Retrofit Delivery – Unacceptable actions policy
Introduction
This Policy sets out Changeworks’ Retrofit Delivery’s policy to handle the relatively few complainants whose actions or behaviour we consider as unacceptable. For the purposes of this policy our definition of unacceptable behaviour is defined as:
A person or an organisation whose engagement with Changeworks’ Retrofit Delivery or Technical Support Team involves aggressive behaviour, unreasonable demands, or unreasonable persistence.
Policy Aims
- To make clear to all complainants what actions we will take because of their complaint. We aim to be open and not raise hopes or expectations that we cannot meet.
- To deal fairly, honestly and consistently with all complainants, including those whole actions we deem as unacceptable. We believe that all complainants have the rights to be heard, understood, and respected. We also consider that our staff have the same rights.
- To provide a service that is accessible to all However, we reserve the right, where we consider a complainant’s actions to be unacceptable, to restrict or change access to our service.
- To ensure that other householders, stakeholders, or staff do not suffer any disadvantage from complainants who act in an unacceptable manner.
- To provide the opportunity to any complainant whose actions we consider to be unacceptable to modify their behaviour before any further action is taken.
Unacceptable actions
Aggressive behaviour
Aggression includes behaviour or language (written or oral) that may cause staff to feel threatened or afraid. This also includes threats, physical violence, personal verbal abuse, derogatory remarks and rudeness. Changeworks expects its staff and those we work with to be treated with courtesy and respect.
Unreasonable Demands
Householders may make what Changeworks considers unreasonable demands through the amount of information they seek, the timescales in which they seek it, the nature and scale of service they expect or the number of approaches they make. What amounts to unreasonable demands will always depend on the circumstances surrounding the behaviour and the seriousness of the issues raised by the householders but may include demanding responses within an unreasonable timescale, insisting on seeing or speaking to a particular member of staff, continual phone calls or letters, repeatedly changing the substance of the enquiry or raising unrelated concerns.
Unreasonable Persistence
Householders may persist in disagreeing with the outcome of an investigation by Changeworks or contact us persistently about the same issue. Other examples may be a persistent refusal to accept explanations relating to what we can and cannot do and continuing to pursue an issue without presenting any new information or refusing access to complete works. The way in which the householder approaches us may be reasonable, but it is their persistent behaviour in continuing to do so which may not be.
Changeworks may consider the actions of persisting householders to be unacceptable when they take up what we regard as being a disproportionate amount of time and resource.
Managing unacceptable Actions
Changeworks may restrict contact with complainants to being in person, by telephone, letter or email or any combination of these. Where action to restrict contact is taken, Changeworks will undertake to fully explain the reasoning behind this decision.
The threat or use of aggressive or abusive behaviour, which may include physical violence, verbal abuse or harassment towards our staff or stakeholders is likely to result in the immediate ending of all direct contact with the complainant. Incidents may be reported to the police, this will always be the case if physical violence is used or threatened.
Changeworks staff will end telephone calls if the member of staff considers the caller to be aggressive or abusive, or persistently refuses to accept what we are saying. The staff member may make the decision, tell the caller that the behaviour is unacceptable and end the call if the behaviour does not stop.
Changeworks does not tolerate correspondence that is deemed as abusive to staff. Where correspondence contains allegations against a member of staff and after investigation it is found to lack substantive evidence, this may be deemed an unacceptable action.