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Complaints and feedback

We try to get things right the first time and when we do, we’d love you to let us know.  It’s great for us to receive positive comments or feedback, so if you wish to compliment our staff for doing a great job, we’d love to hear from you.

When you contact us to tell us you are dissatisfied with the service we have provided, we’ll offer you the choice to have an informal conversation to see if we can put things right quickly, without the need for a formal investigation.

However, if you prefer, we can log a formal complaint at first request.

 

We follow the Housing Ombudsman’s definition of a complaints as ‘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’.

What is not a complaint?

Some areas of dissatisfaction fall outside of the complaints and feedback policy and therefore we will not be able to investigate them as a complaint.  These can include:

  • Day to day service requests or reporting faults
  • A criticism, or disagreement with MDH policies or decisions
  • Complaints against individual employees which arise from dissatisfaction with a council policy or decision, and where no other basis for the complaint exists
  • Complaints which constitute a refusal to accept a rule of law which MDH is applying

When you let us know that you are unhappy about something, you will be given the option for us to try and resolve your complaint informally.  Often it is clear what has gone wrong and we are able to put things right quickly, without the need for a formal investigation. 

If it is not possible for us to resolve or if you prefer, you can log a formal complaint straight away.  All complaints will be acknowledged within 3 working days.

You can make a complaint, leave a compliment or feedback, in the following ways:  

When making a complaint please ensure you provide us with:

  • Your full name and address and preferred method of contact
  • If you’re complaining on behalf of someone, their full name and address along with a signed consent for acting on their behalf
  • A list of relevant points, highlighting any important issues
  • Details of how you have been affected
  • What you would like to achieve
  • Copies of any supporting documents to support your complaint

There are 5 elements within Stage 1:

  • Acknowledge the issue and agreeing the scope of the complaint
  • Investigating the complaint
  • Making a decision on the evidence obtained
  • Communicating the decision
  • Taking action to put things right where they have gone wrong

Stage 1 complaints are dealt with by the Housing Complaints Officer or Service Manager and resolved within 10 working days.  If for any reason your complaint is going to take longer, will keep you up to date on our progress

 

If you are not satisfied with the Stage 1 response, you can escalate to Stage 2.

The Stage 2 complaint is not a reinvestigation, it establishes:

  • Whether the stage 1 investigation was adequately thorough and impartial
  • If any fault was found, whether things have been put right for the complainant

Stage 2 complaints are dealt with by a Senior Manager and resolved within 10 working days of the complaint being escalated.  If a response to your complaint is going to take longer, we will provide an explanation contacting a clear timeframe for when a response will be received.

 

If you are not satisfied with your Stage 2 response, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service. 

The Housing Ombudsman can be contact at www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk or at the contact details below:

Contact us - Housing Ombudsman (housing-ombudsman.org.uk)

Call us on 0300 111 3000

9.15am-5.15pm: Monday to Friday

Housing Ombudsman Service
PO Box 152
Liverpool L33 7WQ

 

Our complaints performance and any improvements made as a result of the complaints we receive will be published in our Annual Report.

 

We will hold your contact details name, address, email address and telephone number

Customer services collect this information

This information will be collected by web form, online, email, facebook, twitter, phone, letter or face to face conversations

Information is collected to enable investigation and response to you regarding issues raised in your complaint, to provide feedback to services and individuals if you are making a comment or passing on a compliment

Information will be used for the purposes of investigation and response to you regarding issues raised in your complaint, to provide feedback to services if you are making a comment or passing on a compliment

Personal information will be shared with other services and individuals for investigation of issues, and for passing on feedback

All personal data is retained on a password protected system and all ICT systems are accredited to Public Service Network standards with access restricted to relevant staff. All paper records are stored securely and we have a clear desk policy

We will retain your personal data for 2 years in line with our retention policy and guidelines. Subject access requests for your information can be requested via customer services by telephoning 01884 255255 or emailing customerservices@middevon.gov.uk. You can also visit our website www.middevon.gov.uk and view our data protection guidance page.

 

Please read our corporate feedback and complaints policy for more information Feedback and complaints - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK

Please read our Unacceptable Behaviour Procedure

Please read our MDH compensation policy for more information Tenant compensation - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK

 

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