we did

you said

Annual Report for Residents

2014

Welcome to our third Annual Report for Residents.

This report is one of the ways we communicate with you, our residents, about how we have performed over the year, how we are improving and our plans for the future.

It is based on the responses you gave to the Satisfaction Survey 2014. We have once again used a “You Said, We Did” format so you can see exactly how we have responded. Thank you so much if you took the time to complete the survey. Your answers will help to improve the service provided by Derventio Housing Trust.

This year’s report also includes lots of interesting information about the services we offer.

Happy reading!

Sarah Hernandez, Managing Director

Welcome

Contents

Summary of our Housing Services

Resident Involvement & Empowerment

Your Home

Your Tenancy

Your Neighbourhood & Community 16

11

6

4

3 Value for Money

Plans for the Future

Governance & Financial Viability

Your Comments 23

22

20

18

Key management staff led by senior managers have looked closely at the results of the Satisfaction Survey 2014. Your answers have been discussed and any issues raised have been addressed. This report outlines some of the changes being made.

Summary of our Housing Services

SmartShareShared, supported homes for people

who have experience of homelessness

Rooms4TwoTwo people aged between 18 and 34 are matched to live in a rented home

with some support

SmartLetsTenancy support for people who have struggled to find a home of their own

Resident Involvement & Empowerment

The more residents get involved and participate, the more chance you get to shape the service so that it meets your needs. We offer lots of ways for residents to have their say, including the annual satisfaction survey. You will see your responses to the 2014 survey throughout this report.

Do you feel any problems, complaints or disputes you’ve had were dealt with effectively?

Yes

Some were, some weren’t

No

I haven’t had any

46%

11%

14%

29%

Do you feel you have enough opportunity to express your views about the service?

Yes

No

84%

16%

How good do you think Derventio is at keeping you informed of things that might affect you as a resident?

Very good

Good

Poor

Very poor

48%

37%

9%

6%

All of my problems have been dealt with properly. And whilst discussing the problems I felt at ease, as though talking to a friend rather than an “employee” of Derventio

Derventio let me know well in advance should anything be happening, should anyone be coming round or change in staff

You can talk about the service with your support worker

4

Expressing your views

You Said...

We Did...We understand that it’s important that residents are able to easily make a complaint when they feel something has gone wrong. We are currently reviewing our complaints and feedback procedures.

Happily, nearly a third of people who responded to the survey said that you have not had any problems, complaints or disputes. Of those who did, the majority said that they were dealt with effectively. However, a worrying 14% of you were not happy with how your problems have been dealt with.

Problems & complaints

84% of people who responded to the survey feel that you have enough opportunities to express your views. This is slightly less than last year’s 93%.

We Did...The annual survey is just one of the ways for you to have your say. Look at the box on the left for other ways you can get involved.

We Did...It is important that you are kept up to date on what is happening with the service, especially when it affects you. We aim to keep residents informed through house meetings, appointments, letters, phone calls and texts. If you ever feel that you don’t understand something, or that things have changed without your knowledge, please tell your support or housing officer about your concerns.

85% of people who responded to the survey think that Derventio is good at keeping you informed.

Keeping informed

You Said...

You Said...

Want to have your say? ► Fill in the Comments,

Compliments & Complaints form for a quick way to tell us what you think

► Give feedback through our website www.derventiohousing.com

► Speak to your housing or support officer at any time

When asked what you would like to be referred as, resident and client came out top. None of you want to be called a customer or service user. Now we know what you want, we will only refer to the people who use our services as our residents and clients.

5

How happy are you with the quality of your house or flat?

Very happy

Happy

Unhappy

Very unhappy

44%

5%

4%

47%

How safe and secure do you feel when you’re in your house or flat?

Very safe

Mostly safe

Sometimes safe

Never safe

51%

5%

5%

39%

Do you feel you get along with your housemates

Always

Mostly

Sometimes

Never

39%

16%

4%

35%

I live on my own 7%

Very nice and clean, close to town and bus stops. Close to family.

If we have had any issues with other residents we discuss this in the house meeting to resolve the problem.

Couldn’t ask for a better housemate.

We all live different lives from under the same roof. Clashing is inevitable at times.

Your Home

We want to make sure that where you live feels like home. This means feeling safe, getting on with who you live with and being happy with the quality of your home.

The house is good and fits my needs for the time being.

6

You Said...

We Did...We have a dedicated Property Standards team who work hard to make sure all of our houses are of a good quality. This is the first survey we have carried out since the team has been in place, and we are pleased to hear that more of you are happy with your home than last year. Many of our houses are still in need of some TLC, and we do know that there is a lot of work still to be done. We are working hard to get all of our housing stock up to standard.

Nine out of ten of those who responded to the survey are happy with the quality of your house or flat. We’re pleased to report that this is an improvement on last year’s 88%.

The quality of your home

Staying safe

More of you feel safe and secure when you’re in your house or flat (90%) compared to last year (86%).

We Did...There are some things Derventio can do to keep you safe in your home, including making sure the house is secure, completing fire, gas and electric safety checks and carrying out a risk assessment for all residents. But remember that some things are your responsibility, such as keeping doors and windows locked at night and when the house is empty.

You Said...

We Did...This has shown a big improvement since last year, with two thirds of you always or mostly getting on with your housemates, compared with just over half last year.

Your housemates

You Said...We work hard to match residents up with suitable housemates, and it looks like this has been paying off. You should always speak to your housing or support officer if you are having problems with someone in your home.

7

Have you reported any repairs in the past year?

Yes

No

75%

25%

If yes, were you satisfied with how long it took to get the repairs done?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Unsatisfied

Very unsatisfied

35%

21%

12%

33%

Were you satisfied with the standard of work?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Unsatisfied

Very unsatisfied

46%

7%

10%

37%

In general, do you think the repairs service is...?

Very good

Good

Poor

Very poor

29%

15%

10%

46%

Do you have any ideas or suggestions about how we can improve the repairs service?

Took a little while to be done but I understand they may have been busy

All of the repairs I know of have been dealt with brilliantly

I fell downstairs after a light bulb went missing, light was replaced fairly quickly

Respond quicker

Let people decorate / repair own rooms

Maybe shorter waiting times

Get more workers

Repairs

8

You Said... We Did...This goes to show just how big a workload the maintenance team has. The department has continued to grow this year so that they are better equipped to look after our housing stock of over 400 units.

Three quarters of you say that you have reported a repair in the last year.

Reporting repairs

Manager

Property Standards TeamWe make sure a high standard is maintained in each home

Void Response Unit We work quickly to get empty properties

ready for a new resident

Admin Team We work behind the scenes to make sure

everything is running smoothly

Domestic Assistants We’re here to carry out general tasks on properties, such as cleaning and gardening

Maintenance TeamWe now have a full set of skills so we can deal with all everyday maintenance and repair issues on your home

Plumber

Plasterer/ Builder

ElectricianPainter

JoinerPainter

This is what the maintenance department looks like now

Quality of repairs

You Said... We Did...The Maintenance Team has grown over the last year. The team now has a full set of skills, including a plumber, joiner and electrician. Having these specialisms in the team will help to improve the quality of work. We are also aware that a lot of our housing stock is quite old and in need of some attention. Our Property Standards Team is here to get each house back up to a good condition.

More than 80% of those who requested repairs say that you were satisfied or very satisfied with the standard of work. This leaves nearly 20% who are not satisfied. Similarly, three quarters of you think that the service overall is good or very good, compared with one quarter who were not as happy.

9

Dealt with:

Within 24 hours

Examples:

Boiler broken - no hot waterFront door not secure

Broken windowGas leak

Water leak

Emergency Repairs Urgent Repairs Routine Repairs

Dealt with:

Within 7 working days

Examples:

Light bulbsVoid turnaround

Damaged interior doorBroken cookerBroken fridge

Broken shower

Dealt with:

Within 1 month

Examples:

Broken washing machinePlastering walls

DecorCleaning carpetsBroken furniture

GardensRubbish removal

You Said... We Did...We have noted all of your comments about the speed in which repairs are carried out - and we recognise that this is an area that we can improve on. We prioritise your repairs based on how urgent they are, with emergency repairs going to the top of the list. The chart below shows the timescales we aim to deal with each type of repair, along with some examples of the work we carry out under each category.

One third of you said that you were not satisfied with how long it took to get your repairs dealt with. Carrying out repairs faster was also the most common suggestion when we asked you how we could improve the service.

Speed of repairs

10

Your Tenancy

We aim to let our homes in a fair, transparent and efficient way. In addition to providing tenancies that are appropriate and suitable, we support residents in a range of areas, from budgeting to help with managing drug or alcohol use.

How would you describe our staff?

Approachable

Professional

Helpful

Well-informed

90%

85%

83%

91%

All Derventio staff have been super. Especially during house meetings and voluntary work

You Said... We Did...We are delighted with your positive comments, and have passed on what you said to individual staff members and teams. We know that there is room for improvement, and so we are investing in a new training programme for all our housing and support staff. All staff will now be required to complete a set of training courses relevant to their role. This additional investment from us will have a direct impact on the quality of service and support you receive.

Your responses were mostly positive about staff, with over 83% of you agreeing that they are approachable, professional, helpful and well-informed. However these responses are not quite as positive as last year, when more than 91% of you agreed with each statement.

Quality of staff

11

The staff have been excellent. Despite my lack of trust and confidence, the staff have made me feel at ease, and allowed me to express my concerns easily.

Do you feel that staff have identified your needs well, and that you have a plan to meet them?

Yes, definitely

Mostly

In some ways

Not at all

53%

14%

5%

28%Have staff helped you by speaking on your behalf to other services e.g. housing, health or substance use services?

Yes, more than two times

Yes, once or twice

I don’t need this sort of help

No

49%

2%

11%

24%

I didn’t know they could do this 14%

They helped me with my doctor and came with me when I was too ill to convey my problem

Has the support from Derventio helped you in the following areas?

My housing situation

My personal safety

Dealing with utilities at my home

Claiming benefits

86%

67%

87%

69%

Managing my money and debts

My household skills

Shopping, cooking and eating healthily

26%

23%

38%

Accessing services and keeping appointments

Accessing cultural and religious organisations

Looking for education, training and work

Managing my drug/alcohol use

42%

35%

11%

15%

Reducing my offending

My physical health

My emotional wellbeing and mental health

26%

43%

12%

My ability to communicate and get on well with others 31%

My personal relationships

Leading a healthier lifestyle

My overall happiness

23%

52%

13%

12

You Said...

We Did...Housing and support staff have been very busy over the last year and this may have been reflected in the amount of support you have been given. Providing support to help you address your issues and take the next steps to independent living is an important part of our service. We have restructured our housing and support teams to make the service more efficient. We have also recruited more staff, which will mean that your support and housing officers will have more time to give you the support you need.

We have started rolling out our new induction and support planning for all new residents and some current residents. From now on any support or advocacy you need will be outlined in your action plan. Your support worker should make you aware of the types of support we can provide, as well as helping you to access other agencies if necessary.

All new residents will be given help where they need it on issues like budgeting as part of the new induction and support process.

95% of you feel that staff have identified your needs and helped you to come up with a plan to meet them. You say that staff have helped you most with your housing situation (86%), claiming benefits (87%), your personal safety (69%), and dealing with utilities (67%). Less than half of you (35%) think that we have helped you with managing your money. Three quarters of you say that staff have helped you by speaking on your behalf to other services at least once or twice. This is slightly better than last year, when it was 68%. Unfortunately 14% of you did not know that we could do this, 5% more than last year.

Your support

13

How easy is it to contact Derventio staff?

I can always get in touch

I can usually get in touch

It’s not easy to get in touch

It’s difficult to get in touch

64%

7%

2%

27%

What do you think about the out-of-hours emergency phone number?

I have used it and staff were able to help me

I have used it but staff were not able to help me

I haven’t needed to use it but I’m glad it’s there if I do

I haven’t needed to use it and I don’t think it’s useful

23%

64%

7%

5%

How do you usually get in touch with Derventio staff?

Phone call

Text message

Email

Drop in to the office

65%

5%

25%

42%

I wait for house meetings/support sessions

I don’t have any contact with them

Other

3%

2%

46%Got the Derventio number on our board on the wall

There is always someone at the end of the phone if I need them

What do you think about your weekly house meetings?

They are a good place to talk about household issues

They are a good chance to see staff

They give me a chance to catch up with my housemates

They are a waste of time

63%

5%

7%

46%

I don’t have house meetings 9%

Makes me feel good, knowing that I can just pick up the phone and they are there

14

You Said...

We Did...We think that house meetings are one of the most effective ways of keeping in regular communication with your support worker, and we’re pleased that you use them as one of your main communication channels. We know that text messages are an easy and low-cost way to stay in touch, and so we will continue to offer text messages alongside all of the other regular forms of communication.

Phone calls, house meetings/support sessions and text messages are your favourite ways of getting in touch with us. This is very similar to last year, although you say that you use house meetings more now and phone calls less. 64% of you say that you can always get in touch with Derventio staff, up from 53% last year.

Getting in touch

You Said...

We Did...Somebody commented that they didn’t know about the emergency on-call number. We have improved our induction and welcome process so now everybody should be aware of the service. Check the guide on the right to make sure you know when you should and shouldn’t use the on-call service.

The majority of people who responded to the survey say that you have not used the out-of-hours emergency service, but are glad it’s there just in case. 23% of you have used it and say that staff were able to help, 4% up from last year. 3% less of you say that staff were not able to help.

Emergency on-call service

When to use the Emergency On-Call ServiceAvailable after 5pm Monday to Friday

and all day Saturday and Sunday

DO call: DON’T call:

9 When there is no lighting in the property

9 When physical abuse is occurring

9 When the front door is not secure

9 When you think a tenant is self-harming, or you have thoughts of self-harming

9 When there is a fire

8 If there is no gas in the property

8 To report that your food has been stolen

8 To report anti-social behaviour

8 To report other tenants’ sexual activity

Instead, please tell us about things like this the next working day.

15

Your Neighbourhood & Community

We are committed to promoting inclusive and accessible neighbourhoods and communities for our residents to live in, feel part of and enjoy. We work closely with local communities to help us achieve this.

How do you feel you fit in with the local community?

I feel like I belong in the community

I fit in quite well

Sometimes there are problems

I don’t feel part of the community at all

25%

11%

19%

45%

Shropshire

8Staffordshire

16Derbyshire

388Nottinghamshire

11Wiltshire

7

Homes in the

Midlands & South West

I have quite good friends all around this part of the estate

Rather keep myself to myself. Less problems that way.

16

You Said...

We Did...It’s good news that the majority of you are happy with your community. We give all of our tenants as much choice as possible when it comes to which area you live in. We take into account your own preference and personal situation as well as what properties are available at the time. If you are unhappy with where you are living, please speak to your support or housing officer.

Seven out of ten of you feel like you belong or fit in quite well with your local community. This is slightly less than last year’s 74%.

Feeling part of the community

How we work with tenants & the community

Neighbour Queries

Late-Night Visits

Health & Safety

Forums & Meetings

Neighbours are welcome to contact us with any concerns or complaints about our tenants. We take all neighbour comments very seriously and always take appropriate action to resolve the issue.

We periodically carry out random late-night visits to some of our properties. This is an effective way to make sure that tenants are behaving appropriately and not causing disruption to neighbours.

We have a dedicated Property Standards Team that carries out regular health and safety checks on our shared housing properties. We also carry out regular fire safety checks.

Derventio staff regularly attend local panels and meetings including homelessness and neighbourhood forums. They are a key way to keep up to date on local issues.

Local Services

We work in close partnership with the police, Local Authorities and other local agencies to promote safe and inclusive communities.

Emergency On-Call Service

All of our tenants are given our emergency number. This can be used to reach staff at any time of night or day to deal with any urgent issue.

We take anti-social behaviour very seriously. If this type of behaviour is upsetting any of our residents, we will support them to sort the problem out. However, we will take action against any of our residents, or their visitors, who annoy, frighten or upset other people in this way. If someone continues to cause nuisance to others, they may even lose their home.

17

Value for Money

It is important to make sure that we do not waste money and that we reduce costs where we can, using any savings we make to improve our homes and services.

How satisfied are you that your rent / service charge provides value for money?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Unsatisfied

Very unsatisfied

39%

0%

5%

55%

How satisfied are you with the service on the whole?

Very satisfied

Satisfied

Unsatisfied

Very unsatisfied

45%

5%

4%

46%

The service and other projects through Derventio, i.e. volunteering work, has been excellent value for money

Although it is a good rate, it is hard to keep up with if one has a job

Derventio have helped me settle into a town I had no knowledge of before becoming a tenant here. For that I am grateful.

Overall, things are good

It does what I need it to do

18

You Said... We Did...Some of you commented that it is difficult to afford to live in a Derventio home if you have a job. Our accommodation services are designed for people who are homeless or threatened with homelessness. If you have a job, there might be other housing that is more affordable and suitable to your new circumstances. Your support officer will show you what your options are and help you to make the next step to other accommodation. Please speak to them if you would like help with this.

A total of 94% of you are satisfied that your rent or service charge provides good value for money. This is 11% more than last year.

Value for money

You Said... We Did...We will continue to work hard to deliver and improve the service so that it continues to meet the needs of our residents.

Just over 90% of you say that you are satisfied or very satisfied with the service on the whole.

Satisfaction with the service

What your money pays forEvery £1 of your rent goes towards:

21.5

22

14.8

4.8

7.2

16.7

13

Rent to the owner

Maintenance/Repairs

Furniture/Equipment

White Goods

Cleaning

Property Costs

Management/Admin

13p

16.7p

7.2p

4.8p

14.8p

22p

21.5p

Every £1 of your bill money goes towards:

Rent to the property ownerMaintenance & repairsFurniture & equipment

White goods

Cleaning

Property costs

Management & admin

Utilities

Support

Management & admin

TV license

38

33

19

10

Utilities

Support

Management/Admin

TV Licence

33p

19p

10p

38p

19

Plans for the Future

We are a forward-looking organisation, always looking for ways to be better. The feedback from this year’s tenant survey will help us to make improvements to the housing, support and opportunities that we provide.

How much contact would you like with staff?

More

OK as it is

Less

None

27%

0%

0%

73%

Would you use any of the following to communicate with or get information from Derventio?

Text message / SMS

Derventio’s website - using a computer

Derventio’s website - using a phone

A social networking site (e.g. Facebook or Twitter)

79%

30%

18%

21%

Email

Drop-in events 39%

30%

You Said... We Did...We have recruited more staff during the year, so they will have more time to give you the support you need. As well as the usual ways, you can get in touch with us through our mobile-friendly website www.derventiohousing.com. We are currently looking into developing a report a repair section for the website.

Most of you are happy with the amount of contact you have with staff, but 27% say you would like more. The majority (79%) of you say you would use text message to get in touch, already one of the most common ways we communicate. Email and using our website were also popular.

Keeping in touch

20

Would you take part in any of the following free activities, sports, training and volunteering opportunities with Derventio?

Arts & crafts

Budgeting

Computer skills

Cooking

47%

51%

49%

38%

Cycling / Bike repair

Day trips

Football

67%

41%

34%

Film club

Gym

Music

Swimming

48%

60%

63%

77%

Helping at the farm

Walks 46%

51%

Is there anything else you would like to do?

Having recently purchased a camera I’d like to attend a photography class

Work with animals

Bowling

You Said... We Did...We have already offered some of the activities named above through our Growing Lives project. We will use your feedback and suggestions as we develop the project. We are currently renovating our activities centre in Ilkeston, which will give us more space to expand Growing Lives and offer more opportunities.

Growing Lives is currently only offered in Derbyshire. When the survey went out, a number of people based in Swindon asked whether they could access any of these activities. Because of this interest, we have now started applying for funding to deliver a selection of learning and skill-building sessions for Swindon residents.

We are also seeking funding for photography classes based on your suggestions.

The most popular activities you would like to take part in are going to the gym (77%), day trips (67%) and swimming (63%). The least popular are cycling and budgeting.

Learning & skill-building

21

Governance & Financial Viability

Governance structure Our Board

Susan Holmes Chair and Treasurer

Zoe Atkinson Board Member

Sarah Hernandez Managing Director

Karan Johal Company Secretary

Mark Menzies Director

Lisa Callow Director

We have said goodbye to two board members during the year, and introduced Zoe Atkinson, Karan Johal, Mark Menzies and Lisa Callow.

We would like to welcome these four new board members. They have all brought a wealth of new skills and specialisms that will help us to deliver a financially viable service that continues to meet the needs of people who are homeless and vulnerable.

The day-to-day operations for each of our key services are overseen by an experienced and highly qualified senior management team of four. The management team have a profound dedication to improving the lives of those affected by homelessness and housing problems.

We also have an experienced and talented staff team of more than 60 people, working in the areas of housing, support, learning activities, maintenance, human resources, ICT, finance, fundraising and communications.

22

What has been the best thing about your time with Derventio?

They helped me out to live in a house and I am very happy about that

Moving in and being given a sense of HOPE!!

Place to live and plan my life again for the future Gave me a roof and

independence and gave me a fresh start to build my life up

Having somewhere to live and meeting new people

Helpful staff who care and are willing to go the extra mile to help you

Having a home

I have become responsible for myself and learnt to deal with problems more effectively

It has allowed me a period of stability, to help me deal with problems in my life

That I am not on the streets and have a roof over my head

They have helped me with anything that I need help with

Meeting different people

Everything

The best thing is moving out of Milestone House and keeping me level-headed

They have helped me with anything that I need help with

A roof over my head in comfort and safety

The friendly staff both at the house meeting and whilst volunteering at the farm

23

Thank you

www.derventiohousing.com

Head Office, Derby

Derventio Housing Trust33 Boyer StreetDerby DE22 3TB

Tel: 01332 292 776 Fax: 01332 209 256

Email: info@derventiohousing.com

Connect

Get in touch

/derventioht

@DerventioHT

Derventio Housing Trust

localgiving.com/derventio

Derventio Housing Trust is a limited company registered in England and Wales (05886593); Registered office: 33 Boyer Street, Derby DE22 3TB