Tenant Engagement ‘Top Priority’

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan lists tenant engagement as a top priority for the capital’s building owners and managers post Grenfell, saying the housing sector must not wait for legislation to start making properties safe. In an open letter, Khan made a range of recommendations to improve the safety of residential blocks, urging the sector to be at the forefront of best practice and take the necessary steps to offer the highest standards of fire safety. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/tenant-engagement-top-priority-for-londons-building-owners-and-managers-post-grenfell/

Survey Shows ‘Clear Desire’ For Resident Involvement In Service Delivery

With no ‘silver bullet’ solution, a new survey from HouseMark offers ammunition for providers aiming to keep service delivery relevant. The survey shares the findings of sector-wide STAR (Survey of Tenants and Residents) research with input from more than 250 social landlords. “Capturing the customer voice to improve ways of working and shape services is essential. “The scale of response from across the sector demonstrates the huge interest and enthusiasm from landlords to engage with residents to improve their services,” said HouseMark Chief Executive Laurice Ponting. Download survey results from the HouseMark website.

https://www.housemark.co.uk/media/2472/1414101_star_brochure_a5_8pp_final.pdf

Resident Engagement Models 'Should Be Binned'

The sector needs a ‘fundamental change of mindset’ to break away from the ‘empty ritual’ of resident engagement, which fails to connect with a significant or representative number of tenants. This is the finding of research by London housing association Family Mosaic, which said the current approach should be ‘consigned to the dustbin of history’ in favour of an approach based on data analysis and practical, local issues. The 24,000-home landlord is now reviewing its approach to tenant engagement through further research, and will begin developing a new model in September. Download a copy of the research paper – Changing Places – from the Family Mosaic website.

Behaviour Change Research to Tackle Rent Arrears

Housing associations and local authorities have been invited to participate in a six-month research programme to test how behavioural science can improve rent collection and reduce rent arrears.  The research, by the housing team in Capita’s property business, will investigate how intervention techniques have an impact on the decisions tenants make. Several organisations will each try a different approach to income collection and managing rent arrears, such as changing the language used in text messages and letters to tenants. This will be measured against a control group in each organisation that will not change the way it currently engages with its tenants. Read more on the Capita website.

Think Tank Encourages 'Meaningful Engagement' With Tenants

Stronger relationships between social landlords and tenants are required to help overcome the complex challenges of today, a think tank report has found. Research by LGiU, and supported by Mears Group, calls for councils and housing associations to re-think their relationships with their tenants and engage in meaningful conversations with them. The report welcomes that 60 per cent of councils and housing associations raised their spend on tenant engagement in 2013/14 compared with the previous year - showing that tenant engagement is a growing priority. Download a copy of the report from the Mears website.

ALMOs Must 'Step Up To the Plate'

ALMOs must ‘step up to the plate’ and champion the needs of all of their communities if they are to have a positive future, a government minister has warned.  Don Foster, under secretary of state for housing, said ALMOs faced a ‘challenging future’ but could ‘win local support’ and ‘improve their remit’ if they focused on ‘engaging with tenants’.  Areas Mr Foster called on ALMOs to explore included working to help implement the government’s delayed green deal retrofit plan and encouraging community groups to take on the right to bid for community assets or the delivery of some services.  ‘There is also the neighbourhood planning agenda and helping facilitate development on local sites where appropriate. Then there is neighbourhood budgeting for things like adult social care,’ he added. ‘Tenants could be encouraged to explore all these areas through ALMOs.’  Read more on Inside Housing.

The Bromford Deal for New Residents

Bromford Living is piloting a new way of engaging with its customers. Their aim is that, on becoming a Bromford tenant, customers will join a unique group of people who aspire to belong to a stronger community, by improving themselves and their home. The Bromford Deal makes a promise to tenants that the organisation will deliver high quality services and first class properties in return for customers fulfilling their responsibilities as tenants and, importantly, striving to give something back to their neighbourhoods. Thus, Bromford aims to make being a customer far more than just having a home and paying rent – its ambition is to build relationships that really work. Read more on the Bromford Living website.