We set out a new vision and commitments for communicating and engaging with customers this year.
The customer engagement strategy highlighted what we want to do more of and what we want to do better, so we can ensure that customers feel listened to and have opportunities to get involved in our work. The strategy was put together with the help of our Insight Committee, which is a formal part of our governance structure and has a majority of customer members.
You can read the ten pledges we set out in full here, but here are some of the commitments we’ve already achieved:
Better understanding our customers’ communication and engagement preferences.
We trialled sending a physical copy of our usually online customer magazine to customers' homes and then surveyed people to ask how they’d like to receive this going forward. Most customers told us they prefer a physical copy, so we’ve now changed to printing the magazine instead of just posting it online.
We will work out in our communities more and be more visible.
In December 2024 we hired five new assistant communities housing officers to support the team of existing housing officers. Up until the end of the financial year they’ve:
- Managed around 600 cases, resolving almost 500 of them.
- Given extra support to customers in the early stages of their tenancy to help prevent any antisocial behaviour.
- Been involved in community events and estate walkabouts.
- Dealt with issues relating to garden conditions or boundaries and investigated cases such as abandoned vehicles, fly tipping, graffiti, and abandoned homes.
This new approach means the existing communities housing officers can focus on resolving more complex cases, resulting in more officers out and visible in the community.
