Estates Section annual customer survey results 2003

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Welcome to Renfrewshire Council's Annual Service Review Results 2003 from the Estates Section within Housing and Property Services.

The Estates Section annually contacts their customers for views on performance in all aspects of their work.

They collect comments from customers and ask for suggestions of ways their service could be improved.

There is a scoring system that lets them know how well they are performing compared to previous surveys. This helps them identify any areas where improvements can be made.

Procedures have been changed in response to many of the points raised, where it was considered the proposed changes would help in the delivery of an improved service.

This action reflects the Estates Section's commitment to continuous improvement in all areas of responsibility.

The three main areas were:-

1. Existing tenants
45 were sent to existing tenants and 9 were returned

2. New/recent tenants
21 were sent to new/recent tenants and 7 were returned

3. Purchasers of Council owned property
9 were sent to purchasers and 4 were returned


Background

Questionnaires were sent to tenants of commercial property and to purchasers of property owned by Renfrewshire Council in early 2003.

Of the nine existing tenants who responded there were comments from one party who expressed concern mainly over the lack of repair works.

Within the seven responses from new tenants, the one area of concern that arose in three responses was the time taken for repair works. The lack of direct contact with the parties instructing the contractors and with the tradesmen themselves was also raised.

Of the four purchasers who responded two had concerns over the time taken for completion of the transactions, although one stated this was due to the process of completing the legal paperwork.

The outcome of the latest analysis both in terms of statistics and appropriate action is set out below.


Each survey question was scored between 1 and 5:
1 - totally dissatisfied; 2 - satisfied 25%; 3 - Satisfied 50%; 4 - Satisfied 75%; 5 - Very Satisfied.


Housing & Property Annual Customer Survey - Existing Commercial Tenants

Question Number	Question	Score	Reponses
1	We carry out work promptly and within timescales?	2.4	8
2	We show good understanding of your needs and requirements?	2.0	8
3	We are easily accessible?	2.8	9
4	We assist you in resolving your specific enquiries?	2.8	8
5	We communicate and disseminate information well?	3.0	8
6	We provide good advice and guidance?	3.0	7
7	We are responsive to your requests for meetings?	3.1	8
8	We adequately reply to your correspondence?	2.8	8
9	We have a good working relationship with you?	3.1	8
10	You receive a good overall service from us?	2.8	8

Total questionnaires issued: 45
Total responses: 9
Overall assessment rating: 2.78

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Housing & Property Annual Customer Survey - New Commercial Tenants

Question Number	Question	Score	Responses
1	We carry out work promptly and within timescales?	3.3	7
2	We show good understanding of your needs and requirements?	3.6	7
3	We are easily accessible?	3.6	7
4	We assist you in resolving your specific enquiries?	3.3	7
5	We communicate and disseminate information well?	3.9	7
6	We provide good advice and guidance?	3.6	7
7	We are responsive to your requests for meetings?	3.7	7
8	We adequately reply to your correspondence?	3.6	7
9	We have a good working relationship with you?	4.0	7
10	You receive a good overall service from us?	3.9	7

Total questionnaires issued: 21
Total responses: 7
Overall assessment rating: 3.65

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Housing & Property Annual Customer Survey - Disposals

Question Number	Question	Score	Responses
1	We carry out work promptly and within timescales?	2.8	4
2	We show good understanding of your needs and requirements?	3.0	4
3	We are easily accessible?	4.3	4
4	We assist you in resolving your specific enquiries?	4.0	4
5	We communicate and disseminate information well?	3.5	4
6	We provide good advice and guidance?	3.5	4
7	We are responsive to your requests for meetings?	3.8	4
8	We adequately reply to your correspondence?	4.0	4
9	We have a good working relationship with you?	3.8	4
10	You receive a good overall service from us?	3.5	4

Total questionnaires issued: 9
Total responses: 4
Overall assessment rating: 3.62

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Examples of the impact of customers comments include:

1. The introduction of a range of payment options for tenants of commercial property: including swipe card payment; paypoint facility; standing order; direct debit. It has been agreed that the Head of IT Services makes the necessary arrangements for an Internet payment facility through Renfrewshire Council's website receiving debit and credit card payments.

2. The Head of Property Services can now conclude - along with The Head of Legal Services - leases that are one year long or less. This has assisted in a speedier process of lease completions saving any unnecessary delay. Transactions up to the value of £50,000 can now also be agreed without the need to have Council Board permission with the same resultant benefits relating to time scale for completions.

3. Marketing of available property on the Internet has been introduced by the Estates Section to expand on the number of ways enquirers may obtain sales and letting particulars and other related information. This was in response to comments made by customers who stated they would find this helpful and with a view to a quicker response time for providing the information requested.


Action

In response to the comments raised within the questionnaires the Estates Section has drafted a new Repairs Protocol and issued this to other Council departments for discussion.

Although it is not the Estates Section's responsibility to repair properties or to issue instructions to contractors directly, Estates are the first point of contact for commercial tenants who require works to property.

The role of Estates is to confirm who is responsible for repairs according to the lease and, if appropriate, authorise use of funds from the relevant budget for works to be completed after receiving a Report from the Repairs Service.

There clearly have been delays in works being completed and the draft Repairs Protocol was written to improve matters by proposing the Repairs team:

• sends a letter to the tenant in each case advising when the works will be carried out;
• provides a contact name to ensure any difficulties experienced can be resolved quickly and directly with the actual tradesmen doing the works

With regard to purchases of property, it is clear that, by their very nature, there are generally many issues that require to be resolved, any one of which may require investigations that can take time. In an effort to make sure transactions are completed without unnecessary delay, Estates have entered into a Service Level Agreement with Legal Services dealing with, amongst other matters, time for processing instructions from Estates.


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