Issue - meetings

This report shares with members the outcome of our self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.

The Chair invited the Interim Business Improvement Manager to present the report to members.  The report provided details of the outcome of the council’s Housing Service self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code and the requirement to publish the results on the council’s website.  The council remained compliant with the code and met most of the best practices.  Details were provided of the introduction of a new joint Code adopted by the Housing Ombudsman and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman following the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023 placing the Complaint Handling Code onto a statutory footing and a requirement on the Ombudsman to monitor compliance with the Code.

The Char then invited members to make comment or ask questions.  A member sought and asked if this applied to third parties.  The Interim Business Improvement Manager responded to a request for clarification on the Code Requirement at Section 1.2, page 113, as to the use of the word ‘complaint’ and confirmed that, as well as residents, a third party acting on behalf of a resident would not be required to use the word ‘complaint’ either for it to be treated as such.

          The Committee noted that the self-assessment will be published on our website in accordance with the requirements of the Complaint Handling Code and note that the self-assessment will be published on the council’s website in accordance with the requirements of the Complaint Handling Code.