Corporate complaints and compliments policy
Section 3 - What is a complaint?
13. It is important to set out the difference between Service Requests and Complaints.
14. Gateshead Council defines a complaint as: 'An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the organisation, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting an individual or group of individuals.'
15. This may include, but is not limited to:
a. the council failed to provide a service.
b. the standards of the service were not acceptable.
c. the council provided the service in an unfair or discriminatory manner
d. Policy or procedure was not followed correctly.
e. Unreasonable behaviour or conduct by a council employee towards an individual.
16. A customer does not have to use the word 'complaint' for it to be treated as such. The customer will be given a choice to make a complaint if they express dissatisfaction. A complaint that is submitted via a third party or representative will still be handled in line with the organisation's complaints policy and relevant Ombudsman's complaint handling code.
17. A service request may be defined as: 'a request that the organisation provides or improves a service, fixes a problem or reconsiders a decision.'
18. For example, a service request is a request from a customer to the Council requiring action to be taken to put something right. Examples include reporting a faulty streetlight, a pothole, or a missed refuse collection. Service requests will be passed to the relevant service area for action.
19. Service requests are not complaints, but will be recorded, monitored, and reviewed regularly.
20. The council will give the customer the choice to raise a complaint when a customer expresses dissatisfaction with the response to their service request, even if the handling of the service request remains ongoing. The council will not stop any efforts to address the service request if a complaint arises from the Service Request.
21. An expression of dissatisfaction with services made through a survey is not defined as a complaint, though wherever possible, the person completing the survey should be made aware of how they can pursue a complaint if they wish to. Where the council ask for wider feedback about their services, they also must provide details of how customers can complain.