Complaints Policy

 

Student Castle aims to provide the best possible service, but sometimes things can go wrong. When they do, we want to understand what happened so we can learn, improve, and address the area of concern. We value feedback from our students, partners, members of the public, guarantors, parents, and guardians.


How to complain?
If you're already living with us, the best and quickest way to resolve any issue is to speak to a member of the Student Castle team at reception. We are likely to be able to resolve the issue there and then.

If you are not living with us, or you are a member of the general public, you can contact us at head.office@studentcastle.co.uk and we will take the details of your complaint and help resolve it.

 

Accessibility
We are committed to ensuring our complaints process is accessible to everyone. If you require any adjustments or assistance to make a complaint, please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.


What happens next?

1. Acknowledgment and Initial Response
We will acknowledge all complaints upon receipt within 3 working days, outlining the steps we are taking to investigate your complaint.

2. Investigation and Resolution
We aim to fully investigate and respond to any issues raised within 14 working days. If you are not happy with our reply, please let us know. We can then arrange for the Manager to contact you directly to discuss.

3. Escalation Process
If you remain unhappy, we will escalate the complaint to our Head Office to review and issue a full and final response within an additional 14 working days. In exceptional circumstances, the timeline may be delayed, and we will let you know if this is the case.

4. Follow-Up
We will follow up with you after the resolution to ensure you are satisfied with the outcome and to gather feedback for future improvements.


Independent Redress Schemes
If you feel that your complaint is unresolved after a reasonable time, you can refer to one of the following independent redress schemes:

1. National Code Complaints Procedure (ANUK)
The Accreditation Network UK (ANUK) incorporates the National Code of Standards for student accommodation. If your complaint relates to a breach of the National Code of Standards and has not been resolved satisfactorily, you can escalate it under the National Code procedures.

Procedure:

  • First, you must have exhausted our internal complaints process.
  • Then, you can submit your complaint to ANUK through their website (no longer than 6 months from the end of the tenancy/licence agreement).

Visit ANUK Complaints for more information and to lodge a complaint.

2. The Property Redress Scheme
If your complaint pertains to property management issues and remains unresolved, you can contact The Property Redress Scheme.

Procedure:

  • Submit your complaint within 12 months of the issue arising, you will need to use the name of our parent company when referring to us – Student Castle Property Management Services Limited.
  • The Property Redress Scheme will acknowledge receipt and provide a timeline for the investigation.

Details on how to lodge a complaint can be found here.

3. First Tier Tribunal for Scotland
For complaints specific to properties in Scotland, unresolved issues can be escalated to the First Tier Tribunal.

Procedure:

  • After exhausting the internal complaints process, you can submit your complaint to the First Tier Tribunal, you will need to use the name of our parent company when referring to us – Student Castle Property Management Services Limited.
  • The Tribunal will acknowledge receipt and provide a timeline for hearings and resolutions.

Information on how to proceed and their specific time frames can be found here.

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