Tenant Focus Group Meeting 15th March 2024

All those in attendance were thanked for giving up their invaluable time to support the Association, to help scrutinise performance and to review policy & practice. It was explained that whilst there was an agenda, this meeting provided a platform for tenants to raise any issues and to request further detail on any topics, which could form part of a future meeting.

Quarter 3 performance

HHA provide performance data to Scotland’s Housing Network, a benchmarking organisation who collate information from social landlords throughout Scotland. The performance for Quarter 3, October to December, was considered and included discussion on Rent Arrears, Allocations, Repairs, Tenant Satisfaction and Complaints. Members suggested that in addition to information on complaints received, it is important for organisations to also publicise the compliments register.

Spring Newsletter content

There were a number of suggestions to be included in the spring newsletter, which will be distributed to tenants at the end of March/start of April. Items such as the Rent Consultation results, the support we are offering tenants with blank meters, the cost-of-living support and an update on the teleswitch changeover were all put forward as helpful articles. There is also an intention to hold a tenant competition this year, such as an Easter challenge for children, and a ‘best garden’ competition for tenants during the summer months.

Rent Consultation results

A summary of the rent consultation results, which ran during January and February, were presented at the meeting. A total of 52 responses were received, 30 of which were online via Survey Monkey, with another 22 received via Royal Mail. The decision-making process was discussed and a rent increase of 6%, which is in line with the national average of peer landlords, was passed by the Management Committee. All tenants will now have received their letters notifying them of the increase, which will start on 1^st April 2024.

Supporting our tenants

To support tenants with the cost-of-living crisis, Hjaltland has been successful in distributing funds sourced through external grants. In total, £75,000 will go towards supporting households who have struggled with either the cost of living, or more specifically, the cost of energy (those in fuel poverty). Recipients have been identified in a number of ways, including surveys, feedback on the rent consultation process and discussions with Officers when dealing with day-to-day housing management issues. In addition to the financial support, tenants have been reminded of the support we can offer in terms of efficient operation of heating systems and the ability to request a home visit for technical advice.

Development updates

The Association continues to add new social housing properties to support Shetland’s communities, with a further two schemes due for imminent completion. The 8-unit phase 2 project at Berryview, along with the 6-house scheme in Aith, will add another 10 social rented properties to HHA’s portfolio. The other 4 units are designated as Shared Equity properties, offering applicants and first-time buyers the opportunity to purchase a property at a discounted rate.

Energy Efficiency – Social Housing Net Zero Standard

The Scottish Government are reviewing the energy efficiency standard for social housing, and whilst the Association meets the existing standards, work is on-going in the background to improve the energy efficiency of our older stock. A pilot project of ‘fabric-first’ has been completed and will provide a blue-print for the Association for the years to come.

Pre-let inspections

Volunteers are being sought to assess the re-let standard of our properties. Members of the Tenant Focus Group are being invited to join staff by scrutinising the re-let condition of properties, making sure they meet the published re-let standard. Those taking part will visit the property once a tenant has vacated and a back-check has been completed on all required repairs. To minimise void times, tenants will be asked to attend at short notice, but this can be a very worthwhile exercise to gain a tenant’s perspective.

Policy reviews this year

Policies are generally reviewed on a 3-year cycle, unless a change in circumstances means it requires attention sooner. There are a number of policies due for renewal this year, including;

Mutual Exchange Policy/Arrears Policy/Bad Debt Policy/Estate Management Policy/Pets Policy/ Repossession Policy/Short SST Policy and the Tenant Participation Strategy.

These policies will be circulated to all tenants in the Tenant Participation list and some will be discussed in greater detail as part of future focus group meetings.