Welcome to issue 3 of Tallia Langston's quarterly blog. In this issue, Tallia examines what happens when a complaint is made.
Tallia is a tenant, Board Member, and Sub-Committee Member here at Saffron Housing Trust.
Tallia has many responsibilities as MRC, and those responsibilities are all about making sure that we listen and learn from every complaint. Says Tallia, “I was honoured and excited when asked to take on this role, because I love complaints! Complaints help organisations learn, improve and put things right.”
Tallia's blog is available in both audio and written formats. Click on the video directly below to listen to Tallia's blog.
Your Voice Matters – What Happens When You Make a Complaint. By Tallia Langston – Tenant, Board Member, and Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC)
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to my blog. I’m Tallia, and I’m a tenant just like many of you. I also sit on Saffron’s Board and serve as the Member Responsible for Complaints (or MRC for short). Every three months, I share a bit about what’s going on behind the scenes with our complaints management. I focus on what we’re learning, what’s changing, and how your voice really does make a difference.
This time, I want to talk about the impact of complaints, not just on the people making them, but on Saffron too. Because when someone takes the time to raise a complaint, it’s usually because something’s gone wrong, and they care enough to want it put right! I recently spoke to our Complaints team about a tenant who got in touch because they were fed up with the state of their neighbourhood. They’d been living there for over a year and had raised issues more than once, things like uncut grass and problems with shared parking spaces. They were frustrated because despite their reports nothing seemed to change. Understandably, they felt ignored. On top of that, they were also living with health challenges, which made the situation even more difficult.
So, they made a formal complaint. And it made a difference! Some of the things they raised were quick fixes, like getting the grass cut regularly, while others needed more planning. But the key thing is, once the complaint was logged, the right people got involved and took action. Not only was the grass cut, but extra repairs were done to their home, and new ideas were put in place for the wider neighbourhood, like adding communal washing lines. Importantly, the team kept in touch with the tenant, and they told us they finally felt listened to. There’s still work to do, but they felt seen – and that’s huge.
For me, that’s what being the MRC is all about. I’m here to work with Saffron to listen to tenants and learn from every complaint. It’s not about pointing fingers, it’s about making things better. Every time you speak up, whether it’s about a repair, your neighbourhood, or how services are run, you’re helping shape a better experience for everyone.
I know it can feel daunting or frustrating to complain, I’ve been there myself. But I promise you, it’s worth doing. You’re helping us learn, grow, and do better.
If you’ve got something you want to share, or even just a thought or a question about how complaints work, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me directly at MRC@SaffronHousing.co.uk.
Thanks so much for reading – and I’ll be back with another update in June. Until then, take care and keep raising your voice for positive change!