Satisfaction in
our services
An important part of our work is to make sure we consistently deliver excellent, reliable and quality services.
Responding to complaints
The complaints we receive give us an opportunity to listen
and learn from our mistakes to improve the services we
provide you.
We encourage customers to raise a formal complaint so that we can work through any important issues with you step by step. Our complaints service has progressed to make it easier for customers to raise an issue if something has gone wrong, then we work with you in a joined-up way to put things right.
We have a detailed webpage which outlines our complaints process for customers, and we strongly encourage you to
get in contact if you have a complaint about our services
This year’s customer complaints included:
- 878 formal complaints (62% relate to repairs and maintenance and 30% relate to housing)
- 1,158 fast track complaints resolved without any formal complaints process
- We sent out 87.5% of responses to complaints on time
- 31 complaints investigated by the Housing Ombudsman, with determinations of 36 adverse findings and 22 with no adverse findings in these cases
- 47 orders and 22 recommendations issued by the
Housing Ombudsman - Two findings of severe maladministration published about one case, related to flooring in a customer’s home and the way in which we handled the complaint. We apologised to the customer and paid compensation, addressed all the issues in the home, and made changes to improve our lettings process and complaints procedures as a result.
What you said
Below is a small selection of the many compliments we have received via our contact centre, website, social media and
in-person over the past year.
“I wanted to send a compliment to the entire Contact Centre team as they always go above and beyond whenever I call them. Nothing is ever too much trouble, and they deserve recognition.”
For more information including; complaints and compliments, tenant satisfaction measures and maintaining top governance
and viability ratings, click here.
Involved customer groups: Customer Overview Group (COG)
An update from the Customer Overview Group.
Karen Gregory, Chair of COG:
“We started off the year on a high with the Tpas accreditation. A group of our involved customers, including myself and the Head of Customer voice were invited to speak at Tpas’ National Engagement Conference in July 2023. We presented at two sessions around our accreditation process and the other on Aster’s Customer Voice approach. We had a brilliant two days.
"Westminster Insight’s Tenant Engagement Conference in Manchester invited some of our involved customers to speak at the event in December, where we were again able to explain and share Aster’s approach to involved customers and the importance of the customer engagement process.
"This year we continued to ensure Aster’s services are customer focused.
Some of the policies COG approved this year are:
- Service Charges
- Repairs and Maintenance
- Condensation, Damp & Mould
- Aids and Adaptations
- Compensation
- Customer Voice.
"Some of the areas we have reviewed and discussed are procurement, contract management, safety and compliance and service charges. We also receive updates around housing services, repairs and maintenance, complaints and customer voice at each of our quarterly meetings.
"Before customer service polices are published the Customer Overview Group review and approve them. During that process we ensure that the feedback from the customer consultation, that happens with all customer service policy reviews, has been acted on by Aster.
"The group enjoys being a critical friend to Aster to make
sure they keep customers at the heart of their services.”
For more information including; complaints and compliments, tenant satisfaction measures and maintaining top governance
and viability ratings, click here.
Involved customer groups: Customer & Communities Network (CCN)
An update from the Customer & Communities Network..
Judith Pamely, customer member of CCN:
“The role of the CCN is to make sure that Aster puts the customer central to their decision making, oversee
the delivery of services and monitor the impact on
communities. We bring our lived experience as customers
to the discussions and the professionalism on both sides
has led to a level of trust which enables sensitive areas
to be discussed in a constructive way. We review the
achievements of customers and employees.
"We have worked to strengthen the links with the other customer groups and share a good awareness of their activities, and they have a good awareness of CCN
activities so we can combine our learning and understanding for the good of all customers.”
Services CCN considered and gained assurances
on this year have included:
- Customer services modernisation programme
- Homes (Stock) Condition Survey and 30-year investment plan
- Quality of home, quality of service and customer satisfaction
- Complaints learning
- Risk and compliance
- Diversity and inclusion.
Involved customer groups: Customer Scrutiny Panel (CSP)
An update from the Customer Scrutiny Panel.
David Conroy, Vice-Chair of the CSP:
“The CSP is a group of independent customers who review areas of the business from a customer perspective. Following our reviews, which are sometimes in-depth, we write a report that includes recommendations for Group leadership teams to consider.
"This year we have reviewed the electrical testing service provided by Aster. We captured customer feedback from some of those that had recently received a service. We felt that the service was being delivered very well by Aster and had no recommendations to improve it.
"We then undertook two task and finish exercises, which are quick check exercises as opposed to full scrutiny exercises.
"One was around the grounds maintenance service delivered at a particular scheme, another around service charge statements that are sent to a large proportion of Aster customers every year. The recommendations that were made during these exercises were accepted and implemented by Aster.
"We started our next scrutiny project, which is around customer communications related to Aster’s customer voice service and we look forward to sharing the outcomes in next year’s customer annual report. Our work is very much appreciated by Aster, and our recommendations are accepted and implemented for the most part. When they
are not, Aster provides full reasoning as to why not.”
For more information including; complaints and compliments, tenant satisfaction measures and maintaining top governance
and viability ratings, click here.
Involved customer groups: Designated Complaints Panel (DCP)
An update from the Designated Complaints Panel.
Lisa Penington and Len Arthur, Chair and Vice-Chair of the DCP:
“Our role on the DCP is to review a customer’s complaint
after they have been through Aster’s complaints process
if the customer has requested a review from us. We are independent from Aster so we provide an impartial view
and can make recommendations to resolve the individual complaint, and to improve services to avoid similar
scenarios occurring in future.
"We have been able to reach a satisfactory resolution on
a number of cases, and around 60% of the complaints we review do not get escalated to the Housing Ombudsman.
Of those that did get escalated, our decisions and recommendations were agreed with in most cases.
"We’re not here to judge – we aim to mediate and try, if possible, to resolve disputes. This past year our team has dealt with eleven cases.
The DCP recommendations made and put in
place included:
- The use of photo evidence – with our new complaints management process customers can now send in
photos that are immediately visible to Case Managers - The DCP identified that learning logs were not always completed by Case Managers, therefore missing the opportunity to learn from the complaint and prevent
repeat occurrences. The completion of learning logs
is now essential, and complaints cannot be closed
until a learning log is completed - In 6 of the 11 cases that the DCP reviewed, an increase
in compensation was awarded. Having discussions with customers to explain the outcome of the complaint and the level of compensation to be awarded and how this has been calculated now forms part of the complaints process - Lettings and Voids process – we now leave a hygrometer in all new re-lets for early intervention should the customer have any concerns regarding damp, condensation
and mould.
The panel has received extensive training over
the years. This year included:
- The Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
- Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
- Data Protection
- Unconscious Bias.
"We’ve heard everything from service charge disputes, to repair delays, condensation and mould, and ground maintenance issues. The reviews are often complex and deal with emotive issues.
"Numerous recommendations have been made to Aster; as an example, we recommended that customers should be warned when new service charges are to be applied. There should be more explanation of the workings of things like boilers for new occupants. We counted eighteen or nineteen service improvement recommendations this year, most of these have been accepted.
"Due to changes to the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, the DCP will no longer be able to review complaints as we have done previously. Our role will change, but we will continue to hold Aster to account around their complaint handling and learning.”
For more information including; complaints and compliments, tenant satisfaction measures and maintaining top governance
and viability ratings, click here.
Involved customer groups: Independent Living Group (ILG)
An update from the Independent Living Group.
Hazel Beresford-Moore, Chair of the ILG:
“The ILG are a group of customers that live in independent living homes and meet with Aster colleagues to discuss matters associated with the independent living service. We held one of our meetings at an extra care scheme in Devizes so that we could see one of the schemes that had recently been refurbished. In the last year we have had a number of guest speakers to our meetings to talk to us about important matters that affect customers.
"I enjoy being part of the ILG because I like helping people and enjoy all of the discussions the group has. When we come up with solutions that help residents, it is very satisfying. Our work has brought successes. Suggestions from the group have been listened to and we are looking forward to building on this especially for the sake of other independent living scheme resident customers.”
Subjects ILG customer members have learnt more about included:
- Tenancy sustainment and how Aster support their customers in this
- Aster Foundation and its work to improve mental and social wellbeing, and also volunteering opportunities that it offers
- Service charges
- Grounds maintenance
- Scheme refurbishments
- Independent living scheme cleaning
specification development.
