Complaints procedure
Source: gov.uk (2025-12-10)

How to make a complaint about the Environment Agency’s service, or appeal against a regulatory decision.

Standards of service

The Environment Agency has a Customer Service Commitment (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-customer-service-commitment--2). It explains what you can expect from them and what they expect from customers.

How to make a complaint - Stage 1

A complaint means you are unhappy with how we work, our decisions, our policies or procedures, or our staff.

If you are unhappy, you can:
- email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- write to: National Customer Contact Centre, PO Box 544, Rotherham, S60 1BY
- call: 03708 506 506 (UK) Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
- call from outside UK: xx-xxxx-xxxx Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm GMT
We will look at your complaint. If we are wrong, we will fix it. If not, we will explain why.

How to escalate a complaint - Stage 2

If you are not happy with our first response:
- tell us
- a manager will review your complaint
- we will write to you again
What you can do if you are still unhappy

If you have completed both stages and are still unhappy you can contact either the Ombudsman or the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP). We will explain how to do this in our final response to you.

Contact the Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is independent. They only look at complaints after we try to fix the problem. For:
- flood defence or land drainage issues: contact the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (http://www.lgo.org.uk/)
- other issues: complain through your local MP to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/)
Contact the OEP

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) (https://www.theoep.org.uk/office-environmental-protection) is independent. They look at complaints about government bodies not following environmental law. They only act after you finish our complaints process.

Other ways to complain or appeal

If you’re unhappy with a decision we’ve made or how we’ve handled your information, there are ways you can ask us to review or raise a complaint. Below you’ll find guidance on what to do in different situations.

Complaints about our handling of requests made under Freedom of Information (FOI)/Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)

You can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (https://ico.org.uk/) if you are unhappy with the way the Environment Agency has:
- handled your request for information made under FOI/EIR
- charged for or licensed your re-use of information
Appeal a regulatory decision

If you disagree with a regulatory decision we’ve made, you can appeal and request a review (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/appeal-a-regulatory-decision-from-the-environment-agency). You can also report when we have not followed the Regulators’ Code (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulators-code).

Victims’ Right to Review (VRR)

If the Environment Agency decides not to prosecute someone for a crime, the victim may ask them to review that decision. This is called the Victims’ Right to Review or VRR.

To find out if this applies to you, email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

When you contact us, we will explain the VRR scheme and what happens next.

Usually, we contact victims directly and ask if they want a review. If you want to go ahead, you must tell us within 5 working days.