For how long should complaints files be retained according to the regulatory guidelines?

The correct answer is based on the regulatory guidelines that specify complaints files should be retained for a minimum of three years. This timeframe allows organizations sufficient time to review and learn from complaints, ensuring ongoing compliance and improvement in customer service practices. Retaining records for three years helps maintain a historical record of complaints, which can be useful for audits, monitoring trends, and ensuring that any issues are not repeated in the future.

Shorter retention periods, like one or two years, may not provide enough data for thorough analysis or regulatory review, while retaining files for five years could exceed the recommended duration, possibly leading to unnecessary storage costs and complications under data protection laws. Hence, three years represents a balanced duration for effective complaint management and regulatory compliance.