How you can complain
Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
From 1 April 2024, The Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code becomes statutory. The code sets out how we must handle complaints in our responsibilities as a Landlord. This means if you are a Council tenant or Council leaseholder and have cause to complain, we will adhere to the complaint handling code.
See details of the complaint handling code
We are revising the Council’s Corporate Complaint Policy to reflect the Complaint Handling Code and once the policy has completed the governance process we will update our website.
If you are not able to use the online form you can contact the Council about your complaint by the following:
Telephone 020 8583 5211
In writing to:
Customer Relations Team
London Borough of Hounslow
Hounslow House
7 Bath Road
Hounslow
Middlesex
​​​​TW3 3EB
Your completed complaint form will be directed to the Customer Relations Team, who will liaise with the service team to resolve your complaint at the earliest opportunity.
However, if we are unable to resolve it, we will deal with the matter as a formal complaint and send you an acknowledgement with a reference number.
The Council has a two stage complaints procedure, as follows:
Stage 1
The Head of Service will investigate and respond to your complaint within 15 working days.
Stage 2
When you receive the response to your Stage 1 complaint you are not satisfied that the team has dealt with your complaint properly, you may request a review at Stage 2. The Director of the service will carry out a review of your complaint and respond to you within 20 working days. When making a Stage Two complaint, we ask that you explain to us in what way you believe that your complaint was not addressed properly at Stage One.
If you cannot provide any reasons as to why the findings are wrong, we may not consider your complaint at the next stage.
However it should be noted that our complaints process is discretionary and not based on statute. This means we do not always have to proceed with a complaint if we believe there is sufficient justification not to do so. You will, however, still have the right to seek an independent review by the Local Government Ombudsman.
Once your complaint has completed the Council’s complaints process, if you remain dissatisfied you may request an independent review by the Local Government Ombudsman (or the Housing Ombudsman if you are a Council tenant or leaseholder). The Ombudsman’s details are as follows:
The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH
Phone: 0300 061 0614
Website: www.lgo.org.uk
The Housing Ombudsman Service
PO Box 152
Liverpool
L33 7WQ
0300 111 3000
Email : info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.housing.ombudsman.org.uk
Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
The complaint handling code sets out a list of good practice that will allow landlords to respond effectively and fairly to complaints. As members of the Housing Ombudsman service the council will comply with the set of procedures and carry out regular assessments of performance against the code.
Current performance against the code can be found in the Self-Assessment document
