Complaints Resolution Officer – Basildon Borough Council

Working for Essex; Basildon; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site role

Temporary 6-month contract

Job summary

Basildon Borough Council is seeking a Complaints Resolution Officer to manage and investigate Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints in a social housing context. You will act as the primary contact for residents, draft responses, and coordinate Housing Ombudsman inquiries to ensure timely, compliant outcomes.

The role is on-site at Basildon with a 6-month temporary contract and a requirement to work 2–3 days per week on site; involvement in some travel is possible.

Qualifications

• Experience investigating and resolving complex complaints within housing, a housing association, local authority, or social housing environment.
• Strong knowledge of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code and related investigations.
• Experience managing Housing Ombudsman inquiries and investigations.
• Good understanding of housing legislation, consumer standards, and landlord responsibilities.
• Experience handling Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints and preparing responses to Councillor/MP inquiries.
• Experience identifying service failures and driving service improvements.

Responsibilities

• Manage and investigate Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints in line with Housing Ombudsman guidelines and organisational procedures.
• Conduct thorough investigations by reviewing tenancy records, policies, repairs history, and correspondence.
• Draft clear, accurate, empathetic, and well-reasoned complaint responses.
• Be the primary point of contact for residents throughout the complaints process and manage expectations.
• Respond to inquiries from Councillors, MPs, advocates, and other stakeholders as required.
• Manage Housing Ombudsman inquiries, investigations, and information requests within timescales.
• Prepare evidence, case files, and submissions for Housing Ombudsman investigations.
• Review Housing Ombudsman determinations and coordinate actions to achieve compliance.
• Identify service failures and remedies to achieve fair resolutions.
• Collaborate with operational teams to gather information and resolve complaints.
• Monitor actions and ensure commitments arising from complaints are completed.
• Maintain records of complaints, Ombudsman cases, outcomes, and improvements.
• Record and report lessons learned to drive organisational learning.
• Analyse complaint trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Ensure compliance with housing legislation, regulatory requirements, and internal policies.

Job description

Complaints Resolution Officer - Basildon Borough Council

Basildon Borough Council

Temporary,Full Time

£28.00 - £30.00 ph (umbrella)

Location:Basildon

Closing Date: 4th October 2026

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Basildon Council to recruit threeComplaints Resolution Officers on a full-time, 6-month temporary basis.

The successful candidate will be required to be onsite a minimum of 2-3 days per week and there may be some travel involved as part of the role but this is not essential.

The Role

The Complaints Resolution Officer is responsible for managing and investigating complaints and Housing Ombudsman cases within a social housing environment, ensuring all cases are handled fairly, thoroughly, and in accordance with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, and organisational policies.

The postholder will act as the primary point of contact for residents throughout the complaints process, undertaking detailed investigations, identifying service failures and root causes, and delivering clear, balanced, and resident-focused complaint responses. The role is also responsible for managing Housing Ombudsman enquiries and investigations, coordinating responses across service areas, and ensuring compliance with Ombudsman timescales, orders, and recommendations.

Working closely with operational teams and stakeholders, the postholder will ensure that remedies, commitments, and service improvements arising from complaints are completed and embedded. The role plays a key part in driving organisational learning, improving customer experience, and promoting a positive complaint-handling culture across the organisation

Accountabilities

• Manage and investigate Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints in line with the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code and organisational procedures.
• Conduct thorough, evidence-based investigations by reviewing tenancy records, policies, repairs history, correspondence, and other relevant documentation.
• Draft clear, accurate, empathetic, and well-reasoned complaint responses.
• Act as the primary point of contact for residents throughout the complaints process, ensuring effective communication and expectation management.
• Respond to enquiries from Councillors, MPs, advocates, and other stakeholders as required.
• Manage Housing Ombudsman enquiries, investigations, and information requests, ensuring responses are submitted within required timescales.
• Prepare evidence, case files, and submissions for Housing Ombudsman investigations.
• Review Housing Ombudsman determinations, orders, and recommendations and coordinate actions required to achieve compliance.
• Identify service failures, root causes, and appropriate remedies to achieve fair and effective complaint resolutions.
• Work collaboratively with operational teams and managers to gather information, agree corrective actions, and resolve complaints effectively.
• Monitor and follow up on actions, remedies, and commitments arising from complaint responses and Housing Ombudsman cases, ensuring they are completed within agreed timescales.
• Maintain accurate records of complaints, Ombudsman cases, outcomes, service improvements, and lessons learned.
• Record, monitor, and report on lessons learned from complaints and Ombudsman investigations, ensuring improvements are implemented and embedded across the organisation.
• Analyse complaint trends and performance data to identify opportunities for service improvement and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with relevant housing legislation, regulatory requirements, consumer standards, and internal policies.

Contribute to the development of best practice in complaint handling and customer resolution across the organisation

The Experience You Will Bring

• Experience investigating and resolving complex complaints within a housing association, local authority, or social housing environment.
• Strong knowledge of the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code and Ombudsman investigations and determinations.
• Experience managing Housing Ombudsman enquiries and investigations.
• Good understanding of relevant housing legislation, consumer standards, and landlord responsibilities.
• Experience handling Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints and preparing responses to Councillor and MP enquiries.
• Experience identifying service failures, recommending remedies, and driving service improvements.
• Excellent report writing, letter drafting, and case management skills.
• Strong analytical, investigative, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage a complex and demanding caseload while meeting strict deadlines.
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders and operational teams to achieve successful outcomes.
• Strong customer service skills with a resident-focused and solution-oriented approach.
• Experience monitoring actions and ensuring commitments arising from complaints and Ombudsman cases are delivered.

Why choose Basildon Council?

Basildon Borough Council is one of the largest local authorities in the East of England region and serves a population of approximately 172,000 people. The town of Basildon is regarded as a key economic hub with the main areas of employment being engineering, research and development, distribution and financial services. Basildon is also the second biggest economy in the Thames Gateway, outside of Canary Wharf.

Working for Basildon Borough Council means making a practical and positive difference to the lives of people living and working in the Borough and provides a fulfilling career.

Each of our employees - whatever job role they are undertaking - can feel motivated by having a unique opportunity to use their skills to make Basildon a better place to live. Whether it is conserving our countryside, by regenerating our Borough, by housing our residents or by collecting the refuse on time.

Note: ECC are advertising this role on behalf of Basildon Council.

Basildon Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults, and expects all employees, contractors and volunteers to share its commitment to prevent abuse, harm or exploitation.

The Council applies a robust recruitment vetting process. If you are successful you will need to undergo a Pre-employment Vetting Procedure.