We investigate complaints about premises that sell food, including shops and restaurants.

We investigate complaints about food premises that have:

  • pests, such as rats or cockroaches
  • poor levels of cleanliness or food safety
  • unhygienic food handling

If your complaint is about a specific food product or meal you have bought, you should make a food safety complaint.

We do not investigate complaints about poor service.

You can visit the NHS website for advice about food safety at home.

Make a complaint

You can contact us to complain about a food premises.

To complain about a food premises, you will need:

  • your name, address and contact details
  • the name and address of the premises
  • the problem with the premises
  • when the problem occurred

Once we receive your complaint, we will:

  • acknowledge your report within three working days
  • assess your complaint
  • assess the history of the premises
  • take action as appropriate, so that the food business satisfies food hygiene requirements

When we are making our decision as to what action we will take, we will base our decision on:

  • the risk the premises poses
  • the nature of the complaint
  • this history of compliance at the premises
  • our confidence in the management at the business concerned

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