Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director, Community and Children’s Services.

The Sub-Committee received a report of the Executive Director, Community and Children’s Services, providing an update on the planned survey of the City Corporation’s tenants.

Officers informed the committee that this was the first year that the tenant satisfaction survey became mandatory, and the results were expected to be supplied to the Social Housing Regulator by 30 June 2024. Performance had increased since the last survey, however repairments needed improvements in the years to come. More analysis of the results was expected to be conducted and a report was expected to be produced for the next meeting. A member asked officers why there were tenants who had not completed the survey and whether an 18% return rate was good in comparison to previous return rates. Officers responded to Members and explained that there was no clear reason as to why tenants had not filled out the survey, alluding to multiple factors such as personal preference, and that the minimum return rate was based on the tenant population. Acuity, the social housing consultancy firm who conducted the survey, calculated the number needed to meet the central government threshold and officers suggested that the City Corporation would exceed this threshold in the following year. However, the statistics were reliable since there were more tenant responses than both tenant and leaseholders combined in previous years.

A Member asked officers if there was more work that the City of London Corporation could do to help tenants who were struggling with the impact of the current cost of living. Officers confirmed that whilst there were ongoing initiatives, such as the Green Doctors Scheme and Winter Measures Programme, there could be more work to be done and if Members had any areas that they would like further insight on that these areas could be included in the next Tenant Satisfaction Survey.

Members asked whether before the strategy for engagement for the following year had been finalised if the allocated Members for each of the estates could be considered to provide any feedback or suggestions in regards to improvements of the housing estates, to which the Chair confirmed that Members would have a chance at the next meeting to raise any questions or concerns.

A Member asked officers what percentage of the homes situated on the City of London Corporation estates were not described as “decent” and if residents had been informed of the allocation of one survey per household. Officers advised Members that in the ensuing year tenants were to be informed that the survey invitation is personal to each household and should not be forwarded onto others. Regarding the statistics requested by Members, officers confirmed that they would return with further information which shall be included in a report expected to be brought to the next committee meeting. Officers highlighted to Members that whilst the decent homes standard was outdated the data, however, suggested that the City of London Corporation was compliant and whether people were to consider it a “decent” home was a complicated matter. The Deputy Chair was keen to know if there were any properties that did not meet this specific standard and what work could be done to rectify this. Officers confirmed that if there were some that did not meet this standard that the decent homes callback programme can be used to identify these properties.

Regarding the issuing of the Tenant Satisfaction Survey, a Member encouraged officers to ensure that these were being properly received by tenants since their neighbour had not received theirs. Officers confirmed that next year they will reconsider how they conduct these surveys; reminders and phone calls were mentioned. Officers also confirmed that there was a vast number of contact information available to them for both tenants and leaseholders, and that they tended to receive a lot of responses via email. A member enquired about the percentage of contact information attained to which officers confirmed that they would return with statistics at the next committee meeting.

A Member asked officers if this survey was routinely carried out at the same time of year each year and officers confirmed that there was not a definitive routine but would try to get the surveys conducted in a regular cycle.

RESOLVED, that - the report be received and its contents noted.