Statutory complaints procedure

For many years, Glenkerry Co-operative Housing Association (GCHA) has had a complaints procedure for leaseholders who wish to raise problems with the Association, as part of being a good co-operative and supporting leaseholders. We are also registered with the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS), who will follow up any issue that is not resolved to a leaseholder’s satisfaction.

From 1 April 2024, HOS has required all organisations that belong to the HOS scheme to comply with their new statutory complaint handling code, which became law on this date. The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 empowered HOS to issue a code of practice about complaints procedures and require members to follow this code; HOS is also obliged and empowered to monitor compliance with this code.

HOS believe that this code represents best practice in complaint handling.

What is a complaint?

Not every expression of concern or dissatisfaction qualifies as a complaint. In particular, there is a difference between a complaint and a service request:

• A service request is a request from a leaseholder to GCHA regarding a specific issue and requiring a particular action to be taken to put the matter right.

• A complaint is defined by HOS as: “an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting a resident or group of residents”.

Information on GCHA’s complaints policy and process

GCHA is required to make the following information available to shareholders and other stakeholders, as well as to HOS.

The complaints policy is available to view here.

There is a simple flow chart illustrating the process here.

GCHA is required to submit an annual self-assessment form measuring our performance against the requirement of the HOS Code. The current self-assessment form (as at September 2025) can be accessed here.

GCHA is required to submit an annual complaint performance and service improvement report to HOS and publish it on the website. The current report (as at September 2025) can be viewed here.

GCHA is required to publicise the governing body’s response to the report. The current response document (as at September 2025) is available here.

In addition, GCHA is required to make the following documents available for reference:

GCHA Rule Book (our Members’ Handbook, in HOS terms) is available here.

GCHA Code of Conduct and Unreasonable Behaviour policy, agreed by the Association at our AGM in 2023, is available to view here.