8. Complaints, Appeals and Feedback Processes
Operational Guidelines
Contents
Purpose
How complaints, feedback and appeals relating to the register are managed?
Complaints
What is a complaint?
What is the process for responding to a complaint?
What is the role of the Complaints and Privacy Unit?
What is the role of the Registrar of Housing Agencies?
Appeals
What is an appeal?
What is the process for making an appeal?
What types of decisions can be appealed through the Housing Appeals Office?
How to respond to an appeal of an eligibility decision
How to respond to an appeal of an allocation decision
What is the process for providing feedback on a policy relating to the register?
Appendix A: Responding to complaints/appeals/feedback about register related issues
Victorian Housing Register: Complaints, Appeals and Feedback Processes Operational Guidelines1
Purpose
The purpose of these guidelinesis to clarify what staff should do if anapplicant (including current tenants wishing to transfer property)has a complaint about a participating registered agency or a designated support provider or wants to appeal a decision.
These guidelines cover processes for responding to complaints, appeals and feedback relating to the Victorian Housing Register (the register) including issues relating to decisions or services within public housing,participating registered agencies and designated support providers.
How complaints, feedback and appeals relating to the register are managed?
Complaints, feedback and appeals are managed in the following way:
1.Appeals relating to eligibility: Reviews of decisions for appeals made by a participating registeredagency relating to eligibilityof an applicant for the register will now be undertaken by the Housing Appeals Office in the Department of Health and Human Services (the department), rather than the Housing Registrar.
Regardless of which participating organisation made the original decision/recommendation - be it a local housing office; designated support provider; participating registered agency – if the applicant wishes for the decision relating to their eligibility for the register to be appealed, then this will be done by the Housing Appeals Office.
2. Feedback on eligibilitypolicies:Feedback in relation to eligibility policies regarding the register (separate from specific decisions about individual cases) can now be directed to the Victorian Housing Register team within the Service Implementation and Support branch of the department.
One set of eligibility criteria covering all public housing and participating registered agencies is now in place.However, it should be noted that participating registered agencies may adopt their own policies regarding the allocation of social housing and matching people to appropriate housing.
Refer toAppendix AResponding to complaints/appeals/feedback about register related issues on page 7.
Complaints
What is a complaint?
A complaint is defined as an expression of dissatisfaction about the advice, actions taken or service provided, contracted, funded or regulated by the department. In the context of the register, a complaint could be regarding a local housing office, a designated support provider or a participating registered agency.
What is the process for responding to a complaint?
In the first instance, the applicant should be encouraged to contact the original decision maker. If the applicant remains unsatisfied following contact with theoriginal decision maker, then a complaint can be raised.The complaint can be referred as follows:
•complaints regarding housing, homelessness and other services provided by the department, and designated support providers- to the Complaints and Privacy Unit within the department
•complaints regarding the length of time they have been on the register without being housed - to the Complaints and Privacy Unit within the department
•participating registered agency related complaints - to the Registrar of Housing Agencies (the Registrar). The Registrar’s website ( has a list of all registered agencies. Refer to the section below “What is the role of the Registrar of Housing Agencies?”.
If the person is not satisfied with the response to their complaint, they should be directed to talk to the manager of the service or housing office.
What is the role of the Complaints and Privacy Unit?
The Complaints and Privacy Unit in the department is the central point for all complaints and feedback relating to services delivered or funded by the department (not just housing related).
The staff provide support to people providing feedback and promote the effective management and resolution of complaints. This can include referring matters to the relevant division or organisation for appropriate investigation and response.
Complaints received by the Complaints and Privacy Unit aredealt with as follows:
•managed locally and resolved at the first point of contact (referred to as a ‘Tier 1’ Complaint)
•if required, escalated complaints are investigated by a senior staff member of the area housing office/service area (Tier 2 Complaint)
•if still not satisfactorily resolved, an independent investigation ofprevious complaint matters can be undertaken by a senior manager ina division/group (Tier 3 Complaint).
For complaints and feedback relating to a participating registered agency, the Complaints and Privacy Unit refers the person back to the participating registered agency or the Registrar, if the matter has been previously raised with the registered agency.
The Complaints and Privacy Unit can be contacted on:
Phone:1300 884 706
Email:
Mail: Complaints and Privacy Unit, GPO Box 4057, Melbourne VIC 3000.
What is the role of the Registrar of Housing Agencies?
The Registrar of Housing Agencies investigates complaints referred by a tenant or prospective tenant that has not been satisfactorily resolved by a registered housing agency. The Registrar does not investigate complaints by neighbours or the broader public but may seek feedback from an agency where the matter raised is of a recurring and on-going nature.
In relation to the register, the Registrar may review decisions or investigate complaints about:
•the registered housing agency’s customer service;
•allocations decisions relating to registered housing agency properties; and
•the registered housing agency’scompliance with its policies and the Performance Standards.
The Registrar does not review decisions regarding eligibility. These decisions are now reviewed by the Housing Appeals Office in the department.
If the Registrar identifies concerns about how an agency has managed a complaint, it can be formally referred by the Registrar for investigation by the department’s Complaints and Privacy Unit.
The Complaints and Privacy Unit will contact the agency, and in some instances, contact the client for further information. At the conclusion of the investigation the Complaints and Privacy Unit providesthe findings of the complaint to the Housing Registrar and any recommended actions. The Registrar then considers the findings and,if appropriate, the Registrar can require an agency to take specific action to rectify the complaint or to reduce the likelihood that such a complaint will occur again.
The Registrar attempts to have all complaints investigated within 30 days, however complex complaints may take longer.
Further detail regarding the Registrar and complaints is available on the Registrar’s website,
The Registrar can be contacted via or by phone 9651 1402.
Appeals
What is an appeal?
An appeal is when a person asks for a review of a decision, regarding the provision of housing services. The decision could have been made by:
•a local housing office (e.g. a register application and public housing allocations)
•a designated support provider (e.g. for a Homeless with Support priority access application) or
•a participating registered agency (e.g. for anapplication)
What is the process for making an appeal?
To make an appeal the client needs to fill out an Appeal Application Form and submit it to the Housing Appeals Office. These are available at:
•local housing offices;
•the Housing Appeals Office: 9096 7426 or free call 1800 807 702
•emailhousing ; and
•onlineat <
What types of decisions can be appealedthrough the Housing Appeals Office?
Decisions relating to the register that can be appealed are decisions in relation to:
•recommend or not recommend an application for approval
•approve or not approve an application
•eligibility for priority access
•income and asset assessments
•remove an application from the register
•determine if an offer is a reasonable offer
•a public housing allocation decision
•effective dates of applications
•splitting applications
•eligibility confirmation review decision
•non-revivable applications.
The Housing Appeals Office can review these decisions regardless of what type of organisation made the original decision.
How to respond to an appeal of an eligibilitydecision
If a person wishes to appeal a decision relating to eligibility, this should firstly be considered by the original decision maker (i.e. the local housing office, the participating registered agency or the designated support provider).
If the appeal remains unsuccessful following consideration by the original decision maker then the matter is referred to the Housing Appeals Office.
How to respond to an appeal of an allocation decision
If a person wishes to appeal a decision relating to allocation of social housing, this should firstly be responded to by the original decision maker (i.e. the local housing office orparticipating registered agency).
If the appeal remains unsuccessful following consideration by the original decision maker then the matter is referred to:
•The Housing Appeals Office for public housing allocation decisions; or
•The Housing Registrar for participating registered agencies allocation decisions.
What is the process for providing feedback on a policy relating to the register?
If a staff member from a participating registered agency, designated support provider or local housing office wishes to provide feedback in relation to a policy relating to the register (e.g. eligibility criteria; allocations policy for public housing),you can email Service Implementation and Support within the department via .
The development and review of policies relating to theregisterare considered by the register’s Senior Leadership Group and StatewideWorking Groups. These groupsmeet monthly and have representatives from the community housing sector, homelessness support providers, local housing offices and departmental staff in central office responsible for policy and implementation roles.
What are the timeframes for responding to complaints, appeals or feedback?
Timeframes and process for responding to complaints/appeals/feedback
Original Decision Maker / Response – working daysDHHS Area housing office (Tier 1) / 10 days
Designated Support Provider / 30 days
Housing Call Centre / 30 days
Participating Registered Agency / 30 days
Service Implementation & Support / 30 days
If complaint/feedback/appeal is not resolved by original decision maker
If not satisfactorily resolved then contact the below relevant area / Acknowledge receipt of complaint/feedback/appeal / Response – working daysIn the first instance:
- Senior staff member DHHS area housing office (Tier 2)
- Senior Manager in DHHS division/group (Tier 3).
Will acknowledge receipt of complaint/feedback within 3 working days. / Tier 2: 10 days
Tier 3: 20 days
Housing Registrar / Will acknowledge receipt of complaints within 5 working days. / 30 days(The Housing Registrar attempts to have all complaints investigated within 30 days, however complex complaints may take longer where this happens complainants are contacted).
Housing Appeals Office / The original decision maker will notify the client that the matter has been referred to the Housing Appeals Office, if the matter has not yet been adequately resolved by the original decision maker. / 30 days(The Appeals Office attempts to have all appeals investigated within 30 days, however complex appeals may take longer where this is the case clients are contacted).
Director, Service Implementation & Support / Will acknowledge receipt of complaint/feedback within 5 working days. / 30 days.
Service Implementation & Support / Will acknowledge receipt of complaint/feedback within 5 working days. / 30 days.
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Appendix A: Responding to complaints/appeals/feedback about register related issues
Decisions relating to / Who the person should approach if they havefeedback, a complaint or seek to appeal a decision / If not satisfactorily resolved then the person should be directed to the area below (relevant to their issue)- VHR applications
- Participating registered agency delivery issues
- Designated support provider service delivery issues
- Public housing allocations
- Participating registered agency allocations
For examples:
- Participating Registered Agency
- Homelessness Support Provider
- Housing Call Centre
- Local Area Office.
- housing, homelessness services provided by DHHS
- other services provided by DHHS
- designated support providers
Housing Registrar responds to feedback about registered housing agencies, including allocations decisions. Their role is to monitor, review and investigate unresolved complaints of tenants or prospective tenants.
Housing Appeals Office manages appeals relating to VHR eligibility and public housing allocations decisions. Their review involves checking that policies and procedures have been applied correctly.
- Referrals of public housing applicants to participating registered agencies
- Policies regarding VHR eligibility (i.e. both public housing and community housing)
- Authorisation for access to VHR
- Policies regarding public housing allocations.
- VHR team and
- policies (rather than individual decisions) regarding VHR
- eligibility (i.e. public housing and community housing eligibility)
- policies regarding public housing allocations
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To receive this publication in an accessible format email the Victorian Housing >.Authorised and published by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.
© State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services, March2018.
ISBN978-1-76069-254-4 (online)
Available on the Victorian Housing Register website <
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