Section 4 - Complaint handling staff
Code provision 4.1
Code requirement
Landlords must have a person or team assigned to take responsibility for complaint handling, including liaison with the Ombudsman and ensuring complaints are reported to the governing body (or equivalent). This Code will refer to that person or team as the ‘complaints officer’. This role may be in addition to other duties.
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
The Resident Involvement Manager has been assigned that role within Slough Borough Council. The Housing Complaints Officer sits within the Resident Involvement team.
Commentary / explanation
None.
Code provision 4.2
Code requirement
The complaints officer must have access to staff at all levels to facilitate the prompt resolution of complaints. They must also have the authority and autonomy to act to resolve disputes promptly and fairly.
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
The Housing Complaints Officer sends weekly overdue and outstanding reports to all service areas within housing. The Housing Complaints Officer or a member of the Resident Involvement Team, attend weekly complaints meetings to discuss caseloads of complaints and any escalations to the Ombudsman.
Commentary / explanation
The complaints officer has access to staff within different teams at different levels to facilitate the prompt resolution of complaints.
Code provision 4.3
Code requirement
Landlords are expected to prioritise complaint handling and a culture of learning from complaints. All relevant staff must be suitably trained in the importance of complaint handling. It is important that complaints are seen as a core service and must be resourced to handle complaints effectively
Comply
Yes.
Evidence
Section 1 of the Complaints Policy States: The Council is committed to providing high‑quality services and welcomes feedback to help us improve.
Section 2 of the Complaints Policy states:
2. Purpose of the Policy
The purpose of this policy is to provide a fair; accessible and consistent complaints process and to learn from complaints to improve services.
Section 9 of the Complaints Policy states: The Council seeks to have a positive complaints handling culture and sees complaints as a source of intelligence to identify issues and introduce positive changes in service delivery.
Complaints handling training has been rolled out to all housing staff in March 2026.
Since October 2025, at weekly complaints meetings, responses from previous stage 1 and 2 has taken place within Housing with key lessons learned from complaints being discussed at weekly meetings and the establishment of a Resident Complaints Scrutiny Panel. The training on complaints handling was delivered by an external partner in March 2026. complaints are reviewed and improvements and key learnings are discussed between team managers.
Since May 2026, a Resident Complaint Scrutiny Panel has been introduced, in which members of housing staff and tenants review redacted versions of complaints and responses and identify lessons learned and actions to be taken to improve services and complaints handling.
Terms of Reference: Resident Complaints Scrutiny Panel.
Commentary / explanation
A move towards more positive complaints handling culture, which promotes learning from complaints has taken place within Housing with key lessons learned from complaints being discussed at weekly meetings and the establishment of a Resident Complaints Scrutiny Panel.
The training on complaints handling was delivered by an external partner in March 2026.