Complaints Procedures

If you would like to complain about the services provided by Ceremonies by Fleur, or my use of your personal information, your options are listed below.

You can complain directly to Fleur:

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how I have used your data:

You can make a complaint via the Scottish Independent Celebrant Association:

The SICA Complaints Procedure:

1. Anyone can make a complaint to SICA about a member’s professionalism and conduct in the course of carrying out their work as an independent celebrant. 
2. Complaints about the legal elements of a wedding should be referred to the organisation that authorises the celebrant to carry out legal ceremonies.
3. Once the complaint has been received in writing, SICA will acknowledge receipt of the complaint, assign a complaint number and advise of the process and timescales for taking this forward. 
4. The Chair/Vice Chair will be responsible for deciding the process for dealing with the complaint. This could include assigning the complaint to a member of the committee, or to a representative from within the membership.  This will happen in not more than 14 days from the date of the complaint being formally received.
5. The Chair/Vice Chair will be responsible for contacting the SICA Celebrant to explain that a complaint has been received and the process that will be followed. It is important that the SICA Celebrant understands the process, and that SICA will be supportive and sensitive in carrying out the process. The SICA Celebrant will also be assured that confidentiality will be respected.
6. The appointed person will be the point of contact for the complainant during the investigative period.  The appointed person will make any reasonable accommodations to make sure the complainant is able to understand the procedure.
7. The appointed person will contact all relevant parties, which could include, but will not be limited to, Funeral Directors, instructing parties, Next of Kin, Venue management, or others as deemed necessary by the person investigating.
8. The appointed person will provide a written assessment of the circumstances  to the Chair/Vice Chair not more than 28 days from being appointed.  If there is any reason to extend this, that will need to be ratified by the Chair/Vice Chair and notified to the complainant.
9. During the investigation period the complainant will be able to request updates from the appointed person.
10. The Chair/Vice Chair will consider the findings, and any action to be taken as a result.  This could include, but not be limited to;
    •  issuing a warning to the member,
    • suspending the member from SICA,
    • deciding there is no case to answer,
    • directing the complaint to a different body (for example, the Information Commissioner’s Office).
11. The Chair/Vice Chair will respond to the complainant in not more than 14 days after receipt of the findings, detailing the decisions taken, and reasons for them.
12. No more than 8 weeks should have elapsed since receipt of the formal complaint and the complainant receiving a full response.
13. If the complainant is not satisfied with the outcome, the complainant will have the option to request that this is reviewed.   This request should be received within 14 days of the decision being issued.
14. In the event of a request for a review, this will be completed, and a response issued within 21 days of receipt of the request.

To open proceedings formal complaints should be sent to the SICA Chair at chair@celebrants.scot

Signed: Fleur Hoole

Updated: 06/05/2024