Tenant Satisfaction Measures Report 2023-24

Introduction

This is our first Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) survey as a result of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 which allows the Regulator for Social Housing for the first time to give directions to registered providers requiring them to collect, process and publish information about their performance in relation to matters covered by standards. As a result of this legislative change the regulator has published the Tenant Satisfaction Measures. These measures consist of both performance data taken from our IT systems and perception measures collected through a survey. The results of both of these are captured in this report. In collating the information and publishing/reporting back we are required to comply with the technical guidance. As a result, this report is very detailed and covers information on our methodology.

Background

Although this is our first TSM survey, prior to this we carried out the sectors standardised STAR satisfaction survey typically every 3 years, since its release in 2011. With the last being undertaken in 2020. This was also a perception-based survey and some of the questions are similar to those asked as part of the TSM perception survey.

The TSM perception survey followed the exact wording and order as required by the Technical Guidance, with just three additional questions asked at the end around internet use, accessing the internet and priority for spending our budget[1]. The survey covered questions for key areas of service, such as homes (including repairs/maintenance), tenant involvement/communication, neighbourhoods, Anti-social behaviour and complaints.

[1] Known as the Housing Revenue Account or HRA which is primarily made up of the rents and service charges that we collect.

Methodology

A census approach was undertaken and as such, all of Wealden District Council’s 2789 rented households were invited to take part in the survey (including Retirement Living Leaseholders, General Need’s tenants -including those in temporary accommodation and those on a licence).[1] No households were removed. Although we also surveyed shared owners and Retirement Living Leaseholders for the purpose of meeting the Regulator for Social Housing requirements, we will only be reporting back on the survey results for general needs tenants living in properties owned and managed by us, known as Low Cost Rented Accommodation or LCRA so this excludes Retirement Living leaseholders, shared owners and A2 Dominion tenants (where we manage but don’t own the properties). Leasehold and shared ownership properties are excluded because we do not have enough of these homes to meet the requirements to report back on these results.[2] A2 Dominion properties are excluded because although we manage these homes we do not own them and as such they are not eligible to be included. However, for the purpose of this report we have included details of the perception survey results for shared owners/leaseholders as well (known as Low Cost Home Ownership or LCHO by the Regulator) in section 2 of this report.  

We decided to use a census survey over a sampling approach for a number of reasons:

• To ensure the data was statistically reliable in accordance with the confidence levels required by the technical guidance – the larger the numbers surveyed the more likely this is to be met.
• To ensure everyone had the opportunity to provide us with their views.
• To help us identify any trends in the data when we looked at the profile of respondents and their satisfaction levels.
• To avoid making sampling errors in deciding which households should be included if a sampling approach was used.

A mixed methodology was used including both online and postal distribution of the survey to maximise the number of returned surveys that we received back. This meant that all households whom we had an email address for were emailed a direct link to an online survey, asking them to complete the survey online. For those whom we did not have an email address for they were sent a hard copy of the survey in the post. A freepost reply envelope was provided for respondents to return the completed questionnaire. Each household had a unique reference on their letter to enable returns to be monitored, allowing us to profile respondents and input their answers into Wealden’s tenant involvement software “TPTracker”.  

The surveys were sent out by post or email the week of 5^th July 2023, with an email reminder on 2^nd August followed by a text reminder on 22^nd August to those that had not yet responded. On 20^th September a reminder was put in our monthly e-newsletter followed by an article in the autumn Threshold and October e-newsletter. The survey closed on 30^th November 2023.

The online survey was created from our IT system called TPTracker and the survey results were automatically recorded back into it, with returned postal surveys being manually entered. This allowed us to analyse the information from one system.

A prize draw incentive was also offered to all respondents to maximize participation, with the opportunity to win £100 worth of vouchers for one prize winner. A number generator was used to select the winner.

[1] This excludes Retirement Living leaseholders and share owners who were also surveyed but not part of the TSM. This is lower than our stock numbers as empty properties were not surveyed.  

[2] The minimum threshold is set at 1,000 and we only have360 leaseholders including RTB leaseholders of which 78 are Retirement Living Leaseholders

Weightings

A survey that has met the sample size requirements can still be biased if certain groups are under or over-represented. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to weight the responses to ensure the TSMs reported are representative as far as possible. Weighting data is a technique to adjust the data collected from a sample to reflect the total population. We have not added any weightings to our data.

Survey Methods and Response Rate

At the end of the data collection period, 726 responses were received to the survey that went out representing a 26% response rate. This is a relatively good response rate for research of this type, although it is lower than the response obtained in our 2020 STAR survey which stood at 34%.

The response rate was 26.02%. With 32.22% of all postal surveys returned against 22.65% of all online surveys.

Accuracy of Data

With a total of 726 tenant responses to the survey an accuracy of 3.13[1] overall is achieved which allows the survey findings to be used with confidence[2]. Rounded down to 3% this means that if 50% of respondents answer “very satisfied” to a question in the survey, then we know that between 47% and 53% of all households would give the same response, including those who did not return a completed survey form.

The TSM technical guidance requires for providers with between 2,500 and 9,999 properties such as us, a + or – 4% accuracy rate and so at 3% our LCRA (rented homes for which we are required to report back to the regulator on) exceeds this requirement. Therefore, based upon the number of responses, the accuracy levels achieved means that the results are statistically reliable and can be relied upon to be an accurate reflection of our tenant’s views.

[1] Margin Of Error Calculator – SmartSurvey

[2] Based on a confidence level of 95% which is inline with the technical requirements and best practice.

Response rate by areas:

In looking at the results of the LCRA we have analysed the responses by areas where we have homes.

North Wealden: consisting of: Forest Row, Danehill, Hartfield, Maresfield, Withyham, Crowborough, Frant, Rotherfield, Wadhurst and Buxted.

Mid Wealden: consisting of: Fletching, Laughton, Hadlow Down, Mayfield & Five Ashes, Chiddingly, Warbleton, Hertsmonceux, Hooe, East Hoathly & Halland, Horam, Isfield, Framfield, Heathfield & Waldron, Ninfield, Uckfield and Wartling.

South Wealden: consisting of: Hailsham, Polegate, Westham, East Dean & Friston, Alfriston, Berwick, Arlington, Long man, Hellingly, Pevensey and Willingdon & Jevington.

The tables above show that our homes are fairly evenly spread across the district. They also show a consistent overall response with the lowest response rate being in the south of the district. The most notable difference is in terms of postal responses with the rate increasing the further north in the district you go, with a much more consistent rate for online responses across the whole district.

Response by type of Accommodation occupied

In looking at the results of the LCRA we have analysed the responses by areas.

The tables below show a difference in response rate by type of accommodation, with the highest rates in retirement living, followed by bungalows then flats and finally houses. Of the method of response retirement living tenants have the highest response by post at 45.03% and tenants living in bungalows the highest response rate online at 36.43%. In all accommodation types, response by post was higher than response online except in bungalows where the response by online survey was just very slightly higher than by post.

Retirement Living Tenants responses:

395 of our 2789 properties surveyed are retirement living representing 14.1% of our rented properties and of the 726 responses 147 are from retirement living tenants representing 18.7%.  

Response rate from those living in flats:

919 of our 2789 properties surveyed are flats representing just under 30% of our rented properties and of the 786 responses 222 are from tenants living in flats representing 28%.

Response rate from those living in bungalows:

231 of our 2789 properties surveyed are bungalows representing 8.3% of our rented properties and of the 786 responses 83 are from tenants living in flats representing 10.6%.

Response rate from those living in houses:

1244 of our 2789 properties surveyed are houses representing 44.6% of our rented properties and of the 786 responses 274 are from tenants living in houses representing 34.9%.  

 Responses by age

The table below shows that responses by age.

[1] Due to rounding this totals 110.02%

Gender

In looking at the results of the LCRA we have analysed the responses by gender, 62.98% of respondents to the survey were females and 35.50% males. This is fairly consistent with the popular profile of Wealden’s tenants of which 63.29% are females and  33.42% males. As a result, we have not added any weighting to the results.

Disability

In looking at the results of the LCRA we have analysed the responses by those recorded as having a disability, 12.85% of respondents to the survey had a disability compared to 6.73% of our population.

[1] We will be carrying out a piece of work to review and keep update this information as disability changes over time and is not adequately captured.

Ethnicity

In looking at the results of the LCRA we have analysed the responses by ethnicity and can see that we have had a higher response from tenants whose ethnicity is unknown than our population of these tenants[1].

[1] Ethnicity might not be recorded for a number of reasons but usually it because the person has been a tenant for a very long time and this information wasn’t collected when they first became a tenant.

Tenancy Type

In looking at the results of the LCRA we have also analysed the responses by the type of tenancy held. We can see that there is a lower response rate from tenants with a fixed term tenancy than the profile population but a higher response from secure tenants that the profile population.

TSM results – LCRA (rented homes) Results:

As part of the new Housing Regulation, we will be submitting our results to the Housing Regulator before 30^th June 2024. The regulator intends to publish the results of all social housing providers. Once these are available, we will provide an update on how we compare.

[1] It is worth noting that although only 502 respondents had reported a repair the past 12 months as indicated in TP02 542 answered this question.

As part of our TSM perception survey we also asked an additional 3 questions as follows:

1. The Council’s housing service is funded through the rent we receive from you. This account therefore has a limited amount of money to spend. Please help us by telling us your views on what are the most important things to spend this money on.

Respondents were able to select multi answers and this explains why the total exceeds 100%. The table clearly shows that “ensuring our existing Council homes are safe and in a good state of repair e.g. tackling condensation and mould” was the most important thing that respondents felt we should spend our money on.

2. Do you have access to Wi-Fi/ the internet at home?

The table above shows that 74.5% of our residents have access to wi-fi/internet at home. Further analysis shows us that the younger the resident the more likely to have access to the Wi-Fi/internet at home.

3. How do residents go online?

The table above shows that 78% of respondents use their own device to go online, with 19.2% having never accessed the internet. Further analysis highlights that residents aged 65+ are more likely to have never used the internet and if they do to have borrowed from a family member or a friend.

As part of our return to the Regulator for social Housing we have to report back on a number of other measures, the data from which comes for our IT systems.

Property Measures:

Non-property Measures: