Letter: Go above their head!

Having read E Fowler’s tale of woe ‘You win, Howden House!’ I offer not only my sincere condolences for their hitting yet another brick wall when trying to communicate with a Sheffield City Council department – housing – but also some advice on what further action they can take to evoke a satisfactory response from Howden House.

During my working life I was the company expediter for bought-out parts for a leading national engineering firm which made cranes for oil rigs and also earth excavators.

Once the buyer placed the order my job was to see that it was delivered on the due date.

Failure to do so could result in the factory production line being stopped with workers standing idle – a very serious situation.

In my job I dealt with company staff from an initial contact level to managing director and company owner for a private company.

As a customer, if I obtained no satisfaction at the bottom I went to the top usually, with success – In the case of satisfactory communication – always.

So E Fowler, my advice to you is not to give up but go higher to sort out the poor communication treatment you have received from Howden House which is controlled by SCC.

Here are some contact details for you to take your complaint further.

Jill Hurst, head of housing investment and planning – she may not be cabinet member for housing but she can certainly pass your complaint to the relevant body.

Sheffield Housing officer is Daniel Clarke who I believe deals with matters such as your own.

If you cannot get any satisfaction from the advised contacts you can always contact your local councillor and ask them to take up the matter for you and finally your Member of Parliament.

So do not despair, my friend.

Fire a few communication bullets to awaken Howden House.

Cyril Olsen

Busk Meadow, Sheffield, S5