Annual Report for Tenants 2013
you said
we did
Derventio Housing Trust in brief
Derventio Housing Trust is a registered Community Interest Company, established in 2010, which provides good quality housing and related services to alleviate housing problems and end homelessness
Derventio Housing Trust’s mission is: •
To alleviate housing problems and end homelessness
We provide a variety of services to: •
Alleviate homelessness
•
Support people
•
Inspire ambition
•
Improve skills
•
Enhance creative spirit
•
Maintain independence
Our vision is to: •
Enable our clients to lead an inclusive, healthy and happy life in a safe, secure home of their own, with support if necessary
•
Offer responsive and innovative services that remain flexible to adapt to the changing needs of our clients and partners
•
Provide cost effective solutions working in partnership with voluntary and statutory agencies
•
Secure the future of our organisation through capital asset growth and earned income streams that deliver greater financial stability
•
Deliver targeted support to vulnerable people from minority groups
Derventio Housing Trust CIC Derventio Housing Trust is a company registered in England and Wales Community Interest Company Number: 05886593 Registered Office: 33 Boyer Street, Derby DE22 3TB Contact Number: 01332 292776 Patron Rt Revd Alastair Redfern, Bishop of Derby Board Members Mr R. Gerrard | Ms S. Hernandez | Ms S. Holmes | Mr S. Phillips
We are busy working on refreshing our vision and mission for next year
Welcome Welcome to the Annual Report for Tenants 2013. Producing a report like this is no longer a regulatory requirement but it is good practice within the housing sector. It is one of the ways we communicate with you, our tenants, about how we have performed over the year, how we are improving and our plans for the future. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who responded to the Tenant Survey 2013. Your views have helped to shape this report, along with the six standards set out by the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA). Happy reading!
Sarah Hernandez Managing Director
Contents Summary of our Services Tenant Involvment & Empowerment Home
4 5-8 9-11
Tenancy
12-15
Neighbourhood & Community
16-17
Value for Money
18-19
Governance & Financial Viability
20
Plans for the Future
21
Your favourite things about Derventio
22
Summary of our Housing Services SmartShare/Steps Shared, supported homes for people who have experience of homelessness People helped in 2012/13: 347
Rooms4Two Two people aged between 18 and 34 are matched to live in a rented home with some support People helped in 2012/13: 85
Providing Real Support Housing with intensive support for people facing more challenges finding a home in the private rented sector People helped in 2012/13: 25
SmartLets Tenancy support for people who have struggled to find a home of their own People helped in 2012/13: 333 4
Summary of our Tenants 68%
32%
Male
Female
18-24
25-34
38%
32%
Age
16%
13%
Black and minority ethnic
Disabled
5
Derventio helps us and cares about our wellbeing. It doesn’t judge us.
35-44
45-64
18%
12%
Tenant Involvement & Empowerment Standard Tenants play an important role in shaping Derventio’s housing services. There are lots of different ways for you to get involved and have your say. Many of our improvements have been shaped by your responses to the tenant survey. KEY SURVEY RESULTS 93% of you feel that you have enough opportunity to express your views about the service Do you feel any problems, complaints or disputes you’ve had were dealt with effectively?
We are thinking of setting up a residents’ forum. Would you take part in this? No 7%
49%
No 42% 7%
21% 16%
Yes
13%
Some were, some weren't
No
94% of you think Derventio is good at keeping you informed of things that might affect you as a resident
I haven't had any
Yes 93%
Do you feel you have enough opportunity to express your views about the service?
How good do you think Derventio is at keeping you informed about things that might affect you as a resident? 56%
No 7% 38%
Yes
5%
93% Very good
Half of you are happy with how your complaints have been handled, and about a quarter of you haven’t had any to report ●
58% 93%
Yes
●
Good
Poor
6
2% Very poor
Getting your voice heard You Said
We have a winner I can either ring, text or speak to my housing officer in person about my views
93% of the people who responded to the 2013 Tenant Survey - Listening to You, are happy that they have enough ways to express their views. The survey itself is one of the main ways that we find out what you think about all aspects of the service, and this year’s response rate was 18%, up from 14% last year. A big thank you to all who responded.
Congratulations to Christopher Mees, a Providing Real Support tenant, for winning the survey prize draw. Christopher has won a ÂŁ20 gift voucher, which was drawn out of a hat by Faisal when he visited our offices.
We Did The survey results have been scrutinised at a quality improvement meeting by key staff, including the Housing Director and housing staff. Actions are now being taken to make improvements based on your responses. You will see comments and charts showing the results of the survey throughout this report. The annual survey is an easy and effective way for you to really get your voice heard - but there are other ways. Contact your Housing Officer at any time if you have feedback or suggestions. You can also contact us through our website: www.derventiohousing.com or use the Comments, Compliments & Complaints leaflet.
Here are the top four ways for you to get involved and have your say:
Become a volunteer
Learn some new skills
Tell us what you think
From maintenance to cleaning to fundraising, volunteering is a great way to gain experience and build your CV.
We often run activities such as cooking, cycling, film nights and art. Check with staff what is currently on.
We welcome and encourage feedback about everything we do. This is used to shape our services.
7
Spend time on the farm
Our working organic farm is a brilliant and fun way for people to get stuck in and learn new skills.
Dealing with complaints You Said Half of you say that any problems or complaints you’ve had were dealt with effectively. Almost a quarter of you haven’t had any problems to report.
Issues are always dealt with promptly
We Did All tenants have a right to complain. There is information about how to make a complaint in the tenant handbooks, and copies of our Comments, Compliments & Complaints leaflet are easily available. We take all complaints seriously, and have a robust policy about dealing with complaints quickly and fairly. Some of you who weren’t satisfied with how issues have been dealt with mentioned maintenance problems. See page 11 to find out what steps we have taken to improve this part of the service.
Residents’ forum You Said More than half of you said that you would be interested in being part of a residents’ forum. This would give you the chance to meet with staff and other tenants to discuss issues and help to improve the service.
We Did
Letters are always sent
Make your voice heard in 2014 by joining the Derventio Residents’ Forum Call Becky on 01159 443 865 or ask your Housing Officer for more information
Last year we set up a special tenant panel to help us develop the new centre in Ilkeston. A small group of residents based in Erewash attended the consultation sessions and their discussions will help to shape the service as it develops. As so many of you said you would be interested in being part of a forum, we will be setting up a new pilot forum in the Ilkeston area. Look out for details of how to get involved.
Keeping you informed We Did
You Said An impressive 94% of you say that Derventio is good at keeping you informed of things that might affect you as a resident.
We will continue to tell you about changes, developments and how they will affect you. We will keep you informed through the Annual Report for Tenants, letters, house meetings, text messages, phone calls and through your Housing Officer.
8
Home Standard Where you live should be more than just a roof over your head. It should be somewhere that you feel safe and secure - a place you can call home. Derventio Housing Trust makes sure that all of our homes are up to standard, and we do everything we can to make you feel safe and happy with your home.
How happy are you with the quality of your house or flat?
How safe and secure do you feel when you’re in your house or flat?
57%
44%
42%
7%
Happy
9 out of 10 of you are happy or very happy with the quality of your home ● 85% of you feel safe and secure. If you do not always feel safe in your home please speak to your Housing Officer to see what they can do to help ●
33%
Very happy
KEY SURVEY RESULTS
4%
Unhappy
8%
Very unhappy
Very safe
Mostly safe
Sometimes safe
Do you feel you get along with your housemates? 51%
36%
13%
0% Always
Mostly
Sometimes
Never
9
6%
Never safe
Not one of you who shares your home say that you never get on with your housemates, and nearly half of you always get on with them. We put a lot of effort into matching you with people who are compatible, including using a lifestyle questionnaire. It must be working!
Improving standards and safety You Said The majority of you (85%) feel safe in your home. Some of you mentioned specific safety and repair issues, which have all been dealt with individually if they have been reported.
Could do with a better safety lock on front door
We Did We want to make sure that every Derventio home is suitable and meets a good standard. Any property that is not good enough will be removed from the scheme. We have a new Property Standards Team who make sure all homes meet safety and other standards, and ensure houses are ready for when new tenants move in.
Keeping your garden green You Said
Need more garden maintenance as it looks neglected
Some of you have said that your gardens are overgrown and are in need of some TLC.
We Did We have started to advertise for volunteers to come and give your gardens the attention they deserve. If you would like to spend some time working on your garden yourself, we will support you by providing supervision and tools where we can.
10
How we deal with your repair issues
Maintenance & repairs You Said Some of you commented on delays in getting repairs and maintenance work carried out.
We Did We recognised that this was a problem. We have brought in a new Maintenance Manager, and have improved how the maintenance team responds to problems.
Been waiting for over a month now for someone to look at my broken stairs
We will soon be providing training for housing staff so that they will be able to help you with basic repairs like changing a lock.
Step 1
You report the problem to your Housing Officer by phone, text. letter, email or in person. Or you can call the Maintenance Hotline on 01159 443 876. Step 2
We are also considering offering some training for tenants - giving you the chance to learn new skills that will be useful at home.
Your Housing Officer will fill in a job sheet and pass it on to the Maintenance Team. Step 3
Your issue will be classed as emergency, urgent or general. It will be dealt with according to how urgent it is.
How much did we spend on maintenance
Routine Maintenance Planned Maintenance
2011 / 12
2012 / 13
£257,122
£296,116
£19,702
£70,172
11
Step 4
Someone in our friendly Maintenance Team will make an appointment and visit your home to deal with the problem.
Tenancy Standard 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 tenants in a range of areas, from budgeting to help with managing drug or alcohol use.
KEY SURVEY RESULTS Staff received lots of praise in the survey, and more than 90% of you described them as approachable, professional, helpful and well-informed
How easy is it to contact your Housing Officer?
â—?
53%
More than three quarters of you say that the support you have received has contributed to your overall happiness
38%
6%
I can always get in touch
I can usually get in touch
3%
It's not easy to get It's difficult to get in in touch touch
Do you feel your Housing Officer has identified your needs well, and that you have a plan to meet them?
How would you describe your Housing Officer? 94%
What do you think about the out-ofhours emergency phone number? 71%
69% 93%
92% 91%
19% 16%
8%
14%
2% 2%
Approachable
Professional
Helpful
Well-informed
Has your Housing Officer helped you by speaking on your behalf to other services e.g. housing, health or substance use services?
Yes, definitely
Mostly
In some ways
Not at all
How do you usually get in touch with your Housing Officer?
43%
Phone call
I have used it and staff were able to help me
I have used it but I haven't needed to I haven't needed to staff were not able use it, but I'm glad use it, and I don't to help me it's there if I do think it's useful
What do you think about your weekly house meetings (if you have them)? 55%
Text message
38%
25%
Email 16%
Drop in to the office 8%
8%
6%
I wait for house meetings / support sessions Yes, more than two times
Yes, once or twice
I don't need this sort of help
No
I don't have any contact with them
I didn't know they could do this
12
0% They are a good place to talk about household issues
They are a good chance to see my housing officer
They give me a They are a waste of chance to catch up time with my housemates
Quality of staff You Said
Property summary
I could not ask for a better housing officer
We are proud to have a caring and compassionate team of housing staff, who received lots of positive feedback in this year’s survey. More than 90% of you say that you would describe staff as approachable, professional, helpful and well-informed. 84% of you are happy with how your needs have been identified, and Housing Officers have helped 68% of you by speaking to other services on your behalf.
During the year we housed people in:
202
154
Houses
Flats
2
1
Maisonettes Bungalows These included:
137 1-beds
128 2-beds
42 3-beds
16 4-beds We Did We have passed on your comments to each member of staff. Everyone was delighted to hear the lovely things you said about them. There is always room for improvement, and so we have made our staff training programme more robust. This will make sure that all staff are kept up to date on the latest housing and support issues so that they can provide you with the best service possible.
13
8 5+-beds
Getting in touch You Said The majority of you get in touch with your I have my worker’s Housing Officer by phone call or text telephone number and message. About a quarter of you drop into if I need anything I just the office, and some of you wait until you need to text or ring have a house meeting or support session. We are pleased that 9 out of every 10 tenants who responded to the survey say that you have no problems getting in touch with staff.
We Did We have made it easier for you when you visit or phone by employing a full-time receptionist at our Derby office. This will make it easier for you to get in touch with the right member of staff and there will always be someone to take a message if the person you want to speak to is not available. Our staff are very busy and won’t always be able to see you or take your call immediately. If you can’t get through please leave a message or send a text and they will get back to you as soon as they can. You can also contact us on our website: www.derventiohousing.com
Emergency On-Call Number
Told me what to do step by step
We Did
You Said 71% of those who have used the emergency number say that it has been helpful. About three quarters have not had to use it but are glad it’s there just in case.
We will continue to operate the emergency number so that 24/7 support is available if you need it. It costs us time and money to run this service free of charge, so please remember to follow the rules:
Using the Emergency On-Call number
available after 5pm Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday
Do use it:
99 When there is no lighting in the property
Don’t use it:
88 If you lose your room key
99 When physical abuse is occurring
88 If there is no gas in the property
99 When the front door is not secured
88 To report that your food has been stolen
99 When you think a tenant is self-harming, or you have thoughts of self-harming
88 To report anti-social behaviour 88 To report other tenants’ sexual practices
99 When there is a fire
14
Lettings summary Percentage of rent lost through homes being vacant 2011 / 12
Average re-let time
2012 / 13
SmartShare/ Steps
5.82%
5.18%
SmartLets
6.13%
6.05%
Rooms4Two
10.13%
8.21%
48 hours
48 hours
Average rent per week 11 days 2011 / 12
2012 / 13
Rooms4Two (Derby)
£51.93
£52.24
Rooms4Two (Amber Valley)
£52.20
£48.26
Rooms4Two (Erewash)
-
£47.41
SmartLets
£97.76
£140.11
Providing Real Support
-
£110.21
15
SmartShare/ Steps
Rooms4Two
SmartLets
Neighbourhood & Community Standard We are committed to promoting inclusive and accessible neighbourhoods and communities for our tenants to live in, feel part of and enjoy. We work closely with local communities to help us achieve this. This year we had properties in the following areas.
Derbyshire Dales
1 39 Derby
294
How do you feel you fit in with the local community? 42%
32%
15% 11%
I feel like I belong in the community
I fit in quite well
Sometimes there are problems
I don't feel part of the community at all
16
Amber Valley
25
Erewash
Feeling part of your community I enjoy living here. I know quite a few of my neighbours and local shop people
You Said Three quarters of you feel that you fit in with your local community.
We Did 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 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 Housing Officer.
Working with tenants and the community
Neighbour Queries
Neighbours are welcome to contact us with any concerns or complaints about our tenants. We take all neigbour comments very seriously and always take appropriate action to resolve the issue.
Emergency Numbers
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. 07929 503 960
Late-Night Visits
We periodically carry out random late-night visits to some of our properties. This is an effective way to ensure that tenants are behaving appropriately and not causing disruption to neighbours.
Health & Safety
We now have a new 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.
17
Local Area Co-operation
We work in close partnership with the police, Local Authorities and other local agencies to promote safe and inclusive communities.
Forums & Meetings
Derventio staff regularly attend local panels and meetings including homelessness and neighbourhood forums. These are a key way to keep up to date on local issues.
Value for Money Standard We strive to provide you with a service that offers value for money. This means finding the right balance between keeping our expenditure low without compromising on quality.
How satisfied are you that your rent / service charge provides value for money? 43%
How satisfied are you with the service on the whole? 52%
40%
43%
12% 4%
Very satisfied
Satisfied
Unsatisfied
18
Very unsatisfied
Very satisfied
Satisfied
3%
2%
Unsatisfied
Very unsatisfied
Value for tenants
For the area I live in and the support I receive it is good value for money
You Said 84% of you think that your rent or service charge provides good value for money.
We Did Our charges are set at a competitive rate compared with similar services, and we are pleased that the majority of you feel that you are getting good value. Some of you who are not as happy mentioned maintenance issues as one of the reasons. Take a look at page 11 to find out how we are improving the maintenance service. We are always looking for efficiencies which are not necessarily the lowest cost, but provide the best value:
Staff expenses
All staff expenses, particularly transport, are reviewed and options are compared to ensure best value for money.
Staff training
We take advantage of free and discounted training for staff and volunteers wherever possible.
Mobile phones
In-house maintenance
All front-line staff have a work mobile phone. This means they can access email and be in contact with tenants while out of the office making their day-to-day work more efficient and cost-effective.
We have internal teams to carry out maintenance, repairs and property standards checks on our properties. This saves us significant money on outsourcing and contracts
Satisfaction You Said A brilliant 95% of you are ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the service on the whole.
I can’t thank Derventio enough for putting a roof over my head and getting my life back on track
We Did We will continue to work hard to deliver and improve the service so that it continues to meet the needs of our tenants.
19
Governance & Financial Viability Standard Our governance structure
Board of Directors
Derventio is governed by a highly committed board of directors who possess wide-ranging skills and expertise relevant to the organisation’s needs, including community focused company management, finance, homelessness, family and child welfare and business acumen. The day-to-day operations for each of our key services are overseen by an experienced and highly qualified senior management team of six. The management team have a profound dedication to improving the lives of those affected by homelessness and housing problems.
Richard Gerrard
Additionally, Derventio Housing Trust has: • An experienced and talented staff team of more than 50 people, working in the areas of housing, support, learning activities, maintenance, human resources, finance, fundraising and communications • A specialist human resources team that deals with recruitment, training and employment issues
Sarah Hernandez
• Full initial induction, including training that covers organisational policies and procedures and equality and diversity issues • Excellent staff terms and conditions • High quality supervision and management for staff
Susan Holmes
• A full and comprehensive training and development programme
Spencer Phillips
20
Plans for the future Learning & skill-building You Said The top three activities you said you would like to take part in are going to the gym, going on day trips and working on the farm. 73%
Would you like to take part in any of the following free activities, sports, training and volunteer opportunities?
63% 55% 41%
51%
49% 39%
31%
Arts & crafts
57% 49%
47%
Music
Swimming
49%
35%
Budgeting Computer Cooking Cycling / Day trips Football Film Club skills bike repair
Gym
Farm work
Walks
We Did We will use what you said to find new funding so we can keep offering a range of different ways for you to build your skills and have fun. You can volunteer on Derventio’s farm at any time. Just ask your Housing Officer for more details.
Suggestions We Did
You Said We were delighted The service is to receive so many very good as it is comments and suggestions in this year’s survey. Thank you for taking the time to let us know what you think. Whether it was good or bad, all of your feedback will help us to give you a better service.
21
We have looked through all of your comments and suggestions and will refer to them as we develop our housing services. Some of the changes we have made in direct response to your suggestions in this year’s survey include holding an event for residents at Christmas (look out for details!), improving transport to activity sessions and giving tenants help to improve their gardens.
Having a roof over my head and some stability
They never give up on me. I don’t feel alone with my problems.
What has been the best thing about your time with Derventio? It is one step closer to getting my own place and getting my life back on track
Learning how to be independent The friendly people I have met
Help and support is there when needed Always working with me to try to solve problems
Having the support if I need it
I have a house for me and my children
Excellent service and always happy to help
The staff team at Derventio are always there to help me at any time. I have never had help till I moved here. Struggled all my life so I will always be grateful for Derventio
How helpful the staff are
Managing to get a decent house 22
Having somewhere to live and not being out on the street or homeless
I think you do a great job! I would not be progressing so well without the most valuable help and support of Derventio staff
The understanding I’ve received from all members of staff and the equality shown to us all
The staff are welcoming, caring, kind and helpful
Very polite and helpful. Lovely staff
Derventio has changed my life for the better
Dealt with my situation quickly
A big thank you. 2 years on I’m still happy, feeling settled and have got my home looking beautiful
Meeting the people I live with and the staff that support us
Saved me from being street homeless
They listen to me
I was in a very scary situation when I first came to Derventio. and they were nice to me and made it so easy
Finding me a room so quick Having the support to start leading a normal life again 23
Helped me get out of a bad situation
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 Ilkeston Office
Derventio Housing Trust 1 Grenville Drive Ilkeston DE7 8HT Tel: 01159 443 865 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