If you are having problems with your landlord or accommodation, firstly you should try to resolve the problem with your landlord directly. DASH recommends that you put any issues in writing to your landlord; email or a text/ WhatsApp message is fine.

The landlord should respond to this within two weeks (but usually much quicker) and resolve the issues. Sometimes, it may take a little longer than you would like for a repair to be carried out as the landlord may need to wait for a contractor to be available or for a part to be delivered; however they should keep you updated on their progress.

If you are unhappy about the way that your landlord is dealing with your complaint, you can submit a complaint to DASH. This must be in writing and should be sent to the DASH Manager - linda.cobb@derby.gov.uk.

The complaint must detail what the issues are, what steps have been take to resolve this and any correspondence between you and the landlord.  

DASH can give advice to both the landlord and tenant and will act as a mediator with the purpose of assisting parties to reach an agreement.

If the dispute is considered to be of a serious nature or cannot be resolved, then DASH will refer the complaint to the Committee of Management – made up of representatives from key stakeholders who make decisions on the operation of DASH Landlord Accreditation.

The Committee of Management will make a decision as to whether the Code of Conduct has been breached. Their decision is final. If the complaint is upheld, the landlord's membership of DASH may be cancelled.