Complaints are one of the most direct and effective ways for you, our customers, to tell us that there is room for improvement in the way that Sandwell Homes delivers its services.

We aim to provide you with a way to express satisfaction or dissatisfaction which is easy, quick, honest, fair and user friendly.

Employees of Sandwell Homes should aim to resolve all concerns raised by our customers immediately and informally, before the matter becomes the subject of a formal complaint but you, the customer, will not be deterred from making a formal complaint if you so wish.

If informal resolution is not successful, employees must tell you can make a formal complaint, and how you can do so. This is the Compliments and Complaints Procedure.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by Sandwell Homes or its employees affecting an individual customer or group of customers. Complaints Cover things such as:

• Refusal of a service
• Withdrawal of a service
• Delay in delivering a service
• Quality of service or standards
• The way in which we deal with customers
• The public suitability of a service
• The way a decision has been made
• When is a complaint not a complaint?

Complaints do not cover requests for a service, for example, a request to have a tap mended or to have a door replaced. This is not a complaint in the first instance but rather a request for a service.

Complaints do not cover requests for information. If you are unsure whether a complaint is actually a complaint seek advice from our Customer Services team.

How complaints can be made

Stage 1

Sandwell Homes wants to be as flexible as possible in receiving complaints. Unnecessary blocks must not be put in the way, for example insisting that complaints are put in writing. We want to make its as easy as possible for people to complain. If we have got things wrong and you are unhappy with the service then please let us know. It will help us put things right and improve the service.

Whatever you want to tell us, whether it is a complaint, a compliment, a comment or a suggestion, we want to hear from you. Please let us know in writing to:

Customer Services
Sandwell Homes Limited
Operations & Development Centre
Roway Lane
Oldbury
B69 3ES

Alternatively, you can contact us in the following ways:

Visit your local Neighbourhood Office

Telephone: 0121 569 6000. (open 8am until 8pm, Monday - Friday)

Text: 07797 885 071
Email: customer_services@sandwellhomes.org.uk
Fax: 0121 569 6015

What happens next?

If we are unable to sort out your problem immediately, we will contact you within 3 working days advising you of who is dealing with your complaint. We will then provide a written response within 10 working days, letting you know the outcome. If your comments are about a complex matter, we may need to extend this deadline but should this be the case we will discuss this with you.

What if I'm unhappy with the response?

Stage 2

If you are not happy with the response you receive, you should contact the Customer Services Team. You may request that your complaint be reviewed by a more senior manager who will provide you with a written response within 10 working days.

Stage 3

Occasionally customers may not be happy with the reply they receive from the senior manager. If you let the Customer Services Team know they may refer your complaint to a Complaints Review Meeting. This means that your complaint will be reviewed by an Executive Director of Sandwell Homes, and you will be invited to attend this review meeting. After the meeting, recommendations will be made and you will receive a written response. The review shall take place within 20 working days.

What if I’m still not satisfied?

Local Government Ombudsman

If you are still not happy with our response after we have fully reviewed your complaint, you can write to the Local Government Ombudsman and ask them to look at your complaint independently. A full listing of the addresses are shown below.

Call the LGO Advice Team on 024 7682 1960 to discuss your complaint. The LGO can take all the details by phone instead of writing, if you wish.

Visit the LGO website at www.lgo.org.uk for more information.

Email: advice@lgo.org.uk

Fax: 024 7682 0001

Text 'call back' to: 0762 480 4323

Write to: Local Government Ombudsman, PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH.

Sandwell Council

For compliments, complaints and suggestions about any Sandwell Council service:

Telephone: 0845 359 7510
Fax: 0121 569 3722
Email: customer_relations_responses@sandwell.gov.uk

Write to: Customer Relations Team, Sandwell Council House, PO Box 2374, Oldbury, B69 3DE