Welcome
Simon Roberson Chair of Board
Stephanie Murphy Chief Executive
Welcome to our Residents’ Voice and Annual Report for 2024/25. This report provides an overview of our achievements and performance between April 2024 and March 2025, including some key highlights for complaints, compliments, resident satisfaction, resident engagement, and work we have carried out in partnership with residents and other agencies across our communities.
We are proud to present some excellent achievements again this year. We would like to thank every resident who has engaged with us to provide feedback about the services we deliver. This feedback is extremely valuable, it helps us to understand where we are doing things well, and where there are opportunities for us to continue to improve.
Over the past year, one of our key focus areas has been ensuring we have up to date information about our residents, including making sure we understand if residents have any specific needs we need to take into consideration when we are delivering our services.
As you will read in this report, we are delighted that resident satisfaction with services remains above 90%. We also received nearly six times more compliments from residents about the services we deliver compared to the number of complaints.
This report also contains an overview of the work of our Residents’ Scrutiny Panel, who we would also like to say a special thank you to. They work extremely hard on behalf of all residents to carry out scrutiny exercises, helping to provide assurance back to Audit & Risk Committee and Castles & Coasts Housing Association (CCHA) Board that our services meet the needs and aspirations of residents.
During 2024, the Regulator of Social Housing published a revised set of Consumer Standards. These Standards set out what social housing providers must deliver, and we are absolutely committed to delivering what is required.
Our Board, Leadership Team, and all staff across CCHA are passionately committed to placing our residents’ voice at the heart of everything we do. We are ambitious about delivering services that truly meet the needs and aspirations of residents, and we will continue to work hard to deliver the highest quality services.
Finally, we would like to say thank you to all of our residents for your continued support during the year. We hope you enjoy reading our Residents’ Voice and Annual Report.
Who we are Our
Our purpose
“Providing affordable homes and sustainable communities with pride, passion, principles and partnership.”
At Castles & Coasts Housing Association (CCHA), we are passionate about providing affordable, safe, good quality homes and sustainable communities. We are also ambitious about providing the highest quality services to our residents. We own and manage more than 7,300 properties in rural and urban communities across the North of England, with around 75% of these in Cumbria. We employ over 300 dedicated colleagues; all committed to making a difference to our residents and communities.
values
We take ownership We are ambitious
We are respectful
We’re committed to making sure we put our residents’ voice at the heart of everything we do, encouraging feedback about services, and using this to make improvements. We’re also committed to fully understanding and meeting the diverse needs of all our residents, ensuring there are no barriers to accessing our services. To do this we created a campaign called ‘getting to know you’ which aims to make sure we have up to date information about the needs and preferences of all our residents. This will help us understand how you prefer to be contacted, and if you have any specific communication or other needs that we should be aware of.
In this Residents’ Voice and Annual Report, we share key achievements from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025. Thank you for taking the time to read the report and thank you to all our residents for their engagement and feedback; it really does help us continue to evolve the services we deliver.
2024-25
Key highlights
Here are some of our key statistics for the year.
£1,598,915 in additional benefits gained for residents by our Financial Inclusion team
20,695 repairs completed (including building safety repairs); 2,638 of these were emergency repairs
101
new homes for affordable rent and shared ownership brought to our region
423 anti-social behaviour cases logged
588
new tenancies started in general needs and independent living
1,031 compliments received
198 complaints received
80,866 contacts with our Customer Services team
Customer
OUR AIM:
We aim to be a truly customer-driven housing provider, which puts our residents’ voices at the heart of everything we do.
Customer services
80,866 contacts with our Customer Services team 97.53% resident satisfaction for customer services
We are committed to ensuring our residents can access our services in a way that meets their needs, which is why we continue to offer our face to face, telephone, email and online services. Key highlights
59 compliments for the service provided by our team
Our Customer Services team are at the forefront of delivering services to residents and are often the first point of contact. We continue to invest in training to enable the team to deal with your enquiries efficiently.
Our aim is to resolve 80% of enquires at the first point of contact. During 2024/25, we resolved 82%. The team is working hard to understand residents’ preferred contact methods through our ‘getting to know you’ campaign, so that we can continue to offer a more tailored service to meet residents’ individual needs and preferences.
Complaints
Complaint Handling Code
Complaints are an opportunity for customers to tell us when they are not satisfied with a service they have received. We see complaints as an opportunity to learn where things have gone wrong, and most importantly, how we can improve our services.
Every quarter our Customer Experience team meets with other teams to review opportunities to improve our services. In these meetings we review complaints, customer satisfaction data, including Tenant Satisfaction Measures, and other feedback from residents, to identify ways we can improve. Some of the learning from these review meetings can be found later within this report.
During 2024/25, our internal auditor, RSM, carried out an audit of our complaint handling process and how it aligns with the requirements of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code (CHC). They gave ‘substantial assurance,’ which is the highest level of assurance, with no recommendations for improvements to our processes.
Each year, we also complete a self-assessment of our compliance against the CHC. A copy of our latest self-assessment can be found here: Knowing your rights as a tenant - Castles & Coasts Housing Association
To provide further assurance that we comply with our Complaints Policy and the CHC, we have a ‘Board Champion’ responsible for complaints. Our current Champion is Erica Morriss. Erica regularly reviews our handling of complaints, reporting findings of her reviews to the Board. You can find out more about this here: Publications - Castles & Coasts Housing Association
We take your right to complain seriously. You can make a complaint through any of our communication channels shown at the end of this report. You can also find out more about making a complaint here: Customer involvement and feedback - Castles & Coasts Housing Association
Find out more about the Housing Ombudsman on their website here: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk or by calling 0300 111 3000.
Complaints performance
We have an annual target for complaints. During 2024/25, our target was to receive fewer than 2.1% of complaints, compared to the number of properties. This works out at around 155 complaints per year, or 13 complaints per month.
As you will see from the table below, we received 198 complaints during 2024/25. This is equivalent to 2.66% of CCHA properties, which is slightly above our target of 2.1%. We are monitoring trends closely and taking proactive steps to identify and address any underlying issues.
2024/25 performance
For closed complaints, between April 2024 and March 2025, 99% were responded to within the target timeframe: 70% were upheld, 19% were partially upheld and 11% were not upheld. The tables below provide a breakdown of those complaints and the service area they related to.
Complaints by service area
(April 2024 to March 2025)
(April 2023 to March 2024)
Complaints compared to the number of transactions
Because each department carries out different roles on behalf of our residents, it is difficult to make direct comparisons. However, the table below shows the number of complaints compared to the number of transactions for our five main service areas.
of calls and emails received to the team
Primary cause of complaints and lessons learnt
We hold quarterly review meetings with service managers to scrutinise resident satisfaction results and complaints data to:
• Identify any trends
• Make sure that any learning from complaints is captured
• Ensure that if changes to the way we do something are needed, they happen, so we can improve services and help prevent issues happening again
We always take complaints seriously and investigate each one thoroughly.
Primary cause
Follow on works (1%)
Service delivery (1%)
Communication (5%)
Behaviour of staff (9%)
Policy (6%)
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) (7%)
Contractor error (12%)
Customer expectations (17%)
Length of time (43%)
Learning
Ensure policies are followed (1%) Management of out of hours service (~0%)
Robust response to rechargeable damage (~0%)
Managing expectations (12%)
Managing repair jobs through to completion (16%)
Keeping within timescales (15%)
Customer care (8%)
ASB investigation management (1%)
Communication (20%)
Contractor Management (27%)
Here are some examples of improvements we have made after receiving a complaint
A resident complained about...
…the length of time it had taken to resolve faults with their windows.
…the photovoltaic panels on their roof, and that the developer who installed them wasn’t responding adequately.
…the handling of the anti-social behaviour (ASB) reports that they had made.
…the length of time it was taking to resolve a leak, coming in from the flat above.
How we resolved it
The resident had experienced long delays due to the supplier not engaging with them about installations. We worked closely with the supplier to ensure that the issues were resolved, and that the resident was kept informed.
On investigation we discovered that the developer hadn’t fitted equipment like this before, and they didn’t have expertise within their team to resolve the issues. The Development team now ensure that plans are in place to check aftercare arrangements in future developments.
It was found that the ASB process had been followed correctly, but that increased contact with the complainant would have helped manage their expectations – this has been discussed with the relevant colleagues.
We made repeated contact with the resident in the flat above to arrange access to repair the leak. We have also suggested improvements to our ‘no access’ process for a faster resolution of similar issues in future.
Compliments
We’re pleased to report that this year, we received over six times more compliments about the services we deliver, compared to the number of complaints.
“I
can’t thank you enough for this help that you’ve offered me. The flat is awesome; your help is amazing also. It will give me stability back again in my life which has been lacking for too long now. I wish you could know how grateful I am to you. You’ve saved our lives, literally.”
“Amazing. I have such a supportive housing officer who’s gone above and beyond to make sure me and my children have a safe home and a fresh start in life.”
“The gas engineer that attended was very courteous, showed his name badge. Clean, tidy worker. Attended on time.”
“I have anxiety especially when it comes to talking on the phone. I needn’t have been worried. The person I spoke too was so friendly and helpful that she put me at ease. She listened and resolved my issue. She also actioned some repair issues after asking if I had any. I was grateful for this as this was something I was putting off due to exhaustion, pain, brain fog, anxiety, so means I wouldn’t have to call again. She was understanding and sympathetic. What a credit to your team! Gives me faith and confidence to call again. Thank you!”
...and here’s some lovely feedback from residents who have called or visited our offices:
• A resident called and said that he cannot believe the service and how quickly the repair was carried out. He said CCHA are always very good to him, he has been very happy since moving in his home 11 years ago, and that he is always happy with CCHA on the phones and the repairs.
• While on a call, a resident mentioned how appreciative she is of all the help and support her Income Officer has given her. She said the officer is always so lovely and always so willing to help any way she can, and said she knows she would go above and beyond for anyone in need.
• After a meeting with a Lettings and Neighbourhoods team member, a resident shared how they had sat down with both her and her late husband and truly listened. She said it had transformed both their lives. Full of admiration, she described the CCHA colleague as amazing and someone she holds in the highest regard. She now loves where she lives, appreciates her good neighbours, and said it’s made a real difference to her life.
• A resident expressed thanks for the kindness shown during a phone call, and said the person who came to fix her light and radiator was very courteous. At 91 years old, she said it meant a lot to be treated with dignity and respect.
Resident satisfaction
Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs)
We have now completed the second year of gathering the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs). Each year we offer all residents who live in our rented homes the opportunity to complete a TSM survey, then we share our results with you and our colleagues. In 2023/24 we received a response rate of just over 25% and in 2024/25, the response rate was nearly 35%.
We are pleased to see an improvement in all TSMs for 2024/25, compared to the previous year’s results, as shown in the table below.
TP01 Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied with the overall service from their landlord
TP02 Proportion of respondents who have received a repair in the last 12 months who report that they are satisfied with the overall repairs service
TP03 Proportion of respondents who have received a repair in the last 12 months who report that they are satisfied with the service provided
TP04
TP05 Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their home is safe
TP06 Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord listens to tenant views and acts upon them
TP07 Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord keeps them informed about things that matter to them
TP09 Proportion of respondents who report making a complaint in the last 12 months who are satisfied with their landlord’s approach to complaints handling
TP10 Proportion of respondents with communal areas who report that they are satisfied that their landlord keeps communal areas clean and well maintained
TP11 Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord makes a positive contribution to the neighbourhood
TP12 Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied with their landlord’s approach to handling anti-social behaviour
Adam Gould, Head of Customer Service and Engagement at CCHA, said: “The TSMs are really a great tool for us to see how our residents feel we are performing. This year’s result really demonstrates that we are learning from the feedback our residents give us, and we review and act upon it to deliver service improvements.”
Satisfaction by service area
It’s important to monitor the feedback we receive on the services we deliver, as it helps inform how we can make improvements. The table below provides an overview of the service satisfaction feedback we received during 2024/25. It also shows (in brackets) how many survey invites were sent to residents and how many responded, for context. Note: these are not the same as TSMs.
Overall resident satisfaction by service area
rate April 2024 to March 2025 (responses / survey invites sent)
The overall satisfaction with CCHA services was above our target of 90%, with most service areas meeting or exceeding the targets set for 2024/25.
Satisfaction with grounds maintenance was below the target set. As this service areas is below target, we’re quality monitoring the service closely, to identify where improvements can be made.
Resident satisfaction data is shared with our Residents’ Scrutiny Panel (RSP). If feedback for a service area is lower than the target set, the RSP may choose to select this area as the topic for their next scrutiny exercise.
Based on previous results, the RSP undertook a review of our grounds maintenance service, and their findings were reported to our Audit & Risk Committee in February 2024. We are working through the action plan that was put in place to make service improvements.
Other resident satisfaction surveys
We have engaged residents through our Resident Feedback Groups to provide their views on:
• The best points to cover in a new ‘frequently asked questions’ section of our website regarding grounds maintenance
• Communal Facilities Policy - this feedback was used to update the policy
• Our new Delivering Services to Residents with Diverse Needs Policy
If you would like to be part of our Resident Feedback Groups, or would like to find out what’s involved, please get in touch with our Customer Experience Team by emailing feedback@castlesandcoasts.co.uk or by using any of the other contact details on the back page of this report.
Resident involvement
Residents’ Charter
Our Residents’ Charter, which was co-created using feedback from over 1,000 residents, outlines our commitments to residents, along with how these commitments are measured.
An extra commitment was added in December 2024 about equality, diversity and inclusion. The RSP and CCHA colleagues were consulted on this change, and there are now seven key commitments within the charter:
• Communication
• Accountability
• Quality
• Relationships
• When things go wrong
• Voice and influence
• Equality, diversity and inclusion
Please click here to read our Residents’ Charter.
Our RSP initially reviewed performance against the six commitments set out in the Residents’ Charter during 2023/24 and found that all of them were being met. During 2024/25, the RSP carried out a further review of the performance against two of the commitments – ‘Communication’ and ‘When things go wrong’ – and found that these continued to be met.
The next review will take place during 2025/26. The findings of this review will be reported to our Audit & Risk Committee and to our Board and residents in the next issue of the Residents’ Voice Report.
An update from our Residents’ Scrutiny Panel (RSP)
We currently have eight RSP members and would love to hear from you if you would like to consider joining the group. Our RSP members represent all CCHA residents and live in a range of different property types, and across many of CCHA’s communities
It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Joanne Dixon, a valued member of the Resident Scrutiny Panel, in January 2025. With guidance from her RSP colleagues, we made a donation as a mark of respect to CCHA’s charity partner, the Great North Air Ambulance. Joanne will be very much missed by all.
A word from Janet (pictured), Chair of the RSP
“Working closely with CCHA colleagues, the RSP consistently finds a balanced approach that prioritises residents’ needs while understanding operational constraints. My chairing style is to actively encourage the sharing of ideas, ensuring that all group members have their say.
“While the RSP has made great strides, we need wider representation, particularly from younger residents. The RSP is for everyone, and I passionately encourage all residents to get involved and make their voices heard. We’re all in it together. If you’ve got a voice, let it be heard. I’d rather be in it from the beginning than commenting on it at the end.”
For further details of all our resident involvement options, please visit our website by clicking here.
Scrutiny exercise – Repairs Policy
There are 11 separate policies which currently cover repairs services. However it was decided that a new over-arching policy would be helpful to cover – but not replace – these separate documents.
Rob Brittain, CCHA Property Services Director, invited the RSP to co-produce a new CCHA Repairs Policy alongside the Property Services managers.
The RSP made a series of recommendations regarding the new policy. These recommendations will be incorporated into the new policy.
The RSP report all of their findings and recommendations to our Audit & Risk Committee and all recommendations are tracked by the Committee and the RSP until they are completed.
Key strategies
To ensure that we are meeting the needs of our residents we have three key customer focused strategies supporting our wider Corporate Strategy:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) Strategy
CCHA takes its ED&I responsibilities seriously and this year we have been busy delivering actions associated with our ED&I Strategy, including:
• Carrying out surveys of our colleagues to find out how we are performing against ED&I and delivering improvement actions
• Delivering ED&I training to all staff including a separate training session for our Board Members
• Launching a survey to better understand the needs of our residents and how we can adjust service delivery to ensure a more inclusive and equitable service to all
• Completing a mid-term review of our ED&I strategy and its associated delivery plan to make sure it’s still relevant
• Delivering training to all front-line colleagues
Our performance against our ED&I delivery plan is reported to our Board annually and we have a Board Champion for ED&I, Helen Forsyth.
Click here to read our ED&I Strategy
Customer Service and Engagement Strategy (CS&ES)
We have done a lot of work this year to make sure we are fully compliant with all the requirements set out in the RSH’s Consumer Standards. We feel the Consumer Standards are critical to the housing sector so that people feel safe in their homes, valued and respected, and receive services that support their individual needs.
You can find details of our CS&ES here. The strategy is supported by a delivery plan, and progress is reviewed by our Board quarterly, and our Audit and Risk Committee twice a year.
Damp and Mould Strategy
We have been working hard to ensure all reports of damp and mould are fully assessed as a priority. A task and finish group was created and meets regularly so that we remain vigilant. The group has created a Damp and Mould Strategy outlining our approach and the work we’ve been doing, and details can be found here Damp and mould - keeping your home healthy - Castles & Coasts Housing Association
Over the past two years we have been working hard to prepare for the implementation of Awaab’s Law. Details of this new legislation can be found on the Government’s website here
Our commitment to the new Consumer Standards
In the past year, we have made improvements across CCHA to ensure we are meeting all of the requirements of the Consumer Standards, which were introduced in April 2024. Below are some of the changes we have made:
Published our first set of TSM results on our website here.
Started the process to achieve Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation, and recommitted to the ‘Make a Stand’ pledge against domestic abuse, launching a new area on our website for domestic abuse support
Launched our ‘Getting to know you’ campaign, aiming to gather important information from residents on their communication preferences and individual needs, to help us improve how we deliver services
Rolled out ‘Making Consumer Standards real and relevant’ training for all our frontline colleagues
Created a ‘Know your rights’ section on our website to make it easier for residents to find out what these are and how to complain if we get things wrong
Introduced a new policy, Delivering Services to Residents with Diverse Needs Including Reasonable Adjustments, to make sure our services are tailored to meet residents’ individual needs
Updated the senior leadership information on our website so that residents know who is responsible for what
Updated our Damp and Mould Strategy and published it on our website
Our homes and communities
OUR AIM:
Independent living
We will offer our residents a safe, high-quality home that is affordable, in a place that they are proud to live. We will invest our resources wisely to achieve this.
During 2024/25, we started a significant programme to upgrade our warden call system in our independent living schemes. We invited residents to coffee mornings so they could meet our contractor and find out about the equipment being installed. Introducing the ‘I’m okay’ button has given residents more independence, while they still have the reassurance that help is available if needed.
Key statistics for the year:
97 homes allocated
1,000 wellbeing calls to residents each week
650 visits to complete personal emergency evacuation plans with residents
Home ownership
The Home Ownership team aims to provide our leaseholders with a friendly, knowledgeable, customer focused service whilst also ensuring value for money.
During 2024/25:
96% of new build handovers have been personally attended by the team, providing a warm welcome for residents into their new homes
4.09%
marks an all-time low in our outstanding arrears balance, which we have continued to reduce month on month
13
‘rent to buy’ applications have been processed, helping customers begin the journey toward owning their own home
Lettings and neighbourhoods
Key highlights
The Lettings and Neighbourhoods team are committed to supporting residents.
Anti-social behaviour (ASB)
537
new ASB reports
99.7%
of people were contacted within 5 working days of an ASB case being reported to CCHA
375 ASB cases closed
89% of ASB cases successfully resolved
Domestic abuse
100%
of victims offered an appointment within 24 hours of reporting domestic violence
Hate crime
100%
of victims offered an appointment within 24 hours of reporting hate crime
New residents
466
tenancies have started this year, welcoming hundreds of new residents - including 80 who moved into newly built properties
9% of tenancies ended within the first year, and on average it took just ten days to sign residents up from the day a home was ready to let
We have also supported new and existing residents with our tenancy sustainment fund, helping with items like white goods and floor coverings for those that really needed help.
Spotlight on anti-social behaviour (ASB)
An end to nuisance behaviour
The Lettings and Neighbourhoods team work closely with the police to deal with crime and ASB that impacts our communities. A resident who had a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), with over 50 convicted criminal offences and eight breaches of the CBO in a three-month period, was causing a nuisance.
We got in touch with the resident to discuss how their behaviour was impacting the community and was in breach of their tenancy agreement. We served notice but agreed not to enforce it if they stopped their bad behaviours.
By working closely with the resident, we have help them turn their life around and they are now working positively with other agencies. It’s now over 12 months since we served the original notice, and the community have seen a huge reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour.
A life turned around
In the North East, a case review was raised with Durham Constabulary due to ongoing ASB. Nearby residents had reported daily ASB, noise nuisance and alleged drug dealing. We advised the tenant that their behaviour was in breach of their tenancy agreement, however the ASB continued.
Working with Durham Constabulary, we secured an order to stop visitors going in and out, and we applied to the court for possession of the property, which was granted. One resident said: “I’m over the moon, thank you so much for everything you and the team have done. I’m shedding tears of happiness.”
Safeguarding
CCHA received 451 new safeguarding reports, a 31% increase on last year. We work with many internal and external agencies to support residents to help them sustain their tenancy. Safeguarding training is provided to all CCHA staff and contractors.
Tenancy sustainment and safeguarding
Tenancy sustainment is a key area for CCHA and our Tenancy Sustainment and Safeguarding partners (TSSPs) look at more complex tenancy issues such as damp and mould, hoarding, no access for compliance or repairs, and ‘silent customers’ (those we have had no contact with in any 12-month period). Our TSSPs have helped 57 residents this year.
A complex case needing a multi-agency response
A resident, who we will call Adam, has been a tenant with CCHA for over ten years, but has always struggled to maintain his tenancy due to long standing issues with substance misuse. Adam’s background is marked by trauma, abuse, violence and exploitation.
After several failed attempts to access his home, we discovered that he had only a mattress to sleep on and lacked basic furniture. Poor physical and mental health had led to neglect of his home, and significant hoarding was contributing to damp and mould.
Recognising the urgency of Adam’s situation, a TSSP was allocated to his case. They embarked on a multi-agency approach, involving housing, adult social care and substance misuse support organisations. The goal was to provide a nonjudgemental comprehensive plan tailored to meet Adam’s needs.
Understanding that his living conditions were a large barrier to his recovery, the team worked to secure appropriate accommodation, which led to Adam being relocated to a safe, clean, and furnished flat that provided him with a warm and stable environment.
We still give Adam regular support, helping him with financial management, self-care strategies and connecting him with peer support groups in his community. Sustained engagement and tailored interventions can lead to meaningful change and give people like Adam the chance of a better quality of life.
How we allocate homes
In the past year, we welcomed over 500 new residents to Castles & Coasts homes.
Who can apply for rented homes?
Social housing is mainly allocated to people in housing need, under Section 69 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008.
Your circumstances will be considered at the point of application.
You can apply for one of our rented homes if you are over the age of 18 and have the ‘Right to Rent’, or if you are between 16 and 18 years old and can provide details of a guarantor who will agree to the meet to the obligations of the tenancy agreement until you turn 18. There are also cases where you might not be eligible, these are fully detailed in our Allocations Policy.
As a responsible landlord we will work with you to complete a pre-tenancy assessment to make sure the rent for our homes is affordable and sustainable.
Where do I apply?
In Cumbria, we work in partnership with local authorities to offer available homes through a joint allocation scheme called Choice Based Lettings (CBL). In the North East, there is a different application process depending on what area the home is in. You’ll find full details of all of these on our website here.
In some exceptional cases, a home will be allocated directly to an applicant outside of our Allocations Policy.
Can I move or swap my home with someone else?
We will support existing residents who would like to move through what is known as a mutual exchange, and provide information about the implications for tenure, rent and service charges.
We subscribe to the HomeSwapper mutual exchange service, and we pay for our residents’ registration (subject to no breaches of tenancy), so it’s free for you to use. You can access the service online, through social media, or download a free app for your mobile and it’s available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. This allows you to easily access details of possible available matches without payment of a fee.
There are more details on our website here about how this process works.
For the full details of how we allocate homes, please click here to read our Allocations Policy.
Working with local partners to improve communities
Tackling ASB in our communities
We supported the national ASB Awareness Week (ASBAW) 2024 campaign with a week of estate walkabouts in neighbourhoods across nine towns and villages in Cumbria and the North East.
ASBAW aims to encourage communities to take a stand against ASB and highlight the actions that can be taken by those experiencing it.
During a busy week, colleagues from the organisation’s Lettings and Neighbourhoods and other teams were joined by partner agencies including local councils, the police, fire and rescue services and Remedi. CCHA colleagues:
• Chatted with over 220 residents face to face in Blyth, Carlisle, Hetton-le-Hole, Kendal, Keswick, Maryport, Penrith, Whitehaven and Workington
• Delivered hundreds of leaflets
• Supported residents by raising 19 new ASB cases ranging from fly-tipping and abandoned cars to noise nuisance and drug dealing
• Provided 50 residents who weren’t aware of the process with detailed information on how to report ASB
Anna Bates, Head of Housing at CCHA, said:
“We believe that everybody has a right to enjoy their home and live safely and peacefully. ASB can really blight neighbourhoods, so it was great to get out into our communities alongside partners to tackle it hands on.
“It was a highly successful week and I’m really pleased that we were able to chat with so many residents. It’s a great opportunity to engage with residents who may not otherwise make contact with us and make sure that within our communities there is an awareness of how to contact us and what we can do to help.
Thank you Harriston!
The sun shone and residents turned out in great numbers as we led a community clean up event in Harriston, Aspatria.
The day was part of a multi-agency programme of ‘Operation Respect’ events, which aim to tackle ASB and fly tipping, and promote health and wellbeing within communities.
Throughout the day, colleagues from across CCHA were joined by local residents and teams from Cumberland Council, Cumbria Police, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, Citizens Advice, Family Action Allerdale, local health services and Tivoli to litter pick, load up community skips, remove rubbish and promote health and wellbeing.
Lena Johnson, Lettings & Neighbourhoods Team Leader, said:
“We were over the moon with the large turnout from residents on the estate. Lots of them took the time to help their neighbours with the removal of items from their homes and gardens. It was wonderful to see all the kids out on the field where the event was held too, playing football and other games.”
“Fly-tipping and litter can really blight an area so it was great to see people getting stuck into making Harriston a cleaner community that we can all be proud of.”
After a successful day:
• 1 x 40ft roll on/roll off skip was filled
• 1 x specialist skip was filled with items like soft furnishings
• 30 bags of litter were collected
• Many vulnerable residents’ gardens were cleared, and bulky items removed
Colleagues praised for bonfire prevention work
Once again, we were part of a multi-agency partnership to help prevent dangerous bonfires being started in our communities leading up to bonfire night.
We organised a leaflet drop across our homes in Workington and colleagues did regular patrols of hotspot areas, removing any fly-tipped materials to stop them being used for bonfires.
With support from us and other partners, Cumberland Council and Cumbria Police have reported:
• 67 hot spot visits, some more than once
• 6 bonfires removed before being lit
• All Housing Associations engaged with proactive work
• 1 out of hours call (compared to 9 last year)
• ASB reduced by 10% compared to same period last year and was down by 78% compared to the 3-year average.
Repairs and maintenance
Customer satisfaction is a top priority for our repairs and maintenance service. We are thrilled to say that satisfaction has remained high this year, showing our commitment to making sure our homes are well maintained for our residents.
During 2024/25:
96.5% of our new customer have told us they are satisfied with their homes, furthering our promise to provide safe and healthy homes
94% of repairs were completed within target time
90.7% of residents were satisfied with our repairs service
20,695 repairs were completed
Castles & Coasts Services (CCS) is our in-house team delivering repairs and maintenance to CCHA homes and estates throughout Cumbria. The team of 90 has a wide range of skills and experience. This includes electricians, joiners, plumbers, painters, operatives, apprentices, supervisors, planners and administrators. We pride ourselves on delivering a high quality, customer focused service, responding within timescales that meet the needs of our residents.
Key CCS highlights:
14,930 responsive repairs were completed
3,617 grounds maintenance visits were completed
846 electrical service inspections were completed
30,720 appointment text messages were sent
Investment in your homes Compliance
The planned investment programme for the year continued to ensure our properties were maintained to the government’s ‘Decent Homes Standard’.
We also used data from ongoing surveys, along with energy data from Energy Performance Certificates to prioritise the replacement of things such as windows, doors and roofs to improve the thermal performance of many homes.
The Compliance team have maintained high standards of safety checks and replacement programmes to ensure resident and visitors continue to be safe in our homes and communal areas. This year, our Building Safety Manager held fire safety awareness sessions with residents in all our independent living schemes.
During 2024/25:
risk assessments
Asbestos surveys for all required buildings
Replacement of around 200 flat entrance doors across 23 schemes in the Cumbria region
Growth and environmental sustainability
OUR AIM:
We are committed to developing new, high quality and affordable homes across the North of England and Borderlands area and will actively work towards a net zero future
Energy efficiency and net zero carbon
We remain committed to helping our residents reduce their energy usage as much as possible by improving the energy efficiency of our homes. This year, we made significant progress beyond our published target of 80%, by getting 84% of our homes to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C or above. Our aim is to achieve 100% by 2028.
We will carry on with this type of work in 2025/26 and look at the measures needed to address the energy performance of homes in isolated areas or in conservation areas.
Key highlight
559 properties had their EPC Band improved to Band C or above, following planned investment works
84% of our properties were EPC Band C or above by year end (target of 80%)
New homes
Our development service has delivered 101 new affordable homes this year
Most homes handed over in 2024/25 were designated for social or affordable rent, with new rental properties delivered in Blyth, Cramlington, North Tyneside, Stainburn, Aspatria, Wigton, Whitehaven and Gosforth (Cumbria).
We’re proud that most of these homes have achieved either an A or high B rating for energy efficiency. They’re well insulated, and in some cases, include photovoltaic panels and smart battery systems to significantly reduce the energy costs for our residents. Many of the homes also meet the ‘nationally described space standard’, with spacious and functional home layouts.
18 of our new homes were shared ownership properties in four sustainable developments: Farries Fields (Stainburn), Longshore Village (Blyth, Northumberland), Beaconsfield (Cramlington, Northumberland), and Summerscales (Gosforth, Cumbria). There has been strong demand for these homes in these areas, giving people access to homeownership that wouldn’t be able to get on the housing ladder otherwise.
Planning permission has been secured for future developments in Brampton (Cumbria) and Consett (County Durham). We are also looking forward to bringing new homes for rent and shared ownership to the highly sought-after Robinson Fields development in North Tyneside and our own land led scheme in the Lake District National Park at Crookfield, Staveley, as well as the final homes at our Summerscales development in Gosforth, Cumbria.
Innovation –how we add value and support residents
OUR AIM:
We will be commercial, innovative and ambitious, continually looking at ways we can improve our services, ensuring everything we do comes back to our social purpose.
Financial inclusion
The Financial Inclusion Service continues to be very successful and is supporting a high number of residents. The service gained £1,598,915 in extra benefits for residents this year, which is over £438,000 more than last year. Below, you can read just one example of how the team works to support our residents.
Lucy’s* story
*not her real name
The Financial Inclusion team had a referral from an Income Officer for a lone parent family with young children, all 14 or under. The household received Universal Credit, living in a threebedroom house but having ‘bedroom tax’ applied. The resident, who we will call Lucy, was struggling on her level of income and had no money for food until the next Universal Credit payment was due.
We addressed the immediate need by issuing a supermarket food voucher and then looked at how we could help with the underlying issues. Lucy was only receiving Child Benefit for some of her children, and the Universal Credit child element for only one child. The Child Benefit was being disputed by Lucy’s former partner, who had equal access arrangements for the children but who did not have overall responsibility for them.
The Financial Inclusion team drew up grounds for what’s known as a Mandatory Reconsideration to challenge the Child Benefit and Universal Credit Child element decisions.
They then helped Lucy complete questionnaires to assess who should have responsibility for the children. We also helped to get the eldest child accepted as a member of the household via Social Worker support following her release from care.
The Child Benefit claims for all of the children were accepted, the second-child element in Universal Credit entitlement was added, and the bedroom tax was removed. This means Lucy is managing much better, and her rent account is in credit.
Supporting communities
Our Community Fund
Our Community Fund provides much-needed funding to local organisations and groups for projects across our communities that support the following objectives:
• Sense of community – bringing communities together
• Training and employability – supporting residents to gain or develop skills
• Health and wellbeing – improving this for our residents
• Improving communities – reducing anti-social behaviour
• Increasing financial and digital inclusion for residents
Since our last report, our funding has helped support more local organisations across Cumbria. You can find out more about the fund here.
CCHA colleagues make Christmas special for local families
Christmas may seem a distant memory now, but it was made that bit more special for many families across our region that would have otherwise struggled.
Our Charity and Volunteering Committee invited colleagues to help our communities by launching a Christmas toy appeal, collecting over 100 presents which were donated to Family Action, Carlisle.
Mary Leach, Toy Appeal Campaign Assistant for Family Action said: “Thank you for your incredible support for Family Action’s Toy Appeal this Christmas! We were blown away by your generosity and would like to pass on our immense gratitude to everyone involved.”
Here are some messages from parents:
“The part I was most overwhelmed with was the generosity of the gifts and the care taken to make them just right for the individual child. Our gifts were just so perfect, and the children were genuinely over the moon.”
“I am really grateful for the toys, I was worried how much it would cost considering that I haven’t been working for a while due to nursing a newborn however, these gifts have taken away that burden. Thank you. “
Colleagues fundraising and volunteering
Over the past year, CCHA colleagues have volunteered their time and skills to help local groups and join local events, including:
• Ashfield Junior School in Workington
• Oak Tree Animals’ Charity
• Susan’s Farm
• Cumbria Pride
• Women in Property
• Local foodbanks
CCHA supports the Great North Air Ambulance
Last year, CCHA became an official ‘Corporate Partner’ of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) by raising over £8,000 towards their vital work. Colleagues and residents joined forces to organise sponsored hikes, coffee mornings and other events.
Natasha Banks, specialist fundraiser at GNAAS, said: “We are delighted to receive a donation for more than £8,000 from CCHA and have them as one of our Corporate Partners. As a charity, we do not receive any government funding and have to raise approximately £9.3m to remain operational, so we are very grateful for their support.”
Value for money –how we use your rent
How we spent your rent in 2024/25
Investment in residents’ homes:
The money we spent in residents’ homes on repairs and improvements.
Improvement projects:
The money we spent on making large scale improvements to residents’ homes, such as new roofs, kitchens or bathrooms.
Cost of providing services:
The money we spent delivering services in residents’ homes and communities.
Interest on loans:
We borrow money to invest in residents’ homes and to build new ones. We use some rental income to pay back interest on borrowing.
Total:
*You’ll notice the total is over 100%. That’s because, as well as all your rent being spent on the categories above, we also used other income such as house sales to help fund our planned improvement projects throughout the year.
37% 27%
33% 10% 107%*
How you can get in touch with us
We aim to make it as easy as possible for residents to access our services, in a way that meets individual needs and preferences, and have lots of ways for you to keep in touch.
Visit us at our offices at 5 Paternoster Row, Carlisle or Stoneleigh, Park End Road, Workington on a Tuesday or Thursday between 10am and 2pm.
0800 085 1171
cs@castlesandcoasts.co.uk
View your account, pay your rent or log a repair anytime via our Residents’ Portal, which can be accessed here
Visit the ‘Contact us’ page on our website at castlesandcoasts.co.uk/contact
On our ‘Contact us’ website page, you’ll find lots of ways to get in touch:
Webchat
The ‘Chat now!’ button (pictured above) connects the resident with a member of the Customer Services team to help with any queries.
Callback service
Request a callback
If you click the ‘Request a callback’ button (pictured above), you’ll be asked for your name and the number you’d like us to call you back on, free of charge. Then, as soon as a Customer Services Advisor is available, they’ll give you a call back.
Reachdeck website accessibility tool
The Reachdeck website accessibility tool is on every page of the website. Clicking on it gives you the options of adding a ‘screen mask’ in different colours, having the page read out loud, translated, displayed in larger text or simplified.
If you have any specific communications needs or need documents like this one in an alternative format, please contact our friendly Customer Services team on 0800 081 1171 or using any of the contact methods in this report and they’ll be happy to help.