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Housing complaints standards
Customer care complaints policy statement:
1. Introduction
1.1. This is a general policy on customer care and it focuses
particularly on the complaints procedure within Housing
Services.
1.2. The policy is based on Medway Council Housing Services’
agreed vision and values and reflects good practice.
2. Statement of intent
Housing Services recognises that good customer care is
fundamental to its business. Good customer care is based on respect
for customers and their views and wishes. The council recognises
that mistakes may be made and will deal with complaints seriously
and with sensitivity, allowing proper redress when appropriate.
Housing Services operates a complaints procedure that mirrors the
corporate procedure.
3. General policy - customer care
3.1. Housing Services customers include not just tenants but all
other residents in the council’s homes, applicants for housing and
partner organisations. Customer care policies will apply to anyone
that Housing Services staff deal with in the course of their work.
3.2. The council’s objectives in providing good customer care
are to:
- promote the delivery of high quality services;
- listen to the views of customers;
- respect customers at all times;
- respond to customers’ individual needs;
- ensure staff behave courteously;
- provide clear information about our services;
- ensure our offices are accessible to everyone;
- respect tenants’ homes.
3.3. Our service standards are published on the website and in
leaflets available at key customer contact points. These standards
reflect the department’s customer care objectives.
4. General policy - complaints
4.1. Housing Services’ complaints procedure for dealing with
dissatisfaction is co-ordinated through the Performance Management
Team.
4.2. The complaints procedure will not be brought into action as
soon as a concern is raised, as the council requires the
opportunity to put things right before acknowledging that a service
enquiry has become a complaint.
4.3. Complainants will not be allowed to use the complaints
process as a vehicle for pursuing a cause outside council policy,
for example to seek additional points for re-housing.
4.4. The council will publish material about its complaints
procedure widely and will treat all complaints as confidential.
Complainants will be kept informed about the progress and outcome
of their complaint and complaints will be recorded and
monitored.
4.5. Housing Services will use the complaints system to learn
from its mistakes and to improve levels of customer satisfaction.
Where mistakes have been made, the department will apologise and
will offer compensation if this is appropriate. Housing Services
will also meet all statutory obligations regarding compensation.
4.6. The council’s formal complaints procedure is in two stages,
as follows:
4.6.1. Stage one: investigation
Customers making a first complaint should either put the
complaint in writing themselves or ask the officer to whom they are
talking to write it down. They can also use the complaints leaflet
or make a complaint via email or the website.
The department will acknowledge the complaint within three
working days. The acknowledgement will also include the name of the
officer who will be dealing with the complaint and the date by
which a full reply will be provided.
The matter will then be referred to the officer or team dealing
with the matter for a direct written response within 10 working
days. They will record, acknowledge, investigate and respond to the
complaint.
If the customer is not satisfied with the outcome, they can
decide to move to stage two of the procedure. If the complaint
represents a potential disciplinary issue with a staff member it
will go direct to the line manager.
4.6.2. Stage two: Director/senior manager review
If the customer is unhappy with the outcome of stage one, he or
she can complain to the chief executive's complaints officer by
emailing ceco@medway.gov.uk, phoning
01634 332456 or writing to the address below. The
complaint will be fully reviewed and the council will aim to
respond within 10 working days. The council will let the customer
know if it is going to take any longer.
4.6.3. Local Government Ombudsman
The council's housing teams will tell complainants they can take
the issue to the Local Government Ombudsman. The council will have
regard to the ombudsman’s decisions.
5. Monitoring this policy
Housing Services will review this complaints procedure and
analyse and publish performance monitoring information
regularly.
The Performance and Information Team will report in particular
on:
- the number of stage one complaints received each month and the
percentage responded to within 10 working days;
- the number of stage two complaints received each month and the
percentage responded to within 10 working days;
- the results of regular customer satisfaction monitoring of the
service: this information will be relayed to customers;
- the way improvements and adjustments in relation to staff
training, policy or procedures are implemented.
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