JMHA Complaint Policy

What is a complaint?

A complaint is when you are unhappy with the standards of our services, actions, or a lack of action from us. You might complain to us because:

• We haven’t met our service standards
• We have done something we shouldn’t have done
• You are unhappy with how something has been dealt with
• We have taken too long to respond to you
• You are unhappy with how a staff member has treated you
• We have not met the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code

What isn't a complaint?

Some things are not complaints, such as:

• Asking for information about one of our services
• Asking us to deal with the actions of others, for example letting us know about anti-social behaviour for the first time
• Something that is already in court or being heard by a court or tribunal
• Asking for information under the Data Protection Act
• If you are unhappy with a decision where there is already a process for challenging that decision or an appeals process already in place

Examples of what isn’t a complaint:

• Reporting there is a leak in your home that needs fixing. This is not a complaint but could be one if we didn’t fix this quickly.
• Reporting your neighbour is playing loud music. This isn’t a complaint but could be if you were unhappy about how we dealt with it.
• Asking us for more information about one of our policies. This isn’t a complaint but could be if we don’t get back to you quickly or give you the wrong information.

We are committed to providing a high-quality service to the customers and communities we serve. However, we recognise that sometimes things can go wrong and this guide explains how you can make a complaint.

Anyone that already gets a service from JMHA, asks for one or is affected by what we do can make a complaint. You can do this for someone, for example if you’re a family member, friend, advocate, or adviser.

How to Make a Complaint?

There are lots of ways to make a complaint. You can do this by:

• Calling us on 0333 456 4737 or contact us via JMHA
• Texting or WhatsApp message on 07889265826
• Writing to us at PO Box 721, Rochdale, OL16 9PD.

If you send a complaint to our Chief Executive or the Chair of the Board this will be sent to our Customer Resolutions Team and will follow this policy.  

What happens when you make a complaint?

There are two steps to our Complaints Policy.

Stage 1 is the first step, When you contact us, our Customer Resolutions Team will be in touch in five working days.

They will:

• Introduce themselves
• Explain the stage 1 complaints process
• Ask questions to help us understand your complaint and try to agree a solution
• Agree how we will update you on progress
• Reply within ten working days to explain the outcome and next steps
• If we need more time, we will let you know and agree when we will respond
• If we need to take further action to resolve the complaint, for example carrying out a repair, we will keep in regular contact until all the work is complete and you’re happy with the outcome.

We will write to you to explain our understanding of your complaint, what we have found and what we will do to make this right. We will only close the complaint when all actions are done.

What happens if I am still unhappy?

If you’re still unhappy after stage 1, you can ask for a review by a director. This is stage 2 of our complaints process. We will investigate to understand why you remain unhappy and to identify what you would like to happen next to resolve your complaint. When you ask for a review, a director (or representative) will:

• Introduce themselves
• Explain the stage 2 complaints process
• Ask questions to help them understand the complaint
• Agree with you how we will update you on progress
• If we need more time, we will let you know and agree when we will respond
• We will write to you to explain our understanding of your complaint, our findings and what we will do to make this right. We will only close the complaint when all actions are done

If you need help with making a complaint If you would like to discuss your concerns with someone impartial, or if you need help with making a complaint, you can speak to a Member of Parliament, your local councillor or an advocate of your choice.

You can also contact the Ombudsman for help and support at any point during your complaint.

The Housing Ombudsman

The Housing Ombudsman Service is an independent organisation that investigates complaints. You can get in touch with the Housing Ombudsman at any stage for help.

They can look at your complaint if

• You have been through every stage of our complaints process
• It’s less than 12 months after you first knew about what you wanted to complain about
• The issue hasn’t or isn’t being looked at by a court. You will be asked to fill out a complaint form and give a copy of our response. 

You can get in touch with the Ombudsman by:

• Going online at Make a complaint - Housing Ombudsman
• Calling them on freephone 0300 111 3000

Other useful information and downloads:

• Complaint Handling Policy (easy read)
• Housing Ombudsman Self Assessment 2024
• Complaints Performance and Annual Report