Complaints

Southway Housing Trust welcomes all customer feedback, including your complaints and compliments, as a way of learning from our tenants and improving the service we provide. If you’re unhappy with our service, we hope you can tell us straight away. And we hope that we can resolve the issue quickly. However, if you’re not happy with our service, or feel you have not been treated fairly, you can make a formal complaint. We have three stages to the procedure – to keep it as simple as possible.

Stage 1

You can telephone (0161 448 4200), make a complaint on line, write  to us or ask us for a paper form. We will let you know, in writing, that we are dealing with your complaint, within two working days. A manager or Head of Service will investigate the problem and give you a full response within ten working days. In rare cases, where this isn’t possible, your response will say why it will take longer, and when you will hear from us. If you are not happy with the way we have dealt with your complaint, you can ask for a review at Stage 2.

Stage 2

Tell us why you are not satisfied with our response, and we will get your complaint reviewed at Stage 2 by one of our Directors. The Director will look at your complaint again, and respond within ten working days from the date you asked for a review. He or she will make sure you have been dealt with fairly, and will try to find a solution that suits you and Southway. However, if you are still not satisfied with the response from the Director, you can ask for a further review at Stage 3.

Stage 3 - Panel Review

Most complaints are sorted out at Stage 1 or 2. However, if you wish for a further review, let our Chief Executive know your reasons for this, no more than 15 working days after receiving your Stage 2 response. Your complaint will be looked at again, by a specially convened Review Panel. This Panel will be made up of our Chief Executive, and two other people - senior managers within Southway - who have not previously dealt with your complaint. Your case will be considered by the Panel within fifteen working days of your request, and you will be invited to attend a meeting to present your case if you wish. Once the Panel has met and discussed your complaint, they will let you know what has been decided within five working days of the review.

If we're unable to resolve the complaint

Most complaints are sorted out at a very early stage. However, if you are still not happy with our response at the end of the process, you can take your case to the Independent Housing Ombudsman, who will provide a completely separate and unbiased review of the situation. In these rare cases, we will explain exactly what you need to do.

Our Customer Compliments & Complaints Policy