Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
Businesses - how to appeal, a right to reply or revisit regarding your rating
Right to appeal
As the food business operator of the establishment, you have a right to appeal the food hygiene rating you have been given following your inspection, if you do not agree that the rating reflects the hygiene standards and management controls found at the time of the inspection.
Please note:
- You have 21 days (including weekends and bank holidays) from the date you receive your notification letter to lodge an appeal (this can be given at the time of inspection)
- Your rating will be reviewed and the outcome of your appeal will be communicated to you within 21 days
Right to request a re-visit
As the food business operator of the establishment, you have a right to request a re-visit for the purposes of re-rating if you have taken action to rectify the non-compliances identified at the time of inspection. You can make one request for a re-visit for each planned statutory inspection by the local authority and you can make this at any time after the statutory inspection, provided that you have made the required improvements:
- You must provide details of the improvements made with your request, including supporting evidence where appropriate. This can be clarified by your inspecting officer if required
- If we consider that you have provided sufficient evidence that the required improvements have been made, and provided that a three month 'stand still' period has passed since the statutory inspection, we will make an unannounced visit. This will take place within the three month 'stand still' period, or within three months of the request, if this is made after the 'stand still' period (if you were only required to make permanent structural improvements or repairs or to upgrade equipment, we can choose to carry out the requested re-visit sooner than this)
- The food safety officer will give you a 'new' food hygiene rating based on the level of compliance that is found at the time of the re-visit. You should be aware that your rating could go up, down or remain the same
Right to reply
As the food business operator of the establishment you have a 'right to reply' in respect of the food hygiene rating given following your inspection. The purpose 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 more about the circumstances at the time of the inspection. It is not for making complaints or for criticising the scheme or food safety officer.
Your comments will be reviewed by the food safety officer, and may be edited in order to remove offensive or defamatory remarks, before being published online and displayed together with your food hygiene rating, on the Food Standards Agency ratings page (ratings.food.gov.uk). There will also be a statement that will highlight that the accuracy of your comments has not been verified by local authority officers.
How to start
Please complete the appropriate form at Food Standards Agency (food.gov.uk) and return it to Environmental Health (Commercial), Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, Hinckley Hub, Rugby Road, Hinckley, Leicestershire, LE10 0FR or email it to esadmin@hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk.
Alternatively, you can use our online contact form to request a copy of the re-visit or right to reply form. Requests to appeal your rating should be made in writing.
Last updated: 04/06/2024 16:18
