Complaints Process...

Community Housing Advocacy Project (CHAP) strives to provide a client centred approach to service delivery and to ensure that all complaints against individuals in the organisation and/or the organisations functions are treated in a serious manner and are investigated to the satisfaction of the organisation and complainant.

Lodging a Complaint

Complaints can be lodged in the following manner:

• Informally by contacting the Service Manager by telephone 030 0002 0002
• Formally by requesting form C1 (Complaints Form), assistance will be provided to complete this form if required.
• Formally or informally by contacting:
  Your local MP or MSP
  An independent third party of your choice

Dealing with Complaints

Complaints will be dealt with in a fair and open manner:

• On receipt of the information the matter will be discussed by the Service Manager with the person who has lodged the complaint, where appropriate.
• The complaint will then be discussed with the service user/organisation if different from above
• The Services Manager will meet with the staff member in question and a decision will be made regarding the complaint.
• Where appropriate the service user/representative of the organisation may be invited to meet with the member of staff and the Service Manager to discuss the complaint / resolve the issue (an independent third party may attend if so requested).
• A final decision will be made at senior management level, within 5 working days of the meetings outlined above taking place, regarding the complaint and the outcome fed back to service user, organisation, staff member and/or the independent third party if appropriate. Information from complaints will be incorporated into the service plan, where appropriate.
• Remediation will be put into place where required, effective immediately.
• If a service user isn’t satisfied with the assistance given and/or the outcome of the complaint, the matter can be escalated to the Service Director within the organisation.

All complaints will be dealt with within 14 days from commencement.   

If a service user still isn’t satisfied with the assistance given and/or the outcome of a complaint after it has been escalated to the Service Director, they can contact the Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9GE, 0800 023 4567 or www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk