Redditch Borough Council Housing Services Service ...€¦ · 2O11-12. Service Standards 2011 -...

Redditch Borough CouncilHousing Services

Service Standards2O11-12

Service Standards 2011 - 2012

1

Contents Forward 2

Customer Service 3

Customer Care and Choice 3 Complaints 5 Equality and Diversity 5 Tenant Involvement and Empowerment 6 Housing Options 7

Allocations and Redditch Home Choice 7 Homelessness and Housing Advice 8 Temporary Accommodation 9 Housing Repairs and Maintenance 10

Gas Safety Checks and Servicing 10 Decent Homes 11 Response Repairs 12 Void Repairs 13 Housing Tenancy and Estate Management 14

Anti-Social Behaviour 14 Tenancy and Estate Management 15 Preventing Tenancy Debt and Rent Arrears Recovery 18 Tenants with Additional Support Needs 20

Equipment and Adaptations 20 Special Needs Service 20 Home Support Service 21 Extra Care Service 22 Keeping you Informed about our Performance 23


2

Forward

All of our teams in Housing Services are

proud of the service they provide and we

are always seeking to improve our service

excellence. This document details the

standards our teams will be working

towards in ensuring that this level of service

is achieved.

Our tenants have helped us to create these service standards and they have

told us what is important to them with regards to service delivery. It is this

feedback that has shaped the formation of the service standards and the local

offers. This document was considered and approved by our Borough Tenants

Forum.

Achieving service excellence is very important to us and we expect every

member of staff to meet these service standards. To ensure that our tenants

are fully involved in the monitoring of our performance we have formed a

Performance Development Review Panel. They will be looking at our

performance, identifying areas to focus on and conducting ‘mystery shopping’.

We are committed to keeping you fully informed about what we do and how

we do it and will publish our performance in our Annual report in October.

If you want to be more involved and help shape our services please contact

the Tenant Involvement team on: 01527 534188 or email:

[email protected]

Liz Tompkin

Head of Housing


3

Customer Service Excellent customer service is at the heart of Redditch Borough Council's Housing Services. We have local offers for each of the four strands of Customer Service:

• Customer Care and Choice • Complaints • Equality and Diversity • Tenant Involvement and Empowerment

Customer Care and Choice It is very important to us to provide a high quality customer service with a wide choice of access methods. When you access the Housing teams direct we will:

� Be polite and helpful and will serve you fairly and without discrimination at all times.

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring

� Ensure staff and contractors carry identity badges at all times. Please always ask to see identification before letting anyone into your home.

Be polite and helpful and will serve you fairly and without discrimination at all times.

Mystery Shopping

� Aim to ensure that all staff present themselves in a professional way and are smart in appearance.

Provide easy to understand, useful, accurate information in response to any enquiry

Mystery Shopping

� Listen and show understanding of your needs. Clearly explain what actions we will take to meet those needs.

Documentation approved by the Borough Tenants Forum

Borough Tenants Forum

� Seek and use feedback to review and improve the way we deliver our services.

� Respect your privacy wherever possible.

� Visit you in your own home if you cannot come to our offices.

� Comply with the Data Protection Act.

� Provide support if you are struggling to sustain any part of the tenancy agreement.

� Provide easy to understand, useful and accurate information in response to any enquiry.

� Sign post you to appropriate agencies that can offer specialist support.


4

When you access the Housing teams direct by telephone we

will:

� Give our name and service area Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring

� Answer the phone within 20 seconds (5 rings)

Answer the phone within 20 seconds (5 rings)

Internal Control

� Put you through to the right person the first time

Put you through to the right person the first time

Mystery Shopping

� Return your call if you ask us to

When you access the Housing teams direct in writing we will:

� Acknowledge your letters or emails within 2 working days


� Reply within 10 working days wherever possible. (If we cannot give you a full reply we will let you know when a reply can be expected.)

� Send forms or information leaflets you ask for within 5 working days

Reply within 10 working days wherever possible. (If we cannot give you a full reply we will let you know when a reply can be expected.)

Internal Control

When we visit you at home or you visit us we will:

� Offer you an appointment with an Officer within 10 working days.


� See you within 15 minutes of you arriving and deal with your enquiry as quickly as possible.

Of Carry our ID badges and show them to you

Mystery Shopping

� Carry our ID badges and show them to you

� Let you know when we will be coming if you have asked for a home visit.

Let you know when we will be coming when you have asked us to visit you at home

Mystery Shopping

� Inform you as soon as possible if an appointment can not be kept.

� Leave a calling card when we visit you at home if you are not in.

� Offer you private interview facilities if required and ensure our offices provide a welcoming environment.


5

Complaints

When you want to make a complaint or give us feedback we

will:

Equality and Diversity

All of our services will be provided to our service users

equally. We will not discriminate against anyone because of

their age, disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation

and we will:

� Always treat you fairly and with respect and offer a friendly, polite and helpful service.


� Behave professionally and treat your home with respect when we visit you.

� Listen to you and be sensitive to your needs and respect your confidentiality.

Assess the impact of our policies and services and make changes if they are found to be treating any group unfairly.

Internal Control

� Act quickly and firmly against discrimination.

� Wherever possible give advice on how to access a translation service if required.

� Ensure all customers are treated equally.

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Take any complaint made about our service very seriously, carry out a full investigation and provide you with a full response.

Follow the Council’s complaint procedure if you make a formal complaint about any of our services.

Internal Control

� Follow the Council’s complaint procedure if you make a formal complaint about any of our services.

� Attempt to make service improvements as a result of any complaints and take any comments you make on board.

� Publish the number of complaints and what we have done to improve services as a result of your complaints or comments.


6

� Make sure our offices are accessible.

� Use language that is easy to read and understand.

� Wherever possible, make our correspondence available in other formats if required, e.g. Braille, large print, audio cassette.

� Assess the impact of our policies and services and make changes if they are found to be treating any group unfairly.

� Understand the profile of our tenants and respond to your needs.

� Make sure our staff are trained in equality and diversity.

Tenant Involvement and Empowerment

We aim to provide a wide range of involvement methods

ensuring our tenants are at the heart of everything we do we

will:

� Provide a wide range of

involvement methods and keep you informed.


� Ask and respond to how you want to be involved.

Provide a wide range of involvement methods and keep you informed.

Feedback forms

� Provide opportunities to test, monitor and review and challenge our strategies, polices and service to improve how we work.

� Break down engagement barriers for attending meetings by offering out of pocket expenses (i.e. travel/child care expenses).

� Embed involvement throughout all of our services.

� Produce a quarterly newsletter to keep you informed.

� Explain and account for how we have used your input to make a difference

� Support formal structures of involvement from local groups to groups engaged in developing strategies and policies.


7

Housing Options

• Allocations and Redditch Home Choice • Homelessness and Housing Advice • Temporary Accommodation

Redditch Borough Council’s Housing Options specialist advice service can be accessed by everyone with a housing related query, including first time home hunters, existing council tenants, housing association tenants, private rented tenants and owner occupiers.

Allocations and Redditch Home Choice The Redditch Home Choice Scheme is designed to be a transparent and fair system of allocating Council and Housing Association stock. Applicants' housing need will be assessed and awarded a banding and an amount of points to reflect their need. All allocations of Redditch Borough Council empty properties

are made in line with Redditch Borough Council’s Allocations

Policy and Redditch Home Choice scheme we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Advertise empty properties on

the Redditch Home Choice Website and display in the 4 local customer contact centres; Woodrow; Winyates; Batchley and the Town Hall.

Allocate Redditch Borough Council empty properties in line with our allocations policy / local lettings policies

Internal Control

� Allocate Redditch Borough Council empty properties in line with our allocations policy / local lettings policies.

Conduct an accompanied viewing on all offers of accommodation

Internal Control

� Offer applicants flexibility when viewing and signing for their new tenancy.

� Keep applicants advised of the length of time they can expect to wait for their new tenancy to become available for them.

� If we decide that the applicant does not qualify for the property we will verbally discuss this with the applicant and confirm our reasons in writing.

� Conduct an accompanied viewing on all offers of accommodation


8

Homelessness and Housing Advice We will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Ensure that free advice and

information about homelessness and the prevention of homelessness is available to anyone who enquires.

Offer you a 45 minute appointment with a specialist Housing Options Officer within 14 days to discuss your housing needs.

Feedback Forms

� Provide you with a dedicated Officer throughout your application.

Give you details of which banding you have been placed in within 28 working days.

Internal Control

� Offer you a 45 minute appointment with a specialist Housing Options Officer within 14 days to discuss your housing needs

� Give you details of which banding you have been placed in within 28 working days.

If an assessment has been undertaken under Homeless Legislation a written decision will be provided within 33 working days (providing all necessary information is available).

Internal Control

� Ensure if you are eligible to go on the waiting list that you receive information on how Redditch Home Choice scheme works.

� Produce an action plan with you to resolve your housing need. This may include: advice and assistance, referral to supported accommodation and access to private rented accommodation.

� If you are street homeless offer you

an emergency appointment to assess your circumstances within 24 hours.

� We will offer you a right to appeal any decision an application that we make

� If you find it difficult to access the

Council’s offices, a home visit will be offered.

� Ensure that a Housing Officer is available to see anyone who is homeless or threatened with homelessness on the same working day.

� Offer an out of office hours emergency telephone service to provide advice and assistance to those who are homeless

� If an assessment has been undertaken under Homelessness Legislation a written decision will be provided within 33 working days (providing all necessary information is available).


9

Temporary Accommodation We will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Provide temporary

accommodation for applicants who are entitled to such assistance under the Homeless Legislation in the following ways:

Whilst in temporary accommodation provide support

Internal Control

� Redditch Borough Council owned and managed temporary accommodation, which is partially furnished.

� Bed and breakfast accommodation, but only when other accommodation is unavailable

Provide temporary accommodation for applicants who are entitled to such assistance under the Homeless Legislation

P1E Forms

� Specialist hostel and supported accommodation


10

Housing Repairs and Maintenance • Gas Safety

Checks and Servicing

• Response Repairs

• Decent Homes

• Void Repairs

Gas Safety Checks and Servicing

All work will be undertaken by “Gas Safe” registered engineers. Reporting of Breakdowns we will:

� Provide a breakdown service 24

hours a day 7 days a week for heating and hot water systems.

� Ensure that, if a contractor cannot restore heating following a breakdown, the contractor will supply temporary heaters.

� Attend in an emergency and dependent on the type of emergency the following response times will apply:

� Emergency (within 1 hour)

� Urgent (within 2 hours)

� Non-urgent (within 5 working days) this includes partial loss of heating or hot water.

� Take legal action against you if you do not provide our contractor with access to your home to undertake the gas safety check and any subsequent repairs as this is necessary to protect and ensure the safety and wellbeing of you, the tenant.


11

Annual Gas Service

It is a legal requirement that each property has an annual gas

safety check, if tenants do not allow access, legal action may

be taken we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Arrange for the contractor to carry out a Gas Safety check and service of the Council owned gas appliances (including pipe work, flues, vents and meters) within your property.

Arrange for the contractor to carry out a Gas Safety check and service of the Council owned gas appliances (including pipe work, flues, vents and meters) within your property.

Internal Control

� Where appliances fail the safety check we will arrange for the fault to be fixed. In some cases an identified fault may result in the temporary disconnection of an appliance until the necessary safety work is completed.

� Provide you with a copy of the Gas Safety Certificate.

� Appointments are available: Monday to Friday (8am to 5pm.)

Decent Homes We recognise that it is essential that our properties are

maintained and improved in line with the Government’s Decent

Homes Standard we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Provide a decent home with

modern facilities.

� Formulate and implement an effective planned maintenance and improvements programme.

Provide a decent home with modern facilities.

Internal Control

� Publicise improvement works three months in advance of their start date.

� Give you a choice of colours for bathroom and kitchen fittings.

� Give you advance notice if we need to carry out an inspection or survey of your property prior to commencing improvement works.

� Provide a Tenant Liaison Officer to deal with any queries/complaints you may have.

� Following completion of the works, give information and guidance as how to operate all new installations e.g. Central Heating Boilers.

� Write to you at least four weeks before any work is carried out in your home detailing:


12

� Which contractor will complete the work

� Send you a Satisfaction Card after the work has been completed to ask for your views about the quality of work carried out.

� The nature and extent of the work

� The likely levels of disruption and timescale of work

� Inspect all works within five working days of completion and ensure that any faults are rectified within a further five working days.

� Who to contact in the event of things going wrong

Response Repairs We will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � A Response Repairs Service is

provided and repairs are prioritised, according to their urgency, as follows:

Response times for emergency repairs (24 hours).

Internal Control

� Emergency (within 24 hours)

Response times for urgent repairs (5 days).

Internal Control

� Urgent (within 5 working days)

Response times for routine repairs (25 days).

Internal Control

� Routine (within 25 working days)

� Notify you of the repairs you are responsible for in your home.

� Provide a telephone and, face to face repairs reporting service during normal office hours plus a 24 hour online service.

� Where we cannot easily identify the nature of the repair we will arrange for an inspection to be carried out. Inspections will be carried out within 15 working days unless the request is classed as an emergency.

� If unable to complete the work at the first call confirm what action will be taken next.

� Send you a repair satisfaction card for you to comment on the quality of work and service you received.

� Provide an out of hour’s repairs service for emergency repairs.

� Offer a convenient time to carry out the repair and operate repairs by appointment service.

� Wherever possible complete the repair at the first visit.


13

Void Repairs Repairs to void properties are carried out to ensure that

properties are of a good standard, safe and clean before they

are re-let; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Carry out repairs on all empty

properties to the Voids Standard

Carry out repairs to an empty property to the Voids Standard

Mystery Shopping

� Review the voids standard with tenants and prospective tenants

Review the Voids Standard with tenants and prospective tenants

Internal Control

� Offer a void incentive and notify the outcome of the application within 10 days of the void inspection being conducted


14

Housing Tenancy and Estate Management Tenancy Management Services offer a wide range of Tenancy services working to make your homes and communities a better place to live:

• Anti-Social Behaviour • Tenancy and Estate Management • Preventing Tenancy Debt and Rent Arrears Recovery

Anti-social Behaviour Redditch Borough Council has a specialist Anti-Social

Behaviour team who treat all reports of anti-social behaviour

seriously; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Allocate a trained Anti-social

Behavior co-ordinator who will deal with the case throughout to conduct a full investigation into any report of ASB.

� Make contact with the complainant either by letter, phone, email or a personal visit to arrange an appointment within 5 working days, dependant upon the seriousness of the case :

Make contact with the complainant either by letter, phone, email or a personal visit to arrange an appointment within 5 working days, dependant upon the seriousness of the case

Internal Control

� High 24 hours � Advise you of our investigation procedures.

� Medium 2-3 days � Only pursue further investigations with your permission.

� Low 4-5 days � Only disclose personal information with your permission.

� Review the case in agreement with you.

� Keep you informed throughout the process.

� Write to you when your case is due to be closed. If you are in agreement the case will be closed on an agreed date.

� Ensure that all successful actions taken against anti-social behaviour will be publicised via appropriate means.

� Call multi agency meetings to help support a positive resolution to a case.

� Where possible all options to resolve issues will be investigated and used prior to taking legal action.

� Appropriate action will be taken to support victims, witnesses

� Legal action that Redditch Borough Council has the power to enforce


15

and perpetrators of anti-social behaviour.

will be carried out where there is enough evidence to support such action.

� Mediation services from an independent source will be offered as required.

Tenancy and Estate Management

It is important to Redditch Borough Council to keep our

estates clean and tidy and encourage our tenants to help to

achieve this; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Attempt to identify the source of

fly tipping and will take appropriate action against offenders in partnership with Enforcement Officers.

Undertake walkabouts on each estate of the borough at least once a year with

Internal Control

� Undertake walkabouts on each estate of the borough at least once a year with:

� Write to residents in communal areas to remove fly tipping and remind them of their tenancy conditions to keep communal areas clear of rubbish.

�Conduct regular estate

inspections and report any issues such as repairs, lighting, and graffiti to the appropriate services/agencies.

� Residents RBC Officers to

include, Tenancy, Anti-social Behaviour, Environmental, Landscape, Cleansing, Enforcement, Repairs & Maintenance, Community Safety /Tenants

� Police & Fire Service � Local Councillors

New Tenancies

Redditch Borough Council believes it is important to provide

advice and assistance at the beginning of a tenancy to help

new tenants sustain their tenancies; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Sign all new tenancies within 3

working days of the property being accepted.

� Advise you of your tenancy conditions outlining your rights

Sign all new tenancies within 3 working days of the property being accepted.

Internal Control


16

and responsibilities and provide you with a copy of the signed agreement.

Visit all new tenants within 20 working days of commencement of the tenancy.

Internal Control

� Visit you within 20 working days of commencement of your tenancy.

� Provide a 12 month Introductory Tenancy to all new tenants that will automatically become Secure after 12 months, subject to conditions.

� Offer a Secure Tenancy to existing secure tenants that transfer or mutually exchange

Mutual Exchange

Redditch Borough Council secure tenants have the right to exchange tenancies with: • another tenant of Redditch Borough Council, • a tenant of another Council • a Housing Association tenant An exchange must not go ahead without the Councils written

consent; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Assess each application in

accordance with Redditch Borough Councils policies and procedures.

� Within 10 working days of the exchange request, inspect by appointment with the tenant(s), all properties subject to the exchange.

Within 10 working days of the exchange request, inspect by appointment with the tenant(s), all properties subject to the exchange

Internal Control

� Where we refuse to grant permission we will explain the reason why in writing. We will also tell you how you can appeal the decision.

We will provide you with a decision in writing within 30 working days of receiving the application to exchange

Internal Control

� We will send your reference details to any other Registered Social Landlord involved in the exchange within 20 working days of receipt of application. At the same time, we will request a reference for their tenants.

� We will provide you with a decision in writing within 30 working days of receiving the application to exchange.


17

� Not advocate or accept any responsibility for money arrangements between tenants.

� Conduct appropriate safety checks prior to any move.

Succession Redditch Borough Council Secure tenants have the right to

succeed following a death of a tenant. Certain conditions are

applied to applicants wishing to succeed. Introductory

tenants can succeed to the remaining term of the Introductory

Tenancy period. We will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Following the death of a tenant

treat potential successors with tact and diplomacy.

� Assess each case in accordance with legislation, policy, procedure and conditions of tenancy.

Following the death of a tenant treat potential successors with tact and diplomacy.

Feedback

� Advise potential successors where they can get housing advice and independent legal advice.

� Notify potential successors of our decision, including reasons why an application may be rejected in writing.

� Write to potential successors within 10 working days of contact being made requesting any additional information required to make a decision

Termination of Tenancies

Redditch Borough Council tenancy agreements are legal

contracts that require 28 days notice to be given if a tenant

wishes to leave and give back possession of their property; we

will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Send a “Termination Form” upon

request by the existing tenant or next of kin within 3 working days of a request and provide information on how to terminate the tenancy.

Contact the outgoing tenant or next of kin within 3 working days of receiving the termination form to arrange an inspection of the property.

Internal Control


18

� Contact the outgoing tenant or next of kin within 3 working days of receiving the termination form to arrange an inspection of the property.

� Offer a Void Incentive which can be applied for when the property is inspected.

� Give the outgoing tenant or next of kin the opportunity to undertake any repairs to reduce the possibility of being recharged.

� Conduct an inspection of the property and inform the tenant of possible recharge items.

� Consider wavering the notice period if deemed reasonable. This will need to be confirmed in writing.

� Allow the termination period to be extended or cancelled completely. This will need to be confirmed in writing.

Preventing Tenancy Debt and Rent Arrears Recovery

Preventing Tenancy Debt

Housing Services offer a

Welfare Benefit service as it is

key in ensuring we are helping

tenants to sustain their

tenancy by preventing

tenancy debt; we will:

�Identify pre-tenancy applicants

who may struggle to manage their finances and give them advice and assistance.

� Ensure, through an effective letting and sign up procedure, that tenants are aware of their financial obligations prior to the start of their tenancy.

�Assist you with making housing benefit applications and offer assistance with making backdated claims.

� Wherever possible we will assist you to fast track housing benefit applications and liaise with Housing Benefit services on your behalf.

�Work with you to help you to maximize your income and wherever possible make you aware of other benefits that you may be entitled to.

� Offer a welfare benefit and budgeting advice service and signpost you to other agencies that can provide a debt counselling service.


19

Rent Arrears Recovery

It is important that we recover outstanding rent payments to

achieve this; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Monitor all accounts in rent

arrears and follow rent arrears procedures in line with rent arrears protocols

� Take early action to prevent rent arrears.

� Contact you within 5 working days if you miss a payment.

Monitor all accounts in rent arrears and follow rent arrears procedures in line with rent arrears protocols,

Internal Control

� Give you the opportunity should you fall into arrears to make an arrangement to clear the arrears before taking recovery action.

Send quarterly rent statements to all tenants

Internal Control

� Use a variety of methods to make contact with you including ad hoc visits, telephone calls, out of office hours visits/calls.

� Serve notice on your tenancy if you fall behind by more than 4 weeks rent.

� Send rent statements, direct debit/standing order mandates within 5 working days of a request.

� Take possession action against you in court if you do not make arrangements to pay back arrears following notice being served on you.

� Send quarterly rent statements to all tenants

� Inform you of your rights and how to get legal advice and assistance.

� Provide a variety of payment options to include; telephone payments, direct debit, swipe cards.


20

Tenants with Additional Support Needs

• Equipment and Adaptations • Special Needs Service • Home Support Service • Extra Care Service

Equipment and Adaptations Redditch Borough Council provides an Equipment and

Adaptations service for Tenants, who work very closely with

the Community Occupational Therapists, carrying out their

recommendations for equipment and adaptations to be located

into tenant’s properties; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Accept referrals by telephone,

email, letter, or through our website.

� Send referrals to the Occupational Therapists within 5 working days.

Send referrals to the Occupational Therapists within 5 working days.

Internal Control

� Categorise our major works in order of priority and date received.

� Process minor works weekly in date order, unless the request is from the hospital and urgent.

� Send a letter to the customer, once the Occupational Therapists recommendation has been logged, advising them of the approximate waiting time, and what category the referral falls into. E.g. major or minor works.

Special Needs Service

Special Needs Tenancy Officers, visit tenants whose current

property may no longer meet their needs. They will discuss

opportunities for re-housing to more suitable accommodation

and provide assistance in achieving this if required; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Conduct a home visit within 5 working days of a request, to assess if your property is no longer suitable for your needs

� Work in partnership with the

Conduct a home visit within 5 working days of a request, to assess if your property is no

Internal Control


21

Occupational Therapy Service to ensure your property does not affect your medical condition.

longer suitable for your needs

Notify you in writing of the decision on the medical priority report within 15 working days of the report being submitted for approval.

Internal Control

� Offer tenants assistance with house moves, subject to complying with the relevant criteria. These could be reasonable expenses towards the cost of removals, replacement of carpets/curtains, and covering rent on two properties.

� Notify you in writing of the decision on the medical priority report within 15 working days of the report being submitted for approval.

� Assist you with placing bids for re-housing through our Choice Based Lettings system

� Produce medical reports for consideration to give priority banding if applicable. Offer tenants assistance with house moves, subject to complying with the relevant criteria. These could be reasonable expenses towards the cost of removals, replacement of carpets/curtains, and covering rent on two properties.

� NB: Agreements are made at the

discretion of Housing Managers, dependant on your circumstances

Home Support Service Redditch Borough Council

provides a Home Support

Service, designed to provide

support at home and offer

assistance to tenants if their

home becomes unsuitable for

their needs due to a medical

condition we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Provide a support package

tailored to individual needs.

� Facilitate independence and well-being.

� Carry out a full assessment of support needs, for new applications, within 10 working days.

Carry out a full assessment of support needs, for new applications, within 10 working days.

Internal Control


22

� Safeguard the individuality and personal rights of each tenant whilst acknowledging the responsibility to others.

� Advise applicants of the outcome of their application for support, within 3 working days of the assessment visit.

� Sign post tenants to the appropriate Redditch Borough Council departments and agencies, which can offer specialist support to help them to remain live independently in their own homes.

� Carry out a support plan, for new tenants, within 5 working days of being accepted for support.

� Test your Lifeline equipment on a regular basis.

� Assist tenants with disabilities to continue to live independently in their own homes, by referring them for assessments from Occupational Therapists, or assisting them, to transfer to another property, best suited to their needs.

� Advise applicants of the outcome of their application for support, within 3 working days of the assessment visit.

Extra Care and Support Service Redditch Borough Council’s St David’s House and Queens

Cottages accommodation provides Extra Care and support for

tenants who require a care and support service 24 hours a day

365 days of the year; we will:

Standard (Local Offer) Monitoring � Work with you to identify, and

provide, a care and support plan that will meet your needs.

� Provide an environment that enables you to feel secure, remain independent and in control of your life.

Work with you to identify, and provide, a care and support plan that will meet your needs.

Internal Control

� Provide a consistent approach to reviewing and responding to individual needs.

� Test your Lifeline equipment on a monthly basis.

� Provide activities, advice and encouragement to prevent as far as possible, deterioration in your health and well being.

� Provide a nutritionally balanced 2 course meal at the Luncheon club 365 days of the year.

Redditch Borough Council also offer a Life Line community alarm service that gives tenants access to emergency help 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.


23

Keeping you informed about our

performance We will publish our performance against these local offers on our website and will include them in our Annual Report. Our Performance Development Review Panel consists of tenants who will scrutinise our performance quarterly and identify any areas for further investigation. They will also co-ordinate the mystery shopping exercises. This information will be presented to the Core Management Team and the Borough Tenant’s Panel.

How we monitor We have a number of methods to monitor our performance and these are listed alongside the relevant offer. They are: Internal Control ~ information we gather from monthly from our internal systems to ensure we meet our local offers and performance targets. Mystery Shopping ~ will be conducted by tenant mystery shoppers across all services. The schedule of mystery shopping is agreed by the Performance Development Review Group. Feedback Forms ~ all services will provide opportunities for their customers to feedback on the service provided plus each year a satisfaction survey will be carried out for each service area. Feedback from our customers enables us to know about the service you receive and the information collected is used to improve our services. If you feel we do not meet the standards in this document please let us know by contacting our Housing Performance and Database Team on 01527 64252 or e-mail [email protected]

Date post:	16-Jul-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

Redditch Borough Council Housing Services Service ...€¦ · 2O11-12. Service Standards 2011 -...

Documents