The housing management services provided by Lewisham Homes are 'good' with 'promising' 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 organisation, which manages council housing for the London Borough of Lewisham, a 'good' two-star rating.
The service is easy to access with good quality information and comprehensive service standards. Residents have a positive input into major works and the responsive repairs service produces good, cost-effective outcomes. Reletting is quick and the cost of repairing empty homes is better than average. Performance in servicing gas appliances is excellent.
Hugh Boatswain, Audit Commission senior manager, said:
'Most of the services at Lewisham Homes are showing substantial improvement while becoming more efficient. The organisation consults its residents well, it is good at identifying vulnerability, works well with the Council's Housing Benefits service and helps residents who are financially excluded or in debt. However some properties are in significant need of cyclical decorations and advanced information for residents about planned works is limited.'
Strengths include:
- a strong customer focus in many areas;
- capital and major works are based on reliable information about the stock;
- aids and adaptations are carried out quickly;
- tenancies are successfully audited; and
- the caretaking service is effective.
Weaknesses include:
- low resident satisfaction with the responses to complaints and antisocial behaviour; and
- below average performance on rent arrears and collection with a high level of evictions.
To help the service improve, inspectors made recommendations that include:
Improving customer service by improving email responses, carrying out welcome visits more consistently and charging estate costs based on more robust methods of calculation.
- Improving services to residents who are vulnerable, monitoring the effectiveness of support provided by other organisations and reviewing the approach to eviction.
- Improve the efficiency and value for money of services, recouping more from rechargeable repairs and reducing the proportion of emergency and urgent repair orders to a more efficient level.
Copies of the report are available from Lewisham Homes, Lewisham Council or on the Audit Commission website at www.audit-commission.gov.uk
Notes to editors
- Lewisham Homes is an arm's length management organisation (ALMO) set up in January 2007. It manages 13,500 social housing tenancies and over 5,000 leasehold properties plus another 3,400 properties for the Council on an interim basis until October 2010. Lewisham Homes receives a £20 million management fee for this service in 20010/11 and manages the Council's £14 million capital budget and £20 million responsive repairs budget. It employs 484 staff.
- 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.
- On 13 August 2010 the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government announced that he plans to disband the Audit Commission. His intention is to have new arrangements in place for auditing England's public bodies by 2012/13.
For further information please contact: Chloe Morales Oyarce, Regional Communications Manager (London) on 0844 798 2095.