Tenant Focus Group Meeting 14th February 2025

Quarter 3 performance

The Association is a member of Scotland’s Housing Network, a benchmarking group of social landlords. To ensure there is transparency in performance and to give tenants an opportunity to ask any further questions, the latest report up to the end of December was presented to tenants;

• Average re-let times (5.69 days)
• Rent Arrears position (3.46%)
• Complaints monitoring (21 x Stage 1)
• Repairs completed on time (90.47%)
• Tenant Satisfaction with the repairs service (96.94%)
• Tenant Satisfaction with the standard of accommodation when moving in (96.08%)

Rent Consultation results

The group were provided with an update on the Rent Consultation exercise, which concluded on Friday 7^th February after a 4-week period. A report will be presented to the Management Committee for their consideration on Thursday 20^th February – the Association will then give tenants at least 4 weeks notice before the rent increase takes effect.

• 33 recipients were approving of the 4.3% proposed rent increase
• 7 tenants provided a neutral response to the 4.3% proposed rent increase
• 27 tenants were disapproving of the 4.3% proposed rent increase

Development updates

The focus group were advised the ground works at Staney Hill were on-going and at this time, there is no other active development sites. The first phase of house-building will soon be going out to tender, with an anticipated start date in the summer – the first properties should be occupied during 2027.

Website updates

Following a request for an update to our website, we have created a new search function – a small demonstration – tenants felt this was a positive addition and something to include in the next version of the Tenants Newsletter.

Out of hours repairs

When tenants are faced with an emergency repair out with office hours, their call is sent through to a call-handling centre. We recently received a complaint that a tenant had to wait on hold for an extended period of time. We have now changed this set-up so that after waiting 90 seconds, tenants can leave their name and number and someone will call them back. We will monitor the success of this, but it should improve the tenant experience.

Allocation Lettings Plan

To simplify the choice-based lettings model and to make it easier for applicants, there is a proposal to remove any reference to Points Groups within an advert. Future adverts will simply list the location, size & rental value and any applicant can apply, regardless of which groups they have points in. Officers will still work to an Annual Lettings plan to cater for a variety of housing need across the year. All tenants present were shown a separate document with the Lettings Plan and the pros & cons of the change - in tenants were in favour of this change and felt it simplified the model for applicants.

Full Tenant Satisfaction survey

As per the reporting requirements to the Scottish Housing Regulator, the Association is required to complete a full tenant satisfaction survey at least once every three years. This survey is due this year and will be completed by the Housing team during the Autumn. A variety of methods will be used to collect the data, including phone calls, emails, WhatsApp messages and via royal mail.

50^th year of Hjaltland Housing Association

The Association was formed in 1975 and therefore will celebrate its Golden Anniversary later in the year. The Focus Group will hear more about plans throughout the year, including ways in which to involve tenants in the celebrations. There were suggestions from tenants about possible funding avenues and sponsorship to help with event planning.

Spring Newsletter

Whilst spring is not quite yet around the corner, plans are already underway in terms of the content for the next tenant newsletter. Suggested items include;

RTS Switch-off & Smart Meter tariff signposting & support

Staneyhill Development & photos

Retiring staff

New Staff

Website search function

Out of Hours call back service