Customer standards
Contents bpha standard: Rents, service charges ..............................................................4 bpha standard: Planned maintenance..............................................................6 bpha standard: Aids and adaptations..............................................................7 bpha standard: Repairs.........................................................................................8 bpha standard: Gas servicing...............................................................................9 bpha standard: Customer service........................................................................10 bpha standard: Complaints...................................................................................11 bpha standard: Neighbourhood services..........................................................12 bpha standard: Neighbour nuisance and anti-social behaviour...............13 bpha standard: Involving you standard.............................................................14 bpha standard: Moving home..............................................................................15
Contact us Visit us:
Talk to us:
Write to us:
bpha Customer Service Centre 4 Horne Lane Bedford MK40 1NY
Telephone: 0330 100 0272 Email: info@bpha.org.uk Text: 07983 502 502 Minicom: 01234 213874 Web: www.bpha.org.uk
bpha Limited Bedford Heights Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7BJ
Need help to understand this? For a large print, audio or Braille version, or for community languages, please ring 0330 100 0272 or email info@bpha.org.uk
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Introduction and overview bpha is regulated as a registered provider of social housing by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). The HCA sets out the regulatory framework within which bpha must operate. The Regulatory Framework includes both the regulatory standards which bpha must meet, and how the HCA will enforce these standards. The HCA regulatory framework can be found at: http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/ourwork/regulatory-framework
bpha is committed to providing a first class customer service This document sets out the standards bpha are committed to meeting to ensure that each of our customers receives the best possible service. Running through all of our standards are the three bpha customer service promises.
bpha promises to
• Respect you and your home • Communicate, ask, listen and act • Always try to improve
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bpha standard: Rents and service charges The aim Provide a comprehensive and efficient service which offers you flexible payment options, timely information about your account and support if you need it.
The bpha commitment • Provide a choice of ways to pay that are convenient to you and takes into account your personal circumstances • Provide you with regular rent statements so that you know what the position is, and provide a number of ways for you to check your rent account at any time • Give you at least 4 weeks notice If we change your rent or service charge • Offer free impartial, confidential and independent advice to help deal with debt or claim benefits • Contact you promptly if you fall into arrears, before debts become difficult to manage and keep you informed of any action we are going to take • Work closely with the local authority where there is a delay with your Housing Benefit claim which is outside your control and with local specialist agencies to provide advice on debt and money management • Tell you if we are going to take legal action against you regarding money owed to us
What bpha needs from you • Talk to us if you are struggling to pay your rent • Pay your rent in advance and in accordance with your tenancy • Stick to any agreed action or payment plans • Check your benefit entitlement and claim benefits if you need to in order to help you pay your rent
Measuring success • A minimum of 90% of customers satisfied with the range of methods available to pay their rent/ service charges • Our levels of rent arrears will be below 4% of the amount of rent we expect to collect every year • We will have highlighted to customers the availability of support when we contact them about rent arrears
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Measuring success
90% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Customers satisfied with rent and service charge
Rent arrears
Below
4% We will have highlighted to customers the availability of support when we contact them about rent arrears
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bpha standard: Planned maintenance The aim To ensure that the condition and value of properties are maintained. To meet and exceed the Government’s ‘Decent Homes Standard’ and to provide homes that: • Are free of health and safety hazards • Are in a reasonable state of repair • Have reasonably modern kitchens, bathrooms and boilers • Are reasonably insulated
The bpha commitment • Consult with you about any major works which may affect your home • Provide you with choices of components and finishes, where the nature of the work permits e.g. kitchen units/handles/tiles • Keep you informed of any delays or changes to the work needed • Work within our Code of Conduct and clean up after the work has been completed
What bpha needs from you • Provide access to your home when neccessary • Cooperate with bpha to help maintain your property
Measuring success • A minimum of 90% of customers satisfied with the service they receive
90% 0%
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20%
Customers satisfied with the service they recieved
40%
60%
80%
100%
bpha standard: Aids and adaptations The aim To help vulnerable residents (e.g. the elderly, disabled or those with other specific needs) maintain their independent lifestyles as much as possible through adaptation of the home environment .
The bpha commitment • Contact you within 7 working days of receipt of the Occupational Therapist’s assessment; to confirm their recommendation and advise you of the timescale for adaptation • Advise you if it is not possible to carry out the adaptation and suggest alternatives to you • Visit you in your home to help you apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant to help fund the work • Carry out small/minor adaptations (e.g. handrails) as part of our routine repairs service
What bpha needs from you • Provide access when required • Provide information on and access to audits, the adaptations required and who has recommended them
Measuring success • A minimum of 90% of customers will be satisfied with the service they received
90% 0%
20%
Customers satisfied with the service they recieved
40%
60%
80%
100%
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bpha standard: Repairs The aim A prompt and efficient repairs service; ensuring your home is safe and well maintained
The bpha commitment • Tell you whether the work is covered within your tenancy agreement or lease and whether we will undertake it for you • Attend to all emergency repairs within 4 hours to make safe • Book repair appointments within 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm, Saturday, usually within a two-hour time slot. Repairs to be completed within 28 days of notification • Complete your repair at the first visit if possible and keep you informed of any delays or changes to the repairs needed • Work within our Code of Conduct and clean up after the work has been completed
What bpha needs from you • Information to help diagnose problem/ fault • Access to your home to carry out repairs
Measuring success • A minimum of 90% of customers will be satisfied with the service • A minimum of 90% of customers will tell us that the job was completed at the first visit • A minimum of 90% of customers will tell us that an appointment was provided
90% 90% 90% 0%
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20%
Customers satisfied with the service
Customers will tell us that the job was completed at the first visit
Customers will tell us that an appointment was provided
40%
60%
80%
100%
bpha standard: Gas servicing The aim A safe, pro-active, efficient and responsive service. We meet and exceed our legal responsibilities as a landlord as a minimum.
The bpha commitment • Service and carry out a safety check on all gas and solid fuel appliances every year (in accordance with our legal duty as a landlord) • Complete a gas service and safety check before you move into your new home • Contact you beforehand to give you the opportunity to arrange an alternative appointment • Provide you with a copy of the completed ‘Landlord Gas Safety Certificate’.
What bpha needs from you • Provide access for service visits • Call the emergency number if you suspect a leak
Measuring success • 100% of all properties which have gas will have a valid Landlord Safety Certificate
100% 0%
20%
Properties a valid Safety Certificate 40%
60%
80%
100%
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bpha standard: Customer service The aim To achieve the highest standards of customer service, responding promptly and courteously to enquiries. When we are unable to resolve a query in the first instance, we will work to agree the next steps.
The bpha commitment • We will either respond in full to your letters, faxes and e-mails within 10 working days, or contact you if more investigation is needed • At least 85% of customers will be satisfied with the time taken to answer their call • At least 90% of customers will be satisfied with the service they received from the Customer Contact Centre
What bpha needs from you • Please be prepared to share your contact details with us • Please remember our team of customer service professionals are here to help you. Please treat them with respect and courtesy
Measuring success • At least 85% of customers will be satisfied with the time taken to answer their call • At least 90% of customers will be satisfied with the service they received from the Customer Contact Centre
85% 90% 0%
10
20%
customers will be satisfied with the service they received from the Customer Contact Centre customers will be satisfied with the service they received from the Customer Contact Centre
40%
60%
80%
100%
bpha standard: Complaints The aim To have an effective complaints process that allows bpha to quickly resolve customer issues.
The bpha commitment • Acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days • Aim to respond in full to your complaint within 10 working days • We will write to you to tell you if more time is required to fully investigate. You may request that we take longer to respond to you • Write to you when your complaint has been resolved or closed • Respond to informal complaints within 5 working days. If this is not possible we will always keep you updated • Award compensation if appropriate, in line with our compensation policy • Learn from the feedback you give us
What bpha needs from you • Be clear what you want to happen • Allow time for us to investigate your complaint fully.
Measuring success • 100% of complaints will be formally acknowledged within 3 working days • A minimum of 90% of complaints will be responded to within 10 working days • A minimum of 72% of customers will be satisfied with how we handled their complaint
100%
complaints will be formally acknowledged within 3 working days
90% 0%
20%
complaints will be responded to within 10 working days
40%
60%
80%
100%
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bpha standard: Neighbourhood services The aim To keep clean, tidy and well maintained communities.
The bpha commitment • Carry out regular inspections of our estates and neighbourhoods to check on standards of management • Remove offensive, threatening and abusive graffiti within 24 hours • Carry out minor repairs to communal areas within 28 days • Maintain all of our soft landscaped and grassed areas within our published timescales, where part of a chargeable service • Provide a cleaning service in our flat blocks within our published timescales, where part of a chargeable service • Work with other agencies to address problems
What bpha needs from you? • Report issues when they come up • Keep communal areas clear • Respect the area where you live
Measuring success • Inspection results demonstrating an acceptable standard is maintained 80% of the time
80% 0%
12
20%
Inspection results demonstrating an acceptable standard
40%
60%
80%
100%
bpha standard: Neighbour nuisance and anti-social behaviour The aim To deal with unreasonable behaviour which causes a nuisance. bpha will work with victims, perpetrators and external agencies to resolve anti-social behaviour complaints.
The bpha commitment • Treat all reports of harassment, anti-social behaviour and nuisance confidentially • Contact you within 1 working day of you reporting a case of serious anti-social behaviour • Contact you within 5 working days of you reporting a case of moderate anti-social behaviour • Draw up an action plan detailing the action to be taken in response to your complaint • Write to you when we have resolved or closed your complaint • Take appropriate action in partnership with other agencies
What bpha needs from you • Work with us • Complete diary sheets where we ask you to • Provide access if we or our partners need to install monitoring equipment
Measuring success • A minimum of 97% of customers will be contacted within the published timescales after they have reported anti-social behaviour • A minimum of 72% of customers will be satisfied with how we handled their anti-social behaviour complaint • A minimum of 72% of customers will be satisfied with the outcome of their complaint
97%
72% 72%
Customers will be contacted within the published timescales after they have reported anti-social behaviour
Customers will be satisfied with anti-social behaviour complaint
Customers satisfied 0% 20% 40% with Outcome
60%
80%
100%
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bpha standard: Involving you The aim To involve our customers in improving and developing our services by offering a range of engaging involvement opportunities including Surveys, Panels and Mystery Shopping.
The bpha commitment • Support a residents service improvement panel to ensure we are making continual improvements and meet our regulatory requirements • Provide training to help you participate effectively and develop new skills • Encourage and assist customers from underrepresented groups to get Involved through our work at local levels • Encourage and promote Board membership • Communicate outcomes and outputs from involvement, including the production of a regular newsletter • Provide a package of practical and financial support to encourage nparticipation
What bpha needs from you • Volunteer to be involved • Feedback on our services and tell us your ideas to help improve them
Measuring success We will gauge how successful our involvement activities are by: • Communicating the service improvement panel reviews and what has changed as a result • Monitoring and reviewing the number of consultation activities held and the number of people who have been consulted • Reviewing the number of residents who have received training provided, or part funded, by bpha
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bpha standard: Moving home The aim If you are thinking of moving home, we will offer a fair and transparent service, where we understand and respond to your individual needs.
The bpha commitment • Operate a mutual exchange scheme • Give you information on how the choice based lettings scheme/waiting list operates in your area and how we work with Local Authorities to house you • Provide advice and assistance on how to apply for housing and let you know about housing benefit • Give you clear details of what is being offered and what the rent and service charges will be, accompany you on all property viewings and provide you with information regarding our services • Work with other agencies to support you to maintain your tenancy (where necessary) • Check that you have settled in to your new home
What bpha needs from you • Move into your new home when your tenancy starts • Return keys promptly when you leave a property • Remove all your personal property when you leave; including carpets, curtains and anything that belongs to you including things you do not want
Measuring success • We will re-let our properties on average within 28 days • A minimum of 75% of our customers will be satisfied with the overall service they received when they moved into their new home
72% 75%
0%
customers will be satisfied with the overall service they received when they moved into their new home
Customers satisfied with Outcome 20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
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Talk to us: Tel: 0330 100 0272 Fax: 01234 221229 info@bpha.org.uk
www. bpha.org.uk www.facebook.com/bpha.uk follow us on twitter @tweet_bpha
Visit us: bpha Limited Customer Service Centre Pilgrims House Horne Lane Bedford MK40 1NY Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm Write to us: bpha Limited Head Office Bedford Heights Manton Lane Bedford MK41 7BJ
For a large print, audio or Braille version, or for help in other languages, please ring 0330 100 0272
bpha Limited is registered as a charitable Industrial and Provident Society (26751R) and also as a social landlord with the Homes and Communities Agency (LH 3887).