because we re all different MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER Annual Report to Tenants 2011
2 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 CONTENTS 4 Tenant involvement and empowerment standard 8 Home standard 12 Tenancy standard 16 Neighbourhood and community standard 20 Governance and financial viability standard 22 Value for money standard 23 Local offers 25 Feedback form We hope you enjoy the Annual Report to Tenants 2011 and take some time to read through it. This year, improvements have been made by using tenant feedback on last years annual report. We have included some statistics from Housemark (one of a number of sector benchmarking groups) for comparison, as well as performance figures for last year. To make the report more user-friendly we have included coloured performance indicators and have also introduced a moving forward section to show Habinteg s plans to improve in the next financial year. Larry Harris, Dave Homer and Anthony Davy-Dupris Tenant Representatives Our awards and standards 2010/2011:
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 3 A Momentous Year Welcome to Habinteg s Annual Report to Tenants 2011, which shows how we have performed in the six areas of regulation set out by the Tenant Services Authority. It has been written in consultation with tenants who have taken on board feedback from readers of last year s report and have looked at good practice examples highlighted by the Tenant Services Authority. This report looks at the twelve months from April 2010 to March 2011. During that period Habinteg got used to being a significantly larger organisation, following the merger with Livability Housing in March 2010. I m very proud of the way that we have adapted to our new size and managed the challenge of taking on an additional 1200 homes. We agreed with the Tenant Services Authority some specific performance targets for the year to help us account for this change which you ll see reflected in this report. Overall we performed well in meeting or exceeding the majority of our targets. We need to improve in a few areas like the turnaround times of repairs which staff are now treating as a high priority. There has been plenty of tenant involvement activity this year too, with many of you taking part in service reviews and other projects (including this one!). Many thanks to everyone who has given up their time to get involved. I hope you enjoy this report, please don t forget to tell us what you think about it so that we can continue to improve the information we provide to you you ll find a feedback form at the back. Best wishes, Paul Gamble Chief Executive
4 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 TENANT INVOLVEMENT & EMPOWERMENT STANDARD Tenant involvement is extremely important as it helps shape us an organisation. Our aim is to put tenants at the heart of everything we do and to provide the best services, designed and delivered for all our tenants. We have a Tenants Compact which details the levels of involvement and ways tenants can help. These are the range of opportunities for tenants to get involved: * low ** medium *** high Options Frequency Impact Social Events and Competitions * * Tenant & Resident Associations * * Annual Scheme Meetings * ** Residents Voice Panel * ** Tenant Advisory Panel * ** Complaints Panel * *** Completion of Satisfaction Surveys * *** Involvement in Contract Reviews * *** Participation on Interview Panel * *** Tenant Led Improvement Budget * *** Reviewing letters, leaflets, questionnaires and newsletters ** ** Attendance at regional and national tenant forum meetings *** *** Involvement in Service Reviews *** *** Quarterly Scheme Inspections *** *** Tenant Inspectors *** *** Tenant Representatives *** *** 97,000 was spent on tenant participation which is an 82% increase on last year. Of the total spent, 44,556 was spent on Tenant Led Improvement Budget. Over the past year tenants have had numerous opportunities to become involved in various consultations, contract reviews and decision making activities. We have an active group of Tenant Representatives who are involved in shaping the services you receive. They attend service reviews, regional and national forum meetings and much more. All tenants are welcome to attend their annual scheme meeting to discuss ideas for improvements, including how to use the Tenant Led Improvement Budget. This is a budget allocated to each scheme for improvement of the immediate environment and communal facilities for the benefit of the tenants as a whole. Tenants are invited to agree locally how it should be spent on each scheme. To find out more information about how to get involved or to obtain a copy of the Tenants Compact, visit the Tenants section of the website or contact Tracy Jagger, Performance & Involvement Officer on 01274 853160.
Customer Service We are continually striving to deliver excellent customer service throughout the year. Annual Report to Tenants 2011 5 One of the main ways tenants see this is when they need to contact Habinteg Direct, our customer service team. As well as responding to tenants by phone, letter and email, Habinteg Direct also processed 12657 invoices and 1290 application forms. Habinteg Direct performance 2010/11 2% Calls answered within 11 seconds Calls answered outside of 11 seconds Calls diverted to voicemail 87% 11% Calls received 2009/10 24% 16% 60% Calls received 2010/11* * This includes the first quarter after the merger when we received exceptionally high levels of calls resulting in a higher percentage diverted to voicemail. As a result we have recruited additional staff and we have seen a steady increase in performance since. Letters answered within 10 days Letters answered outside 10 days 7% 21% 93% Letters received 2009/10 79% Letters received 2010/11** **This includes a high backlog inherited as a result of the merger. 2010 December 2010 Habinteg were accredited the Customer Services Excellence award. 79% of customers are satisfied with the service they receive which is 4% above Tenant Services Authority target. 86% of customers feel Habinteg have helpful staff which is 11% above Tenant Services Authority target
6 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 Compliments and Complaints We welcome all feedback as it helps us to improve our services. We aim to resolve all complaints effectively and as quickly as possible. This year we received a total of 890 initial complaints of dissatisfaction, however only a small number were pursued into the formal complaint process. We try hard to resolve formal complaints at stage one and have done this for the majority this year. During the year, three complaints were received by the Ombudsman (all originated from Livability Housing). Two of these have been assessed by the Ombudsman and one is outstanding and will be assessed in 2012. Causes of initial dissatisfaction 1.2% 0.6% 3% 0.7% Anti-social behaviour 0.2% 31% 12% 55% 30% 0.8% 10.5% 55% Estate management Racial abuse Repairs Staff Supporting people 2009/10 2010/11 In 2011, we undertook a review of our complaints and compliments policy and procedure to ensure continued improvement in service. As part of this we developed a complaints and compliments booklet which is now available in all scheme offices, on our website or by request from Habinteg Direct. 18 compliments We received a total of 18 recorded compliments including praise for contractors and our own staff. Formal complaint analysis Stage 1 Stage 3 16 1 1 Stage 2 4 Ombudsman referral 1 1 1 1 Not upheld Partially upheld Fully upheld Not upheld Partially upheld Not upheld Fully upheld Still awaiting outcome
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 7 Diversity To enable us to provide high quality services we need to understand the diverse needs of our tenants. We are able to gather this information on an ongoing basis by analysing the various feedback surveys you complete, discussing issues at scheme meetings and gathering information from you and local staff. In Autumn 2010, we completed a tenant profiling exercise where a total of 1,273 households participated. This represents about 40% of our total housing stock. Information from this is being used to: help plan services that are appropriate to tenants needs; ensure that future services are planned and delivered with a focus on equality, diversity and good relations; supporting tenants to have more say in our services; and sign-post people to other services that are available. Key findings include: 54% Female 45% Male 21% 0-15 year olds 10% 16-24 year olds 19% 25-44 year olds 32% 45-64 year olds 19% Over 65s Moving forward We will implement the inspection programme agreed by the Tenant Inspectors. A service review of tenant involvement and empowerment will start in September 2011. This will focus on reviewing the Tenants Compact to ensure that tenants get involved collectively in decision making. It will ensure that Habinteg has the correct processes and structures in place to move towards tenant led self regulation to meet the national and local agendas. 61% Disabled 9% Black and minority ethnic 11% Religion other than Christianity
8 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 HOME STANDARD Following the merger we carried out a stock condition survey and review of Habinteg s properties. This was completed towards the end of 2010 and has now been incorporated into a new Asset Management Strategy for the organisation. As a result of the merger the mix and type of properties that Habinteg manages and how they are serviced has altered significantly. What type of homes do we provide? 918 Houses 293 Lifetime homes 1316 Flats 197 Maisonettes 576 Bungalows 1220 Wheelchair standard Change in type of homes since merger Before the merger After the merger Flats 26% 39% Wheelchair standard 26% 37% Single bedroom 14% 28%
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 9 During the year we continued with a very extensive major works programme as a part of our Decent Homes Strategy. Up to the 31st March 2011 we had undertaken the following types of work: Type of work Kitchens renewed Gas heating improved Electrical heating improved Bathrooms renewed Windows and doors renewed Digital TV aerial upgrades Through floor lift renewed Roof repairs External repairs Fire precautions Number of homes receiving work 86 191 99 25 212 196 3 19 96 122 Sizes of homes provided: 34 x bedsits 933 x 1 bedroom 1154 x 2 bedrooms 1055 x 3 bedrooms 108 x 4 bedrooms 21 x 5 bedrooms 2 x 6 bedrooms 2 x 7 bedrooms 1 x 9 bedrooms 1 x 12 bedrooms We also carried out both water hygiene risk assessment and fire risk assessment surveys at all of our communal facilities and completed landlord gas safety checks at 2,247 homes which have gas central heating. Gas safety inspections Following recommendations from our Tenant Inspectors we introduced audits of our gas safety inspections using a specialist company called Morgan Lambert.
10 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 What did we spend on maintenance? During the year we carried out repairs and adaptations work to a value of 4,945,230 which was spent on the following areas. Responsive repairs Day to day maintenance and upkeep of property. Not planned or pre-programmed. Empty property repairs Work completed on empty properties to re-let. How maintenance money was spent 38.4% 22% 7% 45% 30% Cyclical repairs Repairs completed annually such as painting and gas servicing programme. Adaptations New provisions and maintaining existing provisions. 15% 11% 18.2% 4.9% 2009/10 2010/11 8.5% Major repairs Programmes of component replacement such as kitchen, boiler replacements, etc. In addition a further 1,171,000 was invested in improvements to our homes such as the installation of double glazing to a number of properties and a small pilot solar energy project was undertaken in Cornwall. Habinteg has an approved contractors list and still continues to use small local suppliers to carry out repairs where ever possible. We also use a company called Homeserve to provide cover for emergency repairs that occur when our offices are closed. We saw a large increase in the number of repairs being ordered over the year which was a significant challenge. We are disappointed not to have met our targets and we re now making this a key priority for improvement. Type of repair Target in days Number of orders raised Completed within target days 2009/10 Target for 2010/11 Completed within target days 2010/11 Housemark average 2010/11 Verdict Emergency 24 Hours 1,588 96.3% 97% 96.5% 99% Urgent 5 Days 4,663 94.9% 97% 93.6% 97.4% Routine 23 Days 5,819 96.7% 97% 95.7% 97.1%
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 11 As well as carrying out our normal repairing obligations, we provide an adaptations service which is managed by our Occupational Therapist. This service provides for both minor adaptations, those valued at less than 1,000 (which are paid for by Habinteg), and also assistance in processing Local Authority funded Disabled Facilities Grants for larger adaptation works. 93.65% of minor adaptations were completed within 23 days of being requested. This is an improvement on last year s performance of 91.77%. How were adaptations funded? Over 1,000 funded through Disabled Facilities Grants Over 1,000 funded by Habinteg Under 1,000 funded by Habinteg 37 15 194 Moving forward Teams are working on ways to improve the turnaround time on repairs. This includes some aspects of administration as well as how we work with our local suppliers. We will be investing in a solar energy project which will be implemented between 2011 and 2012. Up to 1,000 solar panel installations will be set up on our schemes. This will produce low carbon electricity, providing a new source of income for Habinteg to further invest in our homes and services to tenants.
12 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 TENANCY STANDARD Allocations Habinteg operates in 81 local authority areas and where available we participate in their choice based lettings system. Where a local authority does not operate a choice based letting system, we still comply with the original nomination agreements. This is where applicants can be nominated to us through a referral process if they have registered an interest with the local authority. We also hold a waiting list where applicants can express an interest in accommodation. Areas where we have an open waiting list can be viewed on our website www.habinteg.org.uk, however due to demand the areas where the waiting list is open can vary. Transfers and mutual exchange We operate a transfer policy that enables existing tenants to make an application to move to another Habinteg property. We also work in partnership with other registered providers to allow tenants to exchange with other landlords. Lettings This year, we had a total of 244 re-lets which is an increase of 56% from 2009/10. This is roughly in line with our initial predictions of 250. The rental loss for these empty homes was 168,579. We have introduced new allocations software to improve efficiency within the allocations process. It allows the housing officer to partially set up new rent accounts once a tenancy is accepted. This means the tenant receives a rent payment card and can start paying their rent more quickly. Tenants can now apply for a transfer online at Habinteg s website via the tenants section.
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 13 Lettings Summary 2009/ 2010 2010/ 2011 Target Housemark average 2010/2011 Verdict Average re-let time Percentage of rent lost through dwellings being vacant Percentage of black & minority ethnic lettings 49 days 39 days 40 days 28 days 0.95% 1% 1% 1.11% 12.77% 12.71% 14.4% No data Number of wheelchair standard housing re-lets Percentage of re-let to households with wheelchair users Not collected Not collected 89 N/A No data 69.76%* 100% No data * Re-lets with no wheelchair user in household either had a tenant with restricted mobility or a deteriorating medical condition requiring a wheelchair in the future. Average rent per week excluding service charges 72.59 81.77 1 bed 2 bed 91.79 104.66 3 bed 4 bed
14 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 Rent arrears Habinteg has procedures in place to maximise rental income and reduce arrears. Below are the arrears figures as at 31st March 2011. 2009/ 2010 2010/ 2011 Target 2010/11 Housemark average 2010/11 Verdict Current tenant arrears Former tenant arrears 7.21% 6.01% 6.2% 2.73% 1.19% 1.2% 1.2% 1.13% Total arrears 8.4% 7.21% 7.4% 2009/10 2010/11 250 200 150 163 242 We monitor rental income closely and report each quarter to a committee of the Board and the National Tenants Forum on our performance. They also review any action taken to recover arrears, including cases where legal notices are served or where court action or evictions take place. 100 50 0 Notice seeking possession served 54 49 Court possession orders 28 27 Warrants seeking possession applied for 10 9 Number of evictions approved at committee
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 15 Tenancy Habinteg understands that we need to make the best use of the homes we have available. The tenancy agreements we use offers tenants security of tenure. We would only seek possession if there is a breach of tenancy and would go through the court process. Habinteg monitors the use of properties through regular contact with our local staff teams. Moving forward The government is making significant changes to the Welfare Reform Bill. As a way to limit the impact of changes to housing and other benefits, we will be introducing Income Recovery Officers. These officers will be available for tenants to contact if they experience problems meeting rent payments. We will be looking at ways to improve the online housing search function on our website. This is to create a more comprehensive facility that will allow for an easier and quicker search for available Habinteg properties.
16 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 NEIGHBOURHOOD AND COMMUNITY STANDARD The local neighbourhoods our tenants live in are extremely important to us. We work hard to listen to tenants needs and improve our schemes in the ways they want. These are just a few examples of local improvements: 5 1 3 4 6 7 2 1. North East England Yarm You said it Tenants from Yarm mentioned that the trees in the wooded area were not allowing light through. This resulted in many properties not getting as much daylight as they should. 2. London Finsbury Park You said it Tenants in Finsbury Park indicated they would like an improved onsite service. We did it We have begun a three year programme with an arboricultural company to reduce and manage the trees. This is already having a dramatic effect with many flats now seeing the light. We did it We converted a ground floor flat on this scheme into a wheelchair accessible office. The Community Assistant now has a computer and printer, so is able to raise repair orders at the tenants request; print off rent statements; and provide information quickly and easily without having to refer to Head Office.
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 17 3. Yorkshire & Humber Ossett You said it Tenants in Ossett felt the internal carpets to the communal corridors and foyers were looking worn and tired; the lift kept breaking down and had suffered years of petty vandalism; and the communal bin store needed modernising. We did it Habinteg sourced funding to carry out replacement of the carpets, a complete new contemporary lift and refurbishment of the bin store. Prior to improvements, tenants were consulted on the colour of the carpets and types of lift (including cost and design). 4. East Midlands Chesterfield You said it During winter 2010, tenants felt that one grit bin was not enough to supply the whole scheme. We did it Another grit bin has been provided which we hope will help provide enough grit for the whole scheme if we have another bad winter. 5. Wales Wrexham You said it Tenants in Wrexham were unhappy with the standard of landscape gardening by our contractor. We did it We worked with tenants to negotiate new contracts. Tenants now feel their scheme is neater and tidier. 6. South West Thornbury You said it Tenants asked that the conservatory be utilised as a charging room for scooters, etc. We did it Via Tenant Led Improvement fund, we carried out works and installed charging sockets. 7. South East Milton Keynes You said it Tenants asked for additional security on the scheme to stop anti-social behaviour. We did it We put gates on the alley ways as part of a rolling programme.
18 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 Quarterly scheme inspections Habinteg is proud of the schemes we manage. We carry out quarterly scheme inspections with Tenant Representatives and tenants to ensure that the schemes are effectively managed, regularly supervised and well maintained. During these inspections, we check for issues such as rubbish disposal, defects that may affect health and safety and the quality of the gardening and cleaning. Any high risk defects reported during these inspections are reviewed by both the Health and Safety Working Group and the Operations Management Team on a quarterly basis. Percentage of schemes inspected per quarter 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% 91% 97% 96% 96% 93% 96% 100% 100% Quarter 1 Quarter 2 Quarter 3 Quarter 4 2009/10 2010/11 Annual scheme meetings Every year we hold an annual scheme meeting. This is an excellent opportunity to meet other tenants, staff and your Tenant Representative (where applicable) whilst discussing scheme specific matters. Habinteg has a standard agenda which is used at these meetings covering rent, service charge, repairs, anti-social behaviour, landscaping and gardening, aids and adaptations, cleaning contract, car parking, Tenant Led Improvement Budget and tenant feedback. However local issues can be added for discussion and we value all tenant ideas.
Annual Report to Tenants 2011 19 Local area cooperation Our staff across the country work with various agencies to help provide services to our tenants. This may include police, other landlords, social services, neighbourhood watch/ neighbourhood action groups, local authorities and other specialist providers. This work will vary in different areas depending upon the needs of our tenants, issues arising in local communities and the third parties that are available in each area. We are members of the national charity, Disability Alliance and work in partnership with them to ensure our staff have up to date knowledge on issues affecting disabled people. We are also members of Housemark, National Housing Federation, Northern Housing Consortium and Chartered Institute of Housing. All of these agencies help us to keep up to date with what is happening in the housing sector, share best practice and enable us to develop our services in changing times. Anti-social behaviour Our zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour has led to a number of cases proceeding to court this year. One has resulted in an eviction and in two other cases the perpetrator chose to end their tenancy before it went to court. We have three ongoing cases in court. The court process can be slow at times, however Habinteg is not legally entitled to end a tenancy, the courts have this responsibility. We know that delays can be frustrating and sometimes stressful however we will continue to work with tenants to collect the necessary evidence to support the legal proceedings. Thank you to all of you who have provided evidence and in some cases attended court. If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour, please report this to your local Community Assistant via the website or contact Habinteg Direct. We also have a leaflet on anti-social behaviour which you can pick up from your local scheme office, request from Habinteg Direct, our Customer Service team, or download from our website. Please remember, you are not alone and we are here to help. Moving forward We will be developing a Neighbourhood Charter which describes a range of different services that are delivered to your neighbourhood or home. It sets out the standard of service you can expect from Habinteg. Once the Charter is complete, it will be available in your local scheme office, via the website or on request through Habinteg Direct. We will send a copy of the Charter to all tenants without a local scheme office.
20 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 GOVERNANCE AND FINANCIAL VIABILITY STANDARD Just like other areas of Habinteg for those of us involved in governance there has been plenty happening over the last year. I took up the role of Chair last summer following Bernard Adkins resignation after his planned one year tenure. We also said goodbye to Peter Goldsmith and tenant member Larry Harris who both resigned from the board. Larry Harris still remains active as a Tenant Representative. I d like to extend my thanks to all three for their dedication to Habinteg over the years. The governance review took into account guidance from the National Housing Federation and other key bodies and has led to some new structures and codes reflecting up to date best practice for the housing sector. I m really pleased with these changes which took effect on 1st April 2011 I believe they ll help us to secure excellent services into the future. I m delighted to be part of this annual report and would encourage as many of you as possible to get involved. Your ideas and input are so important in helping us shape and improve our services. I also hope to meet more of you during the coming year as I help to welcome our new Board members to Habinteg. Best wishes, Judith Newton, Chair Board Members as of 28th July 2011 Judith Newton Chair Andrew Gibson Vice Chair Jim Watt John Sellen Tenant Kate McFerran Kate Sheehan Mee Ling Ng Mel Groves Paul Gamble Chief Executive Sandra Ruddick Tenant Sophie O Connor Sue Goodrich
Summary Balance sheet ( ) 31st March 2010 31st March 2011 Housing properties 97,140,000 83,551,000 Other fixed assets 3,912,000 4,451,000 Total fixed assets 101,052,000 88,002,000 Current assets 5,503,000 7,585,000 Current liabilities 2,734,000 3,507,000 Net current assets 2,769,000 4,078,000 Total assets less current liabilities 103,821,000 92,080,000 Long term loans 48,971,000 48,369,000 Provisions for liabilities & charge 1,791,000 26,000 *Negative goodwill 43,691,000 31,282 Designated reserves 31,000 0 Revenue reserves 9,337,000 12,403,000 103,821,000 92,080,000 * Negative goodwill is the difference between the price paid for an acquisition and its fair market value. Summary Income & Expenditure Account ( ) 31st March 2010 31st March 2011 Income Rent 9,116,000 13,864,000 Service charge 1,425,000 2,836,000 Supporting People 517,000 885,000 Surplus on Disposal of Assets 0 394,000 Other income 211,000 186,000 Total income 11,269,000 18,165,000 Expenditure Scheme Costs 2,329,000 4,617,000 Maintenance 2,272,000 3,608,000 Interest Payments 2,078,000 2,669,000 Staff costs 2,097,000 2,759,000 Office costs 426,000 540,000 Central services 569,000 937,000 Total Expenditure 9,771,000 15,130,000 Surplus 1,498,000 3,035,000 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 21 Moving forward Changes following review of governance, effect as of 1st April 2011: We will continue to have up to 12 Board members. Members will be paid from October 2011 based on housing sector market rates. Members to serve up to a maximum of 9 years. Chief Executive is now a member of the Board. Each Board member will have an annual appraisal about their role. New Code of Governance. New Probity policies. We also revised the structure of Board Committees. They are now: Audit and Assurance Committee. Homes and Services Committee. Appraisals and Remunerations Committee. The Homes and Services Committee will be the key link between tenants and the Board, receiving tenant inspection reports, monitoring delivery of action plans and monitoring overall performance in our provision of housing and communications with tenants.
22 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 VALUE FOR MONEY STANDARD We want to ensure that we offer good value for money in all the services we provide to our tenants. This means that we need to make sure that everything we spend our money and time on is good value. This year we have reviewed a wide range of activities and made some changes to achieve better efficiency and/or financial savings: Allocations and lettings processes Laptops for staff Maintenance of communal lifts Maintenance of personal lifting equipment Risk assessments Service Charge Staff training Activity Our first ever Lean Systems review took place. This focussed on our Allocations and Lettings procedure and made changes to how we allocate and let our properties. Staff members now have access to laptops to use when visiting dispersed properties. A new service agreement to maintain communal lifts has been tendered to replace those previously in place. A new service agreement to maintain personal lifting equipment has been tendered to replace those previously in place. We have retendered the programme of water hygiene and fire risk assessments. We have designed and implemented a new database to help us deal with service charges. 50% of staff training now takes place in Habinteg premises. Outcome Initial results have shown an improvement in the turnaround time of void properties. Staff can complete paper work and process tenant requests/ queries at time of visit which is more effective and efficient. We will make an annual saving of 15,000 from April 2011. We will make an annual saving of 65,000 and receive an improved service from April 2011. Our unit costs will be 30% lower than before from April 2011. Ensures accurate information is held on each property and service charges are correctly and fairly applied across all of our homes. This has made significant savings on venue hire and training delivery costs. Moving forward We will start a service review of staff and Tenant Representatives travel and accommodation. The aim of the review is to reduce costs by 15%. We will be developing a training facility at our Bristol site for staff based in and around the area which will save both money and travelling time. We will be utilising M3 benchmarking services which will allow us to compare our costs against other similar organisations.
LOCAL OFFERS Annual Report to Tenants 2011 23 To meet the requirements of the regulatory code, we developed local offers for the three standards: Tenant Involvement & Empowerment Home Neighbourhood & Community The table below summarises the actions agreed with the national tenants forum. Local Offer Tenant Involvement & Empowerment Standard Tenant Involvement Framework A service review of all tenant involvement documents, including the Tenants Compact and framework, guidance pack and tenant involvement activities. National Tenants Conference Development of a Tenant Conference for 150 tenants, staff and Tenant Representatives. Working group to be developed involving tenants. Training programme for Tenant Representatives Develop a 3 year training programme in consultation with Tenant Representatives. Tenant Inspector Programme Rolling programme to be developed by the Tenant Inspectors based around the Tenant Services Authority framework Home Standard Improve routine repair response times from 23 days to 20 days Redraft relevant policy and marketing material and amend internal housing management software. Repairs carried out right first time on 90% of occasions This will be achieved by Improving staff competencies in placing orders and improving management of key contractors. Increase tenant satisfaction with repairs service to 85% Continual improvement in contractor performance and regular inspection to identify maintenance issues. Periodic electrical testing Develop a programme of properties to be tested per year based on period from last tested. 100% of homes have current Landlord Gas Safety Certificate Retain gas servicing as a key priority for the asset management team. When March 2012 Spring 2012 July 2011 July 2012 July 2013 September 2011 By 2013 March 2012 March 2012 From April 2011 On going Neighbourhood & Community Standard Neighbourhood Charter Develop a neighbourhood charter to be displayed in scheme offices and posted to individuals who live in dispersed stock. From September 2011
24 Annual Report to Tenants 2011 We have worked in partnership with staff through a series of meetings to develop an annual report which we hope you find interesting. A lot of hard work, time and careful consideration has gone into all aspects of this report, paying particular attention to the design, layout and content. We appreciate your feedback which has been extremely useful in producing this report. In order to help us make improvements for next year, please can you take a few minutes to complete and return the feedback form. Remember, if you include your contact details, you will be entered into a prize draw where you could win 25 in vouchers! Larry Harris, Dave Homer and Anthony Davy-Dupris, Tenant Representatives
TEAR OFF FEEDBACK FORM Annual Report to Tenants 2011 25 Your feedback is very important to us. Please complete this form regarding the Annual Report to Tenants 2011 and return to Rebecca Burton at the freepost address overleaf or to your local Community Assistant no later than 31st December 2011. Please include your name and contact details if you would like to be entered into a prize draw where you could win 25 in vouchers for a store of your choice. 1. Did you find the content of the report useful? Yes or No 2. Was the report clear and easy to read? Yes or No 3. Was the report presented in a way that was easy to understand, e.g use of graphs, text, etc? Yes or No 4. If you answered no to either questions 1, 2 or 3, please explain? 5. How would you rate the following? (Please circle) Amount of photographs used Not enough / Just right/ Too many Amount of words Not enough / Just right/ Too many Amount of diagrams/ tables used Not enough / Just right/ Too many 6. Is there any other information you would like us to include in the future or do you have any additional comments to make about the annual report to tenants 2011? Yes or No If yes, what? 7. Would you like to take part in the production of Annual Report to Tenants 2012? Yes or No Your name: Address: Phone number: Email:
Please fold here HABINTEG HOUSING ASSOCIATION FREEPOST NAT 10538 LONDON EC4B 4BR
Alternative format We can provide this document in other formats including Braille, large print, audio tapes or CDs. Sometimes, we can also help with translations into other languages. Please contact Habinteg Direct, our Customer Service team, if you require this service. Annual review to tenants 2011 27 Turkish Translation Indian Punjabi Translation Urdu Translation Somali Translation
Habinteg contact details Habinteg Direct Tel: 01274 853160 or 0845 606 2608 (call charges vary depending on telephone provider) Email: direct@habinteg.org.uk London Office Habinteg Housing Association Holyer House 20-21 Red Lion Court London EC4A 3EB Tel: 020 7822 8700 Fax: 020 7822 8701 Email: info@habinteg.org.uk Bradford Office Habinteg Housing Association Beech House Woodland Park Bradford Road Chain Bar Bradford BD19 6BW Tel: 01274 853160 Fax: 01274 853161 Email: info@habinteg.org.uk www.habinteg.org.uk