There’s a growing emphasis on involving residents in decisions related to repairs and maintenance in social housing. By engaging with tenants, housing providers can ensure their voices are heard and services align with their needs.
At the heart of resident engagement are surveys and feedback mechanisms, which are an effective method of providing tenants with the platform to voice their opinions and experiences.
In this article, we explore why engaging with residents is so important, take a closer look at the role of surveys and feedback, and examine how ROCC’s market-leading software can facilitate this.
Why is resident involvement important?
Tenants want to feel respected and empowered in their homes. When residents are actively involved in the maintenance and repair decisions of their properties, several benefits emerge:
- Enhanced satisfaction: Residents who see their feedback actioned will feel valued and are more likely to be happy with the living conditions of their homes.
- Improved trust: Transparent communication and involvement in decision-making can build trust between residents and housing providers.
- Better resource allocation: Understanding residents’ priorities allows housing providers to allocate resources more effectively, addressing the most pressing issues first.
- A sense of community: Involving residents in the process helps to build a community, bringing housing providers, repairs operatives and tenants together.
- Shared responsibility: As tenants will also be responsible for the upkeep of their homes, they are more likely to take pride in their living conditions and report maintenance issues immediately.
The benefits of surveys and feedback mechanisms
There is increasing pressure on housing providers to ensure that their services better meet the needs of tenants. One way of doing this is to implement surveys and feedback tools, which is a practical approach to capturing residents’ perspectives.
Some of the main benefits of implementing surveys and feedback mechanisms include:
- Real-time feedback: Automated surveys sent after repair works allow residents to immediately share their satisfaction levels and any concerns. This minimal delay means housing providers can act immediately on fresh data and quickly address operational issues.
- Comprehensive insights: Regular feedback collection helps identify patterns, recurring issues and areas needing improvement. The more feedback about a job the better, helping to enhance decision-making and improve operational efficiency.
- Empowerment: Providing a platform for feedback empowers residents, making them active participants in the maintenance of their homes. By involving them in the process, they’ll take ownership of their property’s maintenance needs and be more house-proud.
ROCC’s commitment to tenant engagement
To truly reap the rewards of tenant surveys and feedback tools, housing providers will need access to the latest technology and innovations. Fortunately, ROCC has developed systems designed to enhance resident engagement through effective feedback collection and analysis.
Customisable surveys
ROCC’s system allows housing providers to create and distribute satisfaction surveys tailored to specific services, ensuring residents can provide relevant feedback.
Post-work surveying
We also allow door-stop surveying via mobile. This means that operatives can ask the tenant questions or even hand over their device for them to complete a survey.
Plus, to ensure repairs meet residents’ expectations, post-work inspections can be conducted to provide an additional layer of quality assurance.
Advanced analytics
Our system offers over 120 ready-to-use operational and management reports and charts. These tools enable housing providers to identify trends and sentiments in the feedback collected, facilitating data-driven decisions that enhance service delivery.
Predictive analytics
By combining data from various sources, our predictive analytics feature aids in forecasting future maintenance needs, such as planning for seasonal repairs or identifying properties that may require attention, allowing for proactive management.
These software features ensure that resident feedback is not only collected but also effectively analysed and acted upon. By partnering with ROCC, housing associations, local authorities and maintenance contractors can achieve continuous improvement in repairs and maintenance services.
For surveys and feedback mechanisms that serve as vital tools for tenant engagement and provide insights to drive business improvement, ROCC’s software is here to help.
Get in touch with our customer service team to see how you can ensure your tenants’ voices are heard and their needs are met.
