1. Introduction

This Complaints Procedure outlines the steps residents of Ovington Court should follow to report and resolve concerns related to the Building Safety Act 2022. Our aim is to ensure a transparent, fair, and efficient process for addressing safety-related issues.

Complaints within this procedure must be relevant to building safety, either addressing: 

• Structural failure and spread of fire (building safety risks), or
• The performance of an Accountable Person.

These might be: 

• Issues that could lead to fire spreading;
• Issues that could prevent a safe and orderly evacuation in case of building safety emergencies;
• Issues that could lead to part of or all of the building collapsing;
• Issues with fire safety renovations.

Complaints will be dealt with impartially. In cases where the complaint concerns the performance of an Accountable Person, the complaint will be escalated to the directors of the Managing Agents.

4. Complaint Submission:

Residents can raise relevant complaints through the following methods:

Any personal data submitted as part of the complaint will be treated according to GDPR and subject to Jennings & Barrett's Privacy Policy.

5. Complaint Details:

‍To ensure a thorough investigation, residents should provide:

• Full name and contact details.
• Apartment number.
• Detailed description of the safety concern.
• Date and time of the incident or when the issue was noticed.
• Any supporting evidence (e.g., photographs, witness statements).

6. Complaints Acceptance Criteria

All complaints in this process must meet the following criteria to be accepted: 

• Complaint is related to a building safety issue, or concern the performance of an accountable person;
• Complaint is: 
  • Truthful: The complaint is accurate, complete and truthful to the best of the complaintant's knowledge
  • Raised in good faith, with genuine concern for the safety and wellbeing of Occupants
  • Verifiable: The complaint is supported by evidence or can be verified through inspection or investigation.
• The complaint has not previously been addressed.

7. Acknowledgement of Complaint:

Upon receipt of a complaint we will communicate: 

• Initial Acknowledgement: Within 3 business days.
• Detailed Response: Within 28 business days, outlining the steps to be taken and estimated resolution timeline. The response will detail: 
  • Reasons for any decisions made in response to all of the issues raised, including details of any reasons for complaint rejection.
  • Actions that have been carried out or planned, with an estimated time frame for any actions that need to be completed.

8. Investigation Process:

Following receipt of a complaint, the following process will begin:

Stage 1: Assessment & Triage: 

• Initial Acknowledgement sent to resident.
• Creation of an internal record of the complaint.
• Initial Assessment: Conducted by the Operations Manager or designated representative to determine the severity and nature of the complaint. The investigator may have additional questions for the complainant at this point, we ask that this information is provided within five business days to assist investigations
• Triage the complaint based on severity.

Stage 2: Action & Remedy:

• Create a clear plan to investigate remedy the issue, or action the plan if immediate solutions are available;
• Provide a Detailed Response to the complainant;
• Communicate the complaint and following actions with the Principle Accountable Person and the Safety sub-committee;
• Full Investigation: If required, a comprehensive investigation will be conducted, which may involve:
  • Site inspections.
  • Interviews with residents or staff.
  • Review of safety logs and maintenance records.
• If the process takes more than 28 days, an update will be provided to the complainant and to the Principle Accountable Person monthly to communicate any delays or changes to the investigation or remedial action plan;
• If needed, the complaint and remedy action plan will be communicated to all residents and leaseholders;
• External Expertise: In some cases, external safety experts may be consulted;
• Resolution notification: Once the complaint is resolved, the complainant will receive a resolution notification. ‍

9. Disputes & Escalation:

If a resident is dissatisfied with the response or resolution, they can request a review by Directors within 10 business days of the resolution notification. This can be requested by emailing buildingsafety@jenningsandbarrett.co.uk.

An issue relating to the structural failure and spread of fire (building safety risks), or the performance of an Accountable Person (AP), can be referred to the Building Safety Regulator with the complainant's consent, if: 

• An agreement cannot be reached between the Principle Accountable Person and the Accountable Person;
• No satisfactory outcome has been achieved;
• The complainant is not satisfied with the outcome.