Housing Leeds customer communication and engagement policy

1. Aims and objectives of the policy and strategy

1.1 To outline our approach to managing effective communication with customers in line with our values of being open, honest, and trusted, working with communities, working as a team for Leeds and spending money wisely.

1.2 To ensure that customers have information easily available about their home and tenancy to support them to enjoy their home and neighbourhood.

1.3 To ensure customers know how to easily access services.

1.4 To outline our approach to engaging with residents to ensure that we are seeking feedback from customers on how we are performing and that tenants can influence how we do things.

1.5 To deliver a consistent communication and engagement experience across all our services with a focus on providing excellent customer care and improving tenant satisfaction.

1.6 To set out how our communication and engagement approach will be aligned to the Regulator of social housing’s Transparency, Influence and Accountability Consumer Standard.

1.7 To ensure that we are treating tenants fairly and with respect, setting clear expectations and delivering high levels of customer care.

1.8 To set out how we will seek to make our communication and engagement approach accessible to all customers.

2. Legislative context

2.1 The 2023 social housing (Regulation) Act introduced 4 updated consumer standards, including the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, which sets out a strengthened requirement for social landlords to be open with tenants and treat them with fairness and respect so that they can access services, raise complaints, influence decision making and hold their landlord to account. There are specific expectations that landlords:

  • will understand the diverse needs of customers and deliver fair and equitable outcomes
  • will engage with customers to take residents views into consideration in their decision making
  • will communicate and share information with customers so that they are able to access services
  • will collect and provide performance information to customers to enable them to scrutinise the landlord’s performance
  • will ensure that complaints are dealt with fairly, effectively and promptly

2.2 The 2023 act also introduced tenant satisfaction measures (TSMs) which includes 4 specific measures of tenant satisfaction relating to the effectiveness of communication and engagement:

  • TP06 satisfaction that the landlord listens to tenant views and acts upon them
  • TP07 satisfaction that the landlord keeps tenants informed about things that matter to them
  • TP08 agreement that the landlord treats tenants fairly and with respect
  • TP09 satisfaction with the landlord’s approach to handling complaints

2.3 A key priority of this communication and engagement policy is to establish a consistent approach across Housing Leeds to customer communication and engagement which is robustly aligned to these regulatory requirements and our 2024/25 service plan priorities.

3. Strategic context

3.1 The council is currently developing a new customer strategy, making a commitment to ‘make it easy for all customers to interact with us by delivering an excellent customer experience’. Housing Leeds are active contributors to the creation of this strategy to ensure our communication and engagement policy is in alignment and Leeds City Council (LCC) and Housing Leeds are able to deliver on their ambitions.

3.2 The customer care strategy recognises the need for LCC to embrace digital and data, and embed a stronger customer-first approach to leadership and culture so it can achieve it’s vision. In practice this means a commitment to delivering more personalised services to residents, providing more automated services and creating a ‘single view’ of the customer to help give the highest levels of customer care possible. These are principles this policy supports and seeks to deliver within Housing Leeds.

3.3 The communication and engagement policy is also set within the context of the best city ambition. The council’s mission is to tackle poverty and inequality and improve the quality of life for everyone who calls Leeds home. The best city ambition outlines our ‘team Leeds’ approach which is about sharing ideas and learning and working in genuine partnership to deliver shared goals. Key team Leeds principles include:

  • the good neighbour principle of building mutual respect and understanding by working together, leading with kindness and valuing everyone’s input and experiences
  • the community power principle of empowering people to generate the positive change that they want to see enabling communities to thrive and tackle systemic inequalities
  • strengthen based principle of developing community capacity and strengthening prevention, focusing on what people can do, not what they can’t
  • our policy therefore encourages a communication and engagement approach where we are seeking to work collaboratively with customers to improve the way that we communicate and working with and empowering communities by focusing on and making a difference to things that matter to them

4. What is in scope and our definitions

4.1 This policy sets out how Housing Leeds will communicate and engage with customers who are either council Housing tenants or prospective tenants. This includes customers who are on the Leeds homes register and seeking a council home. This policy does not apply directly to services provided by BITMO or PFI, but in these areas, Housing Leeds is responsible for ensuring that the minimum standards outlined in this policy are in place as part of BITMO and PFI service delivery. Whilst there is not a requirement to meet the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard for council leaseholders we consider it’s important for leaseholders to also receive high quality communication and engagement and so leaseholders are considered in scope of this policy. Equally some of our activities impact on other residents living in communities with council housing. Where this is the case, our communication and engagement will seek to inform non-council tenants and leaseholders where appropriate.

4.2 The policy outlines our communication and engagement approach in the provision of landlord services, including lettings, repairs, and tenancy management. Whilst in the main landlord services are provided by Housing Leeds, where landlord services are provided by other council teams then this policy will cover services provided by these teams, such as Leeds anti-social behaviour team. It will also cover how we communicate and engage with prospective tenants on the Leeds homes register and include some non-landlord services provided to council tenants by Housing Leeds, for example adaptations. The policy doesn’t cover communication and engagement with council tenants relating to routine council services.

4.3 Communication is defined as the sending and receiving of information – this can be on a one-to-one basis or in groups and it can be in person or through communication devices. All forms of communication will be included in scope of this policy including the following:

  • information shared on our website, in our annual report, social media, noticeboards and generic emails
  • written communication to and from individual customers relating to specific services, including letters, emails
  • telephone communications
  • face to face communication – in a community hub, in the home or neighbourhood.
  • digital communications – texts, WhatsApp

4.4 Engagement is much broader than just communication. It is about connecting the landlord and customers to ensure that both are invested together in delivering positive outcomes in terms of the quality of homes, services, and neighbourhoods. Engagement can take place on an individual, local or strategic basis, with residents having choice on which type of engagement they would like to take part in. All forms of engagement are included in scope of this policy.

4.5 It is difficult to separate communication and engagement as they are intrinsically linked. Both are essential in delivering quality services and both are terms used interchangeable by teams and customers. A combined communication and engagement policy has therefore been developed.

5. Our communication and engagement policy approach

5.1 Our communication approach

5.1.1 Effective communication is of critical importance to any customer facing organisation. The quality of communication between landlord and tenant is known to be a key influencer of tenant satisfaction. It helps to ensure trust and transparency and is important in ensuring that the landlord understands the needs of its customers to ensure that need can be met effectively. Quality communication also benefits the landlord as communication is more efficient, minimising the amount of time wasted on dealing with avoidable contact and benefiting staff morale.

6. Rights and responsibilities

6.1 Customer rights

6.1.1 All customers have a right to:

  • receive communication and information from us that is clear, accessible, relevant, timely, and appropriate to their needs
  • be kept informed of the status of any service request
  • access personal information we hold about them
  • understand the standards of service they can expect to receive, any decision-making criteria and what action they can take if they are not happy with a decision made
  • be treated fairly and with respect by officers as part of any communication
  • make a complaint about our service if they think we have got something wrong
  • receive information about how their landlord is performing, how their views are taken into account and how rental income is being spent
  • know information about the role and responsibilities of senior employees
  • be informed of the ways they influence our strategies, policies and services and our decision making
  • receive support from us, in line with different customers needs, to help them influence and scrutinise what we do
  • be involved in shaping how we deliver day to day services, including how we tailor services to meet customers needs
  • be consulted if we are considering a change in landlord or significant change to existing management arrangements
  • be able to easily make a complaint, know how to escalate any complaint and be informed of how we learn from complaints to continuously improve services
  • exercise their ‘right to manage’ with our support

6.2 Customer responsibilities

6.2.1 Customers are responsible for:

  • letting us know as soon as possible when there is an issue relating to their home or their tenancy to help ensure that we can act quickly
  • regularly updating their personal details, contact information and communication needs so that we can communicate easily with customers
  • being considerate and respectful to our colleagues, their neighbours, and people in their communities
  • seeking the help and support of others if this is needed to access services and so we can deliver our landlord responsibilities
  • getting in touch with us if we have tried to contact them

6.3 Our landlord responsibilities

6.3.1 Housing Leeds is responsible for communicating and engaging with council tenants and prospective tenants in line with responsibilities set out in the RSH Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, the 2010 Equality Act and GDPR regulations and reflecting the council’s wider customer strategy. These responsibilities are:

  • ensuring that information available to customers is clear and concise and provides information on how customers can access services and standards of what they can expect from us
  • ensuring accessible information is available about tenant rights in respect of a landlords legal obligations. Specifically, this must include information about the requirement to meet the decent homes standard, obligations to comply with health and safety legislation, the right of tenants through their tenancy agreement, in particular rights to a home which is fit for human habitation and to receive notice of a proposed visit to carry out repairs and maintenance or view the condition of the property, and the right of disabled tenants to receive reasonable adjustments
  • providing accessible information on standards of safety in homes and communal areas, rent and service charges payable and responsibilities for the maintenance of homes, communal areas, shared spaces, and neighbourhoods
  • keeping customers updated on the status of any service request, including clear contact information, clarity on what will happen next and any relevant service standards or timescales
  • making tenants aware of decision-making criteria and how a customer can appeal if they think we have not made the right decision
  • understanding the diverse communication needs of tenants, including those arising from protected characteristics, language barriers, and additional support needs, having a policy on what reasonable adjustments can be made to communication and ensuring that reasonable adjustments are made in accordance with this policy
  • ensuring that where advocacy arrangements are recorded that these are used to communicate with customers
  • publishing the names and roles of our senior officers who have a responsibility in delivering our statutory housing functions
  • part of communications, managing information about customers and their home securely and confidentially, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018
  • communicating with customers in accordance with our communication service standards
  • providing a range of opportunities for tenants to influence our strategies, policies and services and be involved in our decision making
  • assisting tenants who wish to be actively involved in influencing what we do with appropriate training and support, taking into account their needs, so they can effectively scrutinise what we do
  • complying with the Housing Ombudsman’s complaint handling code, offer a clear and accessible complaints process to put things right if we’ve got something wrong

7. Our communication and engagement service standards

7.1 Our overarching communication and engagement customer service standards are to:

  • be polite, helpful and treat you with dignity and respect
  • ensure written information is clear and concise
  • let you know any relevant support available
  • tell you what will happen next and when
  • tell you how to get in touch with us if you have any queries
  • give clear information on our web pages about how to access services and the standards you can expect
  • record information about your communication needs and try to take these into account when contacting you
  • communicate via your advocate if you have one
  • manage any data relating to your communication need confidentially and sensitively
  • share information with you about how we are performing
  • we will communicate with you in accordance with our privacy notice
  • let you know how you can give feedback
  • ask for your views when we make any changes
  • support tenants, residents, and community groups in line with our ‘communities on top’ service offer
  • offer choice in how you can give your feedback, making it easy, convenient and as accessible as possible
  • actively seek the views and act on feedback from a diverse range of residents and communities
  • use all forms of customer insight available to us to ensure the customer voice is used to improve services
  • be honest about where we are in the decision-making process and reporting back what difference resident feedback has made
  • make best use of local resources and activities where residents already come together
  • when working with communities, start with what’s strong (not wrong), using asset-based approaches to build relationships and support others
  • invest in training and support, to help residents develop the skills and confidence to hold us to account
  • keep how we seek and use the feedback and views of residents under review, with resident input

8. How we inform residents about our services and help prevent avoidable communication

8.1 A key principle of our communication approach is to ensure that customers have the right amount and type of information available to them to help them understand how they can easily access our services, their rights and our responsibilities, and the standards of service that they can expect to receive, preventing as much as possible avoidable contact and communication. As some of our customers may need additional support to access services it is important we explain what support or assistance is available. This will be available via the following communication methods.

8.2 Council housing web pages

8.2.1 85% of tenants currently use the internet at home or on a smartphone, making the council web pages an important communication channel for sharing core information about access to services. Plans are underway to review the council housing web pages so that they provide comprehensive information needed by tenants to help them access information about key services. A social housing regulation page has been developed which provides information to customers about our regulatory responsibilities. The remaining council housing and Leeds Homes web pages will be reviewed so that they include information relating to all key service areas, including the areas identified as a specific requirement under the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard, and are set out following a standardised layout. Where useful, self-help videos are used to give website users additional guidance, for example, on how to register for the tenant portal or register for the my high-rise building safety hub videos are also used to help raise awareness on key issues and give practical advice, for example on how to help reduce condensation in the home which can if left untreated cause damp and mould.

8.3 Tenant handbook

8.3.1 A tenant handbook is provided to all new tenants at sign up or can be given to residents during their tenancy to help respond to any queries. It explains to new tenants our landlord and tenant responsibilities and how to access services and our service standards. It also provides helpful information to support a tenant in accessing other services to support them to enjoy their tenancy. The tenant handbook content will be reviewed alongside web page content to ensure that content is aligned. We are considering how we make this information available to those residents (around 15%) who have told us that they don’t have access to the internet.

8.4 Annual tenants report

8.4.1 We will publish an annual tenants report each year summarising key service updates and our performance for the previous year. It includes tenant satisfaction information, information about complaints we have received and how we have learnt from them. 

8.4.2 We publish the report on our website as accessible plain text and promote through our social media and emails a pdf edition.

8.4.3 Tenants without access to the internet are reminded of our current performance and how to request a hard copy of our annual report in an annual rent statement insert each autumn.

8.5 Notice boards

8.5.1 We have 121 high rise buildings, each has its own noticeboard used to display as a minimum a standard suite of posters with information on how to access our services and unique information relevant to high rise residents. Some low-rise buildings also have noticeboards used by local housing teams to share information and across the city we use local community noticeboards to display useful local information or to help promote local groups or events. We have installed electronic noticeboards in Cottingley heights and towers, our 2 largest blocks. This allows us to manage content remotely and quickly, and we will be trialling sharing more bespoke/block specific information on these boards for us to better engage with residents in the year ahead.

8.6 Tenant email

8.6.1 We send monthly emails to all tenants providing updates on access to services, our performance and other helpful information. For residents living in high-rise homes, including leaseholders, we also send an email every other month with information, reminders and building safety information. The email to all tenants is sent to 42,600 residents and has an open rate of between 45-50%. Our high-rise message is sent to 5,100 residents, with slightly higher open rates between 50 and 55%. We monitor so we can also see which content has been accessed the most within the message and can also adjust days and times the message is sent to maximise open rates.

8.7 Social media

8.7.1 We have a dedicated Housing Leeds Facebook page with 7,400 followers and a page on X (formerly Twitter), with 3,800 followers. These are used to share key messages and announcements about our service. We also use these pages to share content from our partners and from LCC as a whole. In addition, the locally based Tenant Engagement Officers each have a Facebook Page so they can share more localised engagement opportunities and other local information.

8.8 Texting

8.8.1 Ad-hoc texts are sent to residents to share urgent messages about their building or community, or to share proactive messages as part of a campaign or to invite residents to take part in consultation activity.

9. Our day-to-day communication in response to service requests

9.1 When we communicate in response to carrying out our day-to-day service, it’s important we do so clearly and with a focus on good customer care. When we fail to explain what we are doing, what the customer can expect, who to contact and the timescales and service standards concerned, for example ‘the pathway’ this can result in avoidable contact. Customers may then try to make contact via other routes, risking their query not being dealt with and the impact this has on customer satisfaction. An important principle of our communication approach is that all communications pathways are simple and clear and are understood across relevant teams. Customer communication is therefore an important part of all individual service processes, and all service specific policies and procedures will give consideration to ensuring effective communication in line with the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

9.2 Digital communications

9.2.1 As much as possible, and where appropriate to do so, we will encourage the following digital communication routes with customers, including:

  • the tenant portal – an upgraded tenant portal is now available which provides additional functionality to enable customers to communicate a service need via the portal, such as the ability to report and book some non-urgent repairs online. A campaign is underway to promote the tenant portal, encouraging more tenants to register for the portal and to communicate repair needs, request permission to undertake an alternation, keep a pet etc.
  • by text – such as for a contractor to advise of a repair appointment, to promote services or give useful information
  • using online forms – for a tenant to make a request for service or provide us with information
  • by email – for services to share general information with customers about an aspect of service delivery, for example ‘inviting residents to take part in local consultations, or to make aware of planned improvement works impacting on their home

9.2.2 Whilst emails are a useful way of communicating general information to customers, they are often not an efficient or effective method of communication for customers to contact us about a service need or request. For example where an email from a customer requires a follow up conversation or where email monitoring arrangements are not robustly connected to a CRM or alternative solution. This policy accepts we are dependent on the use of emails for two-way communication with customers but supports a planned move of most of our individual communications to and from customers away from email. The service also acknowledges there are current limitations to our CRM system. Our ambition is to have in place a full CRM solution capturing all customer contact so that we can further improve our management of customers enquiries and service requests.

9.3 Written communications

9.3.1 Written communication sent to customers by individual teams in relation to a specific service activity is important in ensuring that customers have access to the information they need about how to access services, service standards and points of escalation. Such written communication can be via standard letters generated as part of a service process, ad-hoc letters, posters or flyers as well as digital communications above. All our written communications will as much as possible follow a consistent approach, which can easily be identified as Housing Leeds.

9.3.2 This includes the following:

  • all communications will be clear and concise and avoid the use of jargon
  • all letters sent to customers will use a standardised template which includes the Leeds City Council logo, straplines offering translations etc. Standard service letter templates will be used as much as possible to ensure consistency of communication. As much as possible emails to customers will also follow a standard template
  • all communications will meet the Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard – providing clear information on access to service, service standards, decision making criteria and appeals process as relevant to the communication. To keep letters clear and concise some of this information may be provided as a link to the council’s web pages
  • letters should explain what support options are available and will include a generic (not personal) contact telephone number or email address for enquiries
  • posters and flyers can be an effective way of promoting a specific service, issue or activity. All posters and flyers will include the Leeds City Council logo, be accessible to those with visual impairments by using high contrast colours and design, and as much as possible give clear information on how to access services, making best use of images and tools such as shortened URLs or QR codes

9.4 Telephone communications

9.4.1 By far the biggest communication method used by customers to communicate with us is telephone. It is therefore critical that our communication approach seeks to ensure an efficient and effective approach to telephone management with a focus on ensuring high levels of customer care.

9.4.2 In managing our telephone communications we adopt the following approach:

  • we offer a freephone contact centre available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, except Wednesday when we open 10am to 5pm, along with other customer facing lines, including local Housing Offices
  • the ‘how to contact us’ is one of the most visited pages on our website. We offer an out of hours telephone service, available 24/7, for customers who have an emergency housing situation. We ensure that all staff answering calls are trained to deal with a range of enquiries and have clear escalation routes if the customer wishes to speak with a manager

9.4.3 All new contact centre staff undertake customer service excellence training, to ensure high levels of customer care, we seek to:

  • personalise – treat each customer as an individual
  • empathise – see things from the customers point of view
  • set clear expectations – explain our actions clearly including timescales
  • build trust – be open and honest about what can and can’t do
  • value the customer – thank customer for their contact
  • seek resolution – take ownership of the enquiry or request
  • when you call the contact centre, we will aim to answer your call within five minutes. If the queue is longer than five minutes or there are already ten calls in the queue, you’ll have the option to either request a link to our online services, or to select a callback so that you don’t need to wait on the line.
  • we will offer voicemail facilities for when staff are not available, ensuring that recorded messages are clear and accurate, and give an opportunity to leave a message. All recorded messages should inform customers of who to contact in the event of an emergency.

9.4.4 We currently receive over 35,000 calls per month from customers seeking our services. Many of our communications with customers are in relation to complex issues such as issues relating to the tenancy, rent, ASB etc and so telephone communication is important in ensuring that appropriate support can be offered and achieving a prompt resolution to the issue.

9.4.5 However, a significant amount of our telephone communication is as a result of limitations in digital communication opportunities as well as weaknesses in the information that we share about access to services and our customer pathways. Whilst accepting that telephone communication will always be an important part of our communication approach where the service is dealing with complex issues, it is our aim to reduce the amount of telephone communication by providing effective digital communication tools, such as the tenant portal, and improving the quality of information shared about access to services.

9.5 Face to face communications

9.5.1 Face to face communication with customers is also an important part of our communication approach, ensuring that residents who prefer face to face contact with us are able to access services and for us to monitor customer wellbeing. It is also necessary periodically for us to visit tenants in their home.

9.5.2 We offer face to face access to services at community hubs across Leeds three days per week, with some offering access to services outside normal office hours. This enables customers to report a repair or raise a tenancy issue directly with staff. A housing officer will offer home visits on request relating to a tenancy issue and a technical officer will arrange a property inspection for some property issues.

9.5.3 We undertake periodic visits to tenants to check the condition of the property, any tenancy issues and the wellbeing of tenants. These periodic checks happen at least once every 3 years, but it may be annually for some tenants. These visits offer an opportunity for face-to-face communication about any issues.

9.5.4 When undertaking visits to customers in their home we will as much as possible arrange an appointment with the customer taking into account their availability. However, in some situations we would not always arrange an appointment, for example if it is an urgent repair or health and safety issue or where the customer has not previously responded to our attempts to contact. When undertaking visits, we will always ensure that we have clearly visible identification. Our contractors are also required to comply with a ‘contractor code of practice’ which explains what levels of customer care are required when any contractor undertakes any work in a residents home.

9.5.5 We are currently consulting with customers on how best we manage appointments to minimise the number of failed or no access appointments and future contractor standards of customer care. 

10. Our engagement approach

10.1 We seek to engage with residents and use their feedback to inform our services, policies and decisions in a variety of ways. Broadly, they can be broken down into local, individual and strategic opportunities:

10.2 Local – involving residents in specific local communities about local issues

10.2.1 We support over 50 tenants, residents and community groups, giving them advice and support in line with our ‘communities on top’ service offer, that adopts strength-based approaches to help them achieve their aims. We provide an annual support grant to groups who can demonstrate they work in an inclusive way with members of their community and also provide access to free services such as help from West Yorkshire community accounting Service and TPAS, the national tenant engagement experts.

10.2.2 Each year we carry out at least two walkabouts within each community with council housing. Residents groups are invited to take part and outcomes from walkabouts are fed back to attendees. In addition, the service is able to carry out ‘virtual walkabouts’, inviting residents to give feedback online by dropping a pin in a location in their community at a time that’s convenient to them. In response to local issues the service can carry out a range of estate action days or local initiatives, often including residents and with other council or non-council partners who can help. Alongside other council services we attend fete’s and gala’s to meet and interact with residents, giving advice and support and capturing feedback on any current consultation opportunities.

10.2.3 We use customer equality data alongside other data sets, such as TSM data to understand the makeup of local communities and use this to work proactively with communities to ensure that we are hearing the voice of minority ethnic groups and that they have equal access to services. Retirement life support officers support residents in our retirement life schemes with a broad range of health, wellbeing, and social activities, as well as holding regular meetings with residents to hear feedback from residents about where they live and what they would like to see happen. Reflecting that many local issues can be wider than housing and are about the place or community, we are taking an increasingly active role in signposting residents and giving residents feedback on the role of the local council community committees.

10.3 Individual – involving all residents regardless of whether they are part of a group or not, about their access to services

10.3.1 Throughout the year we will contact residents on an individual basis, asking for their participation in various surveys. We carry out a citywide tenant satisfaction survey which gathers information via phone calls and online on a quarterly basis with 2,400 residents. Service specific surveys about a specific transaction or service request are sent to residents, for example, to collect views on a recent repair or views on having gone through the complaints process. We invite residents on an individual basis to also take part in online surveys and engagements hosted on our housing Leeds feedback webpage. We also share with residents in regular emails and texts opportunities to give feedback and we respond and review to comments and interactions on our social media content.

10.4 Strategic – influencing strategy and decision making for our citywide services and helping hold us to account

10.4.1 The tenant voice panel – we have over 320 residents who have volunteered to make up this wider consultative group. Open to all tenants, residents and leaseholders, members of the panel are invited to take part in our consultations and other activities that help us improve services. For example, holding a focus group with the high-rise residents about how we can keep improving our communications about widow safety. The makeup of the panel is broadly reflective of our customer base and so helps to ensure that we hear the voice of a diverse range of tenants. The panel also enables us to undertake targeted engagement with particular equality groups to better understand any issues with access to services.

10.4.2 The tenant scrutiny board – is an independent group of volunteer tenants who review performance, complaints and other management information such as our improvement plans to ensure compliance with the regulatory standards, so they can select a part of service to review. They then gather evidence from us and look at good practice from elsewhere to make formal recommendations for improvement to our service. A recent example of their work is their report into how we can improve the advice and support we give to residents about damp and mould.

10.4.3 The Leeds housing board – there are four tenant representatives who make up membership of the Leeds Housing Board. The board’s role is to oversee and scrutinise our customer facing operational performance including complaints and how we are meeting the regulatory standards.

11. Accessible and inclusive communication and engagement

11.1 Housing Leeds is committed to ensuring that our routine communication approach is as accessible and as inclusive as possible to all customers, to ensure that as much as possible residents are able to access reasonable adjustments to communications in order to access services. This includes the following:

  • our website and tenant portal are designed to be accessible and easily navigated using screen readers. Every page of our website can be translated using Google translate (this is dependent on the browser being used)
  • our letters all include a strapline to highlight how to access the content in another language or alternative format
  • we aim for all of our written correspondence be easily accessible, clear and concise to ensure that we are communicating effectively with neurodiverse customers. We are currently engaging with the Leeds autism board and others on the creation of a vulnerability policy that will help strengthen our approach to our communications being more accessible for all
  • we make available and offer a translation and interpreting service as part of all routine communications, and staff are able to access this service to support the delivery of day-to-day work
  • we make available documents in larger print on request
  • as part of our routine communications, we share details of what additional support or reasonable adjustments are available and how to access this, as appropriate
  • we record information about the communication needs of our customers in line with our approach to making reasonable adjustments to meet individual tenants needs

11.2 Resident engagement

11.2.1 In the development of this policy, we have consulted residents on both our communication service standards and on changes to our resident engagement approach, especially how we strengthen our local tenant engagement offer. As a result, this policy:

  • includes a vision statement that reflects that not all residents are online and that all residents need to have a way to easily access our service.
  • offers an engagement framework that breaks down opportunities to give feedback into local, individual and strategic, reflecting the importance of giving residents choice on how they give feedback on our services
  • commits to in person communication channels and in person engagement opportunities reflecting that for some residents, this remains an important way to communicate and interact with us
  • commits to informing residents through a variety of channels, so we have the opportunity to use these channels to respond to key themes and areas of interest to residents or respond to those issues that are currently experiencing low tenant satisfaction, for example, how we manage customers reports of ASB
  • reflects the importance of having effective feedback loops in place, so residents hear about the difference their feedback has made.
    We will continue to collect quarterly tenant satisfaction data (the TSM’s) to monitor how well this policy is delivering it’s intended outcomes

11.3 Partnership approach

11.3.1 The policy outlines our communication and engagement approach in the provision of all landlord services to council tenants, including where these landlord services are provided by other council teams, including Leeds anti-social behaviour team, environmental services, greenspaces, community hubs and the contact centre. Leeds Housing options will also be a key partner in supporting our communication approach to prospective tenants. We will work with these other council teams to ensure a consistent communication approach in line with the principles of this policy.

11.3.2 Where external organisations are contracted to provide landlord services on behalf of the council, for example PFI, BITMO, we will work in partnership with those organisations to ensure that they have robust policies in place which support the key principles of this policy.

11.3.3 Where internal service providers or organisations are contracted to provide services on behalf of the landlord, such as repairs, maintenance and cleaning we will work closely with service providers and contractors to agree how they will ensure that their communication approach is aligned to this policy.

11.4 Communicating the policy

11.4.1 A customer facing version of this policy along with communication service standards will be published on the council web page. The policy will be emailed to customers via the all-tenant email and a news item posted on our Housing Leeds feedback page (which alerts all subscribers).

11.5 Delivering of policy and monitoring of policy outcomes

11.5.1 Each service manager or equivalent are required to self-assess their services against the standards within this policy. This includes an appraisal of each service relative strengths and weaknesses and actions to strengthen compliance.

11.5.2 An annual update on our compliance based on the self-assessments will be presented to the Leeds housing board each spring (based of Nov-Feb self-assessment activity within teams).

11.5.3 The Leeds housing board will also receive updates on policy outcomes and activity throughout the year, which may focus on specific elements of the policy, such as our engagement with high rise residents as a specific group.

11.6 How will we know if our approach is working

11.6.1 We will report to the Leeds housing board, the tenant scrutiny board, the tenant voice panel and to residents more widely how we are performing using the following key measures:

  • the overall satisfaction with the services provided
  • satisfaction that we listen to your views and act upon them
  • satisfaction that you are kept informed about the things that matter to you

11.6.2 These are standard measures all landlords are required to collect. We will therefore be able to compare our performance to others. We will also assess our performance against the regulator for social housing consumer standards, including the ‘Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.

11.6.3 In addition, the service will monitor a number of supporting measures to determine if the delivery of this policy is working, including:

  • website statistics – increased use of pages over time
  • tenant Portal users – increased number of registrations and active users over time
  • number of self-assessments completed and actions delivered within each year
  • telephony performance

11.6.4 These and other measures and outcomes are currently being developed into an ‘impact dashboard’, so we can share with residents the outcomes from the activity covered by this policy.