For many Residential Management Company (RMC) directors, complaints can feel like an unwelcome distraction. They typically arrive during busy moments with an angry tone and often feeling unfair. But complaints can be re-framed.
They are information, important data that can shape decision-making and improve processes. They can help protect budgets and raise standards throughout your development by turning recurrent issues into clear plans for change.
Here we will be explaining how to flip complaints on their head, creating positive outcomes and benefit all.
Harnessing Complaints
Every complaint points to a gap. That gap may be in communication, response time, contractor performance or resident understanding. When several residents raise similar issues, the message becomes stronger. It shows where the system is not working as intended (or where more intentionality is needed).
Complaints can also flag risks nice and early. A small repair delay today may point to a contractor issue that will become costly later. Confusion over responsibilities may lead to disputes or tribunal action if not addressed.
Seen this way, complaints are more like early warning signs that are often cheaper to act on now than to ignore.
Reframing Complaints as Management Data
A helpful mindset shift is to treat each complaint as a data point rather than a personal criticism. The goal is not to decide who is right or wrong, but to ask what the issue reveals about how the block is run.
For example, a complaint about slow repairs may not be about the repair itself. It may reveal unclear reporting routes, slow approval processes or lack of contractor capacity. A cleaning complaint may point to an unclear specification rather than poor cleaning. Once complaints are viewed as system feedback, they become useful.
Common Complaints and What They Reveal
Most complaints fall into a few broad themes:
- Response times
Complaints about delays often show that residents do not understand or have not been privy to expected timelines. They may also highlight approval bottlenecks or weak contractor availability. If residents chase updates, communication may be the real issue, not the work itself.
- Clarity of responsibility
Many complaints arise because residents are unsure who is responsible. This includes confusion between the RMC, managing agent, freeholder or local authority. If the same question keeps coming up, roles may not have been explained clearly enough.
- Information gaps
Noise complaints, repair disputes and concerns around service charge often link to missing context. Residents may not understand planned works, legal limits or access requirements. Better upfront information can reduce friction.
- Contractor performance
Repeated complaints about the same service usually point to a performance issue. This may involve quality, behaviour, reliability or communication. Complaints help identify when a contractor is no longer suitable.
- Policy weaknesses
Some complaints expose outdated house rules or unclear policies. This is common in themes such as noise, pets, parking and waste. If rules are hard to enforce or explain, they may need review.
Simple Ways to Track Complaints
Complaint tracking does not require complex software. Many RMCs manage this effectively with simple tools such as a basic spreadsheet or shared document. Record the date, type of complaint, location, service area, response time and outcome. Use short, factual descriptions and avoid emotional language.
Group complaints into broad categories such as cleaning, repairs, noise, safety, communication or billing. Over time, patterns will appear. Even a small block can see trends appear in a short period of time.
Tracking also supports transparency. If residents escalate issues, the board can show how complaints are logged, reviewed and acted upon. This aligns with good governance and the principles of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code.
Turning Recurring Complaints into Action Plans
The real value comes when trends are turned into action. If noise complaints repeat, the issue may not be behaviour alone. It may relate to poor communication of quiet hours, lack of soundproofing guidance or unclear enforcement. An action plan might include updating house rules, issuing clear guidance and setting a consistent response process.
Repeated cleaning complaints often reflect a mismatch between expectations and the contract. The solution may be to review the cleaning specification, agree clear standards and carry out joint inspections with the contractor.
Residents often complain not because repairs are slow, but because they do not know what is happening. An action plan may include automatic updates, clearer target times, or a simple repairs flowchart shared with residents.
Complaints about missed appointments or repeated access requests may show poor coordination. The fix may involve grouping works, improving notice periods or using shared calendars.
Each action plan should be specific. Identify the issue, the root cause, the change to be made and who owns it. Always review outcomes after a set period.
Improving Decisions via Complaint Data
Complaint trends help boards prioritise spending. If multiple complaints link to the same asset or service, that area may need investment. This supports evidence-based budgeting rather than reactive spending.
Complaint data also helps when reviewing managing agents or contractors. Decisions feel fairer when based on patterns rather than isolated incidents.
Over time, boards that use complaint data often see fewer escalations. Residents feel heard, trust improves and communication becomes clearer.
Setting Expectations with Residents
Complaints reduce when expectations are clear. Residents should know how to raise issues, what information to provide and what response times to expect. A simple complaints process shared annually can help.
It is also helpful to explain limits. Not every issue can be resolved immediately and not every preference can be met. Clear explanations reduce frustration.
Conclusion
Complaints are part and parcel of block management. But they do not have to be stressful. When treated as data, they become a powerful management tool, revealing system weaknesses, highlighting priorities and supporting better decisions.
For RMC directors, the aim is not to eliminate complaints entirely but to learn from them. By tracking issues, spotting patterns and acting early, boards can improve services, protect budgets and create calmer, better-run buildings.
