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Standards of Service Charter

The Public Trustee is committed to service excellence and monitors its service to ensure that it meets the standards set out in the Public Trustee's Standards of Service Charter.

The Public Trustee and staff are committed to:

• providing excellent service to all clients
• providing prompt and courteous, confidential services in a professional manner
• maintaining the highest ethical standards of integrity, equity and fairness
• providing professional and competent advice to all clients
• continuous improvement of all aspects of our service.

Public Trustee clients will be dealt with courteously, promptly and in a professional and caring manner by all staff.

Timeliness

Where a response is required, all correspondence will be replied to or acknowledged within seven working days of receipt.

Privacy

The Public Trustee will treat your affairs as confidential and will not pass any information about your affairs to any other person or organisation without your consent or unless required to do so by law.

Personal appointments welcome

Clients of the Wills, Estate Management and Trust Management divisions must make an appointment to be attended to personally. This provides greater certainty for all clients to be seen at the agreed appointed time.

The Public Trustee maintains a 'Wills on Wheels' service and will visit disabled or incapacitated Will clients in their home environment.

Guardianship appointments

Administration will start within 24 hours of receipt of the order from the Guardianship and Administration Board. When an order is revoked, the Public Trustee, on receipt of the order, will pay the balance within five working days.

Court awards

A decision will be made on the purchase of personal items with 24 hours of receipt of the request to do so. Clients will then be notified immediately.

Powers of Attorney

Requests for advances will be acted upon immediately.

Administration of deceased estates

At the first meeting with the Public Trustee:

• the deceased estate administration procedure will be fully explained to the beneficiaries
• a time frame for the completion of the estate will be discussed with the beneficiaries
• the beneficiaries will be consulted on their preferences in relation to the distribution of assets
• the beneficiaries will be consulted as to the manner in which they will be kept informed of the progress of the estate.

Will services

Where possible, Wills shall be prepared while clients wait. All other Wills shall be ready at a time agreed between the client and the Public Trustee.

Clients can expect complete confidentiality of the content of their Wills and all personal information given. Wills are kept in safe and secure storage and beneficiaries will be contacted promptly on receipt by the Public Trustee of advice of the death of the testator or testatrix.

Where clients request specific provisions to be included in their Will that are likely to cause future difficulties in administration, they will be fully informed of the possible ramifications and advised of the appropriate alternatives.

At the time of signing the Will, clients will be fully advised of the meaning of the wording of the Will. Any change required during preparation of the Will shall be fully discussed with, and agreed to by, the client to ensure that it reflects their wishes.

Other services

Where funds are available in the estate, and administration permits, the Public Trustee will ensure that all accounts are paid within the nominated credit time.

Where possible, the Public Trustee will advance money against the security of assets in the estate in order to pay funeral expenses.

Security for clients

The Public Trustee is Government guaranteed, providing total security for clients' funds. The Public Trustee, being a body corporate in perpetuity, ensures ongoing service to all of its clients.

Client feedback procedures - compliments or complaints

If clients have a compliment or complaint regarding any aspect of the service provided by the Public Trustee, the following avenues are available:

• The officer handling the matter
  Clients should discuss fully any concerns with the officer handling the matter.
• Section managers
  If a problem remains unresolved, clients should ask for a Client Feedback Form to lodge an official comment to speak with the section manager of the officer handling their affairs. These officers have adequate delegated authority of the Public Trustee and should be able to solve most problems promptly.
• Directors
  Clients whose problems remain unresolved after initial review of the Client Feedback Form discussion with the section manager should write to the director responsible for the section handling their affairs.
• The State Ombudsman
  The State Ombudsman is available to assist people who have complaints against the administrative actions of Government departments or agencies. The Ombudsman can be contacted at:

Contact the Ombudsman

The State Ombudsman
St Martins Tower
44 St Georges Terrace
PERTH WA 6831
Phone: (08) 9220 7555
Freecall: 1800 117 000 (Country WA)
Fax: (08) 9325 1107

Last Updated: 25-Mar-2009

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