PROVIDING QUALITY HOMES THROUGHOUT WALES Performance Report 2007 This report tells you how we performed in 2007. We have described our achievements relating to the key services we deliver, such as building new homes, repairing and maintaining homes, dealing with anti social behaviour and involving residents. Every three years we commission independent consultants to carry out a satisfaction survey of all our residents. The most recent survey took place in the summer of 2007, with 3,582 residents giving their views, a 45 response rate. We were delighted to learn that 81 of residents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall services they receive from WWHA. This was a significant increase on the rating of 74 achieved in 2004 and higher than the national average figure of 80. I would just like to thank all the residents who responded to the survey and for your vote of confidence for the services we provide. We now look forward to 2008, however, if you have any queries relating to this report and our activities in 2007, please do not hesitate to contact me. Anne Hinchey Chief Executive Treseder Way, Cardiff DARPARU CARTREFI O ANSAWDD TRWY GYMRU
How we did in 2007 Customer satisfaction with the way we deal with: 2007 2006 Target Average time taken to complete: 2007 2006 Target Day to day repairs 99 97 95 Planned maintenance works Anti social behaviour 92 95 95 65 62 65 New residents 99 95 96 Emergency repairs Urgent repairs Non urgent repairs 0.5 1.6 1 4.6 6.8 7 12.1 16.0 21 Income from rent: Total rent collected as a of total rent collectable Total amount of current residents rent arrears as a of total rent collectable Total rent loss due to empty properties 2007 2006 Target 97.07 99.16 97.01 2.37 2.32 2.25 0.63 0.61 0.75 Average number of calendar taken to let: General housing Older persons housing 2007 2006 Target 6.9 14.8 7 33.0 34.8 20 Complaints We received 118 complaints during 2007. In 31 cases (27) we agreed that the complaint was valid and took action to put things right. 71 of complaints were dealt with within the timescales laid down by the Association. Two thirds of the upheld complaints (20 out of 31) were about repairs and maintenance issues. Eight complaints were about the quality of repair work and nine about the time taken to carry out a repair. In 2007 a number of actions were taken to improve our complaints service, including providing more training and guidance for staff and holding complaints meetings with Senior Managers so that we could identify trends in complaints and learn lessons from the complaints made.
Achievements in 2007 Building new homes We completed 86 new homes, providing opportunities for people to benefit from quality affordable housing. Residents were delighted with their new homes. Thank you so much to WWHA staff who made the move into my new home as easy as possible. My new house has a lovely garden for my daughter to play in and she has her own room. To further broaden housing choice we purchased 6 new homes from a private developer in Cardiff, which will be sold at 70 of their market value to help first time buyers get on the property ladder. We are committed to providing barrier free housing. We developed a guide with RNIB Cymru on Colour and Tonal Contrast which provides information on how to provide houses which are suitable for people with a visual impairment. We pride ourselves in supporting and meeting the needs of communities. The views of local people are extremely important to us, not least during the planning stages of new homes. We carried out intensive consultation and organised a special open day in Merthyr to gather local residents views on our proposals for the new Vulcan Brewery site. We are committed to environmental sustainability. In 2007 we achieved Level 2 of the Green Dragon Award for reducing the impact of our activities on the environment by reducing energy and water consumption and maximising recycling. Other environmental initiatives include: Developing 60 eco friendly homes in Cardiff, one of the environmental features is that water used by residents will be recycled. Working with the Waste and Resource Action Programme and its contractors to reduce by 50 the waste going to landfill sites in another of our new schemes. We have achieved this by recycling
building materials found on the site, for example, old timber is used for landscaping and old blocks and concrete crushed to provide hardcore. This work has been held up as good practice. Providing a special dormouse habitat, when dormice were discovered at our new site in Kenfig Hill, near Bridgend. As well as maintaining and improving our properties, we are committed to making our homes more energy efficient. In 2007 we put loft insulation into 455 homes and cavity wall insulation into 171 homes. Repairing and maintaining homes During 2007 we completed 25,932 repairs to our properties. Feedback from those residents requesting a repair told us that 99 were satisfied with our overall repairs service. We strive to deliver the best possible service to residents and further improvements will be made during 2008 to ensure that: Feedback from residents was positive: What a difference. Since having my new windows there are no draughts and the house stays warmer for longer. The standard of the workmanship and the work force were excellent. - We deal with repairs quickly or at a time that is convenient, - We complete repairs in one visit where possible; and - When we repair something it stays fixed. We delivered an extensive planned maintenance programme, spending 5.5 million on 1,300 properties, including: - 100 bathrooms, - 296 new heating systems, - 506 kitchens; and - 317 properties with new windows and doors.
Dealing with anti social behaviour We dealt with 1,052 reports of anti social behaviour (ASB) during 2007. We managed to successfully resolve 60 of the 768 cases we closed. This figure is above the average of 57 reported for social landlords in 2007. We worked in partnership with residents throughout 2007 to tackle ASB. Seven groups of residents set up Estate Agreements which define what behaviour is acceptable for their estate. The agreements have reduced low level nuisance such as ball games and noise problems. I understood why mediation was considered by WWHA to be the right way to resolve the complaint. Where attempts at resolving anti social behaviour fail, we have to get tough - we evicted several households for causing severe problems for their neighbours, for example activities related to drug dealing, causing alarm and distress, harassment and intimidation or violent behaviour. It really stopped the petty squabbles and brought a sense of neighbourhood back to the scheme. Involving residents 18 cases were referred for mediation. In every case ASB reports have either reduced or ceased completely. This positive outcome is further supported by the views of residents taking part in mediation. We want residents to get involved in the decisions we make about the services we deliver. In 2007 we undertook a full scale review of how we involve residents. Around 1,000 residents gave us their views. We have now developed a Resident Participation strategy based on those views which will help shape the way residents get involved in the future.
Group 500 enables residents to give their views in four easy ways - postal surveys, telephone surveys, email and focus groups - on topics of their choice. Membership of this group grew from 141 to 450 during 2007. Group 500 members gave their views on a range of issues, including Christmas closedown and our Stakeholder Survey. We also support communities in project work and community events. Our Make it Happen grant provided 9,000 of grant aid to groups of residents to help them improve their community or run community events. During 2007 the Emergency Alarm Control Room took 1,055 calls because a resident was in difficulty. 87,625 calls were made to residents to check on their safety. We were the first Housing Association in Wales to receive an award for the way we deal with calls in our Emergency Alarm Control Room. Customer Service Centre The Customer Service Centre answered 225,109 calls, dealing with a range of issues including repairs, rent queries and housing applications. Our Customer Service Centre continues to successfully provide residents with access to our services. The Association s emergency alarm service provides 24 hour assistance and reassurance to older people throughout Wales and ensures a rapid response to customers in need of emergency assistance. Employment Initiatives Our partnership working with contractors has enabled them to take 10 people on construction apprenticeships across a range of trades. In partnership with two other housing associations we were presented with an award, by the Chartered Institute of Housing in Wales, for raising awareness of housing as a career amongst black minority ethnic groups.
We provided 10 work placements, working with a range of organisations including the Women Connect First and the University of Wales Institute Cardiff. Women Connect First aims to develop the work based skills of women from minority ethnic backgrounds as a stepping stone to securing employment. Understanding our residents During 2007 we commenced our resident profiling project. We asked residents to tell us how they would like us to deliver services to them. By the end of the year we had gathered information on 3,320 households and had started to tailor services to individual needs. We set up two new initiatives: - We are working with the Consumer Credit Counselling Service which provides a telephone debt advice service for residents across Wales. Through this link and in partnership with the Debt Redemption and Money Advice Scheme we operate debt advice surgeries on our estates in St Mellons and Brackla. All residents are entitled to a Welfare Benefit Health Check provided by the Association. - We have built links with Cardiff Credit Union which offers flexible savings options and a low rate of interest on loans. Charity does not just start at home During 2007 WWHA staff raised 7,000 for Wales Air Ambulance and 3,000 for Tenovus, the cancer charity. Money Matters Feedback from our Resident Satisfaction Survey suggests that residents would like us to provide more guidance in relation to welfare benefits and money management. Staff in our Flint Office raised over 1,400 for Cancer Research UK by taking part in the Race for Life event in Rhyl. We joined with housing developer Lovell Partnership Ltd, and donated 4,434 to Trelai Youth Centre in Caerau, Cardiff.
Our finances in 2007 M Where our income came from M m How we spent our income 0.11 0.1 5.2 5.2 m M 5.55 7.8 4.8 7.8 24.4 0.7 3.0 0 2.8 2.88 4.5 4.5 Rents Service Charges Other Income Total = 29.9 million Planned Planned maintenance contractors Cyclical Cyclical maintenance contractors Day Day to day to day repairs contractors Employee costs costs Net Net interest costs Other Other property costs General General overheads Total = 28.9 million Contact Details Cardiff Office (registered) Flint Office 3 Alexandra Gate Unit 2 Acorn Business Park Ffordd Pengam, Tremorfa Aber Road, Flint Cardiff CF24 2UD Flintshire CH6 5YN Fax: 02920 415380 Fax: 01352 736340 Tel: 0800 052 2526 Minicom: 0800 052 5205 Email: info@wwha.co.uk Website: www.wwha.net If you would like this document in Braille, large print, Welsh or another language or format, or if you would like the services of an interpreter, please contact us. Wales & West Housing Association is registered as a charitable association under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 No. 21114R