ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS OF SCOTLAND

CODE OF SERVICE

Staff in the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) are committed to providing the highest standard of service in everything that they do. This code of conduct sets out the standards you can expect RCAHMS to meet. 
 
Standards of Service

At all times, staff will

	• be helpful and considerate
	• behave in a polite and professional manner
	• provide an efficient and accurate service
	• ensure that the comfort and safety of visitors to the Royal 
	  Commission premises are considered

Public Enquiries
All staff dealing directly with the public will be identified by the use of name badges.

Telephone calls will be answered quickly and staff will give their name. If the enquiry cannot be dealt with immediately, staff will inform the caller when a reply will be given and by whom.

Letters will be answered within 15 working days, unless the enquiry is complex, in which case the sender will be notified about the timescale involved and a full response will be made within 6 weeks. 

Access to the public search rooms is available to members of the public between 9.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Public holidays are detailed in a separate leaflet.

Services
There is no charge for consulting RCAHMS, but there may be a charge for some services, for example, photocopies, laser copies, computer print-outs. Public will be informed of any costs involved prior to the commencement of work. Details of the range of charges are contained in a separate leaflet.

Photographic orders (up to 24 prints) will be despatched within 15 working days and customers placing orders greater than this will be advised about the time their order will take, but it will be within 6 weeks. An alternative ‘Fast Service’ is available, at an increased charge, for orders of photographic material required within a shorter timescale. An invoice will be sent out and payment must be received prior to despatch of material.

Information requested from the computer database will be despatched within 15 working days, unless the request is complex, in which case the enquirer will be contacted and an estimate of the time and cost involved will be given, but it will be within 6 weeks.

Survey work
Staff will always approach a property owner and/or their representatives to obtain the appropriate permissions prior to commencing any field or survey work. 

Staff will be punctual for arranged meetings and will always make contact as soon as possible in the event of a delay or cancellation.

Invoices
Staff will ensure the payment of all invoices for the supply of goods, services etc. within 30 days of receipt (unless a different payment cycle is stipulated).

Complaints
In the event of RCAHMS staff failing to provide a satisfactory service, please let us know. If in the public search room, please speak to the staff on duty or ask for the Curator of Public Services so that the complaint can be dealt with immediately. Alternatively, please write to Mrs D M Murray, Secretary (Chief Executive), John Sinclair House, 16 Bernard Terrace, Edinburgh EH8 9NX, or telephone 0131 662 1456. Complaints will be examined and a full response made within two weeks.