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The changing role of the regulator April 2012. Yvonne Davies [email protected] 07867 974659 Scrutiny and Empowerment Partners. Background to changing expectations. New Government Review – May 2010 Review of Housing Regulation - October 2010 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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The changing role of the regulator
April 2012
Yvonne [email protected]
07867 974659 Scrutiny and Empowerment Partners
Background to changing expectations
• New Government Review – May 2010• Review of Housing Regulation - October 2010• CLG consultation on draft directions to Tenant Services Authority (TSA) -
July 2011• Localism Bill - November 2011• New Housing Strategy - November 2011• Consultation on new standards – November 2011• New regulatory standards - March 2012• TSA closes to become part of the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) - 1st
April 2012
What the Government wanted to change when it came into power
• “Landlords are accountable to their tenants, not to the regulator.”• “The review’s recommendations will result in the system becoming more
co-regulatory – with a clearer role for tenants in scrutinising performance… while the regulator’s attention will be focussed on serious failures”
Review of Social Housing Regulation October 2012
The government view on localism
“Today is the start of a deep and serious reform agenda to take power away from politicians and give it to people.“
David Cameron“We need to give people the platform to get things done ….. a system which properly puts tenants and their representatives firmly in the driving seat.”
Grant Shapps
What we are covering todayEconomic StandardsGovernance and financial viabilityValue for moneyRentConsumer StandardsTenant Involvement and EmpowermentHomeTenancyNeighbourhood and Community
Strong messages• Tenant Panels (inc Scrutiny Groups), MPs and Councillors have a role to scrutinise landlords• Boards are responsible for governing whether standards are met• Consumer standards – the regulators powers are restricted to circumstances where the
serious detriment test is met• Economic standards are to enable access to private finance and to protect previous govt
funding• Regulator can intervene for poor performance in a proportionate, transparent and
consistent way• Leaseholders are excluded from regulation as are home owners who have purchased
outright
Tenant involvement and empowerment standard
Customer care – not many changesChoice – more of the sameScrutiny and co-regulation – more importantCashback – newEquality – collecting all 9 diversity strandsComplaints – coming soonThis is a cross cutting standard
Tenant Involvement & Empowerment Standard (TIES) – cross cutting standard
• Customer service• Choice• Complaints – later changes in 2013 not mentioned• Equality and additional support for vulnerable people• Consult at least once every 3 years on best way to involve
tenants in governance and scrutiny• Involvement in: formulation of policies; setting and
monitoring standards; recommendations on how performance can be improved; agreeing local offers
• Scrutiny• Cashback
Co-regulation – key messages• Transparency and accountability are key• A role for Boards to ensure co-regulation• Honest and robust self assessment and challenge• Regular reporting to tenants and consultation• Value for Money (VFM)– new annual assessment and
involvement of stakeholders (including tenants) on how the landlord will optimise VFM
• Annual published judgements by regulator• Will complaints be heard by the HoS?
Complaints (TIES & Localism Act)
• Housing Association Ombudsman will deal with all complaints, including those which used to go to the Local Govt Ombudsman from April 2013
• Tenants panels to be recognised by the Housing Ombudsman Service (HoS) as a designated person -if they wish to register as referral body for complaints
• Choices – tenants part of internal procedure• Independent Tenant Panel – as advocates OR as a panel
which can consider and mediate and refer on to the HoS, OR scrutinise the service
Right to Manage – RTM (TIES)
• Landlords to support their tenants to exercise the Right to Manage
• Tenants to have further opportunities to take responsibility for the management of their homes
• Landlords should support tenants in that right
Tenant scrutiny Panels (TIES) • Landlords to capacity build tenants to ensure they can be
effectively involved• Landlords to support the formation and activities of tenant
panels.• Landlords are to welcome this challenge via a tenant panel (or
equivalent group)• Clear regulatory obligation on landlords to provide timely,
useful performance information to tenants in order to support effective scrutiny and provide training
• Annual report to tenants continue to be regulatory obligation, as do local offers
• Landlords to provide accurate and timely information to enable scrutiny
Customer Inspection and Improvement Panel
Established in October 2010
Aims:• Independence• Accountability & transparency• Tenant led• Informed choices • Continuous improvement
Considerations:• Access to information• Formal safeguards• Formal powers
Initial set up
CIIP
East Durham Homes Board
Board panels•Customer service•Equality and diversity•Finance and human resources•Audit and risk
Executive Management Team
The Housing Partnership Mystery shopping
Tenant and Resident Associations
Service review panels and focus groups
Editing panel, estate inspections, surveys, feedback panels
Accountability and Authority
• Decides how to take decisions forward
• Implements the recommendations it makes
• Makes demands
• Looks into key services in great detail
• Makes recommendations for improvements
• Makes reasonable requests
• Supports the continual development of the organisation
The role of the CIIP
Company overview
Performance Management/ VFM
TPAS Scrutiny Training
Joint working event with EDH Board and CIIP
VFM training
E&D training
Planning scrutiny
Report writing and presentations
Training
• Role-specific: Chairing a meeting How to challenge
• Individual appraisals
• Feedback from inspections
• ALfR Level 3 Award in Resident Scrutiny
• Continual development
Additional training
1st service area to inspect
Estate ManagementBased on lower than desirable
customer satisfaction scores
• Desktop review
• Estate walkabout
• Mystery Shopping
• Interview with members of staff
• Shadowed a member of staff
• Customer Focus Group
• Consulted resident associations
First inspection
• Add timescales and clearer wording to the new Ground Maintenance SLA with Durham County Council.
• Investigate supplying estate officers with heavy duty tools kits (one per van) to reduce the fuel costs, labour costs, wear and tear on vehicles and improve time management
• Improve layout of estate management page by grouping the headshots of estate officers by the areas they work in.
A few of therecommendations
• Investigate the possibility of creating an estate walkabout ‘card in window' scheme for disabled/elderly/vulnerable tenants to indicate to estate officers/assistants that the tenant has a comment to make
• Further promote the role of the handyman service so that it is clearly understood
Recommendationscontinued
Reasoning
New approaches: Working as one large group Team co-ordinators Approach to interviewing Improved communication between interviews Telephone interviews
Taken to the Board for approval in November 11
ASB inspection
• Consider rewording the VMS surveys at the start of each question (‘how do you rate’) is very repetitive and off putting to tenants.
• Take a survey along to a visit in the final stages of a case and ask tenants to fill them in and post them back
• Consider offering letter box locks to victims of ASB
• Advertise the use of twitter/Facebook/smartphones to report ASB
ASB recommendations
• Peer review completed in January 2011
• Suggested by Board of Directors as an area to look at
• Reality check
Communication around repairs
(Report not yet been presented to Board)
Ideas for recommendations…
Courtesy calls
Automatic trigger
Emergency call outs
Changes to scripting and letters
Changes to PDAs
• Membership of other groups/
panels
• Clearer explanation of what’s involved
• Flexibility in the level of involvement
• More support with desktop review
If we could start again, what would we do differently?
• Communication with wider tenant body
• Monitoring implementation of action plan
• Involving more tenants in the recruitment process
• Conflict resolution with Board
Further considerations
• 23 recommendations for Estate Management approved in May 11 - all have now been actioned
• 15 recommendations for ASB service approved in November 11 - 12 now in place
• Provisionally 22 recommendations for Communication around Repairs
• Company buy in
• Better understanding of the process from staff
Outcomes
Panel member’s experience
Tenant Cashback (TIES)• Give tenants opportunities to be involved in the undertake or
commission routine repairs themselves, as agreed with the landlord
• Tenants to be given a chance to share in the financial savings• Publication of information on repairs budgets will help
tenants judge whether the schemes are sufficiently ambitious• Local circumstances of stock age and condition and type is to
be recognised• Tenants may gain practical and transferrable skills• Outcomes to be published in annual reports
Darrin GambleHead of Neighbourhood
Northern Housing
Consortium
16 April 2012
BONKERS!!!!!!
Why get involved?• We like to innovate
•Ability to influence tenancy standard
•Learning •Know the opportunities•Know the risks
•Ethos
Something for Something
•Increasing self reliance
•Reducing dependency
•Training & employment
•Bromford Deal
•Tenant Cashback
Home Rewards Club Pilot
Home Rewards ClubRepairs
• Clear split of responsibilities
•Customer•Bromford
• Excluded repairs
• Repairs Diary
• Annual Property Service (APS)
• DVD
• £150 / £150
Home Rewards ClubHousing Management
• Clear split of responsibilities•Customer•Bromford
• £200 after 12 mths
Home Reward Club Pilot Areas
• Sandwell and Dudley• Inner city and flats
• Lichfield• Large stock concentration
• Central Cotswolds• Semi rural
• Stratford Upon Avon
• 2500 customers
Home Reward Club Members
• 5% Sign Up Rate130 Customers
• Feedback•What customers liked•What customer didn’t like
Home Rewards ClubWho can join?
•Minimal exclusions•Damage to property•Possession
•Find out where the risks are
Cost/Resources
• Full Time Project Manager
• £500 x 130 = £65k
• Additional APS
• Colleague time
• Savings - are they real?
What do we want to test?
• Reduction in repair costs• Reduction in housing management activity• Insurance/compensation risks• Quality• What are the costs of administration• Change in customer behaviour• Who does it work for? Who doesn’t it work for?• Potential to extend
Experience to Date• Colleagues• Customers• Hurdles• Insurers• Health & Safety• Asbestos• Financial Link• Agreement• Marketing – How do we get through
• Welfare Benefits• Bureaucracy
Customer Feedback
Pete Docherty
Lisa Norris
Analysis• Repair costs/numbers• Use of the contact centre• Any access issues• Training & employment
• Repairs activity – customer / Bromford
• Housing management activity – customer / Bromford
Last 12 mths
After HRC
What next?
Share learning
Roll out
Phase 2
Questions
ContactDarrin GambleHead of Neighbourhood – West Midlands1 Venture CourtBroadlandsWolverhamptonWV10 6TB
[email protected]@Darrin_Bromford
01902 378646
Tenancy Standard• Allocations – co-operate with Local Authority• Mutual exchanges – access to a new data base• Manage under-occupation and overcrowding• Publish the policy – common register; common
allocations and local lettings policies• Clear tenure policy – type of tenancy – including new
fixed term tenancy; when you will grant the tenancy and what the grounds of appeal will be
• When probationary tenancies will be used• Continue the tenure when tenants transfer
The Revised Regulatory Framework for Social Housing April 2012
A Perspective on Tenancy Policies
Garry CrollAssistant-Director Housing Services
Liverpool Mutual Homes
Northern Housing Consortium Seminar Monday 16th April 2012, Helena Housing
Introducing the Revised Tenancy Standard• Two elements (Rents now part of Value for
Money Standard)• Allocations• Tenure
Allocations & Mutual Exchanges- Required Outcomes
• RP’s to let their homes in a fair, transparent & efficient way• Take into account housing needs & aspirations of tenants &
potential tenants• Lettings must demonstrate:-
– Best use of available housing– Compatible with the purpose of housing– Contribute to LA’s strategic housing function & sustainable
communities• Clear application, decision making & appeal’s processes• Enable access to opportunities to exchange via internet based
mutual exchange service
Some Specific Expectations- Mutual Exchanges & Homelessness
• RP’s to co-operate with LA’s strategic housing function & assistance with delivery of homeless duties & meeting obligations in nominations agreements.
• RP’s must subscribe to an internet based mutual exchange service • Internet based exchange service must be a signatory to an
agreement such as Homeswap direct• RP’s must take reasonable steps to publicise availability of the
service to tenants• RP’s must provide reasonable support in using the service to
tenants who do not have internet access.
Questions for Discussion?
• How does your authority enable RP support \ input into delivery of the strategic housing function?
• What contribution are you making to assist the LA meet its homeless duty
• Are your nomination agreements robust?• Which provider to go for?• Sub-regional CBL – Abritas system will provide a link to national
exchange scheme provider• What publicity is regarded as reasonable?• Will you introduce Internet cafés & Kiosks, other?
Other Allocations Policy Issues
• Affordable Homes • Under-occupation – welfare reforms• Overcrowded
Tenure – Required Outcomes & Specifics
• RP’s to offer tenancies or terms of occupation compatible with the purpose of the accommodation, needs of individual households, sustainability of the community and efficient use of the stock.
• They shall meet all applicable statutory & legal requirements in
relation to the form & use of TC agreements or terms of occupation.• RP’s to publish clear & accessible polices that outline their
approach to tenancy management including interventions to sustain tenancies & prevent unnecessary evictions & tackling tenancy fraud.
Questions
• Are we going to be able to provide tenancies that satisfy all the above criteria?
• Have you reviewed your tenancy agreements?• Are they compliant with legislation?• How does your tenancy policy fit with LA’s strategic tenancy policy?• What tenancies are you going to use?• What will be the tenancy length?• How will you differentiate?• What appeal arrangements will you put in place?
Conclusions – Questions?
• Early days! Still assessing the way forward.• Welcome the opportunity to share thinking.• Particularly on tenure strategies & affordable
homes.• Concerns about challenge - inevitable?
LUNCH
Governance and Financial Viability
• Test the effectiveness of governance once a year
• Let the regulator know of any non compliance• Annual returns• Effective controls and procedures• Risk management – ever important• Financial checks – let HCA know if you have a
problem
Home Standard• Meet decent homes standard• Continue to meet this standard• Provide cost effective Repairs service to homes and
communal areas• Right first time repairs• Ensure a prudent, planned approach to repairs• Right balance of planned and responsive repairs• Meet health and safety arrangements• Approach which includes cyclical, responsive, planned, capital
works, work on adaptations and empty homes
Neighbourhood and Community Standard
• Keep neighbourhoods and communal areas clean and safe• Work in partnership with tenants and public bodies• Co-operate with partners and local partnership
arrangements to help promote the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of areas
• Identify and publish the roles that landlords can play in areas where they have homes
• Prevent and tackle ASB – using full legal powers available• Take decisive action on ASB and make it easy to report• Support witnesses and victims of ASB
HOME, NEIGHBOURHOOD& COMMUNITY STANDARD
Chris SmithManaging Director
Erimus Housing
TO COVER
Home
Neighbourhood & Community
Local Partnerships
HOME• Quality of Accommodation
- ensuring Decent Homes Guidance is maintained
• Repairs & Maintenance
- planned approach to R & M of homes and communal areas
- co-operated with relevant organisations to provide an adaptations service
NEIGHBOURHOOD & COMMUNITYSTANDARD
• Neighbourhood Management
- published policy for maintaining and improving neighbourhoods
EXPECTATIONS
NEIGHBOURHOOD & COMMUNITYSTANDARD
EXPECTATIONS
• Local Area Co-operation
- identify and publish the roles you are able to play in areas
- co-operate with local partners and strategic housing functions
NEIGHBOURHOOD & COMMUNITY
STANDARD
NEIGHBOURHOOD & COMMUNITYSTANDARD
• Anti-Social Behaviour
- publish how you work with relevant partners to prevent and tackle ASB
- early intervention
- prevention
- support
IN GENERAL
• No real change
• Not prescriptive
• No interference – except if serious detriment
LOCAL AREA CO-OPERATION
• Why now more than ever?
• The new challenges
• How we can respond
WHY NOW MORE THAN EVER?
• RPs have a strong partnership ethos but poor reputation in Parliament
• Impact of continuing austerity measures
WHY NOW MORE THAN EVER?
• New structures emerging
• We are a neighbourhood based service
• It can offer new opportunities & service development
THE NEW CHALLENGES
• Welfare Reform
- bedroom tax
- Universal Credit
- Financial Inclusion
• Local Authority Tenancy Strategies
- best use of stock?
THE NEW CHALLENGES• Health & Social Care Act
- Health & Wellbeing Boards
- New commissioning framework
• Anti-Social Behaviour
- impact of Pilkinton case
- Renewed ‘Respect’ agenda
• Troubled Families
- how defined?
- who intervenes?
THE NEW CHALLENGES
• Building New Homes
- reduced grant rate
- Affordable Rents
- reinvigorated RTB
• Asset Management
- best use of stock & buildings
HOW CAN WE RESPOND• Depends on your business model:
“…having taken account of their presence and impact within the areas they own properties”
• Where is best impact to deliver directly or to outsource?
• e.g. Erimus Housing - 10,500 properties
- 1 Local Authority area
Tees Valley Housing - 4,500 properties
- 16 Local Authority areas
PARTNERSHIP WITH MIDDLESBROUGH COUNCIL
• Chair of the LSP• Strategic Housing Forum• Deliver Homelessness & Advice Service• Strategic review of community assets• Development of Neighbourhood ‘Hubs’ and shared
services• Troubled Families Pilot• Financial Inclusion – Lead on Big Lottery Bid• One Planet Living / Green Agenda
JOINT VENTURE
• Innovative approach to regeneration• Capitalising stock transfer commitments• Match funding through Erimus VAT Shelter• Regeneration ‘pot’ of £5 – 6 million• Asset transfer vehicle• Use of MBC / Erimus land to deliver housing priorities
HEALTH & HOUSINGThe Gateway Project
ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
• PIER approach
• Strong links with Police, Fire Brigade,
Local Authority
ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Investing in Young
People
Neighbourhood Approach
GROUNDWORKS PARTNERSHIP
• Strategic alliance
• Consultancy and project delivery
• Environmental works
• Developing skills and training opportunities
• Volunteering
TO CONCLUDE
• Partnerships here to stay
• Influence and impact
• Common vision important, who delivers is not
• Outcomes are the priority
Thank you
&
Questions
Rent standard
• Separate guidance on this• Rent formula• 5% tolerance in individual rents• 10% tolerance on supported housing rents• Annual RPI + 1% increase (capped)• Annual target rents RPI + 0.5% increase• Rent is no more than 80% of market rent
Value for Money standard
• Robust assessment of all its assets and resources – financial, social and environmental
• Take account of stakeholders interests• On going improvements in value for money• Annual assessment:
– Set out absolute and comparative costs– Evidence the gains in VFM
Practical applications of VFM.. Sue Smith – Director of Finance and Performance
Strategies Cost data Performance data Benchmarking clubs
Value For Money
Do you know what it is telling you?
Reducing costs Improving outputs Improving performance Mixture of all?
Value For Money
Are you clear about what you are trying to achieve?
Value For Money
Value For Money
Value For Money
Transactional, transitional and transformational change
Customer Services Flexible working Office working ICT systems
Value For Money
Preferred method of Communication – telephone Reconfigured offices Electronic Document Management Hot Desks, drop down zones, pods More time out with customers Invest in customers preferred contact methods Culture change
Value For Money
Office Refurbishment
Work is something you do…not somewhere you go Smarter about how you work Changes to T’s and C’s Core hours removed Technology –sun rays Staff benefits Staff retention
Value For Money
Flexible working
Resolution of queries at first point of contact
Brought a number of teams together Cover hours from 8am to 7pm Cost neutral – doing more for the same
Value For Money
Customer Services
Sun Ray technology Savings on lap tops New ICT systems being implemented-
right information at the right time Dedicated team Work flows
Value For Money
ICT Systems
What is important to you?
Who do you admire Visit them! Meet for a coffee Learn from them Its not easy!
Value For Money
Benchmarking results
Look at costs year on year… Budget for 10/11 Actual for 11/12 Budget for 12/13
Value For Money
Budget Setting
Value For Money
Project Appraisal
• Improved processes • Motivated/educated
employees • Enhanced
information systems • Monitored progress • Greater customer
satisfaction • Strong financial base
Value For Money
Balanced Scorecard
Joint Procurement Shared services Procurement clubs Framework agreements Services in house or not?
Value For Money
Procurement activities
Value For Money
Are you Lean?
Profiling data Impact assessments Focus groups Scrutiny Panel Annual Report STAR survey results Learn from complaints
Value For Money
Customer Involvement
Neighbourhood Investment Framework Halton Standard Void Standard Social Value – Beyond the Garden Gate Sustainability assessments Invest or divest?
Value For Money
Asset Management
Name: Sue Smith
Tel: 0151 510 5123
Mob: 07947 614289
Email: [email protected]
Value For Money
Questions
?
Serious Detriment (SD) Test• Regulator may not apply this if the landlord fails to meet one
or more standard• Regulatory intervention is at a much higher level than with
economic standards• Defined as risk of, or actual, serious harm to tenants• No further definition will be given, but likely to be H&S; loss
of home; unlawful discrimination; loss of legal rights; financial loss
• Assessment is based on the degree of harm for failure to meet consumer standards
• If it is not to be taken up by the regulator, then it is a matter for the Complaints Procedure
Intervention and enforcement
The same powers remain as beforeRegulator has a new duty to minimise interferenceInvestigation and terms when significant risk is identifiedIs there a role for the Housing Ombudsman service on a failure of co-regulation?What KPIs are you going to collect on complaints?
Thanks for listening and taking part
Any Final Questions?
[email protected]: 07867 974659
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