Issue - meetings

To receive an update on how the Housing Landlord Service is performing on responsive repairs and planned maintenance (report of the Assistant Director – Housing enclosed)

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Housing which provided an update on how the Housing Landlord Service was performing on responsive repairs and planned maintenance.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing presented the report, which highlighted challenges and proposed improvements in the Council’s repairs service. Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) for 2023/24 revealed only 62% satisfaction with repair times and 70% satisfaction with the repairs service overall, prompting a focus on this area within the Housing Transformation programme.

The current approach to repairs was set out in the report, with 10,807 repairs completed by January 2025, split between the in-house team and external contractors. Performance against target timeframes, particularly for external contractors, required improvement. Emergency repairs, works in progress (WIP), and the void standard were also addressed, as well as planned repairs and maintenance reported under the HRA Capital programme. It was noted that improvements were required in delivery of programmed works.

Benchmarking showed the Council's performance compared to peers, and related TSM perception metrics highlighted areas for focus. Planned changes aimed to enhance service delivery and tenant satisfaction. The report stressed the importance of tenant oversight and linked stock condition and compliance data to inform service improvement and future business planning.

Consideration was given to the report and the following issues were raised:

·       It was encouraging to see the good performance of the Housing Repairs Team in responding to repairs however, when this report had been discussed by the Performance Monitoring Panel, members had commented that they wished to see improvement in the performance of external contractors.

o   The Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing acknowledged this point and stated that if there were any complaints or feedback that they would be considered vigorously at contract meetings.  Good levels of service were always expected, be it from the internal team or external contractors. 

DECISION:

That the Housing Landlord Service’s performance in delivering responsive repairs and programmed maintenance be noted.

(Other options considered:

·       Do nothing.  To not consider information presented regarding the performance of responsive repairs and planned maintenance.  Cabinet is responsible for ensuring that the Council, in its role as a registered provider, is meeting the regulatory standards set.  This option is not recommended;;

Reasons for decision:

·       To provide assurance and confidence that the Housing Landlord Service’s arrangements for responsive repairs and planned maintenance are robust and arrangements for ongoing review and improvement are effective).