Making A Complaint

We do our best to give you a good service, but sometimes things go wrong.  We may not always know when this happens, so please do tell us – then we can try to put things right.

We take all complaints about our service seriously, because they make it clear to us where we need to improve.  We do our best to deal with your complaint promptly and fairly.  We let you know who is dealing with your problem, and what action we are taking to sort it out.  If you make a complaint, it is kept strictly confidential.

To make sure we have all the facts we need to investigate the problem fairly, and we have a set procedure for you to follow.  It speeds things up if you follow this procedure.

When should I make a formal complaint?

You should first take up the matter with your Housing and Maintenance Officer or your Support Officer.  They are usually in the best position to sort out the problem.  We will make every effort to resolve the matter informally. However, if you are not happy with how they handle it, or if you feel that it isn’t appropriate to take up your problem with them, then you should use this complaints procedure.  

What does the complaints procedure cover?

Our complaints procedure deals with problems like these:

• If you are not satisfied with any aspect of our service
• If we have failed to follow our own policies or procedures
• If we have failed to do a repair within a reasonable time
• If you believe we have discriminated against you
• If you have had a problem with any of our staff

What doesn’t the complaint procedure deal with?

Our complaints procedure does not normally deal with:

• Appeals against decisions made under our lettings policy,
• Everyday matters such as chasing a repair request (contact your Housing and Maintenance Officer)
• Complaints by one tenant about another tenant (contact your Housing and Maintenance officer for advice on neighbour disputes)
• Claims for compensation
• Insurance claims (once a claim passes to our insurers, we have to close any related complaint pending the insurer’s decision)
• Situations where you are currently taking legal action against us.
  

Further help with making your complaint

If you are tenant of one of our Supported Housing Schemes or you need help in making your complaint we can help you.  Please contact a member of staff at the office.  You may be able to get help and support from the Tenant Federation.  If you would like to do this please contact the Tenant Federation on 020 8347 5999. If possible they will allocate one of the tenant representatives to advise and support you.

There are three stages to HHT’s complaints procedure.

Stage 1

You should write to or email the Complaints Officer.  We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 working days and within 15 working days we will investigate and send a full written reply.  You can also make your complaint over the phone or in person at your local office.

Stage 2

If you are unhappy with the way your complaint was dealt with at stage one, you should write to the Chief Executive who will respond to the stage two complaint within 14 working days of receiving of receiving the complaint. Once again, you can make this complaint by phone or in person if it is easier for you.

Stage 3

If you are still not satisfied, you should fill in and send back a further Complaints Response Form within twenty days of receiving our response to your stage two complaint.  Once again, you can do this by phone, or in person if it is easier for you.

This time, your complaint goes to a complaints panel made up from members of the relevant sub-committee.  One member of this panel is also a HHT tenant.

When your case comes up, you may put your case to the panel, in person, or in writing.

If you want to put your case in person, you may bring a friend along, or ask a tenant representative to come too.  After the meeting, the panel lets you know what they have decided, by writing to you within ten working days.

If your complaint isn’t resolved to your satisfaction after stage three, we are not able to take it any further within the Trust.

Independent Housing Ombudsman

If you aren’t happy with the decision made by the complaints panel, you may take your problem to the Independent Housing Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman checks that you have taken your complaint through all the stages of our complaints procedure, before he takes it on.  If it looks like we have done something wrong, the Ombudsman decides what needs to be done to put things right.

Housing Ombudsman,
105-109 The Strand,
London WC2R 0AA

Tel: 0845 7125 973
Email: ombudsman@hos.org.uk

Where else can I get help?

Your local MP or councillor may be able to help you.  You can also get independent advice from a solicitor, a Citizens’ Advice Bureau, law centre or housing aid and advice centre.  If you are a supported resident whose complaint is about a care and support service for which Family Mosaic is responsible you can ask the local authority which funds the service to investigate. You can request details of how to complain to the appropriate local authority from the Service Manager for your service.