How we’re improving our housing services
We aim to provide excellent housing services to all our residents, but we know that these services have not always been good enough. That’s why earlier this year we introduced a council-wide Housing Improvement Programme. Through this programme, we are reviewing our repairs, customer services and complaints processes to work out when and why these may go wrong, so we can make the improvements needed for residents.
Our Improvement Programme includes recommendations made earlier this year by the Future of Westminster Commission. This independent commission was set up in July 2022 to advise the council on critical areas of policy, including housing. It was led by experts in the sector alongside a diverse panel of Council tenants and leaseholders.
It is also informed by findings of the Housing Ombudsman, which has recently highlighted cases where our services have regrettably failed residents. Ombudsman findings have directly informed and continue to inform our service improvements, so that we can make sure similar cases never happen again.
What we’ve done so far
Repairs
Resident experience is at the heart of our improvement programme, and we are changing the way we work to be more responsive to residents. We have introduced additional training for staff and contractors, and created a new team to manage complex repairs and work with residents who are vulnerable. We have also introduced resident call backs to check on work.
We are carrying out daily review meetings with our main contractor, focusing on clearing overdue repairs, managing damp and mould, improving processes and handling complex repairs. Our contractor has hired more officers to increase capacity, and we have worked with our contact centre to diagnose jobs with more accuracy and reduce delays.
Damp and Mould
We have invested heavily in tackling mould and condensation in residents’ homes. We have invested £2.2 million in specialist ventilation systems, including extraction fans and humidity sensors, we've allocated a further £750,000 to install ventilation systems in 420 more homes and we are investing £600,000 pounds to undertake additional stock conditions surveys.
We now have a dedicated damp and mould team to carry out inspections, support residents and keep them updated on progress.
We have increased response times, so that we visit residents within 72 hours of them reporting mould problems. The number of damp and mould cases have reduced significantly over the past year and continues to be a priority.
If you are worried about mould or damp in your house, call us on 0800 358 3785 or fill out our online form: www.westminster.gov.uk/damp-mould-condensation
Customer services
We have listened to residents’ feedback and are making it easier to speak directly to our teams. This includes opening new Housing Service Centres across the City, where residents can speak face to face with staff about things like repairs, maintenance or financial support. This year we have opened one on Bruckner Street in Queens Park and one in Charlwood Street in Pimlico, with more to come. We have also hired additional Housing Officers and are holding more local surgeries.
We have introduced new training for our contact centre staff, to help improve the experience for residents
Complaints
We have reviewed how we monitor and manage repairs complaints to make sure actions are completed in a timely manner. We are also proposing a new policy for how we assess and award compensation to residents. The policy aims to make the process fairer and more consistent and make it easier for residents to understand and claim compensation
https://www.westminster.gov.uk/housing/upcoming-housing-compensation-policy
Next steps
Whilst there has been improvement, we know there is significant work to do. Our short term measures are focused on improving performance and learning from feedback. Over the long term, we will implement the systemic improvement needed to reshape our services for the future.
We have heard extensive feedback from residents, and this is playing a central part in our work. We continue to work with our Resident Panel, Chairs of Resident Associations and other engagement forums.
Some of the things we are working on include new policies and standards for the repairs service, being developed in partnership with residents; reviewing how we support vulnerable residents; ensuring follow on appointments are booked immediately with residents; and continuing to improve our systems, process and data.
We are also reviewing how we conduct major works, including how we liaise with leaseholders throughout the process
Do you want be involved in change?
Do you have ideas about how the housing service could change and improve? We are setting up resident workshops on Major Works and Repairs. Whether you only have a couple of hours to spare, or can make a more regular time commitment, we can fit around you.
If you have never taken part in a council group or meeting, don’t let that put you off. If you live in a Westminster home – you are the expert we need.
Interested in finding out more? Contact [email protected] with Get Involved in the email title.
More information
You can find out more about the Housing Ombudsman here https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/
