Question of the month

134 Customers took part and told us:

• 118 (88%) found the information clear and helpful
• 16 (12%) felt they would like more detailed explanations of service charges

Thank you to everyone who took part and left a comment.

What we are doing:

• Your feedback and comments will be included in future reviews
• Your service charge comments will help us shape future focus groups where you can share your experiences and help us to identify cost savings

Congrats to Bev from Pontypridd for winning March’s Question of the Month.

Thank you to the 124 Customers who took part and told us:

• 29 (22%) said yes, they have heard of WHQS
• 95 (74%) said no, they had not heard of it

You shared:

Customers who were aware of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) generally understood it to be a set of standards aimed at ensuring that social housing in Wales is:

• Safe

• Comfortable and healthy

• Affordable and energy-efficient

• Well-maintained and in good repair

• Equipped with modern kitchens and bathrooms

• Free from damp and disrepair

• Ideally with gardens or usable outdoor space

You also recognised it as a government-mandated framework that:

• Sets the minimum quality standard for properties.

• Is supposed to be followed by landlords and housing associations.

• Includes features such as double glazing, central heating, solar panels, and smart meters.

How we used your comments:

• We will add our series of animated videos to our Connect eNewsletter
• Explore the possibility of sending out an email to all customers detailing what WHQS means for our customers.
• Update our website to ensure you have all the information you need
• Ensure our colleagues are up to date on the latest updates to share when chatting with customers

Thank you to the 58 Customers who took part and told us:

Key themes and requests:

Better communication & Human Touch

• Live chat with colleagues and coaches
• Request a callback function
• Easier ways to speak directly to a human, not just submit forms
• Faster, more reliable responses to repairs, complaints and enquiries

Repairs and complaint tracking

• Being able to track the status of repairs and complaints online, with clear updates and reasons if something is delayed or cancelled
• A full history of repairs for transparency
• The ability to report multiple repairs at once and upload larger files/photos

Accessibility and device compatibility

• Key services like paying rent and reporting repairs are only easiy available on the mobile app
• Ensuring the website is more pc-friendly and inclusive for all users not just for smartphones
• Improving the accessibility features, insprired by other websites who have dyslexia friendly modes etc.

Transparency and local information – Requests for clear, more up to date information about:

• Local works and maintenance schedules
• Service charge breakdowns
• Community improvments, noise issues, antisocial behaviour and resident notices
• Available homes and swap opportunities

Community and Humanity

• Frustration at feeling “dehumanised” by a process that feels entirely digital
• Suggestions included: a community message board, Promotion of in person events and face to face service alongside digital tools

Thank you for sharing your favourite websites for their easy navigation, positive content and good accessibility options.

How we will use your comments:

• Your feedback will be shared with out Website steering group who will be looking at improving the customer experience part of the website.
• You will be given the opportunity to share your views through a focus group and where relevant test some of the updates for easy navigation and accessibility

Thank you to the 43 Customers who took part and told us you would like to see: 

1. Grants & Financial Help → debt advice, arrears support, UC help.

2. Budgeting & Saving → tools, recipes, tips, discount deals.

3. Food & Essentials → food banks, vouchers, cheap meals.

4. Tenant Support & Housing → repairs, advocacy, home visits.

5. Community & Wellbeing → events, tenant stories, green living.

We’re listening! 

• The articles in the October cost-of-living Connect special edition all fit within your requested topics
• We have shared your topics with your Neighbourhood Teams to help guide any future plans
• Our Comms Team will add relevant articles to our social media pages

Thank you to the 108 Customers who took part and told us: 

• 24 said yes, they had heard of the Databank – 8 would like us to send them more information
• 84 said no, they had not heard of the Databank  – 40 would like us to send them more information

How we will use your comments: 

• We will add a Databank article to the next Connect enewsletter
• We will contact all customers who requested more informaiton
• We will develop a communication plan to ensure there are regular Databank updates
• Our Digital Inclusion Coaches will contact families to ask if they need any additional support

Who took part?

• 22 customers took part (21 entered the prize draw)​

You told us:

• 15 said yes they found it interesting and helpful
  • 5 x have more information
  • 7 x find the articles interesting
  • 3 x feel it’s helped them

• 7 said they didn’t find it helpful
  • 3 x get their information elsewhere
  • 4 x don’t think it’s interesting

You shared:

“Like to read through this with a cuppa”
“Keep me informed of what of what is going on in the neighbourhood.”
“Interesting to see what is happening”
“More happy stories & information about new builds and areas, community, gardens and tenants’ stories”
“I know we must all work towards going paperless. I used to read the magazine cover to cover and I enjoyed it. Since the enewsletter I don’t recall reading or seeing it. Shamefully I have probably just deleted it along with lots of other mail. Sorry!!”
“It’s boring, nothing catches your eye. Doesn’t make you want to read it”

How we have and will use your feedback:

• Continue to include a variety of articles
• Future editions will include articles about our new developments
• Try to make the articles more eye catching
• Explore the possibility of a customer editorial panel

Thank you to the 67 Customers who took part and told us:

• 50 said yes, they are more likely to respond to a survey if there is a reward for their time
• 17 said no it did no not make a difference
• 62 preferred to complete an online survey
• 4 were happy with online or over the phone
• 1 preferred by post

Comments you shared:

How we used your comments:

• We will continue to incentivise surveys where suitable
• We will continue to offer online surveys
• We will ensure we give feedback on how we have used your answers
• We will keep the surveys short and easy to complete

Who took part?

• 59 customers took part (45 entered the prize draw)​
• 28 said they had school aged children​
• 31 said they did not have school aged children​

You told us:

Please rank the five options with the top one being the one you are most concerned about.

• 29% Purchasing school uniforms​
• 27% Additional food costs
• 17% Reduced working hours
• 15% Affording days out or holidays
• 12% Childcare costs

We also gave the opportunity for customers to share thier financial worries this summer

You shared:

“It’s very difficult for working families over the holidays to take time off from work to go out places with children because it is expensive. We do a lot of free days out, but with our weather this can be limiting.”​

“Childcare is the hardest for me as I work full time as a single mum with no support.”​

“With the cost-of-living times are extremely difficult for families. Even having a treat like a takeaway is something we cannot look forward to any longer.”​

“Cost of uniform – keeping the kids occupied.”​

“As a mother that co-parents and has her children with no financial support I worry about all aspects but mostly additional food costs and costs for activities during the holidays, finding free days out with no transport is hard.”

How we have and will use your feedback:

• Our Back to School Essentials Fund opens on 8 July for it’s second year. We helped 134 Children last year and want to help even more this year. Keep an eye out in your Connect eNews for how to apply.
• We will use a voucher issuing system that enables customers to choose where they would like to spend their vouchers to suit their needs and can be saved for a time when they need it.
• Our teams will explore how we can support families this summer with additional food costs.

Congratulations to Heidi from Cwmbran on winning the £50 thank you online voucher!

 30 Customers took part and told us:

• Locations of food banks, food pantries and clothes donations
• Low cost or free things to do with children in the holidays
• Budgeting tips
• Cooking tips and meal planning to reduce spend and food waste
• Energy advice, especially around appliances
• How to check you are getting the right benefits
• Where to access extra support for people with disabilities

Thank you to everyone who took part and left a comment.

How we will use your comments:

• Welsh Water Assist guidance and kids eat for free (or £1) added to the August edition
• Your suggested topics will be added to the October edition
• Share your feedback with our coaches to enable them to have information to hand when they visit you.

Congrats to Dorrie from Bridgend for winning July’s Question of the Month. 

45 Customers took part and told us:

• 18 said yes
  • 8 finding it useful
  • 10 haven’t used it
  • 0 saying it wasn’t useful
• 27 said no

Thank you to everyone who took part. It’s great to hear that the customer who have used it found it useful.

What we are doing:

• Add an article to future Connect eNewsletters and social media platforms to raise awareness
• Explore the option to have a reminder link on the bottom of our customer service emails
• Add reminders to our website home page
• If relevant our Customer Services team will let customers know when you call us

Congrats to Samantha from Cardiff for winning August’s Question of the Month. 

48 Customers took part and told us:

• 26 have home content insurance
• 22 do not have home content insurance

Thank you to everyone who took part, it’s great to hear that over 50% who took part have home content insurance to protect them should they need it.

What we are doing:

• Ensuring a My Home Content Insurance Scheme leaflet is included in the paperwork for all new lets.
• Adding the benefits with real examples to our social media channels and website
• Our colleagues where suitable will update customers on the options available

Congrats to Gail from Cardiff for winning September’s Question of the Month.

62 Customers took part and told us:

• 41 felt their rent offers value for money
• 48 felt their rent was affordable
• 32 (out of 44 who have a service charge) felt their service charge offers value for money 

Thank you to everyone who took part and left a comment.

What we are doing:

• Your feedback and comments will be included in our Annual Rent Increase review
• Your service charge comments will help us shape future focus groups where you can share your experiences and help us to identify cost savings

Congrats to Lauren from Cardiff for winning October’s Question of the Month.