We value complaints and use the information they give us to help us improve services.

In line with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, we define a complaint as: “an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by our organisation, staff, or those acting on our behalf, which affect an individual resident or group of residents”.

You can view our self-assessment against the Complaint Handling Code here.

How to make a complaint

You can complain in person at our office, by phone, in writing, by email, or by using our complaints form. [Link to download complaints form]

We like your complaint to be in writing, if at all possible. Let us know:

  • your full name and address
  • as much as you can about the complaint
  • what has gone wrong, and
  • how you want us to resolve the matter.

How we will handle your complaint (brief Stages 1 & 2)

We operate a two-stage complaints process.

Stage 1: frontline resolution

We aim to resolve complaints quickly and close to where we provided the service. This could mean an on-the-spot apology and explanation if something has clearly gone wrong, and immediate action to resolve the problem.

We will:

  • acknowledge your complaint within five working days
  • give you an option to provide us with feather information
  • give you our decision within 10 working days, or give you a written reason for the delay and a new timetable.

If you are dissatisfied, you have 30 working days to ask us to take your complaint to stage 2. More complex complaints may go straight to stage 2.

Stage 2: investigation

If you are pursuing a complaint from stage 1, you must:

  • tell us which part of your complaint you feel we have not adequately addressed
  • identify where significant information provided at stage 1 has not been fully or substantially considered (give examples), and
  • tell us how you want us to resolve your complaint.

We will:

  • acknowledge your complaint in writing within five working days
  • where appropriate, discuss your complaint with you
  • give you a stage 2 pre-decision, to give you time to provide further information
  • aim to give you a full response to the complaint as soon as possible. Our target is within 20 working days.

If our investigation will take longer than 20 working days, we will revise the target completion date and write to tell you. We will always aim to make this reasonable. We will keep you updated you on the progress of your complaint.

After receiving our final response, you have 12 months to make an appeal to the Housing Ombudsman Service.

You can do this:

  • online at: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
  • by email to: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
  • by phoning: 0300 111 3000, or
  • by writing to: Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 1484, Unit D, Preston PR2 0ET.

You can ask an MP or councillor to help if you need this.

The Housing Ombudsman can also offer advice while you are completing our process.