Our local offers set out the standards of service tenants can expect to receive. They are developed in partnership with tenants to ensure they reflect the standards people want.
We monitor our services against these local offers constantly, reporting to Board quarterly and to tenants through the tenants annual report. We are currently recruiting tenants for a Scrutiny Panel, which will review our performance before the next annual report is published.
We first published a version of our local offers in the October 2010 tenants annual report. At the time, we asked tenants what they thought about the report and our services in general. The results of the survey can be found in this flash presentation.
For the most part, we were pleased with the results, although we are looking at ways to make our schemes tidier and cleaner. We are also looking for a window cleaner who will work in partnership with us to provide an enhanced service to tenants. The current version of our local offers can be found below:
We monitor our services against these local offers constantly, reporting to Board quarterly and to tenants through the tenants annual report. We are currently recruiting tenants for a Scrutiny Panel, which will review our performance before the next annual report is published.
We first published a version of our local offers in the October 2010 tenants annual report. At the time, we asked tenants what they thought about the report and our services in general. The results of the survey can be found in this flash presentation.
For the most part, we were pleased with the results, although we are looking at ways to make our schemes tidier and cleaner. We are also looking for a window cleaner who will work in partnership with us to provide an enhanced service to tenants. The current version of our local offers can be found below:
offer 1: tenant involvement and empowerment
- Half of our Board Members should be tenants or former tenants of People First.
- We will consult you when we make major changes to our policies.
- We will assist you if you want to become more involved with the running of People First or your neighbourhood.
- We will operate an effective complaints policy and procedure.
- We will treat you as an individual.
- We will be polite and helpful to you.
- We will monitor tenant satisfaction with our services and take action when services are not up-to-scratch.
offer 2: home standard
- Your home should be safe and comfortable.
- We will ensure a gas safety check is conducted annually.
- We will conduct satisfaction surveys to ensure that repairs are carried out to a standard acceptable to tenants.
- We will inspect at least one job in ten after completion.
- We will carry out emergency repairs within 24 hours.
- We will carry out urgent repairs within one week.
- We will carry out routine repairs within 28 days. Whenever possible, we will carry out routine repairs much quicker than this, provided it does not jeopardise performance on emergency and urgent repairs.
offer 3: neighbourhood and communities
- We will work in partnership with other landlords to ensure consistently good services are delivered across Hulme.
- We will visit each scheme every week, conducting a formal scheme inspection at least fortnightly.
- We will react to reports of antisocial behaviour within five working days (or within 24 hours if there is violence or the threat of violence).
- We will work in partnership with the Police and the local community to reduce crime and antisocial behaviour in your area.
- We will keep the common areas of your scheme clean and free from rubbish. We will keep external common areas tidy and free from weeds.
- We will react immediately to reports of fly-tipping or graffiti.
- We will work in partnership with Operational Services to ensure your estate is kept clean and safe.
offer 4: your tenancy
- We will keep tenancy turnover to a minimum.
- We will let our properties fairly to those most in need of housing, whilst maintaining sustainable communities.
- We will move towards a common allocations policy across Manchester, whilst ensuring that at least half of the people we house have a local connection to Hulme.
- We will relet empty properties as quickly as possible, striving to achieve an average relet time of four weeks.
- We will continue to be members of homeswapper, the mutual exchange system.
- We will collect 100% of the rent charged each year.
offer 5: value for money
- We will be smart in the way we buy goods and services to ensure we are spending money wisely.
- We will consider value-for-money every time we review a policy.
- Wherever possible, we will set up contracts directly with suppliers to cut out the middleman and achieve savings.
- We will endeavour to use local contractors so that your money is invested back into the community.
- We will work in partnership with other associations to achieve savings through bulk-buying discounts.
offer 6: governance and financial viability
- We will adopt an appropriate code of conduct for Board Members.
- We will regularly monitor the effectiveness of the Board, Chair and Chief Executive.
- We will comply with relevant legislation and regulation.
- We will submit all of the returns required by our regulator in a timely fashion.
- We will ensure there are effective controls in place to ensure the security of our assets and the proper use of public funds.
- We will monitor financial expenditure and investment to ensure your money is effectively managed.
