RSB Report – March 2020

As part of our efforts to work collaboratively with customers to improve services and make our homes and neighbourhoods a great place to live, Onward has three Regional Scrutiny Boards (RSBs):

• Lancashire

• Merseyside

• Greater Manchester & Cheshire

The RSBs comprise a diverse range of customers from each of our three regions and they meet with Onward colleagues every three months to review our services and identify where improvements can be made.

RSB members compare our performance against targets and review customer feedback which has been gathered via surveys, reported complaints and various other channels.

Where the results and feedback highlight areas for concern, the RSBs carry out an investigation which typically lasts for six months. The findings of their investigations and their recommendations for change are formally presented to Onward’s Finance and Performance Committee. In this way, the committee and RSBs are able to hold us accountable for performance improvement.

In this report, discover the assessments the RSBs have completed between April 2019 and September 2019, including:

• the performance of Onward’s repairs service in Merseyside and Manchester, particularly the quality of communication with customers about appointments and follow up work;

• the quantity of customer complaints regarding compliance issues, particularly gas servicing;

• declining levels of satisfaction with chargeable services such as cleaning and grounds maintenance;

• the number of tenants leaving within 18 months of taking up their tenancy and a high turnover of tenants in some neighbourhoods;

• time taken to re-let properties;

• customer satisfaction with the cleanliness of new homes;

• increasing satisfaction with planned maintenance contractors;

• low levels of rent collection performance in Lancashire compared to Manchester and Merseyside; and

• time taken to deal with complaints.

RSB REPORT MARCH 2020

To apply to become a member of your local RSB, please complete the form below or get in touch at customerengagement@onward.co.uk