Complaints
Effective Date: 10 October 2026
IntroductionUniCare e.V. is committed to transparency, accountability, responsible financial management, ethical fundraising and continuous improvement in all areas of its charitable activities.
We recognise that donors, beneficiaries, customers, volunteers, partners and members of the public may occasionally have concerns about our activities, decisions, financial transactions, project implementation or the allocation and use of charitable funds.
UniCare provides a clear and accessible procedure for submitting complaints, investigating concerns, reviewing decisions and explaining the options available when a complainant remains dissatisfied.
This policy also explains how donors may raise concerns about the allocation, distribution, management or use of donated funds, including concerns that donations have not been used for their intended charitable purposes.
Our objective is to handle complaints fairly, impartially, consistently and within reasonable timeframes while respecting the rights of everyone involved.
1. Scope of the Complaints Procedure1.1 This policy applies to complaints and concerns relating to UniCare e.V., its charitable activities, fundraising operations, donation processing, online shop, personnel, volunteers, representatives, service providers and relevant project partners.
1.2 Complaints may be submitted by donors, customers, beneficiaries, volunteers, employees, project partners or other individuals and organisations affected by UniCare’s activities.
1.3 Matters covered by this procedure include, but are not limited to:
1.3.1 Quality of Services: Concerns regarding the quality, effectiveness, accessibility or delivery of services and charitable activities.
1.3.2 Conduct of Personnel: Complaints about the conduct, ethics, professionalism or behaviour of employees, volunteers, fundraisers, representatives or persons acting on behalf of UniCare.
1.3.3 Transparency and Reporting: Concerns regarding financial disclosures, project information, communications, governance, reporting or organisational decision-making.
1.3.4 Project Implementation: Complaints regarding the planning, selection, execution, monitoring, performance or outcomes of charitable projects.
1.3.5 Allocation and Use of Donations: Concerns or disagreements regarding the destination, allocation, distribution, administration or use of donated funds.
1.3.6 Donation Payments: Complaints concerning one-time donations, recurring donations, SEPA Direct Debit payments, payment authorisations, cancellations, refunds or payment errors.
1.3.7 Online Shop Purchases: Complaints concerning product descriptions, orders, payments, deliveries, returns, refunds, defective goods or statutory consumer rights.
1.3.8 Fundraising Activities: Complaints regarding fundraising methods, representations made to donors, information provided during donor registration or the conduct of fundraising personnel.
1.3.9 Suspected Misconduct: Concerns regarding suspected fraud, misuse of charitable funds, conflicts of interest, corruption, misrepresentation or other potentially unlawful conduct.
1.3.10 General Concerns: Other matters that may give rise to dissatisfaction with UniCare or its activities.
1.4 Complaints will be assessed according to their nature and may also be subject to applicable contractual, consumer protection, payment, data protection or regulatory procedures.
1.5 Nothing in this policy replaces or limits any mandatory statutory rights or complaint procedures.
2. How to Submit a Complaint2.1 Complaints should preferably be submitted in writing by email to complaints@unicare-foundation.com.
2.2 Complaints may also be submitted by post to:
UniCare e.V.
Complaints Department
Butzweilerhofallee 3
50829 Cologne
Germany
2.3 To assist with the investigation, complainants are encouraged to provide:
2.3.1 Their full name and contact details.
2.3.2 A clear description of the complaint.
2.3.3 The date or approximate date of the relevant incident or transaction.
2.3.4 Any relevant donation, payment or order reference.
2.3.5 The names of individuals involved, where applicable.
2.3.6 Supporting documents or other relevant evidence.
2.3.7 The outcome or remedy requested.
2.4 Complaints may be submitted in English or German.
2.5 UniCare will not reject a complaint solely because the complainant has not used a particular form, provided sufficient information is available to identify and investigate the matter.
2.6 Complaints involving suspected misconduct may be submitted with a request for confidential handling. Anonymous reports may also be considered where sufficient information is available to conduct a meaningful investigation.
2.7 No fee will be charged for submitting a complaint or requesting an internal review.
3. Acknowledgement of Complaints3.1 UniCare will acknowledge receipt of a complaint in writing within five (5) working days.
3.2 The acknowledgement will normally include:
3.2.1 Confirmation that the complaint has been received.
3.2.2 A complaint reference or other means of identification.
3.2.3 The person or department responsible for handling the complaint.
3.2.4 An explanation of the next steps.
3.2.5 An estimated timeframe for the investigation and response.
3.3 If additional information is required, UniCare will contact the complainant and explain what information is needed.
3.4 Where a complaint involves an urgent payment issue, suspected fraud or a risk of ongoing harm, UniCare will assess whether immediate protective action is appropriate.
4. Investigation and Initial Resolution4.1 Complaints will be investigated fairly, objectively and without unnecessary delay.
4.2 The investigation may include:
4.2.1 Reviewing relevant correspondence, financial records and transaction information.
4.2.2 Examining applicable policies, agreements and internal procedures.
4.2.3 Speaking with relevant employees, representatives or project partners.
4.2.4 Requesting additional information from the complainant.
4.2.5 Reviewing project reports, donation allocations or supporting documentation.
4.2.6 Assessing whether any corrective action is necessary.
4.3 UniCare aims to complete the initial investigation and provide a substantive written response within thirty (30) calendar days after receiving the complaint.
4.4 If additional time is required because of the complexity of the matter, UniCare will inform the complainant of the reason for the delay and provide an updated estimated response date.
4.5 The written response will normally include:
4.5.1 A summary of the complaint.
4.5.2 The findings of the investigation.
4.5.3 The reasons for the decision.
4.5.4 Any corrective actions or remedies offered.
4.5.5 Information about the right to request an internal review.
4.6 Possible outcomes may include an explanation, correction of an error, amendment of internal procedures, appropriate remedial action, a payment correction, a refund where legally required or otherwise approved, or a finding that no further action is justified.
4.7 Any statutory deadlines or remedies applicable to the complaint take precedence over the internal administrative timeframes in this policy.
5. Escalation and Final Internal Review5.1 If a complainant is dissatisfied with the initial decision, they may request a formal internal review by contacting complaints@unicare-foundation.com.
5.2 The complaint will be escalated to the Board of UniCare e.V. or an appropriately senior representative who was not responsible for the original decision, wherever reasonably possible.
5.3 The complainant may submit additional information, supporting documents or reasons for disagreeing with the original decision.
5.4 UniCare will acknowledge the escalation within five (5) working days.
5.5 UniCare aims to provide a final written decision within thirty (30) calendar days after receiving the request for review.
5.6 If additional time is required, the complainant will be informed of the reason and the expected response date.
5.7 The final written decision will explain the matters reviewed, the outcome, the reasons supporting the decision, any corrective measures or remedies offered, and the relevant external options available if the complainant remains dissatisfied.
5.8 The internal review represents the final stage of UniCare’s ordinary complaints procedure.
5.9 If the complainant remains dissatisfied, they may pursue the external options described in Section 6.
6. External Dispute Resolution and Legal Remedies6.1 UniCare is committed to resolving disputes fairly, transparently and in good faith.
6.2 If a donor or customer remains dissatisfied after receiving UniCare’s final internal decision, they may seek independent legal advice, contact the relevant competent authorities or pursue their claims before the courts having jurisdiction under applicable law.
6.3 UniCare e.V. is neither obliged nor willing to participate in voluntary dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board (Verbraucherschlichtungsstelle), unless participation is required by applicable law.
6.4 Information about the independent German consumer dispute resolution system is available from:
Universalschlichtungsstelle des Bundes
Zentrum für Schlichtung e.V.
Straßburger Straße 8
77694 Kehl am Rhein
Germany
Website: https://www.universalschlichtungsstelle.de/
6.5 The Universalschlichtungsstelle des Bundes may be relevant to eligible consumer contract disputes. Pure charitable donations may fall outside the scope of consumer contract dispute resolution.
6.6 The identification of this organisation does not constitute an agreement by UniCare to participate in its proceedings or a representation that the organisation has agreed to handle complaints against UniCare.
6.7 Donors who have made payments through SEPA Core Direct Debit retain their applicable banking rights, including the general right to request a refund through their bank within eight (8) weeks of an authorised debit and additional rights concerning unauthorised transactions, subject to applicable rules.
6.8 Customers purchasing products through the UniCare online shop retain all applicable statutory consumer rights, including withdrawal, refund and legal guarantee rights.
6.9 UniCare will explain the relevant external options in its final written response where required by applicable law.
6.10 Nothing in this Complaints Procedure prevents a complainant from contacting a competent regulatory or supervisory authority, payment service provider, bank or court where legally appropriate.
6.11 Complainants are encouraged to use UniCare’s internal complaints procedure where practical, but doing so is not a mandatory prerequisite for exercising statutory rights.
7. Complaints Regarding the Allocation and Use of Donated Funds7.1 UniCare recognises that donors may have questions, concerns or disagreements regarding how charitable funds are allocated, distributed, administered or used.
7.2 Donors may submit a formal complaint if they believe that:
7.2.1 Their donation has not been used for the charitable purpose communicated at the time of donation.
7.2.2 Donated funds have been allocated to a project or beneficiary they did not expect.
7.2.3 The distribution of funds between charitable projects is insufficiently transparent.
7.2.4 Administrative or operational expenditure has not been adequately explained.
7.2.5 Funds have been transferred to an organisation or project partner without sufficient oversight.
7.2.6 Project implementation differs materially from the information provided during fundraising.
7.2.7 Donations have been misallocated, improperly managed or used for unauthorised purposes.
7.2.8 There may have been fraud, misrepresentation, conflicts of interest or other misconduct involving charitable funds.
7.3 Complaints regarding the allocation or use of donations should be submitted to complaints@unicare-foundation.com.
7.4 UniCare will acknowledge the complaint within five (5) working days and investigate the matter under the procedures described in Sections 3 and 4.
7.5 The investigation may include reviewing the charitable purpose communicated to the donor, any specific restrictions agreed when the donation was made, relevant fundraising materials, internal allocation decisions, project budgets, financial records, agreements with project partners, invoices, receipts, distribution records and project implementation reports.
7.6 UniCare will assess whether the relevant funds were allocated and used consistently with its charitable objectives, any applicable donor restrictions, the representations made during fundraising and applicable law.
7.7 Where appropriate, UniCare will provide the donor with a written explanation of the relevant allocation decision, including the charitable purpose supported, the general nature of the expenditure and the reasons for the allocation.
7.8 UniCare may provide relevant financial summaries, project information or other supporting documentation where reasonably available and appropriate. Information may be withheld or redacted where disclosure would conflict with applicable data protection laws, confidentiality obligations, security considerations or other legal requirements.
7.9 Unless a donation was expressly accepted for a specific restricted purpose, UniCare may allocate unrestricted donations among activities consistent with its charitable objectives and applicable law.
7.10 A donor’s preference for a particular project does not automatically create a legally binding restriction on the use of funds unless that restriction formed part of the accepted donation arrangement or is otherwise legally binding.
7.11 Where a donation was expressly accepted for a specific restricted purpose, UniCare will assess the use of those funds against the agreed restriction and applicable legal requirements.
7.12 If UniCare identifies an allocation error, misuse of funds or a material deviation from an applicable restriction, it will assess and implement appropriate corrective measures. These may include correcting records, redirecting funds where lawful, seeking recovery of improperly transferred funds, strengthening internal controls, taking appropriate action in relation to a project partner or considering a refund where legally required or otherwise appropriate.
7.13 If UniCare determines that the funds were used appropriately and consistently with its charitable objectives and applicable restrictions, it will explain the basis for that conclusion in its written response.
7.14 A disagreement with an otherwise lawful allocation decision does not automatically entitle a donor to a refund. Any refund request will be assessed under applicable law, the terms of any restricted donation arrangement, the relevant payment rules and UniCare’s Donation Refund Policy.
7.15 If the donor remains dissatisfied with the outcome of the initial investigation, they may request a formal internal review under Section 5.
7.16 Following the final internal review, the donor may seek independent advice or contact the competent regulatory or supervisory authorities where appropriate.
7.17 Where a complaint raises credible concerns about suspected fraud, serious financial misconduct or unlawful use of charitable funds, UniCare will assess whether the matter should be escalated to the Board, an independent professional adviser or the competent authorities.
7.18 UniCare will not discourage or penalise a donor for raising a complaint in good faith or for exercising applicable legal rights.
7.19 UniCare is committed to maintaining appropriate records of donation allocation decisions, relevant financial transactions and supporting project documentation in accordance with applicable legal requirements and internal governance procedures.
8. Donation Cancellation, Refunds and SEPA Payment Complaints8.1 Donors may cancel recurring monthly donations at any time without cancellation fees.
8.2 Cancellation requests may be submitted through the cancellation form available on the UniCare website or by email to info@unicare-foundation.com.
8.3 UniCare will process cancellation requests and stop initiating future collections once the cancellation has been received and the relevant donation arrangement has been identified.
8.4 A collection already submitted to the banking system may still be processed. Applicable banking and refund rights remain unaffected.
8.5 Donations already collected are generally non-refundable unless a refund is required by law, arises under applicable payment rules or is approved following an individual review.
8.6 Donors may submit refund requests to info@unicare-foundation.com, providing sufficient information to identify the transaction.
8.7 For SEPA Core Direct Debit payments, donors generally have the right to request a refund through their bank within eight (8) weeks of the debit date without providing a reason.
8.8 Additional rights may apply to unauthorised direct debits, including the possibility of reporting such transactions within thirteen (13) months, subject to applicable legal and banking requirements.
8.9 These rights exist independently of UniCare’s internal complaints and refund procedures.
8.10 Further information is provided in Sections 5, 6 and 7 of UniCare’s Terms & Conditions.
9. Online Shop Complaints and Consumer Rights9.1 Customers purchasing physical products through the UniCare online shop may submit complaints concerning orders, payments, delivery, product quality, returns or refunds.
9.2 Complaints may be submitted to complaints@unicare-foundation.com or info@unicare-foundation.com.
9.3 Eligible consumers generally have a statutory right to withdraw from qualifying online purchases within fourteen (14) calendar days after receiving the goods, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
9.4 UniCare covers standard return shipping costs for eligible returns when customers follow the applicable return procedure.
9.5 Refunds following a valid withdrawal will be processed in accordance with applicable consumer protection law.
9.6 Customers retain their statutory rights concerning defective or non-conforming products.
9.7 A customer who remains dissatisfied with the handling of a webshop complaint may request an internal review under Section 5 and pursue the external options described in Section 6.
9.8 Further details are provided in UniCare’s Terms & Conditions, including the provisions on delivery, withdrawal, returns, refunds and statutory guarantees.
10. Confidentiality and Protection of Personal Data10.1 UniCare will handle complaints and related documentation with appropriate confidentiality.
10.2 Information will be shared only with persons who reasonably require access for the investigation, review, resolution or lawful reporting of the matter.
10.3 Personal data will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
10.4 Information may be disclosed to competent authorities, professional advisers or other parties where legally required or otherwise permitted by applicable law.
10.5 UniCare will take reasonable steps to protect complainants from inappropriate retaliation for raising concerns in good faith.
10.6 Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where disclosure is necessary to comply with legal obligations, investigate suspected misconduct or protect the rights of affected persons.
11. Recordkeeping and Monitoring11.1 UniCare will maintain appropriate records of complaints and their outcomes in accordance with applicable law and its internal recordkeeping requirements.
11.2 Records may include the date the complaint was received, its nature, relevant correspondence, supporting documents, investigation findings, decisions, corrective actions, escalation requests and final review outcomes.
11.3 Complaint records will be retained only for as long as necessary for legitimate purposes and applicable legal obligations.
11.4 UniCare will periodically review complaint information to identify recurring issues, operational weaknesses and opportunities for improvement.
11.5 Where appropriate, findings may be used to improve fundraising practices, donation administration, project monitoring, customer service, internal controls and organisational governance.
12. Fair Treatment and Accessibility12.1 UniCare aims to make its complaints procedure accessible and understandable to donors, customers and other stakeholders.
12.2 Complaints will be considered objectively and without discrimination.
12.3 Complainants will not be charged a fee for submitting a complaint or requesting an internal review.
12.4 UniCare may request reasonable verification of identity or transaction details where necessary to protect personal data, prevent fraud or investigate the complaint.
12.5 UniCare will seek to communicate decisions in clear language and explain the reasons for its conclusions.
12.6 The use of this procedure does not prevent a complainant from exercising any rights available under applicable law.
13. Review and Updates to This Policy13.1 UniCare will review this Complaints Procedure & Dispute Resolution Policy at least annually and may update it when necessary.
13.2 Reviews may consider changes in legislation, regulatory expectations, payment requirements, operational procedures and experience gained from complaints.
13.3 Material changes will be reflected in the version published on the UniCare website.
13.4 Updates will not retrospectively remove statutory rights or remedies available to complainants.
14. Relationship with Other Policies14.1 This policy should be read together with UniCare’s Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy, Donation Refund Policy and applicable SEPA Direct Debit Mandate.
14.2 In particular, the Terms & Conditions contain provisions concerning recurring donations, SEPA Direct Debit payments, cancellation of monthly donations, donation refunds, online shop purchases, consumer withdrawal and return rights, complaints, dispute resolution, applicable law and jurisdiction.
14.3 In the event of a conflict between this policy and mandatory applicable law, the mandatory legal provisions will prevail.
15. Contact InformationFor complaints, appeals or concerns about the allocation and use of charitable funds, please contact:
UniCare e.V.
Complaints Department
Butzweilerhofallee 3
50829 Cologne
Germany
Complaints Email: complaints@unicare-foundation.com
General Enquiries: info@unicare-foundation.com
Website: https://unicare-foundation.com/
UniCare e.V. values open communication, responsible charitable governance and the trust placed in the organisation by donors, beneficiaries, customers and the wider public.
We are committed to investigating concerns fairly, explaining our decisions, addressing substantiated problems and providing a transparent process for further review when a complainant is dissatisfied.
This commitment includes complaints concerning the destination, allocation and use of donated funds, as well as concerns relating to payments, fundraising activities and purchases from our online shop.
We encourage anyone with a genuine concern to contact us so that the matter can be examined and addressed appropriately.
Effective Date: 10 October 2026
