Where a customer remains dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint they have made to Aster, the DCP can help find a resolution. We’ll investigate the complaint and provide potential resolution opportunities, along with service improvement recommendations.  

The DCP takes time to meet with customers and make sure we understand their complaint and concerns. Customers we have met with have told us that they feel heard and listened to.

We conducted five reviews through the year:

1. Tenancy management – maintenance of garden fence and reasonable adjustments  
2. Grounds maintenance – challenged a service charge for tree removal
3. Development – fire safety issues in a new build property
4. Alleged damaged caused to a TV by operatives attending a repair to a window
5. Challenge to service charge costs.

Some examples of recommendations from the DCP this year have included:

• Ensuring the website is kept up to date  
• Ensuring trees surveyed near fences or boundaries are checked on all sides  
• Ensuring tenancy agreements are clear and incorporate details of any costs the customer may be liable to pay  
• Enabling customers who wish to engage with third party contractors around remedial works  
• Creating a more robust hand over process for new build homes from the developer to ensure it meets certain standards before a customer moves in  
• For customers to be informed if an appointment needs to be cancelled, rearranged or if the team member is running late
• Ensuring a rigorous process is in place to guarantee contractors’ compliance with safe working policies/methods whilst working on Aster homes, especially at height
• Clearly communicate when repairs or maintenance needs to be carried out so personal items can be moved beforehand.