Challenge Group

Review of Tenant Sustainability

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Challenge chose to inspect Tenant Sustainability after it was identified as an area of risk to the business by the Trusts Internal Auditors, Beever and Struthers. The main reason this area was highlighted as a potential risk was due to the high costs associated with allocations, and Challenge chose to inspect this area for those reasons.

1.2 This inspection will focus on the support provided for new tenants by the New Tenancy team, the Neighbourhood team and the Tenancy Support team.

1.4 More specifically, Challenge would like to see what mechanisms the Trust have implemented to ensure that tenants are allocated the most appropriate property for them, and how they are assisted in sustaining their property once they’ve moved in.

1.5 Challenge would like to see evidence that the Trust are fully supporting our tenants, regardless of level of vulnerability, as well as taking the appropriate steps to try and prevent terminations within the first twelve months.

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2 BACKGROUND

2.4The approach adopted by the Challenge Group in conducting this review was as follows: Fact finding: commissioning the Tenant Inspectors to review tenants’ views relating

to the service. A brief was issued to the Tenant Inspectors setting out what Challenge Group wanted them to do

Challenge and compare: examining what other landlords do and try to identify good practice. Interviewing officers and shadowing staff

Recommendations: asking officers to produce an action plan demonstrating how recommendations will be addressed (once the recommendations have been presented to the line manager), analysing findings and presenting report to PPHT’s Board

Monitor and evaluate: once PPHT produces an action plan, Challenge Group will monitor progress and evaluate outcomes for customers

3 DETAILS OF THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT

Challenge Group Received presentations delivered by Michelle Shields, Tenancy Support Team

Leader, Lee Johnson, New Tenancy Team Leader and Gemma Magee, Fresh start officer

Reviewed the Tenancy Management Policy, Floating Support Policy and Vulnerable Customers & Communities Policy

Reviewed procedural paperwork, including End of Tenancy forms, 2-week visit forms, 2-month visit forms, 8-month visit forms, an overview of the support team process for new customers, descriptions of the New Tenancy Support Officer’s job role & Floating Support Officer job role and the risk assessment form

Assessed the information provided in the sign-up packs, including the leaflets available

Reviewed the information available for new tenants on the website Reviewed the pilot of the pre-tenancy workshop presentation Benchmarked performance against peers Carried out best practice exercises around peers, and took part in a visit with

Trafford Housing Trusts scrutiny panel to compare differences in allocation procedures and support

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Tenant Inspectors Spoke to tenants who had recently moved into a PPHT property Spoke to tenants who had recently moved into a PPHT property and been referred

to the Tenancy Support team

4 OUR MAIN FINDINGS:

4.1 Risk Assessments completed prior to sign-up

Challenge looked at New Tenancy and Tenancy Support Risk assessments. The Risk assessment is carried out once the referral has been made, or on sign up of

the Tenancy. Questions are asked around Drug/Alcohol/Substance abuse. Evidence is required to show proof of identity – for the Data Protection act. Past tenancies are asked about, to allow the Trust to do a reference check. Questions about finances are asked to identify if they need tenancy support. The tenants sign the document to agree that everything in the form is accurate.

Strengths

Challenge were impressed with how comprehensive the forms were that new tenants completed around their needs.

Challenge were happy to hear that the tenancy support team were so heavily involved with needs of new tenants.

They also felt satisfied that the team were constantly looking ahead, pre-empting issues that would arise, related to possible legislation changes, and going to great lengths to engage with those customers concerned.

Areas of Improvement

The Risk Assessment should possibly ask them to identify what their landline and mobile numbers, as well as their preferred telephone number (just in case, for example, they’re still living with a partner whom they would prefer to not know about their application).

Challenge felt that maybe the disclaimer should be at the beginning of the form, to encourage customers to be honest about their needs and issues, and prevent customers slipping through the net.

Challenge are concerned about the satisfaction figures behind the Lettable standards, and discussed whether it had been truly assessed.

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4.2 Peaks & Plains HT Website

Challenge looked at the Main home page and the drop down sections to try and locate help around support.

Challenge typed “Financial” in the search box and looked at all pages from the search results.

Challenge watched a video entitled “Meet our Financial Inclusion Team”.

Strengths

The content of the Tenancy Support video was helpful enough.

Areas of Improvement

Challenge suggested that there should be an icon in the column on the left of the front page to identify where to go to get financial help (Challenge had to put the word ‘Financial’ into the search option to find details of the Tenancy Support team).

The Tenancy Support video included music that was an unnecessary addition – it made it too hard to understand. Subtitles might be another helpful addition to the video, to assist those who are hard of hearing.

The video was also far too long, and the Trust should consider producing a shorter version.

The Trust should also consider featuring an endorsement of customers who have benefited from the Tenancy Support service.

There wasn’t enough detail or information for customers on the link, the Trust could consider providing a step-by-step how-to manual, for example, on how to open a bank account with an explanation of why it’s so necessary.

4.3 Peaks & Plains sign-up packs for new tenants

Challenge looked at the following documents: Leaflets Taking care of pets in your trust home Anti-social behaviour & neighbourhood nuisance Moving Home Grounds maintenance Handyperson service Estate Services Cyclical Planned maintenance Contents insurance Paying your Rent

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Gas Safety (x2) Lettable standard Rechargeable Repairs Adaptations Trustlink Service Other Documents End of Tenancy Rechargeable Repairs Garage Application form New Gas appliance information Checklist for Signup Core Form Customer profiling information

Strengths

The ‘Pay your rent’ leaflet is very helpful.

Areas of Improvement

Challenge felt there were too many leaflets in the sign-up packs, and the Trust should consider combining them where possible.

4.4 End of Tenancy forms

Challenge reviewed the form that tenants complete when ending their tenancy.

Areas of Improvement

The first question on the form should perhaps be ‘Why did you decide to leave and is there any support we could have given you which might have prevented you ending your tenancy?’

4.5 Tenancy agreements

Challenge looked at the Affordable Fixed Rent tenancy agreements for Under and Over 55’s.

Challenge looked at the 5-year fixed term tenancy agreement. Challenge reviewed multiple different copies of the Tenancy agreements.

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4.6 Two week visit form (completed by Neighbourhood Officers)

This has recently been changed from a 6-week visit to a 2-week phone call or a visit (if the Neighbourhood officer was not able to attend the sign-up).

The new tenancy satisfaction survey also will be completed as part of this phone call, rather than during the sign-up.

If the Neighbourhood Officer does attend the sign up, then the survey will be carried out on the 2 month visit.

Strengths

It’s helpful that the Neighbourhood Officer is checking whether or not they’ve moved in, as this could indicate other issues that the tenant is struggling with.

It’s also good that they give help and referrals (If the customer indicates they need help with white goods and furniture).

Areas of Improvement

The form should perhaps be asking- ‘are we doing enough?’- ‘do they have any issues that the Trust could assist with, such as financial worries?’- ‘did you know there’s a place that supplied cheap second-hand furniture?’- ‘have you got any contents insurance?’- There’s nothing on the form asking if they have a landline number, and which is

their preferred number.

4.7 Two month visit forms

Strengths

The form does ask the tenant if they’re aware of their options regarding furniture and flooring, and does signpost to other agencies that can help.

Challenge liked the fact the tenant was asked if they had any issues with anti-social behaviour.

Challenge felt that this form asked more pertinent questions than the 2-week form, such as the affordability assessment.

The group all agreed it was helpful that the Trust visited new tenants more than once.

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4.8 New Tenancy formal and informal complaints

Challenge read through all complaints made about the New Tenancy Team

Area of improvement

The group discussed the benefits of asking Cheshire East council to put something on their website which clarifies that, even if people are at the top of the list, others could potentially be given priority over them at the point of allocation.

4.9 Tenancy Support team satisfaction feedback and compliments

Challenge read through all compliments made about the Tenancy Support team (there were no complaints recorded).

Challenge reviewed the feedback from customers who have used the service.

Strengths

Lots of positive comments from the group about the great work that’s being done by the Tenancy Support team.

The group felt that the team were doing well, especially around helping people with benefits.

Areas of Improvement

Due to a low return rate, there was not enough feedback to gauge tenant satisfaction with the Tenancy support team.

Challenge were concerned about the reasons behind the low return rate, and queried whether any responses not received were followed up by the team.

Challenge also queried whether the Tenancy Support team would normally assist those with high support needs in completing their satisfaction forms, and if not, if this should be implemented on a trial basis to assess the success rate.

4.10 Support provided to Mutual Exchange (MX) and Transfer tenants by the Neighbourhood team and New Tenancy team

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Challenge viewed a statement provided by the Neighbourhood team leader and the New Tenancy team leader about the level of support provided to tenants moving into one of our properties via a transfer or a mutual exchange.

Strengths Challenge were pleased that MX and Transfer tenants still had a risk assessment

carried out for them, and that transfer tenants were offered support with moving if vulnerable (Especially in light of the number of tenants downsizing due to the bedroom tax).

Challenge agreed that it’s not necessary to have more than one (6-week) visit for Mutual Exchange and Transfer tenants.

4.11 Tenancy Terminations in the first 12 months

Challenge looked at the reasons for tenants leaving their properties within the first 12 months of signing up for a home. The key indicator we can use to judge the effectiveness of our approach to Tenancy Sustainability is Tenancy Turnover

Strengths

For 2013/14, the Trust achieved 9% for Tenancy Turnover, which represented the Upper Median Quartile Performance when compared with our peers.

Challenge noted that there were no recurring reasons for ending tenancies. The group discussed whether it was an improvement in the level of service that

reduced the number of terminations since the year before (Nov 13 compared with Nov 12), or whether it has dropped that much because most ‘downsizers’ had completed their moves by then.

4.12 New Tenancy Customer satisfaction and other performance data

Challenge looked at the survey results that are submitted by the New tenancy team leader each month

Challenge reviewed all customer satisfaction results for the New Tenancy Team. Challenge reviewed all other performance figures for the New Tenancy Team. They also looked at the spread-sheet that identified any comments the customers

have made when completing the satisfaction form. Challenge compared and analysed New Tenancy customer satisfaction figures to

other Housing associations’ figures.

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Strengths

Challenge were happy with the Trusts performance. Challenge were pleased that PPHT ranked 6 out of 36 landlords for new tenant

satisfaction with the allocation and letting process. Although the team didn’t hit their targets in April and May, Challenge were advised

that this was only because the figures were cumulative, and therefore weren’t a true reflection as they achieved 100% satisfaction in May, and again in June.

Area of improvement

The group felt that the satisfaction survey is quite generic, and should include questions such as:

- Are there any areas that could be improved on?- Are there any areas you feel we didn’t address? Challenge analysed the lettings costs of Peaks and Plains; as there were no costs

from other Lettings teams within similar organisations, it was difficult to gauge how much higher ours were than our peers.

4.13 Good Practice exercise (including trip to Trafford Housing Trust)

The group looked at peers that had reported higher customer satisfaction amongst new tenants compared with ours.

Strengths

All the organisations that Challenge looked at offered a similar level of support as PPHT, and as far as the group could tell from their research, none of them seemed to offer pre-tenancy workshops or provide guidance videos on their website like PPHT.

All the organisations seemed to have quite similar sign-up packs. Although Challenge felt that the amount of paperwork in the sign-up packs could be a bit overwhelming, they didn’t see any other way of doing it and still cater for everyone’s needs.

Challenge particularly liked:

The booklet that Dales Housing provide that gives advice on how to work out a budget.

The online expenditure calculator that Weaver Vale provide. The flyer that Calico provide called ‘Guide to first home’, which gives a breakdown of

the average costs of furniture and white goods when bought from a high street lender , such as Brighthouse, compared with a second hand supplier. It also provided an average weekly and monthly spend of bills.

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City South Housing Trust receive lottery funding for their ‘Mind your money’ facility (their equivalent of our Financial Inclusion Officers).

The procedure set up at Staffordshire and Rural that requires staff to set up payment plans with their tenants who hand in their Notice to Quit, to try and reduce the level of former tenant arrears.

The system established by Stockport Homes where staff are available to come out and explain anything that customers don’t understand in their letters.

4.14 Two week visit (completed by Neighbourhood Officers) attended by Keith Blaine

Keith fed back to the group about accompanying a neighbourhood officer on a visit to a new tenant.

Strengths The neighbourhood officer managed to pick up two repairs that hadn’t been logged. The NHO also checked that the tenant had had all their benefits sorted out. The

tenants parents were very happy with all the help their daughter had received from PPHT.

4.15 Internal Audit Review report from Beever and Struthers

Challenge looked at the Beever and Struthers report regarding Tenant Sustainability with potential recommendations that Challenge could consider.

Strengths The report highlighted that PPHT did even more for tenants than Challenge thought. It didn’t flag up any issues with PPHT’s services i.e. measuring satisfaction with the

new tenancy process specifically like PPHT do, as evidence suggests that most of our peers only measure it on an overall basis.

4.16 Tenant Inspector Report

Challenge looked at the report written by the Tenant Inspectors.

Strengths

Challenge were very happy with the report, and found it very helpful. Challenge chose to adopt all three recommendations made by the Tenant

Inspectors.

4.17 Staff Interviews

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Challenge looked at the feedback from the staff interviews they carried out. Strengths The Tenancy Support teams feedback highlighted that they felt the current

structure allowed them to do their jobs to their full ability. PPHT staff felt that they do currently provide enough support for new tenants.

Areas of Improvement There appears to be a need to improve communication with PPHT staff about the

roles of the Tenancy Support team members, and what’s within each roles remit. The feedback from staff was that the current video available on the website could do

with updating, and tenants would benefit from flyers that provided comparative costs of goods such as furniture/white goods, etc.

It was also suggested that the Trust consider meeting with Cheshire East Council and Social services, where possible, to agree a way forward that ensures all relevant information is obtained about an applicant by CEC, and passed to the Trust, before they are considered eligible to be rehoused by PPHT.

Training for new tenancy staff was discussed, and it was mentioned that they may benefit from training around Universal Credit and benefits in general, to allow them to offer more assistance around this area of the new tenant’s finances.

More time should possibly be factored in once tenants have agreed to take the property, to allow staff to complete checks on the applicant.

5.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Challenge would like to thank Chris Mairs, Lee Johnson, Michelle Shields, Siobhan Clowes, Kieran Holdcroft, Rachel Norlander, Isla Telford, Gemma Magee and Sophie Robinson for their input towards this inspection.

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6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS

The Challenge Group and Tenant Inspectors would recommend that PPHT takes the following steps to bring about improvements within tenant sustainability:

Recommendation Expected benefits1.

New Tenancy team

Forms

a) Challenge would like the risk assessment to ask new tenants to identify both their landline and mobile numbers, and the customers preferred telephone number (Section 4.1)

b) Challenge would like to see the disclaimer placed at the beginning of the risk assessment form (Section 4.1)

c) On the ‘End of Tenancy Form’ filled out by customers, Challenge would like the first question to be: “Why did you decide to leave and is there any support we could have given you which might have prevented you from ending your tenancy?”

a) This is to protect the applicant, in the first instance, in case, for example, they’re still living with a partner whom they would prefer to not know about their application. It’s also to identify the easiest number to reach them on.

b) This is to encourage customers to be honest about their needs/issues, and prevent customers slipping through the net.

c) This may highlight recurring reasons that people are leaving, and what we could do in the future to prevent tenancy terminations. It also might prompt people to fill out the question in full as it’s the first question.

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(Section 4.4)

d) Challenge would like to see the New Tenancy satisfaction form include such questions as:

- Are there any areas that could be improved on?

- Are there any areas you feel we didn’t address? (Section 4.12)

Training

e) Challenge would like PPHT to consider providing New Tenancy staff with training around Universal Credit and benefits in general. (Section 4.17)

d) This will help the New Tenancy Team as the answers will be more specific, and New Tenancy staff will be able to identify any issues that may arise with future tenants.

Training

e) This will allow them to offer more assistance around this area of the new tenant’s finances.

2. Sign up pack

a) Challenge would like to see a flyer created, (similar to ‘Guide to first home’ flyer produced by Calico) which gives a breakdown of the average costs of furniture and white goods, when bought from a high street lender , such as Brighthouse, compared with a second hand supplier. It also provided an average weekly and monthly spend of bills. (Section 4.13)

a) This would help Tenants that are referred to the Financial Inclusion Team as they would be able to know how much they would be spending in each place, and which would be cheaper for the Tenant

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3. Neighbourhood team

Forms

a) Challenge would like to see the following questions added to the Two Week Visit Form(completed by Neighbourhood Officers):

- Are we doing enough?- Do you have any issues that the

Trust could assist with, such as financial worries?

- Did you know there’s a place that supplies cheap second-hand furniture? (If not, then refer them to furnaround)

- Have you got any contents insurance?

There’s nothing on the form asking if they have a landline number, so could also add:

- What is your preferred number?(Section 4.6)

a) This could: help Peak & Plains highlight any

recurring issues that Tenants are facing and help staff resolve the issues.

assist Tenants budget their money and settle into their new home with furniture such as a table and chairs.

reassure tenants that their contents are safe from any damage, and this could also reduce some calls to do with compensation.

allow staff to contact Tenants directly on their preferred telephone number.

4. Tenancy Support team

Forms

a) Challenge would like to see the TS team consider a pilot implemented to assist those with high support needs in completing their satisfaction forms, to assess the difference in return rate; only if this can be done in a way to not put undue pressure on the customer.(Section 4.9)

a) This could increase the return rate for the satisfaction forms and will potentially boost the quality of feedback so the service can improve if need be.

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Communication

b) Challenge would like to see the Trust promote the remits of the TS team members. (Section 4.17)

Staff

c) The Trust should consider seeing if they are able to apply for lottery funding to cover the costs of financial inclusion staff, in the same way that City South Housing have managed to win funding for their ‘Mind your money’ facility.(Section 4.13)

b) There appears to be a need to improve communication between teams about the roles of the Tenancy Support team members, and what’s within each roles remit; this recommendation should reduce confusion between teams about who is responsible for what, and hopefully result in tenants getting the most suitable member of staff dealing with them sooner.

c) If successful with the bid, this would either save on staffing costs for the Trust, or allow the team to budget for an extra team member.

Website

d) Challenge would like to see a ‘Financial Support’ icon or button on the left hand side of the main/home page of the Peaks & Plains Website. (The icon would explain everything to do with Financial Inclusion, and

d) This would benefit tenants of the Trust that want to look for financial help on our website, and could potentially reduce a few

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how they can help the tenant, including the ‘Meet the Tenancy Support Team’.) (Section 4.2)

e) Challenge would like PPHT to re-shoot the ‘Meet the Tenancy Support Team’ video on the Peaks & Plains Website. (Section 4.2)

f) Challenge would like to see the music removed, or reduced, and subtitles added to the video. (Section 4.2)

g) Challenge would like the video made shorter and more concise, so that it appeals to more people to watch. (Section 4.2)

h) Challenge would like to see more detail/ information for customers on the Financial support link; the Trust could consider providing a step-by-step how-to manual, for example, on how to open a bank account with an explanation of why it’s so necessary.(Section 4.2)

i) Challenge would like to see an online expenditure calculator similar to the one that Weaver Vale provide.(Section 4.13)

calls in the call centre.

e) See above

f) This may make it easier for people to understand it and take in all the information, especially those hard of hearing.

g) This could make more people watch the whole video, enabling more people to find out about the Tenancy Support Team, and what they do.

h) This may help raise awareness of the Tenancy Support team, so that people are aware that we have a team that can support them with finances.

i) This will help Tenants work out their expenses, and potentially help the Financial Inclusion team work out budgets and what expenses to cut down on.

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5. Lettable Standard

a) Challenge would like PPHT to consider allowing tenant inspectors, accompanied by Trust staff, to do random spot checks on new properties before new tenants receive the keys, to ensure:

there are no health and safety risks

the Lettable standard has been met (Section 4.16)

a) This would ensure that the standards PPHT should be meeting are being met, and if not, the Inspectors can flag that up with the Voids team there and then.

9.0 VALUE FOR MONEY

Recommendation 5c, which encourages the Trust to apply for lottery funding, would allow the Tenancy Support team to provide an enhanced service (either through an additional member of staff) or through other benefits for the customers, for the same budget.

The recommendation around the Lettable standards would potentially save time on staff dealing with repairs/health and safety issues on behalf of the tenant once they have moved in.

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10.0 CONCLUDING POINTS

Although Customer Satisfaction with the support provided by the Trust is 100%, and New Tenancy Satisfaction is at 99.73%, we believe the implementation of our recommendations will reduce overall tenancy turnover.

It is expected that tenancy turnover will reduce to 8.2% by current year end (April 2015), which would represent an upward move from Upper Median to Upper Quartile performance.

Challenge expect tenancy turnover to continue to drop to approximately 7% by the end of the business plan cycle (2017/18)

Challenge felt that, although the costs were high, they were unable to compare these against our peers as they measure their allocation costs in a different way, so it was impossible to measure how high they were in comparison to others.

Challenge also felt that, although there were a number of areas of improvement, the service and support received by new tenants (evidenced in the satisfaction surveys reviewed) justified the costs associated with the service area.

11.3 What worked well during the review

The group felt that some of the housing associations were especially helpful during the best practice exercise.

11.4 Learning points

The group agreed that they had all struggled with the best practice exercise. Trying to find out what peers had in place around the allocation process (i.e. are reference checks done, are interviews carried out, are tenants offered pre-tenancy workshops, etc.)

The group suggested that if they encountered similar problems in future, the RI Officer could approach staff at the organisations on their behalf to try and get hold of the information.

The RI Officer also suggested piloting an online forum where scrutiny panels can network independently, and approach each other for information. It was felt that, in many cases, the other scrutiny panels may also have scrutinised that service area in the past, so may have quick access to a lot of the required evidence. Alternatively, either of the primary external consultants used by Challenge may be willing to help put them in touch with other scrutiny panels in future inspections.

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix A: Brief from the Challenge Group to the Tenant Inspectors Appendix B: Tenant Inspectors’ report

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Appendix A: Brief from the Challenge Group to the Tenant Inspectors

Inspection of Tenant Sustainability

1. Introduction

Challenge have chosen to look at Tenant Sustainability as their next area of inspection because the Internal Auditors, Beever and Struthers, highlighted this area as a possible area of risk for the business.

The main reason it was highlighted as a risk was because of the high costs linked to the allocation process, and Challenge would like to identify whether or not this is reflected in higher customer satisfaction from new Peaks and Plains tenants (when compared with our peers).

This inspection does not include any issues relating to the Homechoice letting system, as this is an external system operated by Cheshire East Council. It also excludes the Voids service, as Challenge are only interested in the support tenants receive once they are handed the keys to a property, not the standard of work carried out in the empty property.

We would like the Tenant Inspectors support in carrying out an inspection to investigate how people feel about the moving experience, including the help they received from the New Tenancy team, Neighbourhood team and Tenant Support team. We would like to know whether there is anyway the Trust can improve the level

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of support and assistance provided by staff to keep tenants in their homes.

2. Our Brief

Phone surveys in relation to the following:

Recent customers of the Tenancy Support team; what was their experience of the service, was there anything more that could have been done?Tenants that have recently moved into one of our homes; what sort of support did they receive from the New Tenancy team, Neighbourhood team and Tenancy Support team (where relevant)

3.Timescales

It would be helpful if these activities were completed by

Friday 15 th August , and the findings passed to us so we could meet with you and discuss all the evidence, including ours that we will have collected from our desktop review and benchmarking exercises.

Then we will work with you so that we can pull together a final report for the Board, setting out our collective findings and recommendations.

Challenge Group

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Appendix B: Tenant Inspectors Report

1.0SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS OF TENANT INSPECTORS INTO TENANT

SUSTAINABILITY

1.1 Tenant Sustainability Review

We were asked to assess the satisfaction amongst new tenants with the service they received.

We were also asked to collate feedback from new tenants who had been referred to the Tenancy Support team.

Tenant Inspectors role

We carried out a number of phone surveys to try and ensure a balanced overview of the experiences of new customers.

2.0 OVERALL VIEW ON THE SERVICES INVOLVED

2.1 Phone Surveys

2.1.1 New tenants

Strengths

7 out of 8 new tenants are happy in their new home.

Weaknesses

The inspectors were concerned about the tenant they spoke to who was disabled, and reported nails in the floorboards that presented a health and safety risk. The Inspectors felt it this should have been sorted before he and his wife, who was also disabled, were given the keys.

The Inspectors also found it a bit concerning that 3 out of the 8 new tenants they spoke to admitted they weren’t comfortable talking to staff about any problems they were experiencing. One of the tenants added that he felt ‘fobbed off’ by staff,

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although wouldn’t give any further detail.

One of the tenants told the Inspectors that his niece had had to push for the gas boiler to be fixed, and wasn’t happy with the staff that fixed the boiler.

The same tenant also reported that he was unhappy with the state of his bathroom, for which he received £50 in decorating vouchers (he felt that this wouldn’t go very far). His niece had to demand a new bathroom for him.

Most people indicated satisfaction with the service, but the inspectors are concerned about those who weren’t happy with the support they received.

2.1.2 New tenants referred to Tenancy Support team

Strengths

The tenancy support team didn’t receive any negative comments.

There were lots of positive comments about the team, and the evidence indicates there are no issues with the way the service is delivered.

Weaknesses

There were no weaknesses identified during this exercise.

3.0 OVERALL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TENANT INSPECTOR TEAM TO CHALLENGE GROUP

3.1 For the Trust to consider reviewing the Lettable standard.

To review the health and safety procedures around the Lettable standard; to ensure that as well as the Lettable standard being met, there are no additional issues that may create a hazard for new tenants.

To consider allowing tenant inspectors to do random spot checks on new properties before new tenants receive the keys, to ensure there are no health and safety risks and that the Lettable standard has been met.

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