West Hi land Housin Association t Tenant Report
2 TENANT REPORT CHAIR S WELCOME Welcome to our report on performance for. Each year every Housing Association (Registered Social Landlord) in Scotland has to produce a report for its customers on its performance over the year. This is the third year we have produced this type of report and the format of the report has been developed with the aid of some of our tenants. The feedback from tenants is to have more pictures and diagrams with less writing. We hope this year we have achieved the right balance. always be room for improvement. West Hi land Housin Association The feedback from tenants was that they wanted comparisons with the Argyll Housing Associations Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA), Fyne Homes and Dunbritton Housing Association and this year we have shown the average performance figure for the Argyll RSL s. Myself and fellow Board Members are very aware of the importance of performance good performance saves money and we are pleased that the performance in most of the areas is extremely strong. However that does not mean we are complacent and we encourage our staff team to look at ways to further improve our performance. Two areas of performance that are of particular importance are: 94% of tenants are satisfied with the quality of their home and almost 95% of tenants are satisfied with the service they receive from West Highland HA. As with everything we want to aim for 100% but for all of us our house is a personal matter there will We welcome feedback on our work and the report demonstrates t some of the work we have taken forward because people have made suggestions about how things could be better. This work will continue. I hope you find the report interesting and useful. I would urge you to contact the staff team if you have any questions or views of how we could improve the report or you may have views where you think our service could be improved. Please contact us. Dougie Mackie Chair
TENANT REPORT 3 TELEPHONE SURVEY Telephone and face-to-face surveys were carried out by staff to 30% of tenants during which covered the whole of our geographical area of operation. Information was then validated and analysed by Knowledge Partnership. This was the second year of what was a three year approach where one third of properties are due to be surveyed over three years. The results of this Survey is show in this Report. Next year 2016/17 we will undertake a full Tenants and Customer Satisfaction Survey which will also include your views on rent increases for 2017-18. From the last full survey carried out we received a number of responses regarding an in-house service for some repair work and also information on benefits. As a response to this we appointed an in-house Cyclical Plumber Paul Ferguson and working with Argyll Net Works (Diane MacDonald) that provides maximisation and benefits advice service. We are also looking at recruiting two further apprentices. We are part of the Link Group
4 TENANT REPORT KEY FACTS as at 31 st March 2016 742 self-contained homes rented 3 non self-contained homes rented 17 staff members 143 properties factored 1 void property 116 share holders STOCK BY SIZE 1 Apartment 1 2 Apartment 238 3 Apartment 356 4 Apartment 131 5 Apartment 17 OUTCOME 1 EQUALITIES STAFF EXISTING TENANTS APPLICANTS ON HOUSING LIST NEW TENANTS GOVERNING BODY MEMBERS Scottish 17 346 3321 65 9 Other British 0 47 612 8 1 Irish 0 5 10 0 0 Gypsy/traveller 0 0 10 0 0 Polish 1 4 112 2 0 Any other white background 0 17 118 2 1 Mixed or multiple ethnic background 0 0 17 0 0 Black, Black Scottish, Black British 0 2 8 0 0 Other ethnic background 0 2 3 1 0 Unknown 0 316 136 1 0 TOTAL 18 739 4347 79 11
TENANT REPORT 5 COMMUNICATION We provide a number of methods of communication: Telephone Letter Email Text messaging Website Newsletters Facebook Twitter Face to face 44 complaints received in the year Stage 1 43 Total upheld by 34 During the year we held the following consultations/events: Promotion of our Welfare Rights Officer at various events Coffee & mince pies at Christmas Rent Consultation Walk & Talk walkabouts in our Tobermory & Glenshellach developments Spring/summer visit to all tenants on Islay, Jura, Colonsay & Tiree Winter housing surgeries/welfare rights awareness Kilmelford, Taynuilt, Port Appin, Tobermory, Bowman Court, and Colonsay Quarterly housing surgeries in Tobermory Tenant consultation on overflow car park at Nelson Road Consultation on layout out/content of future tenants report cards Consultation on proposed tenant satisfaction survey following improvement works Tenants satisfaction on improvement works at Bayview Road, Bendleroch, Lismore, Buenssan, Fionnphort & Appin Consultation on land disposal at Druimfin Gardens Autumn visits to all tenants Islay, Jura, Tiree & Colonsay Winter residents meeting at Bowman Court Summer & winter newsletters issued Meeting with Glenshellach Growers Consultation with Corran Brae resident on roof replacement OUTCOME 2 Stage 2 1 Total upheld by 1!?
6 TENANT REPORT OUTCOME 3 PARTICIPATION We try to get tenants involved, at whatever level they are comfortable with, through: ARMCHAIR CRITIC Two or three short surveys annually In we achieved the Silver TPAS accreditation FOCUS GROUPS Attending no more than three meetings annually TENANT SCRUTINY PANEL Attending no more than four meetings annually (not until 2016/17) WALK & TALK Annual commitment of less than one hour BOARD MEMBER Attends up to 10 board meetings per year SATISFACTION HOW DID WE COMPARE WITH OTHER HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS IN ARGYLL SURVEY ARGYLL RSLS AVERAGE % of tenants satisfied with the overall service 94.96% 89.68% % of tenants who felt their landlord is good at keeping them informed about their service and outcomes 95.71% 91.95% % of tenants with the opportunities to participate in the landlord decision making 89.24% 82.51%
TENANT REPORT 7 QUALITY OF HOUSING % of homes meeting the Scottish housing quality standard: 98.52% REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE & IMPROVEMENTS Number of reactive repairs completed 2405 Argyll RSL average 91.7% Average number of reactive repairs per household 3.25 We are working towards achieving 100% of our stock meeting this standard. Some energy fails will be picked up around our work for Energy Efficiency for Scottish Social Housing. Number of nonemergency repairs completed in 1992 Number of emergency repairs completed in 413 OUTCOME 4 OUTCOME 5 COMPARISONS WITH OTHER HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS IN ARGYLL ARGYLL RSL AVERAGE Average number of hours taken to complete emergency repairs 6.29 5.55 Average number of days taken to complete nonemergency repairs 6.75 7.36 % of reactive repairs carried out in the last year completed right first time 86.24% 89.23% % of tenants who have had repairs or maintenance 90.32% 89.66% carried out in the last 12 months who were satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service
8 TENANT REPORT PLANNED MAINTENANCE CYCLICAL MAINTENANCE This is usually the replacement of something which has come to the end of it s life, for example new kitchen. Last year we completed: These are maintenance items which are done regularly, for example boiler testing. Annual checks were carried out to: 63 Kitchens 24 Coal fires 9 Gas servicing 64 New heating systems 60 Bathroom refurbishments and showers ARGYLL RSL AVERAGE Tenants satisfaction with the quality of their home 94.49% 84.92%
TENANT REPORT 9 ESTATE MANAGEMENT, ANTI- SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, NEIGHBOUR NUISANCE AND TENANCY DISPUTES NEIGHBOURHOOD AND COMMUNITY Satisfaction of management of the neighbourhood you live in: 87.66% % of anti-social cases resolved within locally agreed target within the last year 15/16 Argyll RSL average 85.55% ARGYLL RSL AVERAGE 94.12% 88.56% HOUSING OPTIONS % of tenants satisfied with the standard of their home when moving in HOMEArgyll is a common housing register between the four main housing providers in Argyll making it easier for applicants to apply on-line through their website offering a range of housing options available to them. 15/16 ARGYLL RSL AVERAGE 94.83% 92.54% www.homeargyll.co.uk OUTCOME 6 OUTCOME 7, 8, 9
10 TENANT REPORT OUTCOME 10 ACCESS TO HOUSING AND SUPPORT HOMEArgyll Common Housing Register 1777 new applicants added to the housing list 154 number of suspensions 76 8 48 20 1 Properties were let during the year Lets from transfer list Lets from direct waiting list Lets from statutory homeless list mutual exchanges 3360 applicants on housing list 199 applicants cancelled from housing list % of tenancy offers refused 15/16 ARGYLL RSL AVERAGE 14.89% 38.51% TENANCY SUSTAINMENT OUTCOME 11 Tenants get information they need on how to obtain support or remain in their home The 76 lets that arose during the year was because tenants: 10 bought on open market 4 moved in with partner/family/friends 22 deceased 15 moved away 8 transfer to another HomeArgyll Partner 6 transfer to another property 4 sheltered 5 private let 1 evicted 1 lease terminated New tenancies sustained for more for than 1 year 91% transfer list 88% homeless list 88% direct waiting list 2 tenancies abandoned 31 medical adaptations completed
TENANT REPORT 11 VALUE FOR MONEY Rent and Service Charges AVERAGE WEEKLY RENTS 1 Apartment 46.55 2 Apartment 73.55 3 Apartment 85.67 4 Apartment 94.57 5+ Apartment 112.22 Rent increase 1.5% Argyll RSL average 1.66% OUTCOME 13, 14, 15 81.74% 2015-16 % of tenants that think that the rent for their property represents good value for money INCOME COLLECTION Total rent due to be collected 3,177,144 Argyll Average % of total collected 106.44% 100.79% % of rent lost through homes being empty 0.25% 1.29% Average time in days to re-let homes in the last year 8 days 38.73 days
FINANCIAL INFORMATION INCOME 2014/15 RENTAL INCOME 3,250,233 3,345,848 COMMERCIAL RENTS 66,467 40,110 ENERGY PROJECT AND WIDER ROLE 151,934 243,222 INTEREST 30,244 43,764 OTHER 97,860 256,048 3,596,738 3,928,992 EXPENDITURE 2014/15 REPAIRS AND SERVICE COSTS 360,568 366,490 PLANNED AND MAJOR REPAIRS 380,084 415,709 OFFICE COSTS 723,138 662,926 OTHER OVERHEAD 307,797 140,237 WIDER ROLE 196,306 343,829 LOAN INTEREST 567,101 567,656 PROPERTY DEPRECIATION 484,788 695,246 CHARITABLE DONATION 4,755 11,166 BAD DEBTS 14,494 11,851 SURPLUS 557,707 713,882 West Highland Housing Association Ltd is a subsidiary of the Link Group Limited (a Registered Social Landlord). Ultimate responsibility for the conduct and control of the Group and its subsidiaries rests with the Link Group Board. An Independence and Responsibilities Agreement sets out conditions for the autonomous operation of the Association within the Group. The Association is a registered non-profit making organisation under the Cooperative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 No.169R(S). The Association is constituted under its Rule Book. The Association is a registered Scottish Charity with the charity number SC017357 and is approved as a Registered Social Landlord with the Scottish Government (Reg No. HEP163). West Highland Housing Association Ltd Crannog Lane Oban PA34 4HB Tel: 01631 566451 0845 340 2058 Fax: 01631 565711 Email: mail@westhighlandha.co.uk www.westhighlandha.co.uk 3,596,738 3,928,992 Ltd is part of the Link Group