Be civil.Or we can't help.
We protect our staff. We make reasonable adjustments. We never tolerate abuse.
Almost every interaction we have with customers is fine. This policy is for the small minority where conduct becomes unreasonable, abusive, or threatening — and sets out what we'll do, how we'll do it, and how you can appeal.
Last updated · 8 February 2026
Tolerance for abuse of staff. We mean it.
Staff have the right to work without abuse. Reasonable adjustments are made for vulnerability or health conditions; abusive or threatening behaviour is never tolerated regardless of context.
Three objectives. In order.
Protect staff wellbeing
Our team is small. One bad call can ruin someone's day. We won't let it become routine.
Prevent disruption to others
Time spent managing one abusive case is time taken from every other customer. We balance accordingly.
Maintain effective service
Stress, distraction, and fear all degrade service quality. Removing those for staff means better service for everyone.
Reasonable adjustments always.
We recognise that some customers have mental health conditions, disabilities, or circumstances affecting how they communicate. We make reasonable adjustments where relevant — alternative formats, longer call windows, single point of contact, third-party representatives. See /legal/vulnerable-customers for the full vulnerable-customer policy.
Reasonable adjustments don't extend to tolerating abuse. A medical condition, language barrier, or stressful life event explains tone — it doesn't excuse threats, racism, slurs, or directed personal attacks on staff. If you're struggling to communicate something difficult, we'd rather know — say so and we'll find a way that works for both sides.
Two categories. Both unacceptable.
Aggressive / abusive behaviour and unreasonably persistent behaviour are different problems with different responses. Both qualify.
A — Aggressive, abusive or offensive
- Threats of violence or harm
- Profanity directed at staff
- Discriminatory, racist, sexist, or religiously offensive remarks
- Personal insults or derogatory comments
- Harassment or intimidation
- Written or spoken language causing staff distress or fear
Violence encompasses both physical threats and behaviour intended to cause fear or emotional harm.
B — Unreasonable or excessive
- Demanding unrealistic response timeframes
- Repeatedly contacting about identical issues without new information
- Insisting on specific staff members unnecessarily
- Excessive emails, calls, or messages
- Sending duplicate correspondence to multiple staff
- Refusing to accept decisions or explanations
- Continued contact after matters have been closed
Assessment depends on situation-specific circumstances and issue severity. A single bad day isn't this; a sustained pattern is.
Proportionate. Always.
When unacceptable behaviour persists, we may restrict contact or terminate services. Actions remain proportionate to the conduct and are subject to management discretion. Possible measures:
- Blocking phone numbers or email addresses
- Limiting contact to a single communication method
- Assigning one staff contact
- Restricting contact frequency
- Filing correspondence without response when no new issues are raised
- Ending complaint investigations
- Reporting criminal threats to law enforcement
- Pursuing legal remedies such as court orders
- Immediate service termination without refund for unused time
Live during the call. In the moment.
Telephone calls
Staff may terminate calls when behaviour becomes abusive, typically after issuing a warning. Call details are logged. Repeated incidents may result in call barring.
Emails & written communication
Service queries get appropriate responses, but abusive language is unacceptable. Management escalation occurs when staff feel uncomfortable responding directly.
Reported. Every time.
All threats receive serious treatment and must be reported internally. Escalation may involve management, legal advisors, and law enforcement. Evidence handling follows data-protection requirements.
Threats against staff or third parties — including their families, addresses, social media — are taken with the same seriousness whether made on a call, in writing, or via social media. Where there is reasonable cause to believe a criminal offence has been committed, we will involve the police. We will not soften this position to retain a customer.
Only senior management can authorise.
Contact restrictions and service termination are not decisions a single staff member takes alone. Only senior management or a company director can authorise them. We aim to maintain reasonable access where possible, while protecting staff.
What we'll tell you
Where restrictions are applied, written notification is typically sent outlining:
- Decision rationale
- Any prior warnings
- Applied restrictions
- Duration (where temporary)
- Appeal rights, where applicable
You can appeal.
Customers may appeal decisions involving full contact restriction or service termination. Written appeals are reviewed by management uninvolved in the original decision. Restrictions remain in effect during the appeal.
Submit appeals in writing to [email protected] with your account details, the date of the decision, and the grounds on which you're appealing. Appeals are typically reviewed within 14 working days.
This policy is monitored periodically to ensure fairness and compliance with equality legislation and industry standards. Related: vulnerable customer policy, privacy policy, cookie policy.
Need to flag a struggle? Tell us first.
If health, language, accessibility, or anything else is making this hard — say so up front. We'd rather know than guess.