Council housing complaint handling code self-assessment 2024-25

Code provision 8.1

Requirement

Landlords must produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report for scrutiny and challenge, which must include:

1. the annual self-assessment against this Code to ensure their complaint handling policy remains in line with its requirements.
2. a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the landlord’s complaint handling performance. This must also include a summary of the types of complaints the landlord has refused to accept;
3. any findings of non-compliance with this Code by the Ombudsman.
4. the service improvements made as a result of the learning from complaints;
5. any annual report about the landlord’s performance from the Ombudsman; and
6. any other relevant reports or publications produced by the Ombudsman in relation to the work of the landlord.

Do we comply?

Yes

Evidence

Our Complaints about council housing webpage.

Commentary / explanation

Our Annual Complaints Performance & Service Improvement report contains this information.

The 2024 Annual Complaints Performance & Service Improvement report was presented to the Housing & Homelessness Panel (Panel of the Scrutiny Committee) on 10 October 2024 and Cabinet (Governing body) on 16 October 2024. It was not possible to collate the end of year data and produce the report and present it to cabinet sooner due to the scheduling of their meetings. The report and governing body response have now been published.

We intend to have the 2025 Annual Complaints Performance & Service Improvement report published by 30 June 2025.

Code provision 8.2

Requirement

The annual complaints performance and service improvement report must be reported to the landlord’s governing body (or equivalent) and published on the on the section of its website relating to complaints. The governing body’s response to the report must be published alongside this.

Do we comply?

Yes

Evidence

Our Complaints about council housing webpage.

Commentary / explanation

The 2024 Annual Complaints Performance & Service Improvement report was presented to the Housing & Homelessness Panel (Panel of the Scrutiny Committee) on 10 October 2024 and Cabinet (Governing body) on 16 October 2024. It was not possible to collate the end of year data and produce the report and present it to cabinet sooner due to the scheduling of their meetings. The report and governing body response have been published.

We intend to take the 2025 report to Cabinet on 11 June 2025, and have their response ready to be published by 30 June 2025.

Code provision 8.3

Requirement

Landlords must also carry out a self-assessment following a significant restructure, merger and/or change in procedures.

Do we comply?

Yes

Evidence

n/a

Commentary / explanation

We carry out the self-assessment annually and are committed to additional reviews should there be a significant restructure, merger and/or change in procedures.

Code provision 8.4

Requirement

Landlords may be asked to review and update the self-assessment following an Ombudsman investigation.

Do we comply?

Yes

Evidence

n/a

Commentary / explanation

We comply with all requests from the Ombudsman.

Code provision 8.5

Requirement

If a landlord is unable to comply with the Code due to exceptional circumstances, such as a cyber incident, they must inform the Ombudsman, provide information to residents who may be affected, and publish this on their website Landlords must provide a timescale for returning to compliance with the Code.

Do we comply?

Yes

Evidence

n/a

Commentary / explanation

If this situation did occur and we were unable to comply with the Code, then we would be committed to inform the Ombudsman and the affected complainants and publish this on our website with the appropriate timescales for the reconvening of the service.