These rules are not currently in use. A vote to implement these will be taken in the October 2025 AGM, Until then, if you have any comments about the rules, be it rules you don’t think should be there, rules you think should be changed, rules you think should be added, then please let us know via discord, or via email at directors@leicesterhackspace.org.uk

Warnings and Complaints

Warnings

Leicester Hackspace operates on a “Three strikes and your out” consequence system. When a member is found to have broken a rule, they will receive a written warning. Once a member receives 3 written warnings, their membership will be revoked, and they will not be allowed to re-join for at least 2 years. Warnings will expire after a year from date of issue.
Written Warnings will be issued at the discretion of The Directors. Bans must be agreed between directors with an N-1 vote.

Additional actions can be taken alongside written warnings, including but not limited to:

A director may choose to give a verbal warning, which will not be recorded but may be discussed and taken into account in future warnings.

The Directors may choose to forgo the process and skip straight to a ban if they deem the infraction serious enough (E.g, causing serious damage or harm through malicious actions).

  ---
config:
  layout: elk
  elk:
    nodePlacementStrategy: NETWORK_SIMPLEX
---
%%{ init: { 'flowchart': {"curve": "stepAfter" } } }%%
flowchart TD
    start[Directors n-1 agreed on consequence]
    verbalW[Verbal Warning]
    formalW[Formal Warning]
    ban[Ban]
    start --> verbalW & formalW & ban
    
    %% Verbal Tree
    vNotif[Member is informed in person]
    vInaction[No further action is taken]
    verbalW --> vNotif --> vInaction
    
    %% Formal Warning Tree
    fNotify[Member is notified of warning via email]
    fAppeal{Member has<br/>7 days to<br/>appeal}
    fAppealMeeting[Meeting held with warned member to discuss appeal]
    fAppealDiscuss{Directors<br/>hold n-1 vote<br/>on upholding<br/>warning}
    fRepeal[Warning repealed, member informed]
    fDowngrade[Warning downgraded to verbal warning, member informed]
    fUpheld[Warning upheld, member informed]
    
    formalW --> fNotify --> fAppeal
    fAppeal -- Appealed --> fAppealMeeting --> fAppealDiscuss
    fAppealDiscuss -- Repealed --> fRepeal
    fAppealDiscuss -- Upheld --> fUpheld
    fAppealDiscuss -- Downgraded --> fDowngrade
    fAppeal -- Not Appealed --> fUpheld
    
    %% Ban Tree
    bAction[Member access to space and services revoked]
    bNotify[Member is notified of ban via email]
    bAppeal{Member has<br/>30 days to<br/>appeal}
    bAppealMeeting[Meeting held with warned member to discuss appeal]
    bAppealDiscuss{Directors<br/>hold n-1 vote<br/>on upholding<br/>ban}
    bRepeal[Ban repealed, member informed & reinstated]
    bDowngrade[Ban downgraded to formal warning, member informed & reinstated]
    bUpheld[Ban upheld, member informed]
    
    ban --> bAction --> bNotify --> bAppeal
    bAppeal -- Appealed --> bAppealMeeting --> bAppealDiscuss
    bAppealDiscuss -- Repealed --> bRepeal
    bAppealDiscuss -- Upheld --> bUpheld
    bAppealDiscuss -- Downgraded --> bDowngrade
    bAppeal -- Not Appealed --> bUpheld

Appeals

If a member feels that they have unfairly received a warning or a ban, then they can appeal within 30 days by writing to appeals@leicesterhackspace.org.uk detailing their side of the warning and why they think it was unjust.
This will then be reviewed by the directors, who will N-1 vote on whether to uphold the warning/ban.

Complaints

As Leicester Hackspace is intended to be a safe space for all members, we take complaints very seriously and have a thorough process to ensure that they are handled correctly.

A complaint can be made by any member or non-member by emailing complaints@leicesterhackspace.org.uk. You can also choose to directly email any or multiple directors using their email addresses, listed [Here](Wiki Link TODO).

The following is lifted from Nottinghack’s rules, the flow charts still need modifications to fit out process

Complaints fall into one of three categories, set out in the sections below. These are given in priority order, and a complaint falls into the first category it can fit into.

Complaints Raised By or Against a Director

Complaints fall into this category is they are made by, or against, a Director or Directors where there is a need to reduce conflicts of interest. This excludes situations where the whole Board are raising a complaint against a particular member, which would require an N-1 decision.

A complaint against, or raised by, a director or directors creates a conflict of interest for the that Director(s). That Director or Directors must be removed from all discussions and decisions about the complaint.

The remaining Directors should also consider whether they or any other Directors might have any conflict of interest due to their relationship with the named Director(s). If they feel that they are unable to contribute to the discussion dispassionately, they should remove themselves from the discussion.

If the number of Directors able to investigate and discuss the complaint is less than four, the Directors should not proceed. At this point, the remaining Directors should arrange for the complaint to be heard by a panel of external, independent, people. This is likely to be Directors/Trustees from another hackspace.

Once the investigating panel has been formed, the complaint follows the flow in the appropriate section below.

Complaints Against Leicester Hackspace

Complaints fall into this category if they are made against the Hackspace as a whole, or a section of the organisation, such as a team.

The primary purpose of the investigation is to determine the root cause of the complaint, identify any required changes to the hackspace’s policy or procedures and deliver those changes.

  ---
config:
  layout: default
  elk:
    nodePlacementStrategy: NETWORK_SIMPLEX
---
%%{ init: { 'flowchart': {"curve": "stepAfter" } } }%%
flowchart TD
    start([Complaint Raised])
    log[Complaint Logged]
    discussion[Private discussion channel created for directors in discord]
    focus{Focus of<br/>complaint}
    start --> log --> discussion --> focus
    
    %% Member
    fMember[[Complaint against Member Procedure]]
    mFInform[Inform Complainant]
    mFPeriod{Complainant<br/>has 7 days<br/>to respond}
    focus -- Member --> fMember --> mFInform --> mFPeriod -- Response --> fMember 
    
    %% Hackspace
    fHackspace{Investigate<br/>Complaint,<br/>majority decision}
    hFUpheld[Preventative measures updated or Implemented]
    hFInform[Complainant contacted with conclusion]
    focus -- Hackspace --> fHackspace
    fHackspace -- upheld --> hFUpheld --> hFInform
    hFNotUpheld[Inform Complainant]
    hFPeriod{Complainant<br/>has 7 days<br/>to respond}
    fHackspace -- Not Upheld --> hFNotUpheld --> hFPeriod -- Response --> fHackspace
    
    %% Repeated Complaint
    repetitive{Repeated<br/>Complaint}
    review{Review<br/>rules to<br/>address<br/>source}
    change[Change proposed at General Meeting/Emergency Meeting]
    archiveChat[Director discussion archived]
    closed([Complaint Closed])
    hFPeriod & mFPeriod -- No Response --> repetitive
    hFInform --> repetitive
    repetitive -- Yes --> review -- Change --> change --> archiveChat
    repetitive -- No --> archiveChat
    review -- No Change --> archiveChat
    archiveChat --> closed

Complaint Against a Member

Complaints fall into this category if they are made by a member, members, or The Directors directly against a member or members, or if a complaint is referred from the previous section.

We encourage you to raise a complaint for breaking any Hackspace rules, including if you:

If it is deemed necessary, a temporary ban from the space may be issued until the complaint is resolved. These must only be used in severe cases where other people are at risk of harm.

Whilst investigating a complaint, it may be necessary for the directors to have meetings with the complainant, and the complained about member. In these cases, no more than 2 directors per attending member may be present for these meetings, the attending member will be entitled to a friend to join for support, and minutes will be recorded and sent to the attending member.

  ---
config:
  layout: default
  elk:
    nodePlacementStrategy: NETWORK_SIMPLEX
---
flowchart TD
    start([Complaint Raised])
    log[Complaint Logged]
    discussion[Private discussion channel created for directors in discord]
    tempBan{N-1 Decision<br/>on temporary<br/>ban}
    start --> log --> discussion --> tempBan
    
    %% Temp Ban
    tempBanIssued[Temporary Ban Issued]
    tempBanInform[Member Informed]
    tempBan -- Ban --> tempBanIssued --> tempBanInform
    
    %% Investigation
    investigation{Director<br/>Investigation,<br/>N-1 decision}
    tempBanInform --> investigation
    tempBan -- No Ban --> investigation
    
    dWarning[Formal warning issued to member]
    dBan[Ban term issued to member]
    dDismissed[Complaint dismissed]
    investigation -- Dismissed --> dDismissed
    investigation -- Warning --> dWarning
    investigation -- Ban --> dBan

    %% More Info
    meeting[Separate meetings with both members to discuss issue]
    investigation -- More info required --> meeting --> investigation
    
    dInform[Both parties informed]
    dDismissed & dWarning & dBan --> dInform
    
    %% Appeal
    appeal{Members<br/>given 30 days<br/>to appeal}
    dInform --> appeal
    appeal -- Appeal Made --> investigation
    
    %% No Response
    archiveChat[Director discussion archived]
    close([Complaint Closed])
    appeal -- No Appeal --> archiveChat --> close

Confidentiality and Openness

Complaints are very delicate issues, so details of all complaints will be kept in the upmost confidence. The Directors cannot, and will not try, to stop a complainant from discussing their complaint with their friends, but The Directors will not discuss with anyone outside the Directors and involved parties. Additionally, a Director who makes a complaint will treat that complaint as if they received it for the purposes of confidentiality.

Finally, the Directors may choose not to share a complaint with the subject of that complaint if they deem the complaint to be without merit. The complainant will be informed of this fact.