We recognise that from time to time things do go wrong.                                                                                          BGRMO encourages residents’ suggestions, concerns and complaints about any of the services we provide.Your views matter to us. Letting us know about any difficulties you have had helps us to improve the services BGRMO provide.  BGRMO would also like to know if you have received a good service. BGRMO welcomes compliments when they are deserved, and we will gladly pass them on to the staff responsible.

What is a Complaint?

The difference between a request for a service from the organisation and a genuine complaint is sometimes difficult to distinguish.

Reporting a leaky tap or a broken window is not a complaint but a request for action from the repairs service. Similarly, a concern about the length of time spent on the transfer waiting list may well be resolved by simply being provided with the information about the organisation’s allocation policy.

By contrast a complaint is most likely to result from a breakdown of established work practices, policies or time-scales.  In other words, if the organisation fails to carry out what has been agreed or does not meet the standards promised, the resident has legitimate grounds for complaint. Also the nature of the complaint will identify whether this organization or the Council is responsible for this aspect of the service delivered to you.

Examples of complaints are:   

Maintenance problems eg. work not completed, timescale not adhered to, operative abusive etc.

Arrears eg. payment's you have made have not been recorded, circumstances not properly checked.

Allocations eg. circumstances not correctly recorded, property not offered in time, priority not considered.

Neighbour Nuisance eg. lack of response, agreed actions not performed.

How to complain

Our complaint’s procedure has three stages:

Stage one: The informal approach

If you have a problem with the way BGRMO manages its services or maintains residents’ homes you should firstly discuss it with the estate office.  Our staff will be happy to talk over complaints or suggestions and most problems can be dealt with on the spot.

Stage two: A written complaint

If you remain unhappy, you should put the complaint in writing. BGRMO would prefer it if you used the standard form provided for this purpose, returning it in the envelope marked confidential to the Estate Director. If you would like to make an appointment for an officer to write a complaint on your behalf, please contact the estate office.  

However, if you would prefer to telephone through a complaint, or call at our office, then this is perfectly acceptable.  BGRMO staff will make careful note of any formal complaint using one of our forms as a record.

Residents can also make a complaint through our board members or through external agencies solicitors, CAB etc.You may also bring someone along with you to any meeting, for example a friend or relative, but please let us know beforehand.

Download   Complaints  Form:

What happens after you have made a complaint?

All formal complaints are recorded confidentially.  BGRMO will send an acknowledgement within three working days of receipt, giving the name of the person who is dealing with the complaint, and a reference number. This will usually be the Estate Director.

You should receive a formal response within 10 working days. In some cases, where complaints are very complicated, BGRMO may need longer.  BGRMO will explain the reasons for the delay and say when you can expect a full reply.

Occasionally BGRMO may suggest mediation or arbitration as the best way to resolve a dispute.

Stage three:

Having received our formal response, if you are still not satisfied, you should write to the Secretary of the Board.You may ask for a personal meeting with a panel of the Board, the Board will decide if this is appropriate.

You should always follow our procedure through to the end before you take an outstanding complaint elsewhere.

If you need to take the matter further, you can contact United Resident's Housing on 020 8582 9469 or London Borough of Lambeth Complaints Unit on 020 7926 3497.  You may also contact the local Government Ombudsman, an independent investigator about your complaint.

The local Government Ombudsman service is independent and is available to those individuals who feel that they have been treated unfairly by a local authority.  The Ombudsman will however, only investigate complaints which have already been considered under the RMO’s and /or Council’s own complaints procedure.  The Ombudsman can deal with complaints about the manner in which decisions were made (maladministration) but cannot investigate a matter that is already subject to legal proceedings.  Please write to

The Independent Housing Ombudsman Scheme

Norman House

105-109 Strand

London

WC2T OAA

Complaints Code of Practice-Summary

BGRMO recognises the importance of having a simple and effective complaints procedure.

The code of practice

Publicity- BGRMO will tell all residents about our complaints procedure, and forms will be readily available in our offices. Complaints will be positively received.

Ease of use

BGRMO will treat all complaints confidentially.  BGRMO will not pass information on to third parties or other residents without getting the permission of the person complaining.

Positive response

BGRMO view complaints as important feedback on the services we provide. When a complaint has been investigated and fault has been found, BGRMO will contact the Resident.  BGRMO will apologise where appropriate, provide compensation where the circumstances merit this and solve the problem as soon as possible.

Learning from mistakes

Lessons can be learnt from the complaints BGRMO receive. Where BGRMO find shortcomings in our existing arrangements, BGRMO will try to improve our systems and procedures.

Welcoming suggestions

The complaint form also provides an opportunity for residents to suggest alternative ways in which BGRMO might operate. BGRMO will consider these, and act upon them where appropriate.

Monitoring

BGRMO will monitor the complaints received and make regular reports to board members and the London Borough of Lambeth

Annual report and review

BGRMO will produce an annual report of the complaints process for the main board members and publish a summary.  BGRMO will review the complaints procedure regularly.

If you require a copy of our complaint’s procedure in other languages, large print, audio or braille please contact the estate office.