Our Scrutiny Group is made up of residents who scrutinise our performance as a social housing landlord. This is done through reviewing important service areas and checking performance across the organisation. This work is important because it gives residents a chance to show us what we’re doing well and what we need to improve.
During 2023/24 our Scrutiny Group has reviewed several areas. The specific improvements recommended for each review are below. You can also read the full reports if you'd like more details.
Complaints
- When complaints are made through service areas other than the Customer Hub they need to be directed to the Customer Feedback team to be processed as soon as possible.
- Where apologies are made in complaint responses they need to have an associated explanation to be meaningful.
- When the resolution to a Stage 1 complaint depends on a claim for compensation and dissatisfaction with the amount offered at stage 1, this needs to be discussed with the relevant Senior Manager to prevent escalation unnecessarily.
- Read the full Scrutiny Group report on Complaints.
Damp and Mould
- Management to keep data relating specifically to satisfaction with damp and mould services. How common resident vs colleague reports are and how often surveyors/colleagues aren't allowed access to homes.
- Colleagues to make more of an effort to communicate and consult with residents about its approach to damp and mould through the website, social media and engagement/pop-up events. These should be used to both educate residents on damp and mould and the organisation's approach to it and to get resident views and feedback.
- Management to reconsider its tone of communication with customers who do not provide access to their home and potential mental health implications. New letters to be brought to Scrutiny Group once drafted.
- Read the full Scrutiny Group report on Damp and Mould.
Living Well Fund
- More rigorous checks on community groups to show they were helping residents and the organisation to provide a feedback mechanism to show this.
- The organisation should try to bring in more external funding for community groups than provide it all itself.
- Work with local suppliers as well as national ones for direct provision.
- Where possible identify suppliers that have unsold/surplus stock that could be bought at cost and delivered to residents for example curtains and flooring.
- The Living Well Fund be more prominent on the organisation's website to help residents who need help.
- Read the full Scrutiny Group report on the Living Well Fund.
Grass Cutting and Cleaning
- Management to develop a plan to ensure standards across all sites are the same, including cleaning, grass cutting, weeding paths and products used.
- Management to improve communication and data accessibility in relation to grass cutting and communal cleaning services.
- Management to develop improved reporting mechanisms to drive performance improvements and transparency of service.
- Neighbourhoods management to produce a policy for the use of shared communal spaces.
- Read the full Scrutiny Group report on Grass Cutting and Cleaning.
Repairs Transformation Project
Customer Hub
Quality of Homes
We're looking for residents who want to join our Scrutiny Group. Find out more and how to get in contact.