How we handle complaints
How we handle complaints
We’re committed to providing the best service possible but we know sometimes things go wrong. We want to hear from you when this happens so that we can put things right as quickly as possible.
You can complain to us in whatever way works best for you, we accept complaints by phone, by email, through our website and in person.
You can talk to anyone who works for settle about your complaint and they will make sure the details are passed to our customer resolution team.
Our customer resolution team are responsible for investigating complaints in line with the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, and our policies and procedures.
The customer resolution team liaise with residents and work collaboratively and collectively with colleague across teams and departments to put things right, deliver a fair outcome and identify and share learnings from when things go wrong.
Our complaints procedure
Stage 1
A member of our customer resolution team will contact you within 5 workings days of first raising your complaint to discuss this with you. Will also explain what will happen next. If there’s a straightforward answer, we’ll aim to provide a resolution there and then.
We’ll acknowledge your complaint in writing, confirming our understanding of your complaint and the outcome you are seeking to put things right. We’ll also let you know who your point of contact will be and provide you with a complaint reference number.
We will then investigate your concerns and agree the actions we can take to put things right. We’ll respond in writing within 10 working days from acknowledging your complaint.
Stage 2
Our aim is to work with you to resolve all complaints at stage 1, however if you are unhappy with all or part of our response, you can escalate your complaint to stage two of our complaints procedure for a final response. You may want to provide further information about your complaint, however you are not required to do so.
We will acknowledge your escalation to stage 2 within 5 working days of first raising this with us. Your complaint will then be reviewed independently by a member of our Leadership Team who will respond in writing within 20 working days with our final response.
Housing Ombudsman
The best way to get your complaint resolved is by talking to us. However, you can also contact the Housing Ombudsman Service for help and advice at any time.
If you’ve exhausted our complaints process and remain unhappy with the outcome, you can refer your complaint to the Ombudsman and they will consider investigating it for you. Their service is free intendent and impartial.
You can contact the Ombudsman directly on:
Complaint form: online complaint form
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
Phonelines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Lines will be closed for staff training every Thursday from 3.30pm to 5pm
Website: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Write to: Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 1484, Unit D, Preston, PR2 0ET
We consider a complaint to be any expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action taken by us, or those acting on our behalf, affecting a resident or group of residents.
A resident does not have to use the word ‘complaint’ for it to be treated as such. Whenever a resident expresses dissatisfaction, we will give them the choice to make complaint. We will accept complaints via third parties or representatives and handle these in line with our complaints policy.
We define a service request as a request that Settle provides a service or fixes a problem, for example a property repair or neighbourhood issue, when reported in line with our customer offer, policies and procedures. This is not a complaint but if we fail to carry out the request this may become a complaint.
Similarly, a resident may raise an enquiry where they ask us about something relating to their home or tenancy. For example, information about their rent account. This too would not be a complaint but may become one if we fail to provide the information requested. All service requests are to be logged on our CRM system. Service requests are recorded, monitored and reviewed regularly.
A complaint must be raised when a resident raises dissatisfaction with the response to their service request. If the service requests remains ongoing, we will not stop our efforts to address the request while we investigate and respond to the complaint.
Stage 1
A member of our customer resolution team will contact you within 5 workings days to discuss your complaint and explain what will happen next. If there is a straightforward answer, we will aim to provide a resolution there and then.
We will acknowledge your complaint in writing, confirming our understanding of your complaint and the outcome you are seeking to put things right. We will also let you know who your point of contact will be and provide you with a complaint reference number.
We will then investigate your concerns and agree the actions we can take to put things right. We will respond in writing within 10 working days from acknowledging your complaint. We will provide a written response as soon as the complaint has been fully investigated. Where we are agreeing actions, such as repairs, we will outline the commitments and the dates we expect to complete them by.
If you raise additional complaints during the investigation, these will be incorporated into the stage 1 response if they are related, and the stage 1 response has not been issued. Where the stage 1 response has been issued, the new issues are unrelated to those already being investigated, or it would unreasonably delay the response, the new issues will be logged as a new complaint.
Stage 2
Our aim is to work with you to resolve all complaints at stage 1, however if you are unhappy with our response, you can escalate your complaint to stage two of our complaint’s procedure for a final response. You may want to provide further information about your complaint however, you are not required to do so.
The timeframe for escalation is set at 28 days from the issue of the stage 1 response, however this can be extended in exceptional circumstances. We will acknowledge the escalation to stage 2 within 5 working days. The complaint will be reviewed by the next level of management, who will respond in writing within 20 working days with our final response. We will provide a written response as soon as the complaint has been fully investigated. Where we are agreeing actions, such as repairs, we will outline the commitments and the dates we expect to complete them by.
Housing Ombudsman
The best way to get your complaint resolved is by talking to us. However, you can also contact the Housing Ombudsman Service for help and advice at any time.
If you’ve exhausted our complaints process and remain unhappy with the outcome, you can refer your complaint to the Ombudsman and they will consider investigating it for you. Their service is free intendent and impartial.
You can contact the Ombudsman directly on:
Complaint form: online complaint form
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
Phone lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Lines will be closed for staff training every Thursday from 3.30pm to 5pm.
Website: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Write to: Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 1484, Unit D, Preston, PR2 0ET
We will always aim to respond to your complaint as quickly as possible, however if we need more time to investigate your complaint, we will contact you to let you know.
Stage 1
Where more time is needed, we may contact you to agree to extend this timeframe by up to a further 10 working days, clearly explaining why we need more time to resolve your complaint. We will also agree how often we will keep in touch to provide updates on the progress of your complaint.
Stage 2
Where more time is needed, we may contact you to agree to extend this timeframe up to a further 20 working days, clearly explaining why we need more time to resolve your complaint. We will also agree how often we will keep in touch to provide updates on the progress of your complaint.
The best way to get your complaint resolved is by talking directly to us. However, you can also contact the Housing Ombudsman for help and advice at any time. Their service is free, independent and impartial. If you’ve exhausted our complaints process and remain unhappy with the outcome, they will consider investigating it for you. You can contact the Ombudsman directly on:
Complaint form: online complaint form
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
Phonelines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Lines will be closed for staff training every Thursday from 3.30pm to 5pm
Website: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Write to: Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 1484, Unit D, Preston, PR2 0ET
- the complaint stage
- our understanding of your complaint and the outcome sought
- the decision we have reached and the reasons why
- the details of any actions we are taking or offering to put things right
- the details of any outstanding actions and when they will be completed by, for example commitments to complete repairs
- the details of how to escalate you complaint
- the details of how to contact the Housing Ombudsman Service for support and guidance.
We always look at the individual circumstances of each complaint. However, in some instances it may not be appropriate to consider the complaint, such as:
• The complaint is about something that happened over 12 months ago, or it has been longer than 12 months since the resident became aware of the issue
• Matters that have already been considered under the complaints policy
• A report about neighbour nuisance or antisocial behaviour is not a complaint about our service unless specifically around the management of an existing case. These will be dealt with under our Antisocial Behaviour Policy. If we do not follow what we say in our policy, this may become a complaint
• If there is legal action, a claim for damaged items through an insurance claim, a personal injury claim, or a case is being dealt with by the First Tier Tribunal, these will not be dealt with under our Complaints Policy.
• A complaint about the level of rent or service charges is not a complaint about our service. If we do not follow what we say in our policy or if services are not being delivered, this may become a complaint.
• We may withdraw the complaints procedure from a complainant whose behaviour is unreasonable, or we may have to restrict contact. An example of this would be if someone raises the same complaint several times in different ways. We will explain why we have taken this action to the complainant or their advocate (See Unreasonable Behaviour Policy)
• If the complaint is about the way we have handled personal information or about exercising rights within our privacy notice, in the first instance contact should be made to our Data Protection Officer – [email protected] or by post at ‘The Data Protection Officer’, Settle, Blackhorse Road, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire. SG6 1HA. For independent advice about data protection and privacy concerns in the UK, the Information Commissioner (ICO) can be contacted online at www.ico.org.uk or by phone on 0303 123 1113.
• A complaint about our published policies, or services that Settle does not offer, will be reviewed as feedback. If we do not follow what we say in our policy, this may become a complaint.
We do not take a blanket approach and apply discretion depending on the circumstances. If we decide not to accept a complaint, an explanation will be provided to the resident in writing setting out the reasons why the matter is not suitable for the complaints process and the right to take that decision to the Housing Ombudsman Service.
We want to make it as easy as possible for residents to get their complaint resolved. If English is not your first language, we can arrange for a translator during discussions with us and arrange translations of documents into another language.
We can provide printed copies of information about your complaint, our policies and other information about our work in large print or Braille. Please let us know if you would like us to arrange this. We will always do our best to provide information in the format that works best for you.
You can also have a friend family member or a representative contact us on your behalf if you have given us permission to speak to them about your complaint.
We are committed to ensuring that residents are not disadvantaged in accessing our services. As such we will make reasonable adjustments as required. Please see our Reasonable Adjustment Policy for further details.
We’re listening to residents in a number of ways and sometimes we use other companies to carry out surveys or conduct further research for us. In all cases, we make sure we protect the residents data.
An expression of dissatisfaction with services made through a survey or focus group is not defined as a complaint, though wherever possible, the resident should be made aware of how they can pursue a complaint if they wish to. Where we ask for wider feedback about our services, we must provide details of how residents can complain.
Satisfaction and perception surveys are conducted by an independent company and residents are provided the options to raise a complaint if they wish. This will be passed to our customer resolution team and acknowledged within 5 working days.
All colleagues, including our Executive team and Board members, regularly get in touch with residents through our Big Door Knock to understand what residents think of our service. Where a resident expresses dissatisfaction with our service they are provided with the option to raise a complaint. This is passed to our customer resolution team and acknowledged within 5 working days.
Complaints are everyone’s responsibility at settle, and all colleagues and contractors acting on our behalf are required to understand the complaint handing process and ensure that any complaints made to them are passed to the customer resolution team within 2 working days of the complaint being reported.
Where the service request remains ongoing, colleagues must continue their efforts to address the service request if the resident raises a complaint. Its important that we do not stop any action while the complaint is being investigated as this could have a detrimental impact on the resident.
Our customer resolution team deal with complaints independently and impartially. We are focussed on putting things right, delivering fair outcomes and learning from when things go wrong.
We give the resident a fair chance to set out their position when they raise a complaint and consider all relevant information and evidence carefully. We take measures to address any actual or perceived conflict of interest, in line with our code of conduct.
Our customer resolution team are responsible for investigating complaints in line with the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, and our policies and procedures. The customer resolution team liaise with residents and work collaboratively and collectively with colleague across teams and departments to put things right, deliver a fair outcome and identify and share learnings from when things go wrong.
Our customer resolution team are the main point of contact for the resident and will keep oversight of the complaint until the matter has been resolved.
The customer resolution team are the main point of contact for the Housing Ombudsman Service and will work with them to support with any enquires and requests for information.
The Executive Director for Customer Service is responsible for oversight of complaint handling, compliance with the Housing Ombudsman Scheme and the Complaint Handling Code. They are also responsible for reporting complaints to the Board.
The Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC) is a member of the Board and the Chair of the Operations Committee. The MRC has lead responsibility for ensuring the Board receives regular information on complaints that provides insight on settles complaint handling performance in line with the requirements of the Complaint Handling Code.
Where something has gone wrong, and we have acknowledged this as a complaint, we will set out the actions we have already taken or intend to take to put things right.
These can include:
- an apology
- acknowledging where things have gone wrong
- providing an explanation, assistance or reason
- taking action where there has been a delay
- reconsidering or changing a decision
- amending a record or adding a correction or addendum
- providing a financial remedy, such as compensation or agreeing to do something that is outside of our service offer
- changing policies, procedures and working practices.
We will consider the guidance provided by the Housing Ombudsman Service and our compensation policy. Any remedy offered will reflect the service failure, the length of time and impact on the resident and their household.
If you raise additional complaints during the investigation, these will be incorporated into our investigation if they are related, and the complaint response has not been issued.
Where the response has been issued, the new issues are unrelated to the issues already being investigated or it would unreasonably delay the response, the new issues will be logged as a new complaint.
The best way to get your complaint resolved is by talking directly to us. However, you can also contact the Housing Ombudsman for help and advice at any time. Their service is free, independent and impartial.
We are members of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme. The Housing Ombudsman Scheme sets out the role of the Housing Ombudsman Service and what they can and cannot consider within their role.
As a condition of membership, we comply with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code. The Complaint Handling Code (the Code) sets out clear guidelines and best practice for how we manage and respond to complaints at settle. We complete and publish a self-assessment against the requirements of the Code annually.
For more information about the Complaint Handling Code please visit Housing Ombudsman service – Complaint Handling Code 2024 .
Our complaint policies and procedures
Reasonable adjustments policy [PDF]
Unreasonable behaviour policy [PDF]