Food complaints

We investigate complaints about hygiene and food standards in food businesses, including:

Complaints we can deal with

• cleanliness
• structural condition
• staff personal hygiene
• rodent or pest infestation
• animals in food preparation of storage rooms
• foreign bodies in food
• suspected food poisoning.  (this must be confirmed by your GP and you will need to provide a stool sample.
• unprotected high risk food on display (not dry bakery products)
• unregistered food businesses
• flooding and sewage
• no or inadequate allergen information
• under-cooked high risk food (such as chicken and burgers)

Complaints we cannot deal with

• animals in public areas of a restaurant, public house or retail premise
• dirty public toilets
• the provision of toilets in public areas
• dirty décor in a public area of a restaurant or public house
• dirty plates glasses and cutlery
• small portions of food
• rude staff
• delayed or cold takeaway deliveries
• food handlers handling money
• opening hours
• planning permission for A1 to A5 use of commercial premises

What we will do

While we acknowledge our duty to investigate complaints, we may not investigate complaints that present a low public health risk immediately. However the information that is provided will be used to help us identify food businesses that require urgent attention. Less urgent matters will be addressed at the next routine inspection of the food business. This approach will enable us to target our resources where the greatest risk to public health exists

In order for the council to take formal legal action against a food business there must be a public health risk.  Any formal action must also comply with the council’s enforcement policy. 

If you complain to us about a food business, we  may contact the premises giving them the opportunity of putting matters right.  

How to make a complaint

Please complete the online complaint form to make a complaint about food sold in the borough or a Bromley based food business. You will need to  provide full contact details, name, address, telephone number, email and a full account of the complaint or issue you would like to bring to the councils attention.

Your personal details will not be passed to any third parties without your consent.

We aim to contact you within 5 working days.