Our service standards

Our aim is to provide a consistently good customer experience across all contact channels.

We have worked with tenants and leaseholders to co-design this set of service standards that sets out what you can expect when you contact Gateshead Council's housing services.

We will:

• be friendly and welcoming, introducing ourselves by name
• be patient and ask relevant questions to establish facts
• be realistic and not make promises to you that we cannot keep
• demonstrate empathy, compassion and professionalism
• treat you fairly and according to your needs whatever your age, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation
• provide a translator, signer, or information in other formats, such as audio, large print, Braille, if required
• use written and spoken language that is clear, jargon free and easy to understand
• offer you a home visit where requested and where this is appropriate
• contact you if we are unable to keep an appointment as soon as we can to rearrange it
• maintain the confidentiality of all information you give us and not disclose it to others without your permission unless required to do so by law
• provide you with the personal information that we hold about you if you request it
• use your feedback to continuously improve the customer experience

1.     When you contact us via a digital method, we will:

• aim to provide you with information, advice and guidance which will allow you to self-serve where possible
• ensure the information, advice and guidance on our website is up to date and clear to understand
• provide you with a way to record your enquiry online
• respond to your enquiry within five working days
• inform you if we can't resolve your enquiry digitally and what the next steps may be
• conform to accessibility standards

2.      When you phone us, we will:

• answer your call promptly, inform you who you are speaking to and identify the service
• use security questions to confirm who you are and protect your identity
• know who you are and why you have contacted us previously if you have done so
• actively listen to you to ensure we understand your enquiry
• make sure we either deal with your request or put you through to the most appropriate person, providing you with their name and contact number
• answer your questions immediately or, if this is not possible, call you back at a convenient time
• ask if there is anything else we can help you with before ending the call
• use comfort messaging to provide you with up-to-date information about out-of-hours services and call waiting times
• publish call waiting times for our main contact centre number

3.      When you send us an email, we will:

• acknowledge your email within 1 working day, providing a full response if possible
• provide a full response within five working days or if we can't, the reason why and when you can expect a response
• make sure our responses are clear and easy to understand
• use security questions to confirm who you are and protect your identity

4.      When you visit us, we will:

• offer appointments at local centres, ensuring offices are easily accessible
• make sure you know you can bring someone to an interview to support you
• provide rooms where you can discuss things with us in private
• provide information about our services that is clearly visible and up to date

5.     When we visit you in your home, we will:

• arrange a mutually convenient appointment
• make sure you know you can have someone present to support you
• meet with you at the time agreed
• provide proof of identity
• leave a calling card with a clear name and contact number if you are not in

6.     When you write to us, we will:

• reply to your letter within five working days of receipt or, if we can't, we will tell you why and when you can expect a response
• make sure our responses are clear and easy to understand
• give you the contact details of the person dealing with your query

7.      When you make a housing complaint, we will:

• acknowledge all formal complaints within five working days
• aim to respond to all Stage 1 complaints within 10 working days
• aim to respond to all Stage 2 complaints within 20 working days

Please help us to help you by:

• allowing reasonable access to your home for repairs, including gas servicing visits
• keeping appointments with us or our contractors, and let us know, with as much notice as possible, if you need to change the appointment
• keeping to the terms of your tenancy agreement
• advising us of any changes to your circumstances or household so we can update our records
• advising us of your email address or mobile phone number so we can communicate with you via your preferred method