Futures Housing Group Complaints, Comments & Compliments Policy
Futures Housing Group Complaints, Comments & Compliments Policy Document Control Valid Valid to Version Status Author from 01.12.12 01.12.2015 1.0 Approved DDH Customer Service Manager Distribution/confidentiality Approval Description of change DDH FHG New Policy Assistant Board Director 11.12.12 All team members, contractors/service providers Complaints, Comments and Compliments Procedure Compensation & Gestures of Goodwill Policy Compensation & Gestures of Goodwill Procedure EIA Complaints (Dated 23.11.12) EIA Compensation (Dated 23.11.12) Other relevant documents: Complaints Comments Compliments Policy Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 Owner 1 of 8 Contents 1 2 3 4 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 3 Policy Statement ........................................................................................................... 3 Aims of the Policy .......................................................................................................... 3 Definitions ..................................................................................................................... 4 4.1 Compliment ........................................................................................................... 4 4.2 Comment ............................................................................................................... 4 4.3 Complaints............................................................................................................. 4 4.4 What is not a complaint? ....................................................................................... 4 5 Who can make a complaint? ......................................................................................... 4 6 How people can Complain, give Comments or Compliments........................................ 5 7 Team members responsibility towards Complaints ....................................................... 5 8 FHG Complaints Procedure .......................................................................................... 6 9 Housing Ombudsman Service ....................................................................................... 6 10 Complaint Closure ..................................................................................................... 7 11 Special Situations ...................................................................................................... 7 12 Mediation ................................................................................................................... 7 13 Persistent, Unreasonable, Vexatious & Serial Complainers....................................... 7 14 Compensation ............................................................................................................ 7 15 Performance Monitoring and Learnings ..................................................................... 8 16 Localism Act 2011 (Tenant Panels) ........................................................................... 8 17 Team members Training ............................................................................................ 8 18 Review ....................................................................................................................... 8 Page 2 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 Policy 1. INTRODUCTION Futures Housing Group (FHG) and its subsidiaries, aims to provide services that meet customer needs, both in terms of appropriateness and quality. This policy applies to all subsidiary companies which sets out the Group’s Complaints policy. This policy will help us to provide excellent services, resolve complaints at the earliest available opportunity and effectively & continuously improve the way we design and deliver services. 2. POLICY STATEMENT The Group sets out to provide a high quality of service and satisfaction to our customers. This policy provides a means by which customers can inform us when they feel dissatisfied with the service they have received from a team member or contractor of FHG. This policy will help us to achieve our vision of becoming a strong forward thinking regional housing group with its heart in the community. We recognise that occasionally things go wrong and therefore we need to respond speedily to put them right. We welcome and encourage all customers to give their views and opinions. We also welcome praise when our team members do things well or go the extra mile. 3. AIMS OF THE POLICY Clearly define what we consider a complaint, comment and compliment Demonstrate that we encourage and welcome feedback by publicising methods, outcomes and overall performance on complaints and compliments Encourage customers to make suggestions for service improvement Ensure our team members are well trained and supported to handle complaints effectively Have a clear and simple complaints process which is easily accessible Investigate and resolve complaints as quickly as possible, keeping the complainant fully informed throughout the process Record all action taken and any outcomes Enable customers to access impartial support and advice Learn from complaints Involve customers in reviewing our overall performance Encourage customers to tell us when we have exceeded their expectations Recognise those individuals and services who exceed customer expectations Identify good performance through compliments Provide fair and consistent services to all. Page 3 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 4. DEFINITIONS 4.1 Compliment ‘A compliment is customer feedback about how we exceeded their expectations when delivering a service’ 4.2 Comment ‘Customer comments and ideas about how we can improve the way we deliver a service’ 4.3 Complaints ‘A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with the actions or omissions of a landlord in managing your home, whether justified or not’ The inclusion of “...whether justified or not” is a reference to the Housing Ombudsman Service request that the merits of a complaint should be established after it has been adequately considered, and not pre-judged. All formal complaints from tenants will be eligible to follow a 3 stage process to ensure consistency, fairness and transparency. Where a complaint is registered the complainant should be encouraged to request what outcome they would ideally like to see. For example, an apology, a change in policy, a service to be provided differently or even monetary compensation. This provides the basis for the investigating officer to commence their investigation. 4.4 What is not a complaint? The following will not be treated as complaints, as they are initial requests for service: First report of a repair First report of anti-social behaviour Complaints about other residents Where the request is beyond agreed service standards Where the company can assist but the underlying issue is not within the control or remit of the organisation. 5. WHO CAN MAKE A COMPLAINT? For the purpose of this policy the terms used to describe those who would raise a complaint, give a comment or compliment are: Tenants & Leaseholders of the organisation Residents who live in the communities in which we operate Customers who either receive or are impacted by the services we deliver. Customers and Residents can only progress their complaint to Stage 2 of the process as these complaints will not be considered by the Ombudsman service. Anyone other than tenants, residents, leaseholders and customers can still express dissatisfaction with the organisation however this will be dealt with by the appropriate manager and does not form part of our 3 stage complaints procedure. Page 4 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 A complaint may arise because: We failed to do something we should have done We failed to provide the required quality or frequency of service We did something the wrong way We did something we should not have done This could be about: The standard of service The behaviour of team members or contractors The way we have dealt with a problem A decision seen as unfair or unclear Failure to provide full information 6. HOW PEOPLE CAN COMPLAIN, GIVE COMMENTS OR COMPLIMENTS In order to encourage feedback, FHG recognises we must not put barriers in the way of customers wishing to complain. Customers do not have to put complaints in writing. Customers are able to make Complaints, Comments & Compliments by: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Telephone Email Website LinX self service portal Letter Face to face Feedback form We also accept Complaints, Comments and Compliments in a variety of other ways including: Advocates & other third parties As a result of meetings Petitions Satisfaction surveys Member of Parliament (MP) \ Councillors 7. TEAM MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS COMPLAINTS FHG team members will: Welcome complaints from customers and try to resolve them at Stage 1 of the process Ask the customer how they feel the complaint could be resolved Assist those customers who may need help and support to make a complaint Deal with the complaint in a manner that is appropriate to the situation Record all customer contacts and any action taken to resolve the problem Formally acknowledge Complaints, Comments and Compliments Page 5 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 Keep customers informed of any delays When the complaint is taken over the telephone, read back the issues to the customer to make sure it has been accurately understood and recorded When dealing with complaints face to face, use the complaint file note to record the details Make the customer aware of where they can receive independent advice and guidance Offer to visit the customer if they feel it would help resolve the problem. Action we will take when things go wrong: If we make a mistake we: Will apologise and try to take some practical action to put things right May ask the customer to suggest what corrective action they would like us to take Will always try to put the customer back to the position that he or she would have been in but for our mistake Will try to ensure that the same mistake does not happen again May decide that one or more of the following can be done to put things right: Provide or change a service to the customer Provide an explanation or information to the customer Review customer literature (leaflets, website, poster etc.) Review a policy or procedure Arrange training for employees 8. FHG COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE FHG have adopted a three stage internal approach to support complaint resolution, a summary of the approach is detailed below. The Complaints, Comments & Compliments Procedure should be referred to for more guidance. Stage 1 – Investigation and response by a Team Leader or Manager Stage 2 – Full review by a Senior Manager Stage 3 – Investigation and Review by a panel of up to three Board members. 9. HOUSING OMBUDSMAN SERVICE FHG subscribes to the Housing Ombudsman Service. If a tenant is still not satisfied with the complaint after going through the FHG complaints procedure, the tenant will be advised how to access the Housing Ombudsman Service for an independent external review. The Ombudsman has the power to consider complaints and decide what is ‘fair in all the circumstances of the case’. When things go wrong they can make orders or recommendations to put things right or to improve services for the future. Page 6 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 10. COMPLAINT CLOSURE If at any stage in our procedure a full response to a complaint has been given and there has not been further contact from the complainant within 14 days, the complaint will be deemed to be satisfactorily closed. 11. SPECIAL SITUATIONS On occasions there maybe instances where the 3 stage procedure may need to be adapted; where this situation arises the approval is required from either a Head of Service or a Director. A decision on whether it is appropriate to skip a stage will depend on the nature of the complaint. Examples of these situations include but are not limited to: Complaints about Managers Where a Manager has already been involved in the issues surrounding the complaint Where there is the possibility of conflict or of a serious nature A customer or resident complaint may be permitted up to Stage 2 of the process. Such complaints will not be addressed by the Ombudsman. 12. MEDIATION FHG is committed to the idea of using mediation and arbitration as alternative ways of resolving disputes. When dealing with complaints the Manager or Director responsible will consider mediation as an option to try and resolve the matter. 13. PERSISTENT, UNREASONABLE, VEXATIOUS & SERIAL COMPLAINERS FHG may be subject to persistent, unreasonable, vexatious or serial complainers that could fall into one of three categories: 1. Those who have a single issue e.g. noise from boiler. 2. Those who have the same core issue e.g. tenants in a scheme who have not had the Major Improvement Programme works (MIP). 3. Those who have several issues e.g. boiler then kitchen and then bathroom, etc. They could be disillusioned because of the way they have been dealt with in the past, or lost trust in the organisation or front line team members. Alternatively they could have particular difficulties in understanding what FHG can do or how this relates to their issues. In the context of a complaint “unreasonable” will mean where a complaint or complainant is aggressive or abusive, particularly where the aggression or abuse is directed at a resident or a team member. A tenant may also adopt an attitude to use the complaints process to persistently request services they are not entitled to; where appropriate these requests will be denied and communicated to the customer informing them of the decision. 14. COMPENSATION Where there is a valid claim for compensation a payment may be offered. The FHG Compensation & Gesture of Goodwill Policy & Procedure should be referred to for guidance. Page 7 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015 15. PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND LEARNING’S FHG recognised that complaints, comments and compliments provide a valuable source of information to help improve and evolve services. FHG will record, analyse and produce quarterly reports. For more detail refer to the Complaints, Comments & Compliments Procedure. 16. LOCALISM ACT 2011 (DESIGNATED PERSON) From the 1 April 2013 all registered providers will be required to adhere to new guidelines as set out in The Localism Act (now enacted). Tenants of registered providers will be able to request their complaints be considered by a ‘designated person’ once they complete their landlord’s internal procedure. Such a person can be an MP, a local Councillor, or a recognised Tenant Panel. The designated person may help resolve the complaint directly, may refer the complaint to the Ombudsman, or may decline doing either. In the latter case the complainant may approach the Ombudsman for his consideration of the complaint. The complainant may also approach the Ombudsman directly if more than eight weeks have elapsed since the completion of the internal procedure of the landlord, without the need to approach a designated person first. 17. TEAM MEMBERS TRAINING FHG is committed to training and developing its team members and will ensure the appropriate team members have the required training to deliver the service through inductions and regular updates. 18. REVIEW This Policy is due to be reviewed every three years unless there are any substantial changes to legislation or regulation, or deficiencies are found which necessitate an earlier review. Page 8 of 8 Complaints Comments Compliments PolicyFinal Valid from December 2012 to December 2015
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