Customer Scrutiny Panel Annual Impact Assessment Report 2023

1. Introduction

1.1 The Customer Scrutiny Panel (CSP) has continued to grow in experience and confidence over the period 2022/23 having embedded and established positive partnership working relationships with the Executive and the Board. It has been a period of change and learning for all as we have seen new regulatory changes bring greater emphasis on the performance and management of housing landlords and an enhanced role for resident scrutiny to support the business. This has been reflected in the extended roles and opportunities open to the CSP, which are detailed in this report.

Statement from Ashley Hook Chief Executive

Without doubt, the contribution of CSP has been outstanding - the best consultancy we have ever had! The CSP have challenged us, coached us and inspired us to be a better social landlord. They have huge credibility and the total respect of the Board and Executive Team. 

1.2 The CSP is pleased to be able to support mhs homes by delivering independent scrutiny of housing frontline services, helping to drive and recognise service improvement and meeting the increasing demands of the regulator by demonstrating effective and informed scrutiny, highlighting what is good and what needs to be improved from a resident perspective. The main focus is on the customer experience and using feedback positively to achieve consistent quality services, meeting the strategic priorities and values of mhs homes.

1.3 During the year the CSP has welcomed the opportunity to be involved with a number of activities and learning opportunities including:

  • Completion of detailed reviews of the Responsive Repairs Service, delivery and management of gas services including installation of new boilers and annual boiler checks, and customer experience accessing and delivery of aids and adaptations.
  • Partnership working with the Board and Executive to select and scope service reviews to provide additional independent service delivery feedback, particularly related to customer experience.
  • Delivery of all service review findings and recommendations for consideration by the Executive and Board. There is a strong feeling that feedback both positive and negative is welcomed and open and mature discussions have considered and informed service improvement plans created by the business. The CSP have presented their reports and other CSP members have welcomed the opportunity to attend presentations as observers as part of their personal capacity building journey.
  • Service improvement monitoring feedback on completed service reviews has featured heavily demonstrating that the work of the CSP is positively contributing to the delivery of continuous service improvement and increasing overall customer satisfaction. Service improvement plans shared included, home ownership, tenancy management, responsive repairs, gas services, anti social behaviour, customer services and estate services.   
  • Participating and submitting resident consultation feedback to the Housing Ombudsman and Housing Regulator in response to opportunities to have a say in shaping compliance, demonstrating that the CSP is keen to learn and have a voice. It is a reflection of the quality of the CSP members that they have the confidence and commitment to demonstrate to external organisations the level of learning acquired through resident scrutiny.
  • Reviewing and helping to shape the Customer Hardship Support Fund set up by mhs homes to meet the challenges faced by Customers as a result of the national economic pressures especially around increased living costs and energy charges. The CSP commends the flexible and innovative approach used to ensure the right support has been provided.
  • Training of CSP members has been greatly enhanced through having a range of specific training opportunities delivered by mhs Executives and senior staff, covering Governance and Compliance, Technology and being a safe user, Communications, Understanding and interpreting Performance data, data protection, and a range of on the job training opportunities to develop and sharpen scrutiny related skills and knowledge, and building safety.
  • Reviewing and updating Housing policies and procedures, especially related to tenancy management
  • Consultation with residents through customer surveys, focus groups and site visits
  • Mystery shopping to test embedding of new operating procedures- customer services
  • Opportunity for two CSP members to attend the mhs Board Away Day Event and gain a greater understanding of the role and work of the Board which helps to strengthen partnership working and identifying opportunities for closer working.
  • Delivering a ‘Lunch and Learn ‘ session to mhs officers to promote the role and work of the CSP was welcomed and the open invitation to attend additional sessions to widen knowledge of other internal and external services.
  • Opportunity for two CSP members to attend an external housing conference. Those attending reported that it was interesting to meet other customers and listen to a range of presentations from other landlords about the opportunities and challenges being faced nationally. Regards the role and working of scrutiny on a national basis the CSP members attending reported that mhs is advanced in their approach and commitment to independent scrutiny, and the support and involvement of the Executive, Board and Managing Director is unique and to be highly valued.
  • Invitation to be part of the mhs Pride event sponsored by mhs homes was welcomed by CSP members and helps demonstrate their commitment to Equality and Diversity.
  • To be provided with an opportunity to participate through the “Customer Conversation “ event to help shape the strategic priorities and values for mhs was welcomed.    

1.4 The CSP would like to thank Louise Humphrey Company Secretary and Scrutiny Champion, and the Governance team including Oonah Lacey our independent mentor for their hard work and commitment helping the CSP play such a vital role to assist mhs homes and the Board on their journey to delivering high quality services for all residents. A special thank you to June Patey and Sharon Robinson for their hard work as Chair and Vice Chair leading the work of the CSP. We look forward to a positive 2024.

Statement from Louise Humphrey Company Secretary and CSP Scrutiny Champion

I really enjoy working with the CSP. They are very impressive and work hard on behalf of our customers, helping mhs provide a better service. Their reviews are well planned, well executed and always well received by the Executive and Board, whatever the findings. They don't pull any punches and give us an honest appraisal of what we are doing well and more importantly what we can do better.

1.5 The CSP would like to thank all those that contributed to our service reviews. The feedback has been used to shape the way forward and in particular ensure that those that participate with ‘reality checking’ activities understand that their time and contributions are highly valued. Only with officers and residents ‘participation can service reviews provide an insight into what is important for customers and those delivering services.

Statement from Amy Cheswick Executive Director Customer & Transformation

The hard work and dedication of the CSP to ensuring customer experience is understood and drives service improvement is fantastic. Since joining mhs I have been consistently impressed with the quality of reviews and the thoughtful and well considered recommendations. CSP has helped shape priorities, ensuring we focus on improvements that will make the biggest difference to customers.'

1.6 Key Recommendations:

  • Develop a set of performance standards for the CSP that are outcome driven to measure impact and success
  • Increase the visibility and understanding of the role and responsibilities of the CSP across the business, ensuring that new employees are provided with a CSP fact sheet in their welcome pack, and are invited to meet the CSP
  • Provide summary CSP reports to be shared with customers on the website
  • Recruit and train an additional 7 members on the CSP
  • Actively participate and consider service reviews that are important to the CSP but also to support the Executive and the Board
  • Use feedback from officers and the Board to ensure that awareness of the CSP is open and transparent and that the CSP is professional and respectful at all times.
  • Develop an annual workplan in partnership with the Executive and the Board so that focus and priority given to service areas where regulatory focus and compliance will be important from March 2024
  • Use the new levels of knowledge and skills of the CSP to ensure that all service reviews are completed on time. A new service review monitoring approach has been developed and will be adopted in 2024.

2. Key highlights

2.1 External Partner involvement - Helping to shape the role and work of the Housing Ombudsman has been important, through participating with consultation surveys to comment and help shape the Housing Ombudsman Customer Charter that set out the standard of service that they aim to deliver and how residents can help to ensure that complaints are dealt with efficiently. The CSP shared views on the charter to ensure that the standards reflected the expectations of residents. The CSP was also involved in reviewing the complaints handling code that sets out best practice for landlords to respond to complaints effectively and fairly. mhs has adopted the new way of handling complaints and performance data indicates that there have been positive changes through the set up of a dedicated Complaints Manager, complaints team and training. The CSP has feedback on the positive changes made at mhs and through listening to other residents from other landlords is pleased to note that the mhs customer experience from accessing the complaints process and reaching a resolution is in the main timely and professional. The CSP have identified the Complaints Service for review in 2025.

2.2 External Partner involvement - Housing Regulator -Social Housing White Paper (SHWP) the CSP has taken part with best practice and learning discussions relating to the White Paper and proposed service standards for customers. The CSP completed and submitted a response on the national consultation on tenant satisfaction measures and applied to become members of the Governments Resident Panel but were unsuccessful in securing a place. The CSP supports the new measures that have to be recorded and reported on from April 2023 but did stress the need to ensure that resident feedback is factual and not based on perception and this will be a challenge that needs to be monitored carefully. It is clear that regulation and shaming of landlords that fail to be compliant has moved housing performance back to working within prescriptive standards and being subject to inspection by the regulator. It is important that the CSP remains aware of these new requirements when completing service reviews and understanding the pressures faced by the business setting up and monitoring performance.

2.3 Personal Development Reviews for CSP members is an annual requirement to monitor personal performance and identify development need. Feedback has been used to help refine and shape the way the CSP operates, delivers scrutiny and helps capacity build members. The key points included:

a) Rotating Chair for meetings 2024- the CSP does not have a fixed Chair and Vice Chair for 2024 but will operate a flexible approach by encouraging all members to volunteer to lead meetings. Training and support is offered and feedback used to constructively encourage participation and learning of skills to be an effective Chair.

b) Hybrid working-The CSP has effectively used online technology to ensure that meetings are timely and accessible to all members. However, where there is a need for being on site for monthly CSP meetings, training or visiting estates etc. then meetings are facilitated in the office. The advantage of being on site does help raise the profile and work of the CSP to officers that may not have engaged with the panel.

c) Visitors to CSP meetings- are always welcomed and the opportunity to present reports to the Board and Executive is highly valued. This year has seen a positive change with the Chairman of the Board embracing the work of the CSP and providing effective and helpful feedback that has demonstrated that scrutiny does have a role to play as part of assurance through reality checking activities undertaken by the CSP. The regular attendance by Executive and senior officers is much appreciated and helps motivate members as they feel that their work is valued and appreciated.

d) CSP volunteer time- the time given by panel members is highly valued and recognised by mhs. This has been reflected through providing gift vouchers to those members that actively contribute to service reviews and a Christmas meal. In total 1000 hours of volunteer time has been given by the panel members to complete their activities.

e) Retention of CSP members-Two members having to leave due to personal health changes in their lives and finding that the commitment required is more than they are happy to give but there has been a core of 9 members that have remained active. A competency recruitment event brought three new members to the CSP in 2023. Recruitment of new members is currently being planned and will follow a competency recruitment process to ensure that those that apply have the time and capacity to give to delivering the work of the CSP. There is a need to enhance the profile of the CSP to represent all tenures and ensure that the age and local demographics are reflected in the membership more effectively.

f) Consultation -insight from customers and officers to inform service reviews is critical. The CSP has through a range of reality checking activities including:

  • Customer surveys (3)- 500 customers
  • Focus Groups (8) 30 customers
  • Site Visits (8) 22 customers
  • Interviews officers – 40

g) Smarter working- The CSP in 2023 set up as a trial the concept of dedicated working groups to focus on Communication and creating a CSP Guidance and Training Manual. The success has seen the extension to three dedicated groups for 2024, Communication, Recruitment and Service Reviews and administration. Special thank you to Kate Roberts and Sharon Robinson for leading in 2023 and improving the way the CSP communicates using dedicated WhatsApp Groups, a promotional banner for the CSP, presentations and reports etc.

2.4 Key Service Reviews

a) Responsive Repairs completed December 2022, provided 18 key recommendations. As a result of the review much of the feedback was used to help inform the service transformation process that has been led by Gemma Hancock. A detailed service improvement plan was developed and updates on changes regularly reported to the CSP. This review was cross cutting across repairs service and it is clear that many operating procedures have been changed to reflect the feedback provided and the improving reported levels of customer satisfaction. This review saw the work of the CSP include customer feedback and business operating procedures. A huge thank you to the welcoming approach for CSP members to observe work delivered in homes and look at reporting data and procedures. This resulted in a quality review being completed that provided valuable insight to review management and operational procedures, adding value to the customer experience.

b) Gas services review completed September 2023 provided 20 key recommendations. As a result of this review gas services has been transformed to develop a team approach with the external contractor, compliance with service standards, new monitoring and reporting procedures, uniting teams reducing silo working and creating a more customer focused service. A follow up ‘light touch ‘review in 2024/25 has been planned.

Statement From Gemma Hancock Executive Director Assets & Development

The CSP provides a truly valuable insight of how our services are delivered through the eyes of our customers. All reviews completed for my service areas have been very comprehensive and have put forward recommendations that have helped to improve our service offer. The Panel are one of the best I have had the privilege of working with. 

3. CSP Work Plan 2024

Key priorities:

  • Completion of 3 service reviews
  • Mystery Shopping of access to customer services (April 2024
  • Recruitment/induction of new CSP members March/April 2024 and September 2024
  • Service Reviews agreed in partnership between the CSP, Executive team and Board, following a new consultation approach that will deliver for mhs and customers. The reviews selected and approved include-

2024/25

Review 1 - Moving into a new home/voids

Review 2 – Damp and Mould

Review 3 - Complaints

2025/26

Review 1- Building Safety/maintenance

Review 2-Communications

Review 3-New Developments

4. Conclusion

4.1 The CSP would like to thank mhs officers and the Board for the support and opportunities offered to the CSP to be your critical friend and recognising the independence, value and important role of the CSP.

4.2 The CSP looks forward to continuing to build enhanced partnerships across mhs and with residents.

4.3 The regulatory and compliance requirements will play a key role in shaping the work of the CSP in 2024. In particular providing assurance to all that standards are being met, protecting and supporting the reputation of mhs.

4.4 The CSP would like to thank mhs officers and the Board for providing such positive and encouraging statements that reflect their personal perception of the value and effectiveness of the work of the CSP. The CSP recognises that the support and positive working together reflects the culture and values of mhs which welcomes independent customer scrutiny as part of the journey to deliver excellent services.

Statement from Nigel Hopkins Chairman mhs homes Group Board

I am delighted that the work of the Customer Service Panel (CSP) has continued to develop, through the dedicated customers that sit on the panel and their professionalism, and their input to the MHS Group and HoM Boards is invaluable. This help the Board enormously with understanding what it’s is like to be a customer, and at a time of much needed increased focus of customer regulation in the sector. their ongoing work helps shape the Group's response to this focus. The CSP operates with great integrity and my Board colleagues always look forward to the meetings we have with them.