Complaints Handling
How we approach any complaints we receive from residents.
Resident Concerns Handling
We want to know your concerns to ensure we are delivering a service you value. Please keep in mind that:
- We cannot help to fix issues if we don’t know about them
- We are human, we do make mistakes but never intentionally. When we do this we will review our policies, training and procedures to ensure this improves
- We will apologise where mistakes are made
- We promise to always seek to learn and improve our service
When matters are escalated, we will always:
- Listen to your issue
- Own the problem and take action
- Verify all the information and circumstances
- Engage with you on the outcome and resolution
We make every effort to ensure that the service we provide to you is the best it can be; if you feel that we have not delivered to the standards you expect or if we have made a mistake, we want you to tell us.
We will investigate the situation and will do our best to rectify matters as quickly and as appropriately as possible.
Below is the procedure we will adopt in dealing with any formal complaint received:
Stage 1: Raising your Concern
Please put your complaint in writing by emailing the General Manager of the building that you live in.
Please include as much detail as possible, including dates, names of any members of staff you dealt with, and where you are able to, enclose/attach any supporting evidence.
Stage 2: Our Acknowledgement
The General Manager of your building will review your complaint and acknowledge receipt of the same. This will be logged on our in-house complaints tracker. They will identify who is best to help you achieve the quickest resolution for your complaint and notify you of their name and contact details.
Timescale
Within 5 working days of receiving of your complaint.
Stage 3: Our Investigation
Your complaint will be investigated, and the appointed person will provide a formal written response addressing your specific complaints and proposing resolutions where appropriate within 10 working days from the initial acknowledgement. If at this stage, we are unable to conclude our investigation, we will advise you accordingly, with reasons and confirm our anticipated timescale for conclusion.
Timescale
Within 10 working days of receiving of your complaint.
More complex situations may require further time to investigate and ensure a thorough investigation, in these instances we will keep you informed of progress regularly.
Stage 4: Escalation
If you remain dissatisfied, you should contact us again and we will conduct a separate review which will take place by the Senior Portfolio Manager to which the General Manager of your building reports.
Timescale
Within 10 working days of receiving your request for a further review.
Stage 5: Final Viewpoint
If you are still dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can request to escalate your complaint to the VervLife Operations Director, who will investigate your complaint and the actions taken by the team. After comprehensive review we will issue to you our final decision on the matter, called our Final Viewpoint.
Timescale
Within 10 working days of receiving your request for a further review.
Stage 6: The Property Ombudsman
If an issue cannot be settled amicably between us after you have received our Final Viewpoint, or you have not received communication from us within the timeframes detailed and with our reason as to why with timescales for concluding your issue, you can request an independent review from The Property Ombudsman without charge.
The Property Ombudsman
Milford House
43-55 Milford Street
Salisbury
SP1 2BP
+44 (0)1722 333306
Timescale
You must refer your complaint to the Ombudsman within 12 months of receiving our viewpoint.
If you remain dissatisfied, there are two bodies you can further escalate your complaint to. If you would like to report a concern about our internal handling of your complaint this should be raised with the RICS. If your complaint relates to insurance this should be raised with the Financial Ombudsman Service. See contact details for both below:
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
12 Great George Street
London
SW1P 3AD
+44 (0)20 7695 1670
https://www.rics.org/uk/footer/contact-us/complaints/
Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), (insurance matters)
Exchange Tower
Harbour Exchange
London
E14 9SR
0800 023 4567
www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers/how-to-complain
https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/contact-us/complain-online