Complaints and Compliments
We want to know what you think!
Good or bad, your feedback helps us to understand what we are doing well and where we need to improve. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to make a complaint so that we can look into it and resolve the issue. We'd also love to hear from you about what has gone well.
It is ok to complain.
We take all complaints seriously. When you make a complaint, we will investigate it fully and work with you to resolve your issue. We will handle your complaint in line the Housing Ombudsman Service's Complaints Handling Code. You can read the code here.
You can ask someone to help you make a complaint, or make a complaint on your behalf. As long as we have your permission, we can discuss and resolve your complaint with them.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of our own complaints process, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to carry out an independent review of your complaint. You can find out more about the process, below.
How to complain
There are lots of ways you make a complaint:
- Use the online form below
- Call us on 0333 012 4307
- Email us: customer.services@advanceuk.org
- Send a message through the MyAdvance online portal
- Write to us: ‘Customer Services Team’ at Advance, Unit 2, Centre Court, Meridian North, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1WR. Please include your contact details (name, phone number and address or email) so we can reply to you.
You can also complain to your Housing Officer or Support Worker.
Find out more about what will happen when you complain, below.
You can see our Complaints Policy here.
Comments and Compliments
If you have an idea, comment, or compliment about our service, we would love to hear about it. We will pass all comments and compliments to the relevant member of staff and their manager, and send you an acknowledgement within 1 working day.
Making a Complaint
We value your feedback, good or bad, because it helps us to improve our service. Don’t worry about making a complaint. Please remember that:
- It is OK to complain
- Complaints help us to make our services better
- We will listen to you and you will be taken seriously
- You and everyone involved in a complaint will be treated fairly
- You will not lose your service if you make a complaint
- We will not tell anyone about your complaint unless they are involved in looking into it
- You can ask a friend or family member to contact us if it makes it
When you make a complaint, we will acknowledge it within 5 working days.
Sometimes we will be able to resolve your complaint straight away, but sometimes we will need to investigate it. This will involve passing your complaint on to staff in the organisation to look into.
Complaints process: Stage One
Once we have acknowledged your complaint,
- We will investigate your complaint and respond to you within 10 working days. We will do this in writing, or in your preferred format and we will detail the findings of our investigation.
- This can be extended for another 10 working days if we need more time to investigate your complaint. If we do this we must let you know and tell you why it is taking longer.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of your complaint, you can ask us to look at it again at stage two of our complaints process.
Complaints process: Stage Two
If you would like to appeal the outcome of your complaint at Stage One:
- Contact us within 20 working days of receiving your stage one response, and let us know you wish to appeal our decision and why.
- We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days.
- We will investigate your complaint and respond to you within 20 working days.
- This can be extended for another 20 working days if we need more time to investigate your complaint. If we do this we must let you know and tell you why it is taking longer.
If you remain unhappy with the outcome at Stage Two, you have the right to take your complaint to the Ombudsman.
Complaints process: Contacting the Ombudsman
If you are unhappy with our response at Stage Two of our complaint process, you can contact an Ombudsman who will carry out an independent investigation of your complaint.
You can contact the Ombudsman at any time for advice and assistance, but they will usually only review your complaint once you have been through our two-stage process.
For complaints about Housing:
Housing Ombudsman Service
PO Box 152
Liverpool
L33 7WQ
Telephone: 0300 111 3000 (lines are open Monday to Friday from 9:15am to 5:15pm).
Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Visit the Housing Ombudsman website
For complaints about your Support provider:
The Local Government Ombudsman
PO Box 4771
Coventry
CV4 0EH
Telephone: 0300 061 0614 (lines are open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm).
Fill in an online form: www.lgo.org.uk/complaint-form