Formal Complaint
If you are not happy with the way in which your housing service issue has been handled or you feel you have experienced further unreasonable delays and you wish to make a formal complaint about the service you have received you can do so.
Housing Ombudsman Service
Complaint Handling Code
A new Complaint Handling Code was introduced in July 2020 setting out good practice that will allow landlords to respond to complaints effectively and fairly. Find information about the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.
Self-assessment
Landlords must carry out an annual assessment against the Code to ensure their complaint handling remains in line with its requirements and publish the results, but please note that these do not need to be submitted to the Ombudsman. Non-compliance could result in the Ombudsman issuing complaint handling failure orders.
Find information about the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, along with the Guide to Code Changes which came into effect on 1 April 2022. You may also wish to view information about the Housing Ombudsman Scheme which is available on the Housing Ombudsman website.
Complaints about the Council’s Housing Service are handled by the Housing Ombudsman. The Housing Ombudsman is keen to encourage local settlement wherever possible and has set up a scheme where a Designated Person can act on behalf of a complainant. The role of the Designated Person is to mediate, negotiate and if necessary refer the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman for investigation.
Designated Persons can be:
- A Bassetlaw District Councillor
- A Member of Parliament
- A Member of a Tenant Panel (Please note: Bassetlaw District Council does not have a Tenant Panel that considers complaints)
A complainant can contact any of the approved Designated Persons and request that they look into the Housing complaint. From 1 October 2022, due to changes to the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, residents can now go directly to the Housing Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied at the end of the complaints process without referral by a designated person or without having to wait eight weeks.
The Housing Ombudsman details are: telephone 0300 111 3000, email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk postal address: PO Box 152, Liverpool, L33 7WQ.
Last Updated on Thursday, September 5, 2024