Complaints Procedure
]1. Introduction
1.1 Native Communities are committed to always providing a high level of quality services to all our residents. However, we recognise that there may be occasions where our standards don’t reach this level.
1.2 As a responsible manging agent, we have developed a compliments and complaints policy that is simple and accessible, ensuring that feedback is acknowledged and dealt with quickly, and by the appropriate people at Native.
1.3 For complaints, we have categorised these into two categories – ‘Operational complaints’ and ‘Building Safety complaints’
2. Our commitment
2.1 For operational complaints - Native are a member of The Property Ombudsman (‘TPOS’) (Reg No. D13506) and commit to ensuring our procedures for handling complaints mirror the TPOS code of practice.
2.2 For building safety complaints – we will always ensure we meet our statutory duties (Building Safety Act, s.93) and follow best practice published by the Government on this topic.
3. Compliments
3.1 We welcome the receipt of compliments about our employees and services. We commit to passing on all compliments to staff members, and their line manager, as well as learning from these to better improve our service in future.
4. What is a complaint?
4.1 A complaint is something a complainant thinks you may have done wrong or something that you should have done but did not do.
4.2 A complaint may be submitted by a third party (with a resident’s consent) and will be treated through the same processes.
5. What is not a complaint?
5.1 When we are informed about a problem for the very first time, we will try and resolve these first expressions of dissatisfaction, quickly, as service requests (except where the complaint concerns the behaviour of an employee, or immediately requires a senior manager to consider a complex area of policy or legislation)
5.2 Native Communities do no class any of the following as a complaint or a service failing.
5.2.1 An initial request for service or information
5.2.2 Complaints concerning the level of rent or tenancy renewal proposals
5.2.3 Complaints concerning actions of an organisation that is not working for, or supported by, Native Communities
5.2.4 Complaints about personnel matters including issues about staff employment or former employment including applications for employment (we will accept complaints about the behaviours or actions of a member of staff that has a direct impact on the resident)
5.2.5 Where legal proceedings have started
5.2.6 Where events happened more than 12 months ago which were known about and have not been raised since. However, sometimes it may not be appropriate to rely on this exclusion e.g., where complaints concern safeguarding, H&S or building safety issues.
5.2.7 Where a complaint relates to an aspect of general law that we have correctly applied.
5.2.8 Where a complaint is received with only minor difference to one that has been raised before and exhausted the complaints process. Subject to the exercise of discretion, we will advice that the matter is closed.
5.2.9 Where our staff are subject to aggressive, abusive, or inappropriate behaviour by a potential complainant
6. Examples of each type of complaint
6.1 Operational complaints cover anything that occurs day to day such as customer service, leasing or tenancy matters, payment issues, facilities management issues and performance of any our team members.
6.2 Building safety complaints cover anything in relation to structural or fire and life safety related.
6.3 Operational complaints will cover most complaints, with building safety complaints being a specific type of operational complaint.
6.4 Some examples of a building safety complaint would be;
6.4.1 Complaints around the structure or structural integrity of the building
6.4.2 Complaints about anything fire or life safety related including – the fire alarm, emergency lighting, dry/wet risers, sprinklers, fire doors, blocked fire escapes, response to alarms, evacuation procedures
6.4.3 Complaints about anything in relation to sources of ignition such as smoking, cooking facilities, storage of flammable materials, maintenance of electrical installations
6.4.4 Complaints about the performance of Native Communities, or our appointed contractors, in relation to building safety
6.5 The initial complaint will always go to the most senior person on site (typically the General or Community Manager) who will determine whether the complaint is an operational or building safety compliant.
6.6 The General/Community Manager will advise any complainant which path their complaint is following – operational or building safety.
6.7 For the avoidance of doubt, the building safety complaint process is open to any concerned party (not just residents) such as neighbouring buildings/occupiers.
7. Overview of Process
8. Operational complaint procedures
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Operational complaint policy |
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Native Communities aims to provide a high quality of service at all times. If it is felt that we haven’t achieved our expected level of service, this procedure will enable you to escalate issues or concerns that you have been unable to resolve with your local site team. This procedure has four stages; Stage one gives our General/Community Manager the opportunity to review and consider your complaint in full. We will always endeavour to assess the facts fairly and our goal is to find an amicable solution to enable us to resolve your complaint, to your satisfaction. Stage three gives the opportunity for our executive team to review and consider your complaint in full. Stage four gives you the opportunity to have your complaint reviewed and considered by an independent redress provider if you are not happy with our final viewpoint.
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Stage One |
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If you have been unable to resolve your complaint with the onsite team, you may escalate the matter in writing to your General/Community Manager. We ask that you put your complaint in writing to ensure we have a full understanding of the nature of, and reasons for, your complaint. |
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Stage Two |
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If you are not satisfied after having received our response, you have the opportunity to take your complaint to stage two, where a member of the Native Communities Leadership Team will review your complaint. Email address of either Head of Ops North or Head of Ops South |
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Stage Three |
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If you are still not satisfied upon receiving our response, you have the opportunity to take your complaint to Stage 3, where a member of the Native Communities Executive team will review your complaint. We will acknowledge receipt of your escalated complaint within 3 working days. We will investigate the circumstances of your complaint including the local office, and senior management and leadership teams involved previously. We will provide our final response within 15 working days of sending our acknowledgment receipt. |
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Stage Four |
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If you are still not satisfied when you have received our final viewpoint, or more than 8 weeks has elapsed since your complaint was first made, you have the opportunity to take your complaint to an independent redress provider. |
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The Property Ombudsman (TPOS), is free to consumers and will consider all consumer complaints including residential sales, lettings and property management. The contact details for TPOS are: |
9. Building Safety complaint procedures
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Building Safety complaint policy |
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Native Communities aims to provide a high quality of service at all times. If it is felt that we haven’t achieved our expected level of service, this procedure will enable you to escalate issues or concerns that you have been unable to resolve with your local site team. This procedure has four stages; Stage one gives our General/Community Manager the opportunity to review and consider your complaint in full. We will always endeavour to assess the facts fairly and our goal is to find an amicable solution to enable us to resolve your complaint, to your satisfaction. Stage three gives the opportunity for our executive team to review and consider your complaint in full. Stage four gives you the opportunity to have your complaint reviewed and considered by an independent redress provider if you are not happy with our final viewpoint. |
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Stage One |
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If you have been unable to resolve your complaint with the onsite team, you may escalate the matter in writing to your General/Community Manager. We ask that you put your complaint in writing to ensure we have a full understanding of the nature of, and reasons for, your complaint. |
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Stage Two |
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If you are not satisfied after having received our response, you have the opportunity to take your complaint to stage two, where a member of the central Health & Safety Team will review your complaint. |
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Stage Three |
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If you are still not satisfied upon receiving our response, you have the opportunity to take your complaint to Stage 3, where a member of the Native Communities Executive team will review your complaint. We will acknowledge receipt of your escalated complaint within 3 working days. We will investigate the circumstances of your complaint including the local office, and senior management and leadership teams involved previously. We will provide our final response within 15 working days of sending our acknowledgment receipt. |
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Stage Four |
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At the time of writing (Jan 2024) the Building Safety Regulator's (BSR) complaint policy over covers high-rise residential and higher-risk buildings in design and construction only. The do have a general question and answer service which is available here w: https://www.contact-building-safety-regulator.service.gov.uk/ They will require your name, contact details (email/phone number) and your address and concerns. You will be issued with a reference number and at the time of writing the response time is up to 21 working days. |
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Whilst the BSR is establishing this service you have the option to also use the Property Ombudsman, listed below. |
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If you are still not satisfied when you have received our final viewpoint, or more than 8 weeks has elapsed since your complaint was first made, you have the opportunity to take your complaint to an independent redress provider. |
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The Property Ombudsman (TPOS), is free to consumers and will consider all consumer complaints including residential sales, lettings and property management. |
10. How we will communicate the complaints policy
10.1 This policy document will be made site specific and distributed to all residents in the following ways.
10.1.1 Within a new resident’s Welcome Pack email, and in written form
10.1.2 Via email and in written form to any residents present at the time of publication of this policy
10.1.3 It will be stored alongside other critical building information online and accessible through the QR code present in the building
10.1.4 On the website that is specific to this property
10.2 Upon reasonable request, we will communicate these policy / these procedures in a ‘accessible’ way such as larger font or another language. If any other adjustments are necessary to make this policy more accessible, then contact should be made with the relevant General / Community Manager in the first instance.
11. How we prioritise / track / analyse complaints
11.1 Complaints can take a significant amount of time to investigate, deal with and respond to. As we use senior members of Native’s leadership and executive team when dealing with a complaint, we may, in some circumstances, need to prioritise complaints.
11.2 When we need to prioritise complaints, we will always prioritise these based on risk to safety.
11.3 Any complaints that follow the operational pathway will be monitored and recorded by the operational lead for either the North or the South, respectively. Any complaints that follow the operational pathway will be monitored and recorded by the Health & Safety Team.
11.4 We will store this data in line with our Confidentiality, Data Protection and Data Retention policies, which are committed to compliance with data processing laws and general data protection regulation (GDPR).
11.5 The records of any compliments or complaints will be used for analysis to help better shape our service delivery in future.
12. How we report complaints
12.1 All complaints will be reported on within ongoing senior leadership meetings and/or board meetings.
12.2 Where we are acting as an accountable person and/or fulfilling duties for a principle accountable person (‘PAP’) We will report all building safety complaints to the PAP during our regular management meetings.
13. Review process
13.1 We commit to reviewing this policy at least annually.
13.2 However, we will also review this policy at such time as the TPOS update their best practice guidance.
13.3 We will review this guidance when the Building Safety Regulator open their escalation policy and in future if they update their best practice guidance