The University of Sheffield
Accommodation

Residential Complaints Procedure

Accommodation and Commercial Services (ACS) is responsive to the needs of our students and visitors and welcomes comments and complaints as a means of improving services. We won't necessarily be able to change the things in the way that you would like or always meet your needs but we will always be able to give you an explanation of how a decision has been made. We will always be professional and courteous in dealing with complaints and we will try to be as quick as we can in responding to you.

ACS is responsible for nearly 6,000 residents at any one time. It is inevitable that from time to time, complaints arise.

This procedure explains:

This procedure is for complaints regarding The Endcliffe and Ranmoor Villages, their immediate vicinities, University owned residential properties in City and Central Campus and managed partnership properties such as Opal 2. For complaints relating to student behaviour outside these areas, please contact the University´s External Relations Manager, Greg Oldfield:

Email: comms@sheffield.ac.uk

Tel: 0114 222 6270

Office hours: Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm

For urgent complaints requiring immediate attention, contact Security Services:

Tel: 0114 222 4075

Informal complaints

If you have a complaint, in the first instance please contact our Customer Services team, either in person at The Edge or The Ridge reception, by emailing acs-customerservices@sheffield.ac.uk or calling 0114 222 8844.

If you have a complaint, you should let us know as soon as possible and within eight weeks of the event or lack of action, about which you are complaining.

Your complaint will be acknowledged within 24 hours (excluding weekends, public holidays and official University holidays) and responded to fully within five working days of receipt of the complaint. If circumstances mean a full response is likely to take longer, we will inform you of this and keep you informed of the process.

Formal complaints

Stage 1

If you are unhappy about a response you receive having made an informal complaint, if the complaint is actually about the member of staff involved or if you feel that the complaint warrants further investigation then you may initiate a formal complaint. To do this you must complete a Complaints Form (available to download from the right hand side) and return it to the Customer Services Manager:

Lynn Kenny
Customer Services Manager
Accommodation & Commercial Services
The Edge
34 Endcliffe Crescent
Sheffield
S10 3ED

Email: l.kenny@sheffield.ac.uk

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 24 hours (excluding weekends, public holidays and official University holidays).

You will receive a written response from the Customer Services Manager within five working days of the complaint being received. If circumstances mean a full response is likely to take longer, we will inform you of this and keep you informed of the process.

Stage 2

If you are unhappy with the response received at Stage 1, then you may appeal to the General Manager of Residential Services stating the reason why you are unhappy with the initial response. You should include a copy of the complaints form submitted at Stage 1, along with an updated form explaining why you are unhappy with the response received.

Ian Jones
General Manager, Residential Services
Accommodation & Commercial Services
Halifax Hall
Endcliffe Vale Road
Sheffield
S10 3ER

Email: i.r.jones@sheffield.ac.uk

You will receive an acknowledgement within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) from receipt of the appeal and a full written response within 10 working days.

The University of Sheffield Case Review

If, following stage two, you believe that the complaint has not been resolved satisfactorily, you can request that your case is reviewed by the University of Sheffield. Further details of the procedure are available on the Student Services website www.shef.ac.uk/ssid/procedures/complaints.html

External Referral

If you believe that your case has not been dealt with properly by the University or that the outcome is unreasonable, then you can, provided you have completed all of our internal procedures, complain to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA) if the complaint is eligible under its rules. Please visit OIA www.oiahe.org.uk for further information.

Confidentiality

All complaints will be dealt with confidentially, though enquiries may have to be made to investigate the matters that are the subject of the complaint. The effectiveness of any complaints procedure depends on the University being able to collect appropriate information from the parties involved in order to investigate the matter properly. For this reason, anonymous complaints will not be dealt with.

Harassment

The University seeks to create a study and residential environment which is free of harassment and which protects the dignity of students and staff irrespective of their gender, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic background, religion or disabled status. It regards sexual, racial or personal harassment very seriously and requires all students and staff to observe its policy in this area. Students who believe they are experiencing harassment within their accommodation are advised to raise this with their Residential Mentor in the first instance. You can also contact the Student Services Information Desk (SSiD) www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid or the Student Advice Centre in the Students´ Union www.shef.ac.uk/union/advice/