Hillingdon Council Cabinet Member and Officer Decisions
Annual Self Assessment and Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report (2025/26)
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Democratic Services
Location: Phase II
DDI: 01895 250185
CMD No: 2026/1807
To: COUNCILLOR NICK DENYS
CABINET MEMBER FOR PLANNING, HOUSING &
PROPERTY
c.c. All Members of the Corporate Resources &
Infrastructure Select Committee
c.c. Dan Kennedy, Corporate Director of Residents
Services
c.c. Shaheen Mahtabuddin, Head of Service
Improvement
Date: 15 September 2026
Non-Key Decision request Form D
Annual Self-Assessment and Annual Housing Complaints and
Service Improvement Report (2025/26)
Dear Cabinet Members,
Attached is a report requesting that a decision be made by you as an individual Cabinet
Member. Democratic Services confirm that this is not a key decision, as such, the Local
Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England)
Regulations 2012 notice period does not apply.
You should take a decision on or after Wednesday 23 September 2026 in order to meet
Constitutional requirements about publication of decisions that are to be made. You may
wish to discuss the report with the Corporate Director before it is made. Please indicate your
decision on the duplicate memo supplied and return it to me when you have made your
decision. I will then arrange for the formal notice of decision to be published.
Liz Penny
Democratic Services
Title of Report: Annual Self-Assessment and Annual Housing Complaints and Service
Improvement Report (2025/26)
Decision made:
Reasons for your decision: (e.g. as stated in report)
Alternatives considered and rejected: (e.g. as stated in report)
Signed ……………………………………………………… Date……………………..
Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property
Executive Decision Report
Cabinet Member
15 September 2026
Classification:
Part 1 Public Page 1
Annual Self Assessment and Annual Housing Complaints and
Service Improvement Report (2025/26)
Cabinet Member Lead
Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property (Cllr
Denys)
Chief Officer responsible
Corporate Director of Residents Services
Report author Shaheen Mahtabuddin, Head of Service Improvement
Report classification and reason Public
For General Release
Relevant Committee
Corporate Resources & Infrastructure
Electoral Ward All Wards
1. Executive Summary
The Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code requires landlords to demonstrate
annually that their complaints policy and procedures remain compliant with the Code.
Landlords must also produce an annual complaints performance and service improvement
report, including a self -assessment, analysis of complaints performance, Ombudsman
findings, and learning and service improvements arising from complaints.
The 2025/26 Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report and
accompanying Self-Assessment have been prepared to meet these requirements. The Self -
Assessment confirms that the Council remains compliant with all nine sections of the
Complaint Handling Code, covering complaint definition and acceptance, accessibility,
complaint handling, remedies, reporting, oversight, scrutiny and organisational learning.
During 2025/26, the Council continued to strengthen its approach to complaint management
and service improvement. The Corporate Complaints Policy and Procedure w ere reviewed
and updated, additional training was delivered to over 200 staff involved in complaint handling,
and arrangements for recording learning, monitoring trends and reporting performance were
enhanced through established governance processes.
The report highlights both progress and areas requiring continued focus. Complaints relating
to Housing Repairs and Maintenance reduced at both Stage 1 and Stage 2, and the escalation
rate for Planned Works fell significantly. However, complaints relating to Tenancy
Management and Adaptations increased. Complaint response performance improved at
Executive Decision Report
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15 September 2026
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Stage 1, reaching 92% in the final quarter, while Stage 2 performance reduced to 83% and
will require continued attention.
The report also demonstrates how learning from complaints is driving service improvements,
including strengthened repairs escalation processes, improved tracking of follow -on works,
enhanced contractor monitoring and clearer communication with residents. T he Council is
continuing to embed complaints as a key source of insight into service performance and
resident experience.
The Cabinet Member is therefore asked to approve the 2025/26 Annual Self -Assessment
against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code (Appendix A). Following
approval, the Self -Assessment will be published alongside the Council’s annual complaints
performance and service improvement information.
There are no direct financial implications arising from approval of the Self -Assessment. The
purpose of this report is to provide assurance that the Council has completed its annual
assessment of compliance and has appropriate governance arrangements in place to oversee
complaint handling
and continuous improvement.
2. Recommendation(s)
That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property:
1) Approves the Council’s 2025/26 Annual Self -Assessment against the Housing
Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, attached at Appendix A to this report.
2) Approves the Council’s Annual Review of Complaint Handling Report, attached
as Appendix B to this report.
3) Approves the Member Responsible for Housing HRA Governing Body Response
attached as Appendix C to this report.
4) Notes the Corporate Complaints Procedure is to be submitted to the
Ombudsman as part of the submission, attached as Appendix D to this report.
5) Notes the Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report 2025/26,
including the self -assessment, Governing Body Response and Corporate
Complaints Procedure will be published on the Council’s complaints webpage in
accordance with the requirements of th e Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint
Handling Code.
3. Reasons for decision
The Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code requires landlords to undertake an
annual self-assessment to ensure that their complaints policy and procedures remain in line
with the requirements of the Code.
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Approval of the self-assessment will provide formal Cabinet Member oversight of the Council’s
annual assessment and enable the Council to demonstrate compliance with the Code.
The self-assessment confirms compliance across all nine sections of the Code and reflects
changes made to the Council’s complaints arrangements during 2025/26 and into 2026,
including revisions to the Corporate Complaints Procedure and further staff training.
Publication of the self-assessment alongside the annual complaints performance and service
improvement report, the Governing Body Response and the Corporate Complaints Procedure
will ensure that the Council meets the Code’s transparency and reporting requirements.
4. Proposal
Annual self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code
Hillingdon Council, as a registered provider of social housing, is required to comply with the
Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code and demonstrate compliance on at least an
annual basis.
The Council’s 2025/26 self-assessment has been completed and is attached as Appendix A.
The assessment considers each requirement of the Code and confirms compliance across all
nine sections.
The annual complaints performance and service improvement report provides the wider
context for the assessment and includes analysis of complaint handling performance, Housing
Ombudsman findings, and learning and service improvements arising from complaints and is
attached as Appendix B.
The Member Responsible for Housing HRA Governing Body Response provides oversight
and accountability assurance of the governing body and is attached as Appendix C.
Corporate Complaints procedure
The Council’s Corporate Complaints Procedure was reviewed during 2025/26 and revised in
June 2026. The revised procedure was subsequently approved by Corporate Management
Team, the Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing
& Property in July 2026.
The amendments were limited in nature and were primarily intended to improve wording,
clarify requirements and reinforce key aspects of the Council’s approach. The underlying
complaints process was not changed.
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The self -assessment confirms that the Council continues to operate a two- stage formal
complaints process, following an initial service request stage, in line with the Housing
Ombudsman’s requirements.
Accessibility and complaint handling
The Council continues to provide a range of routes through which residents can make a
complaint, including in person, by telephone, in writing, by email and through the Council’s
website. Residents can request reasonable adjustments where required.
Staff involved in complaints have received additional training during the year. Online training
sessions held on 29 April and 5 May 2026 were attended by more than 200 staff, with a
recording also made available to staff.
The self-assessment confirms that staff involved in complaint handling are expected to work
collaboratively to resolve resident issues, take shared responsibility for areas of development
identified through complaints and act in accordance with relevant professional requirements.
Putting things right and learning from complaints
The Council’s complaints arrangements provide for a range of remedies where a service
failure or adverse impact has been identified. These can include an apology, provision of the
service that should have been received, reconsideration of decisions, servic e improvements
and, where appropriate, financial compensation.
The Council has also strengthened its arrangements for capturing learning from complaints.
The JADU complaints system requires responding officers and managers to record whether a
complaint is upheld, any compensation paid and any learning identified. This information is
then used to identify service improvements and recurring themes.
Examples of improvements arising from complaints include weekly reviews of repairs that
have exceeded timescales, tracking of follow -on works and ensuring that correspondence
relating to repairs complaints includes a direct contact number.
Scrutiny, oversight and continuous improvement
The Council has established arrangements for regular oversight of complaints performance,
including quarterly reporting through the Landlord Service governance arrangements and
reporting to the Member Responsible for Housing HRA.
The annual complaints report is also considered through the Council’s scrutiny arrangements
and complaint data and learning are shared with tenants through the Compliments and
Complaints Special Interest Group. During 2025/26, tenants identified the need f or greater
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depth and breadth of complaints information to be shared with them, which will be an area for
further development during 2026/27.
The Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code specifically requires landlords to look
beyond individual complaints and consider whether wider service improvements are required.
The Council’s arrangements are designed to support this approach.
Complaint performance and service improvement
The Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report provides the detailed
assessment of the Council’s complaint performance during 2025/26.
Overall Housing complaints increased from 605 in 2024/25 to 696 in 2025/26. However, there
were positive trends in Housing Repairs and Maintenance, where complaints reduced at both
Stage 1 and Stage 2, and in Planned Works, where the proportion of complain ts progressing
to Stage 2 reduced significantly.
The report also identifies areas requiring further attention, particularly Tenancy Management
and Adaptations, where complaint volumes and escalation increased. Complaint response
performance also varied during the year. Stage 1 compliance recovered to 92% in the final
quarter following targeted intervention, while Stage 2 compliance reduced to 83%.
These issues are being addressed through the Landlord Service’s wider service improvement
activity and will continue to be monitored through the Council’s governance and scrutiny
arrangements.
Ombudsman feedback and review of the self-assessment
The Council has considered feedback and decisions issued by the Housing Ombudsman
during the year and has updated its self -assessment and Corporate Complaints Procedure
where required.
The self -assessment confirms that senior managers are made aware of Ombudsman
decisions and that actions arising from those decisions are monitored to completion. Where
changes are made as a result of Ombudsman feedback, these are reflected in the self -
assessment when it is next reviewed.
Approval of the annual self -assessment by the Cabinet Member will provide the formal
governance approval required before publication.
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5. Corporate implications
Financial Y Equalities impact assessment
Legal (mandatory) Y Workforce
Alternative options (mandatory) Y Public Health
Risk management (mandatory) Y External partners
Heathrow Expansion Communications Y
Asset Committee comments
Procurement & contract social value Digital
Planning Other
Climate Change Other
a) Financial
There are no direct financial implications arising from the recommendations set out in this
report.
Approval of the annual self -assessment does not create a new financial commitment. Any
costs associated with delivering the Council’s complaints arrangements, staff training and
service improvement activity will be managed through existing approved budgets.
b) Legal
Legal Services confirm that t he Housing Ombudsman Scheme , a scheme through which
tenants and other individuals can submit complaints about Scheme members to be
investigated by a Housing Ombudsman, is approved by the Secretary of State under section
51 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Housing Act 1996. Schedule 2 requires the Council, as a local
authority in England which is a registered provider of social housing, to be a member of the
Scheme.
The Council, as a member of the Scheme, must comply with the Housing Ombudsman’s
Complaint Handling Code. The Code requires landlords to undertake an annual self -
assessment and publish it as part of a wider annual complaints performance and service
improvement report along with the governing body’s response. Failure to comply with the
Code may result in action by the Housing Ombudsman and the Regulator of Social Housing.
Following the recommendations of this report will enable the Council to comply with the
requirements of the Code and avoid any action for non-compliance.
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c) Alternative options
Alternative Options Rationale for rejecting option
Option A – Approve the Annual
Self-Assessment as
recommended
This is the recommended option. It enables the
Council to formally approve the annual self-
assessment and meet the governance and
reporting requirements of the Housing
Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
Option B – Defer approval
pending further review
This would delay formal approval and publication
of the annual self-assessment. There is no
identified reason within the current assessment
requiring such a delay.
Do nothing This would mean the Council does not formally
approve the annual self-assessment, creating a
risk of non-compliance with the Code’s
requirements for annual assessment, reporting and
publication.
Cease activity This is not a viable option. The Council has an
ongoing regulatory obligation to maintain
appropriate complaints arrangements and
demonstrate compliance with the Housing
Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
d) Risk management
Risk Mitigation
Failure to formally approve and
publish the annual self-
assessment could result in
non-compliance with the
Housing Ombudsman’s
Complaint Handling Code.
Cabinet Member approval followed by publication of
the self -assessment and annual complaints
information on the Council’s complaints webpage.
Identified areas of weaker
complaint performance are not
addressed and result in
continued dissatisfaction or
escalation.
Complaint performance is monitored through
quarterly reporting and the Landlord Service
governance arrangements, with learning and
service improvements tracked.
Learning from individual
complaints is not consistently
translated into wider service
improvements.
The JADU system requires learning to be recorded
and enables recurring themes and service
improvements to be identified and monitored.
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Ombudsman findings or
recommendations are not
acted upon in a timely manner.
Senior managers are made aware of Ombudsman
decisions and actions are monitored to completion.
Changes arising from Ombudsman feedback are
incorporated into the self-assessment where
appropriate.
e) Other implications
The annual self -assessment, Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report
and Governing Body Response will be published on the Council’s complaints webpage.
The Council also shares complaints performance and learning with tenants through its
Compliments and Complaints Special Interest Group. During 2025/26, tenants identified a
desire for greater depth and breadth of complaints data to be shared during 2026/27.
6. Consultation & engagement
The annual self-assessment has been developed alongside the Annual Housing Complaints
and Service Improvement Report and has been considered through the Council’s established
Landlord Service governance arrangements.
The annual report is reviewed through the HRA Operational Group, Corporate Management
Team and the Cabinet Member portfolio lead for the Landlord Service. It is also reported
through the Council’s resident scrutiny arrangements.
During 2025/26, complaints data and learning were shared with tenants on a rolling quarterly
basis through the Compliments and Complaints Special Interest Group. This provides tenants
with an opportunity to review complaints performance and consider how learning is being used
to improve services.
Feedback from tenants during the year included a request for greater depth and breadth of
complaints data to be shared. This has been noted as an area for further development during
2026/27.
No separate public consultation is required in relation to the formal approval of the annual self-
assessment.
7. Timetable for implementation
Subject to Cabinet Member approval, the 2025/26 Annual Self -Assessment against the
Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code will be published on the Council’s
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complaints webpage alongside the relevant Annual Housing Complaints and Service
Improvement Report and governing body’s response.
The Council will continue to monitor complaint performance, Ombudsman findings and service
improvement activity through its established quarterly governance and scrutiny arrangements
during 2026/27.
List of appendices attached
• Appendix A – Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code: Annual Self-Assessment
2025/26
• Appendix B – Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report 2025/26
• Appendix C – Member Responsible for Housing HRA Governing Body response
• Appendix D – Corporate Complaints Procedure
List of Background Papers
• Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
Appendix A: Self-assessment form
This self-assessment form should be completed by the complaints officer and it must be reviewed and approved by the landlord’s
governing body at least annually.
Once approved, landlords must publish the self-assessment as part of the annual complaints performance and service
improvement report on their website. The governing body’s response to the report must be published alongside this.
Landlords are required to complete the self-assessment in full and support all statements with evidence, with additional
commentary as necessary.
We recognise that there may be a small number of circumstances where landlords are unable to meet the requirements, for
example, if they do not have a website. In these circumstances, we expect landlords to deliver the intentions of the Code in an
alternative way, for example by publishing information in a public area so that it is easily accessible.
Section 1: Definition of a complaint
Code
provision Code requirement Comply:
Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation
1.2
A complaint must be defined 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.’
Yes
This definition is included under
Section 1 of the Corporate
complaints Procedure which can
be accessed
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
This precise wording is
used in Hillingdon Council’s
Corporate Complaints
Policy and Procedure
1.3
A resident does not have to use the
word ‘complaint’ for it to be treated as
such. Whenever a resident expresses
dissatisfaction landlords must give
them the choice to make complaint. A
complaint that is submitted via a third
party or representative must be
handled in line with the landlord’s
complaints policy.
Yes
Presentations were delivered
virtually to all staff involved in the
handling of complaints that the
word “complaint” did not need to
be used for us to progress by way
of a complaint. Complaint
handling Masterclasses are
delivered four times a year for all
staff that handle complaints and
this message is re-iterated in
each class. This is also stated
under Section 2 of the Corporate
complaints procedure under “The
Corporate complaints procedure”
Every resident is given the
option to make a complaint
when they express
dissatisfaction.
1.4
Landlords must recognise the
difference between a service request
and a complaint. This must be set out
Yes
The definition of a Service
Request and complaint is
included under Section 2 of the
The Council makes a
distinction between a
in their complaints policy. A service
request is a request from a resident to
the landlord requiring action to be
taken to put something right. Service
requests are not complaints, but must
be recorded, monitored and reviewed
regularly.
Corporate complaints procedure.
Service requests are logged,
monitored and processed in the
same way as complaints and
using the same system. Officers
in the complaints team have
oversight on whether a service
request has been responded to or
not and will chase Officers where
necessary.
service request and a
complaint.
1.5
A complaint must be raised when the
resident expresses dissatisfaction with
the response to their service request,
even if the handling of the service
request remains ongoing. Landlords
must not stop their efforts to address
the service request if the resident
complains.
Yes
This is part of the Council’s
Corporate complaints procedure
and is set out under Section 2
which can be accessed at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
1.6
An expression of dissatisfaction with
services made through a survey is not
defined as a complaint, though
wherever possible, the person
completing the survey should be made
aware of how they can pursue a
complaint if they wish to. Where
landlords ask for wider feedback about
their services, they also must provide
details of how residents can complain.
Yes
We will advise someone
responding to a survey where
and how they can submit a
complaint.
The Council recognises that
survey responses may
contain a ‘complaint’. We
ensure that appropriate
signposting to the
complaints service takes
place, and we raise
awareness of how to
complain while conducting
surveys.
Section 2: Exclusions
Code
provision Code requirement Comply:
Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation
2.1
Landlords must accept a complaint
unless there is a valid reason not to do
so. If landlords decide not to accept a
complaint they must be able to
evidence their reasoning. Each
complaint must be considered on its
own merits
Yes
This is included in the Council’s
Corporate complaints procedure
under Section 1 – “Who can
complain” and “What can people
complain about”.
The Corporate complaints
policy includes the following
text “If we do not intend to
progress your complaint, we
will inform you of this in
writing, tell you why we will
not progress your complaint
and give you the contact
details of the Ombudsman
to whom you may escalate
your complaint to for
independent review.”
2.2
A complaints policy must set out the
circumstances in which a matter will
not be considered as a complaint or
escalated, and these circumstances
must be fair and reasonable to
residents. Acceptable exclusions
include:
• The issue giving rise to the
complaint occurred over twelve
months ago.
• Legal proceedings have started.
This is defined as details of the
Yes
This is included in the Corporate
complaints procedure under
Section 1 (What can people
complain about and Who can
complain) which can be located
at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
The Corporate complaints
policy sets those complaints
we will not progress and
this is set out under Section
1 “Who can complain” and
“What can people complain
about”. This includes issues
over 12 months old, legal
proceedings, matters
already considered.
claim, such as the Claim Form and
Particulars of Claim, having been
filed at court.
• Matters that have previously been
considered under the complaints
policy.
2.3
Landlords must accept complaints
referred to them within 12 months of
the issue occurring or the resident
becoming aware of the issue, unless
they are excluded on other grounds.
Landlords must consider whether to
apply discretion to accept complaints
made outside this time limit where
there are good reasons to do so.
Yes
This is contained within the
Corporate complaints procedure
under Section 1 – “Who can
complain” which can be found on
the following web page:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
It states within our policy
that “The Council will accept
complaints received within
12 months of the
issue/incident complained
of and within 12 months
when you became aware of
the issue. Complaints made
after this time limit may still
be accepted if there are
good reasons for the delay
in submitting.” If we are
unable to accept the
complaint, we will notify the
resident and explain clearly
our reasoning for this,
referring to the Complaints
Procedure where
necessary.
2.4 If a landlord decides not to accept a
complaint, an explanation must be Yes This is included within the
Corporate complaint's procedure
A written communication is
always sent if a complaint is
provided to the resident setting out the
reasons why the matter is not suitable
for the complaints process and the
right to take that decision to the
Ombudsman. If the Ombudsman does
not agree that the exclusion has been
fairly applied, the Ombudsman may tell
the landlord to take on the complaint.
under Section 1- under “Who can
complain” and “What people can
complaint about” which can be
found on the following web page:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
not accepted setting out our
reasons for not progressing
the complaint and the
contact details of the
relevant Ombudsman for
independent review.
2.5
Landlords must not take a blanket
approach to excluding complaints; they
must consider the individual
circumstances of each complaint.
Each complaint is assessed on its
own individual circumstances.
Officers are required to consider
the merits of each case before
deciding whether a complaint can
be accepted or excluded under
the policy.
Officers ensure they speak
to residents who want to
complain, to fully
understand the
circumstances and agree
what will be investigated.
Section 3: Accessibility and Awareness
Code
provision Code requirement Comply:
Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation
3.1
Landlords must make it easy for
residents to complain by providing
different channels through which they
can make a complaint. Landlords must
consider their duties under the Equality
Act 2010 and anticipate the needs and
reasonable adjustments of residents
who may need to access the
complaints process.
Yes
This is set out within Section 1 of
the Corporate complaints
procedure (How can People
complain) which can be found on
the following web page:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
Complaints can be made in
person, by telephone, in
writing, or via our website.
All requests for reasonable
adjustment(s) are
considered on their merit
and we keep a log of all
reasonable adjustments
requested and our
response to each request.
3.2
Residents must be able to raise their
complaints in any way and with any
member of staff. All staff must be
aware of the complaints process and
be able to pass details of the complaint
to the appropriate person within the
landlord.
Yes
The Corporate complaints
procedure sets out the options
open to residents to submit a
complaint. For staff there is the
staff portal (SharePoint) where
information is available on the
handling of complaints and it sets
out what they need to do and who
to contact when a communication
is received that needs to be
processed as a complaint.
Online training sessions
have been delivered for
staff dealing with complaints
on 29 April and 5 May 2026
which were attended by
over 200 staff. A recording
was made of the session on
29 April and is available for
staff to view at any time.
3.3
High volumes of complaints must not
be seen as a negative, as they can be
indicative of a well-publicised and
accessible complaints process. Low
complaint volumes are potentially a
sign that residents are unable to
complain.
Yes
Volumes of complaints has risen
significantly, and this information
is available in the Annual
Complaint and Service Monitoring
report which is published on the
following web page:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
1,416 Stage 1 complaints
and 337 Stage 2 complaints
were recorded for 2024/25
and this rose to 2,335
Stage 1 complaints and 596
Stage 2 complaints for
2025/26. Data is
benchmarked and shared
with the Tenant Special
Interest Group. We
recognise that high volumes
of complaints are positive
and used to improve our
services.
3.4
Landlords must make their complaint
policy available in a clear and
accessible format for all residents. This
will detail the two stage process, what
will happen at each stage, and the
timeframes for responding. The policy
Yes
Published on our website and it
sets out the 2 Stage Corporate
complaints procedure –
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
We also publish information on
how to complain in our e
newsletter.
We have been meeting with
residents in the Special
Interests Groups to discuss
how else to advertise. We
are exploring other options
such as including complaint
details on Council Tax
must also be published on the
landlord’s website.
demands and rent
statements.
3.5
The policy must explain how the
landlord will publicise details of the
complaints policy, including information
about the Ombudsman and this Code.
Yes
The Corporate complaints policy
is published on our website and
advertised in our E-newsletter.
The policy contains information
about how to submit a complaint;
the contact details of the
Ombudsmen and the Complaint
Handling Codes are also
published on our web page at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
3.6
Landlords must give residents the
opportunity to have a representative
deal with their complaint on their
behalf, and to be represented or
accompanied at any meeting with the
landlord.
Yes
The Corporate complaints
procedure sets this out under
Section 1, which can be found at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
The policy states that “The
Council will also accept
complaints by an advocate
on behalf of a resident, with
appropriate consent.”
3.7
Landlords must provide residents with
information on their right to access the
Ombudsman service and how the
individual can engage with the
Ombudsman about their complaint.
Yes
When we write to a complainant
and for example decline to
progress their complaint, we will
always provide them with the
contact details of the relevant
Ombudsman. This approach is
part of the Corporate complaint's
procedure which can be found at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
The contact details of the
Local Government and
Social Care Ombudsman
and the Housing
Ombudsman Service is
included in the Corporate
complaints procedure.
Section 4: Complaint Handling Staff
Code
provision Code requirement Comply:
Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation
4.1
Landlords must have a person or team
assigned to take responsibility for
complaint handling, including liaison
with the Ombudsman and ensuring
complaints are reported to the
governing body (or equivalent). This
Code will refer to that person or team
as the ‘complaints officer’. This role
may be in addition to other duties.
Yes
There is a dedicated centralised
Complaint and Members Enquiry
Team that is responsible for
processing all complaints, service
requests and enquiries from the
Ombudsmen.
The annual complaint and service
monitoring report is put before the
Corporate Resources and
Infrastructure Select Committee
for scrutiny and then published on
the complaints page, which can
be found at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
We have a corporate
complaint handling team
and a complaint manager
responsible for processing
complaints and providing
advice and guidance to
staff/complainants. The
annual complaint and
service improvement report
is provided for the
Corporate Resources and
Infrastructure Select
Committee. The report
contains information about
complaints, compliments
and Members Enquiries
submitted.
4.2
The complaints officer must have
access to staff at all levels to facilitate
the prompt resolution of complaints.
They must also have the authority and
autonomy to act to resolve disputes
promptly and fairly.
Yes
A centralised complaint team is
responsible for engaging with
staff at all levels and where there
are issues, they have access to
senior managers for support and
resolution.
We have a centralised
complaint handling team
that is responsible for
processing complaints,
providing advice and
guidance, delivering training
sessions for officers across
the Council and in attending
management meetings to
provide information and
advice on the handling of
complaints. Where there are
disputes the Business
Manager for Complaints
and Enquiries will step in
and take control of the
situation.
4.3
Landlords are expected to prioritise
complaint handling and a culture of
learning from complaints. All relevant
staff must be suitably trained in the
importance of complaint handling. It is
important that complaints are seen as
a core service and must be resourced
to handle complaints effectively
Yes
A centralised complaint team is in
place, where staff have been
trained to process complaints,
with all staff having worked in the
team for over 8+ years. The
complaint portal has categories to
capture learning, and this is
reported on in the annual
complaint and service
improvement report, which can
be accessed at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
The complaint team has
received training from an
Officer from the Local
Government and Social
Care Ombudsman on
handling complaints
including offers of
compensation. The
Business Manager for
Complaints and Enquiries
run 4 masterclasses in
handling complaints a year
and also delivered online
complaint handling training
to over 200 staff across the
Council. Training delivered
during preparation of the
2025/26 assessment and
ahead of 2026/27
implementation.
Section 5: The Complaint Handling Process
Code
provision Code requirement Comply:
Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation
5.1
Landlords must have a single
policy in place for dealing with
complaints covered by this Code.
Residents must not be treated
differently if they complain.
Yes
The Corporate complaints
procedure is the policy that we
use, and it can be accessed at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
Under Section 1 of the Corporate
complaints procedure, it states
that: “We will carry out enquiries
fairly, deal with your complaint as
quickly and effectively as we can
while maintaining confidentiality
and keeping you informed of
progress. We want to reassure
you that the service you get will
not be affected if you raise
concerns or make a complaint.”
5.2
The early and local resolution of
issues between landlords and
residents is key to effective
complaint handling. It is not
appropriate to have extra named
stages (such as ‘stage 0’ or
‘informal complaint’) as this
causes unnecessary confusion.
Yes
The Corporate complaint
procedure sets out our two-stage
complaint procedure which
complies with the requirements
set out in the Complaint Handling
Codes. This policy is published
on the following web page:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
The Council will always attempt
to resolve issues early on in the
process and give residents an
opportunity to withdraw a
complaint if they are satisfied
with the outcome.
5.3
A process with more than two
stages is not acceptable under
any circumstances as this will
make the complaint process
unduly long and delay access to
the Ombudsman.
Yes
The Corporate complaint
procedure sets out our 2 Stage
complaint process, which can be
found at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
5.4
Where a landlord’s complaint
response is handled by a third
party (e.g. a contractor or
independent adjudicator) at any
stage, it must form part of the two
stage complaints process set out
in this Code. Residents must not
be expected to go through two
complaints processes.
Yes
The Council will investigate and
respond to complaints, even if it
relates to a service provided by
one of our contractors. As part of
this commitment, we carry out
monthly contractor review
meetings. These cover KPIs,
complaints received in the last
month, any procedural and
invoicing issues from either side,
and other topics as required.
Monthly reports are sent to senior
management, which include
complaint stats and a Lessons
Learned summaries. Quarterly
complaints reporting go to HRA
Operational Group to be
reviewed by Corporate Director.
5.5
Landlords are responsible for
ensuring that any third parties
handle complaints in line with the
Code.
Yes
The Council will investigate and
respond to complaints, even if it
relates to a service provided by
one of our contractors. As part of
our investigation, we will contact
our contractor for their response
to various aspects of the
complaint. The Contracts
Manager regularly reviews
performance of each contractor in
monthly meetings.
We will process complaints in
accordance with the Corporate
Complaints Procedure.
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
Where input is required from a
third party, we will ensure we
liaise with them directly for any
evidence needed for the
complaint investigation.
5.6 When a complaint is logged at
Stage 1 or escalated to Stage 2, Yes Within the acknowledgment we
send to a complainant it will
We will acknowledge receipt
within 5 working days and inform
landlords must set out their
understanding of the complaint
and the outcomes the resident is
seeking. The Code will refer to this
as “the complaint definition”. If any
aspect of the complaint is unclear,
the resident must be asked for
clarification.
contain a summary of our
understanding of the complaint
and what they want by way of a
resolution. This will also be
summarised in the complaint
responses that we issue at
Stages 1 and 2 of the Corporate
complaints procedure.
the complainant of the reference
number, who will be
investigating, when they can
expect a response to be sent to
them, set out details of their
complaint, etc. If anything is
unclear, we will always ask for
clarification before beginning the
investigation.
5.7
When a complaint is
acknowledged at either stage,
landlords must be clear which
aspects of the complaint they are,
and are not, responsible for and
clarify any areas where this is not
clear.
Yes
This is set out under Stages 1
and 2 of the Corporate
complaints procedure which can
be found at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
We will set out in our
acknowledgment our
understanding of the complaint
and what we understand the
complainant is seeking by way of
a resolution. As part of the
triaging of complaints,
acknowledgement responses will
confirm which aspects of the
complaint will be considered and
which we will not be progressing
and the reason why.
5.8
At each stage of the complaints
process, complaint handlers
must:
a. deal with complaints on
their merits, act independently,
and have an open mind;
b. give the resident a fair
chance to set out their
position;
Yes
This is set out within the policy
statement in the Corporate
complaints procedure which can
be accessed at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
c. take measures to address
any actual or perceived conflict
of interest; and
d. consider all relevant
information and evidence
carefully.
5.9
Where a response to a complaint
will fall outside the timescales set
out in this Code, the landlord must
agree with the resident suitable
intervals for keeping them
informed about their complaint.
Yes
This is set out in the Corporate
complaints procedure which can
be found at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
Within the Corporate complaints
procedure under Stages 1 and 2
it states that: “If this is not
possible, we will write to you and
let you know if more time is
needed, the reason why more
time is needed, the estimated
time it will take to provide a full
response and the contact details
of the relevant ombudsman. Any
extension will not be more than
10 working days without good
reason. If this is the case, and
we are unable to respond within
the extended timeframe, we will
agree with you how and when we
will keep you updated on the
progress of your complaint.”
5.10
Landlords must make reasonable
adjustments for residents where
appropriate under the Equality Act
2010. Landlords must keep a
Yes
A log is kept by the Complaint
and Members Enquiries team of
any reasonable adjustments
The log is reviewed at quarterly
intervals by the Business
Manager for Complaints and
Enquiries.
record of any reasonable
adjustments agreed, as well as a
record of any disabilities a
resident has disclosed. Any
agreed reasonable adjustments
must be kept under active
review.
requested and the outcome of
that request.
5.11
Landlords must not refuse to
escalate a complaint through all
stages of the complaints
procedure unless it has valid
reasons to do so. Landlords must
clearly set out these reasons, and
they must comply with the
provisions set out in section 2 of
this Code.
Yes
The Corporate complaints
procedure sets out our two-stage
complaint procedure which all
complaints will go through.
5.12
A full record must be kept of the
complaint, and the outcomes at
each stage. This must include the
original complaint and the date
received, all correspondence with
the resident, correspondence with
other parties, and any relevant
supporting documentation such as
reports or surveys.
Yes
All complaint data is stored on
our complaint portal called Jadu
including pictures, surveys,
reports, emails, correspondence,
etc
We also hold historic complaint
data on systems we have used in
the past called Onyx and GOSS.
5.13
Landlords must have processes in
place to ensure a complaint can
be remedied at any stage of its
complaints process. Landlords
Yes
Our aim is to resolve a complaint,
where we can, either by way of a
Service Request or the complaint
stages. This is set out in the
Under section 1 of the Corporate
complaints procedure (Remedies
for redress) it sets out the
remedies we provide and this is
must ensure appropriate remedies
can be provided at any stage of
the complaints process without the
need for escalation.
Corporate complaint procedure
which can be accessed at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
offered at any stage of the
complaint procedure.
5.14
Landlords must have policies and
procedures in place for managing
unacceptable behaviour from
residents and/or their
representatives. Landlords must
be able to evidence reasons for
putting any restrictions in place
and must keep restrictions under
regular review.
Yes
The Council’s “Unreasonable or
Unreasonably Persistent
complainants” policy is published
at:
Complaint procedures | Hillingdon
Council
This policy is also referred to
under Section 1 of the Corporate
complaints procedure which can
be found at
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
5.15
Any restrictions placed on contact
due to unacceptable behaviour
must be proportionate and
demonstrate regard for the
provisions of the Equality Act
2010.
Yes
We are required to follow the
“Unreasonable or Unreasonably
Persistent Complainants” Policy
which is published at:
Complaint procedures | Hillingdon
Council
The ‘Unreasonable or
Unreasonably Persistent
Complainants Policy” is followed
when someone is placed on the
Restricted Persons Register
(RPR). Where someone is
placed on the RPR we will write
to them and inform them why
they have been placed on the
RPR, for how long, the appeal
procedure, etc.
Section 6: Complaints Stages
Stage 1
Code
provision Code requirement Comply:
Yes / No Evidence Commentary / explanation
6.1
Landlords must have processes in
place to consider which complaints
can be responded to as early as
possible, and which require further
investigation. Landlords must consider
factors such as the complexity of the
complaint and whether the resident is
vulnerable or at risk. Most stage 1
complaints can be resolved promptly,
and an explanation, apology or
resolution provided to the resident.
Yes
The Corporate complaints
procedure sets this out and this
policy can be accessed at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
Cases involving
vulnerability, safeguarding
concerns, risk of
homelessness, health
impacts or serious detriment
are prioritised. In such
cases, an email will be sent
to the Head of
Service/Director/Corporate
Director by the Complaint
and Members Enquiry Team
for the investigation to be
expedited as a matter of
priority.
6.2
Complaints must be acknowledged,
defined and logged at stage 1 of the
complaints procedure within five
working days of the complaint
being received.
Yes
The Corporate Complaints Team
actively track all complaints
received using our Complaints
system (JADU), and ensure these
are acknowledged within five
working days.
6.3
Landlords must issue a full response
to stage 1 complaints within 10
working days of the complaint being
acknowledged.
Yes
Each team tracks and monitors
all their complaints. Weekly
Complaint review meetings are
carried out to ensure officers
Team performance against
compliance is monitored on
a quarterly basis. Where
repeat issues of compliance
remain on track. Reports are
provided at the end of each
Quarter to monitor compliance
and performance.
are identified, further training
is provided and escalated if
necessary, using internal
policies and procedures.
6.4
Landlords must decide whether an
extension to this timescale is needed
when considering the complexity of
the complaint and then inform the
resident of the expected timescale for
response. Any extension must be no
more than 10 working days without
good reason, and the reason(s) must
be clearly explained to the resident.
Yes
The Corporate complaints
procedure sets this out and it can
be accessed at:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk/complaints
This is set out under Section
2 of the Corporate
complaints procedure which
states: “Any extension will
not be more than 10 working
days without good reason. If
this is the case, and we are
unable to respond within the
extended timeframe, we will
agree with you how and
when we will keep you
updated on the progress of
your complaint.”
6.5
When an organisation i
View Decision / Minutes Text
Executive Decision Notice – 28 September 2026 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE DECISION NOTICE PUBLISHED BY DEMOCRATIC SERVICES Notice is hereby given that the following decision(s) have been made today by Cabinet Members at the London Borough of Hillingdon: Title of decision Annual Self -Assessment and Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report (2025/26) Reference No. 2026/1807 Date of decision Monday 28 September 2026 Call-in expiry date Monday 5 October 2026 Relevant Select Committee Corporate Resources & Infrastructure Select Committee Relevant Wards All Wards Decision made Cabinet Members making the decision Councillor Nick Denys, Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property Decision Agreed That the Cabinet Member for Planning, Housing & Property: 1) Approves the Council’s 2025/26 Annual Self - Assessment against the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, attached at Appendix A to this report. 2) Approves the Council’s Annual Review of Complaint Handling Report, attached as Appendix B to this report. 3) Approves the Member Responsible for Housing HRA Governing Body Response attached as Appendix C to this report. 4) Notes the Corporate Complaints Procedure is to be submitted to the Ombudsman as part of the submission, attached as Appendix D to this report. 5) Notes the Annual Housing Complaints and Service Improvement Report 2025/26, including the self - assessment, Governing Body Response and Corporate Complaints Procedure will be published on the Council’s complaints webpage in accordance with the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code. Reason for decision The Cabinet Member noted that the Housing Ombudsman’s Executive Decision Notice – 28 September 2026 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Complaint Handling Code requires landlords to undertake an annual self-assessment to ensure that complaints policies and procedures remain compliant with the requirements of the Code. The self -assessment confirmed compliance across all nine sections of the Code and reflected improvements made to the Council’s complaints arrangements during 2025/26 and 2026, including revisions to the Corporate Complaints Procedure and the delivery of further staff training. The recommendations were approved as they provided formal oversight of the Council’s annual self -assessment, enabled the Council to demonstrate compliance with the Complaint Handling Code, and ensured that the self -assessment could be published alongside the annual complaints performance and service improvement report, the Governing Body Response and the Corporate Complaints Procedure in accordance with the Code’s transparency and reporting requirements. Alternative options considered and rejected The option to defer approval of the annual self -assessment was considered but rejected as no matters were identified that warranted further review and a delay would have postponed formal approval and publication. The option of taking no action was rejected as it would have risked non - compliance with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code and its requirements for annual assessment, reporting and publication. The option to cease the activity was not considered appropriate given the Council’s ongoing regulatory obligations to maintain effective complaints arrangements and demonstrate compliance with the Code. Classification Part I – Public Link to associated report Here Relevant Officer contact & Directorate Shaheen Mahtabuddin, Head of Service Improvement Any interest declared by the Cabinet Member(s) / dispensation granted N/A Implementation of decision & scrutiny call-in [Internal Use only] When can this decision be implemented by officers? Officers can implement Cabinet Member decision in this notice only from the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is: 5pm on Monday 5 October 2026 However, this is subject to the decision not being called in by Councillors on the relevant Select Committee. Upon receipt of a valid call-in request, Democratic Services will immediately advise the relevant officer(s) and the decision must then be put on hold. Executive Decision Notice – 28 September 2026 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Councillor scrutiny call-in of this decision Councillors on the relevant Select Committee shown in this notice may request to call-in this decision. The request must be before the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period above. Councillors should use the Scrutiny Call-in App (link below) on their devices to initiate any call-in request. Further advice can be sought from Democratic Services if required: Scrutiny Call-In - Power Apps (secure) Executive Decision Notice – 28 September 2026 This notice is a public document also available to view on the Council's website www.hillingdon.gov.uk Further information These decisions, where applicable, have been taken under The Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. This is the formal notice by the Council of the above executive decision, including links to the reports where applicable. If you would like more information on this decision, please contact Democratic Services on 01895 250636 or email: democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk. Circulation of this decision notice is to a variety of people including Members of the Council, Corporate Directors, Officers, Group Secretariats and the Public. Copies are also placed on the Council’s website. Democratic Services London Borough of Hillingdon Civic Centre High Street Uxbridge UB8 1UW