How can I make a complaint?
We want to provide you with the best possible service, however there may be times when you are not happy and wish to complain. When a tenant complains we will treat the complaint seriously and investigate it fairly.
What is a complaint?
An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual resident or group of residents.
A complaint is when a tenant is unhappy with us and wants us to put it right. Examples of complaints are:
- Taking to long to do something;
- Not explaining why we have done something;
- A problem with your home;
- A repair not being carried our properly.
If you are unhappy with us please let us know and tell us what you would like us to do to put things right.
What is not a complaint?
Complaints are issues with the services we provide. A problem such as a dispute with neighbours is not considered a complaint.
A complaint should not cover:
- Services for which RHS is not responsible;
- Complaint(s) submitted six months or more after the issue occurred and is being bought to RHS’s attention for the first time;
- Where the complainant is an employee of RHS;
- Reporting repairs, anti-social behaviour or bulk rubbish;
- Complaints that relate to insurance or damage claims that have been passed to our insurers;
- Complaints that relate to crimes that have been committed in communal parking areas or bike sheds. Vehicles are left at the owner’s own risk;
- Complaints that relate to ASB case management that is currently ongoing. These will be dealt with in line with RHS’s Anti-Social Behaviour Policy in the first instance.
How to make a complaint
Complaints can be made by post by sending in a letter, telephone and email. You can also contact the local Citizens Advice Bureau. To find your local Citizens Advice Bureau call 020 7833 2181 or visit citizensadvice.org.uk. Please let us know if you need help to make your complaint.
What to expect if making a complaint
Quick Fix: We will contact you within 48 hours to talk about your complaint so we can understand the problem. Wherever possible the person dealing with your complaint will try to resolve it within 48 hours. This may not mean that action is taken but that we have agreed with you what we will do.
Formal Stage 1: If we cannot resolve the complaint within 48 hours and you are dissatisfied, it will go to Stage 1 of our formal process. Your complaint will be allocated to a member of staff who will contact you within 48 hours to talk about your complaint and understand the problem.
We aim to resolve your complaint within 10 working days, but the investigation may take longer and we will agree a timescale with you.
Formal Stage 2: If you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage 1, we will progress your complaint to Stage 2. At this stage, your complaint will be looked at by a manager who will contact you within 48 hours to understand the problem. We aim to resolve your complaint within 10 working days, but the investigation may take longer and we will agree a timescale with you.
Your responsibility
At each stage you must tell us if you are still not happy and want your complaint to be taken to the next stage. You must do this within 10 working days of receiving our last response. You must include any new information and tell us why you are still not happy.
You can request that your complaint is considered by a designated person. Councillors and MPs are designated people. Their role is to assist in resolving complaints.
Whilst you can refer your complaint to an MP or councillor at any stage of our complaints process, their role as a designated person would ‘switch on’ once our complaints process has been exhausted.
For councillor contact details please call your local council and for MPs please contact the House of Commons Information office on 020 7219 4272 or visit parliament.uk
We can also recognise a tenant panel as designated for considering complaints.
Housing Ombudsman Service
The Housing Ombudsman Service holds a list of contact details for recognised tenant panels. The designated person can refer your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, once your complaint has completed all 2 stages of our complaints process. If you are still not happy after completing our complaints process you can contact the Ombudsman directly from eight weeks after your complaint has completed all 2 stages of our complaint process. You must do this within 6 months of your complaint being closed at stage 2.
Please click here to view our self-assessment of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling code
Their contact details are:
Address: 2nd Floor, 10 South Colonnades, Canary Wharf, London, E14 4PU
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
To make a complaint online: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/residents/make-a-complaint/
If you’d still like to make a complaint, please complete the Complaints web form here.
Please click here to view our Complaints Policy in full.