A service request is defined by the Complaint Handling Code as ‘a request from a resident to the landlord requiring action to be taken to put something right’ but that ‘a complaint must be raised when the resident expresses dissatisfaction with the response to their service request’. As such, a first-time request for service from a resident will be entered into the relevant policy or procedure such as repairs, anti-social behaviour, nuisance or safeguarding and recorded on the appropriate housing management system and not recorded as a complaint. Where a resident does not wish to make a formal complaint, this should be recorded on ERICA.

If the resident is dissatisfied with how we propose to handle their service request, or the ongoing handling of their service request, we will offer them the opportunity to make a stage one complaint to address their concerns.

3.2 Some issues may have to be dealt with under other procedures such as repairs, anti-social behaviour or safeguarding because they are requests for service, or because of other conflicts, detailed later in this policy in section nine. Only these would constitute a valid reason not to accept an issue as a complaint, which would be set out to the complainant and recorded for reporting purposes.

Please see Appendix A of the procedure for a flow chart to support this decision-making process.

3.3 There are other conflicts, detailed later in this policy in section nine, which, outside of a request for service, would constitute a valid reason not to accept an issue as a complaint, which would be set out to the complainant and recorded for reporting purposes.