The Stancliffe Homes
Complaints Procedure

We put the same high standards of care into looking after our customers as we do into building our homes.  However, we do appreciate that sometimes things can go wrong and so we take complaints very seriously. We are a Registered Developer with the New Homes Quality Board (www.nhqb.org.uk) and comply with the New Homes Quality Code.

If you do have a complaint, we do ask you to let us know so that we may have the opportunity to resolve the issue for you and learn from it.

1.0 OUR BELIEFS

We endeavour to provide all our customers with a high standard of service and a quality new home.

Our customers’ views are important to us and if you are unhappy with any of our services it is important that you let us know.

All our customers have the right to a fair, swift and courteous service at all times.

We will investigate your complaint fairly and consistently. We will promptly determine whether the complaint should be upheld, and (if appropriate) determine remedial action.

2.0 DEFINING A COMPLAINT

We define a complaint as an expression of dissatisfaction, whether oral or written, and whether justified or not, from or on behalf of an eligible complainant about the firm’s provision of a property or failure to provide adequate associated services.

3.0 SNAGGING

A snag is a small defect or problem that remains in your property after the building work has been completed. Whilst we endeavour to identify and fix any cosmetic defects before completing the sale of a new home, there are instances where issues will arise after the sale, and we will need to return to put these right. It is important to note that a customer must give us the opportunity to investigate and fix a snagging related issue. Stancliffe Homes cannot be responsible for fixing issues related with the workmanship of a third party. 

We deal with issues associated with ‘snagging’ in a different way to that set out for ‘complaints’. We aim to deal with all customer snagging issues, in line with guidance set out in the New Homes Quality Code. Details of how to raise a ‘snagging’ issue are detailed in your ‘welcome pack’ letter and guidance on who to contact to raise a ‘snagging’ related issue, are also provided in that letter. 

If you have a complaint and it relates to one of the following, please contact us and allow us to put it right:

• we have failed to do something we should have;
• we have carried out something poorly; or
• we have treated you unfairly or discourteously;

4.0 INFORMAL COMPLAINTS

If any issue can be resolved informally with our office and you are happy with the outcome, then you need not use our formal complaints procedures. If, however, you are not satisfied that the problem has been resolved or handled to your satisfaction, you may wish to make a formal complaint. You can do this by using our formal complaints procedure set out below.

5.0 HOW TO COMPLAIN

There are several avenues available to our customers should they want to make a complaint. These include:

In person – you can make an appointment to visit us at our Head Office to discuss your complaint in person with a member of our management team. Our Head Office address is: Stancliffe Homes Limited, Markham Vale Environment Centre, Markham Lane, Chesterfield, S44 5HY. You can also discuss your complaint with a member of our Site Staff (Sales Advisor / Site Manager).

Email – complaints@stancliffehomes.co.uk

Website – https://www.stancliffehomes.co.uk/contact/

Telephone: 01246 76 73 73

To help us handle your complaint in the most effective way, your complaint should be clear about the issue from which you have suffered. We also ask that should you make an oral complaint via one of the above routes, that you follow up with a written record of the complaint.

6.0 OUR COMPLAINTS PROCESS

We have a robust process to ensure that your complaint is properly investigated and followed up on:

• Please raise your complaint with our team on the contact details set out section 5.0.
• We will acknowledge all complaints within five days of the complaint initiation date*.
• We will investigate your concerns and send a response detailing our proposed pathway to resolution within 10 days of the complaint initiation date*. This should explain how we plan to resolve the issue, along with the steps and anticipated timescales.
• We will send a full complaint assessment response within 30 days. If the complaint is resolved, this will confirm the steps taken. If the resolution is still underway, the response will detail what has caused the delay and the anticipated date for resolution.
• Once the complaint has been resolved, we will send a closure response which confirms what action has been taken.
• In the unlikely event that the complaint remains unresolved after 56 days of the complaint initiation date*, we will send a further response to provide information on what has caused the delay, what the next steps are, and the anticipated date for resolution. We will update you no less than every 28 days until the matter is resolved.

*The complaints initiation date (CID) is the first working day after receiving a complaint. For example, if a complaint is received on a Monday, the CID is the following Tuesday.  If a complaint is received on a Saturday, the CID will be the following Monday (excluding public holidays).

7.0 FURTHER STEPS

We hope we can resolve most matters without further escalation. However, if your complaint is not resolved in accordance with this procedure or you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may be able to refer it to any dispute resolution service offered by your warranty provider or the New Homes Ombudsman Service (www.nhos.org.uk).

It is within the New Homes Ombudsman Service discretion to decide when or if to accept a complaint, in accordance with the Scheme Rules. The New Homes Ombudsman Service can accept complaints that have arisen from the point of reservation through to legal completion, as well as from two years after legal completion. After this, disputes within the structural warranty period may be referred to the new home warranty provider, if relevant.