Commonweal Housing aims to provide its partners, beneficiaries, and members of the public with the best possible service. We believe we achieve this most of the time but are always looking for opportunities to improve our work in testing and piloting housing-based solutions to social injustice. 
 

Scope 

This policy applies to feedback from our project partners, housing providers, beneficiaries, other stakeholders who engage with Commonweal Housing's services, and members of the public, and includes feedback on our funding activities and housing projects. 
 

Policy 

In order to ensure our services remain at a high and improving standard, we welcome all feedback from all our stakeholders and members of the public, whether it's a suggestion for a change to one of our projects; a thank you for the support provided by one of our team; or occasions when you feel we have not got it right or have missed something in our approach to housing solutions. 

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Commonweal Housing aims to deal with all feedback informally, but on occasions when we are unable to resolve the issue, we have set out a formal process to ensure that any concerns raised are dealt with fairly, in a timely manner and with a right of appeal. 

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Commonweal Housing will report to the board annually on the number, nature, and outcomes of all formal complaints. Commonweal Housing will ensure that all staff, trustees, consultants, project partners and associates are aware of this policy & procedure and know what they should do if they receive a complaint. 

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Informal Procedures 

Your continued goodwill is greatly valued by us, and we would expect to resolve any day-to-day difficulties or complaints informally and as quickly as possible. Therefore: 

• Please contact our Chief Executive to tell us when you have received excellent service from a member of our team. 

• If you have a suggestion or are unhappy about any Commonweal Housing service or project, please speak to a relevant staff member or the Chief Executive. 

• If you are unhappy with an individual at Commonweal Housing, sometimes it is best to tell them directly. If you feel this is difficult or inappropriate, then speak to the staff member's line manager or the Chief Executive. 

• If you are not satisfied with our response to a suggestion or complaint you have made, or wish to raise the matter more formally, please follow the procedure outlined below. 

 

Formal Complaints Procedure 

What you should do: 

Write, email or telephone the Chief Executive at the address below: 

Commonweal Housing 

Office No. 521, Spaces,

35 New Broad Street,

London,

EC2M 1NH

Tel: 020 7199 8390 

Email: info@commonweal.org.uk 

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The Chief Executive will acknowledge your complaint and may handle it directly or delegate it to an appropriate senior team member if the complaint relates to a specific project or area of work. If the complaint is about the work of a senior team member, the complaint will be dealt with directly by the Chief Executive. 

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If your complaint is about the Chief Executive, please contact the Chair of Trustees at the address above. 

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All written complaints will be logged. You will receive a written acknowledgement within 10 working days which will give a timescale within which Commonweal Housing will reply to you, this will normally be within 14 working days. 

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The Chief Executive / senior team member / Chair of Trustees (as appropriate) will investigate the circumstances of the complaint. This will include reading any information you have given us, speaking to you and any relevant staff, project partners, consultants or associates of Commonweal Housing and checking our policies & procedures. 

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The outcome of the investigation, including, as appropriate, an explanation of how Commonweal Housing came to their conclusion, what Commonweal Housing intends to do to address the issue and an apology will be sent to you within the timescale set out in the acknowledgement. If this is not possible, an interim response will be made informing you of the action taken to date or being considered. 

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Appeal 

If you are unhappy with the findings of the investigation into your complaint you can appeal against the outcome. 

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Appeals should be made by email within 14 days of receiving the outcome of the investigation to either the Chief Executive or Chair of the Trustees (depending on who dealt with the initial complaint). A panel of 3 Board Members will be set up to make a decision about your appeal. The panel may include the Chair of Trustees if they were not involved in hearing the initial complaint. 

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If the appeal is found to be justified, the Chief Executive, Chair of Trustees or the appeal panel will agree any necessary further action and let you know what will happen next. The decision of the appeal panel is final, and no further appeal is possible.