Feedback and support
Albany Lettings complaints procedure
If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to tell us so that we can investigate what has happened and work towards a fair resolution.
Albany Lettings is committed to providing a high standard of service to landlords, tenants and other customers. We value feedback and use it to help improve the service we provide.
Acknowledgement
5working days
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within five working days.
Stage One response
28working days
We aim to provide a full written response within 28 working days.
Stage Two response
28working days
We aim to issue our final written response within 28 working days of receiving your review request.
What is a complaint?
A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about the service provided by Albany Lettings, the actions of a member of our team, or the standard of service received, where a response or resolution is expected.
Who can make a complaint?
Landlords, tenants, former landlords, former tenants and other customers may raise a complaint about the service they have received from Albany Lettings.
How to make a complaint
Complaints should normally be submitted in writing by email or letter and should include as much relevant information as possible. This helps us understand the issue, review the available records and investigate the complaint fully.
Complaints should initially be addressed to Alana Shepherd, Head of Property Management.
Need assistance?
We are committed to making our complaints procedure accessible. If you require this procedure in an alternative format or need assistance making a complaint, please contact our team.
Send your complaint to
Alana Shepherd
Head of Property Management
Albany Lettings6B New Mart Road
Edinburgh
EH14 1RL Email your complaint
Stage One: Complaint Investigation
Alana Shepherd, Head of Property Management, has responsibility for overseeing the initial investigation of complaints.
Where appropriate, another member of the management team with sufficient seniority and experience may be appointed to investigate the matter. This may be necessary where the complaint relates directly to the person who would normally investigate it.
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within five working days and provide the name and contact details of the person handling the matter.
We aim to provide a full written response within 28 working days. If additional time is required, we will explain why, keep you informed and provide an updated timescale.
As part of the investigation, we may review relevant records including correspondence, tenancy documentation, inspection reports, maintenance records, contractor communication, compliance records and financial information where these relate to the complaint.
Once the investigation has been completed, we will write to you outlining:
- Our findings
- Any action taken
- Any proposed resolution
All complaints will be handled confidentially and in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
Stage Two: Review by Branch Manager
If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of Stage One, you may request a review by the Branch Manager.
Requests for review should be submitted in writing within 28 working days of receiving the Stage One response.
The Branch Manager will review the original complaint, the investigation undertaken, the information available and the Stage One decision.
We aim to issue our final written response within 28 working days of receiving the request for review. If more time is required, we will keep you informed and explain the reason for the delay.
The Stage Two response represents the conclusion of Albany Lettings’ internal complaints procedure.
Request a review from
Andrew Williamson
Branch Manager
Albany Lettings6B New Mart Road
Edinburgh
EH14 1RL Email your review request
Complaints involving contractors or third parties
Where a complaint relates to a contractor or third party instructed in connection with a property managed by Albany Lettings, we will review the matter and our own involvement in arranging or managing the service.
Where appropriate, we may also refer the issue to the contractor or third party concerned and ask them to investigate it under their own complaints procedure.
We will keep you informed of the steps being taken and will continue to consider any aspects of the complaint that relate directly to the service provided by Albany Lettings.
Anonymous complaints
Anonymous complaints will be considered where sufficient information is available to investigate the issues raised.
However, our ability to investigate, request further information or provide a response may be limited where contact details are not provided.
Time limits
Complaints should normally be made as soon as possible after the event giving rise to the complaint.
Where a complaint is made more than twelve months after the matter occurred, or first came to the complainant’s attention, our ability to investigate may be affected.
We will, however, consider whether there is a reasonable explanation for the delay and whether it remains possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively.
Cost and record keeping
There is no charge for making or handling a complaint.
Albany Lettings will retain relevant complaint correspondence and records in accordance with the requirements of the Scottish Letting Agent Code of Practice.
Further help
Scottish Letting Agent Code of Practice
Albany Lettings is subject to the Scottish Letting Agent Code of Practice.
If you are a landlord or tenant, including a former landlord or tenant, and believe Albany Lettings has failed to comply with the Code, you should first raise the matter with us in writing and allow our internal complaints procedure to be completed.
If you remain dissatisfied after completing our complaints procedure, or if we have not processed your complaint within a reasonable timescale, you may be entitled to apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).
The Tribunal can consider whether a letting agent has failed to comply with the Letting Agent Code of Practice and, where a breach is found, can issue a Letting Agent Enforcement Order requiring the agent to take specified action.
Further information about the Letting Agent Code of Practice and applying to the First-tier Tribunal is available from the Scottish Government and the Housing and Property Chamber.