Service standards
Contents
Safety and quality
Keeping you safe in your home
- We will make sure that 100% of buildings where applicable will have a valid Fire Risk Assessment
- We will make sure that 100% of buildings where applicable will have a valid Water Risk Assessment and a water management regime in place
- If your building has a lift we will make sure that it is inspected and maintained
- We will carry out a safety check on all gas and solid fuel appliances annually and at change of tenancy
- If you live in a high rise or sheltered building we will hold bi-monthly residents' meetings to allow you to have a voice in how your building is managed
- We provide a copy of the landlord safety certificate to our customers
- We will carry out monthly gas audits to make sure gas work undertaken is to the required standard
- We will carry out a safety check on all electrical installations every 5 years as a minimum and at change of tenancy
- We will carry out an annual evacuation of Housing Plus buildings to maintain safety standards
Improving your home
- We will notify you 8 weeks in advance of any work we would like to undertake in your home
- You will be provided with a range of choices when your fixtures and fittings are replaced
- We will make sure that your home meets the Decent Homes standard
Carry out repairs to your home
- We will attend all emergency repairs within four hours
- We aim to inspect and carry out all:
- urgent repairs within 1 or 3 working days depending on the urgency of the issue on an appointment basis
- non-emergency routine repairs within 20 working days on an appointment basis
- planned repair works within 3 months on an appointment basis
- We will aim to complete all repairs during the first visit where possible
Neighbourhood and community
Dealing with anti-social behaviour
We will:
- acknowledge 'category A' incidents, which include race or other hate crime, threat of violence or domestic violence within 1 working day and interview or visit within 3 working days
- acknowledge 'category B' incidents, which include neighbour disputes, criminal behaviour and youth disorder within 2 working days and interview or visit within 5 working days
- keep you informed of progress throughout an investigation
- agree an action plan with you when you report anti-social behaviour to us
- support you and other witnesses throughout the course of an investigation, including support at court
Managing your home and neighbourhood
- We will inspect your area a minimum of 12 times a year
Transparency, influence and accountability
Improving your home
- We will provide you with information in our Annual Report on the priorities we have invested in, which make sure we provide quality homes and regenerate neighbourhoods
Customer service
- Log and acknowledge complaints within 5 working days
- Aim to respond to complaints within published timescales
- Aim to resolve enquiries at the first point of contact
- Aim to respond to Councillor and MP enquiries within 5 working days
- We will offer a range of digital channels for customers to use as an alternative to using telephone and face to face contact
Getting involved
We will:
- involve tenants when producing our annual report
- support our Involved Tenants / Groups to review at least three of our services each year
- hold regular Scrutiny Panel and Check and Challenge meetings
- offer a range of opportunities for you to review and challenge our performance
- feedback any changes in policy and service which come directly from feedback from customers
- provide information and signposting to involved tenants towards training and development courses to enable tenants to improve their skills
Tenancy
Paying your rent
- We will write to you before the end of the financial year to let you know of any changes to your rent
- Provide you with clear information that explains your rent and service charges
- We will notify you if we have requested a contribution toward your rent directly
- We will offer you a referral to our Welfare Support team or other appropriate service for debt and benefit advice if you are having difficulties paying your rent
- If you fall into arrears we will negotiate an affordable repayment plan to support you to sustain your tenancy
- We will advise you in writing if we are going to take you to court for your rent arrears
Managing your home and neighbourhood
- If you are an introductory tenant we will carry out a:
- tenancy support visit within 2 months of your tenancy starting
- second tenancy support visit within 8 months of your tenancy starting
Housing Plus
- When you view your new home we will tell you about the service and communal facilities that will be available to you
- We will:
- develop a support plan for tenants who require support to maximise their independence
- make regular contact with you to check your wellbeing
- review all tenant support plans at least once a year
- encourage and support social activities
Housing Solutions
- When you move into a new home we will make sure that it meets our lettable standard
- We will:
- provide timely housing advice in a range of ways, available to all customers
- make sure you understand your housing options, based on your circumstances, when looking for a home
- make sure you are aware of your responsibilities at the start and end of your tenancy
- provide you with a range of ways to find out about available homes, including telling you about who the properties are suitable for and what the local area is like
- If you are threatened or at risk of homelessness we will work with you to agree a Personal Housing Plan which will set out the support that we can offer to prevent you reaching crisis
- When seeking rehousing we will provide you with advice about Mutual Exchange
Debt and welfare support
- We aim to offer an appointment within 10 working days of approaching the service
- We aim to offer you a welfare benefit appointment within 10 working days of approaching the service
- We will help you with benefit forms, claiming welfare benefits and with benefit appeals