Compliments, Suggestions and Complaints

Feedback

At Blackwood Home and Care, your feedback helps us to grow, improve, and celebrate what we do well. Whether you have a compliment to share, a concern to raise, or a suggestion for how we can do better, we want to hear from you. This guide explains how you can tell us what’s on your mind and what to expect once you do.

Compliments

We love to hear when things are going well. If you’ve had a positive experience with a member of our team, or you're happy with the care, support, or housing services you’ve received, we’d really like to know.

Sharing your compliments helps us recognise what’s working and gives our staff the encouragement they deserve. It also helps us continue to deliver high-quality services across Blackwood.

You can send us a compliment by:

Telling a staff member directly
Filling out the Compliments Form below
Emailing cst@blackwoodgroup.org.uk

Compliments Form

There is nothing our staff like better than to know that something they have done has helped improve services for our customers. That's why we want you to tell us when an employee or team has done something that earned a compliment. Then we can give them the recognition they deserve.

You can leave a compliment for the team by filling in the form below.

Complaints

You can voice complaints through our customer satisfaction surveys, and by asking for your feedback online or by phone after your complaint is resolved

Frontline Complaints

These are complaints that are straightforward and we can answer quickly. Our target time to provide you with a resolution is within 5 working days.

Investigation Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have resolved a Frontline complaint it will be escalated to an Investigation. A trained investigator will handle the complaint and may need to speak to other staff, contractors or family members. A complaint may also go straight to an investigation if it is more complex or
serious.

Our target is to have Investigations resolved within 20 working days.

We follow the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Model Complaints handling system. Our full Complaints Handling Procedure can be found on the Feedback and Complaints section of our website - https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk/feedback

Satisfaction Monitoring

Blackwood has a requirement to monitor our customer satisfaction with complaint handling. This will be done: www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk
Blackwood Compliments, Suggestions and Complaints

Types of Complaint

Blackwood Compliments, Suggestions and Complaints

Neighbourhood nuisance, issues with noisy neighbours, dog fouling, parking issues and harassment from other residents and visitors are considered anti-social behaviour (ASB). ASB is defined as…someone acting “in a manner that caused, or is likely to cause, alarm or distress to one or more persons not
of the same household”.

We will deal with these issues through the Anti-Social Behaviour Policy and our target timescales to resolve these issues is 30 days.

After You Complain

What Happens Next?

After we log your complaint, we will send it to the appropriate Blackwood
team to resolve. For example your Housing team, Maintenance team or Care
team.

Still Not Satisfied?

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can take your
complaint further to:

For Care Complaints

The Care Inspectorate

If your complaint is about our care or support services you can, at any time
during your complaint, consult the Care Inspectorate. You can contact them
on the details below:

Website: http://www.careinspectorate.com/
Phone: 0345 600 9527

Address: Compass House,

11 Riverside Drive, Dundee

DD1 4NY

For Housing Complaints

If your complaint is about our services as a Landlord or any other issues and we have not been able to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you may take your complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO)/

Website: www.spso.org.uk

Phone: 0800 377 73306

Contact Us
In Person: Speak to any member of staff
Telephone: 0131 317 7227
Online: www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk
Email: cst@blackwoodgroup.org.uk

Raising Complaints and Serious Concerns

The Scottish Government’s Social Housing Charter sets out the standards social landlords need to achieve. Social landlords include registered social landlords (RSLs) - such as a housing association or co-operative - or councils. The Scottish Housing Regulator monitor, assess and report on the performance of landlords in achieving these standards.

If you are a tenant, and your specific complaint affects a group of social landlord tenants; you can report the issue to the SHR as a Serious Concern. More information is in this leaflet. Complaints & Serious Concerns Leaflet

Complaints Form

Please read the 'What is a complaint?' Section

Make a complaint

Note: Questions marked by * are mandatory

*This is a mandatory field. Full Name

*This is a mandatory field. Address

*This is a mandatory field. Telephone

*This is a mandatory field. Do you have any communication or language needs? Are there any additional adjustments which might assist you in this process in terms of communication or language?

*This is a mandatory field. Preferred method of contact: Telephone or email

*This is a mandatory field. Does your complaint relate to a previous or ongoing complaint?

If yes, what is the complaint reference number (if known)?

What is the service/department the complaint relates to: Care, Housing, Assets/Property, Other (please describe)

*This is a mandatory field. Details of your complaint

What action and/or outcome would you like to see from your complaint?

* Spam Guard: What is 2+2? (Write the number as a word.)

Serious Concerns

If an issues is serious and affects a group of tenants (not just one person), you can report it to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) as a Serious Concern.

What Counts as a Serious Concern?

This can include situations where a social housing provider has, for example:

repeatedly failed to meet expected standards; or
acted in a way that puts tenant' interests at risk; or
regularly failed to do key safety checks or repairs when it should; or
not reported performance information to tenants (or reported it inaccurately).

Before you contact SHR

SHR will usually expect that you have:

raised the issue first with us, and
explained how it affects a group of tenants and
provided dates and details of what happened, including how we responded.

How to report a Serious Concern to SHR

To report Serious Concern, complete SHR's form and send it to them with as much supporting information as you can (for example emails or letters).

SHR aims to decide whether your report meets the criteria as quickly as possible and normally within 20 working days (it can take longer for complex issues).

If you disagree with the SHR's decision, you can ask them to review it (their review guidance is on their website).

How to contact SHR

Email: shr@shr.gov.scot
Phone: 0141 242 5642
Post: Scottish Housing Regulator, Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow, G4 0HF
Online: www.housingregulator.gov.scot

What do I do if I am still not happy?

If you have complained and you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you can take your complaint to the regulators.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman regulates the housing services we provide. You must have made a complaint to us before the Ombudsman will look at your complaint. Their website will provide you with further information.

The Care Inspectorate regulates Blackwood's care services. You can complain directly to the Care Inspectorate. Click the Care Inspectorate logo to be taken directly to their website.

You can further complain directly to the Scottish Housing Regulator. The form to contact the SHR with details of your complaint More information on the SHR can be found on their website.

ICO

Information Commissioners Office (ICO)
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may raise a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. Information on how to do this is available at http://ico.org.uk/complaints

Get in touch

You can make a complaint in person, by calling us, in writing, or by email. You can also fill in our Complaints Form.

160 Dundee
Edinburgh
EH11 1DQ

Email: cst@blackwoodgroup.org.uk
Telephone: 0131 317 7227