Summary
on Formal Complaints Procedure
We
hope you will be satisfied with the service you receive from the
Co-operative. However, we do realise that you may sometimes
feel that you want to complain about something we have or have not done.
It is important that you tell us when you are not pleased as we can use
your feedback to correct mistakes where they have been made. We can also
use this information to develop policies and procedures to improve the
service given.
Who
can complain?
Anyone
who receives a service from the Co-operative or is affected by the
Co-operative’s services can use the complaints procedure. This includes
tenant members, people applying for housing, owners, neighbours of Tenant
First tenants (who are not Co-operative tenants themselves) and tenants in
receipt of housing support from the Co-operative.
The
procedure is also open to people who are acting on a complainant’s
behalf and have their written authorisation to do so. This may be,
for example a Councillor, Member of Parliament or Member of Scottish
Parliament, advice agency or solicitor.
What
can you complain about?
You
can complain about any aspect of our service, which you are unhappy about,
for example:
Sorting things out informally!
You
have every right to make a formal complaint whenever you wish to. However,
in the first instance it can often be quicker and easier for everyone if
the problem can be sorted out informally, by contacting the Co-operative
office.
The
Formal Complaints Procedures
Formal
complaints should preferably be made in writing to the Corporate Services
Manager.
A
form to help you with making a
complaint is available in
Adobe®
Acrobat™ format by clicking
here.
However
we will also accept complaints made verbally.
You
should normally make a complaint within 28 days of you being aware of the
issue, unless there are special circumstances which make this difficult
for you.
Replying
to your complaint!
The
Corporate Services Manager will write to you within 3 working days to
advise who is dealing with your complaint. You
can expect a full reply,
or an interim
reply
if this is not
possible,
within 10 working days.
The reply will tell you that:
Scottish
Public Services Ombudsman
If
you remain dissatisfied with the Co-operative’s response you can appeal
to the Ombudsman.
The
Ombudsman will consider your complaint if you appeal to them no later than
12 months after you first find out about the matters complained of, unless
the Ombudsman decides there are special circumstances.
Scottish
Public Services Ombudsman
4
Melville Street, Edinburgh,
EH3 7NS
Tel: 0870 377 7330
Fax: 0870 377 7331
E-mail: ask@spso.org.uk
Web: www.spso.org.uk
Supported
Accommodation
If
you receive housing support you have the right to complain about these
services, to whoever provides this service, whether this is the
Co-operative or another agency.
In
addition, you also have a right to complain independently to your
local authority Supporting People Department and/or The Care Commission,
Care
Commission
Johnstone House, Rose Street, Aberdeen AB10 1UD
Tel:
01224 793870 or 08456008332
Choice
Based Lettings—Homehunt©NES
Homehunt
©NES is a partnership between the Co-operative and Castlehill Housing
Association. For the avoidance of confusion
Tenants First will deal with all formal complaints about applications
until the stage where a specific property is being allocated.
If
a formal complaint is received about an application at or after the stage
of a specific property being allocated it will be dealt with by the
relevant partner.
This
means that if a specific property is being allocated by Tenants First the
formal complaint will be dealt with under this policy. If a specific
property is being allocated by Castlehill the formal complaint will be
dealt with under their formal complaint’s policy.
Recording
and Monitoring Complaints
All
complaints made to the Co-operative
are
recorded.
Reports
are made
to the Committee on
the number, type and outcome of complaints.
This
will
help us to improve our service to you, for example by
reviewing Policies and Procedures.
The
Co-operative’s Expectations of People Making a Complaint
The
Co-operative is firmly committed to providing services of the highest
quality to all its customers. We do not view behaviour as unacceptable
just because someone is forceful or determined.
In fact, we accept that being persistent can be a positive
advantage when pursuing a complaint.
However,
the actions of the complainants who are angry, demanding or persistent may
result in unreasonable demands on our offices or unacceptable behaviour
towards Co-operative staff.
We will not tolerate abusive or threatening behaviour toward staff
of the Co-operative.
Staff may stop any conversation or interview with a person who is
behaving this way.
Where
it is considered that a complainant is making unreasonable demands or
being unreasonably persistent we will advise the complainant of the
reasons why we believe this and the actions that will be taken to manage
the behaviour.
It
must be emphasised that every complainant has the right to follow through
the appeals stages, detailed earlier in this leaflet should they be
dissatisfied with the initial response to their complaint.
How
to Contact the Co-operative for Further Information
23
Albert Street, Aberdeen,
AB25 1XX
Tel
01224 628400
Fax 01224 628428
or
27
Slains Court, Peterhead, AB42
2YF
Tel
01779 474282 Fax
01779 471448
or
E-mail
info@tenantsfirst.com
We
will, where feasible, make information about the complaints policy
available in alternative formats, for example, large print, disk,
community languages.
We
are happy to arrange home visits to explain the procedures.
Formal
complaint forms are available from the offices above. A copy is also
attached with this leaflet.
A
full copy of the Policy is available on the web site or from the offices
above.
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