Comments, Complaints & Compliments policy

Comments, Complaints & Compliments policy Version EKH#2 Last reviewed July 2013 Responsible officer Jonathan Hicks Approved by Board 12 Sept 2011 Next review date May 2015 Related documents Mission Statement & Values Equality and Diversity Policy Customer Charter Access and Customer Care Policy 0

Contents Page 1. Introduction 3 2. Our aims and the purpose of this policy 3 3. Our values and service standard 4 4. Dealing with complaints 5 5. Roles and responsibilities 8 6. Information and access 9 7. Customer satisfaction 10 8. Training and guidance for staff 10 9. Monitoring and review arrangements 11 East Kent Housing Complaints procedure 12 Service Standard 13 1

1. Introduction 1.1 At East Kent Housing we are committed to providing the highest standard of service to all our customers. As part of a continuing effort to improve, we encourage our customers to tell us how we are doing. One way to do that is to make it easier for customers to comment on our services to let us know when we are doing well and when we are doing badly. Knowing what matters most to people can help us to resolve problems, identify where improvements can be made and offer better choices for everyone. 1.2 This policy sets out our approach to all forms of correspondence we receive from our customers and our procedure for dealing with complaints has been included as an appendix at the end of this document. 2. Our aims and the purpose of this policy 2.1 We aim to: Promote a comments, complaints and suggestions scheme that is clear and at all times accessible Adopt and follow a complaints procedure that is simple to use and easy to understand Ensure that our staff have the resources and support needed to ensure complaints are resolved promptly, politely and fairly Learn from our customers the best way to improve the service we provide 2.2 The purpose of this policy is to explain: Our values and the standard of service customers can expect when they contact us How we deal with complaints The roles and responsibilities of the customer and provider How customers can get information and access the scheme How we will use feedback from our customers to improve services The training and guidance we provide for staff 2

How we monitor and review the scheme 3. Our values and service standard 3.1 At East Kent Housing we have worked with our staff and residents to develop five core values to live by in everything we do. We aim to provide an approachable, professional, trustworthy, respectful, progressive service to all our customers. (iv) (iv) We will be clear about the standards we expect from our staff and tenants and not make promises we cannot keep. We will be open and honest in the way we work and when we get things wrong or make mistakes, we will admit our failings and take steps to put things right. We will listen sympathetically to our customers and when we communicate with them we will be, wherever possible, friendly and informal. We will respect the confidentiality of our customers and colleagues at all times Where a customer needs additional support or information, we will provide that information and support in ways that are appropriate to meet those needs. Service standard 3.2 We have developed this policy through consultation with our customers to understand what is most important to them and to agree at the outset what they can expect from the service we provide. This policy and complaints procedure supports the right of all our customers to expect excellent levels of service. 3.3 When a customer contacts us to make a comment, complaint or suggestion we will ensure that: they are treated fairly and with respect; the service is accessible to them, and that any potential barriers to using the scheme have been identified and addressed; our staff are polite and friendly and demonstrate an understanding of their needs 3

we do not share their information with anyone without the customer s prior consent 3.4 We have set appropriate and measurable standards for the timeliness and effectiveness of response for all forms of customer contact including telephone calls, letters, electronic communications and face to face contact. We will use these standards to evaluate our performance. When a customer contacts us with a comment or suggestion they can expect a reply to be sent within 10 working days from the day it was received. Where we have made improvements or changes as a result of comments or suggestions we will take the time to feed this back to the customer(s) concerned. Complaints will be acknowledged within 2 working days from the date of receipt and a full response made within 10 working days from the date of receipt. If this is not possible, the customer will be kept informed of progress and how long the investigation will take. Our performance on how well we have dealt with comments, complaints or suggestions, (as well as details of any improvements we have made as a result,) will be published on our website, in our offices, annual reports and newsletters. 4. Dealing with complaints 4.1 We have adopted an easy-to-use complaints procedure, which includes a commitment to deal with problems fully and solve them wherever possible within the agreed time limit. If a customer is unhappy with the outcome of their complaint we will provide details of what they can do next. We will: offer and promote a range of ways for customers to express a complaint; be clear to customers who is dealing with them and how they can be contacted; provide a local response to complaints 4

We will respond to initial enquiries promptly, and if there is a delay we advise the customer and take action to rectify the problem. We will ensure that the outcome of the complaints process for customers (whose complaint is upheld) is satisfactory for them. 4.2 For the purpose of this policy, we define a complaint as: An expression of dissatisfaction regarding the action, lack of action or standard of service received from East Kent Housing or any person(s) acting on behalf of East Kent Housing. 4.3 Who can complain? Any of our residents and service users, or members of the public who may be directly or indirectly affected by our services can make a complaint. We will also accept complaints made by someone authorised to act on a customer s behalf, or where consent has been given. This includes where an MP or councillor is taking up a complaint on behalf of a constituent. These will follow the same procedure and be given the same priority as complaints received directly from the customer. 4.4 Providing assistance We recognise that sometimes a customer may need help to raise their issue with us or to have someone act on their behalf. Where additional assistance is required we will, wherever possible, make reasonable adjustments to make it easier for customers to raise their concern This could include assisting with physical access to our offices or by making information available in different formats. We will refer customers to relevant service or support agencies if we are not able to help or where we feel this would be more appropriate. 4.5 Complaints dealt with under other procedures We may receive complaints that may be more appropriately dealt with by a different service within one of councils, or by an outside body or contractor. If we are unable to deal with a complaint we will tell the customer if it needs to be redirected and, where possible, we will redirect it ourselves and let the customer know. 5

Other providers and partners are expected to comply with our policy and standards of service and provide us with regular reports on performance and customer satisfaction. 4.6 Complaints about Board Members We expect all Board Members to meet the high ethical standards set out in its Code of Conduct. The responsibility for investigating allegations that Board Members behaviour may have fallen short of the required standards will fall to a senior officer nominated by the Chief Executive and, where there is a case to answer, this will be investigated fully. 4.7 Complaints dealt with by the Councils Where a complaint about us has been made to any of the Councils, we would normally expect it to be passed to us, so that we can take it through our own procedure. In the case of a serious failure on our part, the Council(s) may wish to conduct their own investigation. This will be subject to agreement between the Chief Executive of East Kent Housing and the representative of the Council(s) concerned. The Councils retain the right to investigate any complaint, and as a minimum will review serious and frequent complaints and Ombudsman referrals. Any costs incurred by the council(s) in responding to and dealing with any justified complaints about East Kent Housing s performance of the services (including any matters raised by the Ombudsman) will be reflected in a variation to the current Delivery Plan and budgets. 4.8 Managing vexatious or serial complaints A very small minority of customers make complaints that are vexatious, in that they persist unreasonably or make complaints in order to make life difficult for officers rather than to genuinely resolve a grievance. We will always attempt to deal with these cases sensitively and professionally, but in rare cases where a customer s behaviour is deemed to be unacceptable, we may need to restrict contact with the complainant in order to manage the situation and deal with the problem. This decision will be taken by the relevant Area Manager. Where we have to restrict contact, we will aim to do this in a way, wherever possible, that allows a complaint to progress to completion through our complaints process. The threat or use of physical violence, verbal abuse or threatening behaviour towards our staff is unacceptable. Incidents of this nature may be reported to 6

the police. This will always be the case if physical violence is used or threatened. 5. Roles and responsibilities 5.1 East Kent Housing We are accountable to our tenants and leaseholders, so it is important to provide information on this scheme and the improvements we have made as a result of feedback from customers. We will publish this along with our performance on complaints and other correspondence. We will make decisions on complaints that are fair and consistent and keep the customer informed about any decisions that affect them. We will provide a quarterly report to the councils representatives and to the Area Boards detailing: numbers of complaints stages 1 and 2 (overall and by service areas) numbers of complaints upheld response times Reports may also include learning from complaints and analysis of trends, if requested. (iv) (v) We will notify the Board and the Councils in writing of all complaints received which relate to allegations of serious failings on the part of East Kent Housing and of all steps taken in response to such allegations. We will keep a written record of all comments, complaints and suggestions received and any action we have taken in response to these. Records will be made available for inspection by the Board, Area Boards and the Councils at all reasonable times. 5.2 East Kent Housing Board The Board has overall responsibility to monitor performance on complaints to ensure that we fulfil our commitment to our customers and our obligations to the four local authorities. 7

The Board will adopt and support this policy to ensure that effective methods of communication and feedback from our customers is established and maintained, and that we achieve our aims and objectives as set out in the delivery plan. 5.3 Area Boards Area Boards have been given the role of monitoring the quality and delivery of services we provide, with a specific focus on services in the local area. Part of this role involves analysis and scrutiny of locally received comments and complaints, to measure performance and to identify ways in which improvements could be made to services. The Area Boards will look at comments and complaints as a whole and will not deal with individual complaints. These must be pursued through the complaints procedure. 5.4 Complaints Officer(s) 5.5 Staff We will nominate and identify an Officer or Officers to ensure all complaints, praise and suggestions are logged and reported, and that arrangements are in place for the reviewing and monitoring of outcomes and customer satisfaction. The Officer(s) will be responsible for identifying trends and feeding back comments regarding service improvements to the relevant managers and staff concerned. We encourage all staff to report any complaint, praise or suggestion to the relevant complaints officer and to offer any help or support the customer may need in making their submission. We ask our staff to follow the complaints procedure and uphold our service standards at all times. Members of staff are expected to take personal responsibility for sorting out problems and, where failings have been identified, accept recommendations or make changes to relevant policies and practices. 6. Information and access 6.1 We make information about the full range of services we provide available to our customers, including how and when people can contact us, how our services are run and who is responsible. 6.2 We will provide choices, information and communication that is appropriate to the needs of our customers in the delivery of this scheme. 6.3 We will widely publicise and promote our comments, complaints and suggestions scheme through communications such as, but not limited to: Leaflets Newsletters Welcome packs 8

Tenant and Leaseholder Handbooks Pages on our website 6.4 Full copies of our policy and procedure are available to be downloaded from our website [insert link] and can be provided in a variety of formats including large print, alternative languages and in a summary version upon request. This policy will be available in all East Kent Housing offices. 7. Customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction on our general handling of complaints for each area will be monitored and published alongside overall performance and the outcomes of complaints. Satisfaction surveys will be reviewed regularly to ensure we are capturing the best information to assist us in ensuring our services are continuously improving, that we are meeting our service standards as published and that we are meeting the needs of our customers. 8. Training and Guidance for staff 8.1 We will provide any training and guidance deemed necessary to empower our staff to take appropriate action where we have fallen short and give them the support and resources to put things right. 8.2 Training courses will be set up on three levels: i. For general staff who may receive a complaint and will need to have a basic understanding of the policy and procedure; ii. iii. For members of staff who actually have to deal with and respond to formal complaints under this policy. Within these sessions we may use real examples to work through. For Area Boards as part of their scrutiny role over performance on complaints Separate training course may also be considered to address the standards expected in all forms of correspondence with our customers. 8.3 Guidance will be provided for all members of East Kent Housing on how to respond and deal with complaints; how to investigate them objectively, and on the importance of customer feedback. 9

9. Monitoring and review arrangements 9.1 We learn from any mistakes we make by identifying patterns in complaints and comments from customers and use this information to improve services. 9.2 We regularly review and improve our complaints procedure, taking account of the views of customers, complainants and staff. This is so that we can make sure it is being implemented properly and feedback is being used for the good of the service. For this reason a central record will be kept of the numbers and nature of comments, complaints and suggestions as well as the information necessary to ensure response times and standards are met. 9.3 Regular reports will be produced and presented to the management team and Area Boards as deemed appropriate. Service Managers, upon identifying or having highlighted any trends that may suggest possible improvements in areas of service, will take the necessary steps to address any changes to provision or practices. 9.4 Independent review of performance on complaints will be undertaken as part of tenant scrutiny arrangements. 9.5 We will publish information about complaints each year, and periodically on our website and in newsletters, including their number and nature, and the outcome of the complaints. 9.6 Consultation We regularly review our strategies and opportunities for consulting and engaging with customers to ensure that the methods used are effective and provide reliable and representative results. We have made the consultation of customers integral to continually improving our service and we advise customers of the results and action taken. Feedback on the number of investigations and their outcomes may be reported to a number of officer, tenant and Member led groups and the overall monitoring and future review of the policy will be undertaken in consultation with staff and service users. It is recommended that this policy be reviewed every 2 years, or in light of any legislative changes or best practice. The purpose of reviewing the policy is to ensure it remains fair, transparent, effective and accessible to all. 10

East Kent Housing Complaints Procedure East Kent Housing has a two stage complaints procedure Stage 1 If someone is not happy with the service they have received or way they have been treated, we ask that they contact us so that we can put things right. A range of contact methods are available for customers to make complaints, including in person, in writing, by telephone, email and online through our website. If anyone has any difficulty making their complaint, East Kent Housing staff will offer assistance. Once a complaint is received, it will be recorded and an acknowledgement will be sent within 2 working days from the date of receipt, stating the contact name and telephone number of the officer dealing with it. The investigating officer will keep the customer updated throughout the investigation process. A customer can expect a full response to their complaint within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the complaint. If this is not possible, the customer will be kept informed of progress and how long the investigation will take to conclude. In the response letter the customer will be made aware that they can escalate their complaint to the next stage of the complaints process if they are not satisfied with our response. Stage 2 At this stage, an officer nominated by the Chief Executive who is independent of the service concerned, will deal with the complaint. The complaint will be logged and an acknowledgement sent within 2 working days from the date of receipt. The officer may also contact the customer to confirm or discuss in more detail the issues they would like to be investigated. The officer will aim to provide a full response within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the complaint. However, complaints at this stage often take longer to investigate and if the response time cannot be met, the customer will be told how long the investigation will take to conclude. The customer will receive a decision letter, which will advise them of the action taken in respect of each issue they raised in their complaint. The letter will advise customers that, if they are still dissatisfied, they have the right to have their complaint reviewed independently by a designated person or designated tenant panel. 11

Independent review If the customer is unhappy with the way East Kent Housing has dealt with their complaint, they can ask a designated person to consider it, but only if it has been through our twostage complaints procedure (as listed above). A designated person could be a local Councillor or MP, or a group of tenants acting as a designated tenant complaints panel. Customers are no longer able to refer their complaint directly to the Ombudsman unless a period of at least eight weeks has passed since the end of our complaint process. Service standard We aim to keep to the high standards of customer service and care as set out in this policy. Each service area within East Kent Housing will identify a dedicated officer who is responsible for investigating and responding to complaints. Complaints will be reported locally but monitored centrally. In most cases we will respond to complaints in the form of a letter. Where customers have a specific requirement for correspondence in an alternative format or they have indicated a preferred method of contact we will, wherever possible, make reasonable adjustments to enable us to do so. Any further actions or lessons learnt from complaints will be followed through, published and monitored as part of our performance management arrangements. Jonathan Hicks Service Improvement and Policy July 2013 12