Active Property

We want to offer a really good service and so your views are welcome, even if they are critical. We will listen carefully to all suggestions and complaints. We are committed to improving our service.

Here you will find out some answers to some questions you may have about making a complaint including: 

• When can I complain?
• What will happen after I make a complaint?
• What happens to things I say or write?
• What will be done to resolve my complaint?
• Can I ask someone to help me?
• What records should I keep?

HOW TO MAKE A COMPLAINT: INFORMATION FOR TENANTS AND APPLICANTS

We want to offer a really good service and so your views are welcome, even if they are critical. We will listen carefully to all suggestions and complaints. We are committed to improving our service.

When can I complain?

If you are not satisfied with our service or one of our policies you have the right to complain. For instance if you might think that we have done something unreasonable or illegal or you may feel we have treated you unfairly.

If there is a problem we would like to opportunity to sort it out. Perhaps we may have made a mistake, or there may have been a misunderstanding or we need to change the way we do things to ensure it does not happen again.

What should I do?

You can follow these steps in order, or you can choose to start at the point you feel most comfortable with. We will not treat you any differently because you make a complaint.

1. Talk directly to the person in the organisation you think is responsible for sorting out the problem.
   Ask whom you should talk to if you are not sure. Explain your problem and what you would like to happen about it and listen to their responses.
   
   This may resolve your complaint, but if not …
    
2. Talk the problem over with someone not directly involved in the problem.
   This person could be a support worker, a family member or friend. They can help you be clear about what the problem is and what you want done about it. They can help you decide how best to handle it. They can talk to us on your behalf.
   
   This may resolve you complaint but if not…
    
3. Put your complaint in writing.
   You can use our complaint form or write us a letter describing what happened and why you are not satisfied. Be clear and to the point. Tell us what action you think should be taken to sort things out, how the problem is affecting you and how urgent it is. Tell us if you need an interpreter, or someone to help you. (You might need to ask your Support worker or family for help or ask us to help or find someone to help you fill out the form.)
   
   When we have a written record of your complaint, we will follow our internal complaints procedure. You will be given a copy of this procedure. If our response still does not resolve your complaint…
    
4. Take your complaint to someone else.
   Who this will be will depend on what the complaint is about. You could ask your support worker / carer or us which is the most appropriate avenue for your complaint, for example the Residential Tenancy Tribunal or the Equal Opportunity Board. They can hear, mediate between us and may make a decision about what should happened with your complaint.
   
   We may be able to employ an impartial person to help sort out a resolution to your complaint that we are all agreeable to.

What will happen after I make a complaint?

We will listen to your complaint carefully, and to anyone speaking on your behalf. We will discuss the different options with you and we will take part in mediation or arbitration if you want to use an external process. We will try to find a solution that satisfies you and is possible for us.

What happens to things I say or write?

We will keep a file about your complaint with your personal (applicant or tenant) file.

This file will contain everything you have sent to us, letters we send you and notes on what happens during the compliant process. We will show this file if you ask to see it. The file will be destroyed at the end of your tenancy, or 12 months after the complaint has been resolved, whichever is the sooner.

The things that you tell us or write down are confidential. We will not give anyone outside the organisation any of this information unless you ask us to. We will record some details about your complaint on our complaints register, which is a summary of all complaints. This register will not identify you.

What will be done to resolve my complaint?

We will put our response to your complaint in writing. This might be

• an apology.
• an explanation of why things happened that way.
• a description of the positive action we have taken to put things right.

Can I ask someone to help me?

We will be as helpful as we can. You may also want someone who is independent of our organisation to help you.

• You can seek help from an advocate. For instance you support worker / carer, a Tenancy Advice worker, or friend to talk to us on your behalf or come with you to meet us.
• You have the right to make an application for a hearing to another organisation, which can help resolve the problem by mediation and arbitration. For example:
• Breach of Residential Tenancy Agreement, Residential Tenancies Tribunal (VCAT).
• Unfair discrimination: Equal Opportunity Commission.
• Breach of company rules: Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

What records should I keep?

Keep a record of whom you spoke to, what they said they would do, and the date and time. You may want to write a letter confirming these things, and telling us whether or not you are satisfied.