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Our Customer Forum meet monthly, and no two meetings are the same!
They sign off on new or updated policies, review performance information and get involved in working groups services, to improve the experience for all customers.
Their monthly meetings are accessible both in person and online, so you can join in whichever way suits you best.
Our Forum want to share updates from their meetings with more customers, so we'll be sharing updates from their meetings in this blog!
If you'd like to join the Forum, you can apply in the Related Projects tab.
Our Customer Forum meet monthly, and no two meetings are the same!
They sign off on new or updated policies, review performance information and get involved in working groups services, to improve the experience for all customers.
Their monthly meetings are accessible both in person and online, so you can join in whichever way suits you best.
Our Forum want to share updates from their meetings with more customers, so we'll be sharing updates from their meetings in this blog!
If you'd like to join the Forum, you can apply in the Related Projects tab.
Email has been sent on 20th of June that Our Chief Executive, Ceri Theobald, has decided to step down from his role to take on new opportunities. We thank Ceri for everything he has done and wish him all the best for the future.
To help keep things steady, Shaun Harley, who is currently our Executive Director of People and Change, will now be our Interim Chief Executive for the next 12 months. Nicola Ebdon, our Executive Director of Governance and Regulation, will also take on a new role as Interim Deputy Chief Executive during this time.
These changes will help us stay focused on making things better – especially the services that matter most to you, like repairs, and involving you more in shaping what we do.
We want to reassure you that these changes won’t affect our promises to you. We’re still fully focused on delivering the services you need and continuing to improve.
Nicola and Shaun have attended Customer Forum meeting to say hi and answer any questions you may have.
ESG Update - Libby
Please see presentation under Documents tab.
PPE Policy - Daniel
Discussion around PPE policy. Gaining customer feedback and feelings on operatives wearing face mask and hooded mask on all the time during spraying, any considerations and tenants smoking during operative visits.
Panel suggested to include explanations why operatives will be wearing mask in the appointment letter/email/text few days before the visit so that customers can prepare, especially those with autism, learning difficulties or hard of hearing
Daniel explained that customers will also be asked to stay in one room for their own safety. Some may prefer actually be outside.
Operatives will also be wearing boots with overshoes on. We will put lining down to walk across.
Operatives will strictly follow these safety rules.
Customers can smoke in their own properties, however we ask you kindly not to when an LHP employee is visiting or working.
It is against the law to smoke in any communal areas. LHP wishes to ensure staff members and other users of LHP facilities are protected from the adverse effects of tobacco smoke.
Daniel will share draft of PPE Policy in coming weeks, which will be added under Documents tab.
Please feel free to comment any suggestions underneath.
EDI Programme - Ugo
Meet New Customer Inclusion Business Partner - Sarah
Sarah is local to Immingham & Grimsby. Her working background always focussed on customers. She started off at Morison's bakery. She then worked as Police Special Constable and also worked in many civilian roles within the organisation. Then moved to mental health at Navigo for 7 years. For the last 11 months she has listened and supported LHP customers as a Call Centre Advisor.
She’ll be working with Elwira and colleagues across the organisation to help to promote and support delivery of our Customer Inclusion and Insight framework, and ensure inclusive practices are embedded in everything we do, from the way we work internally to how we engage with our customers.
The key changes made to the Domestic Abuse Policy:
There's a clearer and stronger mission statement now reflects prevention, early intervention, and a commitment to holding perpetrators accountable.
There's now a recognition of children as victims in their own right.
There's an inclusion of a broader range of associated abuse types, including tech abuse, teenage relationships, stalking, FGM, forced marriage, and honour-based abuse.
A stronger reference to intersectionality, acknowledging the layered impact of discrimination on survivors.
Clear alignment with statutory guidance and improved clarity around multi-agency working (e.g. MARAC, MATAC).
Reinforced messaging around confidentiality and safeguarding, including clear thresholds for overriding consent where necessary.
Reduce extent of information headings and refer to legislations
Sue has also informed the Panel that this policy also covered colleagues, but the wording relating to staff has now been taken out because it's best practise for organisation to have a separate domestic abuse policy for colleagues. This is because the support that we could offer colleagues is a little bit different. For example: changing work patterns and time off work to attend court.
Diversity & Inclusion BP introduction - Ugo Akani
He will be carrying out EDI action plan by working with customers and organisation to understand demographics, customer perspective and using this information in best way.
Panel has asked about Ugo’s background, which is 15 years in Healthcare ranging from clinical, public health, child residential, adult care and hospices, so he has transferable skills and understanding of customers health.
Next month Nicola’s team will also be joined by Sarah who will be Elwira’s counterpart.
Virtual Customer Feedback - Abigail Iyaho
Nicola gave an overview of the last Virtual Customer Forum session which focused on Customer Inclusion. The Q&A has seen a lot of repair related questions therefore next meeting with be focused on Repairs service.
Panel said that presentation could have been email in advance to read and comment, so that more time is allowed for answering questions.
Panel members commented that they would prefer session to be interactive and longer or more frequent – every 6 weeks even if it is just updating on what is happening.
Nicola has asked the panel to regularly think on what topics should be covered in the next sessions.
They suggested Repairs, Money Support service, Universal Credit changes especially migration letters, benefit guidance, information on different departments, updates on staff changes.
It has been agreed that some of those suggestions could be included in customer magazine.
Panel has also suggested photos of all Neighbourhood Officers, patches they cover and streets that are under each one.
Elwira announced that there has been two new Neighbourhood officers Leyla and Claire.
Website is in process of being updated, but you can find this information here:
Business intelligence team does quite a wide variety of tasks. They look at monthly reporting, do performance health cheques where they discuss performance across the organisation and support with some improvements as well as a part of that process. One of the key jobs they do is reporting LHP statutory returns. SDR which is the statistical data return done every year as well as TSMs ( Tenant Satisfaction Measures).
Full presentation will be available under document tab.
Summer Magazine - Sam Douthwaite
Quarterly magazine is sent by email and Christmas edition by paper.
Customer Forum Panel has looked at 'No Access Policy' and discussed the process of gaining access to customer's property to carry out necessary compliance checks. Policy has been updated with:
Change of wording: All mentions of ‘Housing Team’, changed to ‘Neighbourhoods Team’.
Additional item added to Scope: Awaabs Law 2025.
Additional mention of Awaabs Law 2025: Section 14-Damp and Mould; Additional mention of Awaabs Law / HHSRS has been added to this section.
In 2026, some more of the 29 HHSRS hazards will come into Awaabs Law, which are not only damp and mould, but also risks like slip strips and falls, excess heat, excess cold, etcetera.
Parts of those hazards will come into law under Awaabs law in 2026 and then the remainder will come into law in 2027. If it all goes to plan, in the way the government says it does at the moment, anything that falls under Awaabs law by the end of 2027 will also fall under LHP 'No Access Policy'.
Nicola Ebdon - Executive Director of Governance & Regulation has joined Customer Forum to give Customer Influence corporate priority update ( presentation under documents tab) and Employee Code of Conduct.
Wendy Walker - Corporate Head of Income & Enforcement has joined Customer Forum to go through Financial Inclusion Policy. You can see more information on consultation here (Consultation on Financial Inclusion Policy | YourVoice )
Repairs Update from Nnamdi and Jo on recent changes. You can read previous updates here:
•Meet Executive Director of Governance & Regulation - Nicola Ebdon
• Mutual Exchange, Assignment and Subletting Policy
Customer Forum has reviewed Mutual Exchange, Assignment and Subletting Policy at the meeting on 5th February and then were given time to send any additional comments in by 10th February.
Danielle Toyne - Neighbourhoods and Allocations Manager has explained the process at the meeting and clarifications made to the policy such as Key Steps, examples for reasons for refusals, 42 day decision deadline meaning and appendix with legal grounds for refusals. She has also answered questions about Renters Reform bill affecting the process as well as LHP’s tenant alteration process, recharges and conditional consent resulted from this.
Panel has discussed the risk of people exchanging properties without seeing property in person or inspecting it properly. Danielle has reinforced the point of tenant responsibility to mitigate this risk as well as Officers doing all they can to support and provide reasonable adjustments.
Panel has asked for this point to be highlighted more in the policy, so that tenants are aware that they are responsible for adaptions & alterations they would like to add ‘ Please see Conditions of the Home section below for more info on alterations’ under Section 5 ‘What is conditional consent?’ - alterations carried out to the property with consent.
Panel has commented that they would also like to see explanation of RTB and RTA and how discount is affects by Mutual Exchange.
•Safeguarding Policy
Andy Tyler - Empty Homes Manager, has given overview of the policy and internal processes of reporting concerns and working with external organisations to give context and help Panel understand what it means in practice. Panel has asked what are we doing about cases where we have difficulty gaining access to the property. Andy explained that any staff member can report concern and staff & contractors had training on how to recognise and report concerns. Reports from neighbours will also be investigated. Andy has also discussed examples of consent and capacity in Adult cases and ability to raise concerns without consent in Children cases. Panel was impressed with the way policy was written. It was easy to read and it covered all the information that they would want to know. The only thing they have requested was to put full name of EIA (Equality Impact Assessment ) before using abbreviation in the guidelines and include section for carers, especially young carers. Additional comment Panel made was to replace the use of word 'disabled' with 'person with disability'. Panel also suggested doing campaign about safeguarding, reporting concerns and sign posting.
We currently have around 16 different letter templates that we have to use, based on tenancy agreements, location and other criteria, and so we have provided the two letter templates that cover the most customers (around 80% of our customers). There is one example for our customers in the ‘North’ (who are on variable service charge agreements), and one example for our ‘South’ customers (who are on a fixed service charge agreement).
The letter templates cannot realistically be altered too much as we have strict governance/statutory criteria that we need to follow in order for the letters to be deemed valid. However, we appreciate any feedback on the layout and content, and where possible, we will take this on board.
Relocation, Resettlement and Home Loss Policy
Customer Forum agreed that the policy is clear, fair and reasonable and takes into consideration people’s needs. Panel discussed different scenarios of reasons for moving.
Customers especially agree with the point 41 of the policy to allow temporary decant to change into permanent move into alternative property to avoid further nuisance to customers.
They would like to see example of how long they would need to be temporarily decanted to be allowed the choice to stay there permanently or move back.
Customers also suggested to explain in the policy (paragraph 61) that in scenario that they have gone through housing register and gained accommodation with different housing provider, they will not be moving back to original property at later date.
Customers also suggested putting in some information about any support for people whose possessions, especially electric, got damaged while they had no insurance.
Another suggestion was to include any support to pet owners while they decant to different property.
Hollie has reviewed with the panel Compensation Policy and Limited contact Policy.
Lee Vardy has shared draft Fire Safety booklet that Customer Forum has shared extensive suggestions on:
Panel has reviewed Fire Safety booklet and suggested wording to be simplified, so that customers are sure what to do, especially when it comes to 'Stay Put' policy.
Panel also mentioned that draft booklet is focused mainly on sheltered schemes as not everyone may have fire doors in their kitchens, even though normal door will block fire to certain extent. Lee said that he will check this with Compliance Team.
Panel also gave more ideas on what to include in the booklet:
Don't drill front door, use stick on attachments
Not using paraffin based creams together with electric blankets
Not plugging electric blankets into extension leads
Use tower chargers with RCD and avoid 'daisy chains' of electric cables
caution with portable heathers
cautions with e-cigarettes and batteries combusting
advice on charging wheelchairs
cation of using washer/dryer off peak in aim to reduce bills
replace open flame candles with electric ones
If you using open flame tea lighters put them on a plate with dishwasher salt and stable surface
Caution with plug in fragrance ( i.e. Airwick) that may smoulder when low on liquid
Keep working torch by the bed in case of power cut
Sensor lights on skirting board to light up escape route
Fire Brigade contact details and referrals for free fire blankets and fire retardant bedding
Information on support agencies like National Grid Foundation
Lee will look into suggestions and agreed to share updated version once is ready and check information with support agencies like Age Uk and 'Better Housing Better Health' scheme and internally.
Panel also asked to ensure that this booklet is given to new tenants when they are moving in.
Panel has also been invited to Lets talk rubbish event at Zion Methodist Church near Fenside Boston 10-6pm.
Sustainability Update July 2025 (1.35 MB) (pdf)
