2025
Agenda:
- Repairs Performance and future plan for improvements
- Empty Homes & Lettings Performance
- Gilmartins HQ visit update
- AOB
Summary:
The group discussed persistent tenant dissatisfaction with the responsive repairs process - raised through AGMs and wider feedback - and agreed to undertake a full end-to-end review (to be scoped and signed off, starting after Christmas/early 2026). The discussion centred on the tenant experience at each stage: ease of reporting, clarity of communication and accountability after reporting, contractor reliability and training, and overall value for money, alongside readiness for regulatory compliance ahead of the Awaab's Law system launch on 7th October 2025. The group also raised procurement concerns about contractor material mark-ups and will investigate direct supplier negotiations and stronger contract accountability.
To strengthen the tenant voice, the review will consider tenant-led and/or independent audits of the repairs journey and use tenant feedback to define success measures. Awaab’s Law training is planned for the week commencing 20th October (tentatively 23rd October) with service adjustments targeted by 27th October 2025, alongside benchmarking visits to peer housing providers and improved staff handover/induction to protect service continuity.
Agenda:
- Feedback from Gilmartins
- Empty Homes management improvement plan
Summary:
Updates included introductions and attendance, then a Gilmartins performance Q&A covering subcontracting assurances, retention and training improvements, and a request to add van stock/repeat visits as a future agenda item. The group also reviewed the Empty Homes Management Improvement Plan (January 2024–June 2025), noting inconsistent 2024 performance driven by a small number of complex voids and identifying actions to improve turnaround for non-complex voids.
Tenants raised concerns about operatives’ identification, safety and the experience of vulnerable tenants, and the group agreed to bring repairs feedback and Tenancy Satisfaction Measures-related insight into a future meeting; actions are aimed at improving confidence in who attends homes, increasing 'right first time' completion (reducing repeat visits/re-bookings) and supporting faster void turnaround so homes can be re-let sooner. Key actions include Resident Representative Team members feeding back subcontracting/safety concerns, inviting the Insight team to a future meeting to discuss repairs feedback/Tenancy Satisfaction Measures, following up on training centre and toolbox talk opportunities, circulating voids performance data in advance of a future meeting, and resharing prior minutes.
Agenda:
- Service Review
- Questions for Gilmartins
Summary:
Nicole Daish introduced herself and confirmed a long-term role handover ahead of leaving Red Kite in May 2025. The group reviewed contractor performance and service metrics, including work-in-progress (target within 5%) and April 2025 tenant satisfaction (89.3%), and questioned how satisfaction remains high with a reported 36% of jobs overdue; they requested sight of the survey questions and clarification on whether communal area repairs are surveyed. The group discussed preparations for Awaab’s Law (from 1st October 2025) and Red Kite’s Damp, Mould & Condensation workload and resourcing (around 1,400 open cases, with technical officers assigned), plus the approach to empty homes ('voids') using FSG for complex cases and Gilmartins for quicker turnarounds.
Tenant challenge and scrutiny shaped the agenda and actions - members sought assurance on how satisfaction is measured (including communal areas), agreed to raise questions with Insight, and noted that the 12 month post-works Damp, Mould and Condensation (DMC) follow-up process was adopted following tenant-led DMC scrutiny recommendations via the Resident Representative Team (RRT). Actions were agreed for Natasha Evans to attend a future meeting to explain survey questions.