WHAT WE WILL DO | DEALING WITH COMPLAINTS | COMPLAINTS PROCESS FLOW CHART | TENANT PANEL | CONTACT INFORMATION

Above all, it’s about people wates.co.uk

COMMENTS, COMPLAINTS & COMPLIMENTS PROCEDURE

WATES LIVING SPACE

Wates Living Space aims to provide the best possible range, level and quality of services required on all of our contracts. As part of our service, we aim to listen and be responsive to what residents and their representatives have to say.

Some of the ways which we gain feedback in order to influence our service delivery is through resident comments, complaints, and compliments.

The purpose of a complaints procedure is to put right what has gone wrong and then learn from it. This procedure is designed to comply with the good practice requirements as prescribed by the Local Government Ombudsman.

Resident comments about the services they receive are vital to us. We will use this information to improve the services that we provide to residents and to our clients.

WHAT WE WILL DO:

• Ensure that resident comments or complaints are forwarded to relevant team or a named member of staff within 24 hours so they can provide a comprehensive response directly to you

• Endeavour to visit the resident and respond within 5 working days

• Agree an extension to timescale with residents if required

• If residents make a compliment, we will ensure that this is shared with the team/member of staff concerned.

• Endeavour to resolve locally at the first stage of the process but if a resident remains dissatisfied, the following will explain what will happen next.

• Details of how to make a complaint about Wates services will be published in our customer information handbooks, or alternatively through your landlord’s corporate complaints procedure. Additionally, residents and stakeholders can access information about our complaints procedure directly from our site offices upon request.

Above all, it’s about people wates.co.uk

COMPLAINTS PROCEDUREWATES LIVING SPACE

STAGE 1; FORMAL COMPLAINTS

In the first instance a complaint will be allocated to a local Resident Liaison Officer. They will conduct an investigation and feedback will be provided to the resident with a response within 5 working days. This can be extended in the case of a complex complaint or it relates to more than one service area provision.

STAGE 2; INDEPENDENT REVIEW

Where a resident remains dissatisfied with our Stage 1 response, residents can request a review by a Wates Senior Officer or Manager.

We aim to respond to Complaints at stage 2 within 10 working days but may be extended for complex cases or where there is a reason to extend. We will continue to work with residents to find a resolution and will keep them informed of progress.

When the investigation is completed, we will advise residents in writing the outcomes of the investigation and a resolution offer where appropriate. If a resident is not happy with the outcome we will progress the complaint to Stage 3.

STAGE 3; REFERRAL TO CLIENT

Where a resident remains dissatisfied with our Stage 2 response, Wates will escalate the complaint to our client (the resident’s landlord) and will ask for a review from an appropriate person independent of the service being complained about. This stage may include the use of a designated tenant panel (where appointed) or it may be heard directly by the landlord.

IF A RESIDENT RECEIVES A SERVICE WHICH FALLS SHORT OF THEIR EXPECTATIONS, THEY CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT OR COMMENT ABOUT OUR SERVICE AND WE WILL INVESTIGATE THEIR CONCERNS. OUR COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF A THREE STAGE PROCESS AND AT ALL STAGES WE SEEK TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION TO THE ISSUES RAISED AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY.

WHAT IS A DESIGNATED TENANT PANEL?The Localism Act 2011 provides that from 1 April 2013, tenants of housing associations, local authorities, and ALMO’s can ask for their complaints to be considered by a ‘designated person’ when their landlord’s internal complaints procedure is finished.

One of these ‘designated persons’ is a group of tenants acting as a designated tenant panel.

Usually the outcomes of this review are final. In the event a resident feels they have not achieved a satisfactory outcome, they can request independent or arbitration.

Wates will work with both resident and landlord to facilitate this request and will liaise with the resident to agree timescales.

THE LOCAL HOUSING OMBUDSMANShould a resident remain dissatisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they will be advised that they can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service. Their address and telephone number is:

Housing Ombudsman Service81 AldwychLondonWC2B 4HN

T: 0300 111 3000F: 020 7831 1942info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk

Above all, it’s about people wates.co.uk

COMPLAINTS PROCESSWATES LIVING SPACE

COMPLAINT RECEIVED

IF RESIDENT UNHAPPY, FOLLOW FORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

CUSTOMER LIAISON OFFICER CONTACT TO DISCUSS

PROBLEM RESOLVED AT SITE LEVEL

PROBLEM RESOLVED AT SITE LEVEL

CONFIRM RECEIPT OF COMPLETED FORM

PROJECT MANAGER & CLIENT REP REVIEW COMPLAINT AND INFORM

RESIDENT OF DECISION

COPY TO CLO MANAGER & CLIENT REP

BY TELEPHONE

24 HOURS

3 DAYS

15 DAYS

IN WRITING FACE TO FACE

RESOLVE IMMEDIATELY

i.e. mess left or services not connected

RE-VISIT WITH PROJECT MANAGER

i.e. issues regarding quality or design of work

DAMAGED GOODS

(see separate process)