Due to popular demand the full recording of our event ‘Sorry seems to be the hardest word – improving empathy and communication with residents when things go wrong’, held on 31 January 2025, is now available to watch on-demand for a limited period.

Order your on-demand viewing today to:

• Watch a full video recording of the event, including all presentations, Q&A sessions and panel discussions via Zoom
• Receive copies of the slides used during speaker presentations
• Get access to on-the-day materials, including speaker biographies and the agenda.

It is not always necessary for landlords to reinvent the wheel when it comes to making improvements and embedding best practice. There is a great deal that can be learned from the approaches taken by their counterparts.

This recording is an opportunity for landlords to gain insight into the steps taken by two landlords – Muir Group and Abbeyfield – to receive recognition from the Housing Ombudsman for their positive approach to complaint handling.

It also includes a session from our Complaints Hub experts – Dave Simmons and John Goodwin – who discuss the crucial role of a well-worded, sincere apology and displaying empathy, in successfully resolving disputes. This is an area of complaint handling that is regularly being highlighted by the Ombudsman as being in need of improving.

What we cover:

• Setting a positive complaint handling culture
• How to say sorry – properly
• Using clear, positive language with staff and tenants
• Cutting the jargon and corporate speak
• Writing with personality
• Learning from complaints
• Learning from and working with residents.

What you will get from the recording:

• An understanding of the importance of tone and empathy in your complaint communication
• Practical solutions to the common challenges faced by landlords
• Practical tips to reduce silo working, engage residents and improve your culture
• Good practice case studies from organisations praised by the Housing Ombudsman.

Essential for:

• Directors of housing, communities and customer experience
• Complaints managers and teams
• Housing managers and teams
• Repairs managers and teams
• Customer service managers and teams.

Welcome and introductions

• Dave Simmons, Complaint Hub Lead, HQN

• John Goodwin, Complaint Hub Lead, HQN

Finding your voice and setting a more positive tone in complaint handling

• Liam Radford, Head of Customer Experience, Muir Group Housing Association

We will hear from the Head of Customer Experience at Muir, Liam Radford. Muir was recognised by the Housing Ombudsman following its Annual Report submission, for setting a positive complaints culture through challenging and scrutinising its own performance. Liam will discuss how Muir is listening and acting on valuable complaints insight to learn and drive improvements to deliver a positive customer experience.

Sorry is the hardest word

• Dave Simmons, Complaint Hub Lead, HQN

• John Goodwin, Complaint Hub Lead, HQN

Why do some apologies sound so impersonal and insincere? Why do some formal complaint responses demonstrate a general lack of empathy?

Even the best social landlords will sometimes get things wrong and receive complaints. An essential part of putting things right is to acknowledge the impact of any service failures and provide a genuine apology.

Our Complaint Hub Leads, Dave and John will explore what is involved (and expected) when offering a proper apology. They will also discuss empathy and the crucial role that both of these play in successfully resolving a dispute.

This session will include open discussions on some examples.

Break             

Improving outcomes for tenants 

• Jonathan Earnshaw, Customer Quality Manager, Abbeyfield

We will hear from Jonathan Earnshaw, Customer Quality Manager at Abbeyfield, which was singled out by the Housing Ombudsman as being deserving of ‘considerable recognition’ for its handling of complaints. Abbeyfield was highlighted as one of only two landlords in the Ombudsman’s annual performance reports, which had no adverse findings, following formal investigations. Jonathan will talk through the improvements that have been made to the complaints handling team to embed a positive culture and achieve successful outcomes for residents.

Closing remarks

• Dave Simmons, Complaint Hub Lead, HQN

• John Goodwin, Complaint Hub Lead, HQN

Finish

John Goodwin, Associate, HQN

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.

Dave Simmons, Associate, HQN

Dave 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.

Jonathan Earnshaw, Customer Quality Manager, The Abbeyfield Society

Jon has worked in the Housing & Care sector for 15 years and was previously a national Customer Relations Manager for a large Housing Association where he was responsible for overseeing the organisation’s handling of all complaints received, extracting the lessons learnt whilst proactively seeking out opportunities for the organisation to improve. He also handles all CEO & executive board complaints as part of this role, is instrumental in fostering good working relationships with the Housing Ombudsman service and the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman and is an experienced trainer encouraging the sharing of best practice to support sector wide improvements.

Outside of his full-time roles, Jon’s experience extends to his work as an associate for Tpas (tenant engagement experts).

Liam Radford, Head of Customer Experience, Muir Group Housing Association

As Head of Customer Experience at Muir Group Housing Association, Liam leads their customer contact, complaints, satisfaction, engagement and communications services.

With over 20 years’ experience in customer service and social housing, his diverse background includes an international contact centre outsourcer, Scottish Housing Association and a Property Maintenance provider.

Liam’s a passionate, results-driven leader who believes social housing can support people to flourish.  He loves thinking differently to drive customer-focused innovation which improves customer and colleague experiences.

Liam values collaboration, kindness and transparency.  He’s dedicated to making a difference to people’s lives, customer impact and colleague growth.