevant platform information; 3. contact the other party; 4. request supporting evidence; 5. review messages, job information or account activity; 6. review verification information; 7. consider relevant Fixena policies; 8. make a decision where Fixena is able to do so; and 9. communicate the outcome.

The process may vary depending on the nature and seriousness of the complaint.

Relevant evidence may include:

• photographs;

• quotations;

• invoices;

• certificates;

• warranties;

• messages;

• appointment records;

• job descriptions;

• review information;

• payment records;

• professional verification information; and

• other relevant documentation.

Users should provide accurate evidence.

Knowingly providing false evidence may itself breach Fixena’s policies.

Fixena may assist with communication and review relevant platform records.

However, unless a particular Fixena service expressly provides otherwise, Fixena does not:

• guarantee professional workmanship;

• guarantee that a job was completed correctly;

• determine whether work complies with building regulations;

• provide structural surveys;

• determine legal liability;

• determine insurance coverage; or

• act as a court, arbitrator or independent technical expert.

Where a dispute requires specialist assessment, the parties may need to obtain independent professional advice.

If a complaint involves potentially dangerous work, Fixena may take appropriate precautionary action.

This may include temporarily restricting a professional’s account while relevant information is reviewed.

Where appropriate, users may be encouraged to contact the relevant regulator, competent person scheme, insurer or other appropriate organisation.

Fixena does not replace the role of those organisations.

Complaints about professionals may relate to:

• conduct;

• qualifications;

• insurance;

• verification;

• workmanship;

• communication;

• pricing;

• safety;

• privacy;

• reviews; or

• other behaviour.

Fixena may investigate whether the professional has breached its Professional Standards.

Where a professional’s verification information appears inaccurate or expired, Fixena may temporarily suspend the relevant verification status while it is reviewed.

Complaints may also be made about homeowners.

These may include:

• abusive behaviour;

• unsafe working conditions;

• fraudulent job requests;

• repeated missed appointments;

• payment fraud;

• harassment;

• review manipulation;

• Match Fee circumvention; or

• other breaches of Fixena’s policies.

Fixena may investigate these matters in the same way.

Reviews are governed by the Fixena Reviews & Ratings Policy.

If a professional believes a review is:

• fake;

• misleading;

• abusive;

• based on an experience that did not occur; or

• otherwise in breach of the Reviews Policy,

they may report it to Fixena.

Fixena may investigate and remove content where appropriate.

A simple disagreement about whether work was good or bad will not necessarily result in removal.

Questions concerning the £5 Match Fee are governed by the Match Fee Policy.

A user may contact Fixena where they believe:

• a Match was created in error;

• a duplicate Match occurred;

• a fraudulent account generated a Match;

• a technical problem caused a charge; or

• another circumstance justifies review of the charge.

Fixena may issue a refund where appropriate.

Disputes about payment for work are normally between the homeowner and professional.

For example:

> “I don’t believe the work was worth £2,000.”

or:

> “The professional says I still owe £500.”

These are generally matters for the parties to resolve between themselves.

Where a Fixena payment service is involved, the applicable payment terms will apply.

Concerns about personal information will be handled in accordance with the Fixena Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.

Users can contact:

hello@fixena.co.uk

Where appropriate, Fixena may investigate:

• unauthorised access;

• inappropriate sharing;

• misuse of Home Passport information;

• professional misuse of homeowner information; or

• other privacy concerns.

Depending on the circumstances, Fixena may:

• provide an explanation;

• issue a warning;

• request corrective action;

• remove content;

• remove a review;

• amend or remove a verification status;

• restrict marketplace access;

• restrict messaging;

• suspend an account;

• permanently remove an account;

• refund a Fixena fee where appropriate; or

• take no further action where the matter does not involve a Fixena policy or service.

Fixena may temporarily restrict an account while investigating serious concerns.

This may be appropriate where there is a risk involving:

• safety;

• fraud;

• privacy;

• account security;

• serious misconduct;

• platform manipulation; or

• other significant harm.

Temporary action does not necessarily mean that Fixena has reached a final conclusion.

Fixena will aim to consider complaints fairly.

Where possible, we will consider relevant information from all sides.

However, Fixena may not always have enough information to determine what actually happened.

In such circumstances, Fixena may explain that it cannot reach a definitive conclusion.

Where appropriate, a user may ask Fixena to reconsider a decision by providing relevant new information or explaining why they believe the original decision was incorrect.

The request should identify:

• the original decision;

• why it is disputed;

• any new evidence; and

• the outcome requested.

Fixena may decline to reconsider matters where no meaningful new information has been provided.

Where appropriate, users may have rights to pursue matters through:

• the courts;

• relevant regulators;

• insurers;

• trade or professional bodies;

• alternative dispute resolution providers; or

• other legally available routes.

Nothing in this Procedure removes a person’s statutory rights.

If your complaint concerns Fixena rather than another user, please explain:

• what happened;

• when it happened;

• which Fixena service was involved;

• why you are dissatisfied; and

• what outcome you are seeking.

We will review the complaint and respond appropriately.

If your concern relates specifically to how Fixena processes personal information, please see our Privacy Policy.

You may also complain directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) where you believe your personal information has not been handled in accordance with applicable data protection law.

Fixena encourages genuine reporting.

However, users must not deliberately submit:

• fabricated complaints;

• false evidence;

• malicious allegations;

• complaints intended solely to harass another user; or

• repeated complaints designed to abuse the reporting process.

Deliberate misuse of the complaints system may itself result in account action.

Fixena will handle complaints appropriately and will only share information where reasonably necessary for:

• investigating the complaint;

• protecting users;

• operating the platform;

• complying with law; or

• resolving the relevant issue.

However, we cannot guarantee absolute confidentiality where disclosure is legally required or necessary to investigate a complaint fairly.

We aim to acknowledge complaints within a reasonable period.

The time required to investigate will depend on:

• complexity;

• seriousness;

• availability of evidence;

• whether other parties need to respond;

• whether external information is required; and

• the number of issues involved.

Urgent safety, fraud and security matters may be prioritised.

We will avoid promising an unrealistic fixed response time until the operational complaints process has been established.

Fixena may update this Complaints & Disputes Procedure as the platform develops.

Changes may reflect:

• new dispute-resolution functionality;

• new payment services;

• new professional services;

• changes in applicable law; or

• improvements to the complaints process.

Fixena Ltd Email: hello@fixena.co.uk