Marie Cowgill and The Freedom Game®
Last updated: 15 October 2026
Cowgill Consulting Ltd is committed to providing services professionally, fairly and with reasonable care and skill. We hope that concerns can usually be resolved quickly and informally, but we also recognise that people must have a clear way to raise a complaint when something has gone wrong.
This policy explains how to complain about services provided by Cowgill Consulting Ltd under the Marie Cowgill and The Freedom Game® brands, including coaching, mentoring, strategy support, digital services and the way we handle personal information.
1. Who we are
The organisation responsible for this complaints process is:
Cowgill Consulting Ltd
Company number: 16478115
Registered office: 124 City Road, London, United Kingdom, EC1V 2NX
Registered in England and Wales.
Complaints contact: [email protected]
2. What this policy covers
This policy can be used to raise concerns about matters including:
· the quality or administration of a service provided by Cowgill Consulting Ltd;
· a one-to-one coaching, mentoring or strategy session;
· ongoing private coaching or mentoring support;
· professional conduct in connection with coaching or mentoring services;
· booking, cancellation, payment or service-delivery issues;
· communications from Cowgill Consulting Ltd;
· digital products, educational resources or related services;
· accessibility or reasonable-adjustment concerns relating to our services;
· how Cowgill Consulting Ltd has collected, used, stored, shared or otherwise handled personal information; and
· another matter for which Cowgill Consulting Ltd is responsible.
3. What this policy does not cover
This policy applies only to matters for which Cowgill Consulting Ltd is responsible.
Property, mortgage, finance, lending or other specialist services linked from our website may be provided by a separate legal entity or regulated provider. Complaints about those services should normally be made through the complaints process of the entity that actually provided the service.
If you contact us about a matter that appears to belong to another provider, we will explain this where reasonably possible and may direct you to the appropriate complaints route. We will not pass your complaint or personal information to another organisation unless there is an appropriate lawful basis to do so.
A complaint about a third-party platform, payment provider or technology service that we do not control may also need to be raised directly with that provider, although we will consider any aspect for which Cowgill Consulting Ltd is responsible.
4. How to make a complaint
You can make a complaint by emailing:
Please use the subject line: Complaint
To help us understand and investigate the matter, please include, where reasonably possible:
· your name and preferred contact details;
· a clear description of what happened;
· the service, booking, communication or issue involved;
· relevant dates;
· any documents, screenshots or correspondence that may help us understand the complaint;
· the impact the issue has had on you; and
· what outcome you are seeking, if you have a particular outcome in mind.
You do not have to use particular legal wording or identify a complaint as a 'formal complaint'. If it is reasonably clear that you are expressing dissatisfaction and want us to consider or resolve an issue, we will treat it appropriately.
5. When to complain
Please raise a complaint as soon as reasonably possible after the issue occurs. This helps us investigate while records and recollections are still available.
Where possible, we ask that general service complaints are raised within three months of the matter complained about. We may still consider older complaints where it is reasonable and practicable to do so.
This requested timeframe does not remove or shorten any statutory right, limitation period, data-protection right or other legal remedy available to you.
6. Complaints made on behalf of someone else
You may ask another person to help you make a complaint or, where appropriate, complain on your behalf.
Where a complaint involves another person's confidential information or personal data, we may need evidence that the representative has authority to act for that person before we discuss protected information with them.
7. Accessibility and reasonable adjustments
We want the complaints process to be reasonably accessible. If you need a reasonable adjustment or another practical way to communicate a complaint, please contact [email protected] and tell us what support would help.
8. What happens when we receive a complaint
We will deal with complaints as fairly, proportionately and promptly as reasonably possible.
Our usual process is:
1. Acknowledge the complaint. We aim to acknowledge general complaints within five working days. Data-protection complaints will in any event be acknowledged within the period required by applicable law.
2. Clarify the issue if needed. If the complaint is unclear or information is missing, we may ask for further details.
3. Investigate. We will review the relevant facts, records, communications, policies and other information that is reasonably necessary.
4. Keep you informed. If the investigation is taking longer than expected, we will provide an update where appropriate.
5. Respond. We aim to provide a substantive response to general complaints within 20 working days where reasonably possible. Complex matters may take longer, in which case we will explain the position and continue without undue delay.
6. Explain the outcome. Our response will explain, where appropriate, what we found, any action we have taken or propose to take, and any relevant next steps.
9. Possible outcomes
Depending on the circumstances, an outcome may include:
· an explanation or clarification;
· an apology;
· correction of an error;
· completion or re-performance of an appropriate part of a service;
· rescheduling or another practical remedy;
· a refund or partial refund where appropriate and legally or contractually due;
· a change to a process, policy or system;
· additional training, supervision or reflective practice;
· confirmation that no further action is appropriate after investigation; or
· another fair and proportionate response.
Making a complaint does not guarantee a particular remedy. Any outcome will depend on the facts, the contract, applicable law and what is fair and proportionate in the circumstances.
10. Data-protection complaints
If your complaint concerns how Cowgill Consulting Ltd has handled your personal information, it will be treated as a data-protection complaint where applicable.
You may make a data-protection complaint using the same email address: [email protected].
We will acknowledge receipt of a data-protection complaint within 30 days of receiving it, or sooner where reasonably possible.
Without undue delay, we will take appropriate steps to investigate the complaint, make appropriate enquiries, keep you informed as appropriate and communicate the outcome of the complaint.
If a data-protection complaint also includes a separate request to exercise one of your data-protection rights, such as a request for access, correction or deletion, we will identify and handle that rights request under the applicable legal requirements as well as dealing with the complaint.
If you remain dissatisfied with how your personal information has been handled, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office. Information about making a complaint is available on the ICO website.
11. Coaching and mentoring professional conduct
Marie Cowgill is an EMCC-accredited coach and mentor and is committed to professional and ethical coaching and mentoring practice.
Where a complaint concerns coaching or mentoring professional conduct, we will consider the matter in light of the applicable professional and ethical standards as well as the contract and relevant law.
Where an external professional-body complaints procedure is applicable to the particular issue, you may also have the option of raising the matter with the relevant professional body. The eligibility, scope and procedure for an external complaint are determined by that body and may change from time to time.
Where relevant, we will provide or signpost current information about an applicable external professional route. Nothing in this policy is intended to obstruct a person's right to raise an eligible complaint with an external professional body.
12. Fairness and conflicts of interest
Complaints will be considered in good faith and on the information reasonably available.
Cowgill Consulting Ltd is a small business and a complaint may necessarily be reviewed by Marie Cowgill even where it concerns a service she personally delivered. We will not falsely represent an internal review as independent.
Where a serious conflict of interest makes it inappropriate for Marie to determine an issue alone, we may seek appropriate confidential external professional, legal or supervisory input while protecting personal information as required by law.
13. Confidentiality and privacy
Complaints will be handled with appropriate confidentiality. Information will be shared only where reasonably necessary to investigate, respond to, obtain appropriate professional or legal advice about, or otherwise lawfully deal with the complaint.
Personal information connected with a complaint will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection law.
A complaint may need to be retained as part of appropriate business, professional, legal or data-protection records.
14. No retaliation for making a complaint
You will not be treated unfairly simply because you have raised a genuine complaint in good faith.
This does not prevent us from taking appropriate action in response to threatening, abusive, discriminatory, dishonest or unlawful behaviour, or from protecting our legal rights where necessary.
15. Reconsideration and further information
If you believe our response has materially misunderstood the complaint, overlooked important evidence or contains a significant factual error, you may contact us again and explain the issue.
We will consider whether any further reasonable review is appropriate. This is not a promise of an independent appeal process, but we will correct material errors where identified.
16. External rights and remedies
Using this complaints process does not remove or restrict any statutory right, right to bring legal proceedings, right to approach a regulator or right to use an applicable external professional complaints process.
Different external routes have their own eligibility requirements, time limits and procedures.
17. Learning from complaints
We may use complaints and complaint outcomes to identify themes, improve services, update policies, strengthen systems and support professional reflective practice.
Where complaints are used for learning or supervision, we will minimise unnecessary identifying information where reasonably practicable.
18. Changes to this policy
We may update this Complaints Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, professional standards, business practices or legal requirements.
The latest version will be published on the website with an updated date.
19. Contact
To make a complaint or ask a question about this policy, contact:
Subject line: Complaint