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Customer Service Standards

These standards have been developed in consultation with customers and reflect the level of service you can expect from us.

Access to Services & Customer Care

  • We will ensure that you can easily contact us in a variety of ways including; telephone, email, website or letter
  • We will respond quickly, regardless of how you choose to contact us. We will aim to:
    • Answer the telephone within 20 seconds
    • Respond to voicemail within 1 working day
    • Reply to correspondence within 5 working days
  • We will respect your individual needs and take them into consideration when responding to your enquiry
  • We will respect your confidentiality at all times
  • We will aim to resolve the majority of enquiries straight away
  • We will, where requested, visit you in your home at a mutually convenient time
  • We will ensure that customer information is easy to read and understand
  • We will aim to put things right as soon as possible if things go wrong. We will investigate your complaint and respond within 10 working days

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New Home Standard

  • Your new home will be safe
  • Your new home will be secure
  • Your new home will be clean
  • Your new home will be warm
  • Your new home will be in good repair

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Allocations & Lettings

  • We will aim to make applying for a home in the neighbourhood where you want to live, easy and straightforward
  • We will aim to process your housing application within 10 working days
  • We will keep you informed about how your application is progressing and let you know how long you may have to wait
  • We will give you the chance to view any home you’re offered and give you information to help you decide if it’s the right home for you

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Responsive Repairs

  • We will make sure that you can easily report your repair 24 hours a day
  • We will take your individual needs into consideration when prioritising and completing a repair
  • We will aim to make and keep appointments for all repairs where requested
  • We will aim to attend to emergency repairs within 4 hours and will complete the repair within 24 hours
  • We will carry out your non emergency repairs as quickly as possible, and within:
    • 7 days for urgent repairs
    • 28 days for routine repairs
  • We will aim to complete your repairs right first time
  • We will check that you are happy with the repairs work carried out

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Planned Works

  • We will make sure that your home is warm, safe, energy efficient and well maintained
  • We will involve you when we are planning any major work
  • We will respect you and your home as we plan and carry out major work

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Adaptations

  • We will ensure that you can easily access our adaptations service
  • We will take your individual needs into consideration when prioritising and completing an adaptation
  • We will ensure you are involved in planning adaptation works to your home
  • We will carry out your adaptation as quickly as possible

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Environmental Services

  • We will ensure that your communal gardens are well maintained and appealing throughout the year
  • We will aim to make your communal gardens safe and secure
  • We will make sure that our environmental service provides value for money

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Tenancy & Estate Management

  • We will be visible in your neighbourhood, getting to know you and responding proactively to your enquiries. We will:
    • Let you know who your Neighbourhood Officer is
    • Carry out annual estate walkabouts
    • Give you information about scheme surgeries in your neighbourhood
    • Visit you to find out more about your needs and any additional services you may require
  • We will help you to understand your responsibilities as a tenant and to access the services you require
  • We will routinely consult you before making any significant changes to your services or service charges
  • We will work together with you and partners such as the local authority to make your neighbourhood a great place to live
  • We will aim to keep your neighbourhood clean and safe. We will:
    • Consult with you regarding the frequency of cleaning in any communal areas
    • Remove graffiti within 5 working days and offensive graffiti within 24 hours of being reported
    • Carry out monthly inspections in neighbourhoods of 20 or more YH homes
    • Seek to re-let empty homes within 21 days
  • We will make sure that your service charge reflects the cost of providing the services that you receive

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Anti Social Behaviour

  • We will respond quickly and effectively to reports of anti-social behaviour
  • We will work with our communities to prevent anti- social behaviour
  • We will ensure that those involved with or affected by anti-social behaviour receive appropriate support and guidance

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Community Engagement

  • We will work with you and your community to provide flexible opportunities for you to engage in a way and at a level that suits you
  • We will support you in getting involved in your community and help you to achieve your aspirations for your neighbourhood
  • We will engage you and your neighbourhoods in decision making concerning the things that affect you
  • We will ask you for feedback and give you the opportunity to be involved in shaping the way we deliver our services in future

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Income Management

  • We will offer you a choice of ways to pay your rent or service charge
  • We will send you regular rent statements and keep you informed of any changes to your rent or service charge
  • We will ensure that information about your rent is accessible, accurate and easy to understand
  • We will let you know if you fall into arrears and offer you support and guidance. We will treat you sensitively and with respect at all times
  • We will offer you advice and support to help you to manage debt and claim for any money or benefits that you are entitled to

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