At Rural Housing Association we try to provide the best possible service, but we don’t always get it right. When this happens we want to know about it. You have every right to complain to us if you are unhappy with our service.
Rural Housing Association’s definition of a complaint is: “Any expression or dissatisfaction by an individual or group of individuals about Rural Housing Association’s action or lack of action or about the standard of service provided by or on behalf of Rural Housing Association.”
If I am not satisfied with the service can I use this procedure to complain? You may use this procedure if you are reporting any of the following:
a) failure to deliver in terms of service
b) delays to a request for a service, or not responding to a request for a service;
c) conduct or poor performance from our staff; or
d) any other matter where we have not followed one of our policies and procedures correctly
Please do not use this procedure if you:
a) are reporting an incident about a neighbour or you have a concern about antisocial behaviour or harassment – Complaints relating to nuisance or harassment by neighbours will be dealt with separately under the Associations Anti-Social Behaviour Policy
b) are reporting a new repair.
How to make a complaint – The Complaints process
A tenant, member of the public or organisation who feels aggrieved by a decision or action of the Association or member of staff should, in the first instance speak to the staff member responsible for delivering the service, advising them of the reasons for your dissatisfaction.
If you make a complaint to us, you can expect it to go through the following stages:
Contact our office by phone, e-mail or letter.
We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.
We will aim to investigate your complaint and provide you with a full response within 15 working days.
If you are happy with our response, we will close your complaint.
If the complaint relates to the conduct of the staff member, you should direct your complaint preferably in writing to a manager as relevant depending on the nature of your complaint:
If we cannot meet the above target we will write or telephone and advise you of a new target date for response, and the reason for delay.
A response may take longer if your complaint is more complex but we will contact you to let you know when you can expect a full response and the reason for delay
If the complainant is not satisfied with the response received or if a reply has not been made within the specified time or any later time stipulated the complaint may progress to stage two.
He / she should write directly to the Chief Executive, Mr Stephen Fisher, enclosing a
copy of their original complaint and a letter detailing the reason why they are not satisfied with the response. Correspondence should be addressed to:
The Chief Executive will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days of receipt and will provide a full detailed response within 15 working days.
If you are happy with our response, we will close your complaint.
If you are not happy with our response and want to take the matter further, please let us know the reasons you are not satisfied within four weeks.
Where a complaint has not received a satisfactory response after going through Stage One and Stage Two, write to the Chairperson of the Board of Management.
Where a complaint has not received a satisfactory response after going through Stage One where applicable and Stage Two he / she should write to the Chairperson of the Board of Management at the following address:
Correspondence to the Chairperson must be marked Private and Confidential. The Chairperson will acknowledge all complaints within 5 working days and advise complainant that he/she will investigate the full facts in relation to the complaint and a written response will normally be provided within 15 working days of receipt
A copy of our Complaints policy is available by contacting the Association or viewing at www.ruralhousing.co.uk.
Complainants have a right to bring their complaints to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman’s Office.
The Ombudsman Service can be contacted at:
Post: Freepost NIPSO
or
Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman,
Progressive House
33 Wellington Place
BELFAST
BT1 6HN
Please note that the Ombudsman normally expects a complainant to have used Rural Housing Association’s Complaints Procedure before bringing a complaint to him.