Listening to & learning from customer complaints
Our new Complaints Policy outlines our commitment to ensuring that Habinteg tenants are involved in complaint handling and kept informed about the outcome of complaints.
The lessons we learn from complaints help us to improving our services.
Between 1 April and 30 June 2021, we’ve made a number of changes following feedback from tenants about repairs, maintenance and general housing management. Having reviewed the outcome of recent complaints we have identified the following service improvements and we’re now working on delivering them.
Changes to our gas services
We’re working hard to ensure that Habinteg’s homes remain gas safe.
As a result of reviewing complaints about gas works, we will:
- ensure follow-up works are picked up and acted upon
- consider installing a replacement boiler where multiple repair jobs are raised for a the same boiler
- let gas contractors know the best time to complete work at your home
- make sure there’s better communication between Habinteg staff, our contractors and tenants when there are unavoidable delays to a job due to supply shortages
- ensure gas contractors follow Habinteg’s escalation procedure before re-arranging appointments.
Handling your repairs
We want to ensure your repairs are completed as quickly as possible and to a high standard. As a result of reviewing complaints about repairs, we will:
- keep you up to date on any delays in sourcing materials that could impact the completion date of your repair
- consider a decoration allowance where cosmetic damage has been caused to that cannot be attributed to contractor failure
- let you know about any potential delays to works that a contractor has informed us about
- consider an alternative contractor whenever a preferred contractor is unable to complete your repair
- use contractor performance meetings to discuss any concerns about contractors not clearing sites properly upon completion of works,
- liaise with contractors to ensure they understand Habinteg’s code of conduct.
Changes to service areas
As a result of reviewing complaints, we will:
- ensure new staff are given factual and relevant information when they join Habinteg
- change contractors whenever it’s found that they are not delivering the best service for service charge items
- ensure contractors are aware of Habinteg’s expectations especially relating to response times
- review our aids and adaptations policy and procedure and introduce new service standards
- be transparent and ensure you get the full reason behind why your complaint has not been resolved.
Changes to housing management
As a result of reviewing complaints around housing management, we will:
- ensure that our housing management and finance team meet to discuss any issues, and make necessary checks when signing up new Habinteg tenants
- give you accurate information about the time it takes to complete the ‘right to acquire’ application process for properties with solar panels
- ensure actions are promptly carried out in ‘right to acquire’ cases
- improve communications within buildings where there are flats managed by Habinteg and other landlords, so that minimum disruption is caused to others when carrying out repairs in Habinteg homes.
Look out for the lessons we’ve learnt from complaints between 1 July and 30 September 2021 in October’s e-bulletin and Winter Update.
