Section: Best Practices & Standards
Short Notice Inspections on the Horizon
Further details were available of the The Audit Commission's proposals to introduce short notice inspections for housing associations, following a successful pilot programme.
The shorter inspections will take less time to complete than the conventional inspections, as they will specifically target weaker services. This new approach will reduce the regulatory burden, while at the same time driving through improvements in services to tenants and leaseholders.
Short notice inspections will focus on the quality of services provided to tenants and leaseholders. In future the housing inspectors can home in on just one or two services, for example, emergency repairs to tenants' homes or the responses to complaints about anti-social behaviour.
The first short notice inspections could be on site as early as this Autumn in the wake of the pilot programme that involved 12 volunteer housing associations. In addition, the Audit Commission now intends to extend this approach and will be consulting shortly with local authorities and arms' length management organisations.
Steve Bundred, Chief Executive of the Audit Commission, said:
"The pilot programme has shown we can successfully deliver a new style of inspection that puts the spotlight on weaker performing or failing services.
By working with housing associations and other housing providers, we can help them to improve services to their customers.
The volunteers from the pilot programme have suggested ways to improve the impact of the inspections and we are very grateful to them."
Instead of a few months advance warning, those taking part in the pilot programme were given five days notice. Each inspection team spent three days on site, focusing on the three weakest performing services. With less time for housing associations to prepare, inspectors could get a true picture of how the services operate.
The Audit Commission and the Housing Corporation will jointly decide which housing associations and services will be subject to a short notice inspection. Inspectors' reports will continue to be published, but details of the inspection programme will not be given out.
LA Stars
Crawley Borough Council
An Audit Commission report in June concluded that the
housing management services provided by Crawley Borough Council are 'poor' and have 'uncertain' prospects for improvement. The inspection team gave the service a poor Zero-star rating.
This was mainly because the Council's approach to maintaining homes is weak and less than half of homes meet the Decent Homes Standard. Access to housing services is underdeveloped and residents have not been effectively engaged in developing the service. The approach to value for money is also weak.
Strengths identified by the inspection team include:
- The approach to dealing with anti-social behaviour is effective.
- Empty properties are re-let quickly.
Weaknesses noted include:
- Inconsistent access to services, a lack of service standards, and gaps in support for vulnerable people.
- A lack of robust plans for future investment in the housing stock. More than half of the stock does not meet the required standard and the repairs and maintenance service is falling well below target in some areas.
- Resident involvement and customer focus are underdeveloped.
- The strategic approach to estate management and sheltered housing is weak.
- The service cannot show that it is obtaining value for money.
To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations. These include:
- Adopting a comprehensive asset management plan and modernising the responsive repairs service.
- Improving the focus on customers by improving access to services, developing service standards, refreshing the range of service information available and identifying how to improve resident involvement.
- Developing the approach to value for money through efficiently collecting debts, introducing better procurement practices, analysing whether partnerships and support services are delivering required outcomes and consulting tenants on their service priorities.
Your Homes Newcastle
A report released by by the Audit Commission concludes that Your Homes Newcastle is providing an 'excellent' service which has excellent prospects for further improvement.
Inspectors awarded the Newcastle City Council ALMO a Three-star excellent service rating.
The report notes that:
- Residents and service users are at the heart of the ALMO's business and their involvement is having a significant impact with a range of positive outcomes achieved.
- Commitment to customer care is strong and customer satisfaction is increasing. Meeting customers' diverse needs is successfully embedded into day to day activities.
- The ALMO is providing a range of high quality supported housing services which is well integrated with housing management services and is indicative of the holistic approach taken in meeting the needs of more vulnerable customers.
- Resourced plans are in place to achieve Your Homes Newcastle's own Modern Homes standard with tenants actively influencing the investment programme. The responsive repairs service is well managed and customer focused with high satisfaction levels.
- Financial inclusion is integral to the approach to income management and the approach to debt recovery is customer centred and supports tenants to remain in their homes.
- The Your Choice Homes choice-based lettings scheme is well established and customer oriented with proactive help available to vulnerable applicants.
- The approach to anti-social behaviour is effective. Victims and vulnerable perpetrators are well supported and customer satisfaction is high.
The reprt makes recommendations on areas that need attention, including:
- It is taking too long to let vacant homes, even when long term vacancies are discounted.
- Some disabled customers needing adaptations may be waiting longer than necessary because applications are not sufficiently prioritised or tightly controlled.
Your Homes Newcastle manages Newcastle City Council's 30,500 homes and provides services to around 1,100 leaseholders, through an agreement that began in 2004 and which was extended for a further five years in February 2008. The agreement covers housing management and maintenance services, delivery of a major home improvement programme, allocations and supported housing services.
Other Reports
Other local authority inspection reports issued during June included:
- Bournemouth Council (Strategic Housing Services): Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
- Dorset County Council (Supporting People): One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
- Hammersmith and Fulham Homes (Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council ALMO): One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
- Mid Suffolk District Council (Strategic Housing Services): Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
- Milton Keynes Council (Housing Management Services): Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
- North East Lincolnshire Council (Supporting People): Zero-star poor service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
- North West Leicestershire District Council (Landlord Services): One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
- Rutland County Council (Landlord Services): One-star fair service with excellent prospects for improvement.
- South Lakes Housing (South Lakeland District Council ALMO): Two-star good service with excellent prospects for improvement.
- South Tyneside Homes (South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council ALMO): Two-star good service with promising prospects for improvement.
RSL Performers
Registered social landlord inspection reports issued by the Audit Commission during June 2008 included:
- Nottingham Community Housing Association (Housing Services): Two-star good service with excellent prospects for improvement.
- Twynham Housing Association (Housing Management Services): One-star fair service with promising prospects for improvement.
- Yorkshire Coast Homes (Housing Management Services): One-star fair service with uncertain prospects for improvement.
