How tenants influence housing services
Tenant involvement happens in different ways — from quick surveys to formal panels that review performance and make recommendations. We also run regular focus groups to hear directly from tenants about their experiences.
A recent focus group explored how to improve the process for making a housing‑related complaint. Feedback covered:
- Experiences of living in a council property
- How easy it is to access information about services and complaints
- Experiences of making a housing‑related complaint
- How the council responds to complaints
This feedback is now being used to improve services and make the complaints process easier to understand and use.
How tenant feedback is used
Tenant feedback is considered at different levels of the organisation:
- Community and service level — views shared through events, surveys, focus groups and local groups
- Formal tenant forums — Housing Involvement Panel, Tenant Scrutiny Panel, Screen Team, Complaints Learning Panel
- Service review and improvement — panels work with officers and managers to review services, challenge performance and recommend improvements
- Senior decision‑making — recommendations are reported to the Housing Senior Leadership Team and the wider Council
This ensures tenant voices are heard at every level, from local conversations to strategic decision‑making.
Why tenant involvement matters
Listening to tenants helps us:
- improve services
- strengthen accountability
- make better decisions
- deliver better outcomes for residents
By acting on tenant feedback, we can provide services that are fair, accessible and shaped by the people who use them.
