Customer Forum Blog

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.

Link shared: Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS): guidance for landlords and property-related professionals - GOV.UK

During the meeting Customer Forum members have also looked at March LHP Pulse performance report.

( which you can read here: Understanding how your landlord is performing | YourVoice )

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.

AGENDA:

Sustainability Update - Libby Kerman has joined with latest news Biodiversity Projects | YourVoice

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:

Improving our Responsive Repairs Service | YourVoice

Consultation on Repairs & Maintenance Policy | YourVoice

February Summary:

•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.

•Equality, Diversity & Inclusion statistics

EDI Working Group | YourVoice

• ARK consultation - Customer Survey

Customer Workshops | YourVoice

Panel members have reviewed Repairs & Maintenance Policy with Glen Finch - Head of Repairs Transformation

You can see consultation here: Consultation on Repairs & Maintenance Policy | YourVoice

Agenda covered:

• Annual Rent Review Letters

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.

Further consultation opportunity here: Consultation on Relocation, Resettlement and Home Loss Policy | YourVoice

• NAPs progress

(ESG Update has been postponed to later meeting)

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.

Panel has met at Admiral Rodney in Horncastle and has met in person to discuss following:

Data Protection Policy with Lucy Dant - Data Protection Officer

Culture priorities, which include:

1. Performance Management

2. Competencies around our behaviours

3. Rewards

4. Recognition

5. Pay Progression

This item was lead by Gary Frobisher - Talent Aquisition Manager.

Service Charge Policy with Daryl Conwan - Rent and Service Charge Manager

John O'Hanrahan - Corporate Head of Customers has led BIG SIX priorities for 2024/25 and Digital journey workshop looking together with Customer Forum at future digital developments, customer expectation, how we can get there.

Meeting has been followed by independent session with Regulator of Social Housing.

John Makinson-Sanders has come to discuss TSMs and has run over our year-end results, how we compare with the rest of the sector and what we plan to do next.

Following that Libby Kerman gave an update on Net Zero strategy.

( You can see presentations under Documents tab on the right if you are on PC/laptop, or below if you are on tablet/mobile)