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Janey Carey, Executive Director of Customer and Communities at Incommunities, blogs about direct resident feedback....
'I expect the best possible service’ is something that I heard said a few times by customers at the latest 'In Conversation with the Regulator'. I was delighted to hear this because, as social housing providers, this is what we should be aiming to provide.
Being part of one of the 'Conversations' was both refreshing and insightful.
Listening to Kate Dodsworth, Director of Consumer Regulations, explain to customers about the role of the Regulator of Social Housing, how its role fits with the Housing Ombudsman, the government and landlords was refreshing and delivered well.
Listening to customers’ experiences and views about landlord services, what good tenant engagement looks like and their ideas about the best ways the Regulator can hear from tenants was insightful and definitely provided food for thought.
The conversations offered residents the opportunity to give their feedback, highlight what they felt good and bad service looked like and how the Regulator can ensure that it is getting the right information from Boards.
For the Regulator, they provided a research opportunity and valuable time with residents to source direct feedback in addition to consultations carried out over the summer.
Accessing first-hand data, delivered with a passion by customers, is key to the development of the Social Housing White Paper and the tenant satisfaction measures which come into force in April 2023 and I was glad to have been part of the conversations influencing the paper.”
The session was hosted by Incommunities for PlaceShapers and our residents joined those from six other social landlords for a day of insight and discussion.
In September the Regulator heard from residents of ten housing associations at a first session in Warrington and will hear from tenants in the south west at an event in Bristol on Friday 31 October.
Our session looked at
- How the Regulator works, and how its role fits with the Housing Ombudsman, the government, and landlords
- Residents’ views about how the proposals from the regulator will deliver on the aims of the social housing white paper
- Residents’ experiences and views about landlord services
- Residents’ views on what good tenant engagement is like
- Residents’ views on how the regulator can best hear from tenants.
