Beechdale Community Housing Association (BCHA) is providing a 'fair' service with 'promising' prospects for improvement according to an independent report released today by the Audit Commission. An earlier inspection in 2008 had rated the organisation as 'poor' with 'uncertain' prospects for improvement.
On a scale from zero to three stars the Audit Commission inspection team gave BCHA a 'fair' one-star rating. It cited services which are easy for tenants to access, and staff who are focused on meeting the needs of vulnerable people.
Deborah Good, the Audit Commission’s Lead Housing Inspector for the West Midlands, said:
'We have seen rapid change across key areas. Beechdale has tackled some significant challenges, and although there is more to do, it has shown that it can deliver lasting improvements in the services it provides to tenants.'
The report highlights some key strengths including:
- Repairs are completed quickly, with the majority done in a single visit.
- The estate is now well-managed, with issues such as litter and graffiti being tackled effectively.
- Cases of anti-social behaviour are well managed, with support provided to victims and perpetrators.
However, it also highlights a number of issues which need to be tackled, including:
- The level of customer care is not consistently good and there are some gaps in the information provided to tenants.
- It is not clear if all homes will meet the government's Decent Homes standard by the agreed deadline of December 2010.
- Arrangements to check and maintain the quality of completed repairs and maintenance work are not robust.
Recommendations include:
- Better management of the speed and quality of repairs to empty properties.
- Improving the information tenants receive about investment or repairs planned for their homes.
Notes to editors
- BCHA, which was set up in 1996, owns and manages approximately half of the 2,175 homes on the Beechdale estate in Walsall. The association employs 22 members of staff. In November 2008, an Audit Commission report said that BCHA provided a poor, zero-star service, with uncertain prospects for improvement.
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