Housing Complaints by Bassetlaw

Housing Complaints HELP US TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR YOU

Introduction At Bassetlaw District Council we are always interested in what you want to tell us. Whether something has gone right or wrong, your feedback is important to us. This booklet tells you how to: • Make a complaint when things go wrong • Compliment us when things go well • Make a comment or suggestion to help improve our service Contact us You can telephone us on 0800 590 542 Visit us in person, you can call into our Offices at Worksop and Retford - see back cover for details. Alternatively you can fill in the form at the back of this booklet, put it in an envelope and post it to us at: Bassetlaw District Council Housing Customer Services Carlton Forest House Hundred Acre Lane Worksop S81 0TS

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Has something gone wrong? We try to get things right first time but we know that this doesn’t always happen. If something has gone wrong please let us know. We take complaints seriously and learn from our mistakes so we can improve our services. You should complain if: • We have not done something we should have done • We have done something badly • We have treated you unfairly or impolitely Please Note: We cannot accept complaints about issues that happened more than six months ago or policy decisions made by Bassetlaw District Council, e.g. rent increases or the lettings policy. Who can complain? We will accept a complaint from any of our customers OR someone they have authorised to act on their behalf, e.g. a relative or friend. How will we deal with your complaint? We have a dedicated Complaints Officer who will support and guide you through the process and investigate what went wrong. They will keep you informed and act as your point of contact throughout the process.

0800 590 542

The Complaints Process Quite often you tell us something has gone wrong and that you would like it to be sorted out, but you do not want to make a formal complaint. We will still investigate these problems and usually we are able to reach a satisfactory outcome quickly and without following the formal complaint process. These are called Service Issues and we aim to resolve these within five working days. We will telephone or write to you to confirm the outcome. If you would like to submit a formal complaint we follow a two-stage process. Stage One - Responding to your complaint When we receive your complaint, the Complaints Officer will: • Contact you and within three working days send you written confirmation that we have received your complaint • Offer to visit you in your home to discuss your complaint and explain the complaints process • Investigate your complaint fully with representatives from the relevant service area • Provide you with a full written response within 10 working days of receiving your complaint • Act as your point of contact to speak to about any part of your complaint

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We hope that you will be happy with the result at the end of stage one but if you are not you should contact our Complaints Officer within four weeks of receiving your response. You will need to tell us why you are not happy and what you would like to happen. We will then arrange for your complaint to move to stage two, the appeal stage. Stage Two - If you are still not happy Your complaint will be considered by the Head of Housing / Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods. A full written response will be sent within 15 working days detailing the outcome. We hope that by the end of this stage, we will have satisfied your complaint. If you are still unhappy you can ask a designated person to look at the complaint and act on your behalf.

0800 590 542

Designated Persons In April 2013 the Ombudsman service changed. Complaints about Bassetlaw District Council Housing Services will now be handled by the Housing Ombudsman. The Housing Ombudsman is keen to encourage local settlement and has set up a scheme where a Designated Person can act on your behalf if you believe your complaint is unresolved. The Designated Person does not have any powers to make Bassetlaw District Council change a policy or carry out a repair but they can mediate, negotiate and if necessary, refer your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman for investigation. If you would like a Designated Person to consider your complaint please contact the Complaints Officer who will provide you with the relevant contact details. Designated Persons can be: â&#x20AC;˘ A Bassetlaw District Councillor â&#x20AC;˘ A Member of Parliament â&#x20AC;˘ A Member of a Tenant Panel You can contact any of the approved Designated Persons and request that they look into your complaint. After a Designated Person has investigated your complaint, if you wish to proceed to the Housing Ombudsman you can request that the Designated Person refer it on your behalf. They do not have to do this if they feel that there are insufficient grounds. However, you can refer it yourself if you wait eight weeks.

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The Eight-Week Rule

If a Designated Person has decided not to support escalating your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman OR you have decided you do not wish to involve a Designated Person you can contact the Housing Ombudsman direct. However, you can only do so after eight weeks have passed since you received your final written response from Bassetlaw District Council. You can contact the Housing Ombudsman; In writing to: Housing Ombudsman Service 81 Aldwych London WC2B 4HN Tel: 0300 111 3000 Fax: 020 7831 1942 Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk Our Complaints Officer will be happy to explain in more detail the role of the Designated Person and the eight-week rule.

0800 590 542

Your feedback Compliments If we have done something well, or if you think one of our staff deserves a special thank you, please let us know. You can contact us in any of the ways listed on page two of this booklet or see the back cover for contact details. Learning from your feedback We use all of your feedback from Service Issues, Complaints, Compliments, Comments and Suggestions to make service improvements. This way we know we are making the improvements that matter to you the most. You can use the form on the opposite page to make a complaint, compliment, comment or suggestion, or complete it online at www.bassetlaw.gov.uk

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Feedback form Are you making a: (Please tick the appropriate box)  Complaint  Compliment  Comment  Suggestion Your details: Name: ................................................................................................................................................................................................... Address: ........................................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................... Postcode: .............................................................................. Tel: ........................................................................................Best time to contact you: ...................................... Email: .................................................................................................................................................................................................... If you are filling in this form for someone else please give their details below: Name: ................................................................................................................................................................................................... Address: ........................................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................... Postcode: .............................................................................. Tel: ........................................................................................Best time to contact you: ...................................... What is your relationship to this person? ........................................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Do you have authority to act on their behalf?:  Yes  No  Not Sure If No or Not Sure please ask the person you are representing to sign the following declaration; I: (insert name)........................................................................................................................................................................... of: (insert address)................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

authorise the above named person to act on my behalf in relation to any matter relating to the issues raised on this form If this is a complaint how would you prefer us to contact you? 0800 590 542

 Telephone

 Letter

 Email

 Other (please state)

If this is a complaint how you would like to see it resolved? ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Please give the details of your complaint, compliment, comment or suggestion here: ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Signature: .................................................................................................................................................................................... Date:........................................................................................................................................................................................................ Please Note: It may be necessary to share your personal information with other agencies to allow us to properly investigate your issue. However, please be assured that these agencies will be properly monitored through our data protection agreements. For more information, contact the Complaints Officer on 0800 590 542 or email customer.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk The data collected in this form will only be used for the purpose for 10 www.bassetlaw.gov.uk

which it is intended and only for the length of the process of this application or the councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retention policy. The data may be shared with third parties such as the Police, other Councils and Central Government. DP No Z5609066. For more information view our Privacy Policy at www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/privacy

0800 590 542

www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/housing customer.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk

Text us on 07860 021 511

Find us on Facebook - BassetlawDCHousing

Twitter @BassetlawDC

Visit us at:

Retford Office 17B The Square, Retford, DN22 6DB

Worksop Office Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, S80 2AH

Carlton Forest House Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, S81 0TS

All offices are open: Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm

If you need any help communicating with us or understanding any of our documents, please contact us on 0800 590 542.

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