Accommodation complaints procedure

Accommodation Services is committed to providing an efficient, effective and courteous service to all our students and customers. We endeavour to provide this at all times but recognise that occasionally things may go wrong.

This procedure aims to provide customers who are not satisfied with the quality of our service with an easy and effective means of rectifying any problems they may have.

Our aims

• Making a complaint is as easy as possible
• We deal with complaints promptly, politely and in an appropriate manner
• We will treat as a complaint any clear expression of dissatisfaction with our service, which calls for a response
• All concerns and/or complaints will be treated seriously whether made in person, by telephone, by letter or by email
• We learn from complaints and use them to improve our service

How to make an accommodation complaint

Stage one: Front-line resolution

Send us the following:

1. Your name
2. Student number (this can be found on your ID card)
3. Room number
4. Contact telephone number and email address
5. The relevant area that you wish to complain about
6. Details of your complaint along with dates and times, any steps taken to raise this informally and any other relevant information which will assist us

Either by email to accommodation (@gold.ac.uk) on in writing to Loring Management Centre, St James, New Cross, London, SE14 6AD

How we respond

We will acknowledge your complaint via letter or email within three working days, although this may take longer during college closures and bank holidays.

The manager handling your complaint will provide a written response within 15 working days from the day your complaint is received. If it is not possible to provide a full response within this time (for example if a detailed investigation is required), we will contact you advising what steps are being taken. We will also tell you when you can expect the full response and from who.

For students in nomination halls (Ewen Henderson Court, Quantum Court and Town Hall Camberwell) where the complaint relates to the experience in the accommodation or services provided on site, your complaint may need to be raised with the accommodation provider in the first instance. Where this is the case, we will let you know.

The full reply will provide information on what action is being taken as a result of your complaint and include details of who to contact next if you are not satisfied with the response you receive.

Complaints should normally be raised within two months of the events you are complaining about.

What to do if you are still not happy

Stage two: Formal complaint

We aim to resolve all complaints in the first instance; however, if you remain dissatisfied, you can submit Stage two: Formal complaint to be looked at by an Investigating Officer.

Loring Hall is signed up to the Student Accommodation Code, Accommodation Services will report on any formal complaints made by students which relate to any of the aspects within the Student Accommodation Code.

Useful information

• If you want to tell us about a repair or something that needs fixing, then this would generally be considered a maintenance issue. Find out how to get assistance
• If you’re unhappy with how something was handled, please follow the instructions in the section above and make an accommodation complaint - Front-line Resolution