Compensation and reimbursement policy
Date approved: April 2026
Review date: April 2029
See below for the full policy, but please be aware this may include acronyms or technical jargon used internally within Raven. If you have any questions, please contact us.
1. Purpose of the policy
1.1. This policy sets out Raven Housing Trust’s approach to providing fair, reasonable, and proportionate remedies where service failures, delays, or other issues have caused residents loss, inconvenience, or distress.
1.2. The policy ensures that Raven responds consistently and transparently when service standards fall short. It aligns with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code (2024) and Remedies Guidance and supports Raven’s commitment to resolving issues fairly, learning from mistakes, and restoring residents as far as possible to the position they would have been in had the service failure not occurred.
2. Scope of the policy
This policy explains the circumstances in which Raven may offer remedies or compensation following a service failure.
It applies to all Raven customers including tenants, leaseholders, housing applicants, former residents, and individuals acting on behalf of residents.
The policy covers both financial and non-financial remedies offered through the complaints process or where Raven identifies a service failure.
It does not cover matters that fall under insurance claims, legal proceedings, or other specialist policies.
3. Detailed policy content
3.1. Raven Housing Trust will provide remedies where service failures, delays, or errors have caused residents distress, inconvenience, or financial loss. This will also include statutory or mandatory compensation.
Remedies may include:
Non-financial remedies
- Apologies and explanations
- Corrective actions such as repairs or service improvements
- Changes to procedures or staff training where appropriate
Financial remedies
- Compensation for distress and inconvenience, time and trouble
- Payments for verified financial loss reasonably incurred
- Discretionary goodwill gestures in recognition of service failure
- Discretionary payments in recognition of complaint handling failure as per the Complaint Handling Code
- Mandatory or statutory payments where applicable
When assessing remedies Raven will consider:
- The severity and duration of the service failure
- The impact on the resident
- Whether service standards or timescales were missed
- Any vulnerabilities or individual circumstances
- Evidence of financial loss
- Whether previous remedies have been offered
Raven aims to apply remedies that are fair, proportionate, and consistent, while ensuring that learning is taken from complaints to improve services.
Certain matters are excluded from compensation, including personal injury claims, damage caused by natural events, losses caused by resident negligence, and matters determined by courts or insurance processes.
4. Applicability
4.1. This policy applies to:
- Raven Housing Trust residents, including tenants and leaseholders
- Raven Homes customers
- Customers for whom Raven acts as a managing agent
- Former residents
- Housing applicants
- Individuals or organisations acting on behalf of residents where consent is provided
It also applies to complaints raised on behalf of deceased residents where appropriate legal authority is provided.
Failure to comply with this policy may result in service issues being reviewed through internal governance and management processes.
5. Definition
5.1. Remedy
An action taken to resolve the impact of a service failure. This may include apologies, corrective action, or compensation.
5.2. Compensation
A financial payment made to acknowledge distress, inconvenience, time and trouble, or financial loss resulting from a service failure.
5.3. Service Failure
Where Raven has not delivered services in line with its policies, obligations, or published service standards.
5.4. Quantifiable Loss
Financial costs directly incurred by the resident as a result of a service failure that can be evidenced.