Our Customer Feedback Team’s robust complaints handling processes ensure that we look at the lessons that can be learnt from complaints and compliments, and how we can share
examples of best practice around our services.
We believe in accountability and transparency, which is why we openly share data on complaints through our magazines, digital bulletins and website. During the 2023/24 period, we observed a continued rise in the number of complaints. Despite the challenges we have continued to encounter in the past financial year – particularly the continuing pressure on our repairs service – we remain committed to resolving any issues and providing excellent service to our customers.
Total complaints from April 2023 and March 2024 were 1,852 (this included stage 1 and 2) compared with 921 in the same period last year.
Of the 1,852 complaints the majority (93%) were dealt with at the first stage of complaints process, with only 129 (7%) being progressed to Stage 2.
The top 3 areas we received complaints around from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024 were:
Between April 2023 and March 2024 Great Places has had 22 cases dealt with by the Housing Ombudsman service (HOS). Of those 22 cases the HOS made 51 orders which are their findings relating to cases. It is also important to note that due to the complexity of some cases an individual case may have a number of orders and findings. The HOS determined 22 cases leaving 9 cases to be determined. For 2023/24 the HOS found 22 instances of maladministration.
| Number of referrals | Per cent of total complaints | Service failures upheld | Maladministration upheld | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 22 | 1.1% | 14 | 22 |
| 2022/23 | 17 | 1.8% | 5 | 4 |
In response to the learning from complaints, Great Places has updated its Customer Feedback Policy and shared it with customers through publications, highlighting how customer feedback has influenced and shaped services and improvements. We have also introduced a new Remedies and Resolution Policy, and the customer feedback team has been strengthened which has included case reviews for all stage 2 complaint cases and HOS determinations. Great Places also published its Annual Complaint Performance and Service Improvement report in line with the HOS code. Customers can review complaint performance and service improvements made in this report.
Great Places offers Independence and Wellbeing (supported) accommodation for customers with a range of needs. It is essential that we hear what is important to those customers.
Bespoke consultations held in the last 12 months have helped to inform the retender of services commissioned by Local Authorities, and the level of services offered to customers living in those homes e.g. procurement of provider of temporary colleagues (agency) and provision of manned security services.
Alongside these scheme specific consultations, we have also used a range of methods to engage Independence and Wellbeing customers in our wider corporate consultations, including corporate priorities and customer experience.
These have included coffee mornings and meetings in communal areas, door knocking and interviews in person and by phone.
To meet customer needs over the last 12 months we offered digital and non-digital communication and met language needs with translations.
Customer feedback told us that limited information provided to customers about their new home and defects repairs not being attended to within timescales were a source for dissatisfaction. The impacts of this include inconvenience for customers taking unnecessary time off work and customers not being able to use elements of their home as needed, leading to frustration and disappointment.
As a result, the Development Team has reviewed its model and has strengthened its Customer Care Team and introduced new processes. We now have a dedicated Customer Care Team that takes greater ownership of the customer journey in advance of a new home completing, to a customer moving in and in the weeks immediately following move in. Early feedback is that this has had a positive impact, with new home customer satisfaction improving by 8% in six months. Customers can now access information about their new home before moving in through our digital home user guides; poorly performing defect contractors are held to account more; and alternative contractors are set up to step in where our defect contractors let our customers down.
We have looked to develop our communications based on customer feedback, working with our Digital Readers’ Group over the last 12 months.
In response to customers asking for more local news we have developed regional information in our magazines, with copies posted to our non-digital customers.
Our new Z-cards share the latest need-to-know information and are distributed by our customer-facing colleagues to the customers they interact with. Our web pages have been regularly updated following feedback from customers.
We are currently looking at tech solutions to improve our local communications via hybrid mail, instant messaging solutions and technology that will allow for more tailored communications with specific groups of customers.
