TIO Annual Report 2006/07

Complaint resolution times

Level 1 complaints are closed on the day that they are logged and only reopened if the complainant returns to the TIO after contact with the member and the TIO determines that the complaint merits formal investigation.

With Level 2 and 3 complaints, specific actions – such as assessing responses from members and contacting complainants – have benchmark timeframes. The average resolution benchmark for Level 2 cases is 77 days, Level 3 cases is 91 days and Level 4 cases is 90 days.

In 2006/07 the average resolution time for Level 2 complaints rose from 79 to 102 days. Level 3 resolution times rose from an average of 108 to an average of 155 days, and Level 4 complaints rose from an average of 164 to an average of 188 days. Measures put in place to pare these resolution times back towards the benchmarks have achieved some initial success.

Complaint outcomes

Upon closure of Level 2, 3 and 4 complaints the officer handling the matter assigns an outcome indicator. This is based on their understanding of whether the complaint was resolved partly or substantially in the complainant’s favour or partially or substantially in the member’s favour. Neutral outcomes are also recorded but these are mainly an administrative action where a Level 2 or 3 complaint has not yet been resolved and requires escalation, or where a complaint has several “issues”, only one of which was the subject of formal investigation. In 2006/07 complaints with neutral outcomes rose from 42.3 per cent to 53.05 per cent.

Complaints resolved partially or substantially in favour of complainants dropped from 16.2 per cent to 14.7 per cent and 29.0 per cent to 26.1 per cent respectively. And complaints resolved partially or substantially in favour of members dropped from 3.1 per cent to 2.7 per cent and 8.0 per cent to 3.5 per cent.

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