Compliments, Comments and Complaints

Our Commitment to You

Our aim is to provide an excellent service. But we need your help to let us know how you feel about our services to you.

In order to encourage feedback from our customers, we have a procedure which ensures that compliments, comments and complaints are welcomed and that any complaint is fully investigated fairly, openly and without bias, and any appropriate action is taken. We are committed to learning from our compliments, comments and complaints and to improving our services as a result of this feedback.

All complaints are monitored and where you have provided the relevant information we will monitor by gender, age, ethnicity and disability to ensure that everyone is treated equally.

We will report the overall outcomes and improvements made as a result of complaints, compliments and comments to the Board at least annually and we will publish a summary in our annual report.

Compliments

It is important for the Group to hear when a customer has a compliment about the service so that good practice can be identified, encouraged and continue to improve.

Comments

We are interested to hear any comments or suggestions our customers may have about our procedures. We encourage and evaluate these comments and incorporate them into reviews of policies and procedures.

Complaints

We aim to provide excellent service, but we are aware that sometimes things can go wrong. It is important that you tell us when this happens so that we can put things right for you and prevent the same thing happening again.

How do I complain?

The simplest and quickest way to resolve a problem is to raise it with the relevant member of staff:

• Phone us on 01785 312312
• Use our Online Complaints Form
• E-mail us at enquiries@cbhg.co.uk
• Write to us at Central Borders Housing Group, FREEPOST, MID199970, STAFFORD ST18 9WX
• Fax to 01785 312100

If you do not feel that the matter has been put right at this stage, you can use the formal complaints procedure set out in this leaflet.

Please note that we will not normally consider complaints about events which took place more than 12 months ago or where we feel that a complaint is being pursued unreasonably.

The Independent Housing Ombudsman

The Group is a member of the Ombudsman Scheme and customers may complain to the Ombudsman.

If you feel that you are being treated unfairly, then you have the right to complain to the Ombudsman, but normally only after you have gone through all of the Group's complaints procedures and given us the opportunity to answer or to resolve the problem.

If a complaint falls within the guidelines, the Ombudsman will investigate it. If the complaint is upheld, then it may lead to an instruction to the Group to take a particular action or possibly the order of a compensation payment.

Full details about the Housing Ombudsman Service and procedures are available from the Group's office or on the Housing Ombudsman Website.

Housing Ombudsman Service(external link)

Please note: Only residents of homes managed by a provider of housing services registered with the Housing Ombudsman service can make a complaint to the Ombudsman. All housing associations registered in England are included.