Federation calls on housing associations to help develop Customer Code » Housing » 24dash.com

The National Housing Federation is calling on housing associations to pass on their ideas on customer service and accountability, to inform a new code of practice.

The new Code of Service Delivery and Accountability is being developed to help housing associations to put tenants at the heart of everything they do.

It will be based on the views of tenants and the firsthand experiences of housing association staff at all levels.

The Federation hopes that the Code will inspire the sector to aim for excellence - and that it will inform the approach to accountability and customer service taken by the new housing regulator, the Office for Tenants and Social Landlords.

Housing association staff and tenants are encouraged to complete an online questionnaire which can be accessed via www.housing.org.uk/involve, by Friday March 21. The Code will be written by the consultancy Campbell Tickell.

Helen Williams, assistant director of Neighbourhoods at the National Housing Federation, said: "The sector as a whole has a good record, but there are lessons to be learned from the very best housing associations which have led the way in approaches to service delivery and being accountable to tenants.

"With this new code of practice we aim to make the best practice uniform throughout the whole sector."