As part of our engagement calendar for 2024, we have recently held four tenant challenge days in Bolsover, Clowne, Shirebrook and South Normanton.

Tenants were involved in a range of workshop discussions looking at:

• How we deal with tenancy management
• Opportunities for tenant involvement
• The repairs and maintenance service and how we fund planned and emergency repairs
• The ongoing planned maintenance programme and how we agree priority works for replacements and upgrades which is covered by our capital funding

Tenants attending were very complimentary about the standard of properties we rent. When talking about the issues tenants can face during extreme cold weather, it was noted that we only install one type of boiler creating a more streamlined service so engineers can easily carry spare parts to complete repairs.

In addition, we now fit Boiler Buoys on combination boilers so tenants can complete simple checks on the boiler themselves when the temperature drops to freezing. 

When evaluating our approach to tenancy management, some tenants were able to give feedback on our recently changed approach for new tenants. They now receive a series of four support visits within the first 12-months of their tenancy. As the tenants in question had moved to the district from somewhere else in the country, they found it really helpful settling into the area.

As part of attending the events, tenants were entered into a free prize draw for a £20 shopping voucher. 

We have already implemented some immediate actions from the four sessions.

You said: A more personal approach is needed where there is a bereavement in a joint tenancy
We did: Agreed to alter contact following bereavement to include personal face to face visit, as part of offering support and advice, and the move to a sole tenancy.

You said: Being able to decorate the property after moving in has been difficult due to current health complaints.
We did: Our repairs action team are due to discuss options for decorating vouchers or other such schemes as part of their next meetings.

You said: Some repairs are completed better than others, it needs to be 'right first time'.
We did: We already seek customer feedback for all our repairs visits where the tenant is present and willing to complete the survey, and for 2023-24 we exceeded our satisfaction targets.

• Overall satisfaction repairs - 99.7% (target 99%)
• Right first time satisfaction - 100% (target 98%)