In September 2024 we invited customers to take part in our Customer conversation survey to find out what your priorities were for us.
We received 1192 responses and you can see some of the highlights of what you told us above. We will ensure your feedback is used to shape and improve our services over the next three years.
Our customers
Over half the respondents to our survey indicated they had one or more disabilities or long-term health conditions. These range from physical disabilities to mental health conditions and learning difficulties.
We have started an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion project to aid our awareness of customers’ needs. It helps if you keep us updated with any major changes in your health or wellbeing so we can support you in different ways. For instance, we can provide letters in large print if you have issues with eyesight.
We try to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate such diversity of needs where we can, as borne out by the survey response , where only 9% of people thought we could do better.
In 2025 we will be conducting a review of our aids and adaptations policy, including customer input.
Your homes
Most of the people who answered the survey felt they had a well-maintained home and that our repairs appointment system worked for them.
However, only 64% of respondents were satisfied with the information we provide on planned improvements to their homes. This includes things like replacing kitchens and bathrooms. This is an area we will work on, to ensure communication is clear and timely.
Almost a quarter of customers answering the survey said they find it difficult to heat their homes, with the cost of energy bills quoted as the main reason. Explore the support available if you are struggling with paying bills here and find out ways to save energy here.
As part of our annual planned programmes of work, we’ll continue to invest in new heating systems, renewing windows and upgrading insulation. We are committed to bringing all our homes to at least EPC ‘C’ rating by 2030.
We’ve upgraded 160 properties during 2023/24 and 2024/25 as part of a government funded energy retrofit project. Work includes new cavity wall insulation, loft top-up insulation, new heating systems including air source heat pumps and installation of photovoltaic panels.
We’ve also applied for £3 million grant funding for energy improvements to a further 300 properties over the next three years. Find out more here.
Your neighbourhoods
The vast majority of people who responded to the survey said they felt safe in their neighbourhoods. For those who said they did not feel safe, there was no single stand out concern.
You can report antisocial behaviour to us here and find out more about our recent antisocial behaviour policy review here.
68% of people who answered the survey were aware of our dedicated tenancy sustainment team. We will make efforts to ensure that all customers are aware of them. You can find out more about the work the team do here.
Working together
75% of respondents were confident in our ability to handle complaints. Over the past year we have made various improvements to our complaints process, leading to an increase in customer satisfaction. You can find out more about our process here and read about the work of our complaints forum here.
80% of customers who answered the survey said that Selwood Housing treats them fairly and with respect. We are committed to the ‘Together with Tenants’ charter – find out more here.
80% of respondents were aware of opportunities to get involved. Our involvement and communities team offer many opportunities to have your voice heard, from focus groups to surveys, both in person and online. Find out more here about what we have already created with customers and here about upcoming opportunities to get involved.
Communication
Our customers use a mixture of sources to get information about Selwood Housing. As expected, older customers tend to speak to someone over the phone or in person while younger customers prefer to go online.
We recognise the importance of offering a variety of ways to get in touch with us and will continue to do so.
Our customer services team answered over 54,000 calls in 2024, with less than 8% abandoned. We have recently invested in changes to our website to make it as user friendly as possible and have had positive feedback from customers about the changes.
