• Project name: Group Scrutiny Panel
• Lead organisation: Wheatley Group

Statement of support

The Wheatley Group Scrutiny Panel is comprised of tenants from across the group’s four registered social landlords (RSLs). The panel is one of many ways tenants help shape priorities and ensure services meet the needs of the group’s customers and communities across Central Scotland.

As outlined in the group’s Engagement Framework, the customer voice is at the heart of decision-making. The panel is detailed in the framework under ‘We consult and co-create. You influence and design with us’, emphasising the partnership approach to scrutiny.

During 2023, existing panel members and officers worked together to promote and expand the panel. ‘Scrutiny bootcamps’ were delivered by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) and 25 new panel members were recruited from across the group’s four RSLs.

The expanded panel comprises around 30 customers. Following its expansion, an updated Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct were agreed with the panel, shaping the scrutiny process. This included agreement that TPAS would independently facilitate the panel, helping to ensure panel members can focus on the scrutiny activity and related skills they wanted to develop.

The panel agreed quarterly in-person performance meetings that would be rotated around the group’s offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dumfries. This gives panel members the opportunity to travel to each other’s areas and hear directly from and engage with local staff as well as service leads.

Agendas are based on panel feedback. Each includes the panel’s five priority performance areas, selected by them annually from the Scottish Social Housing Charter / Annual Return on the Charter, and a spotlight item to support a more detailed discussion on a particular topic. The panel recently had a spotlight on complaints and discussed progress, learning and improvement work underway. The panel reaffirm the agenda items ahead of each meeting.

A week before each quarterly meeting, the panel members receive a quarterly update on their five priority performance areas at group and individual RSL level to compare results across geographies. Results are presented in PowerPoint against targets on a red, amber, green status so any slippage is easily identified. Short commentary from the group performance team accompanies the results, alongside Scottish benchmarks.

At the quarterly meetings, performance for the performance priority areas is also presented by the group’s RSL managing directors, ensuring the panel members can discuss results with them directly. The panel’s 2023/24 performance priorities were:

• Anti-social behaviour (ASB) resolved
• Repairs timescales and satisfaction
• Complaints timescales
• Average days to re-let
• Tenancy sustainment.

In May 2024, the panel received the draft 2023/24 results for all Charter indicators for each group RSL in parallel to board review and approval of these in advance of the Scottish Housing Regulator’s 31 May reporting deadline. In advance, the panel received the 2023/24 Tenant Satisfaction results for the group’s four RSLs and discussed these and the survey methodology directly with the independent survey company - Research Resource - and managing directors.

In addition to quarterly meetings, the panel undertake thematic reviews, a deeper dive into specific service areas. Last year, the thematic group identified repairs communication as an area for review. panel members visited our Customer First Centre, met key staff and reviewed information including process maps, complaints analysis, performance reports and customer satisfaction. Currently, an environmental thematic review is underway.

The panel recently held a ‘One year reflection of the expanded panel’, noting what had worked well and identifying areas for improvement. This followed on from workshops delivered to support panel members in their role, e.g. a ‘Scrutiny refresher’, an introduction to satisfaction surveying (delivered by Research Resource) and equity, diversity and inclusion training. 

Outcomes and achievements

Recently, panel members have fed back that they ‘feel listened to, empowered and are having genuine impact’. Performance driven by customer insight is embedded into our culture; for example, our boards and key staff are regularly updated on the panel.

Following the repairs communication thematic review in 2023, customers worked with TPAS to develop a report with 18 recommendations. They then discussed this with staff, co-created solutions and agreed actions on 13 of the recommendations. Members of the thematic group attended group and RSL board meetings to discuss their experience.

The review was published and promoted internally and externally, including a video from the customers. To monitor progress, panel members met with staff in June 2024 to review how their recommendations had informed improvements made and underway. 

Other achievements by panel include:

• Informed policies - repairs, ASB/neighbourhood management
• Involved in Customer Service Excellence accreditation, received high praise
• Reinforced importance of annual tenant visits, now a Key Performance Indicator
• Influenced MyHousing platform - clearer rental demand information
• Improved complaints information on web self-service
• Raised awareness of panel’s work within organisation – internal/external promotion, attendance at boards, and engaged with key business leads.

• Project name: Bield Compliment and Complaint Collective
• Lead organisation: Bield Housing and Care

Statement of support

The Compliment and Complaint Collective at Bield is a testament to our dedication to tenant scrutiny and continuous service improvement. Established in 2021 following a thorough evaluation by the Bield Improvement Group (BIG), this initiative was born out of tenant’s own recommendations. BIG’s comprehensive reviewed the complaint process from start to finish as part of a scrutiny task, aimed to identify opportunities for enhancement, and the collective was conceived to ensure that tenants would maintain a critical role in scrutinising complaints and driving improvements.

Tenant scrutiny and collaborative review

The core function of the Compliment and Complaint Collective is to facilitate tenant-led scrutiny of one of our best sources of tenant insight and feedback – our complaints.

This biannual forum brings together tenants and officers to critically examine complaints and performance feedback from previous quarters. Prior to each meeting, members receive detailed information on a sample of complaints from the preceding quarter. This includes the nature of each complaint, notes and steps recorded in our housing management system, supporting evidence, and responses.

This process ensures that the perspectives are central to our review and improvement efforts.

This participatory approach allows for a comprehensive analysis of issues, drawing on the diverse perspectives of both tenants and officers. By working together, we create a more transparent and responsive system for addressing tenant concerns. This joint effort not only helps identify areas for improvement but also fosters a culture of accountability and continuous enhancement within our organisation.

Role of tenants and officers

Initially composed solely of tenants, the collective has evolved in the last year to include officers from various teams, including those directly involved in handling complaints. This expansion reflects our recognition of the value of diverse perspectives in problem-solving. Tenants bring valuable lived experiences to the table, while officers offer insights into procedural aspects and operational challenges. This combination of perspectives ensures a thorough and balanced approach to reviewing and addressing complaints.

The collective’s virtual meetings make participation accessible to tenants across different geographical locations, ensuring broad representation and inclusivity. This format supports effective collaboration enabling participants to engage in meaningful discussions regardless of distance.

Embedding scrutiny into organisation culture

The Compliment and Complaint Collective is a key component of Bield’s performance management framework and organisation culture. By embedding tenant scrutiny into our processes, we promote a culture of learning and responsiveness. The insights gained from these reviews are integral to shaping our approach to service delivery and ensuring that our actions align with tenant needs and expectations.

Outcomes and achievements

The collective's outcomes in the past year include:

1. Enhanced support for bereaved tenants: Following a complaint about inadequate guidance for tenants transitioning to sole tenancies after a bereavement, the collective developed a specialised leaflet to offer crucial support during this vulnerable time.
2. Streamlined compensation processes: Feedback on delayed shower repairs led to a re-evaluation of our compensation procedures, resulting in a more efficient process adopted across teams.
3. Clarified emergency key usage: A complaint about emergency key use prompted an accelerated policy review, integrating new measures into our housing management system for improved safety and transparency.

The collective remains central to our strategy for service improvement, ensuring that tenant insights drive meaningful changes and enhance the quality of our services.

• Project name: Tenant Focused Repairs
• Lead organisation: Link Tenant Scrutiny Panel
• Partner organisation: Link Housing Association

Statement of support

Link’s Tenant Scrutiny Panel completed a scrutiny inspection of the reactive repairs service between November 2022 and November 2023. 

The repair service is delivered by C~urb, a subsidiary of Link Group, which provides property development, property maintenance and property management services. 

The scrutiny topic was chosen due to a four per cent decline in satisfaction with reactive repairs, outlined in the most recent Customer Satisfaction Survey. This figure was 15 per cent below the national average. In addition, complaint data showed that 48 per cent of stage one complaints, and 31 per cent of stage two complaints, were for reactive repairs.

The scrutiny panel also looked at results from a transactional repairs survey which highlighted that ‘satisfaction with being kept informed throughout the repairs process’ was an area for improvement.

The aim of the scrutiny was to understand the reasons for dissatisfaction, how effective communication is for tenants and where this could be improved. The panel also wanted to know if the repairs service demonstrated value for money for tenants.

The scrutiny topic relates to three Scottish Social Housing Charter outcomes:

• Charter Outcome 2 - Communication
• Charter Outcome 5 - Repairs, Maintenance and Improvement
• Charter Outcome 13 - Value for Money.

From the outset, the panel felt it was important to work collaboratively with Link to agree the scope of the scrutiny. Before beginning their scrutiny activities, panel members met with senior management to find out how the service is delivered and gain an understanding of any internal and external challenges affecting service delivery. 

Together, both parties agreed that all scrutiny activities should be transparent and carried out in the interest of improving services. They felt this would foster a shared sense of trust and help embed scrutiny within Link’s culture. Progress meetings took place for the duration of the scrutiny inspection and a record has been kept on file. 

Senior management explained to the panel about external challenges that have impacted performance.  These include scarcity and rising costs of materials due to events such as Brexit, the mini budget and the war in Ukraine. They also explained that additional requirements such as responding to damp, condensation and mould have had an impact on the workforce. 

The panel was supported by Link staff to gather performance, satisfaction and cost information. Benchmarking information was collected from HouseMark, and comparisons were made with other landlords using the Regulator’s comparison tool. 

Evidence was also gathered directly by interviewing frontline staff, management and tenants. To involve as many tenants as possible, the panel interviewed tenants by phone and online. Those who required an interpreter were provided with this service.

To widen the number of tenants actively involved in the scrutiny inspection, the panel was enabled by Link to survey tenants directly, using the CX-Feedback survey tool. The survey returned 365 responses. When combined with evidence from phone and online interviews, over 400 tenants were actively included in this scrutiny. This provided credibility to the findings and recommendations made by the TSP in their final report.

As well as tenants, the scrutiny panel worked with over 40 staff across different parts of the organisation. They built positive relationships with staff and helped to increase awareness of scrutiny and its benefits across the board.

The scrutiny panel wrote a formal report and recommendations outlining opportunities to improve the tenant experience of the repairs service, with a focus on improving communication. The report and recommendations were presented to Link’s performance and compliance committee for full discussion before going to the board for approval. Recommendations were accepted by Link and a management response and action plan have been presented to the scrutiny panel.

Outcomes and achievements

As a result of the scrutiny panel’s findings, a transformational consultant has been appointed to review customer contact channels, digital transition requirements and improve service standards.

As a quick win, Link has introduced new functionality for tenants to upload photos when reporting repairs online. This helps diagnose and resolve repairs more quickly.

New software is planned which will allow tenants to track the progress of their repair online. Link’s digital services are reviewing the telephone system to allow calls to be better triaged and responded to more quickly.

A working group has been set up to look more closely at reducing the number of times trades operatives are unable to get access for appointments. In addition to saving money this will improve tenant experience.

Link has also initiated a renewed focus on reducing the number of follow-on jobs raised. This will improve tenant satisfaction and improve efficiency.

Once fully implemented, these actions will vastly improve the tenants’ experience of repairs and improve the efficiency of systems and processes for staff. There will also be cost savings, which can be used to make ongoing service improvements and represent better value for money for tenants.