How to complain about the council

If the council has done something wrong, you have the right to make a complaint. If you're unhappy with their response, you can complain to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman or take court action.

When to complain

You can make a complaint about problems with the council's services, such as:

• unfair treatment or discrimination when dealing with the council

• repairs not being done if you rent from the council

• being refused help when making a homeless application

• problems with local services like bin collections

• problems caused by council tenants

You do not have to be a council tenant to complain.

Step 1: contact the council informally

You can try talking to someone at the council. Explain what the problem is and how it's affecting you.

Keep a record of who you spoke to and when. Get them to write down any agreements you come to.

Step 2: send a formal complaint

Email or write to the council. Find your council's website on mygov.scot.

Keep copies of any letters or emails you send.

In your letter or email, include:

• what you're complaining about

• when the problem started

• what you've done to try and solve the problem

• any evidence you have, including letters or emails you've sent previously

• what you want the council to do

• your contact details

The council must respond to you within 5 working days.

Step 3: ask for a final response

If the problem is not resolved, ask the council to look at your complaint again and send a final response. This is sometimes called a stage 2 complaint.

Your complaint will be looked at by a different member of staff. They must do this within 20 working days.

Step 4: if you're unhappy with the final response

You can complain to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

The ombudsman is a free independent service that resolves disputes and complaints. You must complain to them within a year of the problem starting.

Making a group complaint if you're a council tenant

You can make a group complaint to the Scottish Housing Regulator if:

• the problem affects a group of tenants who rent from the same council

• complaining individually has not solved the problem

• you have serious concerns about your council

For example, it could be a serious concern if they've repeatedly failed to:

• do repairs or safety checks

• respond to complaints

• consult with tenants about rent increases

Check the Scottish Housing Regulator's guidance on group complaints about serious concerns.

Taking legal action

If the council broke the law, you could take them to court. This is called a judicial review. There's a 3 month deadline for court action and you'll need a solicitor.

Find a solicitor on the Law Society of Scotland.

You could get legal help for free or at a lower cost.

If you need more help to solve the problem

You can get advice from:

• a Shelter Scotland adviser

• your local Citizens Advice Bureau

• a law centre or solicitor

An adviser or solicitor could help you work out your next steps.