Section 1 - Definition of a complaint
Code provision 1.2
Code requirement
A complaint must be defined as: “An expression of dissatisfaction/ however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting a resident or group of residents.”
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
Housing service complaints policy.
2.1 A complaint is defined as an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service provided, actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual resident or group of residents.
Commentary / explanation
Slough Borough Council reviewed its complaints policy in March 2025 and has included this definition. It is set out in 2.1 of the policy and it has been placed on our website.
Code provision 1.3
Code requirement
A resident does not have to use the word ‘complaint’ for it to be treated as such. Whenever a resident expresses dissatisfaction landlords must give them the choice to make complaint. A complaint that is submitted via a third party or representative must be handled in line with the landlord’s complaints policy.
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
Housing service complaints policy.
3.1 Complaints will be accepted in anyway, including (but not limited to):
- verbally (either by phone or face to face)
- by email
- via the council’s website
- through social media
- through an advocate, friend or family member where the resident’s authority has been obtained
- in writing.
3.4 A complaint can be made on behalf of a resident who has passed away. In these cases, we will accept complaints from the executor or administrator of the deceased resident’s estate (the complainant will need to supply documentation proving their status). In cases where the resident died intestate, we will accept a complaint from a Next of Kin (the complainant will need to supply documentation confirming they are the Next of Kin). If the service does not receive information from the complainant that they are either an executor, administrator, or Next of Kin they will not accept a complaint on behalf of a deceased resident.
3.2 Complaints will be logged on Intelex and managed in accordance with the policy regardless of whether the resident specifically used the word complaint.
Section 5.3 of the Housing Service Complaints Policy states:
If there is any doubt about whether the complaint should be accepted, the customer should be advised to submit the complaint to the Council for consideration.
Section 14.2 and 14.3 of the Housing Services Complaints Policy states:
All Council officers in relevant services (including sub-contractors/partner organisations) will be aware of the complaint’s procedure relating to the Council’s housing management function and be able to advise residents on how to access the process and what they can expect.
It is the responsibility of all managers to ensure that officers are aware of the complaints process, how it can be accessed and how complaints relating to housing management services are managed.
Commentary / explanation
Slough Borough Council reviewed its complaints policy in March 2025 and has included this definition. It is set out in the policy, and it has been placed on our website. Training in complaints handling in line with the Housing Ombudsman Code has been rolled out to all housing staff in June 25, the policy and its application of it was covered in the training. As part of the training, customer dissatisfaction was covered and a choice to register a complaint would be offered even if the word complaint was not mentioned.
Code provision 1.4
Code requirement
Landlords must recognise the difference between a service request and a complaint. This must be set out in their complaints policy. A service request is a request from a resident to the landlord requiring action to be taken to put something right. Service requests are not complaints, but must be recorded, monitored and reviewed regularly.
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
Housing service complaints policy.
Section 4 of the Housing Service Complaints Policy states:
Many of the reports that the council receive for Housing Management just require us to do, remove, fix or clean something. We will treat these as a request for us to do something (a service request) rather than a complaint unless you have already reported it, and we have failed to do something.
Service requests are recorded on Intelex complaints, monitored and reviewed regularly at our weekly Housing Service Complaints Meeting.
Commentary
Slough Borough Council’s complaints policy sets this out in Section 4 and includes Various examples. The policy is published on our website.
Code provision 1.5
Code requirement
A complaint must be raised when the resident expresses dissatisfaction with the response to their service request, even if the handling of the service request remains ongoing. Landlords must not stop their efforts to address the service request if the resident complains.
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
Housing service complaints policy.
Section 4.2 of the Housing Service Complaints Policy states:
If a service request is not responded to in a reasonable timescale or in a reasonable way, this lack of action or poor standard of response would be considered a complaint such as:
A missed bin collection, graffiti removal, broken streetlights, litter, fly tipping, potholes, abandoned cars.
Grass cutting.
The council values complaints as unsolicited feedback that allows the service to remedy a mistake, resolve a problem and learn from residents’ experiences when things go wrong.
Commentary / explanation
This is set out in section 4.2 of the Housing Service Complaints Policy and was covered by the complaint handling training rolled out to all housing staff in June 25.
Code provision 1.6
Code requirement
An expression of dissatisfaction with services made through a survey is not defined as a complaint, though wherever possible, the person completing the survey should be made aware of how they can pursue a complaint if they wish to. Where landlords ask for wider feedback about their services, they also must provide details of how residents can complain.
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
MEL Research carries out the TSM surveys for Slough Borough Council - the statement below was used online and in their telephone script.
Statement included: If you are dissatisfied with the service that has been provided, write to us and let us know. Details of our complaints process and access to the Housing Ombudsman can be found on our website.
Commentary / explanation
A statement was included in our recent Tenant Satisfaction Measures Survey giving details of how to make a complaint we will continue to do this going forward.