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Complaints, Appeals & Refunds

How to raise a concern or appeal a decision, and how cancellations, credits and refunds are considered.

DocumentComplaints, Appeals, Learner Satisfaction, Cancellation & Refund PolicyVersion2.2Effective15 September 2026StatusIn force

1. Purpose

This policy explains how Upstart Bar handles learner or client complaints, appeals and satisfaction concerns, and how cancellations, credits, re-performance and refunds are considered. It is designed to provide a clear, fair and proportionate route for resolving problems while recognizing that most Upstart Bar training is commissioned by organizations under a proposal, statement of work, quotation or contract.

2. Scope

The policy applies to Upstart Bar training programs, workshops, assessments, trainers, learner support and associated training administration. It applies to individual learners and commissioning client contacts. Project-specific contractual terms continue to apply and take precedence where they set a specific cancellation, payment or remedy arrangement.

3. Raising a concern or complaint

A learner or client may raise a concern informally with the trainer during or after a session, or formally by emailing info@upstartbar.com. A complaint should include enough information to understand the issue, the program or session concerned, the desired outcome if known, and any relevant supporting information.

Raising a concern will not disadvantage a learner in future participation or assessment. Upstart Bar expects respectful communication from all parties and will handle complaints as confidentially as reasonably possible.

4. Complaint handling process

  1. Acknowledgment: Upstart Bar will normally acknowledge a formal complaint within two working days.
  2. Triage: the complaint is assigned to an appropriate person who is not materially conflicted in the issue. Straightforward matters may be resolved immediately or informally with the complainant's agreement.
  3. Review: relevant delivery records, trainer feedback, assessment evidence, communications or client information may be reviewed. The complainant and relevant team members may be asked for clarification.
  4. Response: Upstart Bar will normally provide a substantive response within ten working days. If the issue is complex or depends on third-party information, the complainant will be updated and given a revised expected response date.
  5. Corrective action: where the complaint is upheld in whole or in part, Upstart Bar will take proportionate corrective action and identify any improvement needed to prevent recurrence.

5. Appeals

A learner or client may appeal an assessment outcome or complaint decision where they believe relevant evidence was not considered, the process was not followed fairly, or there is a material error in the decision. Appeals should normally be submitted to info@upstartbar.com within ten working days of the decision and should explain the basis of the appeal.

An appeal will be reviewed by a partner, Course Owner or suitable reviewer who was not the original decision-maker where reasonably possible. The appeal decision is normally issued within ten working days after sufficient information has been received. Where a conflict of interest exists, another partner will oversee the review.

The same complaint and appeal rights apply where a concern relates to AI-supported learning. Examples include undisclosed AI use, inaccurate or misleading AI output, perceived bias or exclusion, privacy and data-handling concerns, an AI-supported assessment or feedback outcome, inability to obtain human help, or a safeguarding concern arising during an AI interaction.

AI-related complaints and appeals receive a human review. No complaint, appeal, pass or fail, completion or other material learner decision is finalized by AI alone.

A material AI issue may result in correction or withdrawal of content, a trainer override, additional learner support, restriction or disablement of an AI feature, a data or privacy response, or an update to prompts, tools, platform settings or controlled training materials.

7. Learner satisfaction and quality assurance

Upstart Bar monitors learner and client feedback as part of its quality-assurance process. Feedback may be collected through surveys, quizzes, trainer observations, client debriefs and post-program reports. Material or repeated concerns can trigger trainer coaching, content revision, additional learner support or a formal corrective action.

Upstart Bar does not offer an unconditional money-back guarantee. Instead, remedies are considered according to the nature and impact of the issue, the contractual arrangement and whether the training can reasonably be corrected or re-performed.

8. Available remedies

Depending on the circumstances, a proportionate remedy may include one or more of the following:

  • Clarification, correction or replacement of training materials.
  • Additional support or follow-up from a trainer.
  • A replacement or re-performed session or module.
  • Transfer to a future cohort or alternative session.
  • Credit against future Upstart Bar training.
  • A partial refund where part of the service was not delivered to the agreed standard and another remedy is not appropriate.
  • A full refund in exceptional circumstances where the relevant paid service was not delivered and cannot reasonably be re-performed or replaced.

Where the learner did not personally pay for the training, any financial refund or credit is normally handled with the commissioning client rather than paid directly to the learner.

9. Client and learner cancellations

Most Upstart Bar training is delivered under a client proposal, quotation, statement of work or contract. The cancellation, rescheduling and payment terms in that agreement apply. Where no specific term has been agreed, Upstart Bar and the client will seek a reasonable solution based on notice provided, non-recoverable costs, trainer commitments and work already completed.

Where Upstart Bar offers a directly purchased learner place, the applicable cancellation and refund terms will be communicated before payment or enrollment. A learner should not assume that a place is refundable unless the applicable terms provide for it.

10. Cancellation by Upstart Bar

If Upstart Bar needs to cancel or materially reschedule a session, it will notify the client or learner as soon as reasonably possible and seek to offer a replacement date, alternative trainer or equivalent delivery option. If an affected paid service cannot reasonably be delivered or replaced, the applicable unused fee will be credited or refunded subject to the governing contract and any agreed force-majeure or third-party-cost provisions.

11. Records, confidentiality and learning

Formal complaints, appeals, outcomes and material corrective actions are recorded with access limited to those who need the information. Records are handled under the Data Protection & Privacy Policy. Themes are reviewed for service improvement, but personal information is not used more widely than necessary to address the matter and maintain appropriate quality evidence.

12. Contact and escalation

Complaints and appeals may be sent to info@upstartbar.com. The Managing Partner has overall accountability for this policy. The Partner, People or another suitable partner may be assigned to investigate, review or provide independent escalation depending on the nature of the issue.

13. Review

This policy is reviewed annually, or earlier if there is a material legal, operational, contractual or delivery change. Significant complaints, repeated issues, contractual changes or changes in delivery arrangements may trigger an earlier review.