Connaught again receives the 'thumbs up' for encouraging resident participation

Connaught has once again received a glowing recommendation for encouraging resident participation while delivering repairs, maintenance and improvements to homes across the UK.

After recently undergoing a re-assessment process, the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) has re-awarded Connaught Partnerships Ltd their much-coveted Contractor Accreditation in a glittering ceremony held at the Birmingham Hilton NEC. In addition, Connaught has been identified by TPAS as demonstrating Good Practice on ‘steps taken to induct and monitor subcontractors to ensure good performance’ and ‘how resident involvement practices are aligned with those of client and tenant structures’.

Karen Ingham, Connaught customer experience director, said: “I am thrilled that our continued dedication to focussing on tenant involvement before, during and after our works has once again been recognised.

“In receiving this award it offers the perfect opportunity to thank all of our staff for their hard work in putting our processes into practice, our clients for supporting our new ideas for improvement and of course our tenants for constantly giving us feedback which we can act upon to really make a difference."

TPAS, the leading national resident participation organisation working to promote resident empowerment within communities, aims to improve involvement and quality of resident participation while helping social landlords develop successful partnerships with their residents. After initially being awarded Contractor Accreditation in 2006, Connaught was required to be re-assessed for the award that acts as a quality Mark for Contractors to assess of the standard of resident involvement to ensure best practice for three consecutive years.

Contractors undergoing assessment for accreditation are given a framework to self assess resident involvement within their organisation which is then tested through reality checks such as visits and interviews. Finally a TPAS Scrutiny panel meets to discuss if the required standards has been achieved including if the contractor is positive about supporting community initiatives, has a resident involvement and customer care strategy and the partnership actively surveys residents’ views.

Michelle Reid, Chief Executive of TPAS said, “The TPAS contractor accreditation in resident involvement award recognises companies who demonstrate the very best practice in the way they work with, and engage residents, when working on local authority or housing association homes. Connaught Partnerships clearly recognises the importance and value of involving tenants in the delivery of its services while supporting landlords in driving up standards in tenant involvement.

“I’m delighted that Connaught Partnerships has achieved TPAS accreditation for a further three years. It is a rigorous assessment process during which we found continuing excellent practice in the organisation’s approach to resident engagement and involvement.”