Customer Service Standards for Housing Services
Customer Service Standards
Our customer service standards set out in detail the level of service you can expect from the Housing Services Department at Swale Borough Council.
These standards may include Council wide standards that apply to the whole organisation and more specific standards for individual services. This page outlines the Housing Services Department’s service standards.
The Housing Services Department will ensure:
- Our officers present themselves in a professional way, and will be well trained and knowledgeable.
- They provide an efficient service that meets requirements of both our customers and partner agencies.
- We consult with our customers on how our service meets their needs, how it can be improved, and act on recommendations to develop and improve our service.
- That a member of our team is available to deal with customer enquiries between 8.45am and 5.00pm, Monday to Thursday, and 8.45am to 4.30pm on a Friday.
When you contact the Housing Options Service you can expect us to:
- Answer enquiries at the public advice desk within 15 minutes of your arrival.
- See you within 30 minutes of your arrival if you are homeless on the day you come in to see us
- Offer you an appointment with a specialist offi cer within 28 days, dependant on the urgency of your case.
When you contact the Housing Services Department you can expect us to:
- Respond to all general correspondence within 10 working days, and respond to all emails within 3 working days.
- Respond to internal correspondence, for example from Environmental Health or Housing Benefi t, within 5 working days.
- Respond to external agency correspondence within 10 working days.
- Answer all calls within 20 seconds, with staff providing their name and the team you are speaking with.
- Attempt to handle all calls first hand. However, if we need to transfer the call, we will explain why we are transferring the call and provide the name of the service and a telephone number, in the event that the customer is disconnected.
- Respond to all messages within 1 working day.
- Acknowledge complaints within 10 working days, and to have a final decision within 28 working days. (Customers can make further appeals through the Council’s Formal Complaints Procedure.)
When you fully complete a Housing Register Application Form you can expect us to:
- Process your application within 10 working days, notifying you of your reference number and the band you are in, providing all necessary information has been provided.
- Notify you of changes to your application within 10 working days.
- Respond to band reviews or medical appeals within 28 working days, providing all necessary supporting information has been
provided.
When you contact the Staying Put and Home Improvement Team you can expect us to:
- Visit you in your home to assess your needs within 15 working days.
- Advise and support you to secure, repair/or improve your home as well as advising you of the funding options available.
- Provide you with a ‘Handyperson’ service if you are vulnerable and need essential small repairs carried out and will also provide health and safety advice.
- Work from a list of monitored builders.
- Refer you to other agencies when appropriate.
When you contact the Private Sector Housing Team you can expect us to:
- Respond to your service requests about housing conditions within 7 working days.
- Respond to your initial drainage service requests within 7 working days.
- Respond to your emergency drainage service requests within 1 working day.
- Promote a positive working relationship with private landlords through the Landlord Accreditation scheme and the Private Landlord Forum.
- Promote home energy conservation.
- Process applications for grants and loans within 21 working days, providing all information has been provided.
- Take necessary action within 10 days of identifying a housing hazard.
- Process a license for a house of multiple occupation within 56 working days of the initial application, providing all required information has been provided.
- Inspect rent deposit scheme properties within 7 working days.
To find out more, contact us.
Hours of opening:
8.45am - 5.00pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday,
8.45am - 4.30pm Friday.
- Housing Options
Contact Housing Options - Staying Put and Home Improvement Team
Email: housing@swale.gov.uk
Call: 01795 417131 - Private Sector Housing
Email: housing@swale.gov.uk
Call: 01795 417538
Location: Swale Borough Council, Swale House, East Street, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 3HT
Have Your Say
At Swale Borough Council, we are committed to providing high quality services and continuing to improve our services to meet your needs. Please tell us what you think about our services.
You can:
- Compliment us - when you are happy with a service.
- Complain - when we don’t get it right.
- Comment - when you have a suggestion about how we can make
our services better.
We’ll listen to you and do our very best to act on what you say.
You can Have Your Say by:
- Speaking to a member of staff.
- Emailing us at housingoptions@swale.gov.uk.
- Calling us on 01795 417622 (8.45am - 5.00pm Mon-Thur and 8.45am to 4.30pm Fri).
- Picking up a form at any reception point.
See our How to comment, complain and feedback webpage.
