The finding, in a study by the Northern Housing Consortium and HouseMark, suggests surveys of tenants’ views cannot be relied upon to judge performance standards. It could weaken the position of the already controversial housing inspections.
The Audit Commission and Housing Corporation inspectorates, which both use tenant feedback as a core service measure, defended their approach.
The new report follows a critical consortium report in which members repeatedly raised doubts over whether groups interviewed by the commission’s Housing Inspectorate were representative, and “the weighting given to one-off comments without any evidence” (Housing Today, 28 March).
In the latest study, HouseMark compared satisfaction performance indicators with repairs.
Bolton had the lowest satisfaction level in the north at 63 per cent, but completed 98 per cent of its urgent repairs on time. Craven council took 33 days to complete non-urgent repairs against Bolton’s 22 – yet it scored 98 per cent tenant satisfaction.
The Audit Commission said inspections must “focus on services as users experience them”. Housing chief inspector Roy Irwin said he attempted to establish what tenants’ expectations were before asking about satisfaction.
“If PIs were pure science we would not need inspection,” he told Housing Today. “Good performers have empowered tenants to expect more of them, whereas in other areas tenants may have very low expectations.”
Irwin added he did not believe northern councils were worse performers than others, but he acknowledged that many were working in a difficult environment of over-supply.
The corporation said that its inspections would “place greater focus on consumers”. Inspection director Roger De La Mare told Housing Today his service paid attention to what tenants said, but set it in a context of actual service quality and the regulatory code.
It asked focus group members about their tenancy history and whether they could compare different landlords. “We recognise tenants’ reluctance to criticise their landlord, and to complain. We have to bear that in mind,” he explained.
The study was commissioned to rebut claims that northern councils perform worse than others. It found that northern councils perform reasonably well, though predictably they fare badly on relet times and voids.
Consortium chief executive John Moralee added: “The question is the weight given to tenants’ views. Inspectors must take care over local circumstances and particular reasons for dissatisfaction. Our qualitative and analytical studies draw similar conclusions on this issue.”
2000-2001 BVPIs analysis of local authorities in the north east, north west and Yorkshire & Humberside regions. NHC/HouseMark. Tel: 0191 566 1000.
Source
Housing Today
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