Learning from Complaints

Over the past year, we’ve seen more customers come forward to share their experiences — which we see as a positive sign. It shows people feel confident that raising concerns leads to action. We’ve strengthened how we manage complaints across Platform, introduced new ways to track progress, and provided training for colleagues so that responses are clear, fair, and timely.

Overview

This report explains what we learned from customer complaints and how we’ve used that feedback to make changes. It looks at the number of complaints we received, what they were about, and what we did to fix them. It also includes what we learned from the Housing Ombudsman, who helps us make sure we’re handling complaints properly. The main goal is simple: to keep learning from our mistakes, improve how we talk to customers, and make our services better for everyone who lives in a Platform home.

Complaint Volumes

This year, more customers got in touch to tell us about problems. We see this as a good thing because it shows people trust us to listen and take action. We received more complaints than last year, but we also handled them faster and more fairly. Most complaints were about delays, damp and mould, and communication. We’re now working on fixing these areas first. By understanding where things go wrong, we can stop the same issues from happening again and make sure customers get help more quickly next time.

Themes and Learning from Complaints

We’ve made lots of improvements after listening to customers. A new team now focuses on complicated repairs, like fixing damp and mould, to make sure they’re done properly. We’ve also created a Complaints Aftercare Team who check that everything we promise to do actually gets done. Our staff have had extra training to make communication clearer and friendlier. These changes mean we’re solving problems faster, keeping customers updated, and making sure everyone has a more positive experience when they contact us.

External Review and Innovation

We asked an independent team to look at how we handle customer complaints and tell us how we can do better. They helped us find new ways to improve teamwork and communication between our teams. We’re also using technology in smarter ways, like using data and artificial intelligence to spot problems early. Working with universities and experts helps us learn even more about how to give customers a quicker and fairer service. These new ideas are helping us build a better experience for everyone.

Housing Ombudsman Service Findings

The Housing Ombudsman looks at some complaints to make sure they’re handled fairly. This year, we had more cases reviewed, but fewer serious issues than before. That means we’re improving. We take the Ombudsman’s feedback seriously and use it to make more changes. We’re proud that our performance is better than the national average, but we know there’s still more to do. Every case helps us learn and improve so customers get fairer outcomes and clearer communication when things go wrong.

Themes and Learnings from Housing Ombudsman Determinations

The Ombudsman’s feedback helped us improve how we deal with damp and mould. We now treat every report of damp or mould as urgent and send someone out within a week. A dedicated team makes sure repairs are completed properly, and new systems help us track progress so nothing is missed. We’re also giving contractors clearer guidance to make sure work is done to a high standard. These steps mean homes stay safer and customers get quicker, better-quality repairs.

Complaint Handling and Communication

We’ve trained all our teams to handle complaints in a fair and friendly way. New workshops and letter-writing training help staff explain things clearly and show care in every message. Our Complaints Aftercare Team checks that promised actions are completed. We’ve also rolled out the Platform Experience training, which focuses on listening, kindness, and consistency. This means customers should always feel heard, respected, and supported. We want every interaction with Platform to be helpful and positive, even when things go wrong.

Learning from Ombudsman Spotlight Reports

We were proud to take part in the Housing Ombudsman’s “Repairing Trust” project. This helped us look at how repairs are managed across the country and learn from other housing providers. We shared our own experiences honestly and used the findings to review our own services. We’re now making changes based on that learning. By working together with others, we can keep improving and build stronger trust with our customers.