Tenants decide repairs priorities

Around 200 tenants attended Kier Sheffield LLP’s recent customer conference.  Working with Sheffield Homes, the main aim of the day was to agree ten commitments, suggested by tenants, for Kier Sheffield LLP to work on over the next two years.

The day was very successful.  During the course of the workshops twelve good suggestions were made, and so Kier have agreed to twelve commitments rather than ten.  They are:

• Improve communication about the Decent Homes work
• Keep appointments for Decent Homes work
• Work to ensure that appointments are kept on both sides (Kier and tenant) for repairs
• The Service Centre will provide a reference number when taking calls
• Clear gardens and stairwells as well as completing repairs to the actual property
• Further reduce the time a property is vacant between tenants
• When telephone lines are busy provide a message giving expected waiting time
• On emergency repairs, provide more specific times within the 72hr category
• Remove scaffolding within 1 week of completing a job
• Generally improve communication and co-ordination on repairs and maintenance activity
• Improve quality of materials
• Ensure consultation with all parties on scope of works

Dave Sheridan, Managing Director of Kier Sheffield LLP, said: “I’d like to thank all the tenants that came along and helped us to agree these commitments. Kier Sheffield LLP are committed to providing first class customer service, and will work closely with tenants and Sheffield Homes to implement these changes.”

Councillor Chris Weldon, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, added: “It is great to see tenants so closely involved and able to influence the services provided to them.  I’m really pleased with the service that Kier Sheffield LLP provide, not only in repairing and maintaining tenants’ homes, but also in the training and employment opportunities they provide for local people.”

The tenant representatives who assisted in the development of the conference were pleased with the day. They said: “The conference was a well planned and useful exercise which was informative and enjoyable. This type of event is further indication of the commitment to improving the service that Kier Sheffield has displayed since beginning the contract.  We are looking forward to being involved in the next one.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

Kier Sheffield LLP, a joint venture company between Sheffield City Council and Kier Group, has a 10-year contract worth £600million, believed to be the largest of its kind that any local authority has entered into. Under the contract Kier Sheffield is responsible for a wide range of repairs to all council buildings including 55,000 council owned houses. The Council entered into the contract to ensure that the existing relatively successful repairs service could be further improved and modernised to maximise benefits for the Council, its tenants, and other customers.

Contact Claire Turner, Corporate Media Team, on 0114 273 6934