Scrutiny panel

Spotlight on… 

The panel welcomed the involvement of Karen Rosser, Executive Director of People, who provide direct support and act as a vital link to our board. This collaboration highlights the board’s commitment to not only listening to customer feedback but also ensuring customers can actively influence services and witness meaningful changes.   

Additionally, Charlotte Whitney, Head of Customer Experience and Communications, and Michelle McGregor, Customer Engagement Officer, play key roles in facilitating the panel sessions, ensuring smooth and productive discussions.  

They shone a light on:  

Complaints – process and statistics (focus on stage 0) 

• Enhancing complaint processes: Recommendations included introducing new methods for updating customers on informal complaint outcomes, providing clearer information about the complaints process on our website, and conducting cross-departmental lessons learned sessions.​ 

• Private spaces for sensitive conversations: Panel members highlighted the need for Coaches to have private spaces during drop-in sessions or when visiting customers’ homes to facilitate sensitive discussions.​ 

Customer Experience Overview – challenges and improvement plans 

• Promoting support services: The panel emphasised the importance of promoting services like Care and Repair and the Databank to ensure customers are aware of available support.​ 

• Sharing call patterns: Suggestions were made to inform customers about peak and off-peak times for contacting our Customer Experience team, aiming to improve response times and customer satisfaction.​ 

Other topics discussed:  

• Renaming fund: Panel members recommended changing the internal name used to mirror the external name of ‘We’re Here For You’ to foster a more positive and person-focused approach.​ 

• Training programme development: The panel agreed on devising a training programme for future topics, ensuring continuous improvement and colleague development. 

The panel welcomed the involvement of Karen Rosser, Chief People Officer, who provide direct support and act as a vital link to our board. This collaboration highlights the board’s commitment to not only listening to customer feedback but also ensuring customers can actively influence services and witness meaningful changes.   

Additionally, Michelle McGregor, Community Engagement Manager plays a key role in facilitating the panel sessions, ensuring smooth and productive discussions. 

They shone a light on: 

Customer Satisfaction 

The panel focused on how customer feedback is gathered, shared, and acted upon, as well as key service improvements already in progress and gave the following recommendations: 

• Have a better understanding of how the STAR satisfaction questions are set by Welsh Government to ensure all landlords ask the same set of questions 

• Recommendations to ensure the coaches in the community have a space to share customer satisfaction on the ground. 

• Recommend to add a webpage on the different ways we capture satisfaction rather than just a STAR satisfaction page. 

• Recommendation to highlight good examples as well as what we need to improve on. 

• Recommendation to look at the google reviews – are they accurate/old/needed? 

• Recommend sharing a better understanding with all customers on the process for raising repairs, including budgets and timelines. 

• Reassured that the new housing management system offers a clear picture and accountability of what’s working well and what needs to be improved.  

• Recommend to have random checks on completed works. 

• Recommendation that contractors who subcontract need to make it clear to customers which contractor will be attending. 

• Recommend explore customer morale – listening to results from D.A.V.E, Question of the Month etc.  to see what can be done next. 

• Welcomed suggestion of feedback in 12-18 months time to identify if we have made a difference and going in the right direction. 

• Recommend exploring good practice with other RSL’s on what has worked for others.  

• Recommend exploring repair items done by customers in their own homes and or handyman service. Small jobs to save contractors calling out. 

The panel discussed a range of topics, including our repairs responsibilities policy, voids process, annual rent setting, and recent Board updates. Members also received updates on engagement activities and were pleased to hear that the merging of the Hendre and Hafod Boards (now the Common Board) is working well. 

In total, panel members made nine recommendations, one suggestion, and twelve observations during the meeting. A new Board feedback template will also be developed to show where scrutiny recommendations and observations have been discussed. 

Spotlight on Repair Responsibilities 

Members gained a better understanding of Hafod’s repair responsibilities policy and provided several recommendations to improve communication and transparency for customers. 

Key recommendations included: 

• Advising customers that photos are taken at the void stage to help identify repair responsibilities and suggesting customers do the same when moving in or out. 

• Advertising available payment methods for recharges and offering affordability discussions with coaches to reduce concerns about costs. 

• Making it clear that customers are charged our preferred contractor rate, ensuring costs are as low as possible. 

• Including details on costs and payment processes directly in the policy and communications. 

• Linking related policies for easy cross-reference. 

• Providing training for call and email handlers to improve their understanding of properties and the repair reporting process, including exploring video call options. 

The panel also suggested exploring financial incentives or penalties for contractors as part of KPIs to encourage quality and local engagement. 

Members made several positive observations, welcoming improvements to the void process, clearer expectations for contractors, and continued monitoring of customer satisfaction. 

Spotlight on Annual Rent Setting 

Members reviewed the rent and service charge setting process and offered feedback to help improve transparency and understanding for customers. 

Key recommendations included: 

• Providing clearer communication about what service charges cover, as some customers still find this confusing. 

• Increasing communication about value for money and how the Hafod £1 is spent, to help manage perceptions. 

Members were pleased that Welsh Housing Partnership (WHP) homes follow the same rent-setting module as general needs homes and that the 2025 consultation has been split between rent and service charges to provide better insights. 

Engagement and Community Updates 

Members welcomed an update on Hafod’s customer engagement activities, including plans to refresh the Customer Engagement Framework. They were also pleased to hear about financial savings achieved for customers through access to the Databank and partnership initiatives that help reduce costs. 

A special thank you was shared with everyone involved in the Fir Tree Community Allotment project, which received £12,000 of Social Value funding to make the space more accessible for all. (find out more about Social Value funding Social Value | www.hafod.org.uk) 

Any Other Business 

• The intermittent issue with website photo uploads when reporting repairs has been investigated and will continue to be monitored as new systems are implemented. 

• Some members experienced device connectivity issues when joining the meeting; discussions are underway with IT to prevent this in future sessions. 

• Service Charge (Value for Money) – how we consult with customers on changes to keep costs as low as possible without reducing quality of service.
• Complaints – what are the common themes and how are we learning from them?

Outcome:

Draft Customer Strategy

Members had the valuable opportunity to hear insights from Jas Bains (Chief Executive) and Jamie Smith (Director of Research and Innovation), shedding light on the strategic direction. The outcome was positive, with panel members expressing eagerness to stay informed as the strategy progresses.

Service Charge Value for Money

Martin Webb (Service Charge and Leasehold Manager) provided an overview of the newly established Service Charge/Leaseholder team, emphasising priorities such as data accuracy and ensuring customers have a say in the services they receive. Panel members welcomed the proposal for a dedicated discussion meeting on Service Charges, recognising the importance of gathering customer input.

Complaints

Chris Davies (Customer Experience Manager) provided updates on complaint figures and team initiatives. Panel members engaged in discussions on how past complaints have informed improvements and expressed support for ongoing monitoring of repair complaints. Panel Members have already arranged a dedicated discussion meeting with Chris to discuss Customer Services communication.

This inclusive approach reflects our commitment to the principle of ‘nothing about us, without us.’ We recognise that policies and procedures impacting individuals should be shaped with their involvement, highlighting our dedication to customer engagement and empowerment.

• Development – how is the customer voice included?
• Maintenance – repairs and satisfaction

Outcome:

Spotlight on…

Members utilised a recent training session with Helen Williams from TPAS Cymru to shape their first Spotlight on Development, how do we hear our customers voice session.

Neil Taylor (Head of Development) gave an outline of the development process at Hafod.

The session focused on the development snagging questionnaire customers complete in their home alongside the Project Officer after they have been in their new home for 12 months.

• Panel members had the opportunity to devise and ask their own questions.
• Members have a better undertanding of the process and were able to give recomendations for change.
• Additional recommendations were made in relation to the survey, these will be reviewed by the development team.

Repairs satisfaction and changes 

Mark Williams (Assistant Director of Assets) provided an overview of our current repairs satisfaction and outlined a proposal for change to improve our monitoring process for raised repairs.

• Panel members welcomed the proposal and were encouraged to hear this issue has been recognised and are keen to see the proposal in place.
• Panel members have requested for a further update later in the year.

Engagement update

Michelle McGregor (Customer Engagement Officer) provided an update on the variety of ways customers can have their say to help shape and improve our services.

• Panel members were pleased to see the variety on offer and the continued growth of customers who choose to get involved.
• Panel members recommended these updated are shared with our Board, Executive team and wider customers.

• Rubbish and recycling – what are we doing to communicate to customers their responsibilities?
• STAR 2024 survey results – what are our customers saying and what actions have we put in place?

Outcome:

Panel members have benefited from a comprehensive training package delivered by TPAS Cymru to support their ‘Spotlight on’ sessions. Panel member Sally commented “Helen has been a big help and given us the foundation and confidence to ask challenging questions the right way, I would be keen to have future training”

The Panel were joined by Tracey Healey (Corporate Director of Assets and Customer Experience) and Neil Davies (Hendre Board chair) who support the panel’s work and act as a link directly to our board. This demonstrates that our Board is not just listening to our customers but ensuring that they have the opportunity to influence our services and see a change.  Michelle McGregor (Customer Engagement Officer) supports the panel by facilitating the sessions.

They shone a light on:

• Rubbish and Recycling – how we communicate with our customers?
• STAR 2023 results – what are our customers saying?

Rubbish and Recycling – How we communicated with our customers!

Prior to the meeting, panel members looked over example letters sent to our customers, asking for their observations and to focus the questions on the content of the letters.

Daniel McTiffin (Compliance and Facilities Manager) and Laura Thorne (Estates Officer) gave an outline of their roles, enabling the panel members to direct their questions to the right person.

The questions and responses are below:

1. You mention door knocking, can you please explain the process for this, including how you notify customers and include people who work in the daytime.
   • For this particular door knocking we posted a flyer through letterboxes and chatted to customers when we were on site.  We hold a month meeting that is held in the early evening to enable everyone to join and have their say.
2. Sufficient bins – could you explain more in the letter, e.g. a flat for 2 people would be…. A family home of 4-6 people would be….?
   • Yes, that’s a good point.  We have no control over the councils allocation, but we could make it clearer to our customers. This will be looked at for future letters.
3. Can you include a visual leaflet, explaining what goes where, what colours, frequency of collection, how to arrange bulky collections or taking items to the tip?
   • Yes, each council that we work with have their own set of visual publications that could be included with any future communications. If there are communal bins these are also added to the communal bin store area. We will also look at your suggestion of adding how to arrange bulky item collection.
4. Fly tipping costs – could this be moved to the top of the letter to explain costs and educate on problems rather than a threatening tone of increasing their service charge at the bottom of the letter?
   • Yes, thank you for bringing this to our attention, we can see how this could be misunderstood.  We will look at revising the letter taking consideration to the tone used and promote more around how we can work together to tackle these issues and keep service charges low.
5. All customers appear to be tarred by the same brush when many are good and responsible.  Please share any targeted approaches you have taken to target the ones causing the issues.
   • This can be difficult as we can not always tell who the rubbish belongs to. Our teams will open black bags and if they find any identifiable information, they will discuss this with the customer responsible. We encourage customers to let us know if they are aware of any neighbours who dump rubbish, this will be treated in strict confidence and who reported the issue will not be shared.
6. Can you tell us, Laura and/or and Dan, how you are tackling fly tipping by outsiders please? And explain Hafod’s thinking in customers paying a service charge for something they did not cause and is out of their control?
   • We encourage customers to notify us quickly and try, if safe to do so, record their number plate or a name that could be on the van, anything that could help us to identify who the fly tippers are. Unfortunately, removing these items comes at a cost which will impact the service charge.  But if we can identify them we are able to send the costs to them direct.   We also work with local partners and other housing providers to try and explore joint projects to help reduce any associated costs.

STAR 2023 results – what are our customers saying?

Prior to the meeting panel members received a copy of a presentation given to our Board and Executive team outlining our STAR results.

Chris Davies (Customer Experience Manager) appreciated the panel’s feedback and is keen to work with them to ensure they are kept up to date and to seek their views on how we share this information with our wider customers.

The questions and responses are below:

1. Why do you only ask Welsh Government core questions, can you ask more?
   • Yes, we can ask add more questions, but this can mean that the Welsh Government questions could get lost amongst the others.  We are happy to continue to only ask the core questions for the purpose of STAR.   STAR is a perception survey, this means that some customers who are asked to complete the survey, may not have used our services in some time, so they are sharing what they think that service is like based on out of date interactions or what they have heard from others. We use other methods to gather feedback from our customers, these include transactional surveys, where a customer is asked to give feedback on a service they have recently received.
2. There is a very low response rate 688/4805, have you investigated why and changed anything to support customers to complete?
   • The response rate seems low, but is actually about right for the national average.  Introducing Acuity to phone customers has seen an increase and we get more response from our other methods of gaining feedback from customers who have received a service.
3. Why was the response for Welsh Housing Partnership and Retirement invalid and what are you looking to change for next time to improve this? I am a WHP Tenant, and I did not receive a survey, how are you making sure all customers have a chance to fill in a survey?
   • The response rate was so low that we could not comfortably say the feedback was a true representation of our Welsh Housing Partnership and Retirement customers. We have explored other options with our Retirement schemes, by enabling the scheme manager to support the customers to complete surveys. I do not know why you did not receive a survey, I apologies for this, we have previously found that it could have gone in customers spam folder, so we advise customers to check. As these are not compulsory surveys, we have to respect the customer  choice not to complete one.
4. Do you offer any options for customers to complete the survey who are not online, such as over the phone or in person and which is your better response to getting results?
   • Yes, for the first time we used a company called Acuity to contact our customers on the phone or by email. The better response would be from the phone calls as customers are more likely to share their thoughts when asked, where as emails still generate good numbers, but customers may forget to go back to the email and complete.
5. There is nothing in the Star 2023 Report about what you have learnt from previous surveys and what you have changed. knowing this may encourage customers to complete future surveys.  Can you tell us what decisions previous annual surveys have influenced; and how is this information shared with customers?
   • Yes, you are right and this is something that should have been included.    Previous feedback has influenced us to change some of our internal processes, for instance with our repairs service, we have introduced a step in the process where colleagues will contact our contractors on a weekly basis for updates on any outstanding orders and challenge if they have not been completed.  It’s early days with this, so we don’t have any figures to share right now, but we are happy to work on this and attend Scrutiny next year with some facts and figures around this example.
6. What does Hafod do with the qualitative information it collects?
   • We utilise this information to help shape and inform our work programmes. I recognise that although we are using it, we don’t always communicate this to our customers, this is something that we are looking to change.

• Communication – are we getting it right and are we learning from previous feedback?
• Performance – what are our stats telling us?

Outcome: