Appeals and Complaints

Introduction
Our Commitment
What Decisions Can I Appeal
What are not Appealable Decisions

Introduction

SWISH is committed to ensuring all tenants and applicants have fair and equitable access to its services. As a registered Housing Asssociation SWISH is subject to the Community Housing External Appeals System. This entitles tenants and applicants who are unhappy about a SWISH decision to appeal the decision which SWISH has made.

SWISH has a two tiered appeals system:

Tenants must use SWISH's appeals process in the first instance.
If they are unhappy about SWISH's decision, an appeal can be made to the Housing Appeals Committee.

SWISH has prepared pamphlets on our appeals and complaints policy in English and Vietnamese. SWISH Policy and Procedures Manual provides more information on our Appeals and Complaints Policy

Our Commitment

SWISH believes that appeals and complaints help to improve our service delivery.
The following is important to remember about our appeals and complaints systems:

Your formal appeal and complaint will be acknowledged within two days of receiving your letter
You will receive a response within 21 days of your appeal/complaint being lodged
You have the right to use an advocate or to have friends assist you throughout the process
You will be treated fairly and with respect during the process
The service you receive from us in the future will not suffer as a result of your appeal or complaint
We will keep a record of all the steps of your appeal or complaint and what happened at each stage
The Housing Appeals Committee cannot consider your appeal until you have first used SWISH's Appeals system

What Decisions Can I Appeal?

Tenants and Applicants can appeal the following decisions:

Applicants

Waiting List	General eligibility Removal from waiting list Backdating of eligibility on waiting list Eligibility of people classified as former unsatisfactory tenants
Housing Entitlements	Number of bedrooms Modification or special features of dwelling Locational need
Priority Housing	Eligibility Locational or housing type needs
Minors	Eligibility of minors to be granted a tenancy
Offer Of Property	Whether offer is considered reasonable Acceptability of reason for not accepting offer Removal for not accepting an offer
Succession Of Tenancy	Eligibility to be granted succession Housing entitlement if granted succession.

Tenants

Transfer	Eligibility for general transfer Eligibility for priority transfer Locational need Relocation of tenant for management purposes Housing entitlement if granted transfer
Rental Subsidy Assessment	Calculations, changes to or cancellation of a rental subsidy
Modification Of Property	Need for modification for disability/medical reasons. Not maintenance or upgrade issues. Tenant improvement of property reimbursement
Mutual Exchange	Eligibility for and approval for exchange
Absence from Dwelling	Permission to be absent and rent calculations
Tenant Charges	Charges at vacation of the dwelling where not covered by a CTTT decision
Offer Of Property-Transfer	Whether reasonable offer made and if the offer counted for purposes of offer policy
Fixed Term Leases	Conditions and renewal eligibility
Head Leasing	Relocating tenants to other social housing at expiry of headlease (tenants cannot appeal about obtaining headlease housing)
Additional Occupants	Approval of additional occupants
Joint Tenancies	Eligibility for joint tenancies

What are not Appealable Decisions?

Decisions not directly related to the person or household
Matters which are the responsibility of other tribunals eg CTTT
Housing providers policies
Matters for which clients cannot make applications to housing providers
Internal administrative and funding matters of the housing provider
Complaints about the way a service is delivered-see complaints policy
Programs not related to the provision of a service

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