Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Adult Care, Housing and Public Health.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Notes the Council’s 2023-24 Tenant Satisfaction Measures and Tenant Perception Survey Results (appendices 1 and 2).

2.    Notes the work underway to meet the revised consumer standards and prepare for an inspection of the Council’s Housing Service.

3.    Agrees to receive a further update in six months’ time.

Consideration was given to the report which summarised the work underway to meet the revised consumer standards from the new regulatory framework for social housing and prepare for an inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing. The report also included the Council’s 2023-24 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) which was submitted to the Regulator in June 2024. These were attached to the report at Appendix 1.

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) were a series of 22 performance measures, which had to be collected by all social housing landlords with more than 1,000 properties. Data for ten of the performance measures was submitted directly by the Council. Data for the other 12 performance measures was captured through a Tenant Perception Survey. The performance measures, including the survey questions, were prescribed by the Regulator and could not be deviated from.

KWest Research Limited were procured to complete the Tenant Perception Survey on behalf of the Council in accordance with the Regulator’s requirements. Kwest surveyed 1,041 of Rotherham’s tenants (equivalent to 5% of tenants which was the minimum prescribed sample size). 85% of the surveys were conducted by telephone and 15% by email. Appendix 2 contained Kwest’s Tenant Perception Survey report.

In March 2024, overall satisfaction with the service (TP01) was 77%. The Council last conducted a detailed tenant satisfaction survey in 2017. Overall satisfaction with the service then was 83%. This downward trend was mirrored nationally, with overall satisfaction amongst social housing tenants declining year on year from 72% in 2020/21 to 65% in September 2023 according to data from Housemark, the leading social housing market intelligence company.

During the meeting the Assistant Director of Housing explained that a key area for tenants was the condition of their homes. 78% of tenants surveyed told the Council they were satisfied that their home was well maintained, and

81% were satisfied that their home was safe. The results also indicated that tenants generally felt they were kept informed (74%), were treated with fairness and respect (84%), and that the Council listened to them and acted on their views (71%). However, as with other areas, older tenants tended to be more satisfied than younger tenants across these measures.

Satisfaction with complaints handling had emerged as a significant issue

across many housing providers and this was also true of the Council, with

just 36% of tenants saying they were satisfied with complaints handling

processes. Notably, the results suggested that significantly more tenants

believed that they have made a complaint than had actually done so via the

formal complaints process. This suggested that tenants’ view of what constituted a complaint was much wider than the scope of the Council’s Complaints Policy. It was confirmed that this area would be prioritised for improvement activity supported by further engagement with tenants.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1. Note the Council’s 2023-24 Tenant Satisfaction Measures and Tenant Perception Survey Results (appendices 1 and 2).

2. Note the work underway to meet the revised consumer standards and prepare for an inspection of the Council’s Housing Service.

3. Agree to receive a further update in six months’ time.