Redbridge Homes tenants now getting a ‘good’ service with ‘promising’ prospects

The Audit Commission has published its report awarding Redbridge Homes a two star rating for its services to tenants and has highlighted a number of key strengths including improving value for money, a strong response to anti social behaviour and effectively involving residents in planned improvements.

The report follows the inspection carried out in February 2010. A two star rating means Redbridge Homes has now secured a place in the Decent Homes programme.

The amount of funding Redbridge receives will depend on the amount allocated to the fund in future years and this could be up to £39million.

Funding of £3 million to boost the 2010/11 programme has already been received by the Council.

 

Tom Lewis, Chair of Redbridge Homes, commented,

“The two star award is evidence of the commitment and hard work of everyone at Redbridge Homes.  We are pleased with the report and the findings from the Audit Commission give us solid foundations on which to build. Achieving the two star is an important milestone in our development and provides us with a solid foundation on which to build in the future. I would like to thank all our residents for their support over the year and the report proves our continued commitment to delivering first class services to our tenants and leaseholders.

 

The report highlights a number of key strengths including:

• High quality of cleaning and grounds maintenance.
• Strong response to anti-social behaviour, effective work with other organisations and investment in security measures making estates safer.
• Easily accessible services and comprehensive and easy to follow literature and website
• It is easy for tenants to report repairs, which are found to be carried out promptly and to a high standard.
• Empty properties are repaired and re-let quickly
• Performance in collecting current and former tenant rent arrears is strong.
• Redbridge Homes offers a wide range of ways for residents to be involved

 

The report also reflects key areas of improvement by Redbridge Homes following recommendations after the last inspection in 2009.  This includes,

• Upgrading the telephone system to effectively manage calls;
• Improving support for disabled and frail residents; and
• Increasing quality of repairs and improving the quality of ready  to let properties

 

Sharon Standell Chief Executive of Redbridge Homes said,

“This result is fantastic news for us. We have been working towards this goal for over two years and the two star award is a result of lots of hard work. The report shows our efforts so far and we now must build on this success and ensure that we continue to build for the future. The recommendations in the report enable us to devise an action plan to ensure all the areas for improvement are addressed.  This action plan will be implemented immediately. We will also be working to ensure as many homes as possible are brought up to the Decent Homes Standard.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my staff, the Board and our residents for their continued support and efforts of the last two years.”

 

Mark Elsworth, Audit Commission senior manager, said:

‘Redbridge Homes has an effective response to anti-social behaviour and provides a high quality of cleaning and grounds maintenance. However, while it offers residents a wide range of ways to be involved, the involvement structures are not well coordinated and they do not focus enough on outcomes that benefit residents. Redbridge Homes has also changed its approach to charging leaseholders and sent out bills late without literature to explain the new process. It is still not charging leaseholders the full cost of the service.’

 

We will now focus on continuing to improve the service delivered to its residents, looking at recommendations for improvement from the report.  This includes addressing the way complaints are handled, where Redbridge Homes has already appointed a complaints officer to help effectively respond and learn from complaints.

Copies of the report are available from Redbridge Homes or on the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk/housing/inspection/ALMO/reports.