Complaints
A complaint is “an expression of dissatisfaction made to or about YourPlace Housing, our services or our staff including how the handling of a complaint was managed where a response or resolution is explicitly or implicitly expected or legally required.”
You do not necessarily have to expressly state that you wish to make a complaint to have an issue or concern dealt with as a complaint. Regardless of whether it is a simple or complex issue, we aim to treat it seriously, as it is an opportunity to let you know that your input is valued and will allow YourPlace Housing, to improve services at the same time.
YourPlace Housing will:
- Actively encourage you your family, and support networks to provide feedback or raise concerns about any aspect of the services delivered by YourPlace Housing that do not meet your expectations.
- Respect that you, your family, and support networks can decide how, when and where you wish to make a complaint.
- Provide you with ongoing information about YourPlace Housing’s Complaints Management and Resolution procedures to ensure they are always accessible, easily understood and culturally relevant.
- Resolve your complaint in a confidential and fair manner with your personal views respected.
- Help you to find a support person or advocate to assist you if you choose.
- Inform you of your right to make a complaint to a regulatory body or authority such as the Office of Housing Regulation or NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission.
- Support your participation, identify your desired goal, and keep you and your family, or support network informed of all decisions and the reasons of those decisions.
- Ensure that there are no negative consequences or disadvantage to you or your family, or support network because of the complaint.
- Use the YourPlace Housing Complaints Management and Resolution process to inform service improvement across our organisation.
Anyone can make a complaint to YourPlace Housing regarding our services, including on behalf on someone else.
Complaints can me be made in several ways:
- By telephone through the YourPlace Housing central number 08 8351 8466
- Verbally, directly to any YourPlace Housing staff member
- By visiting the YourPlace Housing office, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, at 9 Byron Place, Adelaide SA 5000
- In writing by email to complaintsandappeals@yourplacehousing.com.au, by letter directed to the Complaints Management Lead, or through completion of the YourPlace Housing Comment, Compliment or Complaint Form
- Via the YourPlace Housing website by completing the Comment, Compliment or Complaint Online Form
- Directly to the Chief Executive Officer by email at ceo@yourplacehousing.com.au
YourPlace Housing will support you to make a complaint, for example if required we can arrange an interpreter or an advocate to support you or act on your behalf to make a complaint. There are housing and several disability advocacy services that provide this kind of assistance and the organisations below can support you with your complaint or help you find independent services near you. For example:
- Rent Right SA on 1800 060 462
https://www.syc.net.au/home/rentrightsa/contact-rentrightsa/ - Advocacy for Disability Access and Inclusion Inc on (08) 8340 4450
https://advocacyfordisability.org.au/organisations.php.
In all cases, YourPlace Housing can accept anonymous complaints and we will investigate as far as possible.
Our Complaints Management Lead will contact you within 2 business days of receipt of your complaint.
YourPlace Housing aims to resolve all complaints within 20 business days and will contact you throughout the resolution process to provide you with regular updates and discuss the resolution.
A complaint that cannot be resolved to your satisfaction will be escalated to the Chief Executive Officer for review. YourPlace Housing intends to resolve escalated complaints within 10 business days from escalation or as otherwise agreed with you.
If a complaint remains unresolved and requires further follow up, or if you are not satisfied with the final resolution offered, we can assist with information regarding a number of options for you to lodge a complaint with an external agency for follow up.
These include:
For complaints specifically regarding YourPlace Housing as a registered Community Housing Provider
- Office of the Housing Regulation on 08 7424 7206
- Or by completing a Complaint Contact Form
Complaints about YourPlace Housing Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
- NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission on 1800 035 444 (an interpreter can be arranged)
- National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544
- Or by completing a Complaint Contact Form
If you would like more information about YourPlace Housing's Complaints Management process, please read our Complaints Management Policy or call the Complaints Management Lead on 08 8351 8466.
Appeals
YourPlace Housing defines an appeal as an expression of dissatisfaction with a decision it has made. The appeal process provides the opportunity to review the decision and to reflect on whether a decision has been made based on full and accurate information and in accordance with legislation and/or policies and procedures.
Tenants, their families/significant others, carers, guardians, advocates, and support providers (acting on behalf of a tenant) have the right to appeal a decision made by YourPlace Housing.
YourPlace Housing is committed to providing an Appeal Management process that is accessible, transparent, inclusive, and responsive.
For social housing applicants and YourPlace Housing tenants, appealable decisions include but are not restricted to the following:
- The assessment of eligibility for housing
- Transfer requests
- Additional occupant applications
- Rent calculations, water, or other charges not consistent with the appellant’s tenancy agreement
- Need for modifications for disability/medical reasons only
- Permission to keep an animal
- Property maintenance or refurbishments.
- Content of YourPlace Housing policies
- Matters which are the responsibility of the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) and other bodies
- Matters that have been dealt with in other tribunals or courts
- Matters that have already been dealt with through the Appeals Policy
- Decisions which are not directly related to an applicant or tenant
- Matters not relating to the provision of housing services, for example tenant participation activities
- Complaints about the way a service is provided (this is covered by the Complaints Policy)
- Disputes between tenants
- Matters that are outside the time limit for appeals
An application of appeal must be received by YourPlace Housing within 30 days of the incident, decision, or action.
Appeals can be made in several ways:
- By visiting the YourPlace Housing, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, at 9 Byron Place, Adelaide SA 5000
- By calling YourPlace Housing on 08 8351 8466
- In writing by email to complaintsandappeals@yourplacehousing.com.au
- By letter directed to the Appeals Management Lead
- Through completion of the YourPlace Housing Appeals Form
- Via the YourPlace Housing website by completing the Appeals Online Form
- Directly to the Chief Executive Officer by email at ceo@yourplacehousing.com.au
The Appeals process incorporates three levels that afford you every opportunity to be heard and challenge Your Place Housing’s decisions or actions.
- Level 1: Internal Review – Appeals Management Lead (AML)
- Level 2: Internal Appeal – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Level 3: External Appeal – Independent third party (ITP)
Level 1: Review is led by Your Place’s Appeal Management Lead
This first stage of the appeals process involves a review of the original decision made. This is an internal ‘decision review’ process and will not be undertaken by the original decision maker.
The review will consider the merit and procedural aspects of the original decision, as well as any new information that may be available.
Level 2: Internal Appeal is reviewed by the Chief Executive Officer
Where an appellant is unhappy with the decision made during the Level 1 Review it can be escalated to the CEO.
The CEO will review and investigate the appeal process to ensure that the original decision and the outcome of a Level 1 review considered:
- all the information available at the time the original decision was made
- supplementary information provided by the appellant or discovered during the Level 1 Review
- procedures fairness
- consistency with relevant legislation.
Level 3: External Appeal – Independent third party
When an appeal cannot be resolved through the Level 1 and 2 resolution attempts, the appellant can request that the appeal be heard by an independent third party (ITP). YourPlace Housing has a panel of people with relevant knowledge and experience they can draw on to conduct an appeal.
The ITP conducting the appeal will review all the documentation provided and determine if further information is required to adjudicate the appeal. YourPlace Housing will comply with any requests for addition information.
The ITP has a mandate to make their own recommendations. YourPlace Housing will accept the decision of the ITP unless the decision contravenes any legislation or YourPlace Housing policies, or it impacts on the viability of the organisation.
YourPlace Housing aims to resolve appeals promptly and wherever possible within 20 business days of receipt of the application.
There will be no negative consequences to your tenancy by appealing a decision we have made. You can withdraw your appeal at any time, which means the original decision will stand. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process, even if the appeal is withdrawn.
YourPlace Housing will advise the appellant in writing that they have the right to appeal to SACAT should he/she be unhappy with the appeal outcome or process.
Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA)
Tenants who are NDIS participants living in an SDA property who are unhappy about accommodation services provided by YourPlace Housing can make a complaint directly to the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission by:
- Calling 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines). Interpreter can be arranged by calling 131 450
- National Relay Service and ask for 1800 035 544
- Completing an Online Complaint Contact Form
Assistance for tenants making an Appeal
YourPlace Housing will assist clients to complete the relevant forms to lodge an appeal as required. This includes arranging an appropriate service provider or interpreter if needed.
External bodies that can help with lodging an appeal include:
- Rent Right SA
Free Call: 1800 060 462
Website: www.syc.net.au/home/rentrightsa/contact-rentrightsa/
- Community Mediation Services
43 Franklin St Adelaide, SA 5000
Telephone: 08 8342 1800
Email: mediation@unitingcommunities.org
Website: www.unitingcommunities.org/service/legal-services/mediation
If you would like more information about YourPlace Housing's Appeal Management process please read our Appeals Management Policy or call the Tenancy Team on 08 8351 8466.
Compliments
You can give us a compliment if you are happy with our services or the way we responded to a particular matter. Compliments help us to know that we are on the right track and to recognise staff who go above and beyond.
You can make a compliment by:
- Emailing info@yourplacehousing.com.au
- Calling us on 08 8351 8466
- Downloading the Comment, Compliment or Complaint Form and mailing the completed form to 9 Byron Place, Adelaide SA 5000
- Completing and submitting the Comment, Compliment or Complaint Online Form
- Visiting our office at 9 Byron Place, Adelaide SA 5000
Need more help?
You can find more detailed information in our Complaints Management Policy (An Easy Read version is available) and Appeals Management Policy.
- Complaints Management Policy: Download PDF [85kb]
- Complaints Management Policy – Easy Read Version: Download PDF [1mb]
- Appeals Policy: Download PDF [125kb]
You can also contact the YourPlace Housing's Complaints and Appeals Management Lead by calling us on 08 8351 8466.
