Housing complaints and appeals

Service requests

Service requests are not treated as formal complaints, but they are recorded, monitored, and followed up, for example:

• reporting a repair
• chasing a missed appointment
• asking for an update on a housing service, for example, information about paying your rent, contacting your tenancy officer, and the conditions of your tenancy.

Formal complaints

A formal complaint is when you tell us you are unhappy with:

• a housing service we provided
• something we did, or did not do
• the standard of service you received

If you express dissatisfaction with our service, we will give you the option to make a formal complaint.  Complaints can be made directly by you or submitted by a representative acting on your behalf.

All housing complaints are handled in line with the Complaints Policy and the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.

Make a complaint

If you express dissatisfaction through a survey, this is not automatically treated as a complaint.
Where we ask for feedback, we will also clearly explain how residents can complain.

Complaints that may not be accepted

We will accept a complaint unless there is a clear and valid reason not to. Each case is considered on its individual merits.
We may not be able to accept a complaint if:

• The issue occurred more than 12 months ago, and there is no good reason for the delay.
• Legal proceedings have started and court papers have been issued.
• The issue has already been considered through the complaints process.

If we decide not to accept your complaint we will explain the reasons in writing and explain how you can escalate the decision to the Housing Ombudsman. 

Appeals

An appeal is a formal request to review a housing related decision we have made.

Examples of decisions that you can appeal include:

• refusal to join or remain on the housing register
• banding or priority points
• ineligibility decisions
• unsuitable or unacceptable offers of accommodation
• suspension or cancellation of your application
• refusal of a mutual exchange
• withdrawal of housing assistance
• lease related decisions

When you receive our decision letter, we will advise how you can make an appeal and the deadline for your appeal to be received by us.

A senior officer not involved in the original decision will review your appeal and you will receive a written response within 14 days of your appeal explaining the outcome and reasons.

Accessibility and support

We are committed to making our complaints and appeals process accessible to everyone, and will we will make reasonable adjustments to support residents who need them.

This may include:

• alternative formats, for example, large print or Easy Read
• interpretation or translation support
• extra time to respond
• support from a representative