Make a formal complaint about Environment Canterbury
We want to hear from you – whether our service has met your expectations or fallen short. We understand that things don’t always go as planned, and if you’re not fully satisfied or believe an issue needs to be addressed, you can submit a formal complaint. Your feedback helps us improve, and we value your voice.
What is a formal complaint?
A complaint is a report of a problem, while a formal complaint is a signed document or electronic submission that alleges a violation and requests an investigation.
You can make a formal complaint when:
- we haven't followed through on our commitments
- we're taking too long to act, or we’re not acting at all
- you feel we're not making decisions as required
- we haven't delivered a satisfactory service.
Things you should know
What to do about an environmental problem, accident or hazard
If your complaint relates to something like an environmental incident, sighting of a pest or a boating incident, accident or hazard, the best way to let us know is to report an environmental incident
What to do to make a formal complaint
- Fill out the online form (see below)
- Call 0800 324 636 between 8am and 5pm (except on weekends and public holidays)
- Visit us in person at one of our offices
What happens when we receive your complaint
Once we receive your complaint, we’ll review it to understand your concerns and decide how it should be handled.
If it meets the criteria for a formal complaint, we will:
- acknowledge it within 2 working days
- investigate your concerns
- respond within 20 working days (or let you know if it will take longer).
If it doesn’t meet the criteria for a formal complaint, we’ll treat it as a general enquiry or service request and pass it to the appropriate team to respond. We’ll let you know if this is the case.
What information you need to gather
Please gather all relevant details, including dates, times, locations, and the names of people involved. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for us to investigate.
What to do if you're not happy with the outcome
You may escalate the matter to the Ombudsman’s Office for further review.