compliments and complaints - bernicia homes · pdf filea complaint can relate to any issue...

Compliments and Complaints

This guide explains how to give a compliment or make a complaint

1 Complaints and Compliments

2Complaints and Compliments

This guide explains how to give a compliment or make a complaint.Giving a ComplimentWe really value positive feedback. It helps us recognise good things we do and is really motivating for the individual and teams concerned.

If an employee, a team, or anyone who deals with you on our behalf impresses you in some way, please make sure you tell us.

All you need to do is let us know who was involved and what happened. We will then make sure they find out.

Making a ComplaintWe always try our very best to deliver services to the satisfaction of customers but occasionally things can go wrong.

We often don’t know there is a problem unless you tell us. In most cases, issues can be resolved quickly if you talk to staff about your concerns. They will be happy to try and put things right.

We value complaints as a really good way to learn how we can improve our services to you.

However, if you feel that things have not been dealt with properly or we have not provided you with the service you expect then you can make a formal complaint.


What is a complaint?A complaint can relate to any issue with the way we have delivered or failed to deliver a service to you. This could include some of the following examples*:

• Failure of the service we provide.

• Failure to meet the standards we have set.

• The way we have handled an incident or a request you have made.

• Unhelpful staff or contractors.

• Providing incorrect information.

What is not a complaint?Whilst we actively encourage customer’s to raise complaints, there are instances when the formal complaints process would not be the appropriate route. This could include some of the following examples*:

• A first request for service.

• Queries about a service or service provision.

• Informal day to day ‘grumbles’ that can be easily resolved.

• Reporting a problem or fault for the first time.

• Reporting nuisance from a neighbour (please note Bernicia has a different procedure to deal with neighbour disputes and anti-social behaviour complaints).

* This list is not exhaustive


• Tenants and Leaseholders.

• People living on an estate or next to properties managed by ourselves.

• Anyone who has applied to us for a home.

• Any member of the general public who has come into contact with ourselves or a member of staff or contractor of the organisation.

• People acting on behalf of any of the above. For example this could be a support worker, advice agency, Councillor, MP, or family member. If you do not have someone to help you with your complaint we can give you advice on finding an independent person to give you some support.

Who can make a complaint?Anyone who comes into contact with us can make a complaint. This could include:


What we need to knowTo make sure we can help you we need you to tell us:

• Your name, address and daytime contact telephone number.

• What went wrong or what did not happen.

• What you had expected.

• If you have told us about the problem before.

• How it has affected you.

• What you expect us to do to put things right.

Our Promises to YouWe will:

• Support you to make your complaint.

• Take your complaint seriously.

• Contact you directly to discuss your complaint.

• Treat you fairly throughout the complaint process.

• Keep a record of your complaint.

• Apologise when we have not delivered a service to the standards we have set out.

• Provide you with the name and contact details of the person dealing with your complaint.

• Deal with your complaint within the agreed timescales.

• Work with customers to learn from your complaint and use it to improve our service.


How we will deal with your Complaint

Stage One

• We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 5 working days of it being received.

• The relevant manager will investigate your complaint over the next 10 working days and will send a written response to you with their findings.

• This will include details of how to progress the complaint to the next stage if you are not satisfied.

• You have 10 working days from the date of the response letter to request that it is passed to Stage Two.

Stage Two

• We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within 5 working days of it being received.

• The relevant Head of Service or Director will investigate your complaint over the next 10 working days and will send a written response to you with their findings.

• This will include details of how to progress the complaint further if you are not satisfied.


What to do if you are still not satisfied

If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint or the way this has been dealt with you may approach a local Councillor, Member of Parliament or a recognised tenants panel, if there is one. They can either contact us on your behalf to try to bring about a resolution to your complaint or they may opt to refer your complaint directly to the Housing Ombudsman.

If you prefer to go directly to the Housing Ombudsman you must wait 8 weeks from the final resolution of your complaint before you can contact them.

Monitoring and Reviewing complaints

When your complaint has been dealt with, we may ask you to take part in a survey. Please respond as it is important we understand how you feel your complaint was handled.

This information, along with anonymous details of specific complaints and compliments, is presented regularly to a panel of tenants who review the outcomes and make recommendations for change, for example when an adjustment to a service is needed to help prevent the same or similar thing happening again. Or, just as important, a compliment can result in something being introduced across a team or a whole service area because it will improve the way we deliver services.


Useful Contacts

Durham County CouncilTel: 03000 26 0000 Web: www.durham.gov.uk

Gateshead CouncilTel: 0191 433 3000Web: www.gateshead.gov.uk

Newcastle City CouncilTel: 0191 278 7878 Web: www.newcastle.gov.uk

North Tyneside CouncilTel: 0345 2000 101 Web: www.northtyneside.gov.uk

Northumberland County CouncilTel: 0845 600 6400Web: www.northumberland.gov.uk

South Tyneside CouncilTel: 0191 427 7000Web: www.southtyneside.info

Sunderland City CouncilTel: 0191 520 5555 Web: www.sunderland.gov.uk

Contact your local council to find out who is your local MP or Councillor


Housing Ombudsman Service81 Aldwych London WC2B 4HN

Tel: 0207 421 3800 Lo-call: 0845 7125 973 Minicom: 0207 404 7092 Fax: 0207831 1942

Email: [email protected] Web: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk

National Association of Citizens Advice BureauMyddleton House 115 - 123 Pentonville Road London N1 9LZ

Web: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

LEASE (Leasehold Advisory Service)*Maple House 149 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 7BN

Tel: 020 7383 9800 Email: [email protected] Web: www.lease-advice.org

* Information correct at time of printing

Everyone asks


How to give a compliment or make a complaintThere are a number of ways that you can make a compliment or complaint.

Telephone our Customer Contact Team on: 0344 800 3800

By telling a member of staff if they are visiting your home or if you see them on your estate. (Remember to make it clear you want to make a formal complaint)

In writing to: Bernicia Oakwood Way Ashwood Business Park Ashington Northumberland NE63 0XF

By e-mail: for compliments: [email protected] for complaints: [email protected]

By sending a fax to: 01670 819844

By reporting it online at: www.bernicia.com

If another person is making the complaint on your behalf, we will need to have your written consent or authority to confirm this before we are able to deal with it.


Below are the answers to the most commonly asked questions about the complaints service. If there is anything not answered here, please get in touch with our complaints co-ordinator on 0344 800 3800

Do I have to submit my complaint in writing?No, you can submit your complaint in a number of ways these are detailed in the ‘How to make a complaint?’ section within this leaflet.

Can I ask a friend or relative to make the complaint on my behalf?Yes, however we would need your authority to deal with the person acting on your behalf.

What if I am not happy with the outcome?We hope that we are able to resolve your complaint satisfactorily. However if you are not happy with our initial response you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed at Stage Two. If you remain unhappy with our final response you can approach a local Councillor or Member of Parliament of your choice.

How long will it take?We will acknowledge your contact within 5 working days of it being received and will follow the two stage process set out in this leaflet.


Notes

Complaints and Compliments 14

Information provided by the Bernicia Group:

Bernicia Group Limited is a Registered

Society in England and Wales under the

Co-operative and Community Benefit

Societies Act 2014 No. 30268R. Affiliated

to the Federation of Housing Associations.

Registered under the Housing and

Regeneration Act 2008. Registration No.

L4512 Vat Registration No. 733 8036 38

Bernicia Group Ltd

Oakwood Way Ashwood Business Park Ashington Northumberland NE63 0XF

www.bernicia.com

T: 0344 800 3800 F: 01670 819844 E: [email protected]

All our publications can be made available on request in large print, braille, or audio and in other languages.

compliments and complaints - bernicia homes · pdf filea complaint can relate to any issue...

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