How do I make a complaint about a guide?

1. Guides who hold a qualification awarded by the Institute of Tourist Guiding (Blue Badge, Green Badge or White Badge) sign a Code of Conduct when they qualify. This Code is binding on them as long as they hold their qualification – whether or not they are members of the Institute.
2. The Institute administers the procedure for dealing with breaches of the Code.
3. If you think an Institute-accredited guide has behaved badly, you can make a complaint. Anybody may make a complaint – it does not have to be someone directly affected by the behaviour giving rise to the complaint.
4. You make a complaint by completing the form below.
5. When you submit your form we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint.
6. Depending on the nature of the complaint, we may pursue a detailed formal investigation which could lead to disciplinary sanctions or restrictions on the way a guide works

Contact with you

We don't usually contact you during an investigation period, unless our Investigating Officer needs additional information from you.

We will always write to provide information about the outcome, but please be aware, that depending on the nature of the complaint this can take some time.

What action we will take

The majority of complaints we receive do not result in formal disciplinary sanctions. That's because they can be resolved informally, with an apology by the guide concerned. If we proceed with a formal investigation and the guide is found to have breached the Code of Conduct, the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) imposes a range of disciplinary sanctions depending on the level of seriousness of the breach and on any previous history of failure to comply with the Codes of Conduct.

Our detailed procedure, which sets out what we will do with your complaint and the information contained in it, can be found here.

A summary of the Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure can be found here.