Complaints about service provided by Unipol

Unipol is responsive to the needs of our tenants and service users.  We welcome comments and complaints as a means of improving our service.  We might not always be able to change things in the way you want, but we'll handle your complaint with professionalism and courtesy, and provide an explanation of why we do what we do.   

Complaints must be received within 6 months of the end of the tenancy.

Parents/Guardians or representatives can complain on behalf of a tenant but Unipol must have written permission from the tenant at the time of raising the complaint (an email is sufficient).

 

FIRST

If you have a complaint, in the first instance, please discuss this with the member of staff who is working with you to try and resolve the matter.  In this instance the complaint can either be verbal or written.

 

SECOND

If this doesn't resolve the matter to your satisfaction or you're unhappy with the response you receive, or the complaint is about a member of staff and you'd like to raise it in confidence, then please submit a complaint in writing to the manager of the relevant service area, as listed below: 

Housing Management (NOT deposits)
Tom Hill, Operations Director  

T.Hill@unipol.org.uk

Housing Management  (Deposits Only)
Nikki Verity, Deputy Chief Executive

N.Verity@unipol.org.uk

Unipol Code and the Large Student Developments Codes
Victoria Tolmie-Loverseed, Director of Standards

V.Tolmie-Loverseed@Unipol.org.uk

Housing Hub Operations
Nicola Brown, Hub Services Director

N.Brown@unipol.org.uk

Finance
Elizabeth Smith, Director of Finance

E.Smith@unipol.org.uk

Property Refurbishments
Antony Vyse,  Development and Compliance Director

A.Vyse@unipol.org.uk

Communications and IT Services

Andrew Livesey, Communications and IT Director

A.Livesey@unipol.org.uk

If you are unsure who you should write to you can send the complaint to Nikki Verity, the Deputy Chief Executive (N.Verity@unipol.org.uk) who will ensure that it is given to the correct member of staff for action.

Your complaint should contain a clear statement of your concerns along with any supporting evidence and an explanation of how you'd like the complaint to be resolved.

Unipol will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to provide a substantive written response to your complaint within 10 working days of receiving it.  Where matters are complex, Unipol will write to the complainant within the 10 days explaining why a longer period of consideration is necessary, together with an anticipated time when a full response can be provided.

 

THIRD

If you feel that the complaint has not been resolved by the above manager, or if your complaint is about that manager, then you can complain to Sam Bailey-Watts, Chief Executive (s.bailey-watts@unipol.org.uk). Your complaint must be in writing.

The Chief Executive will aim to respond within 10 working days where possible.

If your complaint is specifically about the Chief Executive, then you can complain to The Chair of Unipol Student Homes, and this should be sent c/o the Chief Executive who will ensure that it is passed to the Chair.

If the complaint is about a member of staff please mark the correspondence "Private and Confidential".

Other options to complain:

Challenging a Deposit Deduction

Only family tenants currently pay a deposit.  If you've raised a complaint about deposit deductions directly with Unipol but feel the matter hasn't been resolved to your satisfaction, then you can lodge a dispute with the Dispute Service.  Information about the service, the procedure and the online form to lodge a dispute can be found at:

www.thedisputeservice.co.uk

You will need to quote your Tenancy Deposit Scheme tenant reference number.

Complaining under the Unipol Code or the National Code 

If you're a Unipol tenant and believe there's been a breach of the Unipol Code or the National Code of Standards, you can make a Code Complaint. 

First of all, you must have exhausted Unipol's internal complaints process.  

You can check which Code your property falls under and how to use the Code Complaints Process at:

Unipol Code for Shared Student Housing

National Code for Large Developments

You can contact the Code Complaints Investigator, Vic Peckitt, to discuss (v.peckitt@unipol.org.uk). 

Since Unipol is both a member of the codes and also the Administrator of the Codes, Unipol will ultimately pass on an unresolved complaint to be investigated by DASH (Decent and Safe Homes).  Further information about DASH can be found at www.dashservices.org.uk

Seeking Redress

If you are a tenant or ex-tenant of Unipol and wish to seek redress because it has not been possible to reach agreement through the Unipol procedure you are able to raise a complaint with The Property Ombudsman who will carry out their own investigation.  As part of The Property Ombudsman Code of Practice, Unipol are to comply with any award or direction made by the Ombudsman, if deemed appropriate following their investigation.

The contact details for the Ombudsman are:

The Property Ombudsman
Milford House
43-55 Milford Street
Salisbury
SP1 2BP
01722 333306
admin@tpos.co.uk

 

Exceptions:

Generally, complaints procedures cannot be used for matters:

• where the courts have already become involved
• where police action is pending or a criminal charge has been laid