Impact Housing tenants getting a 'fair' service says watchdog

Published by Jon Land for Audit Commission in Housing

Impact Housing Association is providing a ‘fair’ service but has ‘uncertain prospects for improvement’, according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission.

On a scale from zero to three stars, the Audit Commission inspection team gave the service a ‘fair’ one star rating. This was because generally, services are shaped around the needs of service users.

Tenants can contact the Association by a variety of means and tenant satisfaction levels are consistent.

However, the approach to setting and monitoring service standards is under-developed and the Association's approach to value for money has yet to deliver substantial benefits.
     
Paul Clarke, Audit Commission Lead Housing Inspector (North West), said:
"Impact Housing Association’s performance across a range of indicators shows a general improvement and the organisation is making a positive contribution to wider housing issues in the region.

"However, strategies are generally poor, lacking aims and objectives, and there is a general lack of challenging targets across service areas."

Strengths include: 

• It is easy to contact the Association, offices are well located, the website is attractive, and a range of useful informative leaflets are available.
• Tenants are involved in shaping services, for example through estate based budgets and they also approve publications and key documents such as the tenants' handbook.
• The disabled adaptations service is good.
• Properties are improved to a high standard with tenants' concerns uppermost.
• The standard of supported housing is high.

Weaknesses include:

• Service standards are not monitored across all services.
• There is a lack of robust monitoring systems to ensure service delivery is fair and equitable.
• The responsive repairs service does not reflect modern standards.
• Targets are not stretching.
• IT systems are not integrated and are unable to provide robust management information.
• There is no comprehensive approach to value for money.

To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations. These include:

• Developing a comprehensive customer focus by effectively monitoring all service standards and accurately recording the quality of services as experienced by customers.
• Ensuring fair and equal access to services by gathering and maintaining information on customers’ diverse needs and using this to effectively tailor services.
• Improving value for money by directing resources into services that are a priority and ensuring that the cost and quality of services are appropriately considered.

Copies of the report are available from Impact Housing Association or from the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/reports.