Complaints
Complaint handling procedure
Our aim is to offer an excellent service that exceeds client expectations. If you do not receive a satisfactory response to your issue, then you should make use of our complaints procedure.
We will take any complaint seriously and will seek to resolve any complaint as quickly as possible. In dealing with complaints, our team will have a polite and professional approach. Similarly, our expectation is that our clients will remain professional in all communication and not be abusive or threatening.
A complaint is defined as dissatisfaction with any aspect of our service that fails to meet the standards set out in our Written Statement of Services or the service of a Contractor who we have instructed to carry out work on your behalf.
A complaint does not include reporting/chasing a repair, invoice queries, anti-social behaviour complaints or complaints between owners/residents.
Complaints are reviewed regularly by senior management to monitor our service and understand where improvements need to be implemented.
We have a two-stage internal complaints process as outlined below.
Stage one formal complaint
For a first stage complaint, please contact your Client Relationship Manager in writing. Please include your name, property address and client account number. Your complaint should be concise and remain factual and should include details of which part of the Code of Conduct under the terms of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 has been breached.
Your Client Relationship Manager will acknowledge your complaint within two working days and may ask for clarification or further information if required.
They will investigate your complaint and will respond to it within 28 working days. If, for any reason, it is likely to take longer than this, you will be notified in writing.
Your Client Relationship Manager has been equipped and empowered to deal with every aspect of the management of your development and they are best placed to resolve your concerns. They will seek the assistance of our team of specialists if necessary and will aim to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.
We hope that this will resolve matters and the complaint will be closed.
Stage two formal complaint
If you feel that your complaint has not been satisfactorily addressed, then you can raise a second stage complaint.
As part of the first stage, the Client Relationship Manager will provide details of the person in senior management who a second stage complaint should be addressed to.
A second stage complaint should be sent to the relevant person in writing. Please detail clear reasons as to why you disagree with our first stage response. We may ask for clarification in order to complete our second stage response. This person will act as a neutral party and will endeavour to look upon the situation objectively and will seek to resolve matters.
We will provide an acknowledgement of your second stage complaint within two working days. We will further investigate your complaint and provide a response within 14 working days. If, for any reason, it is likely to take longer than this, you will be notified in writing.
At this point, our internal complaints process will have been exhausted and we will state that in our response.
In the event that you remain dissatisfied having completed our internal complaints procedure, you can make application to the First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland who will review your application to determine if they consider whether the factor has failed to carry out their factoring duties and/or failed to comply with the Code of Conduct under the terms of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011.
You can contact the First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland at the following website address: https://www.housingandpropertychamber.scot/
Their postal address is:
Housing and Property Chamber
First-tier Tribunal for Scotland
Glasgow Tribunals Centre
20 York Street
Glasgow
G2 8GT
In advance of contacting the First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland, homeowners must notify their property factor in writing of the reasons why they consider that the factor has failed to carry out their duties or failed to comply with the Code of Conduct. The homeowner must have exhausted the property factor’s complaints procedures, or the property factor must have refused to resolve, or unreasonably delayed in attempting to resolve a homeowner’s concerns.
Contractor complaints
If you wish to complain about a contractor, please contact your Client Relationship Manager in writing. Please provide us with details of your complaint, including evidence of the alleged defect e.g. photographs. This information will be passed to the contractor to allow them to respond.
We shall not be liable for poor or defective workmanship arising from contractors.
The Client Relationship Manager who investigates any contractor complaint will do so impartially and they will disclose any matter in which they have a material interest or in which any conflict of interest may arise.
Client privacy and confidentiality will be respected as far as is possible at all stages of the process, but the client should note that limited disclosure of some complaints will be necessary to take the complaint forward.
The complaint will be considered on its own merits and on its particular facts and circumstances so that natural justice may be served.
The contractor will be given the opportunity to assess the situation and correct the problem if required. However, if this is not achieved, we may instruct an alternative contractor to resolve the issue and deduct the cost incurred/refuse to pay the original contractor’s invoice.
