Tenant Satisfaction Surveys
Throughout Autumn 2023, we asked a random sample of tenants to take part in our tenant satisfaction survey. The survey is an opportunity to have your say on the housing services we provide. The findings will assist us in improving the quality of services we deliver to our tenants.
Acuity Research & Practice Ltd, an independent market research company, conducted surveys with tenants and leaseholders on our behalf.
The results of the satisfaction survey will be published on our website and in future editions of our Annual Report for Tenants. Read our Annual Report for Tenants and find out about ways tenants can get involved in shaping services.
Following the findings of the survey, we have consulted with tenants across the borough to help shape the actions we are taking in response to the survey findings. The tenant satisfaction survey highlighted several key themes, and areas of improvement, such as:
Tenancy and estate management
- We have invested in a new telephony system which has been selected with an improved IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system due to launch in July 2024.
- We have successfully launched a pilot programme in Tipton which gives tenants a scheduled time and date for when they receive a callback from a nominated Housing Services Officer. We are currently expanding this to the other 5 towns.
- We have developed a Lift Breakdown Process – to keep tenants informed when the lift in their block has developed a fault.
Complaints and service failures
- We have created a Housing Resolutions Team to investigate and resolve customer complaints, identify learning opportunities, and implement improvements to prevent reoccurrence.
- In May 2024 we moved the Quality Assurance Officers from Repairs into the Housing Resolution Team for better coordination in resolving complaints.
How we communicate our performance and what information is important to our tenants
- We launched a Tenant Conference in July 2023 at West Brom Football ground, providing a platform for tenants to learn about changes in Sandwell Housing and share their views.
- We published an Annual Report for detailing council performance as a landlord and highlighting priorities for the year ahead.
- We Organised a 'Meet the Housing Ombudsman' event in January 2024, with nearly 100 customer requests to attend and senior staff present to listen to tenants, leaseholders, and community members.
- We utilized the in-house Learning and Development team to deliver tenant engagement training for frontline officers.
- We have committed to a Housing Management communication plan to increase external communications via social media, Sandwell Herald, Sandwell Website, and traditional media. Core messages: Transparency, Engagement, and Achievements.
What does good tenancy management and service delivery look like to our tenants
- We continue to work alongside our Tenant and Leaseholder Scrutiny Group and Tenant Auditors to improve the services we deliver.
- We followed up with over 150 of our tenants who took part in our Tenant Satisfaction Measures survey and who were dissatisfied with our service – to better understand how we could improve.