YHN complaints policy
YHN complaints policy
At Your Homes Newcastle (YHN), we aim to give an excellent service, but we do recognise that sometimes things can go wrong. When this happens, we will try to put things right and continually improve our service.
You can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service at any time while your complaint is going through our complaints process. They can offer advice and help to find a resolution but cannot make a formal decision on your case until you have reported the original problem to us and are dissatisfied with our response. You can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service by telephoning 0300 111 3000 or by writing to PO Box 152, Liverpool, L33 7WQ.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is currently running a campaign about complaints which you can view on by clicking here.
What is a complaint?
If you are unhappy about:
- The standard of service you receive from us
- Our response to your request for a service or
- Something we did or didn’t do
You can make a complaint and we will investigate the matter. Complaints should be made as soon as possible. We will not normally investigate a complaint if it is about something that happened more than six months ago.
The first request for a service (such as a repair or a first report of neighbour nuisance) is not a complaint. It only becomes a complaint if you feel the service requested has not been performed or has not been performed well.
Who can complain?
Anyone who uses our services: tenants, leaseholders, applicants for housing and members of the wider community affected by our services.
How to make a complaint
You can make a complaint by:
- Filling in the online form at www.yhn.org.uk
- Emailing YHNComplaints@yhn.org.uk
- Telephoning YHN on 0191 278 8600
- Visiting your local hub.
Please tell us what your complaint is about, if you have already spoken to someone at YHN about it and what you would like to do to put things right.
How we will handle your complaint
Wherever possible YHN will try to resolve your complaint informally at first point of contact. In most cases our front-line officers will investigate the issue and listen to what you would like to do to put things right. If the case is more complex or it is not possible to resolve the complaint at this point, the complaint will enter the formal process.
We will:
- Acknowledge your complaint within two working days and give you the name of the person dealing with your complaint.
- Confirm with you what you would like to be done and fully investigate your complaint before responding to you in writing within 10 working days. If we need more time to investigate, we will tell you.
- Aim to resolve your complaint at this stage.
If you are not satisfied with our response, please let us know within 28 days and explain why. Then:
- A relevant senior manager, assistant director or equivalent will review your complaint and the previous investigation. They will respond within a further 10 working days wherever possible.
Further options
In the unlikely event that you are still not satisfied you can contact an Ombudsman service who will conduct an independent review of the investigation.
General housing services
Complaints about all general housing services that YHN deliver can either be made to a designated person or direct to the Housing Ombudsman after an eight-week period from the closing of the complaint.
Designated persons are any local councillor or an MP. Designated persons help to resolve disputes between tenants and their landlord. If the designated person cannot help, they can refer the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman before the eight-week period.
You can contact the Housing Ombudsman at:
- 81 Aldwych, London, WC28 4HN
- Email at info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
- Telephone: 0300 111 3000.
Allocations and lettings
Any complaints relating to the management of the Allocations and Lettings Policy that YHN manages on behalf of Newcastle City Council can be referred to the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman.
You can contact the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman at:
- PO Box 4771, Coventry, CV4 0EH
- Online at www.lgo.org.uk
- Telephone: 0300 061 0614.
Leasehold services charges
Leasehold service charge complaints are handled by the Leasehold Advisory Service.
You can contact the Leasehold Advisory Service at:
- Fleetbank House, 2-6 Salisbury Square, London, EC4Y 8JX
- Email at info@lease-advice.org
- Telephone: 020 7832 2500.
Data protection
Data protection complaints about information that we hold about customers are handled by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
You can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at:
- Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
- Email at icocasework@ico.org.uk
- Telephone: 0303 123 1113.
Debt advice
Debt advice complaints are handled by the Financial Ombudsman Service.
You can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service at:
- Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR
- Email at: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
- Telephone: 0300 123 9 123.