Putting things right

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Compliance with the Housing Ombudsman Service Complaints Handling Code

CSS recognises the  need to improve response times, data collection and intelligence on complaints and will be doing this as a priority. The purpose of the Code is to set out good practice that will allow landlords to respond to complaints effectively and fairly. The Housing Ombudsman’s expectation is that if the requirements of the Code cannot be delivered this should prompt discussion about what needs to change. For CSS this is exactly what has happened. The complaints policy has been updated and further action will be taken to meet the requirements of the Code.

Please note that the first step for an individual Co op tenant member with a complaint about CSS’ performance as landlord is to raise the matter with the relevant Co op’s Management Committee. CSS does not let properties directly to individual persons or households but leases its completed developments to fully mutual housing co operatives. The co operatives sublet to their tenant members. As such CSS has no legal relationship with any individual tenant member of the Co ops and its sole relationship is with the housing co-op management committees. Any complaints received from individual Co-op tenant members will be referred to the Chair of the relevant Co op.