The Effective Complaint Handling in Housing Digital Conference

Key Insights from the Effective Complaint Handling Housing Conference

Chaired by Stephanie Goad, Chief Executive of Golding Homes, the conference delved into insights, perspectives, and innovative approaches that kept attendees engaged and informed throughout. 

Stephanie Goad set the tone by emphasising the invaluable nature of feedback, painting complaints as golden opportunities for growth and improvement rather than criticisms. She highlighted Golding Homes’ track record; a low conversion rate of complaints to the Housing Ombudsman, a testament to their effective internal resolution processes and commitment to resident satisfaction. 

Navigating the Complaint Handling Code

Following this, Polly Cox from the Housing Ombudsman Service introduced the Complaint Handling Code 2024, which became mandatory on 1st April. Her comprehensive presentation shed light on the code’s two-stage process, designed to elevate service quality and prioritise resident perspectives. Cox stressed the pillars of accessibility, transparency, and governance as crucial elements in building trust and accountability within complaint handling.

Lessons from Industry Leaders

Paul Harris of Curo Group brought a fresh perspective to the table, sharing insights on achieving excellence in complaint handling. He passionately discussed the challenges faced due to overwhelming paperwork and the pressing need to streamline processes to deliver exceptional customer service.  

Daniel Klemm from Together Housing offered a candid look at the highs and lows of complaints, revealing a concerning 9-year low in customer satisfaction. He advocated for a centralised and delegated approach to complaint responses, highlighting the operational nuances that can significantly impact resident satisfaction. 

Natalie Hill and Chris Trott of Abri championed the role of data-driven decision-making, underscoring the importance of collecting and analysing data to inform future complaint-handling strategies and broader business decisions. Their insights painted a picture of a proactive organization committed to continuous improvement and resident-focused solutions. 

Innovations in Housing Complaint Management

Our sponsor for the event, was GovMetric, and Stephen Meades-Cummins, Director of Sales, Marketing, and Customer Success provided valuable insights into the current landscape of housing complaints. He highlighted that many housing providers have experienced a significant increase in complaints over the past 12 months, with Cambridge City witnessing a staggering 50% increase in homelessness cases. Stephen introduced GovMetric’s innovative platform, CaseTracker, which was launched in 2017. CaseTracker is a robust platform designed to manage formal customer and tenant contacts efficiently, providing housing providers with valuable data and insights to improve service delivery and resident satisfaction. 

 Louise Murphy of MSB Solicitors and Sara Pascoe of Coastline explored the intricate distinctions between service requests and complaints, addressing critical issues such as dampness, mould, and anti-social behaviour. They emphasised the need for improved communication, the utilisation of available tools, and proactive strategies to identify and address vulnerabilities before they escalate into complaints. 

 Stuart Purcell of Rotherham Borough Council rounded off the event with an inspiring presentation on creating a learning culture from complaints. He highlighted the importance of engagement, compliance, and effective handling of Stage 2 complaints, advocating for benchmarking, setting realistic targets, and rebuilding trust to enhance the overall user experience. 

Addressing Service Requests and Complaints

The panel discussion that followed was a dynamic exchange of ideas, addressing pressing questions on escalating complaints to Stage 2, incorporating similar complaints, and managing complaints alongside Subject Access Requests. The panelists provided actionable strategies for reducing review timescales and emphasised the potential for quicker resolutions through strict adherence to the new code. 

Future Housing Conferences

The Effective Complaint Handling in Housing Digital Conference was a resounding success, offering attendees practical tips, actionable insights, and collaborative discussions that fostered a more effective and resident-focused approach to complaint handling in the housing sector.  

With the new Complaint Handling Code 2024 in place and a shared commitment to continuous improvement, the event underscored the importance of transparency, accessibility, and resident engagement in building trust and delivering quality services. As we reflect on the success of this conference, we have more to come with our upcoming housing conferences, where we will continue to explore innovative strategies and best practices to further enhance complaint handling and resident satisfaction in the housing sector.

With the urgent need to address service requests and make emergency repairs for critical issues such as damp and mould, you can find out more about at our Solutions to Damp and Mould in Social Housing Digital Conference. 

Find out more about the Government’s proposals for a new Decent Homes standard at our Decent Homes Conference.