Excerpt from the Examination Centre's regulations for handling complaints and reports of public interest

 

Overview diagram of the complaint handling process
 

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Excerpt from the Examination Centre’s regulations for handling complaints and reports of public interest

 

1. Procedure of handling clients’ reports (complaints)

1.1. Methods of submitting a report (complaint)

a) Verbal report (complaint)

b) Written report (complaint)

  • Personally, or via a representative or proxy;
  • By mail: 1438 Budapest, Pf. 477.
  • In email: panasz@kavk.hu
  • By fax: +36-1-814-1815

1.2. Verbal report (complaint)

If the issue can be resolved easily or on site, or if it is based on a misunderstanding or lack of information, then the complaint may be made in person, to the staff of the Examination Centre, during the client service period (opening hours). If the complainant accepts the settlement proposed there, this fact shall be recorded by the administrator.
If the verbal complaint cannot be resolved easily or on site, a blank report form must be sent to the complainant, or his/her verbal report must be recorded in two counterparts, one of which must be handed over to him/her with the receiving officer’s name and signature, the date of receipt, and the authority’s stamp.

1.3. Written report (complaint)

The complainant must fill in a report form (which is also downloadable from the Examination Centre’s website: https://vizsgakozpont.hu/dokumentumtar.) For the report (complaint) to be investigated, the case must be described in detail; in case of several complaints, each must be explained separately, along with the complainant’s arguments. Also, the complainant’s claim / request must be described, and copies of the documents supporting the complaint must be submitted. Any antecedents (previous case n umber, administrator’s name) must be specified as well.
A written report (complaint) shall only be valid if signed by the complainant / reporting person. In case it is submitted via a representative or a proxy, his/her name must also be indicated in the complaint, and the original authorisation must be attached so that the Examination Centre can verify it. In case the reporting person / complainant needs to be heard during the investigation of the issue, he/she must not delegate that task to a representative but must attend the hearing personally.
A written complaint shall be submitted personally in the Examination Centre or any of its offices during opening hours, or shall be mailed to the Centre’s official mailing address, or shall be sent by email to panasz@kavk.hu.

1.4. Process of handling a report (complaint)

1.4.1. Rights and obligations of the reporting person (complainant); conflict of interest; exclusion

Every report (complaint) shall be investigated by an impartial and unbiased officer.
The reporting person (complainant) shall not suffer any disadvantage because of his/her submission.

1.4.2. Investigation of a report (complaint)

A report (complaint) concerning the operation, organisation, client service function, investigation, examination or exam supervision practices, or training or other activity of the Examination Centre shall be investigated by an officer assigned by the client relationship manager. This officer is usually the head of the organisational unit involved in the report (complaint), or his/her direct superior if the head of the unit is personally involved. The document closing the investigation shall be sent to the reporting person (complainant) by the head of the client service function. At the same time, the document shall also be forwarded by e-mail to the Examination Centre’s consumer protection officer for information.

An investigation may be refused in the following cases:

  • the reporting person (complainant) has repeated a previous complaint;
  • the complaint was submitted more than six months from learning about the alleged mistake or omission;
  • the submission was made anonymously, or by a person who could not be identified or was not duly authorised;
  • the reporting person (complainant) fails to provide the information required for the investigation despite a request to that effect; and especially if he/she does not sign the data processing declaration;
  • the reporting person (complainant) fails to provide any missing information by the specified deadline;
  • the complaint is withdrawn by the person who has submitted it.

A complaint or report of public interest submitted more than one year after the alleged mistake or omission shall be ignored.

1.4.3. Rights and obligations of the officer investigating a report (complaint)

The officer investigating the report (complaint) is entitled to obtain from the reporting person (complainant) further information required for the investigation, and to hear the reporting person (complainant). The officer shall take a protocol of the hearing, and inspect the site if necessary.
The Examination Centre shall inform the complainant (in writing) of the actions taken about each complaint.
The reporting person must be immediately notified in writing of the start of any ex officio public administration procedure about his/her complaint.
Every report (complaint) shall be investigated within 30 days from its receipt. If the investigation is expected to take longer than that, the complainant shall be informed in writing – by the above-mentioned default deadline – about the expected closing date of the investigation, as well as the reason for the prolongation.

1.4.4. Decision-making; closing the procedure

The investigation phase is closed and a decision is made once all material information relevant to the report (complaint) is available.
One of the following three decision types shall be made:
1. The report (complaint) is accepted (as the organisational integrity has been infringed or the complaint was justified; this has been established in the decision, and actions have been prescribed).
2. The report (complaint) is partially accepted.
3. The report (complaint) is rejected (as the organisational integrity has not been infringed, or the complaint was not justified; the procedure is discontinued without prescribing any measure.

The decision-making is followed by the issuance and forwarding of a written document (decision) in which the Examination Centre informs the reporting person (complainant) of its position in the matter, its decision, and any measures taken.

In case a complaint is found justified, the following shall be ensured:
a) restoration of a state that is lawful or compliant with the public interest;
b) taking the required measures;
c) elimination of the reasons for the errors identified;
d) remedying the damage/injury caused, primarily through negotiations;
e) calling to account the person(s) at fault if necessary.

The outcome of the investigation of a report (complaint) concerning a driving exam shall not result in improving the exam results.

1.4.5. Reviewing a decision

In case the complainant or reporting person disagrees with the response or is dissatisfied with the resulting measures, he/she may request a review within 15 days from receiving the response. A review request may be submitted on paper or electronically, through any of the channels specified above. The decision about a review shall be made by the executive director of the Examination Centre. The document closing a review procedure shall be forwarded to the reporting person (complainant), and shall be emailed to the consumer protection officer for information.

In case the reporting person (complainant) does not accept the outcome of the review, he/she may initiate an escalated review procedure within 15 days from receiving the notification about the outcome. An escalated review request may be submitted on paper or electronically, through any of the channels specified above. As the escalated review is the responsibility of the entity that supervises the Examination Centre, the request shall be forwarded by the Centre to that entity within five work days.

The supervisory entity shall review the available documents and send its written decision to the reporting person (complainant) within 30 days from receiving the request. In case the report (complaint) is rejected, the reporting person (complainant) shall be notified of the following (in writing):

  • the authority or mediation / arbitration board competent in the matter (depending on its nature);
  • the address and contact information (phone number, online contact data, and mailing address) of the authority or mediation / arbitration board that is competent based on the consumer’s current address;
  • whether or not the Examination Centre will submit the matter to the mediation / arbitration board.

2. Processing the data of the reporting person / complainant

The reporting person / complainant must fill in a declaration form (available on the Centre’s website) about the processing of his/her personal data. Such data shall only be recorded and processed during and for the purpose of the underlying procedure, for the period defined in the Examination Centre’s document handling regulations (as amended). Once the personal data processing period has elapsed, the entire file shall be destroyed.

The reporting person (complainant) may access (read) his/her report and the information sent to him/her.