Zone Student Accommodation

Complaints Procedure

Our commitment

Zone Student Accommodation is committed to providing a high standard of accommodation and service. We aim to deal with concerns fairly, professionally and promptly. When something goes wrong, we want residents to tell us so that we can investigate, put matters right where appropriate and improve our service.

Making a complaint will not result in a resident being treated less favourably.

Before making a formal complaint

Many day-to-day issues can be resolved quickly without using the formal complaints procedure. If your concern relates to a live maintenance issue, repair or another matter requiring attention, please report it through the normal accommodation or maintenance reporting channels in the first instance.

You should continue to report any ongoing or recurring maintenance problem when it occurs, even where you have also made a complaint about the handling of that issue.

If you remain dissatisfied with the service you have received, the way an issue has been handled, or the outcome, you can make a formal complaint.

How you can make a complaint

We accept complaints by email, letter, telephone, virtual meeting or face-to-face discussion. We prefer formal complaints to be made in writing where possible so that there is a clear record of the issues raised. If you are unable to put your complaint in writing, please contact us and we will assist you in recording it.

When making a complaint, please provide as much of the following information as reasonably possible:

·       your full name and contact details;

·       your accommodation building, room/studio number and address;

·       the issue you are complaining about and relevant dates;

·       any relevant maintenance or reporting references;

·       copies of photographs, videos, emails or other evidence you would like us to consider;

·       details of any steps already taken to resolve the issue; and

·       the outcome you are seeking.

Confidentiality

Complaints will be handled sensitively. Information will only be shared with members of staff, contractors, landlords, professional advisers or other relevant parties where reasonably necessary to investigate or resolve the complaint, comply with our obligations, or protect the interests of residents or others.

If your complaint concerns the conduct of a member of staff, that individual will form no part of the consideration or determination of the complaint.

Stage 1 - Formal complaint

We will acknowledge your formal complaint within 3 days of receiving it.

We will appoint an appropriate person to consider the complaint, review relevant records and evidence and, where necessary, speak to members of staff, contractors or other relevant parties.

We will provide a substantive written response within 10 days of receiving the complaint. If the matter is complex and cannot reasonably be fully considered within 10 days, we will write to you within that 10-day period explaining why additional time is required and giving an anticipated date for our full response.

Our response will explain our findings and, where appropriate, the actions we propose to take and the overall timetable. Where a settlement or agreed outcome requires action by Zone, we will honour that outcome within 10 days of the settlement being agreed.

Stage 2 - Review

If you remain dissatisfied with our Stage 1 response, you may ask for the complaint to be reviewed. We ask that you normally request a Stage 2 review within 10 days of receiving our Stage 1 response. We may accept a later request where there is a reasonable explanation for the delay.

Please explain which part of the Stage 1 response you disagree with, why you consider the outcome inadequate or incorrect, any evidence you believe has not been considered, any new information, and the outcome you are seeking.

Where reasonably possible, the Stage 2 review will be undertaken by a person who was not responsible for the Stage 1 decision. We will acknowledge the Stage 2 request within 3 days and aim to provide our final written response within 10 days. If further time is reasonably required, we will explain why and provide an anticipated response date.

The Stage 2 response will normally constitute Zone Student Accommodation's final response under our internal complaints procedure.

Representatives

You may ask another person, including a parent, guardian, Students' Union representative or adviser, to assist you. Please notify us in writing that you wish to use a representative and give consent for relevant information to be shared with that person. An exchange of emails is sufficient for this purpose.

Rent and other payments

Making a complaint does not normally suspend or alter your contractual obligation to pay rent or other sums due under your accommodation agreement. Unless Zone Student Accommodation confirms otherwise in writing, payments should continue in accordance with your agreement while a complaint is being considered. Any complaint about a payment, charge or account will nevertheless be considered fairly and separately on its merits.

Putting matters right

Where appropriate, Zone may take reasonable steps to put matters right. Depending on the circumstances, these may include an apology, corrective action, reimbursement of evidenced reasonable financial loss, or a discretionary goodwill payment. Any financial remedy will be considered on the individual facts and does not constitute an admission of legal liability unless expressly stated otherwise.

The National Code

Zone Student Accommodation participates in the ANUK/Unipol National Code for Non-Educational Establishments.

Residents should normally complete Zone's internal complaints procedure before escalating an alleged breach of the National Code. If Zone has not responded substantively to a complaint within 28 days of it being lodged, the resident may make a complaint to the Codes Complaints Investigator without waiting for the internal procedure to conclude.

National Code complaints process: https://www.nationalcode.org/national-code-complaints-process

The National Code process considers whether provisions of the Code have been breached. It does not replace any separate legal rights or remedies a resident may have.

Contact us

Email: bookings@thestudentzone.co.uk

Suggested subject line: Formal Complaint - [Building / Room Number]

Post:
Zone Student Accommodation
159 Charles Street
Leicester
LE1 1LJ

Please mark postal correspondence 'Formal Complaint'. If you need assistance making a complaint or require the procedure in an alternative accessible format, please contact us.