Tenant Involvement Strategy 2021 – 2026
Section1 – Introduction
Section 2 – Purpose of this Strategy
Section 3 – Strategic Fit
Section 4 – Background
Section 5 – Our Aims
Section 6 – Strategic Priorities
Section 7 – Delivering this Strategy
Section 8 – Monitoring and Review
Section 9 – Financial Implications
Appendix 1 – Action Plan
Tenant involvement is about tenants taking part in the decision making process and influencing choices which affect the services, homes and communities in which they live. It is an evolving two way process of communication between tenants and their landlord.
We recognise that tenant involvement can lead to real, positive outcomes for residents, communities and us as a landlord, by:
- Improved effectiveness and efficiency of services, giving better value for money
- Increased tenant/leaseholder satisfaction
- Increased sense of being part of a community and working together to improve and support local areas
- Giving tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders a better quality of life
- Enhanced ability for tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to influence decisions
- Improved relations between landlord and tenant leading to mutual respect and trust
The purpose of this strategy is to reinforce our commitment to Tenant Involvement, by setting out how we will provide opportunities for effective involvement of tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to influence the housing services delivered to them.
National Fit
In November 2020 the Government published its Social Housing White Paper – The Charter for Social Housing Residents. The paper sets out seven rights of tenants:
• To know how your landlord is performing
• To have your complaints dealt with promptly and fairly
• To be treated with respect, backed by a strong consumer regulator for tenants
• To have your voice heard by your landlord
• To have a good quality home and neighbourhood to live in
• To be supported to take your first step to ownership
The Social Housing White Paper looks to balance the power between landlords and tenants following the Grenfell Tower disaster. Additionally, there will be changes with a tougher housing regulator who will “empower” millions of social housing tenants to hold landlords to account, with the culture of transparency and accountability.
This is to be achieved through benchmarking and reporting on key areas including home quality and repairs, landlord tenant engagement, and complaint handling and a closer working relationship between the Housing Regulator and the Housing Ombudsman.
Through this strategy and our Tenant Involvement Offer we plan to make sure that tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders can help us to shape how we respond to the white paper.
Local Fit
The Council’s Corporate Plan 2019-23 mid-term review in 2021 focuses on what we have been doing to deal with the effects of Covid and our commitment to being a carbon neutral area by 2050.
Of the eight key aims identified in the review housing cuts across or is affected by all of these:
- “Ensure development meets future needs, with associated investment in infrastructure” and “Protect and enhance Wealden’s unique natural environment and heritage”. Our Housing Strategy highlights the importance of good quality homes with access to good facilities and services.
- “Promote a better quality of life for Wealden people through activities that improve health, resilience and well-being.” Our Housing Strategy recognises that good quality housing also has an impact on quality of life.
- “Improve access to essential services for all our communities.” Our Housing Strategy highlights the importance of access to housing advice and support.
- “Ensure that Wealden is Carbon Zero by 2050 at the latest.” Our HRA Business Plan has as one of its three priorities decarbonisation of our council homes.
- “Support our local businesses, tourism sector and entrepreneurs to achieve a locally sustainable economy” and “Work with partners to regenerate our diverse market towns, creating jobs and attracting investment”. Job creation will have a positive impact on housing enabling more residents to find and afford their own housing solutions. Our Homelessness Review highlights the importance of employment in tackling homelessness.
- “Generate ongoing sources of income to reinvest in local priorities and optimise funding from external sources.” Housing have been very successful at securing external funding to deliver housing related projects such as housing and support for rough sleepers.
Our Housing Strategy is therefore consistent in meeting the priorities of the Corporate Plan through its three strategic objectives:
- Increasing housing supply
- Improving housing quality
- Providing housing advice and support for individuals and communities, which includes tenant involvement
Our strategic objectives continue to be underpinned by a set of key principles:
- Reducing inequality – making sure that services are welcoming and responsive to the needs of Wealden’s whole community.
- Improving neighbourhoods – making sure our services contribute to creating safe sustainable communities.
- Accountability to local people – ensuring that local people are involved in decisions about the services that affect them.
- Value for money – making sure services are good quality and provide excellent value for money.
- Partnership working – making sure the Council works with other agencies that can help improve the quality of life residents in the District.
Throughout our Corporate Plan and Housing Strategy the importance of partnership working, accountability, improving communities, value for money, ensuring quality of life through engaged and resilient communities are key.
Through this strategy and our Tenant Involvement Offer we plan to make sure that our tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders are at the heart of helping us achieve these objectives.
We have a strong background of positive engagement with tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders. In the past this was achieved through close working with a tenant representative forum. However, in recent years it have become clear that this is not necessarily the most effective or inclusive way for working with tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders.
As a result we consulted with tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to understand their preferences for consultation and to influence how we moved forward.
In May 2020 we carried out a Satisfaction of Tenants and Residents (STAR) survey. The results of the survey indicate that tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders wished to be represented and consulted with in different ways and no longer supported the tenant representative forum as the preferred option.
The results of the survey are:
- 63% of respondents stated their preferred way of being represented and consulted was responding to surveys and consultations
- 25% of respondents said that they prefer to be consulted through local groups or resident associations (where one exists)
- 16% of respondents would prefer to take part in online meetings and discussions
- 16% of respondents wished to attend meetings on specific issues
- 14% of respondents wanted to attend focus and working groups
- 9% of respondents supported a group consisting of members of existing groups and organisations
In order to respond to these findings we are working to ensure that we offer a range of different involvement options that meet the needs of all tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders and have produced a ‘Tenant Involvement Offer’, which is set out in Appendix 2. This offer was distributed to all tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders in January 2021 and all new tenants are provided with this when moving into their new home.
Our Tenant Involvement Offer will be kept under constant review to ensure that it continues to meet tenants and Retirement Living leaseholder’s preferences to be involved and responds to changes in best practice and technology.
In addition our STAR survey found that:
- 70% of respondents were satisfied that we listened to residents’ views and acted upon them
- 71% of respondents felt that we gave than an opportunity to make their views known
Although these results are good, we are not complacent and strive for continuous improvement. We aim to increase satisfaction levels amongst tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders through the delivery of this Strategy and our Tenant Involvement Offer.
This strategy through our Tenant Involvement Offer aims to provide a range of options for tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to be involved in a way which suits tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders.
This is because we believe that tenant involvement and consultation should be at the heart of everything that we do and believe that is essential to achieve successful outcomes. Tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders should have a say in relation to their homes, their neighbourhoods and the services that they receive. Understanding tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders changing needs and aspirations of is vital if we are to deliver truly great housing and related services.
Though effective engagement we aim to:
• improve the quality of services provided
• increase the level of satisfaction
Our four strategic priorities will ensure that our aims are met and set out how we will ensure effective involvement of tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders in our delivery of services to them.
1. Involvement
Ensuring as many tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders who want to be involved, can engage in a way that suits them.
We will do this through:
Providing a wide range of opportunities to be involved (see priority 2)- Removing barriers that may prevent tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders from getting involved
- Raising awareness of tenant involvement options
- Ensuring all information and the services we provide are accessible and suitable for all. We will make responsible adjustments and will meet our responsibilities under the Equalities Act 2010
- Making sure that tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders feel supported by our staff and officers of all levels, including the Tenant Involvement Team
- Ensuring that tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders have the necessary skills to engage through the provision of relevant equipment and training
2. Engagement Opportunities
In order to encourage a greater level of involvement we will offer a wide range of opportunities for tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to participate. There will be varying levels of time commitment needed to fit around our tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders’ lives.
We will do this through:
Our Tenant Involvement Offer, which provides details of the different involvement options available- Continually reviewing and updating our Tenant Involvement Offer to ensure we respond to tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders needs, current best practice and changing technology
- Continually engaging and consulting with tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders on different aspects of our service
- Using a secure IT system to record tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders interests and involvement preferences
- Supporting tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to deliver improvements to the local environment and community, as necessary
3. Transparency
We will be open and honest with tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders in our communications.
We will do this through:
- Providing tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders with clear information
- Listening to what tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders have to say
- Publishing details of all consultations on our website
- Carrying out open and transparent engagement activities e.g. through consultations and surveys and by being clear about what can and can’t be influenced or changed
- Providing updates and feedback on tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders involvement in Threshold
- Ensuring tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders views are represented when decisions are being made
- Ensuring regular communications through our monthly e-newsletter, bi-annual Threshold and our website
- Providing tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders with regular performance data
- Producing a detailed annual report
- Encouraging tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders to give us feedback, both compliments and complaints in a way that suits them
- Supporting and facilitating a Scrutiny Panel to carry out reviews and investigations into any part of our services and making recommendations on how and where improvements can be made
4. Valuing tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders contribution
Tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders have an important role to play in helping us to deliver and improve our services.
We will show that we value their contribution by:
Delivering our Tenant Rewards Scheme, which awards Participation Points for involvement. Points build up over the year and are converted into shopping vouchers in time for Christmas- Reimbursing travel costs, child or other care costs and any direct out of pocket expenses incurred as a result of taking part
- Acknowledging tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders’ contribution to involvement.
We are fully committed to improving and expanding our involvement methods with all tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders, and we recognise that specific engagement is needed for our Retirement Living Residents.
We have a dedicated Tenant Involvement Team who have developed this strategy, accompanying action plan and Tenant Involvement Offer. However, all our staff are expected to commit to delivering successful involvement.
In delivering our four key strategic priorities, we will:
- Work in partnership and develop relationships with other statutory agencies, as well as voluntary and charitable organisations to address local issues across our housing areas and Retirement Living courts
- Provide services that meet the needs of our tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders and are cost effective and meet our responsibilities as a landlord
- Review this strategy to ensure that it meets our needs as a landlord and those of tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders
- Ensure that we provide sufficient recourses for tenant involvement and to deliver the priorities of this strategy
This strategy will be reviewed and updated every five years or sooner if necessary, responding to legislation and changes in best practice.
The accompanying action plan, set out at Appendix 1, details how we will deliver this strategy. It will be kept under consistent review and updated as necessary to ensure we can respond to changes as a result of best practice, legislation and from the Social Housing White paper implementation.
We will report back to tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders annually via our Annual Report and housing newsletter, Threshold.
This strategy will be delivered within the resources of the Housing Revenue Account. External funding opportunities will also be utilised, where possible.
This document is the Tenant Involvement Action. It is in place to show what the Tenant Involvement (T.I) Team aims to achieve between by the end of 2026. This Action Plan will be regularly monitored and reviewed, reported back to residents what we have achieved.
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Priority 1: Involvement |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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1 |
Accessibility: set up weekly surgeries where Housing Officer will guarantee to be available to take telephone calls from tenants |
· Each Housing Officer to hold a weekly virtual surgery where they can be contacted · Details to be advertised in Threshold |
Spring 2022 |
Housing Management Team |
· Improved customer service – tenants able to guarantee that they can speak to their Housing Officer and in many instances immediately. |
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2 |
Recruitment: Increase the number of tenants and RL leaseholders involved in different TI activities |
· Recruit through the new Tenant Involvement Options brochure · Ensure equality in all TI activities
· Housing Officers to discuss Tenant Involvement Options brochure at 6 week visit |
April 2021 & ongoing
December 2021 and ongoing |
TI team
Housing Officers |
· Increase in the number of involved tenants and RL leaseholders · Increase in the number of responses to consultations and surveys · Identify barriers to involvement and the reason why tenants and leaseholders don’t want to engage |
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3 |
Create Database of interested tenants: Use TP Tracker to create a data base of tenants and RL leaseholders who have expressed interest in involvement |
· Use TP Tracker to record expressions of interest and group and communicate with those tenants accordingly · Use TP tracker to monitor responses and participation in activities TP Tracker to allocate Participation Points as part of Tenant Reward Scheme |
April 2021 & ongoing |
TI team |
· Increase in numbers of tenants actively involved in issues that interest them e.g. focus group · Increase in responses to surveys and consultations · Issues identified earlier · Increase in tenant satisfaction · Decrease in complaints |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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4 |
Develop and implement regular tenant satisfaction surveys for all service areas: Identify service areas where satisfaction surveys and focus groups can be used |
· Work with HMT and Team leaders to identify where satisfaction surveys can be used · Develop and implement a programme of satisfaction surveys · Produce online and hard copies of each survey · All responses recorded in TP Tracker · Use TP Tracker to record and report on results of surveys and attendance at groups |
April 2021 and ongoing |
HMT Team Leaders TI team HPISL |
· Increase in satisfaction surveys carried out · Increase in responses to surveys and consultations · Issues identified and acted upon · Increase in tenant satisfaction · Decrease in negative feedback |
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5 |
Develop and support Tenant and Retirement Living Leaseholder Representatives: Recruit, train and embed 3 or more elected Tenant and RL leaseholders Representatives |
· Consult with tenants and RL leaseholders to gauge support for elected representatives · Develop and agree system for election of representatives · Develop and agree mechanism for issues raised directed to HMT/ Portfolio Holder · Identify possible candidates · Offer training package via Tpas etc. |
April 2021 Via Threshold Annual Report Monthly Email update |
TI team HMT HPISL |
· Improved transparency · Increase in satisfaction · Decrease in negative feedback · Monitor, evaluate and report back to tenants and RL leaseholders on issues and progress |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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6 |
Remove Barriers to Involvement: Support all tenants and RL leaseholders to be involved regardless of any disability, financial status, care commitments etc. |
· Identify barriers to involvement, for example through the six week visit · Ensure all activities provided are accessible and meet the needs of all attendees · Events and activities held at times to suit those involved · All activities and events are free of charge · Ensure all ‘out of pocket’ expenses incurred are reimbursed as soon as possible |
April 2021 & Ongoing |
TI team |
· All tenants and RL leaseholders have equality of opportunity to be involved and are supported to participate · Increase in number of tenants actively engaged |
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7 |
Training: Ensure that actively engaged tenants and RL leaseholders have access to relevant skills and training
Promote other training and skills opportunities to wider tenant base |
· Consult with engaged tenants and RL leaseholders about their training needs · Promote and utilise Tpas membership to provide specialist training for engaged tenants · Promote and facilitate existing training and skills providers e.g. Street Learning, SETUP etc. |
April 2021 & Ongoing |
TI team HPISL |
· All actively engaged tenants and RL leaseholders to have opportunities to access training and skills required · Increase in uptake of training and skills opportunities |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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8 |
Publicise Tpas membership and benefits for tenants and RL leaseholders |
· Renew Tpas Membership · Include article about Tpas and members benefits · Promote Tpas activities and training/networking opportunities in email updates. · Support and encourage engaged tenants and RL leaseholders to take part in Tpas events and activities |
March 2021 April 2021 Ongoing
Ongoing |
TI team |
· Involved tenants and RL leaseholders are aware of Tpas and benefits of landlord membership · Increase in skills and knowledge of involved tenants and RL leaseholders · Involved tenants and RL leaseholders can network and share information with tenants from other landlords |
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9 |
Continuing to promote the Tenant Involvement brochure |
· Copy of Tenant Involvement Brochure to be included in welcome letter/pack · Housing Officers and other tenant facing staff to promote and raise awareness of opportunities · Look to contact those who did not respond to the initial mail out · Include article about Involvement Brochure in Threshold encouraging responses · Include links and information on Involvement Brochure and opportunities in email updates |
Ongoing Ongoing March 2021 April 2021 Ongoing |
HSSO HO TI team
TI team
TI team |
· New tenants and RL leaseholders are aware of opportunities · More tenants and RL leaseholders are engaging · Existing tenants and RL leaseholders who did not originally respond are still able to give their choices on being involved |
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10 |
Improve Internal Communications To improve customer service to our tenants and leaseholders |
· Set-up monthly meetings between Housing Officers, TI team and Contracts Officer |
October 2021 |
TI team |
· TI team more informed when attending Resident Group Meetings and able to respond to questions Housing Officers know what is happening out on their estates and what issues are coming up at Resident Group meetings |
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Priority 2: Engagement Opportunities |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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11 |
Marketing & Promotion: Promote the ‘Tenant Involvement Offer’ to increase awareness of TI options available |
· Publish ‘TI Offer’ on website, in email update and Threshold · Use TP Tracker to profile and contact tenants who have expressed interest in involvement · Copy of ‘TI Offer’ to be included in welcome letter packs for new tenants · Explore other opportunities to promote the TI Offer · R.L Court Mangers to promote at Courts via face to face meetings, notice boards. TI Team to be invited where possible |
Jan 2021 & ongoing
April 2021
March/April 2021 & ongoing Ongoing
Ongoing |
HPISL TI team TI team
HSSO and HO
TI team
R.L Managers & TI team |
· Increased awareness of different involvement options available · Increase in number of tenants and RL leaseholders getting involved in a way that suits them |
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12 |
Set up new Involvement Options based on the Tenant Involvement Offer brochure |
· Establish Terms of reference and Codes of Conduct · Run drafts through the Reading Group · Send final versions to volunteers and get them to sign up to any Codes of Conduct · Undertake any necessary training · Set-up and utilise all involvement options across the housing service |
August 2021
September 2021
September 2021
as necessary
Ongoing |
TI team/HPISL TI TI
TI
TI team/HPISL |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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13 |
Reading Group: Further expand and develop the role of the Reading Group to give feedback and influence all Housing Service draft reports, letters and documents |
· Increase number of tenants and RL leaseholders actively involved in the reading group according to interest from ‘TI Offer’ · Record participation and allocate Points on TPTracker · Promote and expand use of the reading group to staff and officers as a means to ‘test’ draft reports, letters and documents e.g. policies and strategies. Gain feedback and comments · Officers and staff to plan and allow sufficient time for reading group to give feedback and feedback to be implemented |
April 2021 and ongoing |
HMT TI team |
· Increase in readability of finished documents e.g. plain English · Improved ways of communicating information e.g. use of charts, graphs if appropriate · Decrease in calls and emails from tenants asking for clarification · Decrease in feedback about letters, documents etc. |
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14 |
Support and facilitate Residents Associations and Community Groups: Continue to support and work in partnership with existing groups. Work with RL Service to increase number of Residents Association in R.L Courts |
· Support existing groups -revenue & running costs · Work with and support groups to deliver projects, activities and events which benefit the local community · Develop and facilitate formation of new groups if there is demand · Support and facilitate new Residents Associations in R.L courts · Housing Officers to attend each Resident Groups AGM |
Ongoing |
TI Team
Housing Management team RL Team |
· Increase in numbers of actively engaged tenants · Improved relationship between Housing Services and communities · Improved community cohesion and resilience · Increase in number of Residents Associations in RL Courts |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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15 |
Tenant Portal Explore options to improve or replace the Tenant Portal to expand the amount of information available through it |
· Work with Digital Services · Involve tenants and RL leaseholders in developing the content as well as a range of Officers across the service |
To be completed by 2024 |
HPISL HSAO Digital Services TI team Other Officers as necessary |
· Increase in information available via the Portal · Improve communication/transparency with tenants · Increase % of tenants and RL leaseholders using the portal · Tenants and RL leaseholders able to update their contact details via the portal |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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16 |
Tenant Scrutiny Panel (TSP) Continue and develop the Tenant Scrutiny Panel/s |
· Targeted recruitment for members of TSP · Promote and utilise Tpas membership to provide specialist training for Scrutiny Panel · TSP to deliver at least 1 review each financial year. · Regular TSP update in Threshold · Embed Scrutiny and it’s benefits across the service · Develop and implement feedback and reporting model for Scrutiny Report · Ensure action is taken and reported back following the work of the TSP |
Ongoing |
HMT TI Team HPISL |
· TSP carries out at least 1 review each financial year · Findings of TSP reports are published and are acted on · TSP to be a key influence in the delivery of housing services |
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17 |
Decent Environments Work with tenants and RL leaseholders to explore ways to improve local areas and utilise funding opportunities |
· Explore opportunities to utilise small parcels of HRA land. · Undertake litter picks · Continue Estate Walkabouts · Use temporary dog fouling signs |
Ongoing |
HO TI team HMT HCSO |
· Improved environments · Improved tenant and RL leaseholder satisfaction in their local neighbourhood |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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18 |
Drive to Digital:
help those who aren’t online get online where they want to and ensure access to service for those not online |
· TI Staff to be Drive to Digital Champions · Utilise digital engagement such as online feedback surveys and work to support tenants access to digital platforms · Use digital methods of communication by default, but ensure those without access to internet are still informed, can access information and services and have opportunities to be involved · Keep records of how tenants and RL leaseholders want to get involved up to date · Provide IT training/support to access training and/or access to IT equipment · Promote IT training e.g. ‘I.T for You’ and Street Learning · Offer choice for how people can engage and respond |
Ongoing |
TI team HPISL Housing D2D Rep |
· TI Activities benefit from efficiencies of D2D · Increase in number of involved tenants and RL leaseholders engaging in TI activities · Increase in services that tenants and RL leaseholders can access online · Ensure tenants and RL leaseholders can engage in a way that suits them. · Increase the number and diversity of those who engage, attracting more engagement from younger tenants. |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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19 |
Annual review of TI Offer, Strategy and Action Plan: Review annually to ensure the T.I Offer, Strategy and Action Plan is still fit for purpose and meet best practice |
· Review TI offer in partnership with tenants and RL leaseholders to ensure it continues to meet their needs and adapts to take account of best practice and changes in technology · Review and Update TI Strategy at least every 5 years or sooner if necessary, responding to legislation and changes in best practice · Review and update as necessary the TI Action plan and publish biannual updates online. With annual updates in the annual report |
Every March |
TI Team HPISL |
· The TI offer is refreshed and adapted according to the needs of tenants and RL leaseholders · TI Strategy and Action Plan respond to the needs of tenants and leaseholders · TI service and activities respond and adapt to the needs of tenants and leaseholders · TI team is accountable to tenants and leaseholders, HMT and Portfolio Holder |
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20 |
Continue to be a member of Tpas and utilise benefits to ensure we are up-to-date with best practice |
· Review annual membership · Utilise benefits for both tenants and RL leaseholders as well as staff (see 7.) including attending training, reading publications etc. |
Ongoing |
TI team HMT Other staff as applicable |
· Improved understanding for both staff, tenants and RL leaseholders on topical issues and best practice |
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Priority 3: Transparency |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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21 |
Develop effective reporting of results and feedback: Agree format and produce quarterly report on results of feedback received from TI activities for HMT |
· Use TP Tracker to report on results of online surveys and questionnaires · Monitor satisfaction levels and identify any issues or trends · Respond to comments and feedback |
April 2021 & ongoing quarterly |
TI Team HPISL HMT |
· Increase in tenant satisfaction · Decrease in complaints |
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22 |
Performance Management: Including recording and monitoring all Tenant Involvement Activities |
· Create clear recording and monitoring processes that capture evidence of all aspects of the TI Offer and Strategy/action plan · Report back on this in the annual report · Record activities and attendance and engagement through TP Tracker · Provide regular feedback and information on housing performance via our website |
Annually |
TI Team HPISL |
· Progress reported quarterly both internally and externally · Report in Threshold and Annual Report |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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23 |
Setup and embed Complaints Panel subject to demand from tenants and RL leaseholders: Form and support a complains panel consisting of tenants, RL leaseholder and lead member of Housing Staff |
· Promote ‘How to Feedback’ in Threshold and monthly email update including how to make a formal complaint. · Develop and agree mechanism for complaints panel · Identify and agree lead member of Housing Staff · Identify members for complaints panel · Offer training package via Tpas etc. · Monitor, evaluate and report back to HMT, tenants and RL leaseholders on complaints and progress |
April 2021 Quarterly |
HMT TI Team HPISL |
· Complaints are recorded and dealt with effectively · Increased transparency · Tenants and RL leaseholders have understanding of complaints process · Tenants and RL leaseholders have trust in the complaints process |
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24 |
Ensure website is kept up to date Include information on service performance, feedback – compliments and complaints including formal complaints data as well as updates on action plans |
· Ensure webpages are regularly reviewed and updated · Work with tenants to ensure information is understandable and easy to access |
Initial review and Update March 2021 then Ongoing |
HPISL TI Team |
· Webpages contain up to date information · Tenants and RL leaseholders can early find information · Increased transparency |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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25 |
Review information provided in Annual Report Responding to requirements of the White Paper |
· Involve tenants who have expressed an interest in developing our Annual Report · Provide examples of other landlords Annual Report to compare · Publicise and promote Annual Report when published |
Each October |
HPISL TI team |
· Annual Report has been influenced by Tenants and RL leaseholders · Annual Report contains all required information and data as per the Regulator · Tenants and RL leaseholders are aware of the Annual Report and the information it contains |
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26 |
Develop and implement Local Offers Work with and consult tenants and RL leaseholders to develop local offers that deliver improvements that are important to them |
· Involve tenants and RL leaseholders who have expressed an interest in being involved · Find out what are the local issues that matter and develop a set of Local Offers in response · Promote and publicise local offers and update on progress and achievements in Threshold |
April 2021 April 2021 March 2022 and ongoing |
HPISL TI team HMT |
· Local offers reflect the local issues identified · Increased awareness and understanding of Local Offers |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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27 |
Actively encourage feedback for Compliments and dissatisfaction |
· Set up dedicated email account for Housing Feedback · Explore and develop a centralised process to ensure all housing is captured, recorded, monitored and evaluated, with progress and feedback provided to customer at every stage · Promote options for giving feedback compliments and complaints in Threshold so that tenants and RL leaseholders are aware · Ongoing promotion in email update and Threshold |
March 2021
April 2021
April 2021 Ongoing |
HPISL
HMT HPISL TI Team
TI Team TI Team |
· Increase in feedback · Overall understanding of the issues arising from feedback · Better service to tenants and RL leaseholders · Learning from feedback and undertaking any changes needed to address negative feedback e.g. changes in procedures as well as highlighting where things are working well |
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Priority 4: Valuing tenants and Retirement Living leaseholders contribution |
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Action |
What |
When |
Who |
Outcomes |
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28 |
Develop and implement a Housing Communications Plan: Work with tenants and RL leaseholders on publication and benchmarking of our performance across Housing Services and ensure feedback on contributions of tenants and RL leaseholders |
· Ensure regular timely up to date information is provided in a clear and accessible format · Produce two editions of Housing Newsletter Threshold · Continue to produce Monthly email update · Produce Housing Service Annual Report and encourage and support Reading Group and other tenants to influence content · Feedback on the contribution of tenants and RL leaseholders · Feedback on changes made as a result of feedback |
April 2001 & October 2021
Ongoing Ongoing
Monthly Annually
Ongoing |
TI team HPISL HMT |
· Improvement in standard of information and communication · Increased satisfaction with communication · Increased feeling of being valued and listened to · Tenants are aware of issues that may affect them · Decrease in feedback about lack of or timing of information |
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29 |
Tenant Involvement Recognition Scheme |
· Ensure that all involved tenants time and responses are recorded and Participation Points awarded · Record, monitor and report on involvement in Housing activities and events |
Review October 2021 and as necessary thereafter |
TI team HPISL HMT |
· Increase in tenant and RL leaseholders satisfaction |
Key
TI – Tenant Involvement
HPISL – Housing Policy Involvement & Standards Lead HSSO – Housing Services Support Officers
HO – Housing Officer
HSAO – Housing Systems Administration Officer HOH – Head of Housing
HCSO – Housing Contracts Supervising Officer Tpas – Tenant Participation Advisory Service TL – Team Leaders
RL – Retirement Living
Increased in satisfaction will primarily be measured through the following STAR questions:
1) Satisfaction that we as their landlord listen to residents’ views and acts on them
2) Satisfaction that we as their landlord give opportunities to residents to make their views known
3) Satisfaction with neighbourhood as a place to live
In addition transaction surveys following a repair, moving home, the closure of a case of antisocial behaviour etc. will be used in addition to one- off surveys.