You Said, We’re Listening

Our involved customers reviewed the Sanctuary Supported Living ‘Occupancy Management and Sustainment procedure’; with a specific focus on the template letters that we send when a customer has breached their agreement.  

When we refer to a ‘breach’, we mean when a customer has broken any of the responsibilities or rules set out in the customers occupancy agreement. An example of this could be because a customer (or one of their visitors):

• Has been using the property (including the communal areas or garden) to dump or store rubbish.
• Has been using or taking illegal drugs, producing illegal drugs, or allowing them to be produced, used, or sold on the premises.
• Has allowed the property’s condition to deteriorate, damaged the property or communal areas, completed unauthorised works, or abandoned the property.

You Said, We're Doing

1. You told us that communication was important and that the first letter, notifying a customer about a breach of their agreement should be clear about exactly what the breach is, while still keeping the letter warm and friendly.

We will create a new first letter that includes information about the breach process, what it involves and also link to a new page on the Sanctuary Supported Living website that contains further details. There will be a summary of this information at the top of all subsequent letters, emphasising that the purpose is to keep people in their accommodation.

2. You told us that setting up meetings with support from other parties, for example, a parent or therapist, to discuss the breaches at an early stage was important.

This is already part of process. This information will be included in new letter described above, as well as on the website.

3. You asked that, as well as the letters, we offer a text message, phone call or even a regular meeting to discuss the breaches and ensure that customers have other means of receiving notification of the breach if letters are not opened.

We have amended the policy guidance to emphasise the importance of communicating through multiple means and not just relying on letters.

4. You asked us to simplify the letters to make it easier to understand, particularly for customers who might not be able to read or be good with written communication.

We have changed the language in letters and the new letter referred to above will have the most informal language.  It’s important that subsequent letters retain a formal style, but we have reviewed these to ensure the language is as clear and straightforward as possible.

5. You asked if we could we provide a list of agencies customers could contact for advice.

All letters and external website will contain links to helpful agencies such as Shelter and Citizens Advice.

6. You asked us to consider Including an internal appeal process. For example, “If you feel this is unfair you can contact….”

We are going to explore how we could set up an appeals process. This might take longer so plan to publish the existing guidance, including all of your feedback and continue to work on creating an appeals process that if approved, can be published separately.

We met with more than 50 of our residents in Chester to hear first-hand about their experience of our services.

The engagement was carried out ahead of some changes to our services in Chester and to the ways that our customers in the area can contact us. These are aimed at ensuring our staff are working closer to, and with, our local communities – something residents have told us they value.

From listening to our residents in Chester, it was clear that their views are strongly linked with two of the priorities in our new Resident Engagement Strategy. They told us:

• That they’d like to see stronger local engagement – local residents working with local teams to solve local problems. This includes having the option to meet with our teams face-to-face – whether in the local community, in residents’ homes or at one of our local offices.
• That they value a positive customer experience – being kept well informed and having a personal and responsive service that listens to residents.

Following your feedback, it was apparent that we need to be clearer about how you can access our services in Chester. We have written to every resident in Chester with full information about the ways to get in touch and speak with us. We’re also ensuring that this information is more prominent in the community and our local offices.

When a resident books a repair, and we don’t have a mobile number for them, we send a letter confirming the date and time of the appointment.

Thanks to the 148 residents who told us what you thought about this letter. You were supportive of the tone the letter. You did tell us that calling the appointment ‘provisional’ was confusing. We’re removing that to make it clearer.

A big thank you to the more than 3,000 residents who responded. The consultation closed on 11 March and we are pulling together the results.

This will give us fantastic basis for our new Resident Engagement Strategy – ‘A conversation with Sanctuary’, which we will be launching in the summer. The strategy will be crucial to how we best engage with you in the future. You’ll hear much more about that in this in the coming months.

Over the last year more than 300 residents have helped us design this new website. The overwhelming response is how much simpler and attractive to use it is.

In February, we had webinars with 14 residents who told us what they thought of the site just before it went live.

We again received a lot of positive feedback around how clear and friendly the site is. We had really  useful views about how we need to recognise tenants and homeowners’ will want to use the  for different purposes, and about some of the forms on the site.

Before the site went live, we have used what you told us to make changes, particularly the information for homeowners.

94 residents said they were interested in telling us their views about the letter our contractors CCS send about upcoming improvement works. We had detailed replies from 17 residents. Most said the letter was clear and easy to understand. 

Based upon your feedback, we are looking at improving the letter so it has more information about CCS e.g., “Correct Contract services (CCS) provides the social housing sector with Gas, Renewable Energy and Electrical installation and maintenance. We are helping Sanctuary to improve the energy efficiency of your homes.’ 

Thanks for helping us shape how we inform you about changes to your rent and other charges.

127 residents told us what you thought about the letter we send to inform customers of changes to your rent and other charges. You told us the letter was clear and the struck pretty much the right tone.

You also said we should:

• Provide some overall explanations for why rent/other charges are changing.
• Provide details of what anyone should do if they are struggling to pay (including advice and support available).
• Use more bullet points help make the letter even easier to digest.

We have addressed those points in the new letter we are using this year.

Thank you as well to the more than 60 of you who said you would be interested in joining an editorial panel. We are meeting with new panel of 13 residents in April.

We asked 1,000 residents to share their views on complaint handling so we could understand the most important things to residents. 150 residents replied with feedback and thoughts.

Using the feedback, we’ve been looking at how we can improve. Here’s what we’re proposing:

• Reduction in acknowledgement timescales
• Improved transparency on our website of the process – easier to find and full description of the complaints process
• Easier online complaint logging
• Training of all front line teams on the complaint process
• Introduce clearer timescales, notifications and reminders built into our IT system
• Better reporting and visibility of complaints against timescales at all levels
• Embedded ownership and escalation processes with operations
• Change of language – move away from FLR and Investigation to Stage 1 and Stage 2
• Case remain open until issues are resolved

We are now holding some webinars to hear what you think of what we are proposing.