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Our Service Standards

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We are committed to providing excellent service, in a friendly, efficient and fair manner. We believe good customer care is fundamental to our business. Good customer care is based on respect for customers and their views and wishes. We have a number of service standards covering different areas of our business. We monitor these standards and strive to improve our service.

Helping us to achieve these service standards

We have put together these service standards to give you the highest possible quality of service based on the reasonable expectations of our customers and the resources available. Although we strive to reach these standards at all times, there may be times when we cannot due to reasons beyond our control. We may not always be able to meet your expectations because we have to work in the best interests of our present and future customers. However, in all these cases we will explain our reasons in full and listen to your views. If you are still unhappy, you may wish to use our complaints procedure. It is only reasonable to expect that you, as our customer, play your part in helping us achieve these standards. We will not tolerate abuse or use of offensive or racist language. We will take legal action against any customer using or threatening violence towards our staff.

We always welcome your views and comments about improving our service to you. Please use our Comments, Compliments and Complaints page to tell us your experience.

We have set Service Standards relating to the following areas of our work:

• Customer Access & Care
• Community Involvement
• Estate Pride
• Homesearch
• Leaseholders
• Moving In to your new home
• Moving Out
• Paying your Rent
• Repairs
• Right to Buy / Right to Acquire
• Supporting People
• Welfare Benefits Advice

Customer Access & Care

Our Staff will

• be well trained and have the necessary resources to perform their duties effectively
• be prompt, polite and helpful
• have the information they need to advise customers and will be willing to listen to their concerns
• wear identity cards when outside the office
• respect your confidentiality

If you email or write to us we will

• aim to reply to correspondence within 10 working days
• send an acknowledgement or holding reply, if a full reply cannot be sent in 10 working days
• write letters in clear, plain English and send them out in the name of the employee dealing with with the matter
• translate correspondence into different languages, or make available in other formats, for example larger print, as required

If you telephone us we will

• aim to answer all calls within five rings
• greet callers with the name of the person answering
• either pass the call to another team member who can help, or take a message in the event they are unavailable
• ring customers back within one working day wherever possible
• provide a translation service for customers who do not speak English

If you visit us we will

• have opening hours and our ‘out of hours’ emergency number clearly displayed
• keep the reception areas clean, warm and friendly, with up to date information and advice available
• aim to ensure our offices are accessible to people with disabilities
• offer you private interviews
• offer you appointments with named staff and if you have made an appointment, we will try to ensure that you are seen on time

If we visit you at home we will

• show you suitable identification and behave professionally at all times
• arrive on time for appointments, or if unavoidably delayed, telephone you to advise you when we will arrive
• leave a card with our contact details if you are out when we call
• treat your home with respect

On Equality and Diversity, we will

• not discriminate
• act with integrity and treat all people fairly, professionally and with respect
• provide accessible services to all
• work with customers to promote equality and prevent racism
• make sure that our offi ces offer facilities for customers with disabilities
• provide translations and use an interpreter where English is not your first language, by prior arrangement
• visit you in your home if you are unable to come to us
• allow you to see information we hold about you within 40 calendar days from receipt of your written request, there is no charge for this

When things go wrong we will

• aim to put it right as soon as possible
• keep you informed at all times
• apologise
• aim to learn from our mistakes so they do not happen again
• widely publish our complaints procedure and treat all complaints as confidential
• acknowledge all complaints within two working days of receipt
• investigate and respond to all complaints within 10 working days
• record and monitor complaints to enable us to learn from our mistakes and to improve our levels of customer satisfaction

Community Involvement

we value your involvement and will offer help. We will

• provide training at least four times a year
• provide financial support to resident groups and tenant representatives
• reimburse reasonable out of pocket expenses for attending meetings
• help produce local newsletters
• help find venues for meetings
• undertake photocopying and printing
• invite you to attend consultation meetings before changing any policies or procedures that may have a direct impact on customers

Estate Pride

We will

• inspect our main estates, and invite local residents to join us
• publish details of forthcoming estate inspections on our website and in the Tenants First newsletter
• advertise Estate Inspections one week before they take place by putting up posters in the inspection area
• replace light bulbs in all our communal lighting within one working day of faults being reported and report and order repairs for faulty lighting
• arrange for the removal of illegally dumped bulk rubbish from our land within five working days of it being reported
• recharge anyone identified as being responsible for causing damage to our property or dumping rubbish
• make sure all homes reported as abandoned are investigated promptly
• encourage residents to become Estate Champions to help us monitor and improve our services

Block cleaning

We will

• visit designated blocks at least every week
• the main standards that you can expect on each visit are
  • floors and stairs will be swept, mopped or vacuumed depending on the floor covering. We will not wash the floor if there is a chance it will freeze in cold weather
  • general surfaces such as banisters, handrails and skirting boards will be dusted or washed down
  • cobwebs from ceilings, walls and light fittings will be removed (depending on height)
  • mats and mat wells will be swept when required
  • windows and glass that are accessible in the communal areas will be cleaned, when necessary
  • communal bin areas will be swept out and disinfected
• your block will be checked for repairs, damage or vandalism and these will be reported to the appropriate team
• litter will be cleared from inside and outside the block
• spot inspections of our cleaning standard, and may call the Estate Champions to check on satisfaction of cleaning
• provide customer satisfaction cards to obtain feedback on how we are doing and ask for comments or suggestions to help improve the service

You should

• keep communal hallways and landings clear of your possessions at all times. Any items, including bags of rubbish, furniture, doormats, carpets or any other personal items will not be moved for cleaning, and cleaning may not take place. These will be reported to the Housing Manager for further action to be taken which may result in items being disposed of
• report problems to members of the cleaning team. They will pass the issue back to the Housing Management team by the next working day

Grounds maintenance and grass cutting

We will

• carry out 15 cuts per year between March and October
• cut the grass every 2-3 weeks so that it never gets too long
• sweep or blow all grass cuttings from footpaths and walkways immediately after cutting
• cut the grass as close as possible to obstacles such as trees, buildings or benches
• make random checks on contractors by asking them to report where they have been working on a weekly basis

Hedges

We will

• cut all communal hedges twice a year and remove all clippings from the site

Beds & Borders

We will

• maintain beds and borders as needed, including removal of weeds, pruning and trimming, and identifying areas where plants need replacing or additional planting is required
• remove all litter and rubbish from beds and borders
• trim and clear edges
• check trees within these areas and carry out minor maintenance work

Homesearch

Maidstone Housing Trust is committed to providing an excellent service, in a friendly, efficient and fair manner throughout the process of applying for a transfer.

When you contact us we will

• answer telephone calls within five rings
• call you back on the same day if possible, or the next working day, if you call Homesearch and leave a message asking for your call to be returned
• reply to all correspondence within ten working days of receipt

Provide Information – we will

• make sure leaflets and information are available at our Head Office, Area Housing Office, on our website and upon request
• respond to requests for Transfer Application Packs within two working days
• provide advice on completing an application form, if and when required
• answer any questions and provide information at any time throughout the process of dealing with your transfer application

Respond to your application for a transfer – we will

• acknowledge receipt of your application by letter within ten working days of receiving it at our offices
• review all information provided on the ‘Assessment of Housing Priority on Medical Grounds’ form and determine whether the information should be forwarded for assessment by our team of independent medical advisors
• write to you within ten working days advising you if we need further supporting information before having your application medically assessed if details received are insufficient or not supported by the family GP and/or the relevant consultant
• write to you to tell you your points level and how these points are calculated. If we do not have the result of any medical assessment, we will write to tell you this and inform you of your total number of points when all the information is received
• assess your application to see whether you are suitable and eligible for housing in one of our older person’s properties

Homesearch Property List – we will

• advertise our Homesearch Property List weekly at our Shepway Area Housing Office, on the internet and at other locations throughout Maidstone
• accept a bid from you if you are tenancy compliant, i.e. you have an assured tenancy, you are not in rent arrears, you have allowed gas safety check for your current home and you (or a member of your household) are not subject to action in respect of an ongoing anti-social behaviour case
• contact the successful bidder by telephone within 48 hours of the close of bidding
• advertise how many points the successful bidder had to secure the property in a future Homesearch Property List

Suitability for Sheltered Housing – we will

• contact you by telephone (if a number is provided) to assess your suitability for this kind of housing. This is called a ‘Desk Top Assessment’ which is carried out by a member of the Homesearch Team trained in carrying out these assessments
• confirm whether you are suitable for sheltered housing at the time of the telephone assessment
• pass on your details to one of our Support Coordinator Supervisors if we think a home visit is needed. In these cases, you will be told at the time of the visit whether you are suitable for older people’s properties

Homesearch Annual Review – we will

• undertake an annual review of your transfer application on the anniversary of your original application
• write to you asking whether you still want to move home, giving you 21 days to reply to us in the pre-paid envelope provided
• if you do not reply to our annual review letter, we will write to you giving you a further 7 days to reply
• if you do not reply to our second request, your application will be cancelled and we will write to tell you this

Leaseholder Management

We comply with the Charter for Housing Association Applicants and Residents and in addition we have service standards specifically our leaseholders.

We will

• consult you prior to carrying out any major repairs or improvements to the block you live in
• publish features for leaseholders as part of ‘Tenants First’ our regular newsletter which is sent to all residents
• hold events specifically for leaseholders
• provide you with a Leaseholder Handbook
• provide an estimated service charge in April of each year
• provide an actual service charge account in October of each year
• offer direct debit payments for service charges

Moving in to your new Trust home

We want to make moving into your new home as simple as possible. When you move into your home it will be safe, clean and secure. Detailed below is the standard that you should expect when you move in. Some repair work may be carried out after you have moved in; you will be told about this when you view your new home.

We will make sure

• we visit you within six weeks after moving in to give further advice and support if required and check that you have settled into your new home
• we give you a survey called ‘First Impressions’, to tell us how you found the property and ask you to tell us about your experience of moving in to a Trust home

General

• the property is clean
• any fire alarms and door entry system will have been checked
• any boundary fencing or wall is in a good condition
• the property and gardens will be clear of rubbish, grassed areas will be strimmed and left ready for you to maintain
• any garages and sheds that have doors will be left in a safe and useable condition
• roofs are weather tight and in good condition
• internal decoration is your responsibility. Your Housing Manager may be able to give you decoration vouchers to help you redecorate your new home. If the property is in good decorative order this will be not be necessary

Doors and Windows

• all external doors are secure and weather tight, and all locks to external doors will be changed before you view your new home
• all windows are secure and will open and close easily
• all rooms have internal doors, which are in a good condition and will not be warped or damaged in any way
• any damaged glazing is replaced before you move in
• where any damaged windows exist, they are free of broken glass, and replaced as a priority repair

Floors and Stairs

• are safe and in good condition so that floor coverings can be laid
• all floors are free of all coverings, e.g. lino, carpets, and laminate flooring, unless the existing covering is deemed to be of a satisfactory condition to remain in the property. Where any floor coverings remain you will take over responsibility of such covering when accepting the property
• all vinyl tiles are in place, and there will be no broken or loose tiles, however tiles may vary in colour / pattern
• all floorboards will be in a good and safe condition
  

Kitchen

• All kitchens (space permitting) should have a minimum of the following units:
  • 1 single drainer stainless steel sink
  • 1 wall unit
  • base units
  • space for washing machine, fridge and cooker
• all units will be in good working order, although some unit doors and drawers may vary in design / pattern
• all worktop space will be clean and suitable for use
• the sink unit is stainless steel, and is clean and in good condition
• every property has either a gas or electric cooker facility, some may be equipped with both. This depends on the mains services available to the property. We provide one form of cooker facility. It is your responsibility to arrange an alternative cooking supply if you wish
• there are no missing or broken splash back tiles
• if the kitchen needs replacing it will be carried out after you move in so you can have a say in the look and design of your kitchen

Bathroom

• all fittings are clean and in good condition
• where applicable all fittings are securely fixed to the wall / floor and in good working order
• all baths and basins have splash back tiles no more than three tiles high

Electrics

• all electrics have been checked and are working safely
• there is a minimum of one socket in the hall, two double sockets in the lounge, one double socket in the dining room, two double sockets in the bedrooms and two double sockets in the kitchen (if feasible)
• the kitchen has a socket for a fridge and a washing machine, and an electric cooker point or a gas cooker connection point
• the consumer / fuse board has a secure cover gas
• all gas installations are checked and a landlord’s gas safety certificate is issued

Heating

• the property has a heating system appropriate to modern day living
• hot water is provided from the heating system
• the property has ventilation and insulation to ensure heat is well distributed within rooms
• if we identify your property as in need of a heating upgrade, this may be carried out after you move in

Plumbing

• all plumbing is watertight
• all sinks and baths have plugs and chains
• the toilets are clean and in good working order free from limescale build up
• if there is a shower, the shower area will be tiled

Moving Out

What we will do

• acknowledge in writing your notice of intent to move out within 5 working days of receipt of your written notice
• inspect the property with you during the 28 day notice period
• tell you if you must complete any repairs before you move out
• send you a rent statement indicating any outstanding rent owed to us prior to moving out
• issue you with a rechargeable works bill for any work needed due to wilful damage, or decorating or cleaning required when you move out. (This will include VAT and an administration charge on top of the cost of the actual works). More details on your repair and decoration responsibilities can be found in the Tenants’ Handbook

Are you eligible for £100?

If you can answer YES to all of the following you may be entitled to £100 when you move out of your home

Have you

• left the property clean tidy and in a good state of repair and decoration
• have a clear rent account – owing no arrears
• owe no other debts to the Trust
• allowed access to the Gas Servicing Contractor so your home has a current gas safety certificate
• not had a legal notice served due to anti-social behaviour or any other tenancy breach.

If you fulfil all the above criteria your Housing Manager will arrange this payment to be made to you. Please speak to them at the time of the inspection about this.

Paying your rent

It is important that you pay your rent and service charges on time. Rent is the money you pay us to live in your home. Your rent is owed on a weekly basis and payable in advance, due every Monday.

When you move into your new home we will

• provide you with clear details of the rent and service charges which you must pay
• give you information on the ways in which you can pay your rent and service charges
• offer you advice and information about your application for housing benefit if appropriate
• visit you within six weeks after moving in to give further advice and support if required and check that you have settled into your new home

When giving you information about your rent account we will

• automatically send you a rent statement every three months giving details of your account, showing payments received and amounts due
• send you on request a rent statement within five working days
• review the amount of rent we charge each year
• write to you four weeks before any change giving you details of your new weekly rent
• ensure there are a wide number of ways to pay your rent, such as Direct Debit and local Paypoints, and regularly let you know of these different ways

If your account falls into arrears we will

• make contact with you within 2 weeks of you not paying your rent
• tell you how much you owe and how much extra you should give us to pay off the arrears
• work out fair and reasonable repayments to help you pay the money you owe
• provide support and guidance if you are having diffi culties in paying your rent
• offer to visit you in your home if you are vulnerable
• offer you help or explain how and where to get it, put you in touch with the Citizens Advice Bureau or National Debtline for free and independent advice about managing your money
• offer welfare benefits advice, including checking whether or not you can claim housing benefit and help you fill in the housing benefit forms paying your rent paying your rent
• tell you what is likely to happen if you do not pay your arrears
• take legal action but only if we cannot reach an agreement with you on how to pay off your arrears, or if you break an agreement
• seek to recover rent due to us, following our policy and procedures

Repairs

We will

• repair your home in accordance with our Maintenance Policy
• recharge to you the cost of any repairs which we carry out which are your responsibility
• issue our contractors with a code of conduct that we expect them to comply with
• prioritise reports of repairs by need, as defined in our Tenants’ Handbook. Priorities are as follows
  • Emergency attend within two hours
  • Vital attend within 24 hours
  • Urgent attend within five calendar days
  • Routine attend within 28 calendar days
• complete 99% of emergency, and 98% of vital, urgent and routine jobs within our target times
• report our performance against our targets regularly on our website and in our Tenants First newsletter
• offer you an appointment for routine works
• send you confirmation of your repair order detailing the name of the contractor and the maximum time in which the repair should be completed. This will include a feedback form for each repair ordered. It is a freepost service to return them. When we receive your completed questionnaire, you will be entered into a regular prize draw
• give you a wide range of methods report a repair including
  • Freephone number 0800 923 2700 to report all repairs including outside office hours
  • online at www.maidstonehousing.org.uk
  • by email to repairs.maidstone@mearsgroup.co.uk
  • by letter
  • at our Area Housing Office or to a Support Coordinator
• annually service all gas appliances in your home which are our responsibility, and issue a Gas Safety certificate. We must have access to your home to carry this out
• investigate all cases where you report you are unhappy with a repair carried out in your home and tell you the outcome
• offer tenant representatives the opportunity to be present at formal contract monitoring meetings
• invite tenants to be involved in major decisions about our maintenance service, such as the selection of contractors and designs of programmed works projects

When a contractor is sent to your home to carry out a repair, the contractor will comply with our standards and will

• arrive on time for appointments, or if unavoidably delayed, telephone you to advise you when they will arrive
• leave a calling card if you are not at home
• wear suitable identification
• clean up after themselves and keep your home clean and tidy whilst undertaking the work
• respect your home and behave courteously to you and your family

Right to Buy / Right to Acquire

When providing information we will

• ensure leaflets and information is available at our Head Office, Area Housing Office, on our website and upon request
• send you a Right to Buy application form (RTB1) within 2 days of request, together with a guide to buying your home
• provide advice on completing an application form when required, and provide you with a named member of staff who will be able to help you throughout the processing of your application
• answer any questions and provide information at any time throughout the process of buying your home

When responding to your application to buy your home we will

• acknowledge receipt of your application by letter within 10 days of receiving it at our offices
• arrange an appointment, at a mutually convenient time, to visit you in your home to discuss the process of buying your home and answer any questions
• arrive on time for appointments, or if unavoidably delayed, telephone you to advise you when we will arrive
• show you suitable identification and behave professionally at all times

When assisting you through the Right to Buy process we will

• send you a ‘Landlords Notice in Reply to Tenants Right to Buy Claim’, called an RTB2, within four weeks if you have been a tenant of the Trust for the whole of your qualifying period, or 8 weeks if we have to check your tenancies with other landlords
• instruct our Valuer to visit your home in a timely manner to see how much it is worth
• require that our Valuer makes a mutually convenient appointment, is on time for the appointment or contacts you with an explanation if they will be late, carries identifi cation and is polite and respectful in your home
• send you a notice called ‘The Landlord’s Offer Notice’, also known as a Section 125 Notice, within eight weeks of receiving your RTB2 if you are buying a house, or within 12 weeks if you are buying a flat or maisonette
• send you a ‘Default Notice’ if we do not hear from you within 12 weeks of sending the Offer Notice. If we have still not heard from you within 28 days, telling us if you are going ahead with your Right to Buy / Right to Acquire, your application will be withdrawn
• arrange for the District Valuer to revalue your home if you are unhappy with the Trust’s valuation
• send you two notices, if within three months of sending the Offer Notice the transaction is not complete. The first, a Prior Notice to Complete giving you 56 days to complete the purchase and following this, a Final Notice to Complete giving you a further 56 days to complete the purchase. If you do not complete the purchase within this time your application will be withdrawn
• ensure our Solicitors provide your legal representatives with accurate and prompt information
• provide new leaseholders with a copy of the leaseholder handbook
• regularly survey our Right to Buy/Right to Acquire applicants, whether the sale completes or not, to determine customer satisfaction and improve our services

You can help us by

• providing accurate information, such as your full name and any previous names and details of your tenancies with the Trust and other landlords
• provide a daytime contact telephone number so that we can contact you if we have any queries
• return any forms or information as quickly as possible. This will help speed up the sale process right to aquire right to aquire

Repairs & Improvements

• we will sell your home to you in the condition it was valued at the time of application. No further improvements to the property will be carried out
• as soon as an application form (RTB1) is received the property will be removed from any planned maintenance programmes. These are major works such as kitchen and bathroom renovations
• we will continue to carry out essential repairs to your property whilst your Right to Buy application is active

Supporting People services

We will

• complete an Assessment and Support Plan with you, to allow us to understand your needs
• review your Support Plan within a timescale mutually agreed but at least 6 monthly
• agree to contact our Sheltered Housing customers Monday to Friday via the intercom system
• carry out quarterly support visits as a minimum
• take steps to safeguard your welfare and will always respect your wishes
• carry out Risk Assessments of our sheltered schemes annually
• test community lifelines and scheme lifelines annually and endeavour to repair faults within 24 hours
• test smoke alarms in our sheltered schemes annually

Welfare Benefits Advice

Our Welfare Benefits Advisor will provide advice including

• welfare benefits you may get when you are in work
• welfare benefits you may get when you are out of work
• tax credits and other financial help which you may get depending on your circumstances
• how changes in your circumstances can affect your entitlement to welfare benefits
• support for you if you are receiving welfare benefits and you wish to dispute a decision made and to make an appeal against that decision

If you would like us to, we can help you to complete application forms for welfare benefits, we can also visit you in your own home if you are vulnerable.

date published: 12/03/2007