Customer Complaints Panel: A driving force for positive change

We are celebrating the impact of our Customer Complaints Panel over the past year.

With six dedicated tenant members, they’ve played a pivotal role in shaping our approach to complaint handling, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

By actively participating in bi-monthly meetings (both face-to-face and virtual), the panel scrutinise data and carry out quality checks. This helps to identify themes and drive improvements.

Their insights influence critical decisions along with confirming that our complaint handling aligns with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.

Beyond this, panel members engage in tasks from their homes and share information during wider meetings, amplifying tenant perspectives.

Over the last 12 months, key achievements for the group include:

• Compliance with the Housing Ombudsman Code: The panel actively provide consultation feedback to the Housing Ombudsman, learning of industry standards.
• Board member responsibility: Based on the panel’s recommendation, our Homes Board appointed a dedicated member responsible for overseeing complaints—a positive step toward enhanced accountability.
• Self-assessment: The panel’s scrutiny of our self-assessment against the new statutory 2024 Complaint Handling Code demonstrates best practice and robust evaluation.
• Industry learning: One panel member actively participated in the Housing Ombudsman tenant meeting, sharing valuable insights into our complaint management practices. This collaboration strengthens industry-wide learning.

Becky Johns, Customer Experience Manager said: “It’s great that the panel view complaints as opportunities for growth and a chance to enhance services for all tenants.

“They serve as our voice in consultation with the Housing Ombudsman, using their tenant perspective to analyse determinations received and lessons learnt to ensure we always keep tenants needs as the main focus.

“This shows their importance to our organisation and that their influence is undeniable, fostering robust debates and driving positive change.

“I’d like to thank them on behalf of everyone at Ongo for their hard work over the last year, and we look forward to seeing the impact they have going forward.”

Paul Donnelly, a new member of the panel, said: “The meetings that I’ve attended and the work I’ve been involved with so far have been really enlightening. I’ve learnt a lot about the service, have the opportunity to ask questions, we are able to influence local and national matters and it’s a perfect way to be a part of change for the better.

“Being involved with the panel helps to give something back to the community and helping Ongo develop with tenant-led views.”

If you’re a tenant and would like to get involved in the group, head to www.ongo.co.uk/complaints-monitoring-panel or the My Home app.