Satisfaction Survey Results
The Leaseholder Satisfaction Survey in 2007 highlighted areas of concern these included consultation on major works, service charges not showing value for money and dissatisfaction with some aspects of the service.
Hackney Homes set up a number of focus groups with leaseholders and an independent facilitator from HQN Limited (Housing Quality Network) to establish the reasons for levels of dissatisfaction.
You will find below the recommendations from these focus groups and how these recommendations have been addressed.
Establish minimum service standards in consultation with residents
Consultation took place between October 2007 - February 2008 with residents. New service standards have been developed and have been effective from April 2008 covering all aspects of services provided including estate and neighbourhood management. These are available on the website and will be placed within reception areas of Hackney Homes buildings.Agree an estate inspection policy, program and procedure in consultation with leaseholders
Estate inspections are currently taking place which involve residents. We will ensure that these are re-advertised and that the outcomes are reported on the website and in newsletters.Training of Housing Contact Centre staff to respond to repairs reported by leaseholders
There is an ongoing Leasehold Management Training programme for all front line staff, including the Housing Contact Centre, to ensure staff effectively deal with communal repairs reported by leaseholders.Include more information about buildings insurance
We have placed a buildings insurance FAQ document on the Hackney Homes website and a hard copy can be provided by calling our Customer Services Team on 0208 356 2100.Develop a performance management framework for leasehold specific issues
Leasehold and Right to Buy Services has a performance management structure in place. This covers invoicing and collection targets, arrears targets, complaints monitoring, telephone and correspondence monitoring and staff appraisals. This information is published on the website within the Hackney Homes monthly performance report. We are working closely with the Housing Contact Centre to reduce the number of miscodings and this is part of our Service Plan for this year. We hope to reduce the variances between estimates and actuals by using budget information when preparing our estimates. Our performance is also managed against the new service standards that have been developed with resident involvement.Develop and include an addendum to the formal S20 consultation notices to ensure that they are more relevant to leaseholders and consult with a group of leaseholders
We currently issue a FAQ document with the Section 20 notices. This was introduced last year, after consultation with leaseholders, and the feedback has been positive.Review the Leaseholder and Freeholder Forum arrangements, set up project/focus groups to consider what works well and what does not
Head of Leasehold and Right to Buy Services meets the Borough wide Leaseholder and Freeholder Forum on a bi-monthly basis. The Forum committee members meet on a monthly basis and they have four public meetings a year which are advertised on the Hackney Homes website and in their regular newsletter issued to all leaseholders and freeholders.
Establish the calculation of each of the costs of the service. Be clear on how the costs are arrived at to enable officers to be confident to answer queries raised
The costs of services provided are established and an explanation of how costs are calculated is included in the Leaseholders and Freeholder Handbook and the Estimated and Actual Service Charge booklets that are sent with statements.