Annual Report for Residents
2016-17
Welcome to your Annual Report for Residents 2017 In this report we look at the results of the latest annual satisfaction survey. Key management staff have looked closely at the results and read all of your comments. For each question we show what you said and tell you some of the actions Derventio Housing Trust is taking to improve. This year was our best response rate ever, with 41% of all Derventio residents filling in a survey! Thank you so much if you took the time to complete the survey. Your answers will help to improve the service for you and others.
Smiley Faces Next to each chart you will find a smiley face telling you whether our performance has improved since the last survey in 2015. Better than last year The same as last year
I hope you find this report useful. Please let us know what you think of it.
Worse than last year
Happy reading!
Inside Your Home & Neighbourhood
3
House meetings and support
9
The quality of your home
3
Repairs & Maintenance
10
Feeling safe
3
Having Your Say
11
Your housemates
4
Problems and complaints
11
Fitting in with the local community
4
Expressing your views
11
Making changes
5
Staying informed
11
Your Support
6
Satisfaction
12
Staff
6
Your best thing
13
Getting in touch
7
Your biggest achievement
14
Emergency out-of-hours number
8
What would you like from us?
15
Your Home & Neighbourhood We believe that where you live should be a place where you feel safe and that you are proud to call home. The quality of your home
92%
of you are happy or very happy with the quality of your house or flat
Up from 88%
We are pleased that 92% of you are satisfied with the quality of your home. This is 4% more than last year. We have continued to put a lot of effort into bringing every single property up to the Derventio Property Standard. Some of you commented that you would like to decorate your home. As it is Derventio Housing Trust’s legal responsibility to the property owners to keep their properties in good repair, it must be us who carries out this work.
The house is great and homely, is very well managed, maintained and looked after
Feeling safe Feels safe and modern
89%
of you feel safe and at home in your Derventio home
Down from 91%
Just under 9 in 10 of you feel safe in your home. This is down 2% since last year. If at any time you have any concerns about your safety please get in touch with a member of staff. We want you to feel safe and will do everything we can to help you.
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
3
Your Home & Neighbourhood
Your housemates
94%
of you get along with your housemates
Down from 97%
Sharing a home with others can sometimes be difficult, but overall you have told us that you get on with your housemates, respect each other and feel that your housemates abide by the rules.
The best thing about my time with Derventio has been meeting my housemate There are lots of benefits to sharing a home:
89%
92%
of you agree that your housemates abide by the rules
Up from 87%
of you agree that your housemates respect each other
Down from 93%
XX It is a chance to meet new people and make new friends XX You are sharing with people who are in a similar situation to you. You may be able to give each other mutual help and support XX Household tasks such as cleaning are shared - it isn’t all up to you (but you must do your fair share!) XX It can be daunting to live in a house on your own - with Derventio you can get used to living independently with other people around We do our best to match you with people that you will get on with. However it is normal that some problems will arise. If you are having problems please speak to your housing officer or bring the issue up at your next house meeting.
Fitting in with the local community More than three quarters of you feel that you belong or fit in quite well in your local community. This is 7% more than last year. We do our best to house residents in an area that is suitable. If you have any problems with your neighbours or within the community please speak to your Housing Officer.
I regularly attend the church locally and meet up with friends weekly 4
79%
of you feel that you belong to your community
Up from 72%
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
Your Home & Neighbourhood
Making changes
90%
of you think your life has been better since you moved to your Derventio home
87%
Down from 91%
of you say that living here has helped you to make positive changes to your life
90%
94%
Stayed the same
These positive responses show that most of you are making the most of your time with Derventio. You are using the security and support we provide to build your skills and make positive changes to your life. Comparing the answers to last years results, only 1% less of you feel that your life has been better since you moved to your Derventio home. However, the vast majority of you answered this positively. All of the other answers were at the same level as last year.
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
of you say you are gaining the skills to avoid being homeless in the future
86%
Stayed the same
of you say that you are doing positive things with your life
Stayed the same
of you say that living here has helped you to feel more confident in yourself
Stayed the same
5
Your Support You should feel that you have the support that you need and can easily get in touch with staff. Staff More of you said you would describe Derventio staff as approachable, trustworthy and reliable than last year. You also made lots of nice comments, with some of you mentioning specific staff members who have helped you. We have passed your comments on to our staff. We had some unexpected staff departures in our Staffordshire team within the last few months which we know caused some disruption to residents living in that area. We have now recruited new staff to the Staffordshire team. This will mean that the service is more consistent. The new staff are also from the area, and so will have local knowledge that will help them to provide appropriate support.
93%
92%
6
of you say you would describe Derventio staff as trustworthy
No matter what the problem staff are always kind and understanding Finding it difficult having to keep explaining my situation and problems to new staff
95%
Up from 92%
of you say you would describe Derventio staff as reliable
It’s nice to know I’ve got someone there to help me
Up from 84%
89%
of you say you would describe Derventio staff as approachable
Up from 93%
of you say you would describe Derventio staff as well-informed
Down from 90%
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
Your Support
Getting in touch The majority of you have no problems getting in touch with staff, just 1% less than last year. We also asked how you usually get in touch with us. Interestingly, the numbers of you contacting us by email and text message have gone up. More of you also make the most of house meetings to catch up with staff. Slightly less of you said that you get in touch by phone or by dropping into the office.
of you say you find it easy to contact Derventio staff
96%
ď Œ
How do you usually get in touch with Derventio staff?
I have access to my housing officer. I can usually text her in case I need anything and she gets back to me
Phone call
80%
Text message
59%
House meetings/support
I have never had a problem getting in touch with staff
Down from 97%
49%
Drop in to the office Email Other No contact
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
32% 5% 3% 0%
7
Your Support
Emergency out-of-hours number The emergency out-of-hours contact number is a key part of the service we offer, and the survey told us that most of you find it helpful and reassuring up 4% since last year. We have made some improvements to the service recently. These included creating a better system to log calls and making sure that all on-call staff have access to a laptop so they can look at your notes if they need to. We are also being more consistent - by making sure that all staff deal with calls in the same way. The number is meant for emergencies only. This means that any non-urgent matters will not be dealt with until the next working day. One of the most common calls we get is for people who have left their keys in their room. This is not classed as urgent and we will ask you to sleep in a communal part of the house until we can deal with it the next working day. If it happens over the weekend we may deal with it sooner.
87%
of you say you have been helped by the emergency phone number or are glad it’s there
Up from 83%
One time I lost my key and I forgot it in my room. When I called the emergency number they told me to sleep on the couch!
The emergency out-of-hours number is available after 5pm Monday to Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday Use the emergency out-of-hours number if: 99 Physical abuse is occurring 99 The front door is not secure 99 You think a resident is selfharming, or you have thoughts of self-harming 99 There is a fire 99 There is no lighting in the property
8
Do not use the number: 99 If there is no gas in the property 99 To report that your food has been stolen 99 To report minor anti-social behaviour 99 To report other residents’ sexual activity Instead, please tell us about these issues the next working day.
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
Your Support
House meetings & support We see the weekly house meetings as a very useful way to manage each house and keep up to date with any issues that you are facing. Most of you agree, with 95% making a positive statement about house meetings, up from 91% last year. Some of you commented that you don’t always want to speak about issues in front of your housemates. We understand this, and Housing Officers should make time to speak to you individually when they are visiting for house meetings. If you want to speak to your Housing Officer in confidence at any time, just ask. The graph below shows the wide range of support we provide. These results are nearly all higher than last year. This shows that most of you are engaging with support and making positive steps forward.
95%
of you think that house meetings are a good place to talk about household issues, see staff and catch up with housemates
Up from 91%
House meetings give me more confidence and help me interact more
Staff have helped me to: Claim benefits and fill in forms
98%
Identify my needs and goals for the future
90%
Access services
90%
Manage my money and debts
88%
Improve my overall happiness
87%
Come up with a plan to move towards my goals
87%
Improve my physical health
87%
Reduce my offending
86%
Improve my ability to communicate and get on well …
83%
Lead a healthier lifestyle
83%
Manage my mental health
82%
Improve my personal relationships
81%
Improve my household skills
81%
Look for education, training, volunteering and work
80%
Shop, cook and eat healthily
77%
Manage my drug use
76%
Manage my alcohol use
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
74%
9
Repairs & Maintenance Your home should always be in good repair and feel safe and secure. The numbers of you satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service have gone up significantly across all three questions we asked. Most of the feedback was positive, but we have taken steps to address the concerns and suggestions you raised:
84%
XX We have created a new Reporting Repairs poster for each property. This includes contact details for reporting repairs, power loss and gas leaks. It also includes the time scale as below. This is to give you an idea of how long it will take for your repair to be completed. XX Last year we were behind on tidying your gardens. To avoid any problems in 2017 we started working on gardens much earlier in the year (in March).
93%
of you are satisfied with how long it took to carry out your repairs
Up from 67%
of you were satisfied with the standard of work
Up from 82%
Your repair will be classed as emergency, urgent or routine Emergency Repairs (within 48 hours) Examples: Broken boiler (no hot water), front door not secure, broken window, gas leak, water leak Urgent Repairs (within 7 working days) Examples: Light bulbs, damaged interior door, broken cooker, broken fridge, broken shower Routine Repairs (within 1 month) Examples: Broken washing machine, plastering walls, decor, cleaning carpets, broken furniture, gardens, rubbish removal
10
93%
of you think that overall the repairs service is good or very good
Up from 82%
All repairs have been dealt with as quick as they can and always make sure everything is up to scratch and in working order
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
Having Your Say It is important that you have the chance to make your voice heard and can help to shape the service Problems and complaints
89%
of you feel that any problems, complaints or disputes you’ve had were dealt with effectively
Up from 76%
Almost 9 in 10 of you feel that any problems, complaints or disputes you’ve had were dealt with effectively. This is 13% more than last year. Complaints can be made in person, by phone or in writing. Please ask a member of staff if you would like to request a complaints form.
There was a problem. It was sorted very quickly.
Expressing your views
88%
of you feel that you have enough opportunity to express your views about the service
Stayed the same
Most of you feel you can express your views, the same proportion as last year. You can speak to staff at any time if you have any comments or suggestions. You can also fill in a Comments, Compliments & Complaints form or get in touch through our website: derventiohousing.com/contact
I make contact with the staff or talk when they come round
Staying informed
93%
of you think that Derventio is good at keeping you informed of things that might affect you as a resident
Stayed the same
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
Again, the same proportion of you as last year feel that Derventio is good at keeping you informed. We aim to keep you informed through house meetings, appointments, letters, phone calls and texts. If you ever feel that you don’t understand something, or if things have changed and you weren’t told about it, please tell your housing officer about your concerns.
We are always well informed and prepared for any changes 11
Satisfaction We aim to provide a service that is good value for money and that you are happy with More of you than last year feel that the service provides value for money, and a brilliant 97% of you are satisfied with the service on the whole, up from 94% last year. This is a really good result but we know that there are still areas where we can improve. We will use this report and other feedback to continue to make changes to improve the service. Some of you made specific comments about things you have concerns about: XX It can be difficult to afford the rent if you are working and living in a Derventio property. However, there are some options that we can help you with. Please speak to your Housing Officer if this is something that affects you. We are also seeking funding for a dedicated project for people who are working. XX Some of you have asked why you can’t bring your own furniture to properties. This is because items are not always up to safety standards. Sometimes things get left behind, and it costs us to remove them. XX One of the most common requests was for wifi in your homes. We are now seriously looking into this, and all residents should have received a letter explaining that this is something we are considering for the near future.
90%
of you are satisfied that your rent / service charge provides value for money
ď Š 12
Up from 85%
97%
of you are satisfied with the service on the whole
ď Š
Up from 94%
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
Satisfaction
The best thing about your time with Derventio “They treat people equally. It’s nice to know I have the help if I need it.” “Sorting my life out” “Avoiding homelessness after discharge from hospital - Derventio helped me get back on my feet” “Knowing I have support if I need it” “Meeting different people from all walks of life” “Got me back on my feet when I really needed it which was important” “Being given the chance to live in an amazing home and feeling very safe” “The support and being able to have a bit of independence myself”
“I feel secure and valued as a person”
“Meeting wonderful staff and good housemates”
“Getting off the streets and helping me with my alcohol abuse”
“Building my life up to be better and happier”
“I suffered with depression and still do at times. My stay here has given me a sense of security and time to feel in a better place.” “Getting that close bond with my sister and other family members” “It gave me a chance to put my new plans into practice” “Being able to find the support I needed and having someone willing to listen and help” “Not living on a field for 8 months and meeting a couple of good housemates and staff”
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
“I feel safe, clean, warm and comfortable” “The help and support I’ve been given has helped me turn my life around” “The best thing is the understanding I have got from my Housing Officer. No problem is too much and her reassurance is second to none.” “Giving me a chance to have my own space and think about my future” “Knowing that support is only a text or call away” “Giving me the chance to better my life. Putting a roof over my head.” 13
Satisfaction
Your biggest achievement during this time “To be more able to control “Better relationship with my emotions and improve my children” my outlook on life” “Eating properly” “Setting up a repayment plan, to hopefully get my own place” “New job!!”
“I have realised I am worth something and I do matter”
“I’m sorting my life out slowly”
“Sorting my substance misuse out”
“Learning to have my own place again” “Getting healthier, i.e. giving up drinking and smoking”
“Helped me grow up”
“Stability in my life giving me chance to be in recovery”
“Getting a good night’s sleep and feeling safe”
“I have more belief in myself than ever before”
“Being able to get into football”
“Sorting out my benefits”
“Getting my own place and becoming a better person”
“Starting a workout routine” “Getting a job and my pride back”
“Being able to meet people “Getting my various and the opportunity to situations sorted and find myself again” basically getting my life back on track” “Managing my drinking” “Starting a uni course”
14
“Building my life back up to some normality (while not worrying about housing stress)
“Learning better English” “Standing on my own two feet” “Staying clean”
“Getting the qualification I wanted”
“Feeling happier”
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
What would you like from us? Your feedback will help us to make positive changes to make the service better for you and other residents Most of you are happy with the amount of contact you currently have with staff, 3% more than last year. If you feel that you would like more support, or want to speak your Housing Officer about something, you are always welcome to get in touch with them during working hours.
of you are happy with the amount of contact you currently have with staff
83%
ď Š
Each year we ask if you would like to take part in any free activities. We currently offer some of these through our Growing Lives project in Derbyshire. We will use your responses and your other suggestions to apply for funding so we can expand Growing Lives or run some activities in other areas. All of your comments and suggestions about improving the service have been looked at and considered by Derventio management. Look out for the changes discussed in this report and other improvements coming soon. If you have any other comments or suggestions you can get in touch with us at any time.
Up from 80%
of you say that staff have made you aware of opportunities to get involved in training, volunteering or employment
70%
ď Š
Up from 66%
Would you like to take part in any free activities and skill-building opportunities with Derventio? Arts & crafts
34%
Computer skills
47%
Cooking Cycling/bike repair Furniture upcycling Gardening
42% 38% 36% 38%
Music Photography Walks
Derventio Housing Trust Annual Report for Residents 2017
44% 39% 42%
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Thank you for helping us to improve the service www.derventiohousing.com Derventio Housing Trust, 33 Boyer Street, Derby DE22 3TB Tel: 01332 292 776 | Fax: 01332 209 256 info@derventiohousing.com Derventio Housing Trust is a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales (05886593) Registered office: 33 Boyer Street, Derby DE22 3TB