Making a Complaint, Providing Feedback or Offering a Compliment

At Vectis, we interpret a complaint as:
“An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service provided, actions or lack of action, by Vectis Housing Association, its staff, Board Members, or agents, which affect any individual or group”

We aim to provide the highest possible standard of service to residents and members of the public. We recognise that sometimes things can go wrong, or that we may have taken longer than expected to respond to a query. When this happens, we want to hear about it, so that we can explain things and put them right. Valuable lessons can be learnt from your complaint which may improve things for everyone.

You can view a copy of our Complaints Leaflet here

Our complaint procedure aims to :

  • Make it easy for you to complain
  • Make sure you get a quick response and a fair solution
  • Give you the right to a second opinion
  • Keep you informed of our progress in dealing with your complaint

We are also guided in our response to complaints by the Housing Ombudsman, who has issued a Complaint Handling Code with which we aim to comply. A copy of the Code summary can be viewed here and a copy of our self-assessment against the Code can be found here

How to Make a Complaint

In the event of a Tenant or another party wishing to complain about a service delivered by Vectis, we will follow the procedure below:

  1. The complaint should be made firstly to the relevant Officer who will endeavour to resolve the problem. The complaint should be submitted on a Complaint Form that can be downloaded here. Alternatively, you can fill in a form online and return it by using the button below. This will be acknowledged within five working days of receipt if made in writing. All complaints will be recorded on a Complaint Record Form.
  2. If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved within ten working days the matter will be passed to the relevant Manager to resolve.
  3. If Stages 1 and 2 fail to find a resolution, the complainant can write formally to the Chief Executive. The complainant should explain clearly the reasons why the complainant is not satisfied with the explanations he/she has been offered. The Chief Executive will consider the matter at respond within ten working days.
  4. If the matter is still unresolved to the satisfaction of the complainant, the complaint may be referred to the Board of Management. The matter will be reviewed by the Board of management at its next meeting.
  5. If you remain unhappy about the verdict, you are at liberty to approach a Designated Person to try and help resolve the matter. A designated Person is either a local councillor or the MP.
  6. If the complainant remains of the view that the issue has not been resolved satisfactorily, they may approach the Independent Housing Ombudsman Service, of which the Association is an affiliated member (see below).

Providing Feedback or Offering a Compliment

You may also wish to take the opportunity to feedback to us your thoughts and views on something relating to VHA that you have seen or experienced. We would also hope that there may be many circumstance where you feel that a compliment or some form of thanks to a staff member who has gone that extra mile.

In either event, please complete the form by pressing the button below, but make clear that you wish it either to be general feedback or a compliment. In the same way as with complaints we look to learn from those things that have gone well or might be done differently.


Complaints/Feedback or Compliments

Approaching the Ombudsman

Housing Ombudsman Service

81 Aldwych
London
WC2B 4HN
Tel. 0300 111 3000
e-mail: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk