Housing complaints to Gateshead Council will now be responded to in half the time, they have pledged.
Councillors gathered at Gateshead Civic Centre to vote on changes to the complaint procedures to streamline how quickly complaints are handled. The new process is now in line with newly updated guidance from the Housing Ombudsman Scheme.
The Housing Ombudsman investigates disputes between landlords and tenants. The response time has been cut as the council has moved to a two-step complaints procedure, instead of the old three-step process.
Read More: Council tenant satisfaction plummets by half to 44% in Gateshead
The council is now obliged to respond to a complaint within 10 days in writing. The response must include a decision on the complaint, the reasons for the decision, details for solutions, and how to escalate the issue for unsatisfied tenants.
A council report into the changes reads: “This proposal will reduce the bureaucratic process, halving the response time from 20 days to 10 days, and will streamline the procedure to the benefit of council tenants.”
Coun John Adams, cabinet member for housing said: “The national Ombudsman has concluded that a two-stage process is better for tenants so that tenants are not left waiting, otherwise we would be in breach.
“We just want to do whatever is best for tenants. We are happy to provide the best services for our tenants.”
Tenant satisfaction has proven a controversial issue for the local authority for several years.
The local democracy reporting service reported on May 16 that council house tenant satisfaction had plummeted to just 44%. A shocking fall from a 2015 high of 88.5%.
Tenants voiced their dissatisfaction with repairs, the council’s handling of anti-social behaviour, and the state of streets and roads.
Also, on March 16 2023, documents revealed there were 405 empty homes awaiting repair in Gateshead before they could be let to tenants. A number deemed by the council’s service director of repairs and building maintenance Ian McLackland as “far too many”.
The council targets now aims to reduce the number of empty homes awaiting repair to 150 by the end of August.
Read More:
Gateshead pensioner fighting eviction from childhood home insists he's going nowhere
Mould, damp and condensation reported in more than 1,000 of Gateshead's council houses
Gateshead resident fed up of 'depressing and disgusting' mud problem in Leam Lane street
'Far too many' empty council homes waiting or undergoing repairs in Gateshead
Gateshead woman 'infuriated' after waiting 16 weeks for council roof repair
