If something goes wrong
A sash that sticks is eased, re-corded and hung again; it is not painted shut. A complaint is the same: we would rather hear about something that has gone wrong than have it go quiet. This is how to tell us, the days we keep to, and the doors that open whatever we say.
Tell us
Write to homes@ilannest.space with “Complaint” at the start of the subject, or send a letter to the registered office. Say what happened and when, what you would like us to do about it, and give the reference if there is one — IL- for a house put forward, HL- for a name on the list. Photographs and papers help.
Someone else can complain for you, a relative, a friend or an adviser, if you tell us in writing that they may. If writing is hard for you, say so in a single line and how you would rather we went on, and we will.
What happens then
Within five working days: we say we have it
A short reply saying the complaint has arrived, who is looking at it, and anything we need to ask you before we can answer.
Within twenty working days: a full answer
In writing: what we found, whether we got it wrong, what we will put right and by when. If it needs longer — a contractor to come back, a report to arrive — we say why and give you a date, and we keep to it.
If it is a repair
Anything dangerous is dealt with first, whatever stage the complaint is at: water coming in, no heat or hot water in cold weather, a failed alarm, unsafe electrics. A complaint never waits behind its own paperwork.
A second look
If the full answer does not put it right, reply to it and say why. A director of the company then looks at the whole complaint again from the start — your letter, our answer, and what has happened since — and writes to you within twenty working days. That is the company’s final answer, and it names the routes below that fit your case.
You do not have to go through both stages before going elsewhere. Every route below is open to you at any time.
Beyond us
- Citizens Advice consumer service
- Free, independent advice on your rights as a consumer in England and Wales, and it can pass a case on to Trading Standards. citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer · 0808 223 1133.
- Bolton Council, for a home we let
- The council’s private sector housing officers can inspect a rented home for hazards and disrepair under the Housing Act 2004, whatever the landlord says. bolton.gov.uk.
- The county court, small claims track
- For a claim for money or for a repair, the small claims track is meant to be used without a solicitor. Claims can be started online: gov.uk/make-money-claim.
- The Information Commissioner’s Office
- For anything about how we handled your information. ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint · 0303 123 1113. More on Your information.
- A deposit scheme’s own service
- If a deposit was taken and protected for your tenancy, the scheme that holds it settles disagreements about it, free, through its own dispute service.
- The landlord ombudsman, when it opens
- The government has announced an ombudsman that private landlords will have to join. When it opens, we join it as the law will require, and this page will name it.
What changes
Each complaint is kept with its answers for a year, and read again when we look back at how we work: what keeps going wrong, which answer took too long, which repair came back. The point of keeping a house for decades is that the same mistake is not made in it twice.