How to … Survive a new-style Housing Corporation inspection

The previous monitoring visits were much more paper-based. This one was really focused on the relationship between the organisation and tenants.

There was a team of three inspectors and it took a couple of weeks.

We had a meeting with the inspection team about six weeks in advance. They came along with a list of documents they wanted to see – nothing surprising or too over the top – and a list of the people they wanted to see. But they were prepared to be reasonable and flexible about that.

What the inspection covered
Of course, they still looked at all the files and documents. But the focus again was on tenants – whether we told tenants what they could expect, and whether we actually delivered it. Then the inspectors sat in on committee meetings, staff meetings and tenants' committees.

It was a real cross-section of what was going on at the time. They simply observed. And they weren't prescriptive about the kind of meetings they went to, they were happy to sit on meetings going on anyway.

Pressure on staff
When we told staff about the inspection, we said just relax and be yourselves. But clearly, they weren't totally relaxed and, when we told the inspectors this, they suggested coming to have a talk with them without senior management present.

But staff still found it difficult. Previously, they might have met one of the inspectors during the inspection – but that's not the same as being watched while you work.

Tenants and contractors
The inspectors also visited a random selection of tenants with new lettings and recent repairs. We provided a list of relevant people, they selected a sample, and we sent out letters informing them. Endeavour staff were always present. The inspectors were interested in whether the tenants thought we took them seriously and listened to what they had to say. The tenants gave us a clean bill of health.

The inspectors ran a tenant focus group, where our staff weren't present. A few minor useful things came out of that for us to work on, such as the need for us to be more active in consulting about long-term planned maintenance, and we now have a project in hand to take that forward.

The inspectors also spoke to our maintenance contractors. Many of them are based locally.

One contractor said that Endeavour always paid quickly, so we always went to the top of the queue when we ring them up.

But the inspectors did pick up on the fact that contractors didn't always show ID when they arrive at a job. This is another thing we can tighten up on.

Set your own agenda
Put some thought into what you want to show the inspectors. There is definitely some opportunity to set the agenda and show them your strengths.

Have the fortnight mapped out, and appoint one person as the single point of contact, so that when things go wrong and the inspection schedule has to be changed, there is someone with the authority to shuffle things around.

Make the inspectors welcome and give them a nice space to work in. Be open and don't be defensive.

Pay attention to feedback
As it was a pilot, we got quite detailed feedback as the inspection process went through. But it became clear the inspectors had misinterpreted a few details and a few distortions had crept in. There was one particular technical point about lettings that someone in senior management might not have picked up, but the lettings manager realised was wrong. So, if there is an opportunity for feedback, make sure the relevant department gets a chance to hear the parts of the report that concern them.

The most useful thing about it was the independent confirmation that we're getting it right, and that the tenants, local authorities and people who work for you approve.