When I saw an advert on the Southern Housing website looking for involved residents to join their Complaints Panel, I thought ‘why not?’, I had valued insight, lived experience of being a resident and on top of that, I’d worked in complaints in a previous role. I knew I could bring my skills and experience to make a difference, and, most importantly, I wanted to help residents like me have a voice.
Now, five years on, I’m chair of the panel and enjoy every moment. There’s so much more to our role than simply reviewing complaints. Meeting regularly to discuss performance, analyse organisational progress and scrutinising reports. We bring questions and challenges to the table and over time, we’ve even influenced how data is presented, asking for different data sets or reporting formats so we really can get a clearer understanding of what is happening for residents.
What makes this panel different is how we can help shape policies from a resident’s perspective. We know first-hand what it feels like when services affect our daily lives, and we bring this to our discussions. We provide a real, human perspective behind the data and ensure our voice is considered whenever the organisation is looking to introduce changes or improvements.
As chair of the Complaints Panel, my role is to make sure meetings are productive and balanced. It’s my job to keep discussions focused on wider issues rather than individual cases, and I work hard to make sure everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking up straight away, so I also support and encourage quieter members of the panel to share their ideas and concerns. It’s important that we hear a range of views so that the panel truly reflects the residents we represent.
What makes the panel particularly powerful is that we’re independent residents. We’re not paid and we’re not driven by organisational priorities. We’re empowered to speak honestly and openly about what we see and hear. If we become aware of concerns affecting residents who may not usually engage with Southern Housing, we can help bring those issues forward and ensure they are considered.
Recently, we’ve worked with Southern Housing to review complaint letter templates, contribute to complaints policies and influence how the complaints process operates. One of the things I value most is that nothing is signed off until residents have had the opportunity to review and agree it. That means our voice genuinely matters and helps influence outcomes.
Our lived experience gives us a unique understanding of the issues residents face every day. We know what people are experiencing in their homes, what concerns they raise and what matters most to them. The panel also benefits from having members with a wide range of tenancy experiences, ensuring different perspectives are considered.
By helping to shape the complaints process, we can support Southern Housing in getting things right the first time. This not only provides a better experience for us as residents but also makes better use of resources and reduces the likelihood of complaints being reopened.
