Estates Section's Annual Service Review Results 2004

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Welcome to Renfrewshire Council's Annual Service Review Results 2004 for 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.

During the 2004 review the Estates Section refined their questionnaires to be more service specific and made them easier to understand.

They issued the questionnaires to all customers in the three main areas of work rather than to a sample of customers, as with previous years.


The three main areas were:-

1. Existing tenants
216 questionnaires were issued to existing tenants and 33 were returned.

2. New/recent tenants
24 were sent to new/recent tenants and 3 were returned.

3. Purchasers of Council owned property
12 purchasers have received questionnaires and 2 responded.


Overview

Of the 33 existing tenants that responded, the issue of repairs was the main area of dissatisfaction.

Customer concerns mainly related to:

• the length of time taken to complete repairs;
• the quality of repairs;
• the lack of communication concerning progress of repairs

A new tenant confirmed that a need for repairs prior to the date of entry resulted in a delay in the lease being signed and the start of occupation in the unit.

Although the sample size of purchasers was small both purchasers who responded were clearly highly satisfied with the service provided.


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	Our services are provided promptly and within our Service Pledge timescales?	2.9	23
2	We show good understanding of your requirements?	2.7	23
3	We are easily accessible and offer choice in how to contact us?	3.1	23
4	We help you in resolving your enquiries?	2.9	22
5	We keep you informed and provide clear responses?	2.8	22
6	We provide good advice and guidance?	2.9	21
7	We are available for meetings to suit your needs?	3.1	20
8	We adequately reply to your correspondence within our Service Pledge timescales.	2.9	22
9	We have a good working relationship with you?	3.1	23
10	You receive a good overall service from us?	2.9	23

Total questionnaires issued: 216
Total responses: 23
Overall assessment rating: 2.92




Housing & Property Annual Customer Survey - New Commercial Tenants

Question Number	Question	Score
1	Our services are provided promptly and within our Service Pledge timescales?	3.33*
2	We show good understanding of your requirements?	3.67*
3	We are easily accessible and offer choice in how to contact us?	3.67*
4	We help you in resolving your enquiries?	4.33*
5	We keep you informed and provide clear responses?	3.67*
6	We provide good advice and guidance?	4.33*
7	We are available for meetings to suit your needs?	4.33*
8	We adequately reply to your correspondence within our Service Pledge timescales.	4.00*
9	We have a good working relationship with you?	4.33*
10	You receive a good overall service from us?	3.67*

Overall assessment rating: 3.93 * 'small sample size'



Housing & Property Annual Customer Survey - Disposals

Question Number	Question	Score
1	Our services are provided promptly and within our Service Pledge timescales?	4.00*
2	We show good understanding of your requirements?	4.50*
3	We are easily accessible and offer choice in how to contact us?	4.50*
4	We help you in resolving your enquiries?	5.00*
5	We keep you informed and provide clear responses?	3.50*
6	We provide good advice and guidance?	4.00*
7	We are available for meetings to suit your needs?	4.50*
8	We adequately reply to your correspondence within our Service Pledge timescales.	4.00*
9	We have a good working relationship with you?	5.00*
10	You receive a good overall service from us?	4.00*

Overall assessment rating: 4.35 * 'small sample size'



Housing & Property Annual Customer Survey 2004 - Overall



Action

Property repairs have been identified in this year's customer survey as being the main area of concern.

The Estates Section have responded to this by setting up a Repairs Liason Group to address the difficulties their customers are experiencing with all aspects of the repairs process.

Staff from Estates, Repairs, and, when appropriate, foremen from Renfrewshire Council's main trades will attend these meetings to ensure satisfactory solutions to any problems and to ensure delays are kept to a minimum. The group will initially meet on a six weekly basis. All cases where concerns exist will be fully discussed and action agreed. One of the officers attending the meeting will be allocated the task of ensuring the action is taken and the tenant kept well informed.

The Estates Section expect this will help both Repairs and them as they work together to achieve a shared goal of continuous improvement.

Although purchasers had no adverse comments to make or, indeed, suggestions on possible ways to improve the service, a decision has been made to reconsider the process of Council owned property sales.

The Estates Section have tried to identify areas that could be improved and have decided to refine their Instructions to Offerors. This should make the necessary requirements clearer to customers and minimise any possibilities of delays due to misunderstanding of the purchase process.

Lastly, the Estates Section are assessing the level of poor response. They are concerned that many customers have not provided them with their valuable views and comments.

The Estates Section had previously supplied ready paid reply envelopes for the convenience of customers, but further thought is being given to how they could encourage customers to have more input into service delivery.

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