The Board to receive an update on the progress of the Re-let Review from Annalisa Howson, Housing Service Improvements Manager
Minutes:
The Services Improvement Manager, Annalisa Howson addressed the Board and presented the progress of the Re-let Review since December 2022. Annalisa noted that progress has been made, however issues and conflicting priorities have caused the delay in the Review.
- Annalisa reminded the Board that re-lets are a comprehensive and complex process which involve different processes such as Health and safety checks and allocation processes. It was noted that there had been many changes since the Project 20 process in 2014 and officers are aware that the 20 day target has not been met since 2019. Annalisa explained that changes to customers’ needs and expectations have been reviewed in light of this, such as standard of decorations, carpeting, health and safety issues, energy efficiency, heating and the void standards. She further noted that the relet process involves multiple elements and teams such as the Housing engagement Team, the voids Team, Contractors, the Rents Team, etc. Adequate resources are therefore essential to improve the length of re-let periods.
- Annalisa noted that there is a strong focus on prioritising the landlord-tenant relationship as the beginning of the tenancy is the first interaction with a new tenant and it is essential to ensure a positive start to the relationship.
- Annalisa noted that the proposal was to run the project in 3 phases; the first phase is complete and it identified the blockages to an efficient relet, the second phase (consultation) is part complete and the third stage to brainstorm improvements has been completed alongside phase 1.
- Annalisa presented a graph which demonstrated that, as of October 2023, the average was 44 days to turn around a home for re-let and there was a cumulative average of 30 days over the whole year. However, it was noted that 5 properties have been turned around in 25 days this year, which is a step in the right direction.
- The presentation discussed the cost of voids data analysis and showed an average cost of around £4,000 per property. Annlisa noted that increased funds were spent on new kitchens and bathrooms and a comparative cost analysis was completed. The analysis found that a lot of the costs were spent on removing previous tenants rubbish and gardening. In response, the Team have started providing a skip for tenants to remove their own waste if a tenant has given notice, quality of workmanship has been raised and there is now a dedicated tenant officer who can support them through that process. Officers noted that they would like to do more cost analysis to determine where savings can be made reasonably.
Annalisa noted that the next steps would be to look at cost analyses and more stringent budgets; to ensure economically viable options are in place especially with new kitchens and bathrooms. Officers will also review use of decoration vouchers and re-carpeting. Annalisa reiterated that Tenant Surveys and dialogue with contractors will continue to improve the service.
Cllr Keen expressed the importance of Tenant responsibility for looking after the home and recommended that there should be a formal responsibility on the tenant to leave the house in a reasonable condition. She further suggested that carpets in good condition should be left in place, except if the previous tenant had pets. Annalisa Howson confirmed that the dedicated tenant officer will work on increasing transparency about the rights and responsibility on tenants and the Landlord with regards to re-lets. She clarified that Re-carpeting is dependent on the quality of the carpet and there had been a proposal to budget carpeting to more financially vulnerable tenants and further mentioned that the HRA hardship fund has been utilised to help new tenants with re-carpeting.
In response to queries from the Board, Annalisa clarified that there is a Voids Standard which constitutes that the home must be in working order. She noted that there is a variation in how some tenants leave their properties and that WBC needs to ensure they are covering the discrepancies or extra works that are needed to ensure the home meets the voids standard.
Danielle Sleightholme, Tenants panel Co-Optee, suggested that providing a skip should be standard practice, tenant involvement before the re-let work position would be useful to determine which work needs doing, making the process more tenant-led and that a basic re-decoration job would be very helpful during the re-let phase if the redecoration vouchers are to be discontinued.
Annalisa noted that WBC operates a choice based letting system; which means that the tenant can bid to express their interest in other properties in other areas. The Home Choice Team have a good relationship with tenants and can suggest other types of properties or areas to fit the tenants’ requirements based on their bids.
The Board noted the Re-let Review update and thanked Annalisa Howson for her presentation.
The Chair then invited Cllr Steve Williams to provide an update to the Board.
Cllr Steve Williams addressed the Board and informed them that the Charity ‘What Next? Godalming’ had introduced an initiative to provide free surveys to residents across Waverley. He noted that a team of surveyors have been trained to undertake energy surveys and will take a thermal image of the house to determine where heat is leaking out and how energy loss can be dealt with i.e. draft excluders or extra insultation. Cllr Steve Williams suggested that the Tenants’ newsletter and the Tenant’s Panel extends the opportunity to WBC tenants.
Cllr Steve Williams advised that tenants contact ‘What Next?’ directly and details are to be circulated after the meeting.