We know that many of our services are shaped by rules and legal requirements. That means our teams often have to make decisions based on these guidelines.

Sometimes, you might not agree with a decision we’ve made. If that happens, you can ask us to review it.

A manager from the team that made the decision will take another look and let you know the outcome. If you’re still not satisfied after this review, you may be able to appeal through our formal process.

You can use our appeals process if you disagree with a decision we’ve made.

This is different from a complaint, which is when you’re unhappy because:

• We haven’t done something we should have, or
• You feel there’s been a failure in our service.

We’ve summarised both processes in our Complaints and Appeals leaflet.
If you want to make a complaint, please click here.

Not sure which one applies? Don’t worry, just get in touch and tell us what’s happened. We’ll help guide you through the right process.

We want to give you a voice in how we deliver our services. If you disagree with a decision we’ve made, you can usually ask us to look at it again, and we’ll explain your options if you still don’t agree.

However, there are some decisions we can’t review through our appeals process. These include:

• Decisions made by other organisations, like Birmingham City Council, the Government, Police, utility companies, or the courts.
• Legal proceedings, such as serving a Notice of Seeking Possession or starting eviction proceedings. While we may review these decisions, they can’t go through the formal appeal process. You have the right to challenge them in court.
• Decisions made more than six months ago.
• Decisions we’ve already reviewed under our appeals policy.
• Decisions made under our allocations policy, which has its own appeal process. If you’re unhappy with one of these, you may be able to seek a judicial review.

Not sure if your situation is covered? Just ask us. If we can review it, we will, and if we can’t, we’ll explain why and what your other options might be.

No, you don’t have to put your appeal in writing.

While written appeals can sometimes make things clearer, we understand that not everyone finds it easy to express themselves in writing. We don’t want that to be a barrier.

• You can tell us in person, over the phone, or in another way that works for you.
  What matters most is that you clearly let us know you disagree with a decision, so we understand you’re making an appeal, not just giving feedback.
• Our staff are here to help.
  They’ll support you through the process and make sure your appeal is recorded properly.
• You can have someone represent you.
  A friend or third party can support you throughout your appeal. We’ll just need your permission to speak with them, so we can protect your privacy.

You have the right to get independent advice at any time.

• You can seek legal advice or take legal action.
  If you choose to go down the legal route, we’ll stop the appeals process and respond to the legal challenge instead. We can’t run both processes at the same time, as that could affect any legal proceedings.
• You can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service.
  They offer free, independent advice and may be able to support you during the appeals process.
  In most cases, they’ll ask you to complete our appeals process first and wait for a final response—but you can speak to them at any time for guidance.

Find out more about the Housing Ombudsman Service.