Peter Marsh makes guest appearance at York Housing Association's customer panel » Housing » 24dash.com

Invaluable – that’s the verdict on tenant feedback according to the chief executive of the Tenant Services Authority.

Putting in a guest appearance at a York Housing Association customer panel, Peter Marsh highlighted the importance of not just getting feedback from tenants but actually engaging with them.

“In the past, housing associations have thought if they sent out a tenant survey and a questionnaire they were doing their bit,” said Mr Marsh, who attended the panel following his address to the housing association’s AGM.

“But it is about more than that – it is about talking to tenants: not just about repairs, but about where houses should be built in the future. That is something that people feel passionate about.”

Issues under review by the customer panel included customer service which had been the subject of an extensive door-knocking survey by the housing association last summer when staff visited every property.

“The main priorities for tenants proved to be repairs – which was exactly the issue the TSA had highlighted in its own extensive campaign for feedback,” said Kate Spencer, the Association’s Operations Director.

“Peter talked to the tenant members of the panel, asking whether they had been at home when the door-knocking took place, and was also extremely interested in the part of the session which we call Letting Off Steam!”

Introduced by a former member of the panel, Letting Off Steam provides a forum to air tenant-related frustrations without demanding an immediate response or solution.

“By getting dissatisfaction or emotions out into the open, we can listen and reduce any negative effects they might have on other subjects under discussion. Peter was keen to witness this part of the proceedings but unfortunately time pressures made this impossible. However, he requested that we send feedback from the session and left us with the view that he was genuinely interested in the process.

“Overall, we are pleased that the regulator is acknowledging that landlords must work more closely with their tenants on a local basis.”

Success in relating to the most important stakeholder – the tenant – is one of the areas in which housing associations can be setting standards of excellence, according to Mr Marsh. In his speech to members of the board, tenants, and guests from stakeholder organisations, which was his first address to a housing association’s AGM  since the TSA was formed in December last year, Mr Marsh emphasised the shift in approach.

“There are increasing opportunities for tenants to get involved in giving feedback. And it’s not just to influence the service for them, but their sons and daughters too.”

He also stressed the importance of the quality of the home as well as the general condition of the street beyond the tenant’s front door – another measure by which standards of excellence can be set.

After giving an update on the progress of the TSA, discussing how housing associations are coping with current economic challenges and looking to the future of social housing regulation, Mr Marsh invited questions.

He had already acknowledged in the course of his speech that he would be asked a question about rent increases and that he would be giving the diplomatic answer.

Tony Boynton, Finance Director of Hull Churches Housing Association, formally asked the question about whether or not there would be a rent floor and was not surprised by the answer confirming that the Government is in close dialogue with the Treasury about next year’s rents and that the regulation of rents would be a prime concern for the TSA.

Mr Boynton, one of several representatives from other housing associations to attend the event at York’s Merchant Taylor Hall, said: “With investment income down, supporting people income not guaranteed and service charges being a sensitive issue, rents are critical to every housing association in order to fund repairs and planned maintenance.

“We are fairly confident that RPI will be negative and we have forecast prudently on the basis that there won’t be a rent increase. The bottom line is, if the Treasury is going to be influential then we need the directive as soon as possible as we will have to reassess our forecast – preferably sooner rather than later”.

Keen to know the TSA’s view, Mr Boynton was encouraged that Mr Marsh was sympathetic to the need for planning and accurate forecasting in order to deliver the best service to tenants.

The other question directed to Mr Marsh concerned the role of the National Tenant Voice, and its future relationship with the TSA, and there was a question to York HA’s Chair, Jolyon Harrison, on how housing associations can achieve reductions in the carbon footprint, in particular of existing stock.

Following the AGM and meeting of the customer panel, Mr Marsh scaled the rooftop of a £2.2M York Housing Association scheme still in development at Poppleton Gate House, off Boroughbridge Road, York, to admire a specially-commissioned weathervane in the shape of a bat. (The bat reflects the provision of bat roosts under the eaves of the new building.)

Christine Storrs, chief executive for York Housing Association, said: “He really went beyond the call of duty. He was very interested in the whole development, which is the result of our on-going commitment to providing more affordable rented family accommodation, and we were extremely grateful that he took time out to come to York.

“His participation at the AGM was appreciated as was his input in the customer panel. He was a natural and entertaining speaker and was very happy to have an informal chat with tenants who attended our meeting.

“He complimented us on the success of our existing customer panel, whose contribution to shaping the programme of future improvements has been immeasurable.  We are a relatively small housing association – providing services to almost 600 people living in York, Leeds, Ryedale, the East Riding , Scarborough and Hull – but our size means that we know our tenants very well.”