01223 315036Customer feedback
We would like to know what you think.
We aim to get it right the first time, every time. Sometimes things go wrong and if we've not served you well, we're sorry. Your problems are our problems, so we need you to let us know if we haven't got something right.
Please contact us via Facebook message, email, telephone, come into the office or use our online form.
Who can complain?
Anyone who requests or receives a service from us, or who is affected by what we do.
You may ask someone to act on your behalf, for example a family member, friend, councillor or lawyer, but we will need your written permission before we can discuss any details with them.
What can I complain about?
If you are unhappy with any of the work we do or the services we provide, let us know. This includes our contractors and anyone else working on our behalf.
How can I make a complaint?
If you can, first talk to an employee who will try to sort out your complaint on the spot.
Otherwise you can write to us, email us, message us on Facebook or Twitter, or use this website to make your complaint. You can also call us and the employee you speak to will record the details and if necessary arrange a home visit.
As well as providing your contact details, include as much information about what happened, where and when it occurred and who was involved. Let us also know what you think we should do to resolve the problem.
If we are unable to resolve your problem on the spot, we will follow the procedure in our complaints policy:
Complaints Policy Oct 2023
| Stage 1 - Complaint Review | Timescale |
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HHS will acknowledge receipt and record the complaint as at Stage 1 If necessary, we will contact the complainant to discuss their concerns and the outcomes expected. |
5 working days from receipt of complaint
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Details of the complaint are investigated by the Complaints Officer, who may liaise with employees, contractors, service providers and other residents or stakeholders. The Complaints Officer will provide a full response to the Complainant in writing. If the complaint is going to take longer than 10 working days to resolve, the reason for this will be explained to the complainant and agreement reached on the frequency and method of future progress updates. |
10 working days from the date the complaint was logged
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| Stage 2 - Appeal | |
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If a complainant is not satisfied with the response at the conclusion of Stage 1 or feels their complaint has not been properly understood or answered, they can escalate their complaint for review. This is referred to as a ‘Stage 2’ complaint. At stage 2, an independent review of the complaint will be carried out by a member of our Operational Leadership Team. This will be an independent review of the complaint and previous decisions made. The review will be carried out by a senior manager who has not previously been involved in the complaint or directly responsible for the service provided, so that the complaint responder can provide an impartial review of the complaint. Once the review is complete, the complaint responder will call or write to the customer explaining the decision made. The outcome will always be confirmed in writing. |
A Stage 2 complaint will be logged and acknowledged within 5 calendar days from the date of receiving the escalation request. A response to the complaint will be provided within 20 working days of the date the complaint was logged, unless an extension (of up to a maximum of 10 working days) is notified and agreed with the complainant.
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If a customer is unhappy with our final decision, they can either refer their complaint to a designated person or approach the Housing Ombudsman. A designated person can be a Member of Parliament, Local Councillor, or a tenant panel recognised by us for reviewing complaints. |
Confidentiality
All complaints shall be dealt with in the strictest confidence, and there will be no adverse consequences for complainants, such as taking a service away.
Compensation
We only pay compensation in exceptional circumstances, where the complaint is upheld, and relates to specific expenses or items.
Complaints Policy
If you would like to read our Complaints Policy in full click here Complaints Policy Oct 2023
Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
The Housing Ombudsman introduced a Complaint Handling Code in July 2020, setting out good practice that would allow landlords to respond to complaints effectively and fairly. The Code acts as a guide for residents, for what they can and should expect from their landlord when they complain. The requirements in the Code also provide residents with information about how to make a complaint and how to progress it through the landlord's internal complaints procedure.The Code was updated in 2022 and you can read a copy here:
Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code March 2022
A shorter, summary document is also provided:
Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code Summary
Landlords must carry out an annual assessment against the Code to ensure their complaint handling remains in line with its requirements and publish the results. HHS carried out a self-assessment against the code in September 2023 and a further review in March 2024. The reults can be viewed here:
Complaint Handling Code - HHS Self-Assessment Sept 2023
Complaint Handling Code - HHS Self-Assessment 2023 updated March 2024