Learning from complaints

Improving Complaint Handling

From the ‘Learning from Complaints’ workshop the Repairs Service Owners have drafted a Learning from Complaints Action Plan. Deliverables include:

Developing the role of the Customer Relations Liaison Officers (Heating, SMS & Repairs North) in post to ensure that complaint cases are not extended, responses are more detailed and Stage 2 (Senior Manager Reviews) escalation is prevented.

A review of the existing Complaints and Compensation policy and procedure to reflect the changing environment and key learnings from the past 10 months.

Increasing the quality of response at both stage 1 and stage 2.

Improving the timelessness of general correspondence and communications with customers.

Repairs

From the ‘Learning from Complaints’ workshop the Repairs Service Owners have drafted a Learning from Complaints Action Plan. Deliverables include:

A review of the way in which the Group responds to reports of damp, mould and condensation, especially in relation to diagnostics and remedies.

Overcoming current challenges with labour and materials which is resulting in delays to repairs being carried out and failed appointments.

A review of the way we manage missed appointments to better inform our customers what’s happening and what will happen next.

Heating Services

From the ‘Learning from Complaints’ workshop the Heating Service Owners have drafted a Learning from Complaints Action Plan. Deliverables include:

A review of the way in which the Group responds to gas safety inspections to improve accessibility and availability for our customers.

Using our data to understand the age of boilers to more accurately plan their replacement and repairs work
Reviewing how we manage our EMA relationships to ensure our residents get the services they want and need when the Group aren’t solely responsible.

Proactively reporting on and managing homes without heating and hot water to prevent complaints occurring.

Home Management

From the ‘Learning from Complaints’ workshop the Repairs Service Owners have drafted a Learning from Complaints Action Plan. Deliverables include:

A review of the way in which the Group responds to reports of a residents death and updating customer records.

Improving the Group’s approach to managing ASB (including the noise app and user experience).

Reviewing how we manage our EMA relationships to ensure our residents get the services they want and need when the Group aren’t solely responsible

Repairs

The Customer Relations Improvement Team have recently hosted a ‘Learning from Complaints’ workshop with the Repairs Service Owners.

A Learning from Complaints Action Plan has been built and will be closely monitored. Deliverables include a review of the way in which the Group responds to reports of damp, mould and condensation, especially in relation to diagnostics and remedies.

Heating Services

The Customer Relations Improvement Team are hosting  a ‘Learning from Complaints’  workshop with the Heating Service Owners on the 14th September. During this session, a Learning from Complaints Action Plan will be built. A key focus will be complaint prevention and early intervention of no heating and hot water cases.

Home Management

The Customer Relations Improvement Team have recently hosted a ‘Learning from Complaints’ workshop with the Home Management Service Owners. A Learning from Complaints Action Plan has been built and will be closely monitored. As part of the action plan, we are reviewing ways in which the Service Centre can be empowered as first point of contact to increase first contact resolution. We will review our internal process to improve the way we respond to reports of a residents death and we will measure the impact of the new ASB noise app and user experience. We are also supporting an action plan to improve customer satisfaction for leaseholder customers.

All Learning from Complaints Action Plans will be available to view internally and also on the Group's website.

Damp and Mould

The Group continue to investigate improvements to the way that we respond to reports of damp, mould and condensation. Insight work has been completed to consider the implications of overcrowding on this issue. These findings will be factored in to the ongoing work between Service Owners and the Customer Relations Improvement Team to review processes and our ways of working alongside best practice models. We are keen to make sure this work results in effective diagnostics and remedies for our residents. We are also looking to improve communications and awareness and have updated our website information and resident leaflets. Consideration is being given to adding videos to the website and the timing of training for frontline staff as well.

Systemic Approach

We have adopted a systemic approach to learning from complaints which identifies key themes in our service areas. Based on customer feedback through our survey programme with complaint data and insight, observations show that repairs, home services and heating are key areas which we are prioritising. The Customer Relations Improvement Team will host workshops with these Service Owners of repairs, home services and heating in August and September. These workshops will review data, key trends, and individual case learnings in order to design and implement service led ‘Learning from Complaint Improvement Plans’.

Over the past four months, the Group have taken a case by case approach to learning from complaints. Whilst this has led to a number of improvements and service enhancements, it is felt that we are now in a stronger position to take on a wider, more systemic approach to learning from complaints.

Early observations show key themes that would benefit from the use of complaint data and insight to drive bigger and wider change across the business and we also have an opportunity to align this with the systemic reviews of the Housing Ombudsman Service.

This month we’re working to address the following areas of improvement:

• Extra allocated time given daily to Service Centre advisors to deal with service dissatisfaction cases
• Specific training addressed with a contractor to ensure they are familiar with our reasonable adjustments policy and how to manage missed appointments
• Continuing to expand the contractor framework to engage with more specialist suppliers so as to avoid delays
• Working with Southern Maintenance Services (SMS) to review the processes, procedures and working practices of the teams as we prepare for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. A 90 day plan has been identified to ensure we consider all aspects of this

This month we’re working to address the following areas of improvement:

• A review of how we decide whether to repair or replace boilers and how we use our data more effectively to pre-empt which boilers are more likely to need a repair soon
• Providing refresher training to staff and contractors on our customer service values
• Working with our contractors to reduce the number of missed appointments. If we can’t avoid a cancellation, we let residents know why it’s happened and provide an alternative appointment.

The Housing Ombudsman acknowledged that picking up systemic complaints will require a collective effort from a landlord and their residents. This forum will provide this opportunity with support and collaboration from the senior leaders across the Group and members of the Scrutiny Steering Group.

The minutes of the most recent meeting, and all previous meetings, can be accessed below.

Meeting 26.4.2021

The Housing Ombudsman requires us to learn from individual complaints and the wider systemic themes that emerge and they’re a great opportunity for us to listen, learn and improve from what our customers tell us. Therefore, we are dedicating time and resources to understand what we are doing right, but also to understand where and how we can improve. Each month, you can access a visual report of the key information to show us learning from complaints. We will also share more information in our resident newsletters and annual review.   

May - Learning from complaints dashboard

June - Learning from complaints dashboard

July - Learning from complaints dashboard

August - Learning from complaints dashboard

September - Learning from complaints dashboard

October - Learning from complaints dashboard

Please click the links below to read our month by month self assessments. 

May 2021

June 2021

July 2021

August 2021

September 2021

October 2021