At believe housing, we value our customers’ opinions.
More than 200 engaged customers have agreed to be consulted from time to time, when we’re reviewing specific services or issues, and sometimes we ask all our customers for their views. This helps us to ensure our customers and communities remain at the heart of our decision making and to review and improve our services.
Here are some of the ways we engaged with customers, from March through to May.
Service Charge Value for Money Research:
We sent every customer with a valid email address a survey to get their thoughts on our current service charges and got 601 responses.
Customers living in our Housing Plus units were invited to consultation events in their communal rooms at Primrose Court, Blackhall; Robinson House, Horden; Donnini House, Easington Colliery; Jubilee Centre, Seaham; and Park Avenue, Crook.
Residents of Churchill Square, Gilesgate, were also invited to take part through a door knocking exercise.
Telephone surveys:
Customers who our Repairs, Capital Works (property improvement schemes), Housing Matters, Money Matters, Antisocial Behaviour, Domestic Violence and Tenancy Sustainment teams have recently worked with were randomly selected for their feedback. This helps us to continually assess and improve our services.
Lettings feedback:
Durham Key Options (DKO) is the main way that social housing is let in the county, through a partnership between the major landlords and Durham County Council. We advertise our immediately available properties on the Durham Key Options (DKO) website.
We recently invited Engaged Customers to take part in DKO Focus Groups to explore their opinions on DKO’s current offer, the lettings process, and what they feel works well or could be improved. believe housing’s Lettings Manager, Joanne Rouse, attended to answer questions.
In May, a new Lettings to Keys survey was introduced to check customer satisfaction with the process from applying for a home and using Durham Key Options through to signing a new tenancy agreement.
Digital Drop Ins:
believe housing worked with digital services company Netomnia to hold drop-in training sessions at Robinson House, Horden, and Donnini House, Easington Colliery. Customers were given help to access believe housing’s App and Portal and advice on how to safely carry out online tasks such as shopping and job searches.
Review of believe housing’s website, app and portal:
Two customer focus groups were held to find out what customers think works well and what doesn’t and to ask their ideas for improvement.
For more information on how our Customer Engagement Team gathers customers’ opinions or how you can get involved click here
Feedback from customers led to believe housing updating its approach on how much is paid when someone deliberately or carelessly causes damage to their home or leaves it in an unfit state.
Colleagues at believe housing have shown plenty of festive spirit to support two good causes.
Volunteers who saved a village church from closure have completely transformed it into a cherished community venue.
When it’s cold outside and the cost of living continues to affect many of us, it’s good to know where you can find a warm welcome.
