Report 2012 - Wishaw and District Housing Association

18
Complaints and Appeals
Responding to Complaints
Whilst the Association always aims for the highest possible standards we realise that there
will be times when service users wish to appeal a decision or feel that they have just cause
for complaint. We see appeals and complaints as an important opportunity to improve our
current and future service delivery and during 2011/12 we received ten complaints about
various different aspects of our service.
Process % Meeting Target
Acknowledgements of receipt meeting 67% – average time to respond 3.1 days
3 day target
Responses meeting 10 day target 92% – average time to respond 4.8 days
Complaints proceeding to Complaints
Committee 2
Meeting target time of 20 days to convene
complaints committee hearing 100% – average time 2 days
Meeting target time of giving at least 5
days notice to complaintant 100% – average time 6.5 days
Meeting target time of 5 days to issue
decision 100% – average time 3 days
Complaints requiring Ombudsman decision 0
Complaints Upheld 10%
Rejected 70%
Partly Upheld/Partly Rejected 20%
This coming year sees the introduction by the SPSO (Scottish Public Services’ Ombudsman)
of a new model complaints handling procedure that will be require to be adopted by all
RSLs. The model procedure for RSLs has been published in line with the recommendations
of a government appointed working party called the Sinclair Committee, these
recommendations being that the SPSO simplify and improve complaints handling by
developing standardized procedures.
The RSL model has been developed in consultation with the housing sector, guided by
an advisory panel of housing association representatives and a steering group of key
housing stakeholders including the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Chartered Institute of
Housing, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Tenant Participation
Advisory Service.
Staff News
Our longest serving employee, Tracey Fyfe
(pictured below with Chairman, Edward
Mullen) reached the admirable service
milestone of 25 years in June this year.
Having staff with a long continuity of service
gives depth, stability and credibility to an
organisation. At the very least we benefit
from long memories of how things have
evolved and changed. We very much
appreciate Tracey’s part in making the
Association what it is today.
More sadly, we are sorry to have to
report that our former Customer Services
Assistant, Jane Kerr, who retired in 2010, and
who will be well remembered by many of our
tenants from her time working in our
reception, died during the year after a long
and brave battle with cancer.
In 2011/12 once again we had zero staff
turnover. Our staff absence rate due to
sickness was 3.0%.