Complaints
Complaints Procedure
This is a summary of our complaints procedure. It tells you how you can bring a problem or complaint to our attention, and what we will do when you contact us. If you would like a copy of
the full complaints procedure, please ask and we will provide this.
Who can use the complaints procedure?
The following people can use the complaints procedure:
• Anyone who receives or requests a service from the Association
• People who live beside the Association’s property
• People or companies who provide services to the Association (unless the matter is the subject of legal action)
Complaints can also be made by people acting on your behalf. For example, you can ask a solicitor, a councillor or MSP, or a Citizens Advice Bureau to contact us on your behalf.
What does the complaints procedure cover?
The Association aims to deliver a good, fair and equal service to all of its customers at all times. Sometimes, we might fall short of this. If this happens, please tell us, so that we can try to put things right.
Here are some examples of things you might want to make a complaint about:
• if a repair has not been carried out properly
• if you have not received information you have asked for
• if you feel your housing application has not been handled properly
• if our staff or contractors do not provide an efficient and courteous service
• if you feel you have been treated unfairly, or have been discriminated against
• if there has been a problem with any of our services (eg quality of service, delays)
• if we have failed to meet our obligations to you under your Tenancy Agreement
• if we have made a mistake, or if our procedures have failed.
Complaints about other tenants or harassment are dealt with under separate procedures on anti-social behaviour and harassment.
How to raise a concern or make a complaint
You can tell us about any problems or concerns informally, or you can ask at any time to use our complaints procedure. Whether you want to raise a problem informally, or to make a formal complaint, you can tell us about the problem in a number of ways. Please see the contact details at the end of this leaflet.
How you can have concerns or problems examined
Stage 1
• Tell us about your concern or problem informally
Get in touch, using the contact arrangements described at the end of the leaflet. Whenever we can, we will try to sort out problems on the spot, and within 5 working days at the most. If we cannot do this, we will provide a follow-up response explaining why, and what we will do next.
Stage 2
• File a complaint, using the complaints procedure
You can do this from the outset, or if we do not manage to sort things out informally to your satisfaction. You can make a complaint in writing (either in a letter or using a complaints form), by telephone, or by calling at our office in person. Again, you should get in touch, using the contact arrangements at the end of the leaflet. We will then investigate your complaint, including what you want us to do to put things right. We will acknowledge your complaint by letter within 3 working days. After looking into your complaint, we will write to you again,
to tell you whether the complaint has been accepted or rejected, and the reasons for our decision. If we accept your complaint, we will tell you what we will do to put things right.
We aim to provide you with a full written response no later than 2 weeks after you made your complaint.
Stage 3
• Making an appeal
If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you can appeal against the decision taken by our staff. The Association’s Management Committee (or a complaints sub-committee) will review the decision on your behalf. You can make an appeal in writing (either in a letter or using an appeals form), by telephone, or by calling at our office in person. We will tell you the date of the committee meeting, at which your appeal will be considered. You can attend the committee meeting to put your case in person, if you wish. You can also bring along a
friend or advisor to the meeting.
Confidentiality and anonymous complaints
The Association will respect the confidential nature of all complaints it receives, and will deal with complaints impartially and professionally.
We will respect your wishes if you ask us not to speak to particular people when investigating your complaint – but this might make it more difficult for us to sort out the problem.
We will do our best to investigate anonymous complaints, but again it may be more difficult for us to do this if we do not know who has made a complaint.
Independent Advice
If you have a complaint, you may wish to get independent help and advice. The Association can provide you with details of organisations who can help with your complaint, including:
• Citizens Advice Bureau
• Housing Advice Centres
• Law centres
• Tenants organisations
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
If you have used the complaints and appeals procedures in this leaflet, and are still dissatisfied, you can contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. The Ombudsman service is free,
impartial and independent. The Ombudsman will usually only examine complaints if Shettleston’s own complaints and appeals procedure has been exhausted, and if complaints are referred within 12 months from when the problem happened, or first
became known about.
Details of the Ombudsman service are available from the
Association’s office, or you can contact the Ombudsman direct at:
4 Melville Street, Edinburgh EH3 7NS
Tel: 0800 377 7330
Fax: 0800 377 7331
Email: ask@spso.org.uk