Bromsgrove District Housing Trust (BDHT) is providing a 'good' service and has excellent prospects for improvement, according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission.
On a scale from zero to three stars the Audit Commission inspection team gave the Trust a 'good' two-star rating. It it is easy for tenants to access the services they need. Repairs are completed quickly, and homes meet minimum standards for being safe, warm and modern. Tenants are highly satisfied with the service they receive.
Deborah Good, Audit Commission Lead Housing Inspector for the West Midlands, said:
'BDHT is focused on meeting the needs of tenants and has has spent more than £30 million on their homes since it was set up in 2004. It has worked hard to improve the quality of its services. Tenant satisfaction has increased steadily as a result, and compares to the best- performing landlords nationally. The Trust has clear ambitions to improve further, and plans and resources are in place to make sure that this happens.'
Strengths include:
- Staff are customer-focused, and make sure services meet individual needs.
- Services are aimed at meeting the needs of vulnerable people.
- Repairs to empty properties are completed quickly.
- The Trust performs well on annual gas safety checks.
- Regeneration work is targeted at areas in most need with schemes and estates being well managed.
- The Trust works hard at preventing arrears and keeping people in their tenancies through intervention and support.
There are some areas for improvement. They include:
- Some opportunities to involve tenants in designing services are being missed.
- Quality assurance arrangements for repairs and maintenance are not fully developed.
- Grant funded adaptations are not being effectively monitored and opportunities to influence the performance of the Council have been missed.
Recommendations include:
- Improving how well adaptations are monitored and managed, reducing unnecessary delays.
- Working with tenants at an early stage to design and monitor services.
- Improving quality checks on completed repairs and maintenance work.
Notes to editors
BDHT was formed in March 2004 to accept the transfer of 3,116 homes and 130 leasehold flats from Bromsgrove District Council. It employs 120 staff, and services are mainly delivered from BDHT's office in Bromsgrove. Fourteen staff are directly employed in the Community Repairs Team, an in-house repairs service also based in Bromsgrove.
The Audit Commission is an independent watchdog, driving economy, efficiency and effectiveness in local public services to deliver better outcomes for everyone.
Our work across local government, health, housing, community safety and fire and rescue services means that we have a unique perspective. We promote value for money for taxpayers, auditing the £200 billion spent by 11,000 local public bodies.
As a force for improvement, we work in partnership to assess local public services and make practical recommendations for promoting a better quality of life for local people.
For more information or an embargoed copy of the report, please contact Eric Ludlow on 0844 798 4183