Complaint in relation to Sunderland Council Housing Service

Sunderland City Council are a registered provider of social housing. Sunderland Council Housing Service manage a number of affordable homes throughout Sunderland. Our aim is to provide housing in the city for those in housing need

As a provider of social housing Sunderland Council Housing Service are open and transparent about how we operate, and the service we deliver.

Full details of the Housing Complaints Procedure can be found at Sunderland Council Housing Service - Sunderland City Council.

If you have any queries relating to safety in your home, please contact us by emailing building@sunderland.gov.uk

Who to contact

We are pleased to hear from anyone who has comments or complaints about our services as these help us to plan and improve our services.

Tel: 0191 561 2715 (0191 520 5552 if outside of normal office hours)
Email:  sunderlandhousingservice@sunderland.gov.uk

Write: Housing Management Service City Hall, Plater Way, Sunderland, SR1 3AA

Complaint Stages

Initial consideration will be given as to whether the issue being raised is a service request that can be handled in line with normal service delivery processes, or whether the issue is a complaint that should be logged at stage 1. The aim is to take the opportunity to resolve matters to a customer's satisfaction before they become a complaint.

Stage one

Complaints will be acknowledged within 5 working days of the complaint being received.  If any aspect of the complaint is unclear, the resident will be asked for clarification.  We will also clarify if there are any aspects of the complaint that we are not responsible for.  A full response will be issued to stage 1 complaints within 10 working days of the complaint being acknowledged. If an extension to this timescale is required due to the complexity of the complaint, we will inform you of the expected timescale. 

Stage two

If a person is unhappy with the response to the stage 1 complaint, they can progress the complaint to stage 2.

Requests for stage 2 will be acknowledged within 5 working days of the escalation request being received.  A full response will be issued to stage 2 complaints within 20 working days of the complaint being acknowledged. If an extension to this timescale is required due to the complexity of the complaint, we will inform you of the expected timescale. 

Housing Ombudsman

Stage 2 is the council's final response. Should a customer remain dissatisfied with the council's response they have the right to escalate their complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. 

Customers can contact the Housing Ombudsman at any time for advice and contact details are included below. 

Online form: online complaint form

Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk

You can find more information on the Housing Ombudsman's website https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/contact-us/

Other things you can do

If you prefer you can contact other people if you are unhappy with the service, for example one of your local Councillors, your MP or a solicitor.

Delay in making a complaint

It's important to make a complaint within 12 months of the incident. Complaints reported after 12 months become difficult to investigate and we will only do so if there are special circumstances surrounding the delay.

Help and support

You might want someone to help you to make your complaint. This person is called an advocate. An advocate does not investigate your complaint. There are a number of advocacy services available, and the Complaints Manager can offer help in signposting you to advocacy services.