Issue - meetings

The Housing Strategy and Development Officer presented the report on Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) 2024/25 to the Board.

As reported at the previous meeting, the Council was undertaking the second year of data collection and the 2024/25 survey was underway.

The initial mailout was 1^st October to 27^th October 2024.  Key points to note after this mailout included:

·       3,179 emails, 2,233 texts and 794 letters had been circulated (in the previous year, contact had been by post with emails used as reminders);

·       394 responses had been received as of 5^th November 2024 (the Council ideally needed around 550, as set out by the Regulator);

·       Current responses did not mirror the stock profile with 57.4% from Housing for older people, 40.1% from General Needs and 2.5% from Sheltered.  The stock profile at the end of March 2024 was General needs (53%), Housing for older people (43%) and Sheltered Housing (4%).  A higher response rate from General Needs and Sheltered was needed;

·       The largest number of responses were from single tenants – 42.5%;

·       There was limited interest in downsizing;

·       There was a significantly higher response from tenants in Clowne, with the other three areas more equal (Clowne had the highest concentration of Council properties, so to be expected).  The lowest response at the end of the initial mailout was South Normanton;

·       Over 60% of respondents were female; and,

·       Over 66% of respondents were 65+.

An update on satisfaction levels so far received from returned surveys was attached at Appendix 1.

Of the 12 TSMs listed, 10 were above the national average for 2023/24 – the percentages may change as the Council collected the necessary level of responses as required by the Regulator (approximately 550 – the required figure was calculated based on the stock held on 31^st March).

It was noted, due to the Council gathering this data differently for this second year, the combination of methods used had potentially impacted the level of tenant satisfaction.  Responses received by post tended to provide higher levels of satisfaction than other methods (according to the Regulator’s national analysis) – as such, due to the increased use of emails and texts, tenant satisfaction would likely be lower than the previous year.

The Assistant Director of Housing Management & Enforcement added, with post utilised in 2023/24, only 50% of tenants had been contacted due to cost.  For 2024/25, all tenants had been contacted.

A Tenant asked, of the two TSMs below national average, were they lower than 2023/24.  The Housing Strategy and Development Officer explained they were currently lower.  It was reiterated, however, that the current data still required more responses to be reflective of tenant experiences – it was not yet a true comparison.

Management Information for the first three quarters was attached at Appendix 2.

The Board were informed some data had been delayed when the reports were produced.  It was noted, for NM01 (1), “Anti-social behaviour cases relative to the size of the landlord – Number of anti-social behaviour  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4