Complaints Policy | heylo housing

Customer Complaints Policy

1. Introduction

1.1Heylo Housing Registered Provider Limited (HHRP) is a member of the Heylo Housing Group Limited (HHGL). Heylo’s purpose is to provide home ownership solutions across England for those on modest incomes. Heylo provides 2 different products – HomeReach and YourHome.

1.2HomeReach is designed as an affordable home ownership product which is targeted at first time homeowners. HomeReach are properties that are acquired by the way of grant through Homes England (a government agency that funds affordable housing) or alternatively via the planning process through something called Section 106 Agreements. Section 106 Agreements require house builders to provide a number of new homes in a local area which are affordable. Rent on these homes is charged at 2.75% on the value of any unpurchased equity in Year 1. HomeReach properties can be a house or a flat.

1.3Where the property is a flat then the services to the vast majority of these developments are provided by managing agents appointed by the Freeholder or Superior Landlord. In these cases, where there are issues about managing agents we ask customers to try and resolve these locally, as service failures in the first instance. Where this fails then Heylo will take up the complaint on a customer’s behalf and liaise with the managing agent to try and achieve a resolution.

1.4YourHome is designed as a flexible housing product which allows customers to select a preloved home on the open market in an area of the country of their choosing. They need to have at least 20% of the purchase price of that property to be eligible to apply. In addition, the rent they pay on the unpurchased equity is 4.89% of the value in Year 1. YourHome properties can only be houses.

2. Purpose

2.1 This policy sets out how Heylo Housing Group Limited and Heylo Housing Registered Provider (Heylo) manages customer complaints in a timely, transparent, and fair manner.

2.2 We define a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions, or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual housing applicant, home buying customer, resident or group of residents, contractors and suppliers.

3. Aims

3.1 Heylo aims to deliver high standards of service satisfaction and if we don’t meet expectations then we want to hear from our customers. The aims of the Customer Complaints Policy are:

To understand where and why our service has fallen short of customer expectations. We will accept the feedback, put things right and improve services for the future.
To inform customers of how to, and who to make a complaint to about the service we provide directly or indirectly through house builder partners, managing agents or professional service firms etc.
To inform customers of how a complaint will be treated if it cannot be satisfactorily settled by the initial response of front-line staff. Our 2 stage complaints procedure can be easily found on the website, https://heylohousing.com/make-a-complaint .
To assure customers that Heylo takes complaints seriously and in line with a transparent and accountable process. We are a member of the Housing Ombudsman Service and therefore we adhere to the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, a copy of which can be found at:
https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
To try and resolve the complaint as swiftly and efficiently as possible in line with our procedure.
To ensure that Heylo has a reasonable and fair opportunity to properly investigate complaints and to provide a considered response.

4. Principles

4.1 Heylo welcomes feedback in the form of complaints as a means of improving services, developing staff decision-making and customer engagement, giving senior staff an insight into front-line operations, and improving our landlord and resident relationship.

4.2 When you first let us know that you’re unhappy about a service/experience, we’ll try to swiftly resolve the issue.

4.3 Heylo accept ownership of complaints made about third parties working on our behalf.

4.4 In the first instance customers can direct complaints to the third party directly or Heylo, who will manage that feedback in line with the approved policy and procedure. In the case of our business partners and third-party agents we expect them to forward any complaints to Heylo that require a Heylo and/or landlord response.

4.5 If the third party cannot respond to a complaint and they refer the complaint to Heylo, you will then receive responses in line with our complaints policy and procedure.

4.6 You will be kept informed of the progress of your complaint and informed of the following at each stage.

Confirmation of the complaint stage
The outcome of the complaint
The reasons for any decisions made
The details of any remedy offered to put things right
Details of any outstanding actions
Details of how to escalate the matter if dissatisfied

5. Who can make a complaint?

5.1 We welcome feedback from anyone who receives our services. Anyone can make a complaint about the services they receive or failure of those services, i.e., shared owners, neighbours of our shared owners, or new applicants. In addition, contractors or suppliers can raise a complaint about their interaction with heylo.

5.2 You can make a complaint within six months of the issue happening. We may accept older complaints at the discretion of the manager responsible for the service. For example, when a customer has been unaware of the failure until it had a detrimental impact, or a customer was unable to make a complaint within 6 months due to ill health.

5.3 We will treat multiple complaints from the same customer for the same issue as a single complaint. If that customer raises a further complaint but at the same time as an ongoing one, we will record each complaint separately and follow the complaints procedure.

5.4 Where a complaint is not upheld, we will provide an explanation of our decision. Examples of where we will not uphold a complaint is:

Where a complainant is taking legal action against heylo or where heylo is taking legal action against the complainant
An initial enquiry or service request e.g. copy of rent statement, buildings insurance policy, etc
A dispute with a neighbour which can be dealt with through our Anti-Social Behaviour Policy/Procedure.
Complaints relating to rent increases where the rent increase is subject to the terms of the lease.
Complaints about the actions of an organisation that is not working for or supported by heylo.
Complaints from applicants because they did not meet heylo’s published eligibility criteria (such as failed credit checks)
Complaints about service charge budgets and accounts where these are being challenged in the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for reasonableness and fairness.

5.5 Whilst we will accept a complaint, we may adapt the complaints procedure if your behaviour is unreasonable. Examples of unreasonable behaviour:

Threatening behaviour
Physical violence
Personal abuse
Derogatory or discriminatory remarks
Inflammatory statements and unsubstantiated allegations
Make approaches to several members of staff at the same time about the same issue after we have agreed a single point of contact.

NB: Adaptations could be in the form of explanations, warnings or contact restrictions, such as communication by email only.

6. Responsibility and Conduct

6.1 Complaints will be handled courteously and efficiently.

6.2 We will gather information, investigate the complaint, identifying root causes and act as required.

6.3 We want to learn from complaints as this helps us improve our services. Once your complaint has been closed, we may contact you to ask for your views on the handling and outcome of your complaint.

7. Reasonable Adjustments - Equality Act 2010

7.1 Reasonable adjustments are classed as changes that can be made to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability.

7.2 Reasonable adjustments can mean alterations to buildings by providing lifts, wide doors, ramps, and tactile signage, but may mean changes to policy, procedure and staff training to ensure services work equally well for people with learning disabilities.

7.3 What is “reasonable” depends on each situation. We will consider ALL reasonable adjustment requests and consider each request on an individual basis.

7.4 We will, where possible, make changes to our approach or provision to ensure services are accessible to disabled people as well as everybody else.

8. Reporting and Monitoring

8.1 A log of complaints will be maintained and regularly reported to Heylo board meetings.

8.2 The Complaints Log is updated when a complaint is made, including the date it was logged, the target response times and action taken, and will continue to be updated for actions and outcomes through to completion and closure of the matter.

8.3 Complaints are reviewed regularly and are reported to the senior management team and board members. The complaints process and complaints log are reviewed every twelve months. Feedback and learning are reviewed by the Heylo Senior Management Team and used to improve complaints handling and inform the development of customer services.

9. Confidentiality

9.1 Heylo and its agents will observe confidentiality in complaints procedures and will only share details of complaints/complainants with external stakeholders with the authority of the complainant. Where applicable Heylo will share complaint details as directed and expected by the Regulator of Social Housing (RoSH).

10. Information Storing

10.1 All data is stored securely and in line with our Data Protection and Security Policies.

10.2 We are committed to treating all information securely, with respect and in line with data protection law (GDPR).

10.3 We may share personal information with other organisations. We will only share information where we have sharing protocols in place and/or confidentiality agreements signed. We will also give information to other organisations where we are required by law to do so.

11. Review

11.1 We will review this Policy regularly to address legislative, regulatory, best practice or operational issues.

Policy approval date:	1 March 2023
Policy review date	28 February 2024
Lead team	Property Management
Level of authorisation required:	CEO

Customer Complaints Policy

Contact us

Menu

Visit