Complaints are an important part of any Organisations ability to be able to review what they do and make improvements. Whilst the purpose of making a complaint is to put something right for the individual, it is important for us to ensure we are learning from complaints, where our practices may have resulted in hardship or inconvenience for customers.

Learning

The types of learning we have identified recently include:

  • wider publication of new government funding schemes for residents.
  • recognising through our Complaint Audits that we need to carry out more internal training to staff around complaint handling and record keeping. We need to be able to recognise when customers are making a complaint without being explicit.
Reviewing practices

We have recently reviewed our Safe and Sound Service practices and introduced a safe and well check for customers who activate their alarm system, which calls an ambulance. If the wait for the ambulance is likely to be longer than two hours, a duty staff member will attend the property to check the wellbeing of our customer to ensure they are comfortable and hydrated. Our contractor will make half hourly calls to the customer, ensuring they remain comfortable until the ambulance arrives.

Housing Ombudsman

The Housing Ombudsman have instructed us to review our Complaints Policy process and Gas Safety Policy. We have reviewed our Gas Safety Policy and are making changes to how we deal with residents who fail to allow annual access for a gas safety check.

 

Updated 29.11.23