Policy Name: Customer Complaints Policy
Version: 004
Review Date: 8th March 2023
Effective complaint handling should be a customer friendly process that enables customers to be listened to and understood. The starting point for this is a mutual understanding of what constitutes a complaint. In accordance with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, a complaint is defined as:
“an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual customer or group of customers.”
Purpose
This Policy is to ensure that all residents, customers and other relevant parties are aware of the procedure to raise issues regarding the quality of the service delivered by the Landlord, Affordable Housing Communities Limited (AHC) and Property Manager, Platinum Skies Management Limited (PSM).
It is also to ensure that all complaints are monitored; any underlying causes effectively identified and managed; and that relevant issues are shared throughout the organisation to learn from, assist in service development and quality improvement across all AHC and Platinum Skies Developments.
Scope
This policy applies to all residents, relatives, visitors, contractors and any others who may be affected by our service provision.
Policy:
Our policy is intended to develop an environment of fairness across Platinum Skies developments, encouraging residents, relatives, and their representatives to provide feedback on any aspect of the service.
When issues are raised, it is our policy to ensure that feedback and complaints are fully investigated and dealt with promptly and in a fair and effective manner. Many complaints can be avoided by dealing with concerns as they arise, so we ask that issues are raised directly with the Community Manager in the first instance, in order to achieve a pragmatic outcome.
This policy will be made readily available and easily accessible for all residents and visitors. Different formats (such as braille or large print) can be made available on request. If you require support to make a complaint, please let us know and we will assist wherever possible.
All staff receiving a complaint, either verbally or in writing must report this to the Customer Service Manager as soon as possible; this will enable trends to be spotted and remedial measures identified. It is hoped that most complaints can be dealt with immediately by the employee receiving the complaint.
It is the Customer Service Manager’s responsibility to encourage customer feedback in all forms, and to provide any help or assistance that is required. Residents can ask for assistance in finding an advocate without revealing the reason for making this request. To achieve this, we will ensure that contact information for local services is available when requested.
A record of the complaint received will be kept together with the details of the ensuing investigation and any action taken as a result of the complaint. All complaints will be investigated and resolved to the satisfaction of the person raising the complaint unless:
- The complaint falls outside the remit of Affordable Housing Communities’ or Platinum Skies’ responsibility
- The complaint is considered vexatious, or the complainant’s behaviour is considered unacceptable (Please refer to the Unacceptable Resident Behaviour Policy)
- The complaint cannot be upheld.
All outcomes will be carefully considered and used to reflect on AHC/PSM’s ability to achieve standards and adhere to required regulations or to assess any risk of being unable to do so.
Raising a formal complaint
We aim to get things right first time, however, we accept that things can go wrong. We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible but recognise that there are some occasions where it might take a little longer to resolve the problem. If this is the case, we will let you know.
Our commitment to you:
- We will listen to your complaint and make sure that we understand your concerns.
- We will try to put things right straight away.
- We will respond to your complaint in a positive, open and timely way.
- We will keep you informed on the progress of your complaint.
- We will treat you with respect and courtesy.
- We will also explain what we are going to do to put things right and will confirm this with you in writing.
Please email Customer Services at customerservices@platinumskies.co.uk to raise a complaint or telephone 01202 088061.
Our Complaints Process
When we receive your complaint, we will aim to resolve it immediately. If we’re not able to resolve it straight away, the complaint will be handed over to the Customer Services Team. We will acknowledge the complaint within five working days of receiving it.
There are two stages to the complaints process, stage one and stage two.
Stage One
At stage one, we aim to respond to your complaint within ten working days. If you are unhappy with the response at stage one, you can ask for the complaint to be escalated to stage two.
Stage Two
A senior manager will be asked to look at your complaint. At stage two, we aim to respond to your complaint within twenty working days.
When we can’t reach an agreement
When we’ve done all we reasonably can to resolve a complaint but a customer is still unhappy, they can ask a ‘designated person’ (AHC non-executive board member) to get involved, or ask the Housing Ombudsman Service to look at their complaint.
The ombudsman service is a free and independent dispute resolution service. The ombudsman will contact us to get the facts of the case from our point of view.
The ombudsman will then make a final decision and inform us and the customer.
Housing Ombudsman
You have the right to access the Housing Ombudsman Service throughout the duration of your complaint. They will offer you support and guidance throughout the complaint process and will ensure we remain compliant with their Complaint Handling Code.
The contact details for the Housing Ombudsman Service are:
- Online complaint form
- Phone: 0300 111 3000
- info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
- Postal address: Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 152, Liverpool L33 7WQ
First Tier Tribunal (property Chamber) Southern region
If the complaint relates to leaseholders’ service charges or the terms of a lease, please refer the matter to the First Tier Tribunal
- Residential Property, Havant Justice Centre, The Court House, Elmleigh Road, Havant, Hampshire PO9 2AL
- Email: rpsouthern@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk
- Phone: 01243 779394
Version
002
Date
31/03/21
Author
Mike Lyons
Sections Updated
All
Principal Changes
Added Housing Ombudsman definition, added procedure, added escalation
Version
003
Date
26/10/21
Author
Claire McKenna
Sections Updated
“When we can’t reach an agreement”
Principal Changes
Additional of non-exec board member independent option
Version
004
Date
08/03/23
Author
Claire McKenna
Sections Updated
Full review in accordance with Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
Principal Changes
Simplified and updated in accordance with the Ombudsman’s prescribed response times
BOARD APPROVAL MARCH 2023
REVIEW MARCH 2024
