Contact Us
 |
This page explains the different ways to contact us.
Opening Hours
Peak telephone call times
How to contact us
What happens when you contact us
Queueing for an Advisor
Call monitoring
Help us to help you
Customer Satisfaction
Call Performance Information
Customer First Team
Maidstone Housing Trust’s Customer First Team was established in September 2008 to reflect the corporate vision to put customers first. The role of the new Customer First team is to give excellent customer service and to improve our customer’s experience when dealing with the Trust on a wide range of subjects.
In 2008 we carried out a survey asking our customers their preferred method of contact with the Trust, the majority of residents who responded said this was by phone. We have responded to this demand by updating our telephone system and bringing together a skilled and dedicated team to respond to customer requests and enquiries.
We recognise customers can not always contact us between 9am and 5pm so we have extended our contact centre opening hours from 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday and 5.30pm Fridays.
The Customer First Team aims to provide customers with:
- Increased access to MHT providing a person and not an answer machine to respond to enquiries
- A response to the majority of enquiries at first point of contact
- Improved customer satisfaction
- Increased quality of service
- Confidence in the knowledge calls will be answered by a trained and experienced advisor
We care about our customer experience and are constantly looking to improve our services. We will ask our customers for feedback on the service we provide. This helps us to know how we are doing and where we need to improve.
The range of services the Customer First Team deals with includes:
- Repairs and Maintenance: report a repair, gas service enquiries
- Rent Accounting: make a telephone payment, order a new or replacement Allpay card, set up a direct debit, balance enquiries, order a rent statement, housing benefit enquiries, help and advice on rent arrears
- Anti-Social Behaviour: take reports of ASB cases, log complaints for investigation by our specialist teams, offer advice on mediation and outside agencies who may be able to help
- Neighbourhood issues: deal with a wide range of issues on tenancy related matters providing answers and information
- Regeneration and development: give up to date information on current and future building and regeneration schemes
- Kitchen and Bathrooms: provide information about programmes of work and take new installation requests
- General Enquiries: provide advice and information on a range of topics from right to buy/right to acquire, housing option and Kent Homechoice scheme, supporting services, occupational therapy referrals, garage and parking bay enquiries, car permits for Trust owned car parks, grounds maintenance and much more
Opening Hours
Telephone Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 8am to 6pm, Friday 8am to 5:30pm
Office Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, Friday 9am to 4:30pm
Peak Telephone Call Times:
Our busiest times are between 9am and 11am Monday to Friday and during the lunchtime period of 12 to 2pm agent availability may be reduced.
How To Contact Us
Telephone
0800 923 2700 (Freephone from landline)
01622 212600 for general enquiries
01622 212700 for repairs
Email: enquiries@maidstonehousing.org.uk
Website: www.maidstonehousing.org.uk
Post:
Whatman House,
St Leonard’s Road,
Allington, Maidstone
ME16 0LS
Office Access: During office opening hours at our Head Office at Whatman House or our Shepway Area Housing Office at
1 Northumberland Court,
Northumberland Road,
Shepway,
Maidstone
ME15 7LW
What Happens When You Contact Us?
If you contact Maidstone Housing Trust using the Freephone number (0800 923 2700) you will be greeted with a simple message asking you to select the relevant option. It is important you choose the correct option so your call is directed to the right team to deal with your call effectively.
The choices are:
- Request a repair or to chase an existing repair
- Gas, heating or hot water faults (directs call to Swale Heating who are MHT’s gas contractors)
- Hold or press # key
For all other enquiries, please stay on the line and your call will be answered by one of our Customer First Advisors.
- The Customer First Advisor will answer your call clearly stating their name
- They will ask any relevant security questions
- While talking to you, the Customer First Advisor will update our computer system to ensure all data held is correct
- By the end of your call, you should be clear about what action will be taken to resolve your enquiry. If no further action is required you will be advised of this
- If your call is regarding a repair, we will advise you of the priority given to the work, the name of the contractor who will attend for all non-urgent repairs and an appointment will be made to carry out the repair
Queuing for an Advisor
Where your call can’t be answered immediately because we are dealing with other customers, you can choose to hold, or use our call back option. Please leave your name and a very brief message and an advisor will call you back as soon as one is available.
Call Monitoring
We record and monitor calls for quality and accuracy this helps us to improve and develop our services. Unfortunately not all callers treat people with respect and the Trust are proactive in taking action against callers who verbally abuse, personally insult or use offensive or inappropriate language when calling us.
Help Us to Help You
We want to provide you with excellent customer service. You can help us to achieve this in a number of ways:
- Be ready to tell us the first line of your address and to confirm your full name and contact telephone number
- If your call is regarding your rent account, you will be asked additional security questions to ensure we comply with the Data Protection Act. This may be your date of birth, rent account number, confirmation of names of family member living with you
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
A member of our Customer First team may contact you by telephone to carry out a mini survey. This is six short questions about our service and should take no more than a couple of minutes. We use this information to monitor our standard of customer care.
Call Performance Information
We will publish our call performance on this website so you know how well we are doing.
Fax
| Whatman House | 01622 212556 / 212717 |
| Shepway Office | 01622 212795 |
Electronic Forms
You can contact us by using the forms on this web site to log repairs, complaints and compliments.
Click here for our comments, complaints and compliments information
Visit Us In Person
Shepway Area Housing Office
Open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, Friday from 9am to 4.30pm.
Maidstone Housing Trust,1 Northumberland Court,
Northumberland Road,
MAIDSTONE,
ME15 7LW
Public transport Shepway and Senacre – Maidstone Town Centre:
Bus 84 leaves Senacre at 3 minutes past the hour from 0903 – 1403, stopping at Chequers J2, Monday – Friday.
Bus 85 runs every 10 minutes during office hours stopping at Chequers J2 and Queens Monument M1, Monday – Friday
Park Wood Surgeries
Surgeries are held at the Healthy Living Plus Centre, Park Wood, on Tuesday mornings (Estate Management) and Thursday mornings (Estate Management and Rents / Benefits advice)
Parkwood Plus Healthy Living Centre
4 Parkwood Parade
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 9HL
Public transport Park Wood – Maidstone Town Centre:
Bus 82 runs every 10 minutes during office hours stopping at Chequers J3 and Queens Monument M2, Monday – Friday.
Location Map for Park Wood surgeries
Company Headquarters
Open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, Friday from 9am to 4.30pm.
Maidstone Housing Trust Limited,Whatman House,
St. Leonards Road,
Allington,
Maidstone,
ME16 0LS
Public transport Town Centre – Whatman House:
Four buses serve the 20/20 industrial estate, Monday – Friday:
Bus 71 leaves Chequers H2 at 0611 arriving at 20/20 at 0625, 0807 arrives at 0823, 0824 arrives 0840.
Bus 72 leaves Chequers H2 at 0648 arriving at 20/20 at 0702.
Buses 71 and 72 run every 10 minutes during office hours and stop on the London Road near DFS. It is about a 20 minute walk from this bus stop to Whatman House.
Location Map for Company Headquarters
date published: 15/06/2009