Detailed figures on door-to-door and face-to-face complaints received in 2011 show the biggest cause for complaint is fundraiser conduct.
Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB) asked charities to submit further detail of complaints received in addition to their annual complaints report. Results showed that fundraiser conduct accounts for 48 per cent of door-to-door complaints received and 60 per cent of face-to-face accounts received.
The FRSB has 1,233 charity members. In 2011 these members reported 30,848 complaints. Of these 2,877 were for doorstep face-to-face fundraising and 1,098 were for street face-to-face fundraising.
Not all those who submitted their complaints report to FRSB also contributed to the in-depth study. The new data represents 45 per cent of all doorstep fundraising complaints and 23 per cent of all face-to-face complaints. Of these responses around 630 doorstep fundraising complaints and 155 for face-to-face were due to fundraiser conduct.
The second greatest reason for complaint is 'dislike of the method' occurring in 19 per cent of door-to-door complaints and 24 per cent of face-to-face complaints.
Other reasons for complaint given for door-to-door were 'timing of call', 'calling on no charity cold callers premises', 'frequency of approach' and 'other'. Of the circa 90 responses in 'other' some 23 complaints were received about targeting the elderly and vulnerable.
Face-to-face complaints were divided into just 'fundraiser conduct', 'dislike of method', 'frequency of approach' and 'other'.
Complaints direct to FRSB "spiked" in 2012 but remain marginal
The majority of complaints to charities are made direct to the charity, however the FRSB notes that complaints direct to it have "spiked" in 2012. In 2011 the regulator received 14 complaints about door-to-door but this has increased to 38 complaints so far in 2012. Street fundraising received just 4 complaints in 2011 but this jumped to 9 in 2012. In 2011 FRSB saw a 10 per cent boost in membership.
The FRSB revealed its Complaints Report for 2011 in June with its annual report. It showed the greatest cause for complaint is addressed direct mail, which generates 49 per cent of all complaints.
