Issue - meetings

Matters for Decision.

The report proposed a model for a tenant complaints panel inline with the changes introduced by the Localism Act in 2013.  If a tenant (or leaseholder) remained unsatisfied with the outcome of a complaint at the conclusion of the landlord’s complaints process, they may submit their complaint to a Councillor, an MP, or a Tenant Panel which represents a new option for complaints.

 

Decision of Executive Councillor for Housing

 

     i.        Approved the proposed model for a new Tenant and Leaseholder Complaints Panel.

 

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

 

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

Not applicable.

 

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Residents Involvement Facilitator.

 

The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:

     i.        Questioned if there would be enough work for the Tenant and Leaseholder Panel.

    ii.        Asked if consideration had been given for a joint panel with other Local Authorities.

   iii.        Suggested that the Officer explore the possibility of partnership working.

  iv.        Queried if an environmental complaint would go the Tenant and Leaseholder Complaints Panel.

   v.        Enquired to the number of complaints that went to the Housing Ombudsman in the last twelve months.

  vi.        Enquired how Tenant / Leaseholder Representatives would be recruited to the post.

 

In response to Committees comments Officers and the Director of Community and Customer Services stated the following:

 

     i.        The long term goal for the Panel would be to give advice and become the first level of mediation, in effect a Tenant Advice Bureau.

    ii.        Agreed to investigate the possibility of partnership working.

   iii.        An environmental complaint could go to the Panel, although there were exceptions.

  iv.        The Housing Ombudsman would deal with complaints from the tenants and the leaseholder only. It was about getting the services provided by the landlord right and not social behaviour.

   v.        As the Housing Ombudsman had only recently taken on the complaints regarding Council stock there were no comparable figures.

  vi.        Reports had been referred to the General Ombudsman but not maladministration

 vii.        A number of tenant and leaseholder had expressed an interest in the Panel through the recently completed star survey. Those residents would be contacted to discuss the matter further.

 

The Committee:

 

Resolved (unanimously) to endorse the recommendation. 

 

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.

 

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

 

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.