Compliments, Comments and Complaints

Purpose Statement

We are committed to delivering a high-quality service, and we work hard to achieve this. We welcome your compliments, comments and complaints. Your feedback provides us with the opportunity to improve our services and facilities and lets our teams know what they are doing well.

Compliments and Comments

We are always happy to receive any feedback you have regarding our services or facilities. The easiest way for you to submit your feedback is through our online form or speaking to your reception team. We may ask to publish your feedback on our website and other promotional materials.

Complaints

What is a complaint?

A complaint is when you tell us about something that we have done or should have done that you are not happy about or, where we fail to fulfil our contractual obligations.

What is not a complaint?

There are some issues that we do not consider to be complaints but rather something that you are dissatisfied with, such as:

requests for us to provide a service eg reporting a fault in your accommodation for the first time

complaints about the behaviour of other residents. You should report any anti-social behaviour to your reception during working hours or contact Security outside of working hours

The complaints process

If we have done something to make you unhappy and gave you cause to make a complaint, please let us know by speaking to a member of the Accommodation Team. Hopefully, we can resolve your complaint quickly and informally. If you feel that your complaint has not been dealt with appropriately and to your satisfaction, then you may initiate a formal complaint.

Complaints can be submitted through our online Complaints Form or alternatively via email, telephone or letter. Complaints should be made as soon as possible following the event. Complaints received more than four weeks after the event will only be investigated if supported by sound rationale for the delay.

We have a three-stage process for addressing formal complaints. Our aim is to provide a satisfactory resolution at the initial stage. Your complaint will only proceed to the subsequent stages if you indicate dissatisfaction with our response.

Stage one

Once we receive your complaint, we will send you an acknowledgement within two working days. Your complaint will be assigned to a complaint handler who will undertake a thorough investigation and provide you with a full written response. We will aim to complete this process within 10 working days. If we are not able to meet this deadline, we will keep you informed of our progress. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive at stage one, you should move on to stage two within 10 working days of receiving the stage one decision.

Stage two

A member of the Senior Management Team, or a nominated manager, will review your complaint. We will aim to provide you with a full written response within 10 working days and will keep you informed if this is not possible.

If you are still unhappy with the response received at stage two, then you should move on to stage three within 10 working days of receiving the stage two decision.

Stage three

If you have completed stages one and two and you remain dissatisfied with our response, you may wish to refer your complaint through the University’s Student Complaints and Resolution Procedure, managed by Student Progress who will also provide information for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education - OIA. The OIA is an independent body set up to review student complaints and offers a free service to students.

Confidentiality

All complaints will be dealt with confidentially, though enquiries may be made with third parties to investigate the complaint fully. For this reason, anonymous complaints will not be accepted.

Last revision: May 2024
Next review date: May 2027
Policy owner: Senior Management Team, Accommodation Services

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