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Complaints

We want you to tell us if things go wrong. We will use your complaint to help us put things right in the future.

We have a three-stage process for dealing with complaints.

If we have heard nothing from you within 28 days of our response, we assume you do not wish to take the matter any further. If you are still unhappy after you have gone through all three stages, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman.

Stage 1

The manager of the section will usually investigate the complaint. Sometimes we ask a manager from another area to look into it. We will let you know if there is any delay. Some complaints are dealt with straight away. Steps for dealing with a stage 1 complaint:

1. We receive your complaint.
2. We record your complaint and send you an acknowledgement letter.
3. We tell the dedicated officer within the relevant service area about your complaint, and agree what action to take. We discuss this further if necessary, sometimes with senior managers or tenants.
4. If our response is delayed, we will send you a letter to set a new date.
5. The dedicated officer responds in writing.
6. We close your complaint on the system, and make a note of any further action we have taken.
   

You can take you complaint to stage two: once the five day time limit for dealing with your complaint at stage one has passed, or when you have received our response but are still not happy.

Stage 2

At this stage your complaint is considered by a more senior officer. Steps for dealing with a stage 2 complaint:

1. We receive your complaint.
2. We record your complaint and send you an acknowledgement letter.
3. The service manager of the relevant service considers your complaint. They discuss it further if necessary, sometimes with senior managers or tenants.
4. We complete our investigation into your complaint. We may invite you to a problem-solving meeting.
5. We aim respond to you within 10 working days. If our response is delayed, we will send you a letter to set a new date.
6. The service manager responds in writing, and lets you know if there will be a delay in sending the full response.
7. We close your complaint on our system, and make a note of any further action we have taken.
   

If the time limit for stage two has passed, or you are not happy with our response, your complaint may move to stage three after referral to our Customer Relations Manager.

Stage 3

An appeals panel, made up of three members of the Nottingham City Homes Board will consider your complaint. At least one of the panel members will be a tenant or leaseholder. We will do our best to arrange the meeting at a time and place to suit you.

If you would prefer not to attend an appeals panel meeting, you can send details in writing instead. Before the panel meets, the complaint will be investigated by an assistant director. Steps for dealing with a stage 3 complaint:

1. We receive your complaint.
2. We record your complaint and send you an acknowledgement letter.
3. We discuss the complaint with the Customer Relations Team.
4. After we have finished our investigation, we set up
   a meeting for the Appeals Panel and let you know.
5. The Appeals Panel meets to discuss your complaint with
   managers and tenants if necessary.
6. We close your complaint on the system, and make a note
   of any further action we have taken.

If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman.

Local Government Ombudsman

Address: Local Government Ombudsman Advice Team,
PO Box 4771,
Coventry
CV4 0EH.
Telephone: 0845 602 1983.
Fax: 024 7682 0001.
E-mail: advice@lgo.org.uk.
Website: www.lgo.org.uk.