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Making A Complaint

Our complaints policy aims to address any concerns and assist us to improve our services where there are weaknesses.

We aim to deal all complaints, fairly, impartially, confidentially and promptly.

Tenants in supported housing are invited to seek to resolve their concern by speaking directly with the support team before using the formal procedure.

Please address your complaint to complaints@fha-wales.com

What is a complaint?

A complaint will be considered to be

Any concern expressed verbally or in writing about the services we provide as an Association. For example:

• Dissatisfaction with the maintenance service.
• The conduct of our contractors.
• A failure by our staff to respond to a situation.
• Perceived unfairness in the way an applicant for housing or employment has been treated.
• An injury suffered as a result of the Association s actions.

What is not a complaint?

• A concern about anti-social behaviour from neighbours- you should contact our officers who will advise you further.
• A repair which has not been reported  contact our Maintenance Department on 0800 435 223.
• Any dissatisfaction with utilities and other services which are outside our control. Eg. water supply, gas or electricity problems  Contact the supplier.
• A dispute between neighbours in shared housing  Inform a member of staff who will advise you.

How to complain

• You may make your complaint verbally to any member of staff. He/she will make a note of the complaint and forward it to the Chief Executive s Office. You may be contacted for more information or if the nature of the complaint means that it should be put in writing before we can act.
• You may write in to the Association explaining the cause of your dissatisfaction.
• You may ask a representative to contact us on your behalf. In this case we will write to you asking for your permission to investigate before we can act.

What we will do

If your complaint is verbal, the staff member receiving it will make a note and advise the Chief Executive s Office who will record it on a central register . You may be contacted for further information before any action is taken.

A written (or e-mailed , or faxed) complaint will be passed directly to the Chief Executive s Office where it will be recorded on a central register.

Within five working days, all complaints, however received, will be acknowledged by letter enclosing a copy of this statement.

Within twenty working days of the receipt of the complaint, the Officer responsible for investigating the complaint will write providing:

• Details of the investigation
• The decision as to whether to complaint is upheld
• Details of the Association s resolution of the problem
• The options available to you should you disagree with the action taken

Your right of appeal

1. If you are dissatisfied with the response you receive, in the first instance you may appeal to the Director responsible for the service to which the complaint relates. You should do this within 10 working days. The Director will respond within 10 working days, advising of your right to further appeal should you remain dissatisfied.
2. Your second appeal may be addressed to the Audit Sub-Committee at the Association s offices within 10 working days. The Audit Sub-Committee will respond within 25 working days of the appeal being received.
3. If the complaint remains unresolved to your satisfaction, you may wish to contact a relevant external organisation for assistance. For example, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Ombudsman, Care and Repair Cymru (for Care and Repair only) or the Local Authority. We will provide addresses of these organisations upon request.

Should the complaint become part of any external investigation e.g Police, the timescales will be varied by agreement.

All complaints should be addressed to:

The Association has Charitable Status.

Tenants living in properties falling under the Domiciliary Care Regulations may complain directly to:

All complaints under this category will be investigated and an annual summary forwarded upon request to the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales. An up-to-date record of complaints will be kept securely stored.