Not Happy With Your Rating
WHAT TO DO IF YOU DISAGREE WITH YOUR HYGIENE RATING
If you are not happy with the food hygiene rating you have been awarded, you should contact the inspecting officer to discuss your concerns. If the issue cannot be resolved at that stage, you also have 3 further options to consider:
- Your right to request a re-visit
- Your "Right to Reply"
- Your right to appeal
REQUESTING A RE-VISIT
Under Section 4 of the Food Hygiene Rating Act (Northern Ireland) 2016, you can request an inspection to re-rate your food business establishment.
When applying for a re-rating inspection you must make sure that the following conditions are met:
- You must wait until the end of the 21 days appeal period before you apply for a re-rating inspection.
- Any appeal against the current food hygiene rating has been determined or abandoned.
- You must provide details of the improvements made to hygiene standards with your request, including supporting evidence where appropriate.
Please make sure the 21 day appeal period has passed before applying and that all recommended improvements have been made. If any of the conditions are not met your request will be refused.
Once the completed re-rating form has been received, the local council will complete an assessment ensuring all conditions have been met. The re-rating inspection will take place within three months of the request being made. However, you will not be informed of the specific date and time of the visit. Most re-rating inspections will lead to an improved rating, however it is possible for a lower rating to be given if standards have fallen.
Download request for re-rating form
YOUR "RIGHT TO REPLY"
The purpose of the “Right to Reply” is to enable you to give an explanation of subsequent actions that have been taken to make the required improvements as detailed in the inspection letter, or to explain mitigation for the circumstances at the time of the inspection. It is not for making complaints of for criticising the scheme or a food safety officer.
If you wish to use this “right to reply” please use the form and return it to the Environmental Health Officer who undertook your inspection.
Your comments will be reviewed by the Principal Environmental Health Officer and may be edited in order to remove offensive or defamatory remarks before being published online and displayed with your food hygiene rating at http://www.food.gov.uk/ratings.
Download Right of Reply Form
APPEAL YOUR FOOD HYGIENE RATING
You have the right to appeal a food hygiene rating if you believe that the rating does not reflect the food hygiene standards at the time of the inspection on which the rating is based.
You have 21 days (including weekends and bank holidays) from the receipt of the notification letter to lodge an appeal. Please use the appeal form and return it to the Principal Environmental Health Officer (Food Control) at the contact details below.
Your appeal will be determined by an authorised officer and the outcome of your appeal communicated to you within 21 days from the date that the appeal was received.
Contact
Telephone 028 71253 253