Making a suggestion, comment, compliment or complaint

At Housing 21 we want to ensure you’re happy living with us and with the services you receive which is why we encourage you to provide feedback and get involved in decisions that affect you and where you live.

We’re always keen to hear about things that are going well, but just as important is understanding where things are less than satisfactory and areas where we can improve which is why we genuinely welcome any suggestions or comments you may have.

You can feedback on your experiences – both good and bad – by writing, telephoning, emailing or speaking to your local manager in the first instance.

If you are not certain if your issue is a complaint, this is our definition:

“An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own employees, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual resident or group of residents.”

Tell us if you are unhappy with:
• The quality of our service
• Experiences with employees
• Something we have done
• Something we have not done

We will not treat you any differently if you make a complaint

• Responding quickly and effectively to resolve issues as an informal complaint in the first instance
• A two-stage formal complaints process
• Applying a consistent approach and monitoring complaints carefully so we learn from them and develop good practices for the future

If you do have a complaint, the first thing to do is report the incident by email, phone or in person to your manager. You don’t need to fill out a specific form; just explain what has happened. This will then start a timeline of activity:

• Informal complaint acknowledged by your manager
• Response provided within 10 working days
• If unsatisfied — escalate to two-stage complaint process
• Stage one: complaint acknowledged by the relevant  Regional/ Operational Manager within five working days with the details of the person handling your complaint
• Response provided in 10 working days from  acknowledgement; in exceptional cases we may agree an extension with you
• If unsatisfied — escalate to the second stage
• Stage two: we will acknowledge your complaint within five working days
• Response provided in 20 working days from  acknowledgement; in exceptional cases we may agree an extension with you If you remain dissatisfied, or you do not receive a response in the timescale we have agreed with you, you may refer a complaint about care to the Local  Government (Social Care) Ombudsman or a complaint about housing to the Housing Ombudsman Service.

When referring to the Ombudsman we will co-operate fully during any investigation and comply fully with the resulting decision which will be binding on us.

If you or someone else has feedback about care provision, in the first instance, you should contact the Housing and Care Manager.

If the care is funded or arranged by a local council, you can also complain to them about your issue.

All of our care services, regardless of whether they are provided by Housing 21 or an outside provider, are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). You can tell the CQC about good or poor care which you have seen or experienced.

The CQC is not able to take forward complaints on your behalf but do use all the information given to them to understand the quality of care being provided.

Care services are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). You can tell CQC about the good or poor care that you have seen or experienced.

The CQC is not able to take forward complaints on your behalf but do use all information given to them to understand the quality of care being provided.

There may be certain cases where we think the issue would not be best dealt with as a formal complaint, for example, it might be around antisocial behaviour or a safeguarding concern.

We will contact you within five working days and explain how we are going to handle your issue.

How to contact Housing 21:
0303 123 1622
Send an email
Freepost RTJE-LEHY-SGLJ
Tricorn House | 51–53 Hagley Road | Birmingham B16 8TP

Contacting the Ombudsman:
Housing Ombudsman Service
0300 111 3000
Send an email
PO Box 152 | Liverpool L33 7WQ

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman
0300 061 0614 (open on Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 4pm)
PO Box 4771 | Coventry CV4 0EH

Contacting the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
National Customer Service Centre
03000 616161
Send an email
Centre Citygate | Gallowgate | Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4P