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.
2 BACKGROUND
2.4 The 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
Ø Received presentations delivered by Michelle Shields, Tenancy Support Team Leader, Lee Johnson, New Tenancy Team Leader and Gemma Magee, Fresh start officer
Ø Reviewed the Tenancy Management Policy, Floating Support Policy and Vulnerable Customers & Communities Policy
Ø 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
Ø Assessed the information provided in the sign-up packs, including the leaflets available
Ø Reviewed the information available for new tenants on the website
Ø Reviewed the pilot of the pre-tenancy workshop presentation
Ø Benchmarked performance against peers
Ø 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
Tenant Inspectors
Ø Spoke to tenants who had recently moved into a PPHT property
Ø 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
Ø Challenge were impressed with how comprehensive the forms were that new tenants completed around their needs.
Ø Challenge were happy to hear that the tenancy support team were so heavily involved with needs of new tenants.
Ø 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
Ø 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).
Ø 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.
Ø Challenge are concerned about the satisfaction figures behind the Lettable standards, and discussed whether it had been truly assessed.
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
Ø The content of the Tenancy Support video was helpful enough.
Areas of Improvement
Ø 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).
Ø 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.
Ø The video was also far too long, and the Trust should consider producing a shorter version.
Ø The Trust should also consider featuring an endorsement of customers who have benefited from the Tenancy Support service.
Ø 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
- 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
Ø The ‘Pay your rent’ leaflet is very helpful.
Areas of Improvement
Ø 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
Ø 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.
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
Ø 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.
Ø 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
Ø 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
Ø 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.
Ø Challenge liked the fact the tenant was asked if they had any issues with anti-social behaviour.
Ø Challenge felt that this form asked more pertinent questions than the 2-week form, such as the affordability assessment.
Ø The group all agreed it was helpful that the Trust visited new tenants more than once.
4.8 New Tenancy formal and informal complaints
· Challenge read through all complaints made about the New Tenancy Team
Area of improvement
Ø 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
Ø Lots of positive comments from the group about the great work that’s being done by the Tenancy Support team.
Ø The group felt that the team were doing well, especially around helping people with benefits.
Areas of Improvement
Ø Due to a low return rate, there was not enough feedback to gauge tenant satisfaction with the Tenancy support team.
Ø Challenge were concerned about the reasons behind the low return rate, and queried whether any responses not received were followed up by the team.
Ø 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
· 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
Ø 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).
Ø 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
Ø For 2013/14, the Trust achieved 9% for Tenancy Turnover, which represented the Upper Median Quartile Performance when compared with our peers.
Ø Challenge noted that there were no recurring reasons for ending tenancies.
Ø 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.
Strengths
Ø Challenge were happy with the Trusts performance.
Ø Challenge were pleased that PPHT ranked 6 out of 36 landlords for new tenant satisfaction with the allocation and letting process.
Ø 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
Ø 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?
Ø 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
Ø 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.
Ø 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.