The Quality of Services of Life and Services at Greenpark Estate - Case Study Example

Introduction This is an evaluation report that will discuss on a number of key issues facing Greenpark Estate managed by Mountclaim Housing Association and provide a strategy aimed at improving the quality of life and services given to the tenants. The evaluation will be used to provide a strategy to improve the quality of services of life and services at Greenpark Estate managed by Mountclaim Housing Association. Examples of good practice from other organizations will be cited to support these recommendations. Case Study Greenpark Estate is a housing organization that provides housing services and is managed by Mountclaim Housing Association is currently being faced a number of problematic issues. The key issues that are facing this estate are; low level of income collection, low quality of repairs and maintenance and antisocial behaviour resulting from roaming kids. Mountclaim Housing Association has recently invited a housing management consultant to provide a solution that will ensure quality life and services at Greenpark Estate. Strategy for solving the problem of Low Level Income Collection Effective rent collection is key to the financial stability and growth of housing associations. The problem of rent collection has been increasing in the recent past especially amongst the social landlords. According to the Audit Commission (2003) eviction should be the last resort for housing associations as stipulated by the Housing Corporation Regulatory code. Evictions depict a failure by the housing association to support tenancy. The best way of avoiding the problem of low rent collection is the use of appropriate strategies. The key to successful management of arrears is early intervention (Audit Commission, 2003). Many housing associations place much emphasis on the old high values cases of arrears and forget about the new cases. The question that housing associations should answer before pursuing cases of arrears should be how costly is the process. According to Department for Communities and Local government (2006) evictions costly both socially and economically. Housing associations should focus on strategies which strive to prevent arrears rather than reacting to them. As with the case of Mountclaim Housing Association which is facing a problem of low rent collection, the management need to review the strategies of arrears management and rent collection. Preventive measures should be adopted. One major preventive strategy that can be used by Mountclaim Housing Association is the provision of a wide range of rent payment options (Department for Communities and Local government, 2006). Apart from being available, these payment options should be accessible, convenient and flexible. Increasing the number of payment options will imply that the tenant has been given every chance to pay (Audit Commission, 2003). According to Audit Commission in Wales (2002) housing associations should extend payment options to tenants as a strategy of preventing rent arrears and these options should include electronic payment options as well. Several fieldwork surveys have shown that tenants prefer payment at a local office where they can easily report cases of repairs as well (Audit Commission, 2003). Derby homes for instance has provided a range of payment options for tenants and these payment options are efficient and accessible (Department for Communities and Local government, 2006). Additionally, these payment options allow for the tenants to make payments any time including evenings and weekends (Department for Communities and Local government, 2006). For some good practice organizations, housing officers move from house to house because it is cost effective and can be combined with other service responsibilities. Nonetheless, they still provide other payment options just in case the tenant needs to use. Door to door collection is used where standing orders or direct debits may not be usable (Audit Commission in Wales, 2002). Edinburgh City Council as a good practice organization uses officers who move from door to door as a way of ensuring that there is guarantee in rent collection and also where other payment options may not be used (Audit Commission in Wales, 2002). A range of rent payment options will not only guarantee security but will also result to low transaction rates (Audit Commission in Wales, 2002). Door to door rent collection may not be secure in some places. In such cases, tenants can be encouraged to use electronic payment methods. The strategy of providing incentives to tenants who pay their rent on time can also provide a solution to the problem of low rent collection facing Mountclaim Housing Association. On the other hand, penalties can be imposed to those tenants who fail to pay their rent on time. Mountclaim Housing Association should come up with an incentive scheme to reward loyal tenants who pay rent on time. Tenants can be given benefits such as quicker maintenance service and bonus points which can redeemed after some time (Audit Commission in Wales, 2002). An example of good practice organization which has succeeded with the incentive and penalty scheme is Irwell valley Housing Association. The incentive scheme involved joining a ‘Gold Service’ upon satisfactory conduction of tenancy which included timely rent payment (Audit Commission in Wales, 2002). In addition to this, membership is based on the period of stay which must be at least six months. Under this scheme, members are offered a range of benefits which include; shop discounts, bonus points, priority transfers and timely maintenance of their housing facilities (Audit Commission in Wales, 2002). Such incentive schemes can provide a solution to low rent payment at Mountclaim Housing Association. Coupled with other strategies such as having one on one discussions with the tenants on the appropriate payment culture can greatly improve rent collection. Strategy for Low Quality Repairs and maintenance The state of housing affects many aspects of tenant’s lives which can include health and security (Burridge & Ormandy, 1993). The state of a home can be maintained through constant repairs. Both the tenant and house owner are responsible for maintaining the state of a home. Repairs and maintenance are among the key ways of ensuring that tenants are comfortable and they get the value for money they paid (Chartered Institute of Housing, 2011b). Low quality repairs have an immense impact on the state of a home. Tenants can be directly involved in repair and maintenance programmes and they need to be enlightened by the home owners on how to maintain the state of the housing. Tenants’ contribution can be of great help especially because they are the ones to communicate to the management on the problems that are there in their houses. On many occasions, tenants have contributed some information that is helpful towards quality of repair service. However, they normally don’t receive any feedback on their contribution and they tend to get demoralized which affects their future participation (Audit Commission, 2002). Giving the tenants a feedback is one crucial strategy of encouraging them to participate in home maintenance in future and also they will become cognizant of their input (Audit Commission, 2002). Tenants can receive a feedback on their participation in many ways. One way in which good practice associations have given the feedback to tenants is through tenants repairs forum. Other organizations have given the feedback to the tenants through newsletters. Mountclaim Housing Association is facing a serious problem emerging from low quality repairs and maintenance. There are several strategies that can be used to eliminate this problem. Tenant involvement is one crucial strategy that can be adopted by Mountclaim Housing Association if the case of low quality repairs are to be avoided. The association should involve the tenants in the process and to encourage them to participate in future, a feedback should be given to them. Brent Housing Association is a good practice association which allow for tenant participation in repair and maintenance. Tenants forums are held on quarterly basis which ensures that the performance indicators of repairs are communicated across (Audit Commission, 2002). These forums not only necessitate communication but also they allow for more in-depth discussions on the state of repairs and maintenance (Audit Commission, 2002). The information obtained from these repairs forums can be used to hold the individuals responsible for repairs accountable. Alternatively, tenants involvement can be effected by use of newsletters. Some organizations communicate to their tenants through these newsletters. However, most of them have failed to give an opportunity to the tenants to give their feedback. Tenants should be encouraged to give their feedback on these newsletters to ensure that they participate in the assessment of repairs and maintenance. Mountclaim housing Association can adopt this strategy of involving the tenants in repairs and maintenance. Periodic repairs forums should be held to allow in depth discussion with the residents on the state of repairs. Alternatively, the Association can adopt the strategy of using newsletters as a way of communicating to the tenants. Newsletters should also encourage the tenants to give the views and feedback on the state of repairs and maintenance of their homes. This will ensure that individuals responsible for the repairs and maintenance are assessed. Barnet Housing Association is also another good practice association which allow for tenant participation in the repair and maintenance process. The management came up with a redecorations scheme for the elderly which allowed the tenants to decide what can be done to their homes (Audit Commission, 2002). Redecoration however will be based on points with each point valued at £50. A maximum of eight points is given to each tenant and this was set to control the amount spent on repairs for each house. Improvements which are allowed in this scheme include; door, bath and kitchen unit replacements (Audit Commission, 2002). Mountclaim can adopt this strategy as a way of encouraging the tenants to supervise the repairs and ensure that quality service of repairs is given. Strategy for reducing in anti-social behaviour Antisocial behaviour around a housing unit can have a significant impact on the quality of lives of residents (Communities and Local Government, 2010). The local authorities and housing associations are both responsible for controlling the anti-social behaviour. Social landlords need to work closely with agencies such as security units and community organizations to remove the causes and reduce the effects of anti-social behaviour. The process of reducing anti-social behaviour involves coming up with holistic strategies of prevention intervention, supporting the victims and use of enforcement tools (Communities and Local Government, 2010). There are a number .of strategies that can be implemented to ensure that this problem is eliminated. Such strategies can be borrowed from good practice examples. One such good practice example of a housing association which has implemented a strategy for eliminating this problem of anti-social behaviour is Servite Housing Association. This association was facing problems of anti-social behaviour because the residents were not reporting the issue. Upon realizing where the problem was, Servite Housing Association took the initiative of involving the local police and London Borough and wrote a letter to the residents advising them on where to report cases of anti-social behaviour (Communities and Local Government, 2010). The information that is received from the residents helps the association to seek possession of the home from the affected individuals (Communities and Local Government, 2010). Alternatively, the affected families may be redirected for help from the Family Intervention project (Communities and Local Government, 2010). This initiative resulted to a drastic reduction of more than 70% of the reported cases. Besides this, Mountclaim Housing Association can support the victims anti-social behaviour. Support ranges from the provision of temporary accommodation to the victims and witnesses of anti-social behaviour to legal support (Communities and Local Government, 2010). Salford City Council for example is a good practice organization which provides support to the victims of anti-social behaviour by protecting them together with their witnesses (Communities and Local Government, 2010). The witnesses are supported by the Salford City Council’s Witness Outreach Service which works closely together with anti-social behaviour unit and crime unit. The service has aided the anti-social behaviour unit to successfully control the anti-social behaviour. Mountclaim Housing Assocaition can succeed in controlling anti-social behaviour through the adoption of these strategies. References Audit Commission in Wales. (2002). Closing the Gap: Working Together to reduce rent arrears. London: Audit Commission. Audit Commission. (2002). Housing Repairs and Maintenance. Acknowledge Learning from Audit, Inspection and Research. Essex: CW Print group. Audit Commission. (2003). Housing Association Rent Income: rent Collection and Arrears Management by Housing Associations in England. Loughton: CW Print Group. Burridge, R & Ormandy, D. (1993). Aspects of unhealthy housing. London: Chapman and Hall. Chartered Institute of Housing. (2011b). Repairs and Maintenance. Housing Practice. Coventry: CIH. Communities and Local Government. (2010). Tackling Anti-social Behaviour: Tools and Powers- Toolkit for Social Landlords. London: Communities and Local Government. Department for Communities and Local government. (2006). Guide on Effective Rent Arrears Management. Wetherby: DCLG Publications. Read More