Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC)
Interim Procedure for Service Requests and Tenant Complaints
Procedure Owner: Operations
Approval: Brad Priggen
First Approved: April 2, 2024
Effective Date: April 2, 2024
Statement of Intent
Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) is committed to being a leader in the delivery of quality, affordable housing for seniors. As part of this commitment, TSHC is obliged to respond to, and address maintenance and non-maintenance related service requests made by tenants in a timely manner. TSHC is also committed to responding to complaints related to unresolved service requests.
Purpose
The following procedure lays out the options available to tenants and related steps that need to be taken to make a service request or inquiry, or to advance the matter to a complaint if the service request has not been resolved. The procedure lays out the conditions that need to be met before a tenant can make a complaint.
Scope
This Procedure applies to all TSHC Tenants who wish to make service requests, inquiries, or complaints related to service requests that TSHC staff may not yet have responded to or resolved. Service requests include maintenance issues, such as pest management and cleanliness. They can also include non-maintenance issues, such as referrals to health and community agencies, information related to arrears, and general tenant information. Tenant complaints that are related to human rights, harassment, and fair access must follow the Tenant Complaint Procedure related to Human Rights (under review).
Definitions and Acronyms
Building Staff: Staff who are responsible for managing a TSHC building and making referrals to services and supports for tenants in a TSHC building including Superintendents, CMPs, and SSCs.
CHS: Community Housing Supervisor.
CMP: Custodial Maintenance Person.
Complaints: An expression of grievance (or voicing of an opinion) made by a tenant about a maintenance or non-maintenance related service request that staff have not yet responded to or resolved.
Inquiry: A question raised by a tenant to seek out clarification or direction from TSHC staff about maintenance and non-maintenance related services and/or issues.
ROM: Regional Operations Manager.
Service requests: A request made by tenants to TSHC building staff or to the Tenant Support Centre to address issues related to building maintenance or to help with accessing social or health supports.
Solutions Team: The team responsible for responding to tenant complaints and managing the complaints process.
SSC: Seniors Services Coordinator.
Tenant: A person who has signed a lease with TSHC to reside in and is currently occupying a TSHC unit.
Tenant Support Centre: A Call Centre, available to tenants, 24 hours a day, to address service requests and respond to tenant inquiries.
TSHC: Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation.
Work-order Form: A document that tenants can fill out to resolve maintenance-related service requests.
Procedure
Options to Make a Service Request
If tenants want to make a maintenance or non-maintenance related service request, they may:
- Reach out to their building staff for
- Directly contact the Tenant Support
Conditions for Changing a Service Request to a Complaint
Tenants may choose to change a service request to a complaint with the Solutions Team if:
- They have not been able to contact building staff or they have not received a response from the Tenant Support Centre within two business days of contacting them.
- A tenant has not been able to gain clarity on the status or outcome of a service request from building staff or the Tenant Support
1. Service Requests
1.1. Building Staff
1.1.1 Making a Service Request
For maintenance requests, tenants can:
- Contact their building Superintendents or CMPs via phone or during scheduled office hours.
- Fill out a work-order
For assistance with referrals to other services and related inquiries, tenants can:
- Contact SSCs by phone or
- Contact building staff during scheduled office
The contact information of building staff is posted on each building’s Rent Safe bulletin board.
1.1.2. Resolving the Service Request
Building staff will determine how to resolve the issues raised by a tenant and will let tenants know about the planned action. Given the variety of service requests, with examples ranging from repair requests to inquiries about arrears, the time to resolve a service request will depend on how complex it is.
1.2. Tenant Support Centre
1.2.1. Making a Service Request
Tenants may choose to make a service request or make inquiries to the Tenant Support Centre at any time of the day by:
- phone
1.2.2. Responding to a Complaint or Inquiry in Real Time
For tenants who call the Tenant Support Centre and wait to speak to a live representative, the service expectation is for 90 percent of calls coming into the call queue to be answered within 90 seconds.
Those tenants who call the Tenant Support Centre during a busy time may be given the option to leave a voice message (non-urgent calls only). A Tenant Support Centre representative will contact them by phone within two business days.
Tenants who reach out by email will automatically receive an email receipt. A Tenant Support Centre representative will contact them by email within two business days.
1.2.3. Addressing the Service Request
After determining whether the service request is maintenance or non- maintenance related, the Tenant Support Centre will follow up with the staff that is responsible for resolving the tenant’s service request.
If the service request is Maintenance related, the Tenant Support Centre will assign the task to the regional CHS or the building Superintendent. The CHS will follow up with building staff to resolve the complaint if the task is assigned to them.
If the service request is non-maintenance related, the Tenant Support Centre will assign the task to the building SSC.
The Tenant Support Centre will respond to the tenant within two business days with details of the actions that will be taken.
A reference ticket number will be issued to the tenant which they can use to ask about the status of the service request.
1.2.4. Resolution
The CHS, and/or building staff, assigned to complete the task is expected to take the necessary steps to resolve the service request in line with operating standards.
2. Solutions Team
2.1. Making a Complaint
Tenants may choose to make a complaint to the Solutions Team if They have not been able to contact building staff or they have not received a response from the Tenant Support Centre within two business days of contacting them.
A tenant may also make a complaint if a tenant has not been able to gain clarity on the status or outcome of a service request from building staff or the Tenant Support Centre.
The tenant can contact the Solutions Team for further assistance via:
- phone
2.2. Acknowledging the Complaint
Tenants who reach out by email will automatically receive an email stating that their message has been received.
2.3. Investigating the Complaint
The Solutions Team will review whether there are any records of the complaints from prior contact with building staff or the Tenant Support Centre. It will then determine whether the matter can be resolved directly by the Solutions Team or whether it needs a decision from senior staff.
The Solutions Team may reach out to the tenant to get a clearer understanding of the complaint, if the information provided by the tenant is insufficient.
2.4. Addressing the Complaint
If the complaint made by the tenant is an issue that the Solutions Team can directly address, such as providing or clarifying general information about tenancy issues, the Solutions Team will work with the tenant to resolve the matter.
If the complaint is maintenance related, such as issues with cleanliness and pest management, the Solutions Team will advance the matter either to the ROM or CHS, or both. The ROM or CHS will assign the task to the appropriate staff member to resolve the complaint, or they may address the matter themselves.
If the complaint is non-maintenance related, such as referrals to health and community agencies or information related to arrears and general tenant information, the Solutions Team will advance the matter either to the ROM or TESS, or both. The ROM or TESS may assign the task to the appropriate staff member to resolve the complaint or they may address the matter themselves.
The Solutions Team will decide how best to advance complaints. Typically, if the complaint has been raised on a repeated basis or the nature of the complaint has significant health and safety risks, the matter may be advanced to senior staff.
Tenants will also be notified of the action that will be taken to resolve the complaint. They can use the reference ticket number issued to them during their contact with the Tenant Support Centre to track progress. In the event that a tenant has directly reached out to the Solutions Team without contacting the Tenant Support Centre, a new reference ticket number will be issued to the tenant.
2.5. Resolution
For issues that the Solutions Team cannot address directly, the staff that is assigned the task by the Solutions Team, for example the ROM or the CHS, is expected to ensure the issue is resolved in line with operating standards.
3. External Options
Tenants who feel as though their service requests and complaints have not been adequately addressed through the options provided by TSHC, may utilize options that are available through the City of Toronto.
3.1. Ombudsman
3.1.1. Making a Complaint
Tenants may raise a complaint with the Ombudsman after they have exhausted internal channels by:
- phone
3.1.2. Investigating and Resolving the Complaint
The Ombudsman will reach out to the Manager, Business Operations and Compliance, with the complaint raised by the tenant. The Manager, Business Operations and Compliance, will then follow the steps described in 2.3 to 2.5 to address the complaint.
3.1.3. Follow Up
In the event that the Ombudsman follows up with the Manager, Business Operations and Compliance, to check whether the tenant’s complaint has been resolved, the Solutions Team is obligated to update the Ombudsman on how the complaint is being resolved.
3.2. Councillor’s Office
3.2.1. Making a Complaint
Sometimes tenants may reach out to a councillor for support, in some instances, before contacting any TSHC staff for assistance.
3.2.2. Investigating and Resolving the Complaint
The councillor’s office will reach out to the Solutions Team with the complaint raised by the tenant. The Solutions Team will then follow the steps described in 2.3 to 2.5 to address the complaint.
3.2.3. Follow Up
In the event that a councillor’s office follows up with the Solutions Team to check whether the tenant’s complaint has been resolved, the office will be provided with a consent form for a tenant to sign. Once the consent form is signed, the Solutions Team will share any relevant information with the office.
4. Monitoring and Compliance
The Solutions Team documents and keeps track of all reference tickets that are in the process of being resolved. This information is also reviewed by senior management in TSHC’s Operations team on a routine basis to ensure all complaints are being adequately handled.