The housing department of St Albans City and District Council has won a major national award for its repairs and maintenance work.
They were selected ahead of other local authorities and housing associations for the title of Most Improved Asset Management Service 2021.
The prestigious award was won jointly with its maintenance contractor Morgan Sindall Property Services.
It is one of the annual awards that is presented by the National Housing Maintenance Forum, the social housing sector’s leading promoter of good practice.
This year the award ceremony was held on online on Thursday, January 28 because of the pandemic.
The council made a major change in its approach to the maintenance of its 5,000 houses and flats two years ago when it formed its partnership with Morgan Sindall.
Among the improvements that resulted were shorter response times for repairs while allowing tenants to choose a convenient time and date for a visit.
Councillor Jacqui Taylor, portfolio holder for housing, protection and inclusion, said: “I’m delighted that our housing team’s hard work has been recognised by this national award.
“Together with Morgan Sindall Property Services, we have made significant enhancements to our repair and maintenance work over the last couple of years to the benefit of our tenants.
“Among the improvements has been a pledge to deliver a high percentage of repairs fixed at first visit. We also brought a customer satisfaction tool into use last year so that our tenants can provide valuable feedback in real time.
“I also recognise that there are still areas to improve on and it is my intention to keep on driving the improvements necessary. This award is recognition of the path we are on to deliver a high level of service for our tenants.”
Alan Hayward, managing director of Morgan Sindall Property Services, said: “I’m incredibly proud to see our work with St Albans City and District Council recognised for its impact. Our approach to data insight combined with a true collaboration with the council, has made a massive impact to the quality of service we deliver to residents and the needs of the local community.
“Providing exceptional customer service, increasing the lifecycle of housing assets, and delivering social and economic benefits to local communities is a growing pressure for all housing providers. Using data intelligently has the potential to address many of these issues. This award is a testament to the hard work of our team who constantly strive to anticipate our customer and client needs.”
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