Each month we select good practice by social landlords in how their websites are designed and used, looking at specific issues, such as information giving and on-line services for tenants and other service users.
Solihull Community Housing is the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) due to take over responsibility for running the housing service on behalf of Solihull Council - as of April 2004.
The ALMO's home page highlights information of a current nature, including, at the time of viewing, links to bank holiday closing times, and to information about construction work vacancies with partnership contractors working on the Council's Decent Homes programme.
This site has most of the usual sections. We found, however, it useful to explore one in particular, titled Have Your Say. It is not unusual to find sub-sections of websites that invite feedback from tenants, promote consultation, etc., but we feel this one introduces some refreshing ideas. For example, Mystery Shopping is promoted, and an invitation extended for training to take part. For those of our readers not familiar with the practice, or how it is applicable to social housing, we quote from the website:
A mystery shopper is someone who is trained to test a service or product in a real life setting. Mystery shoppers have been used for a number of years by shops, restaurants or services to test the products and services they are providing to their customers. The "Shopping" can be done by personal visit, phone or letter.
Still in the same sub-section, we used the hyperlink to Form a Group. This offered common advice on forming tenants' associations, etc., and, again we quote from the website:
There are a number of Tenants' and Residents' Associations in the Borough and we are always happy to support new ones. We will provide support ranging from assisting with photocopying or paying for room hire, to awarding an annual grant of up to £600, depending on whether your group is in development or more established.
All in all, some refreshing ideas.
www.solihullcommunityhousing.org.uk
This has to be one of the newest social landlord websites, as the Trust only came into being in March 2005. This followed a successful tenants' vote in favour of taking over and managing some 10,000 council homes.
Being a new website, there has been the opportunity to see what works well elsewhere and incorporate it. Most of the common good practices are built in, including a healthy news section and on-line repairs reporting. Some of the sections are still under development, but then stock transfer is still to take place.
One of the sections being developed concentrates on Support and Care. Not the only website we have seen with such a section, but one of a minority and worth a mention. Already, useful information has been developed on warden services; and other sub-sections, including one on homelessness, are promised.
There is a particularly good section on "antisocial behaviour, race and hate crime." This is divided into sub-sections, each dealing concisely with specific issues, e.g., defining ASB, tenants' responsibilities, how to make a complaint, what happens next, and support services.
www.traffordhousingtrust.co.uk