Annual Report for Residents
2014 you said
we did
Welcome Welcome to our third Annual Report for Residents. This report is one of the ways we communicate with you, our residents, about how we have performed over the year, how we are improving and our plans for the future. It is based on the responses you gave to the Satisfaction Survey 2014. We have once again used a “You Said, We Did” format so you can see exactly how we have responded. Thank you so much if you took the time to complete the survey. Your answers will help to improve the service provided by Derventio Housing Trust. This year’s report also includes lots of interesting information about the services we offer.
Key management staff led by senior managers have looked closely at the results of the Satisfaction Survey 2014. Your answers have been discussed and any issues raised have been addressed. This report outlines some of the changes being made.
Happy reading!
Sarah Hernandez, Managing Director
Contents Summary of our Housing Services
3
Value for Money
18
Resident Involvement & Empowerment
4
Plans for the Future
20
Your Home
6
Governance & Financial Viability
22
Your Comments
23
Your Tenancy
11
Your Neighbourhood & Community
16
Summary of our Housing Services SmartShare Shared, supported homes for people who have experience of homelessness
Rooms4Two Two people aged between 18 and 34 are matched to live in a rented home with some support
SmartLets Tenancy support for people who have struggled to find a home of their own
Resident Involvement & Empowerment The more residents get involved and participate, the more chance you get to shape the service so that it meets your needs. We offer lots of ways for residents to have their say, including the annual satisfaction survey. You will see your responses to the 2014 survey throughout this report.
Do you feel any problems, complaints or disputes you’ve had were dealt with effectively? Yes
46%
Some were, some weren’t
11% 14%
No
29%
I haven’t had any
All of my problems have been dealt with properly. And whilst discussing the problems I felt at ease, as though talking to a friend rather than an “employee” of Derventio
How good do you think Derventio is at keeping you informed of things that might affect you as a resident? Very good
48% 37%
Good Poor Very poor
9% 6%
Do you feel you have enough opportunity to express your views about the service? Yes No
84% 16%
Derventio let me know well in advance should anything be happening, should anyone be coming round or change in staff
You can talk about the service with your support worker
4
Problems & complaints
You Said... Happily, nearly a third of people who responded to the survey said that you have not had any problems, complaints or disputes. Of those who did, the majority said that they were dealt with effectively. However, a worrying 14% of you were not happy with how your problems have been dealt with.
We Did...
When asked what you would like to be referred as, resident and client came out top. None of you want to be called a customer or service user. Now we know what you want, we will only refer to the people who use our services as our residents and clients.
We understand that it’s important that residents are able to easily make a complaint when they feel something has gone wrong. We are currently reviewing our complaints and feedback procedures.
Want to have your say? ►► Fill in the Comments, Compliments & Complaints form for a quick way to tell us what you think ►► Give feedback through our website www. derventiohousing.com ►► Speak to your housing or support officer at any time
Expressing your views
You Said... 84% of people who responded to the survey feel that you have enough opportunities to express your views. This is slightly less than last year’s 93%.
We Did... The annual survey is just one of the ways for you to have your say. Look at the box on the left for other ways you can get involved.
Keeping informed
You Said... 85% of people who responded to the survey think that Derventio is good at keeping you informed.
We Did... It is important that you are kept up to date on what is happening with the service, especially when it affects you. We aim to keep residents informed through house meetings, appointments, letters, phone calls and texts. If you ever feel that you don’t understand something, or that things have changed without your knowledge, please tell your support or housing officer about your concerns.
5
Your Home How happy are you with the quality of your house or flat? 44%
Very happy Happy Unhappy Very unhappy
We want to make sure that where you live feels like home. This means feeling safe, getting on with who you live with and being happy with the quality of your home.
47% 5% 4%
The house is good and fits my needs for the time being.
Very nice and clean, close to town and bus stops. Close to family.
Do you feel you get along with your housemates Always
How safe and secure do you feel when you’re in your house or flat? 51%
Very safe Mostly safe
39%
Sometimes safe
5%
Never safe
5%
39%
Mostly
35%
Sometimes Never I live on my own
16% 4% 7%
Couldn’t ask for a better housemate. If we have had any issues with other residents we discuss this in the house meeting to resolve the problem.
6
We all live different lives from under the same roof. Clashing is inevitable at times.
The quality of your home
You Said... Nine out of ten of those who responded to the survey are happy with the quality of your house or flat. We’re pleased to report that this is an improvement on last year’s 88%.
We Did... We have a dedicated Property Standards team who work hard to make sure all of our houses are of a good quality. This is the first survey we have carried out since the team has been in place, and we are pleased to hear that more of you are happy with your home than last year. Many of our houses are still in need of some TLC, and we do know that there is a lot of work still to be done. We are working hard to get all of our housing stock up to standard.
Your housemates
You Said... This has shown a big improvement since last year, with two thirds of you always or mostly getting on with your housemates, compared with just over half last year.
We Did... We work hard to match residents up with suitable housemates, and it looks like this has been paying off. You should always speak to your housing or support officer if you are having problems with someone in your home.
Staying safe
You Said... More of you feel safe and secure when you’re in your house or flat (90%) compared to last year (86%).
We Did... There are some things Derventio can do to keep you safe in your home, including making sure the house is secure, completing fire, gas and electric safety checks and carrying out a risk assessment for all residents. But remember that some things are your responsibility, such as keeping doors and windows locked at night and when the house is empty.
7
Repairs If yes, were you satisfied with how long it took to get the repairs done?
Have you reported any repairs in the past year? Yes
75%
No
Very satisfied
25%
35% 33%
Satisfied Unsatisfied
Were you satisfied with the standard of work?
37%
Satisfied
Very unsatisfied
12%
Very unsatisfied
46%
Very satisfied
Unsatisfied
21%
Took a little while to be done but I understand they may have been busy
7% 10%
In general, do you think the repairs service is...?
All of the repairs I know of have been dealt with brilliantly
Very good
29%
Good
46%
Poor
I fell downstairs after a light bulb went missing, light was replaced fairly quickly
Very poor
15% 10%
Do you have any ideas or suggestions about how we can improve the repairs service?
Let people decorate / repair own rooms Maybe shorter waiting times Respond quicker
Get more workers
8
Reporting repairs
We Did...
You Said...
This goes to show just how big a workload the maintenance team has. The department has continued to grow this year so that they are better equipped to look after our housing stock of over 400 units.
Three quarters of you say that you have reported a repair in the last year.
This is what the maintenance department looks like now
Electrician
Plumber Painter
Painter
Joiner Plasterer/ Builder
Maintenance Team
Manager
We now have a full set of skills so we can deal with all everyday maintenance and repair issues on your home
Property Standards Team
We make sure a high standard is maintained in each home
Void Response Unit
We work quickly to get empty properties ready for a new resident
Admin Team
We work behind the scenes to make sure everything is running smoothly
Domestic Assistants
We’re here to carry out general tasks on properties, such as cleaning and gardening
Quality of repairs
You Said... More than 80% of those who requested repairs say that you were satisfied or very satisfied with the standard of work. This leaves nearly 20% who are not satisfied. Similarly, three quarters of you think that the service overall is good or very good, compared with one quarter who were not as happy.
We Did... The Maintenance Team has grown over the last year. The team now has a full set of skills, including a plumber, joiner and electrician. Having these specialisms in the team will help to improve the quality of work. We are also aware that a lot of our housing stock is quite old and in need of some attention. Our Property Standards Team is here to get each house back up to a good condition.
9
Speed of repairs
You Said...
We Did...
One third of you said that you were not satisfied with how long it took to get your repairs dealt with. Carrying out repairs faster was also the most common suggestion when we asked you how we could improve the service.
10
We have noted all of your comments about the speed in which repairs are carried out - and we recognise that this is an area that we can improve on. We prioritise your repairs based on how urgent they are, with emergency repairs going to the top of the list. The chart below shows the timescales we aim to deal with each type of repair, along with some examples of the work we carry out under each category.
Emergency Repairs
Urgent Repairs
Routine Repairs
Dealt with:
Dealt with:
Dealt with:
Within 24 hours
Within 7 working days
Within 1 month
Examples:
Examples:
Examples:
Boiler broken - no hot water Front door not secure Broken window Gas leak Water leak
Light bulbs Void turnaround Damaged interior door Broken cooker Broken fridge Broken shower
Broken washing machine Plastering walls Decor Cleaning carpets Broken furniture Gardens Rubbish removal
Your Tenancy All Derventio staff have been super. Especially during house meetings and voluntary work
We aim to let our homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way. In addition to providing tenancies that are appropriate and suitable, we support residents in a range of areas, from budgeting to help with managing drug or alcohol use.
How would you describe our staff? Approachable
90%
Professional
91% 85%
Helpful Well-informed
83%
Quality of staff
You Said... Your responses were mostly positive about staff, with over 83% of you agreeing that they are approachable, professional, helpful and well-informed. However these responses are not quite as positive as last year, when more than 91% of you agreed with each statement.
We Did... We are delighted with your positive comments, and have passed on what you said to individual staff members and teams. We know that there is room for improvement, and so we are investing in a new training programme for all our housing and support staff. All staff will now be required to complete a set of training courses relevant to their role. This additional investment from us will have a direct impact on the quality of service and support you receive.
11
Has the support from Derventio helped you in the following areas? 86%
My housing situation 69%
My personal safety Dealing with utilities at my home
67%
Claiming benefits
87% 38%
Managing my money and debts My household skills
26%
Shopping, cooking and eating healthily
23%
Accessing services and keeping appointments Accessing cultural and religious organisations
42% 15%
Looking for education, training and work Managing my drug/alcohol use Reducing my offending
35% 11% 12% 26%
My physical health
43%
My emotional wellbeing and mental health My ability to communicate and get on well with others My personal relationships Leading a healthier lifestyle
31% 13% 23% 52%
My overall happiness
They helped me with my doctor and came with me when I was too ill to convey my problem
Do you feel that staff have identified your needs well, and that you have a plan to meet them? Yes, definitely
53%
Mostly
Have staff helped you by speaking on your behalf to other services e.g. housing, health or substance use services? Yes, more than two times
No I didn’t know they could do this
12
14%
In some ways Not at all
5%
49% 24%
Yes, once or twice I don’t need this sort of help
28%
2% 11% 14%
The staff have been excellent. Despite my lack of trust and confidence, the staff have made me feel at ease, and allowed me to express my concerns easily.
Your support
You Said... 95% of you feel that staff have identified your needs and helped you to come up with a plan to meet them. You say that staff have helped you most with your housing situation (86%), claiming benefits (87%), your personal safety (69%), and dealing with utilities (67%). Less than half of you (35%) think that we have helped you with managing your money. Three quarters of you say that staff have helped you by speaking on your behalf to other services at least once or twice. This is slightly better than last year, when it was 68%. Unfortunately 14% of you did not know that we could do this, 5% more than last year.
We Did... Housing and support staff have been very busy over the last year and this may have been reflected in the amount of support you have been given. Providing support to help you address your issues and take the next steps to independent living is an important part of our service. We have restructured our housing and support teams to make the service more efficient. We have also recruited more staff, which will mean that your support and housing officers will have more time to give you the support you need. We have started rolling out our new induction and support planning for all new residents and some current residents. From now on any support or advocacy you need will be outlined in your action plan. Your support worker should make you aware of the types of support we can provide, as well as helping you to access other agencies if necessary. All new residents will be given help where they need it on issues like budgeting as part of the new induction and support process.
13
How do you usually get in touch with Derventio staff? 65%
Phone call 42%
Text message Email
5%
Drop in to the office I wait for house meetings/ support sessions I don’t have any contact with them Other
25%
Got the Derventio number on our board on the wall
46% 3% 2%
How easy is it to contact Derventio staff?
There is always someone at the end of the phone if I need them
64%
I can always get in touch I can usually get in touch
27%
It’s not easy to get in touch It’s difficult to get in touch
7% 2%
What do you think about the out-of-hours emergency phone number? I have used it and staff were able to help me I have used it but staff were not able to help me
23%
Makes me feel good, knowing that I can just pick up the phone and they are there
5% 64%
I haven’t needed to use it but I’m glad it’s there if I do I haven’t needed to use it and I don’t think it’s useful
7%
What do you think about your weekly house meetings? 63%
They are a good place to talk about household issues 46%
They are a good chance to see staff They give me a chance to catch up with my housemates They are a waste of time I don’t have house meetings
14
5% 7% 9%
Getting in touch
You Said... Phone calls, house meetings/support sessions and text messages are your favourite ways of getting in touch with us. This is very similar to last year, although you say that you use house meetings more now and phone calls less. 64% of you say that you can always get in touch with Derventio staff, up from 53% last year.
We Did... We think that house meetings are one of the most effective ways of keeping in regular communication with your support worker, and we’re pleased that you use them as one of your main communication channels. We know that text messages are an easy and low-cost way to stay in touch, and so we will continue to offer text messages alongside all of the other regular forms of communication.
Emergency on-call service
You Said... The majority of people who responded to the survey say that you have not used the out-ofhours emergency service, but are glad it’s there just in case. 23% of you have used it and say that staff were able to help, 4% up from last year. 3% less of you say that staff were not able to help.
We Did... Somebody commented that they didn’t know about the emergency on-call number. We have improved our induction and welcome process so now everybody should be aware of the service. Check the guide on the right to make sure you know when you should and shouldn’t use the on-call service.
When to use the Emergency On-Call Service Available after 5pm Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday
DO call:
DON’T call:
99 When there is no lighting in the property
88 If there is no gas in the property
99 When physical abuse is occurring
88 To report that your food has been stolen
99 When the front door is not secure
88 To report anti-social behaviour
99 When you think a tenant is self-harming, or you have thoughts of selfharming
88 To report other tenants’ sexual activity
99 When there is a fire
Instead, please tell us about things like this the next working day.
15
Your Neighbourhood & Community We are committed to promoting inclusive and accessible neighbourhoods and communities for our residents to live in, feel part of and enjoy. We work closely with local communities to help us achieve this.
Homes in the Midlands & South West Shropshire
8 Staffordshire
16 Derbyshire
388 Nottinghamshire
11 Wiltshire
7
Rather keep myself to myself. Less problems that way.
How do you feel you fit in with the local community? 25%
I feel like I belong in the community
I have quite good friends all around this part of the estate
16
45%
I fit in quite well Sometimes there are problems I don’t feel part of the community at all
11% 19%
Feeling part of the community
You Said... Seven out of ten of you feel like you belong or fit in quite well with your local community. This is slightly less than last year’s 74%.
We Did... It’s good news that the majority of you are happy with your community. We give all of our tenants as much choice as possible when it comes to which area you live in. We take into account your own preference and personal situation as well as what properties are available at the time. If you are unhappy with where you are living, please speak to your support or housing officer.
We take anti-social behaviour very seriously. If this type of behaviour is upsetting any of our residents, we will support them to sort the problem out. However, we will take action against any of our residents, or their visitors, who annoy, frighten or upset other people in this way. If someone continues to cause nuisance to others, they may even lose their home.
How we work with tenants & the community Neighbour Queries
Neighbours are welcome to contact us with any concerns or complaints about our tenants. We take all neighbour comments very seriously and always take appropriate action to resolve the issue.
Local Services
We work in close partnership with the police, Local Authorities and other local agencies to promote safe and inclusive communities.
Late-Night Visits
Emergency On-Call Service
We periodically carry out random late-night visits to some of our properties. This is an effective way to make sure that tenants are behaving appropriately and not causing disruption to neighbours.
All of our tenants are given our emergency number. This can be used to reach staff at any time of night or day to deal with any urgent issue.
Health & Safety
Forums & Meetings
We have a dedicated Property Standards Team that carries out regular health and safety checks on our shared housing properties. We also carry out regular fire safety checks.
Derventio staff regularly attend local panels and meetings including homelessness and neighbourhood forums. They are a key way to keep up to date on local issues.
17
Value for Money It is important to make sure that we do not waste money and that we reduce costs where we can, using any savings we make to improve our homes and services.
How satisfied are you that your rent / service charge provides value for money? Very satisfied
39%
Satisfied Unsatisfied Very unsatisfied
55% 0%
Although it is a good rate, it is hard to keep up with if one has a job
5%
The service and other projects through Derventio, i.e. volunteering work, has been excellent value for money How satisfied are you with the service on the whole? Very satisfied
45%
Satisfied
46%
Unsatisfied
5%
Very unsatisfied
4%
Derventio have helped me settle into a town I had no knowledge of before becoming a tenant here. For that I am grateful.
It does what I need it to do
Overall, things are good
18
Value for money
We Did...
You Said... A total of 94% of you are satisfied that your rent or service charge provides good value for money. This is 11% more than last year.
Some of you commented that it is difficult to afford to live in a Derventio home if you have a job. Our accommodation services are designed for people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. If you have a job, there might be other housing that is more affordable and suitable to your new circumstances. Your support officer will show you what your options are and help you to make the next step to other accommodation. Please speak to them if you would like help with this.
What your money pays for Every ÂŁ1 of your rent goes towards: 13p 13
Every ÂŁ1 of your bill money goes towards: 21.5 21.5p
10 10p
Rent to the owner Maintenance/Repairs
16.7 16.7p
Furniture/Equipment
38p 38
19 19p
Utilities
White Goods
22
7.2 7.2p
22p
Support
Cleaning
Manageme
Property Costs
TV Licence
Management/Admin
4.8 4.8p 14.8 14.8p
Rent to the property owner Maintenance & repairs Furniture & equipment
33p33 White goods Cleaning
Utilities
Management & admin
Property costs
Support
TV license
Management & admin
Satisfaction with the service
You Said... Just over 90% of you say that you are satisfied or very satisfied with the service on the whole.
We Did... We will continue to work hard to deliver and improve the service so that it continues to meet the needs of our residents.
19
Plans for the Future How much contact would you like with staff? 27%
More
73%
OK as it is Less
0%
None
0%
We are a forward-looking organisation, always looking for ways to be better. The feedback from this year’s tenant survey will help us to make improvements to the housing, support and opportunities that we provide.
Would you use any of the following to communicate with or get information from Derventio? Text message / SMS Derventio’s website - using a computer
79% 21% 30%
Derventio’s website - using a phone A social networking site (e.g. Facebook or Twitter) Email Drop-in events
18% 30% 39%
Keeping in touch
You Said... Most of you are happy with the amount of contact you have with staff, but 27% say you would like more. The majority (79%) of you say you would use text message to get in touch, already one of the most common ways we communicate. Email and using our website were also popular.
20
We Did... We have recruited more staff during the year, so they will have more time to give you the support you need. As well as the usual ways, you can get in touch with us through our mobile-friendly website www.derventiohousing.com. We are currently looking into developing a report a repair section for the website.
Would you take part in any of the following free activities, sports, training and volunteering opportunities with Derventio? Arts & crafts Budgeting
38% 51%
Computer skills Cooking Cycling / Bike repair
Film club
34% 67% 41%
Work with animals
48% 77%
Gym 60%
Music Swimming
Bowling
63%
Helping at the farm Walks
Having recently purchased a camera I’d like to attend a photography class
49%
Day trips Football
Is there anything else you would like to do?
47%
51% 46%
Learning & skill-building
You Said... The most popular activities you would like to take part in are going to the gym (77%), day trips (67%) and swimming (63%). The least popular are cycling and budgeting.
We Did... We have already offered some of the activities named above through our Growing Lives project. We will use your feedback and suggestions as we develop the project. We are currently renovating our activities centre in Ilkeston, which will give us more space to expand Growing Lives and offer more opportunities. Growing Lives is currently only offered in Derbyshire. When the survey went out, a number of people based in Swindon asked whether they could access any of these activities. Because of this interest, we have now started applying for funding to deliver a selection of learning and skill-building sessions for Swindon residents. We are also seeking funding for photography classes based on your suggestions.
21
Governance & Financial Viability Governance structure We have said goodbye to two board members during the year, and introduced Zoe Atkinson, Karan Johal, Mark Menzies and Lisa Callow. We would like to welcome these four new board members. They have all brought a wealth of new skills and specialisms that will help us to deliver a financially viable service that continues to meet the needs of people who are homeless and vulnerable.
Our Board Susan Holmes Chair and Treasurer
The day-to-day operations for each of our key services are overseen by an experienced and highly qualified senior management team of four. The management team have a profound dedication to improving the lives of those affected by homelessness and housing problems.
Zoe Atkinson Board Member
We also have an experienced and talented staff team of more than 60 people, working in the areas of housing, support, learning activities, maintenance, human resources, ICT, finance, fundraising and communications.
Sarah Hernandez Managing Director
Karan Johal Company Secretary
Mark Menzies Director
Lisa Callow Director
22
What has been the best thing about your time with Derventio? They helped me out to live in a house and I am very happy about that
Everything That I am not on the streets and have a roof over my head Helpful staff who care and are willing to go the extra mile to help you
Moving in and being given a sense of HOPE!! Place to live and plan my life again for the future I have become responsible for myself and learnt to deal with problems more effectively It has allowed me a period of stability, to help me deal with problems in my life
Having a home
Gave me a roof and independence and gave me a fresh start to build my life up
They have helped me with anything that I need help with Having somewhere to live and meeting new people
A roof over my head in comfort and safety The friendly staff both at the house meeting and whilst volunteering at the farm They have helped me with anything that I need help with
The best thing is moving out of Milestone House and keeping me levelheaded
Meeting different people
23
Thank you Connect www.derventiohousing.com /derventioht @DerventioHT Derventio Housing Trust localgiving.com/derventio
Get in touch Head Office, Derby
Derventio Housing Trust 33 Boyer Street Derby DE22 3TB Tel: 01332 292 776 Fax: 01332 209 256 Email: info@derventiohousing.com
Derventio Housing Trust is a limited company registered in England and Wales (05886593); Registered office: 33 Boyer Street, Derby DE22 3TB