We asked Places for People what they have been doing since the Better Social Housing Review recommendations were published, and what this meant for their tenants and residents.

We are Places for People. We change lives by creating and supporting thriving communities as one of the UK’s leading social enterprises. We own or manage more than 245,000 properties and 98 leisure centres serving over half a million customers. We’re also one of the UK’s leading affordable housebuilders. In 2023/24, we created over £334 million of social value for our customers and communities, who are at the heart of what we do, and why.

Following the publication of the Better Social Housing Review in December 2022, we reviewed all the recommendations and have taken action where needed.

Recommendation five (work with customers to ensure that they have a voice and influence at every level of decision making) and recommendation six (develop a proactive local community presence through community hubs which foster greater multi-agency working) of the review, resonated strongly with us. We put into practice an interpersonal and institutional response.

Listening to the customer’s voice – the community housing manager

A crucial change was that the community housing manager (CHM) role has been reset as the anchor role in our communities, a clearly designated local relationship manager for their customers and local stakeholders. CHMs work alongside customers and specialist colleagues to ensure needs are met and homes are well maintained. Colleagues work hand in hand with our business as we transition from reactive to proactive support, using technology to prioritise time with the most vulnerable for early intervention.

Day to day, the CHMs are already making a difference – undertaking extensive work to engage with customers. For example, setting up weekly “drop in” tea/coffee mornings and community days which provide customers access to other services such as money advice, leisure, police (specifically to engage around ASB issues), and local authorities for recycling and service advice.

Sometimes, more tailored support is needed, and our CHMs are on hand to help. For example, in 2024, our customer ‘Laura’ (anonymised) was scheduled to have new windows and doors fitted at her property. She wished for the installation to be done in stages and was unhappy with the contractor’s reluctance to cooperate. He ended up walking off the job, leaving Laura concerned that the project would be significantly delayed. The CHM scheduled a meeting with Laura, who explained her point of view and preference for a local contractor. Empathising and respecting Laura’s wishes, the CHM arranged for a local contractor to visit and quote for the works – which was then accepted and the project completed. Laura was happy to have a safe and warm home without any further delays. Without the CHM’s input, we would have not understood Laura’s concerns and adhered to the standard protocol which could have delayed the project indefinitely. Beyond the new set of windows and doors, she was happy that she was listened to, resulting in a positive outcome for everyone.

And, sometimes the role can mean more direct intervention that makes a huge difference to outcomes. One of our CHMs describes such an example below:

"I was supporting a 70 year old lady at Bellamy Road who was a hoarder unable to access her bedroom and was sleeping on the sofa. I referred her to the Inside Out project and obtained funding for a clearance. During clearance two single beds and mattress were found in the spare bedroom. I coordinated for the two beds to be gifted to another resident living on the estate who was sleeping on the floor as they did not have a bed for themselves or their son."

This case is part of our broader efforts to be more person-centred in our customer interactions and to provide more bespoke solutions. However, we recognise that more work needs be done around consistency and scaling up this initiative. Every case is different, and we need to strike a balance between adapting services and driving value for money.

Institutionalising customer and community involvement

We currently have a national customer group, regional customer groups and several smaller forums. These provide a formal opportunity to include customer voices and influence in our decision-making processes. During meetings, a range of topics are discussed to co-create solutions. Chairs of the groups are also trained to ensure fair moderation and representation.

One example is the Hounslow Customer Forum which was used to discuss local parking arrangements. Earlier this year, it discussed ways of improving the scheme. Specific issues highlighted were the lack of spaces for disabled drivers, parking without permits and a lack of pavements.

In response, an action plan was developed for six to eight customers to form a steering group to make decisions on a new parking system for the estate. They will convene for the first time in January 2025.

Places for People continues to work to learn from these initiatives to better incorporate customer feedback into decision making, exploring ways to scale up their involvement.

• We are mindful of how customer preferences should be incorporated into solutions. Our engagement with Laura highlighted that there are usually simple solutions that go a long way for the customer, with minimal effort from us.
• Strengthening our relationships and institutionalising involvement will help us get better data and higher-quality engagement. Interactions with customers should not be ‘transactional’ - they should be seen as opportunities to receive feedback and getting to know the community.