Customer service

Homes North customer service standards

We believe that successful, long-term tenancies start from your first interaction with us and continue with the development of a positive relationship built on open communication and trust. Our aim is to ensure that at all times, residents, applicants and visitors receive excellent customer service and genuine care from us.

Commitment to High Quality Customer Service

At Homes North, we are committed to knowing our clients and meeting their individual needs. We aim to provide the highest level of assistance across our range of services.

 

This means we will:

  • Provide a high level of customer service
  • Listen to you and value your individual circumstances and address your changing needs
  • Treat you in a respectful, fair, non-discriminatory and culturally sensitive manner
  • Provide safe and appropriate services
  • Provide information related to rights and responsibilities.
Commitment to Accessible Services and Information

Homes North ensures that clients have access to service and information. We will work with clients to remove or limit barriers to access and information.

 

This means we will:

  • Provide offices and services that are accessible and located centrally
  • Provide Fact sheets that are easy to read and can be accessed in our offices and through our website
  • Provide access to interpreter services free of charge
  • Work in partnership with you to identify your needs and assist you to access other agencies to meet your needs.
Commitment to Quality Improvement

We value your opinion and want to hear what you think about the quality of our services. We will use your feedback to improve our products and services.

 

This means we will:

  • Regularly ask you for your opinions, and seek suggestions on the services we offer
  • Provide opportunities for you to take an active role in decision-making about our services
  • Develop new services that take into account your feedback
Commitment to Privacy

Homes North is committed to maintaining strict confidentiality in relation to client records, application records and any other documents of a personal nature. Click here to read Homes North Privacy Statement.

 

These laws tell us:

  • What information we can collect and how we collect it
  • How we store and protect personal and health information
  • How you can find out what information we hold and correct it if it is wrong
  • How we can use and disclose your information including special protection for health safety and other sensitive information
  • How you can complain about breaches of your privacy

For more information, please refer to our Privacy Statement.

Homes North target and our service standards
At our front countersService standard
Waiting times90% of our customers with simple enquiries are assisted within 10 minutes
Directing customers to the correct source for their enquiriesAccurate information 100% of the time
Name badges and ID worn by staff100% of the time
When contacting Homes NorthService standard
Answering the phoneWithin 3-4 rings. Bright & friendly correct greeting 100% of the time
Responding to telephone messagesResponse within 1 working day
Responding to social media contactResponse within 1 working day
Responding to urgent customer letters, emails & faxesResponse within 1 working day
Responding to general customer letters, emails & faxesResponse within 7 working days
Complaints & Appeals lodged with Homes NorthOutcome within 21 days
MaintenanceService standard
Emergency repairs e.g. sewer overflow, safety, essential services failure, dangerous roof leaksWithin 24 hours of report
Urgent repairs e.g. Plumbing, carpentry, glazing, electrical (non-emergency), heating/coolingWithin 5 working days of report
Routine repairs e.g. General repairs, hole in wallWithin 28 days of report
Response timesService standard
Maintenance issues that are generally of imminent danger such as exposed electrical wires and no power to property, sewerage overflowing or sewer choke to toilet, unable to secure premises (generally broken windows or doors), major water leak, exposed asbestos, gas leak or no gas. Serious storm damage such as flooding, make safe from fire damageEmergency - 4 Hours
Sewer chokes to kitchen sink or laundry tub or shower, roof leak, no water to premises, minor water leakUrgent - 24 Hours
No hot water, stove/ oven not working, fence fallen over or insecure, non- functioning individual power points or light fittingsHigh Priority - 2 Days
Urgent or minor vacant, partial repair to stove/ oven when the majority of the stove is still working, dripping tapsPriority - 5 Days
Any non-urgent works, planned maintenance, adjusting of doors and windowsRoutine - 28 Days

Please note: vacants are to be assigned the minimum number of days to complete the necessary works and don’t generally fall into these categories.

Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the service that we provide. We use your feedback to track our performance against these service standards and improve our service to you.

 

If you are pleased with our service, would like to make a suggestion for improvement, or feel that we have not met the service standards please let us know.

 

Complete this form to provide your feedback – click here.

 

Alternatively, you can provide feedback by talking to a Homes North staff member, or through participation in our annual Tenant Satisfaction Surveys.