How to make a complaint
Statement of Purpose
We are committed to delivering a high quality service to all our customers. We welcome the opportunity to make service improvements that arise from customer experiences of both a positive and negative nature.
We do recognise that there will be occasions when our service may fall short of the standards set. On such occasions, we will welcome and treat seriously any complaints that are made to us about the quality of service provided, or how it has been delivered.
We also appreciate compliments from our customers, as they help us to continue to improve by learning from our successes.
The policy is integral to our vision and business ethos, and our commitment to. continuous improvement and learning.
Our Approach
We will be treat all customer complaints in a professional and objective manner. We will assure that all customer contributions to service improvement will be positively managed and responded to.
When things go wrong
Customers can make a complaint to Sentinel by any means that is available to them. This could be in person, via letter, email, telephone or fax. Upon receipt of the complaint we will confirm in writing our understanding of the nature of the complaint.
We will employ a three step process to seek to resolve the complaint:
- A member of the respective service team will seek to resolve the issue. If resolution is not achieved the matter will be referred to the Customer Services Manager;
- The Customer Services manager, in conjunction with the related Service Team Manager, will investigate the matter further and respond to you within 10 working days;
- If the matter still remains unresolved to the satisfaction of the customer, the customer may request that the issue is referred to a hearing of the Associations Complaints Panel, comprising of three members of the Board of Management.
If a complaint is still unresolved after the Complaint Panel hearing, the customer may refer the matter to the Housing Ombudsman Service.
Finding of shortcomings in service quality or delivery
Where it has been found that the service did not meet the set standards, we will:
- Apologise;
- Seek to remedy the issue and award compensation where appropriate;
- Learn from the experience and invite the customer to contribute to any Focus Group on related matters.
Difficult or unfounded complaints
Where there is little or no evidence to support a customers complaint, or the complaint is unreasonable, Sentinel reserve the right to not progress investigation of the complaint beyond stage 1.
We do not view a complainant as being vexatious simply because he or she pursues a complaint in a forceful or determined manner. However, complainants who make unreasonable, frequent or trivial complaints to Sentinel and our staff may be regarded as vexatious or persistent.
Equality and Diversity
We will seek to ensure that this policy does not seek to discriminate against any person or other organisation on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, disability, gender, sexuality, age, class, appearance, religion, responsibility for dependants, unrelated criminal activities, being HIV positive or with AIDS, or any other matter which causes a person to be treated with injustice. Copies of this policy can be made available in Braille or be translated at the customers request.
Monitoring and Review
The operation of this policy will be annually reviewed by the Customer Services Manager, in conjunction with the Policy & Strategic Initiatives Officer, staff and customers. The outcome of that review will be communicated to the appropriate committee of the board.