Managing prompt responses

Organisations should have processes and resources in place for acknowledging and responding to complaints at each stage within timescales set out in the Code.

Complaints systems should focus on providing good outcomes and proportionate decision making rather than being overly focussed on timescales.

However, it is still important to provide individuals with a prompt response to their complaint. This means organisations do not delay providing redress where appropriate and ensures responding to complaints is prioritised within the organisation.

Organisations should tell the individual as soon it becomes aware that it will not be able to respond to the complaint within the relevant timescales set out in the Code. The organisation should tell individual when it expects to be able to respond to the complaint and should be mindful of the recommended maximum timescales in the Code.  

We understand there will be complaints which take longer to consider than others. This may be because a complaint is particularly complex or relates to multiple services or involves the actions of other organisations. We would expect to see evidence of regular action being taken to progress consideration of a complaint and that the individual was kept informed at regular intervals and told of the reasons for timescales not being met.

We think 12 weeks, or three months, is the longest reasonable time within which a complaint should be handled in total through both stages of the process before coming to the Ombudsman. This is in line with the maximum recommended times set out in the Code. If an organisation is still dealing with a complaint after this time it should look at ways of prioritising a response.

The Code says organisations should provide individuals with details of the Ombudsman when they inform them they need more time to respond to the complaint. The purpose of this is so individuals are informed of their rights. Organisations may wish to use the following wording in letters about extensions to timescales under the Code:

“Once you have been through both stages of the complaints process you may complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman if you feel we have not resolved your complaint. The Ombudsman is not a further appeal. It looks at whether public bodies have followed the right steps when taking action or reaching a decision. 

The Ombudsman decides whether it can and should investigate complaints. For example, the Ombudsman may decide not to investigate your complaint if you have not been significantly personally affected by the issue you are raising. You can find out more information about what complaints the Ombudsman may consider on its website.”