Corporate Investors

Complaints Policy

At Host, we’re committed to making your living experience the best it can be – we’re here to provide you with a home, after all. If something isn’t right, we want to hear from you so we can make it better. Your feedback matters, and we’re here to listen. If you have a concern, please reach out, and we’ll do our best to resolve it for you.

We hold ourselves to high standards and continuously strive to improve based on your feedback. That’s why we promise to handle complaints professionally and respectfully and to respond as quickly as possible. While we may not always be able to make the changes you request, we’ll always provide a clear and honest explanation of our decisions.

This policy covers:

  • How you can make a complaint.
  • How we’ll handle your complaint.
  • What to do if you’re unhappy with our response.

Stage One: How to make a complaint.

If you have a concern, the first step is to speak with a member of your property team or the Property/General Manager. They will do their best to resolve the issue quickly for you. Our teams recognise that complaints may be made in several ways, including in person, social media, your resident app, by phone, by text or WhatsApp messaging, through email, your online portal, through the online chat function or in writing.

Whichever your preferred method of communication, we need you to let us know as soon as possible (and within one month of the issue) occurring to enable us to effectively look into, and hopefully settle, your complaint.

If we can’t resolve it immediately, we’ll acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays). We will always aim to provide a full response within five working days.

If the nature of your complaint means that we need longer to investigate the matter properly, or if it takes longer for any reason, we’ll be sure to keep you updated on the progress.

Stage Two: What if you’re not satisfied?

If you feel that the Property/General Manager has not resolved your complaint to a satisfactory level, or if your complaint is about the staff member handling it, you can escalate the matter to either the Regional Manager or the Head of Operations for that area.

On escalation, please include any previous communications so we can fully understand the situation. The Regional Manager/Head of Operations will acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours (excluding weekends and public holidays) and provide you with a full response within 10 working days, following their investigation into the matter for you.

Stage Three: What if you’re still not satisfied?

If you are still unhappy with the outcome, you can request a formal review by the Director of Operations (or another senior member of staff they may appoint from time to time, as appropriate, in relation to your complaint).

You can only take you complaint to this stage if you have gone through Stages 1 & 2 and you believe your complaint has not been treated fairly or correctly. You must email the Director of Operations within 10 working days of receiving your response from the Regional Manager/Head of Operations. At this stage, you must include full details of why you’re not satisfied along with copies of any previous correspondence.

The Director of Operations will review your case and provide you with a final decision/outcome within 10 working days. We will always try to meet these timelines, but if delays occur for any reason, we will of course keep you informed of any progress relating to your case.

Once we have fully investigated your complaint and reached a final outcome, our complaints process will be considered complete. We understand that the outcome may not always be what you were hoping for, but this does not mean that your complaint has not been handled fairly and correctly.

Stage Four: Independent review.

If you’re still unhappy with the outcome after Stage 3, you may have the option to escalate your complaint to an independent body.

United Kingdom

If you’ve gone through our full complaints process and still feel your complaint hasn’t been handled fairly, you can escalate it to ANUK for an independent review. You can view full details on the ANUK Code of Practise complaints process here.

Host is also a member of the Property Redress Scheme. If you do not feel we have dealt with your complaint, you may be able to raise it directly with the PRS.

Republic of Ireland

If you’re living in our accommodation in the Republic of Ireland and need further support, you can contact the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to apply for mediation or adjudication services through their RTB Dispute Resolution service.

Scotland

If you’ve lived in or are currently living in our accommodation in Scotland, and remain unhappy after completing our complaints process or if your complaint wasn’t handled within the given timescales, you can take your complaint to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber). When speaking to them about us, you’ll need to refer to our group-level company name, which is Host Student Housing Limited.

Worldwide

For complaints originating outside the UK and Ireland, we will adhere to any local requirements when handling and resolving the issue. If you need more details, please contact the relevant property team, who will be happy to assist.

Confidentiality

We are committed to handling all complaints with the utmost confidentiality. We ensure that complaint details are only shared with those directly involved in investigating and resolving the issue. Personal information will be protected in accordance with data protection laws, and we will take all necessary steps to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure.

Complaints Outside This Process

To ensure we can thoroughly investigate and resolve concerns, we require sufficient information. This means we’re unable to review anonymous complaints.

Additionally, some matters fall outside our complaints process, including:

  • Concerns raised more than one month after the issue – unless there are genuine extenuating circumstances.
  • First-time service requests – such as repairs. We’re committed to resolving issues promptly, so please give us the opportunity to put things right first.
  • Complaints that have already been fully reviewed – if we’ve provided a final outcome, we won’t re-investigate.
  • Anti-social behaviour concerns – these should be reported through the appropriate channels to ensure they are handled effectively.
  • Requests for early release from tenancy – as these are tenancy matters rather than complaints.
  • Matters being handled by another authority – such as a university, landlord, or ANUK tribunal.

If you’re unsure where your concern fits, our team is happy to guide you to the right process.

Customer Service Commitments

We are committed to providing a safe living environment for our residents and a safe  working environment for our employees. As a customer, you can expect that:

  • Our team is helpful, respectful and courteous at all times.
  • Our team will listen to your needs and provide clear and accurate information.
  • Our team clearly communicate their responsibilities within our properties.

For the safety of our employees, we will not tolerate the following behaviours from residents or their guests:

  • Rude or abusive language (including harassment in any capacity).
  • Violent or threatening behaviour.
  • Intoxicated behaviour (alcohol, drugs or psychoactive substances).

Harassment Policy

We are committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion or disability. Harassment of any kind is taken seriously and not tolerated. Both staff and residents are required to observe our policy in this area.

If you experience any form of harassment within your accommodation, we encourage you to report this by following the complaints process outlined above.

You can download a copy of our Complaints Policy here.