The workshop will cover:

• The complaint handling requirements of the Ombudsman and the Regulator
• The revised ‘Complaint Handling Code’
• Effective complaint handling in practice
• Common problems and how to handle them
• Effective written responses to complaints
• Tips for avoiding or dealing with the Ombudsman
• Learning from complaints
• Recent and future developments, and useful resources.

Who should attend?

This workshop is suitable for staff, managers or governance members who want an overview of current complaint-handling requirements and how to deal with complaints in practice. In particular:

• Staff involved in complaint-handling or providing information to the complaints team
• Staff responsible for complaints policies and procedures
• Managers, board members and councillors with a responsibility for or oversight of complaints.

Dave Simmons is the company Director of the Housing Mediators which provides a mediation service focusing on housing and workplace disputes, as well as a training and support service for landlords specialising in effective complaint management.

He spent 15 years at the Housing Ombudsman Service (HOS) where he worked as an Adjudicator and Sector Engagement Lead and his achievements included leading on the project to write and publish the first Complaint Handling Code. After this, Dave spent two years as Peabody’s Compliance Operations Manager, where his duties included overseeing compliance with the HOS.

Dave is a long-term associate of HQN and Tpas (Tenant Engagement Experts) and in his various roles he has delivered hundreds of training workshops, forums and webinars to the housing sector covering a breadth of subjects. He has also written dozens of briefings and best practice documents which he currently continues to do in his capacity as HQN’s Complaints Hub Lead.

He is an experienced accredited mediator and has mediated on a wide range of disputes including family, community and workplace. As a Board Trustee of Croydon Community Mediation, he co-produces newsletters which promote learning and knowledge sharing for its small team of community mediators.

John Goodwin is a housing trainer and consultant, with extensive experience in the social housing sector, particularly in complaint-handling, resident involvement and governance.

John was Compliance and Systemic Lead at the Housing Ombudsman Service until 2022, responsible for addressing systemic failings by landlords. He was involved in drafting the Ombudsman’s first ‘Complaint Handling Code’ and for delivering training to landlords, residents and others to improve complaint-handling and learning from complaints across the sector.

Prior to joining the Ombudsman, John spent ten years with the Audit Commission’s Housing Inspectorate – inspecting a range of housing organisations and services.

John previously worked for Shelter in several roles, including Head of Legal Services and Editor of ROOF magazine. He began his housing career in homelessness, housing advice and resettlement with a London borough.

John has written and edited a number of publications including: ‘Built to Last’ (a history of British housing policy).

John is also an accredited mediator and a trustee and past chair of a social care charity.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected] Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable. If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance. Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.