Acuity’s VFM expert Steve Smedley is taking part in the hardest multi-day mountain endurance race in the world. On five consecutive days he’ll cover 200 miles with 51,000 ft ascent (equivalent to Everest + Kilimanjaro + Cat Bells) over difficult terrain. The route follows the mountainous spine of Wales from Conwy in the north to Llandeilo in …..Read the full article »
Put on that tin hat: why it’s time to ask questions of your dissatisfied residents
Your organisation does its best for residents, and it can be dispiriting when surveys come back showing a hard core of unhappy tenants. The last thing you might want to do is ask them more questions about your service – but it’s an important step to take, and will bring huge benefits if done well. …..Read the full article »
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Anonymity: is it the best policy?
Historically, surveys of tenants and residents have been done anonymously. So while the organisations carrying them out know who has said what, the landlord has no idea. While there were good reasons for doing things this way – everyone believed residents were less likely to complete surveys if answers could be traced back to them …..Read the full article »
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Benchmarking Supported and Sheltered Housing costs
In 2016 Acuity introduced four new cost-per-unit (CPU) indicators with detailed definitions provided by our colleagues at HouseMark. We have prepared some additional guidance to help providers of Housing for Older People and Supported Housing. The four measures are: Housing management Responsive repairs and void works Major works and cyclical maintenance Overheads (back office costs) …..Read the full article »
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Meeting your needs: what happens during a consultation?
One of the best bits of my job is going out to see clients around the country. While there are many common issues, every single organisation – whether a housing association, a council or an arm’s-length management organisation (ALMO) – is different in its tenant mix and housing stock. The challenge – and satisfaction – is …..Read the full article »
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What to look forward to this Spring?
There’s no avoiding the issue of value for money this year, as the regulator’s consultation on the standard is coloured by the Government’s drive to make associations more efficient and increase housing supply. While we’re all waiting for the Homes and Communities Agency to release its consultation paper in late spring, it’s worth being aware of …..Read the full article »
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Surprising facts about online surveys (and how to make use of them)
Convenient and cost-effective: what’s not to like about using online surveys to find out how happy your residents are with your services? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Not only can the results be skewed in terms of the age profile, but our new analysis shows residents tend to report lower satisfaction rates when …..Read the full article »
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Christmas past, present and future: a seasonal analysis
Part 2: I’m dreaming of a White Paper: In Part 1 we covered the view from the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present. So looking ahead, what can we expect from the most feared of spectres: The Housing White Paper, decoupled from the Autumn Statement, but hopefully strengthening the fair winds for associations, is expected …..Read the full article »
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Christmas past, present and future: a seasonal analysis
Part 1: Another year over and a new one begun … nearly Through autumn the mood music mellowed to one that is more agreeable to the sector. The regime change afforded by the departure of the three kings of housing policy – Cameron, Osborne and special advisor Morton – ushers in the possibility of a …..Read the full article »
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Putting the finishing touches on your VFM self-assessment
The final countdown Many of you will be adding the last touches to your VFM self-assessments if you haven’t done so. Some will be looking to have a second bite of the cherry by complementing what goes in the financial statements with a more detailed VFM statement or additional information (eg updated benchmarking data) for …..Read the full article »
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