1.0 Policy Statement

1.1        United St Saviour’s Charity (USTSC) views complaints as an opportunity to learn and improve for the future, as well as a chance to put things right for the person (or organisation) that has made the complaint. This policy sets out United St Saviour’s Charity’s approach to managing complaints.

Our policy is:

  • To provide a fair complaints procedure which is clear and easy to use for anyone wishing to make a complaint
  • 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 USTSC knows what to do if a complaint is received
  • To make sure all complaints are investigated fairly and in a timely way
  • To make sure that complaints are, wherever possible, resolved and that relationships are repaired
  • To gather information which helps us to improve what we do

This policy applies to all the people and organisations we deal with through our community investment programme (including One Southwark) and our investment properties.

This policy does not apply to Almshouse Residents or complaints about housing. These complaints should be handled under the Housing Complaints Policy.

If a complaint is made in relation to the actual or potential harm of an individual beneficiary, the matter will also be dealt with through the charity’s Safeguarding policies and procedures.

At USTSC we aim to provide the best possible service to all our customers and service users but we recognise that sometimes things go wrong.  We understand that there may be times when people or an organisation feel that they have not been treated fairly, or where we have failed to provide an acceptable level of service.

1.2        USTSC views complaints as an opportunity to learn and to improve the services we provide. Making a complaint will not have a negative effect on the way in which the complainant is treated by USTSC.

1.3        Complaints may come from any individual, volunteer or organisation who has a legitimate interest in USTSC, including the general public if something is perceived to be improper. A complaint can be received verbally, by phone, by email or in writing. This policy does not cover complaints from staff, who should refer to USTSC grievance procedures.

1.4        All complaint information will be handled sensitively, impartially and objectively, telling only those who need to know and following any relevant data protection requirements.

 

2.0 Definition – what is a complaint?

2.1        USTSC defines a complaint as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction, whether justified or not, about action or lack of action, the standard of a service or a policy’.

2.2        A complaint can be about something that has been done wrongly or badly, including:

  • Failure to follow our procedures or act in line with our values
  • Giving inaccurate information
  • Lengthy delays in dealing with matters
  • Unclear or incomplete replies to enquiries
  • The way your grant application has been dealt with

2.3        A complaint can be about something that USTSC should not have done, including:

  • Discriminating against you
  • The attitude of behaviour of our staff or contractors
  • Breaking appointments without prior notification
  • Introducing a policy or financial levy which is discriminatory, unfair or causes harm to our beneficiaries
  • Not acting in line with a policy or our values

2.4        A complaint can be about failure to do something that we should have done, including:

  • Taking too long to answer your letters or queries
  • Not returning phone calls
  • Failing to have procedures for dealing with your query
  • Ignoring a concern you have raised on numerous occasions

 

3.0 Making a Formal Complaint

3.1        UStSC positively welcomes feedback in the form of complaints from anyone who is affected by a service we provide or decision taken by us including:

  • Residents named on a tenancy or lease for any of our properties.
  • Any third party adversely affected by our actions or decisions.
  • Any person acting on behalf of a resident with their consent for example a family member, neighbour, advice agency, member of parliament or councillor

3.2        Who should I complain to?

You or your representative should, in the first instance, speak informally with the individual you usually deal with about your concerns e.g. a member of the community investment team.  We will always try to resolve your query the first time you report it to us.

If you are not satisfied with our response or our efforts to resolve your query, you can ask us to treat the matter as a formal complaint.

3.3        A formal complaint about a particular service, or member of staff, should be made directly to the correct department executive head.  If the complaint relates to our almshouses, it should be handled under the Housing Complaints Policy. If it relates to the community investment programmes, it should be made to the Head of Community Investment.  All other complaints, including those about the Head of Housing or Head of Community Investments, should be made directly to the Chief Executive.  A complaint about the Chief Executive should be made to the Chair of Trustees.

3.4        Receiving Formal Complaints

Complaints may arrive through channels publicised for that purpose or through any other contact details or opportunities the complainant may have, such as social media. Complaints received by telephone or in person need to be recorded.

The person who receives a phone or in-person complaint should clarify and confirm whether the person is making a formal complaint. Once agreed they should:

  • Write down the facts of the complaint
  • Take the complainant’s name, address and telephone number/email address
  • Note down the relationship of the complainant to USTSC e.g. grantee, tenant, tenants’ friend or family
  • Tell the complainant that we have a complaints procedure
  • Tell the complainant what will happen next and how long it will take
  • Where appropriate, ask the complainant to send a written account by post or by email so that the complaint is recorded in the complainant’s own words

3.5        There are 2 stages to our formal complaints procedure:

  • Stage 1 (Management response)

The executive department head responsible for your service will investigate where necessary and respond to you in writing.  We would expect you to do this within 28 days of receiving a Stage 1 response. The complaint response will be reviewed by the Chief Executive at this time.

  • Stage 2 (Trustee’s response)

If you are still not satisfied, you can refer the complaint to the Chair of the Trustees, c/o USTSC.  We would expect you to do this within 3 months from receiving the Stage 2 response. Your complaint will be considered by two of the Trustees and you may be invited to attend a meeting to state your case.  You may bring a friend with you, but not a legal representative.  Relevant staff may also attend the meeting.

 

4.0 Timescales

4.1        All formal complaints will be acknowledged and an email or letter will be sent to the complainant within 3 working days.  The letter will advise them the name of the person who is dealing with the complaint and when they should expect a full response.

4.2        If we need more time to carry out an investigation or to gather further information, we will let you know and advise when we expect to be able to send a full response.

4.3        Timescales for dealing with Stage 2 complaints will depend on the availability of the Trustees, however every effort will be made to arrange a meeting in a timely manner.

 

5.0

5.1        Complaining to the Charity Commission

The Charity Commission regulates registered charities in England and Wales. If you are not happy with how USTSC has handled your complaint, the Charity Commission will consider serious complaints if a charity is, for example:

  • not doing what it claims to do
  • losing lots of money
  • harming people
  • being used for personal profit or gain
  • involved in illegal activity

Refer to the Charity Commission website or telephone 0300 066 9197 to contact them.

5.2        Complaints we will not respond to:

  • When a complaint is about something that USTSC has no direct connection to. We may choose to reply to clear our name but we are not obliged to.
  • When someone unreasonably pursues a complaint that we have already responded to. They will be given escalation points but we may choose not to reply again, we will always inform you of our decision to do this.
  • When a complainant is being obviously abusive, prejudiced or offensive in their manner.
  • When a complainant is harassing a staff member.
  • When a complaint is incoherent or illegible.
  • USTSC cannot respond to complaints made anonymously. However, we will investigate the complaint and use the information to improve in any way that we can
  • Anything that happened over 6 months ago and which you did not report as a problem at the time

5.3        The following matters will not be dealt with under this Complaint Policy :

  • Anything already considered by a Court or the Independent Housing Ombudsman
  • Reports of anti-social behaviour or nuisance
  • Safeguarding alerts
  • Insurance claims against the Charity and appeals
  • A decision not to award a Community Investment grant, provided that due process has been followed

 

6.0 Monitoring and Evaluation

6.1        This policy will be reviewed every 3 years and next reviewed in March 2028 – unless legislation, business or sector developments require otherwise to ensure that it continues to meet the stated objectives and take account of good practice developments.

6.2        Once the complaint has been concluded, the executive department head of the service will undertake a full review of the complaint process and consider what action could be taken to prevent a similar complaint in future. Complaint reviews will be reported to the Board as part of the service update paper.

6.3        Any learning points identified, such as changes to policy and/or procedures, will be formally notified to staff and, where applicable, residents.