Annual Report 2023-24
Our customers have a powerful voice, and their feedback shapes our plans and helps us continually improve our services.
This year customers have played key roles in reviewing and challenging our performance across a range of areas including how we communicate performance data, our sustainability plans, neighbourhood services, equality, diversity and inclusion, and how we measure up to the Government’s Consumer Standards.
We know we don’t always get it right and we are committed to learning from complaints, taking action so they don’t happen again and using feedback to drive improvements across our business.
Here a snapshot of our performance...
Customer Voice Panel (CVP) members
Customer engagement activities held
Customer groups active this year:
- Customer EDI Champions
- Customer Sustainability Champions
- Lessons Learnt Customer & Colleague Working Group
- Performance Challenge Working Group
- Neighbourhood Champions
- Customer Experience Working Group
- Tenancy and Neighbourhood Working Group
- Property Care Customer Void Inspectors
You said, we did
Here are some of the ways our involved customers influenced our work in 2023/2024.
You said
Customers told us they would like to see their Neighbourhood Coordinator and their role be more visible.
What we did
We have worked with our Head of Tenancy and Neighbourhoods to form the Tenancy and Neighbourhood Working Group. Its purpose is to work with customers to ensure the service meets the customer standards and runs consistently and efficiently.
You said
Customers told us they would like to learn more about our plans to develop work in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
What we did
Our Director of People and Culture is leading the refresh of our EDI strategy and is engaging with customers to understand what actions and measurable outcomes they would FCHO to commit to. These will be included in the new strategy and action plan which will be re-launched in early 2024/25.
You said
Customers told us they would like to be involved in reviewing complaints, to bring their perspective to how they have been handled.
What we did
We have established a Lessons Learnt Customer & Colleague Working Group that is attended by a CVP member and the FCHO Board Member responsible for complaints. The group meets to look complaints performance data, identify learning, with a view to suggesting improvements where appropriate.
Spotlight on our Customer Sustainability Champions
Laurie Macdonald Customer Sustainability Champion
This year we are delighted to have welcomed onboard more Customer Sustainability Champions to be part of our work to make our homes, neighbourhoods and business more sustainable.
We now have an 18-strong cohort of involved customers from across the borough, all passionate about the planet and helping us make important strides towards our green ambitions.
Ideas for how we can boost biodiversity in our neighbourhoods, ways we can help customers to save energy and money during the cost-of-living crisis, and views on the best ways to communicate with customers about energy efficiency improvement work are among the ways our brilliant Champions are influencing our work.
FCHO customer, Laurie Macdonald has lived in the Alt neighbourhood for 25 years. Spurred on by her love for neighbourhoods and communities and keen interest in the environment, Laurie became a Customer Sustainability Champion this year.
Here’s what Laurie has to say about her role:
“I feel very strongly that we should keep our neighbourhoods in a good, clean healthy condition, which is what I see as sustainability.
“Making areas nicer places to live can encourage people to look after their environment and help build communities that really care about the place and that’s important to me.
“We all have to do our best to look after our area and the planet. If people look after their own area, the planet will look after itself.
“I think it’s good that FCHO is getting customers involved in its plans and I want to bring my experience as a long-standing customer to influence conversations about green issues that matter to us.”
Get involved
If you are a customer and would like to get involved in any of our customer engagement groups, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact our Stronger Communities team.
Telephone: 0161 393 7117
Email: ci@fcho.co.uk
Complaints
Our performance snapshot this year…
Complaints received (stage 1)
Complaints received (stage 2)
Stage 1 complaints responded to within Ombudsman timescales (10 working days)
Stage 2 complaints responded to within Ombudsman timescales (20 working days)
You said, we did
Here are some of the ways customer complaints have influenced our work in 2023/2024.
You said
There was a lack of communication from the Neighbourhood and Community Legal teams after reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB).
What we did
Our Community Legal team is now situated within the Neighbourhood team, and this provides a more supportive service ensuring better communication between both teams.
What we learned
This change has led to an increase in customer satisfaction with the service area and an increase in compliments.
You said
Customers were unaware of what to expect when rewiring work at their home was planned.
What we did
We now provide more detailed information prior to any major works – such as rewires - at our customers’ homes. This includes informative photos and videos, making clear what can be expected during and after work takes place.
What we learned
Full communication about what is involved in planned work at their home is important to our customers and as a result of the changes we have made in this area, customer complaints related to this have reduced.
You said
Customers were reporting disrepair cases without going through the complaints process, or their complaints were closed once legal action commenced, leading to frustration over the prolonged time needed to resolve repair issues in their homes.
What we did
In line with Housing Ombudsman guidelines, we now offer alternative dispute resolution to customers as an option to help resolve issues at their home, rather than pursuing legal disrepair cases. Customers can still, however,decide to use the legal route if they choose to.
What we learned
Alternative dispute resolution offers a route for customers to have issues at their home resolved much more quickly and with less stress than going to court with a legal disrepair case.
In 2023/2024, 32 customers chose to pursue the non-legal disrepair route for these reasons.
This also saved the business around £160k on legal fees which can be invested in other service areas for our customers.
Spotlight on our Board Member Responsible for Complaints
Jean Mira First Choice Homes Oldham Board Member Responsible for Complaints
As part of our continued work to promote a positive complaint handling culture at FCHO and to comply with the statutory Complaint Handling Code, we have appointed Jean Mira as our Board Member Responsible for Complaints (MRC).
On the importance of this role for ensuring complaint handling drives service improvement for residents, whilst providing learning for the organisation to continually improve, Jean says:
“I believe that complaints received by FCHO give us valuable opportunities to listen to our customers. This in turn helps us review how we operate and can shape positive changes to services and service delivery.
“In my role as the MRC, I champion a positive complaint handling culture and aim to build effective relationships with the complaints and wider teams, customers, the audit and risk committee, and the Housing Ombudsman Service.
“Working with our Customer Excellence team and other colleagues we ensure that complaints are being effectively managed, necessary changes implemented, and that our customers’ voices are heard throughout the process.”