Housing complaints procedure

Reading Borough Council has a two-stage process:

Stage 1:

Make a complaint

We will confirm that we have received your complaint and let you know who will be
investigating within five working days and include the complaints policy and details
of the Housing Ombudsman.

The Investigating Officer will review the case, talk to everyone involved and confirm
the outcome of your complaint within 10 working days.

If you are dissatisfied with the investigation of your complaint you can ask us to
review your complaint again – this is “Stage 2” of our complaints process.

Stage 2:

You must contact us within 14 days of receiving your letter saying why you are
dissatisfied and the outcomes you want from a further investigation.

We will ask a more senior manager to carry out an independent review of your
complaint – we will write to you within five working days to let you know who this
person is. The acknowledgment will include the understanding of the complaint, the outcomes you are seeking and the aspects of what Reading Borough Council is and is not responsible for answering. We will also seek clarification with you on any aspects of your complaint that remain unclear.

They will ask you about your experience and record the details of your complaint in
writing. They will also talk to other people involved in the case.

They will give their report and recommendations to the Assistant Director for a
decision.

The Assistant Director will write to you to tell you their decision and send you a copy
of the report. This should be within 20 days of receiving your letter.

This is the end of the Council’s complaints procedure.

If you remain dissatisfied with the Council’s investigation of your complaint you can
escalate your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. For more details see
our Comments and complaints about Council services leaflet.

Full corporate complaints policy

1. Introduction

1.1 The formal process divides into 2 stages. The first of these provides an opportunity for a local resolution of any problems which may arise and it is expected that the majority of complaints will be sorted out at this level.

Where the problems cannot be resolved to the complainant’s satisfaction at a local
level, stage 2 of the process may be requested by the complainant, this involves the
investigation of the complaint by a more senior member of staff. The council may
also decide or recommend investigation at stage 2 of the process should the
complainant respond to the council after the stage 1.

1.2 However, to the public, the notification of quite simple matters eg, could be
considered as a complaint. These may be treated as comments, observations or
service requests – the complaints’ procedure may be activated at the request of the
complainant even if the comment, observation, or service request is in the process
of being completed. Defect observed has not been rectified within the “standard
time”. This is a preliminary process to the complaints’ procedure. However, all such
calls or comments should be recorded.

1.3 The standard definition of a complaint is: “an expression of dissatisfaction,
however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the
landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting a resident/tenant or group of
residents/tenants. The word ‘Complaint’ does not have to be used by the Resident/Tenant when contacting us for it to be treated as a complaint. If your complaint is raised by a representative or third party this will be processed in line with our complaints policy.

1.4 When contacting us a decision will be made as to whether you are making a service request or a formal complaint. 

A service request is when you ask for help or report an issue that needs to be addressed as part of the normal services provided. For example, requesting a repair, or asking for information are all service requests. A complaint, on the other hand, is when you express dissatisfaction with the quality of a service, how it was handled, or something that went wrong. For example, if a repair was delayed or done poorly, or if you feel you were treated unfairly, that would be a complaint. It’s about addressing a problem with the service or the way it was provided. 

1.5 We will raise a complaint if you express dissatisfaction with your service request response and raising a complaint will not prevent / delay or impact on actions needed to resolve any immediate issues (i.e. the service request). 

1.6 We offer a variety of different channels for you to contact us to raise a complaint, these can include: in person, telephone, in writing by email and other digital options. Make a complaint or compliment – Reading Borough Council 

1.7 Should you require this policy in an accessible/different format, please contact us and we will arrange for this to sent to you in the required format. This includes translation, braille and accessible formats for those with visible and hearing impairments.  

1.8 Our complaints policy is advertised on our website, in our Tenant Newsletter and Annual Report.  

1.9 If a resident/tenant is unable to raise a complaint on their own, we can accept complaints from a representative or third party on their behalf. If resident/tenant require an advocate, we will signpost them to advocacy providers in the voluntary sector. 

1.10 If the response falls outside the extended advised timescale, we will agree with you suitable intervals for keeping you updated on the progress of your complaint.  

1.11 If an extension if required by the Landlord, you will be contacted as to the reason why the extension is necessary and confirm the new due date for the response. For stage one responses this extension will be no more than 10 working days without good reason as set out in the Ombudsman code. If you are not in agreement with the extension and the reasons given, we will provide the details of the Housing Ombudsman Service for you to contact. 

1.12 Any related additional complaints received by you during the stage 1 investigation period will be incorporated into the stage 1 response, if the response has not been issued. However, if the stage 1 response has been issued or new unrelated issues are raised these will be logged as a new complaint.

2. Complaints procedure

2.1 Stage 1 – Local/Informal Resolution of Complaints

2.1.1 Where a complaint is received by a member of staff it must be recorded, even if
it can be resolved informally. The record should show the substance of the
complaint, what action was taken to resolve it and whether or not the service user is
satisfied with the outcome. Where possible, and practical, the person should be
asked to sign the record to confirm it is correct. In order that complaints can be
tracked a copy should be sent to the Customer Relations Team as soon as possible
after the complaint has been made, whether or not it has been resolved. The original
should be appropriately filed by the supervisor concerned.

2.1.2 If the complaint is not resolved at the time at which it is made, then, except for
minor issues, the line manager should be informed. Every effort should be made to
respond to the complaint within 5 working days. In any event, a letter of
acknowledgement or other response (orally or by phone or email) shall be sent out to
the complainant within 5 working days.

2.1.3 The line manager should review the complaints file regularly and take the lead
in advising staff in relation to handling of complaints. The line manager should
always ensure that members of staff are made aware of complaints made about
them or their actions.

2.1.4 Every effort should be made to resolve the complaint or representation as
speedily as possible and to the complainant’s satisfaction, within 10 working days.
The response to the complainant should be recorded, however briefly, and the
Customer Relations Team should also be informed to allow monitoring of the
complaints’ process.

2.1.5 The response to the complainant should advise them that, should they remain dissatisfied, they can:

• a) ask for their complaint to be investigated by a more senior officer, or
• b) refer their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, who will investigate alleged maladministration by a local authority.

A time limit (14 days would be reasonable) should be suggested for them to request
an investigation by senior officer, after which it will be assumed that they are
satisfied with the outcome of the investigation or have referred the matter to the
Ombudsman.

2.1.6 Complaints revolving around Council policy will effectively be completed at
Stage 1. Although recorded as complaints, there is no scope for investigating
matters of policy. However, complainants can be advised to raise the issue with their
ward councillors.

2.1.7 A complaint that has already been dealt with at all stages of the procedure will not be re-investigated.

2.1.8 A complaint will not be considered if it is made more than one year after the
grounds to make the representation arose. In these cases, the Customer Relations
Team should write to advise the complainant that their complaint cannot be
considered, explaining the reasons why and advise the complainant of their right to
approach the Housing Ombudsman. However, if representation is made that is of fair and reasonable grounds as to why the complaint has not been made prior to the twelve months, this will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.  

2.1.9 Discretion in deciding whether to consider complaints where to do so would
prejudice any of the following investigations will be outside of scope. In these cases,
the Customer Relations Team should write to advise the complainant that their
complaint cannot be considered, explaining the reasons why and advise the
complainant of their right to approach the Local Government & Social Ombudsman
or Housing Ombudsman.

• Court proceedings
• Insurance claims
• Tribunals
• Appeals
• HR/Disciplinary proceedings; or
• Criminal proceedings

2.1.10 Anonymous complaints will be recorded and referred to the Customer Relations Team. Anonymous complaints fall outside of the scope of the complaints procedure.

2.2. Stage 2 – Formal Investigation

2.2.1 When it has not proved possible to resolve the complaint, and the complainant remains dissatisfied, the complainant can ask for their complaint to be investigated by a more senior officer. They must put their request to the Investigating Officer or the Customer Relations Manager. You are not required to give the reasons as to why you are requesting a stage 2 investigation. We will work with you to understand the reasons you remain dissatisfied. This is Stage 2 of the complaints’ procedure.

2.2.2 All complaints which proceed to Stage 2 must be immediately notified to the Assistant Director and/or to the Customer Relations Team. This will be considered by someone who was not involved in the stage 1 investigation. 

2.2.3 The Assistant Director will appoint a manager to carry out an investigation.

2.2.4 The Investigating Officer will meet with the complainant and agree their
complaint, which should be recorded in writing. Following the investigation, they will
submit a report to the Assistant Director. The Assistant Director will ensure that a
written response is made to a Stage 2 complaint, within 20 working days of its
receipt, enclosing a copy of the Investigating Officer’s report.

A complaint response is provided to the complainant when the answer is known, not when all outstanding actions are completed. Updates are provided to the complainant on outstanding actions i.e. booked in repairs as well as full details on timescales and future booked appointments. These actions will be tracked by the Landlord to ensure that these actions are completed within agreed timescales stipulated in the response.

2.2.5 If an extension is required by the Landlord, the complaint will be contacted as to the reason why the extension is necessary and confirm the new due date for the response. For stage two responses this extension will be no more than 20 working days without good reason as set out in the Ombudsman code. If the complaint is not in agreement with the extension and the reasons given, we will provide the details of the Housing Ombudsman Service.

2.2.6 Should a complainant remain dissatisfied with the decision or actions of the
Directorate the final course of action which they may take is to contact the Local
Government Ombudsman/Housing Ombudsman.