Service Requests Policy

Our commitment to you

Our aim is to deliver excellent services all the time. When we get it wrong we welcome feedback and the chance to make it right. The first stage in us getting it right is to raise a Service Request.

All of our interactions with residents and customers follows our LETS principles:

•        Listen

•        Empathise

•        Take action

•        Support 

 

We will:

•        Process Service Requests fairly, consistently, and promptly, and within the timescales outlined in this policy.

•        Make it is easy for residents to make a service request, either verbally or in writing.  Service requests may also come from third parties, such as social workers, local councillors etc.

•        Keep residents fully informed of progress, throughout the process, with regular updates if longer time is required.

•        Treat residents fairly and with respect throughout the process and ensure they feel confident that their feedback is being dealt with comprehensively and professionally.

•        Ensure there are no adverse effects to the resident as a result of raising a service request.

•        Handle all Service Requests in an empathetic and sensitive manner, respecting the confidentiality and privacy of our residents and their data, in line with our LETS principles.

•        Apologise where our service standards have failed. 

•        Monitor and learn from resident feedback and ensure that service requests are taken into account when reviewing the service CKH provides to its residents and the performance of employees and contractors. 

 

Where a Service Request is reported to us, but is not a CKH issue, for example it concerns a Council or other organisation, we will still respond to the resident and try to support them to find help with their issue.

This policy does not cover complaints. You can view our Complaints Policy on our website.

 

Distinction between Service Requests and Complaints

A Service Request is any verbal or written contact from a resident or third party requiring CKH to take action, answer a question or put something right, whether justified or not, which cannot be resolved at first contact.  

A complaint is raised when a resident raises dissatisfaction with the response to their service request and/or where the resident asks for their complaint to be treated as a complaint.  There does not need to be a Service Request before a complaint is made.

 

How you can make a Service Request

You can ask us to ‘put something right’, for any part of our service, either verbally or in writing, this includes, but is not limited to:

•        By telephone

•        By email

•        In person, for example at Customer Central, during a visit or on the street

•        By writing to us

•        Through Live Chat on our website

•        Through surveys including transactional surveys or Tenant Satisfaction Measures surveys

•        Via a third party, such as a local councillor, social worker or relative.

 

How we respond to Service Requests

When you ask us to put something right we will ask you for as much information as possible, to ensure we have a full understanding of the issue. We will record this on our internal customer database.

We aim to respond to you within two working days. Where we are not able to fully resolve your service request within two working days we will continue to give you regular updates. We will resolve your request as soon as possible.

You have the right to escalate your Service Request to the formal complaints process at any point, information on how to do this can be found in the Complaints Policy. 

 

Further information:

Who is responsible for managing Service Requests?

All employees are responsible for receiving, logging, responding to and monitoring Service Requests.

Line managers are responsible for overseeing and monitoring their employees actions, and ascertaining and implementing learning outcomes from Service Requests, to continue to improve our service.

The Service Manager for Business Insights and Analytics is responsible for this policy.

 

Legislation and regulation

This policy is written in accordance with the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

•        Housing Ombudsman Complaints Handling Code

•        Regulator of Social Housing’s Consumer Standards

 

Information sharing

Cross Keys Homes has an information sharing agreement with key agencies and contractors to share information in relation to the delivery of our services. Information shared must be relevant and the Data Protection Procedure adhered to when handling data. You can find more information about how we manage your data in our Transparency and Privacy Policy.

 

Monitoring and review

The Service Requests Policy was written and approved in February 2024 and will be reviewed every year, the next review will be in January 2025.