Housing Annual Report

Cllr Bill Hartnett, Redditch Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Housing

This year’s Housing Annual Report is an honest reflection of our progress, challenges, and ongoing commitment to delivering quality homes for our residents.

I am determined to deliver with officers and tenants the best housing services possible, and on that basis over this past year we have remained firmly focused on the council’s core housing priorities:

• Building more social housing homes to meet rising local demand and offer people affordable tenancies
• Reducing the length of time waiting to be housed by expanding supply and improving the time taken between lettings times
• Ensuring our housing stock is clean, safe, and fit for living, through increased inspections and proactive maintenance
• Improving repair times so our tenants can rely on swift and efficient service when they need it most

The numbers in this report aren’t just statistics on a page, though. They represent improving outcomes for real people, and stronger, more resilient communities. While there is still work to do, now that we have put a difficult few years behind us I am encouraged by the progress we’re making through the dedication of our housing teams, partners, and tenants  alike.

We also received a regulatory judgement in July, and as a result, are now working with the Regulator of Social Housing on some very important issues that we believe will improve our housing services. This is something we are taking very seriously. We have dedicated the whole first section of this report to it, so that you can understand it, what it means, and what we are doing about it.

Bill

John Leach, Chief Executive

This report looks back at our performance over the past year. What we’ve achieved, where we’ve faced challenges, and what we’re planning next. We’re committed to being open, honest, and always improving. We see your feedback and involvement as tenants as vital ingredients to improving our housing services.

Inside, you’ll find key performance data, especially from this year’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures (or TSMs - more on that later!), and examples of how we’re using that feedback to improve.

The headline figure: 56.7% of tenants said they’re satisfied with our services, up 9.3% from last year. That’s a good step forward, but we know there’s more to do. You’ll see more results from the survey, along with other performance data, throughout this report.

Just as we were finishing this report, we received our first formal judgement from the new Regulator of Social Housing. We’ve put that right at the start of the report so you can see exactly what was said and what we’re doing in response.

The Regulator confirmed we were right to focus on long-standing issues like repair delays, fire door replacements to new standards, and better communication. Whilst we’ve made progress, we are looking to drive up our performance with even greater determination and commitment towards these important areas of work going forward. This report is just one part of a wider effort to improve how we work and how we serve you.

We hope you find it useful. If you have questions or feedback, please get in touch with any member of our team.

John

In July, we received a C3 consumer grade from the Regulator of Social Housing. This means there were serious failings in how we delivered some key services for tenants, and we must make major improvements. 

There’s no need for alarm, but we take this very seriously. The Regulator recognised that we were already aware of the issues and had started to act. Still, we need to go further and show we have clear, achievable plans in place. 

We’ve now reached 100% compliance on key safety checks, our target. And we are making progress in other areas. But we know some problems remain, and we’re committed to fixing them. 

We’re working closely with the Regulator and with you to improve services and make sure every tenant feels safe, listened to, and respected. 

You can read the full judgement on the Regulator’s website. 

If you’d like to talk to us about anything in the judgement, please speak to any member of staff. 

What is a ‘Consumer grade’? 

As your landlord, we must meet certain standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing. These were recently updated and are now called the Consumer Standards. 

They cover four key areas: Safety & Quality, Tenancy, Neighbourhood & Community, and Transparency & Accountability. 

2024-25 was the first year that councils were inspected and graded under these new rules. The grades received (as of June 2025) are: 

We received a C3 grade, meaning the Regulator found serious issues. We have already developed an Improvement Plan to do better. 

The Regulator’s main points

Here’s what the Regulator highlighted, and where to find our actions in this report: 

• Fire and water safety: We’re tackling overdue safety actions, see Building Safety Compliance in the Safety & Quality section.
• Repairs service: We’re improving delays and hitting targets, see Repairs and Maintenance in the Safety & Quality section.
• Tenant engagement: We’re creating more ways for you to get involved. See Join Your New Tenant Scrutiny Panel And More in the Transparency, Influence & Accountability section.
• Transparency: We’re improving how we share performance and service info. Keep reading! 

Ensuring that our tenants live in safe, well-maintained homes is our top priority. Over the past year, Redditch Borough Council has made significant progress in improving the safety, condition, and energy efficiency of our housing stock. This section outlines our performance against key safety and quality standards, including compliance checks, repairs, and capital investment. 

Building Safety Compliance

We are proud to report 100% compliance across key safety areas: 

Plus: 

• Electrical Safety: 90.5% of homes have a valid EICR; 100% in communal areas 
• Smoke Alarm Coverage: 97.36% 
• Carbon Monoxide Detector Coverage: 98.33% 

What we’ve done about the Regulator’s concerns

• Water safety 
  • 150 actions outstanding when inspected 
  • 143 of them done, 7 to go 
• Fire risk assessments  
  • 2,000 actions across low, medium, & high risks 
  • 90% of those are to replace doors and fire stops to recent new standards, also known as fire precautionary works 
  • We are speeding up this work, to get it done sooner 

We continue to promote our Let Us In campaign so we can carry out these safety inspections, especially in homes where we have found it historically difficult to enter. We can’t do the work until we can gain access. 

Repairs and Maintenance

We’ve made strong progress in improving our repairs service, though we acknowledge there is more to do. 

You reported nearly 26,000 repairs to us in 2024-25. We completed 92% (23,736) of them. 

The way we prioritise repairs, based on their impact and how urgent they are, can mean longer waiting times for lower priority jobs. This is so we can do higher priority jobs faster. We’re reviewing this approach, and you can have your say - see more in the Transparency, Influence & Accountability section. 

More and better-trained staff, armed with proper call centre equipment and systems, has transformed the repairs reporting service you receive. 

• Abandoned calls: 7%, down from 35% in 2023 
• Average call waiting times: 3 mins, down from 45 mins in 2023 

Satisfaction has improved, but we’re still below national averages. We’re tackling this by: 

• Rolling out a new ‘Total Mobile’ system to improve job scheduling, communication, complaints tracking, and performance 
• New diagnostic tools to better diagnose problems from your first call, and get the fix right  
• Increasing staff in Housing Property Services, including our new Damp & Mould and Caretaking teams 
• Using your comments, which we asked for through our big Tenant Satisfaction Survey, to improve how we work 
• Reviewing our repairs policy and how we prioritise jobs, with your help. For more on how how you can help shape this review, see the Transparency, Influence & Accountability section. 

These changes aim to reduce backlogs and fix historical performance issues, including those raised by the Regulator. 

Our housing stock 

At the end of March 2025, 95.83% of our homes met the Decent Homes Standard. That means 4.17% did not. Most of these cases relate to: 

• Roofing 
• Electrical systems 
• Gas installations 
• Kitchens and bathrooms 

We are tackling this through targeted investment and stock condition surveys (see below) so we have good data on what needs doing, where, and by when. This will mean we will know what we need to do in your home over time. 

Stock condition surveys this summer

Look for letters from us this summer, that will tell you to expect a visit from our stock condition survey contractor. That will be a specialist company called Ridge. These surveys will help us to plan for your home to get what it needs in the future. It’s vital we know that so we can make good plans. 

Capital Investments

We invested significantly in improving the quality and safety of our homes, including greatly increasing investment in areas identified by the Regulator as suffering from backlogs, such as a tripling of fire precautionary works: 

These investments are part of our long-term commitment to ensuring every home is warm, decent, and safe. Thank you for continuing to make prompt rent payments, which is where the money to pay for this work comes from. 

Every neighbourhood in Redditch is unique, but our goal is the same across the borough: to ensure that every tenant feels proud of where they live. This year, we’ve taken steps to improve the quality of communal areas, tackle anti-social behaviour, and work more closely with residents to shape local services. 

Improving Communal Areas 

We recognised that the standard of communal areas in most of our blocks of flats needed to improve. In response, we are starting a new caretaker service to raise standards and ensure that ALL our shared spaces have caretakers to ensure they are clean, safe, and welcoming – not just some. The idea of introducing a new universal service for this gained support during summer Tenant Roadshows.  

The new team will: 

• Conduct block inspections before each clean to identify and report repairs 
• Maintain fire signage and noticeboards 
• Carry out weekly fire alarm tests and monthly emergency lighting checks 
• Clean windows, floors, skirting boards, and stair rails using council-approved products 
• Remove cobwebs and dust from hard-to-reach areas 
• Across all 276 of our blocks of flats  

This service will help us meet fire safety regulations and improve tenant satisfaction with communal areas, and at just £6.40 a week – a cost that will be covered by full benefits for housing costs (if you are in receipt of either Housing Benefit or Universal Credit) for around 80% of tenants.  

If you live in one of our blocks of flats, look out for a letter from us soon as we will be writing to you directly with all the details – including of a homelessness prevention fund we’ve created for those unable to pay. 

We expect the new caretaker service to improve satisfaction with this. 

Working Together to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour 

We know anti-social behaviour (ASB) can seriously affect residents’ wellbeing. That’s why we’ve strengthened our work with the police and local agencies to respond faster and more effectively. 

We aim to resolve issues early, but legal action is sometimes necessary. This year, we’ve focused on building safer, more connected communities: 

• 22.8 ASB cases per 1,000 homes (well below the national median of 35.5) 
• 0 hate crime-related ASB cases (national median: 0.6) 
• New initiatives launched to better handle noise and neighbour disputes 
• 4 injunctions, 6 possessions (evictions), and 1 full closure order issued for ASB 

We are committed to further improving satisfaction with this through better communication, faster response times, and clearer processes. 

How to report ASB

If you’re experiencing or witnessing anti-social behaviour in your neighbourhood, you can report it. 

Join us on an Estate Walkabout 

We make regular visits to your neighbourhood. Called Estate Walkabouts, they’re a chance for you to 

• Point out issues like fly-tipping, broken lighting, or overgrown areas 
• Talk directly to us 
• Help shape how your area is maintained and improved 
• Raise concerns about safety, repairs, or communal spaces 

Walkabouts are part of our commitment to keeping estates clean, safe, and well looked after, with your input. Ask your Neighbourhood & Tenancy Officer when your next one is planned, or keep an eye out for adverts in your area. 

If you can’t attend, you can still share your concerns – just get in touch. 

Investing in Neighbourhoods 

We’ve continued to invest in local environments to make our estates safer and more attractive. This includes: 

• Landscaping improvements 
• Upgrades to communal lighting and door entry systems 
• Fire door and signage replacements 
• Ongoing work to develop Estate Care Standards, in collaboration with tenants 

We believe that transparency builds trust, and that tenants should have a meaningful voice in shaping the services they receive. This year, we’ve taken steps to improve how we handle complaints, listen to feedback, and involve residents in decision-making, including as highlighted by the Regulator. 

Learning Through Listening: Complaints and Feedback 

We are committed to learning from complaints and using them to drive service improvements. In 2024/25, we received: 

We also received 10 cases investigated by the Housing Ombudsman, with 3 determinations of maladministration. These cases led to: 

• Staff training on complaint handling and vulnerable tenant support 
• Improvements in record-keeping and communication 
• Compensation payments where appropriate 

While satisfaction on this remains our lowest score, we asked you for your feedback and are taking action to improve on it. This includes introducing a new dedicated complaints investigator in 2025, to improve how we handle complaints. 

Turning Complaints into Improvements 

We recorded 55 learning outcomes from upheld complaints. These led to: 

• A review of our electrical inspection (EICRs) programme  
• Better communications with our contractors so everyone has the right information 
• A new improved induction process for temporary repairs staff 
• System upgrades to improve issue tracking and responsiveness 

Case Study: Loft Insulation Complaint

 A tenant raised concerns about delays, poor communication, and health and safety (H&S) during insulation works. As a result, we: 

• Reviewed our contractor deployment process 
• Improved call-back procedures 
• Reviewed H&S protocols 
• Issued a goodwill payment 

Want more about complaints? 

Do you know what our Complaints Standard is? Maybe you want to make a complaint?  Perhaps you want to study our Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report?  Here’s all our complaints info. 

Engaging with our tenants and leaseholders 

We’ve identified gaps in how we engage with tenants and are working with the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) to improve. This includes: 

• Developing a tenant scrutiny panel 
• Offering task and finish groups on key issues like repairs and safety 
• Getting to know you better: improving how we collect and use tenant profile data to tailor services to you 

Join your new Tenant Scrutiny Panel and more 

We’re starting up a group of residents who review and give feedback on how things are run, as part of making sure your voices are truly heard. Want to take part? 

• Influence improvements to housing services 
• Share your ideas and experiences 
• Work with a small, friendly group of fellow tenants 
• Make a real difference in our community 
• No experience needed 
• Expert support and guidance 

It’s an opportunity to help shape the services and decisions that affect your home and neighbourhood.  

Register your interest now!

To find out more about ALL our opportunities for engagement, go to www.redditchbc.gov.uk/tenant-engagement. 

We know we need to do more to communicate clearly and consistently, especially around service standards, property conditions, and performance. We hope this new and improved annual report for example marks the start of better, clearer communications with you. 

Governance and Accountability

We’ve strengthened internal oversight by: 

• Presenting quarterly housing performance, including complaints, to the Portfolio Holder for Housing and the council’s Executive Committee, and publishing them on our website 
• Publishing our Annual Housing Ombudsman Self-Assessment 
• Updating our Housing Complaints Standard to align with the statutory Complaint Handling Code 

These steps ensure that complaints are not only resolved, but also used to improve services and uphold tenant rights. 

Supporting tenants to sustain their tenancies is a core part of our housing service. This year, we’ve focused on improving financial support and ensuring fair and transparent access to housing.   

• 5,173 secure tenants 
• 217 introductory tenants 

We have projects working on: 

• Keeping better, more accurate records about our tenants, for better relationships  
• Publishing more performance and policy updates, for greater transparency 
• Supporting tenants with language barriers or digital exclusion, for better access to our information 

Tenancy visits 

We want to ensure that you have a chance to talk to us and feel listened to. This year we started a new plan to proactively visit every tenancy, every two years, for an opportunity to talk about things that are important to you and get to know you better. 

This began in September. We have visited 386 homes so far. See you soon! 

Supporting Tenants in Financial Difficulty 

• 200 people helped through complex sustainment issues this year 
• 70 cases currently live 

We understand that many tenants are facing financial pressures. Our Housing Revenues Team provides a supportive, understanding approach to rent arrears and income management. The team also offers free advice to help tenants: 

• Maximise income 
• Access benefits and council hardship funds where appropriate 
• Create sustainable budgets 

We are adding staff to this team this year, specifically to help with this. 

What if you never had to lift another finger to pay your rent? 

Ask us about a Rent Direct Debit today.  Just one call to our dedicated team, and you could take the pain out of payments.  Simple, guaranteed, protected payments. Subject to status. 

www.redditchbc.gov.uk/rent  

Rent Arrears and Income Collection 

We continue to watch this closely and intervene early to prevent escalation. Rent payments are what pays for our housing services to you, so they’re vital. 

We are recruiting an extra Charging Officer this year - their job is to chase up unpaid rent. 

For the period April 2024 - March 2025: 

• Former tenancy arrears (of previous tenants): £842,000  
• Current tenancy arrears (of current tenants): £1,510,917  

No longer collected in arrears

This year we changed from collecting rent a month in arrears, to working towards supporting customers to keep rent balances at zero as standard. This means when someone can’t pay for some reason, they don’t already owe a month of rent – a situation we know can make a tenancy unsustainable quickly. We hope this change will help us catch any problems even earlier. 

Tackling Tenancy Fraud

We remain vigilant in identifying and addressing tenancy fraud, to help protect our housing services. This includes: 

• Subletting 
• False applications 
• Not using it as the main home 
• Abandoning it. 

We work closely with our internal audit and legal teams to investigate and act where necessary. 

Allocations and Lettings

We manage the Redditch Homes system, including our housing register. Redditch Homes is how social housing is advertised and allocated across the borough. This includes homes owned by the council and local housing associations. 

The Housing Register and Lettings Policy

Applicants for social housing in Redditch are assessed based on need, following the council’s Allocations Policy and the Housing Act 1996. 

There are six priority bands. Band 1 is the highest and is for those who need to move urgently. These applicants are directly matched to the next suitable property. 

Applicants in other bands can bid on available homes. 

• Annual applications received: 850 (average)
• Annual properties available: 350 (average) 

This year: 

• Biggest demand: Band 1 applicants for family-sized accommodation 
• Most properties re-let in: Batchley, Winyates, Church Hill 
• 354 households rehoused 
• 224 were direct matches to people in Band 1 
• 273 were in council homes 
• 81 were into other registered housing providers’ homes 
• 20 households got keys to brand new homes. thanks to registered housing provider partnerships 
• 44 adapted homes were re-let to people with specific needs 
• It took 26 days on average to receive, repair, and re-let a council home 
• 50 households did a mutual exchange 

A mutual exchange is when tenants swap homes to get to the right sized property and in preferred locations. It’s often the fastest way to be rehoused. For full details, go to www.redditchbc.gov.uk/mx. 

Extra care housing

St David’s House & Queens Cottages extra care housing scheme provides people with their own front door together with access to an onsite 24-hour care team, so help is available when needed. 

9 of these homes were re-let this year. 

If you’re aged 60 and over and interested in finding out more about the scheme, give the team a call. 

Housing Growth Programme

We are committed to increasing the supply of affordable homes in Redditch.  

Our current Housing Growth Programme aims to deliver 230 additional council homes by 2030. So far, we have delivered 107 of those homes, with a further 62 currently in progress, and plans to secure the remaining 61. We are using a mix of approaches to this. 

To support this, we have allocated £15 million from the Housing Revenue Account capital budget. New built homes will be built to high energy efficiency standards (at least EPC A), helping tenants reduce fuel costs and supporting our climate goals. We are also exploring Modern Methods of Construction (or MMC, where construction techniques including prefabrication, modular construction, and advanced manufacturing technologies streamline the building process) to improve build quality, speed, and sustainability. 

It’s right to Buy Back 

Through our local Buy Back scheme, we’ve already restored dozens of homes sold under the national Right to Buy scheme to our social housing stock over the past seven years - helping families in need in Redditch and strengthening our community. And we want to do more. 

• 66 homes bought back so far 

It’s part of the council’s £40 million investment in our housing. 

✅ Full market value paid ✅ No estate agent fees ✅ Fast, chain-free sale ✅ Every home returned helps a local family 

We especially want 2-4 bedroom houses in good condition, with vacant possession. For more on the Redditch Buy Back Programme see www.redditchbc.gov.uk/buyback.  

Your Right to Buy

We are required to provide our secure tenants with information about the Right to Buy the property.  There have been significant changes to the discounts available under the Right to Buy. The maximum discount is limited to £26,000. 

For full info, see www.redditchbc.gov.uk/rtb.