Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH) is a wholly owned company set up by Blackpool Council (The Landlord) to manage its council housing stock and provide related services to its tenant and leasehold customers. This includes the delegation of complaint handling in relation to the housing management function in line with this policy and the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.
BCH does not view complaints as a negative and see them as an opportunity to learn from the issues raised by our residents and to take steps to improve the services we provide. Complaint handling is a priority for us, and we want our residents to feel heard and understood. We understand that things can go wrong, so when this happens, we want to know so that we can try to put things right.
This policy is published on the BCH and Blackpool Council websites. The BCH website also includes information about the Housing Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code. The policy is summarised for customers in booklet format and this is also published on the BCH website. Copies of the Complaint Policy and the Complaint Booklet are available upon request and can be provided in alternative formats or languages upon request.
The purpose of this Policy is:
- To provide a fair complaints procedure which is accessible, clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint and is resident focused
- To publicise the existence of our complaints procedure so that people know how to contact us to make a complaint
- To make sure everyone at Blackpool Coastal Housing knows what to do if a complaint is received
- To make sure all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way with clear timeframes set out for responses
- To make sure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved, appropriate redress is applied and that relationships are repaired
- To prioritise complaint handling and gather information which helps us to improve what we do, creating a positive complaint handling culture through continuous learning and improvement
- Blackpool Council are members of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme. The Council, and BCH acting on their behalf commit to follow the Housing Ombudsman Dispute Resolution principles of being fair, putting things right and learning from outcomes. This Policy has been developed in line with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code. We will at all times co-operate with the Housing Ombudsman or other regulatory body with responsibilities for oversight of complaints handling.
This policy applies to all BCH services and activities, including the landlord function provided on behalf of Blackpool Council. This policy also applies where the complaint relates to a contractor that has been instructed by BCH. Where the complaint is in relation to a contractor responsibility for recording, investigating, resolving and responding to the complaint remains with BCH in line with this policy, and the complaint handler will be a BCH staff member. This policy does not apply to any BCH personnel grievances or recruitment complaints. Such complaints are subject to BCH Human Resources policies and procedures.
Residents will not be treated differently by BCH should they raise a complaint and all complaints will be actioned fairly and consistently in line with this policy.
A complaint is defined as:
‘an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual resident or group of residents.’
A resident does not have to use the word ‘complaint’ for it to be treated as such. Whenever a resident expresses dissatisfaction we must give them the choice to make a complaint. A complaint that is submitted via a third party or representative must be handled in line with the BCH Complaint Policy.
The type of complaint we can consider may include, but is not limited to:
- Failure to provide a service
- Provision of a poor standard of service
- Mistakes in the way we have provided the service
- Failure to meet our existing service standards or comply with our policies
Where applicable, a complaint can also be raised as formal appeal to actions or decisions, for example a lettings offer we have chosen not to proceed, unless there is already a statutory review or appeals process in place.
BCH recognises the difference between a service request and a complaint. A service request is a request from a resident to BCH requiring action to be taken to put something right.
We do not treat service requests as complaints, however service requests are recorded, monitored and reviewed regularly by the appropriate service.
A complaint will be raised if a resident expresses dissatisfaction with the response to their service request, even if the handling of the service request remains ongoing. We will continue efforts to address the service request if a resident complains.
Queries or disputes about a recharge will initially be dealt with as a service request and be reviewed and responded to by a member of the Repairs Management Team. If the customer is unhappy with the outcome, then they can make a complaint.
Each complaint will be considered on its own merits, along with the individual circumstances of each complaint. Grounds for dissatisfaction that may not be suitable for the complaints process are outlined below:
- Complaints about the actions of an organisation that is not working for, or supported by, BCH
- Where the issue being raised has a statutory review or appeal procedure. Where a resident makes a complaint that should be dealt with as a review or appeal, we will confirm with the resident the process that we will follow
- Personnel matters including issues about staff employment or former employment and applications for employment
- Cases where legal proceedings have started. This is defined as details of the claim, such as the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim, having been filed at Court
- Insurance claims; these will be handed to relevant services within both BCH and the Council
- The issue giving rise to the complaint or the resident becoming aware of the issue occurred over 12 months ago (BCH may exercise discretion to accept complaints made outside this time limit where there are good reasons to do so)
- Matters that have previously been considered under the Complaints Policy and the process has been exhausted
- Where a complaint has been pursued in a way that we determine is unreasonable or when a resident repeatedly makes serious allegations that employees or contractors have committed criminal, corrupt, or perverse conduct without any evidence. Such matters will be dealt with in line with our Unacceptable Behaviour Policy
- Anonymous complaints
Although we do not treat these issues as a complaint under this procedure, we will deal with them in an appropriate manner. Each complaint is considered on an individual basis and on its own merit. We do not take a blanket approach when excluding complaints.
If we decide not to accept a complaint, we will provide a detailed explanation to the resident within 10 working days setting out:
- The reasons why the complaint will not be dealt with under our Complaints policy
- Any individual circumstances we considered in making our decision
- The resident’s right to take that decision to the Housing Ombudsman
We record and report on complaints that we have excluded from our complaint’s procedure.
If a Subject Access Request is made as part of a complaint, then this will be passed to our Performance & GDPR Officer to separately acknowledge and respond to in line with our Subject Access Request Policy.
An expression of dissatisfaction with services made through a survey is not defined as a complaint, though wherever possible, the person completing the survey will be made aware of how they can pursue a complaint if they wish to.
Where BCH asks for wider feedback about our services, we will provide details of how residents can complain.
A complaint can be raised by any person or group of people affected by an activity or service provided by, or on behalf of Blackpool Coastal Housing, including but not limited to:
- Current tenants / licensees and members of their households
- Former tenants / licensees
- Social housing applicants
- Leaseholders
- MPs and Councillors
- Advocates of the complainant such as friends, relatives or other representatives (prior written consent from the complainant is required)
- A resident or group of residents who have been affected by our activities and/or services in the locality
We offer a range of ways for our customers to make a complaint.
In writing:
Complaints, c/o Involvement and Communications Team, Blackpool Coastal Housing, Coastal House, 17-19 Abingdon Street, Blackpool, FY1 1DG.
Email:
Via our website:
www.bch.co.uk/complaints-compliments-and-customer-feedback/howtomakeacomplaint
Via the MyBCH self-service portal:
https://my.bch.co.uk/bch/www/dashboard
By telephone:
01253 477900, then selecting option 4 followed by option 3
Via social media:
For customers wishing to lodge a complaint by social media we request that this is done by private message in order to maintain confidentiality and privacy using the following channels:
Facebook search for @bchblackpool
Instagram search for blackpool_coastalhousing
In person:
We are able to accept complaints in person and Coastal House reception is open Monday - Friday 10am - 2pm, or customers can book an appointment in advance. A member of the Involvement and Communications team will agree a convenient venue with the customer (customer’s home, a community centre or office site).
Residents can raise a complaint with any member of staff. All staff are aware of the complaints process and can pass the complaint details through to the Involvement & Communications Team who will record and action the complaint.
We are committed to making our complaints process accessible to all and can offer help and support to ensure any concerns from customers are listened to and understood. On receipt of a complaint, our Complaint Officers will provide one to one assistance throughout the process.
Complainants can also seek assistance or advice through external agencies.
In line with the Equality Act 2010 our Reasonable Adjustments Policy sets out our commitment to equality of opportunity for all and what types of assistance we can provide to support customers to make a complaint.
BCH will keep a record of any reasonable adjustments agreed, as well as a record of any disabilities a resident has disclosed. Any agreed reasonable adjustments will be kept under active review.
Customers may prefer to have a representative deal with their complaint on their behalf, or to be or accompanied at any meeting with us. This may be by an advocate, carer, family member, friend, elected member, agency, or professional body. Where a representative makes the complainant’s case we must receive or hold a signed authority from the customer which authorises us to communicate with the customer’s appointed advocate or representative.
A customer may contact the Housing Ombudsman at any time throughout the course of their complaint for advice and support.
All complaint information will be handled sensitively and in accordance with relevant data protection requirements.
Where a customer posts a complaint on social media pages, we will ensure privacy at all times by directing the complaint to private message to ensure privacy and confidentiality. If a customer posts personal details on a public post, this will be removed to protect the privacy and confidentiality of themselves and anyone they may also refer to.
Some complaints received by Blackpool Coastal Housing may have safeguarding elements. This could be where someone’s life is at risk or a serious crime has been committed. When complaints of this nature are received, Blackpool Coastal Housing staff will be required to make a safeguarding referral in line our Safeguarding Policy.
Whilst the details of the complaint will be considered, the safety of the service user is paramount and takes precedent over any other procedures.
Our complaint process consists of two Stages; Stage 1 and Stage 2. We do not to have extra named stages (such as ‘stage 0’ or ‘informal complaint’) as this causes unnecessary confusion.
A complaint regarding BCH services and activities, including services and activities carried out on our behalf will be handled by BCH in line with this Policy and consist of our 2 Stage process.
If a formal complaint is received, the BCH Involvement and Communications Team will take responsibility for facilitating the complaint and be the ‘Complaint Officer’. All complaint actions are recorded by the team on our Housing Management System. Any urgent issues that relate to safeguarding or health or safety will be flagged by the Complaint Officer to the relevant service manager.
The Complaint Officers will:
- Act sensitively and fairly
- Be trained to handle complaints and deal with distressed and upset residents
- Access staff at all levels to facilitate quick resolution of complaints
- Have the authority and autonomy to resolve disputes quickly and fairly
The complaint handler will make personal contact with the customer to discuss their concerns as part of their Stage 1 investigation.
Complaints will be acknowledged, defined and logged at Stage 1 of our complaints procedure within five working days of being received.
Within the complaint acknowledgement, we will set out our understanding of the complaint (the ‘complaint definition’) and the outcomes the complainant is seeking. If any aspect of the complaint is unclear, we will ask the complainant for clarification and agree the complaint definition.
Stage 1 formal complaints will be investigated by a Manager or Team Leader who will act as the complaint handler and must:
- deal with complaints on their merits, act independently, and have an open mind;
- give the resident a fair chance to set out their position;
- take measures to address any actual or perceived conflict of interest;
- and consider all relevant information and evidence carefully.
A complaint response will be sent to the resident when the answer to the complaint is known, not when the outstanding actions required to address the issue are completed. Records are maintained to ensure that agreed actions are taken.
Where complainants raise additional matters during the investigation, these will be incorporated into the Stage 1 response if they are relevant and the Stage 1 response has not been issued.
Where new issues raised relate to separate matters, the Stage 1 response has been issued, or it would unreasonably delay the response, the complaint will be logged as a new complaint.
Any outstanding actions required to address issues will be allocated to Service Managers to track action promptly, keeping the complainant updated appropriately.
The Stage 1 will response will confirm in writing, in plain language, the following:
- the complaint stage
- the complaint definition
- the decision on the complaint
- the reasons for any decisions made
- the details of any remedy offered to put things right
- details of any outstanding actions
- details of how to escalate the matter to Stage 2 if the complainant is not satisfied with the response
A full response to Stage 1 complaints will be issued within 10 working days of the complaint being acknowledged.
We will consider the complexity of the complaint and if an extension to the expected timescale is required we will inform the complainant of the expected timescale for response. An extension will be no more than 10 working days without good reason and we will clearly explain any reasons to the complainant.
Whenever we inform a complainant about an extension to response timescales, we will provide the contact details of the Housing Ombudsman.
Where a response to a complaint will fall outside the timescales set out in this policy we will agree with the resident suitable intervals for keeping them informed about their complaint.
If a resident is not satisfied with our response to their complaint at stage 1, they can request to escalate the complaint to stage 2.
We encourage residents to let us know as soon as possible, but no later than 25 working days from the date of the stage 1 response. We may apply discretion where the resident was unable to escalate the complaint earlier (for example health grounds or with other good reason) or where the complaint raises safeguarding or health and safety issues.
Once an escalation request has been received, it will be acknowledged within 5 working days, confirming our understanding of the complaint (the ‘complaint definition’) and the outcomes the resident is seeking. Complainants are not required to explain their reasoning for requesting escalation and BCH will make reasonable efforts to understand why the complainant remains unhappy.
The acknowledgement letter will also provide confirmation of the Appeal Hearing date and the complainant’s right to attend. If we have tried to contact the resident to discuss the complaint further but have no response, or if the resident is unable to explain why they are not satisfied with the stage 1 response, we will investigate and review the complaint based on the information we have.
The Stage 2 consideration will not be conducted by the same person(s) that completed the Stage 1 investigation and response.
If we have accepted the complaint and responded at stage 1, we would only refuse to escalate the complaint to Stage 2 for either of the following reasons:
- If the complaint should not be looked at further because it could compromise legal proceedings to do so
- If it has now become clear that this complaint has previously fully exhausted the complaints process.
- The issue relating to the escalation differs to the complaint definition at Stage 1. In these instances, we will consider the matter as a new complaint.
If we decide not to escalate a complaint to Stage 2 as there is a valid reason not to do so as an exclusion applies, we will evidence the reasoning and provide a detailed written explanation to the customer setting out the reasons why the matter is not suitable for the complaints process within 10 working days of a request being made. We will not take a blanket approach to exclusions.
All customers have the right to challenge this decision by bringing their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman.
We will only escalate a complaint to Stage 2 once it has completed Stage 1 and at the request of the resident.
The Stage 2 appeal will be heard by the Director responsible for the service area. If the relevant Director is unavailable in the timescales or has already had involvement that may impact on their impartiality another Director, Head of Service, or the Chief Operating Officer will substitute for them.
All customers and/or their representative will be extended an invite to attend the Appeal Panel meeting or will be offered the opportunity to provide evidence at the hearing in a way that suits their needs. This means the customer can ask that the panel is held virtually, or at a venue other than BCH’s Head Office, for example at a Community Centre or at home via phone call or videoconference.
The response to the Stage 2 complaint will be provided to the complainant in writing within 20 working days of the escalated complaint being acknowledged.
A complaint response will be sent to the resident when the answer to the complaint is known, not when the outstanding actions required to address the issue are completed. Any outstanding actions will be tracked and the resident will be kept updated.
Where complainants raise additional matters during the investigation, these will be incorporated into the Stage 2 response if they are relevant and the Stage 2 response has not been issued. Where new issues raised relate to separate matters, the Stage 2 response has been issued, or it would unreasonably delay the response, the complaint will be considered as a new complaint.
Any outstanding actions required to address issues will be allocated to Service Managers to track action promptly, keeping the complainant updated appropriately.
Within 20 working days of the Stage 2 complaint being acknowledged a written response to the complainant will be provided in clear, plain language. The Stage 2 response will address all points raised in the complaint definition and provide clear reasons for any decisions, referencing the relevant policy, law and good practice where appropriate. The Stage 2 response will also confirm:
- the complaint stage;
- the complaint definition;
- the decision on the complaint;
- the reasons for any decisions made;
- the details of any remedy offered to put things right;
- details of any outstanding actions
- details of how to escalate the matter to the Ombudsman Service if the individual remains dissatisfied.
We will consider the complexity of the complaint, and if an extension to the expected timescale is required we will inform the complainant of the expected timescale for response. An extension will be no more than 20 working days without good reason and we will clearly explain any reasons.
Whenever we inform a complainant about an extension to response timescales, we will provide the contact details of the Housing Ombudsman.
Where a response to a complaint will fall outside the timescales set out in this policy we will agree with the resident suitable intervals for keeping them informed about the progress of the complaint investigation.
Stage 2 is the final response and marks the end of Blackpool Coastal Housing’s complaints process.
Where something has gone wrong, we will acknowledge this and set out the actions we have already taken or intend to take to put things right.
This may include:
- Apologising;
- Acknowledging where things have gone wrong;
- Providing an explanation, assistance or reasons;
- Taking action if there has been delay;
- Reconsidering or changing a decision;
- Amending a record or adding a correction or addendum;
- Providing a financial remedy;
- Changing policies, procedures or practices.
Any remedy offered must reflect the impact on the resident as a result of any fault identified. The remedy offer must clearly set out what will happen and by when, in agreement with the resident where appropriate. Any remedy proposed must be followed through to completion. BCH will take account of the guidance issued by the Housing Ombudsman when deciding on appropriate remedies and also refer to our Compensation Policy.
A complaint will be considered closed under the following circumstances:
- After sending a Stage 1 response and there is no further contact from the customer after 25 working days from the issue of the response. (If a complainant makes contact with the same issue, additional evidence or requesting to escalate beyond 25 days then the circumstances will be considered and if appropriate the complaint will be reopened and escalated. If new matters are raised then this will be opened as a new Stage 1 complaint.)
- When a Stage 2 response has been issued as this is the final stage in our complaint process and a resident will be advised of their right to escalate their complaint to the Ombudsman.
Complaint cases are logged and managed using the MRI Housing Management System. A full record is kept of complaints and the outcomes at each stage of the process. This includes the original complaint and the date received, all correspondence with the resident, correspondence with other parties, and any relevant supporting documentation such as reports or surveys.
We will produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement report for scrutiny and challenge, which will include:
- the annual self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code to ensure this policy remains in line with its requirements.
- a qualitative and quantitative analysis of BCH’s complaint handling performance. This will also include a summary of the types of complaints we have refused to accept;
- any findings of non-compliance with the Complaint Handling Code by the Housing Ombudsman;
- the service improvements made as a result of the learning from complaints;
- any annual report about the landlord’s performance from the Ombudsman; and
- any other relevant reports or publications produced by the Ombudsman in relation to the work of the landlord.
The annual complaints performance and service improvement report will be reported to the BCH Board and the Shareholder (Blackpool Council) and will be published on the section of our website relating to complaints. The Board’s response to the report will be published alongside this.
BCH will carry out a self-assessment following a significant restructure, merger and/or change in procedures, or should the Housing Ombudsman request so after an investigation.
If a BCH is unable to comply with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code due to exceptional circumstances, such as a cyber incident, we will inform the Ombudsman, provide information to residents who may be affected, and publish this on their website. We will provide a timescale for returning to compliance with the Code.
At the completion of a complaint, an evaluation will be completed to assess the root cause of the complaint, what lessons have been learned and what, if any, actions need to be taken to prevent reoccurrence. Stage 1 evaluations will be completed by Heads of Service and Stage 2 evaluations will be completed by a Director or the Chief Executive. This is to ensure that BCH look beyond the circumstances of the individual complaint and consider whether service improvements can be made as a result of any learning from the complaint.
A satisfaction survey will be conducted with complainants upon the closure of their case to help us identify whether there are any wider steps that we can take to improve our complaint services.
All complaint information will be recorded and performance information will be produced and provided to BCH Senior Management, BCH Board, the BCH Complaint Customer Panel and the Shareholder.
We will look beyond the circumstances of the individual complaint and consider whether service improvements can be made as a result of any learning from the complaint. Themes and trends will be assessed to identify any potential systemic issues, serious risks or policies and procedures that may need reviewing. The themes and trends will also be used to inform training requirements for staff and contractors.
Accountability and transparency are integral to a positive complaint handling culture. We will use complaints as a source of intelligence to identify issues and introduce positive changes in service deliver and report back on wider learning and improvements from complaints in our Annual Report and more frequently to residents, staff and scrutiny panels.
Within BCH the Director of Resources is the accountable lead for our complaint handling. This person will support with assessing any themes or trends to identify potential systemic issues, serious risks, or policies and procedures that require revision.
The Housing Portfolio Holder for Blackpool Council is the Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC).
In addition, as an ALMO we also have a Board Member appointed as Board Champion for Complaints.
The MRC (Member Responsible for Complaints) is responsible for ensuring the governing body receives regular information on complaints that provides insight on BCH’s complaint handling performance. This person has access to suitable information and staff to perform this role and report on their findings.
As a minimum, the MRC and the governing body (or equivalent) and the Board Champion will receive:
- regular updates on the volume, categories and outcomes of complaints, alongside complaint handling performance;
- regular reviews of issues and trends arising from complaint handling;
- regular updates on the outcomes of the Ombudsman’s investigations and progress made in complying with orders related to severe maladministration findings; and
- an annual complaints performance and service improvement report.
BCH has a standard objective in relation to complaint handling for all relevant employees or third parties, which reflects the need to:
- have a collaborative and co-operative approach towards resolving complaints, working with colleagues across teams and departments;
- take collective responsibility for any shortfalls identified through complaints, rather than blaming others; and
- act within the professional standards for engaging with complaints as set by any relevant professional body. .
Our Customer Complaint Representatives meet quarterly and will monitor compliance with this policy, support with the self-assessment, monitor performance and review complaint data and lessons learnt.
A customer can go direct to the Housing Ombudsman Service at any time but the complaint will usually be referred back to us if it has not been through the full internal complaints process.
The Ombudsman will also only consider the matter if they are contacted within 12 months of the original complaint.
A customer can refer their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman by:
- Visiting http://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
- Telephoning 0300 111 3000
- Writing to:Housing Ombudsman Service PO Box 1484 Unit D Preston PR2 0ET
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) look at individual complaints about councils and all adult social care providers (including care homes and home care agencies). Therefore, if the complaint relates to the provision of care, either in the home or a care home setting, complainants may take their complaint to the LGSCO.
Customers who are not tenants but who receive care from us either in their own home or in a care home setting can make a complaint to us.
If the customer self-funds the payment of care services and they remain dissatisfied with our final response to their complaint, they can take their complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
If the care services are funded by the Local Authority, the customer can complain to the Local Authority before taking their complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Whilst it cannot deal with formal complaints which have to be progressed with the service provider and/or the LGSCO, it encourages receivers of care to provide feedback on the care they receive in order to help it protect others.
As a member of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme, Blackpool Coastal Housing agrees to comply with the following terms:
- We will establish and maintain a complaints procedure in accordance with any good practice recommended by the Housing Ombudsman and, as part of our procedure, we will inform residents of their right to bring complaints to the Housing Ombudsman under the Scheme.
- We will publish our complaints procedure and make information easily accessible to those entitled to complain on our website and in correspondence with our residents.
- We will manage complaints from residents in accordance with our published policy. The complainant may contact the Housing Ombudsman at any point for guidance or support.
- We will respond promptly to information requests made by the Housing Ombudsman Service as part of the ongoing investigation into complaints from our residents.
- We will carry out an annual, or more frequently if necessary, self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code and take appropriate action to ensure our complaint handling is in line with the Code.
- The self-assessment outcomes will be reported to elected members, published on the website and included in our Annual Report and complaint handling performance information.
Failure to comply with the conditions of membership may result in a Complaint Handling Failure Order and a requirement to rectify within a given timescale (paragraphs 13 and 73 of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme). Full details of when the Ombudsman will determine that there has been a complaint handling failure can be found here: https://www.housingombudsman.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Guidance- ondeterminations-ofcomplaint-handing-failure-and-orders-March-2022.pdf.
When carrying out a complaint investigation the Ombudsman will consider whether the landlord dealt with the complaint in accordance with the Code. Any failure identified could result in a finding of service failure, maladministration or severe maladministration for complaint handling and orders and recommendations will be made to put matters right and ensure compliance with the Code.
The Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code can be viewed in full by clicking on the link below:
We are committed to making our complaints process accessible to all and can offer help and support to ensure any concerns from customers are listened to and understood. On receipt of a complaint, our Complaint Officers will provide one to one assistance throughout the process. Complainants can also seek assistance or advice through external agencies.
In line with the Equality Act 2010 our Reasonable Adjustments Policy sets out our commitment to equality of opportunity for all and what types of assistance we can provide to support customers to make a complaint.
BCH will keep a record of any reasonable adjustments agreed, as well as a record of any disabilities a resident has disclosed. Any agreed reasonable adjustments will be kept under active review.
Customers may prefer to have a representative deal with their complaint on their behalf, or to be or accompanied at any meeting with us. This may be by an advocate, carer, family member, friend, elected member, agency, or professional body. Where a representative makes the complainant’s case we must receive or hold a signed authority from the customer which authorises us to communicate with the customer’s appointed advocate or representative.
A customer may contact the Housing Ombudsman at any time throughout the course of their complaint for advice and support.