Complaints and feedback

If you are unhappy with how we've dealt with your complaint

If you are not satisfied after your complaint has been through all stages of the process, you can refer your complaint to:

When we respond to your complaint at stage two, we will include details of how to refer your complaint.

Councillor

Once your complaint has been through both stages of our complaints process, you can contact your local Councillor to ask for a review of your complaint.

This is called contacting a designated person. 

Find your find your local Councillor on the South Tyneside Council website. 

They will review your complaint and either:

  • make recommendations to South Tyneside Council Housing Services, or
  • refer your complaint the Housing Ombudsman Service

A designated person has no powers to enforce their recommendations, they can just refer a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service on a tenant's behalf.

Housing Ombudsman Service

The Housing Ombudsman Service is an independent body which deals with disputes between social landlords and their tenants.

You can contact them directly after eight weeks of receiving a response from us at stage two of the complaints process.

Or you can ask a designated person to refer you.

Contact: 

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

You can refer your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, if it is about the management of the:

  • Allocations and Lettings Policy, or
  • Anti-Social Behaviour Policy

Contact: 

Financial Ombudsman Service

The Financial Ombudsman Service settles complaints between consumers and businesses that provide financial services.

You can make a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service if your complaint is about debt advice that we have given you, and:

  • you are unhappy with our final response to your complaint, or
  • we have been investigating your complaint for eight weeks (30 working days) and haven't given a final response

Contact: 

  • Financial Ombudsman Service website
  • Telephone (ask for a call back if you are worried about the cost of a call) Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm
    • 0800 023 4567 (free on mobile phones and landlines)
    • 0300 123 9123 (costs no more than calls to 01 and 02 numbers
  • Text (to request a call back): 0786 002 7586
  • Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
  • Writing: The Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London, E14 9SR
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