Housing Forum Partnering Toolkit Working as a Successful Partnering Team
Involving Residents and Tenants
The Housing Forum demonstration projects show that well managed tenant liaison can bring added value to the construction project management and lead to dramatic increases in customer satisfaction levels.
Some discussions in the workshops seemed to strongly indicate that the earlier the contractor is appointed the better the communications with customers and that integrating communication systems will lead to higher levels of customer participation. Furthermore by linking customer satisfaction to improved profit levels a powerful incentive is created to motivate contractors, key suppliers and site staff to focus on high quality delivery mechanisms and after care service to residents and tenants.
Everyone will benefit when tenants and residents are involved in shaping the services which they will receive, as follows:
- Access arrangements will be easier to manage,
- Contractors will get high levels of co-operation,
- Tenants will suffer less disruption
- Clients will have to deal with fewer disputes and delays.
Their involvement will of course require management time and resource, but by encouraging them to participate in the whole process the better things will go when works get under way.
Users (tenants and residents) should be involved in shaping and defining the services they wish to receive. Consultation, participation and choice are key demands of customers and fortunately many social housing landlords have considerable experience of working closely with users at local level.
The role of tenant and resident representatives has grown over time to play powerful and positive roles on many demonstration projects. Tenant representatives have been involved in aspects of the contractor selection process, and have often led discussions at public meetings with contractors and others in getting a clear focus on customer service issues.
Many sensitive negotiations on access issues for the elderly or for people with special needs have been managed by reps as well as maintaining their fundamental role of ensuring that the users needs and aspirations are high on the overall project agenda.
The involvement of representatives does not relieve either the client or the contractor of their responsibilities for tenant liaison both before and during the works. Working in and around homes is almost always a one off, a unique experience and almost always a stressful one for most householders. The project team has a responsibility to help customers to prepare for this process and to ensure that they are fully consulted on all aspects of the design and construction programme. Tenant choice must be clearly set out and recorded. Customers must be informed of any changes to choices, design, programmes or activities quickly.
People need to be kept well informed as work starts in the home, and not only by standard written means of communications. Public meetings, house visits, open days and phone contacts, out of hours contacts are all ways of involving people and keeping them informed. Nothing can be left to chance and clients and contractors must ensure that their communications with customers are aligned. Householders will naturally be concerned about when things will happen, how long it will take, what happens if something goes wrong? Will he/she is able to operate new systems easily? Will they be told if things are delayed for a day, half a day or a week? What happens when the residents want to go out, and so on.
Clearly this is a demanding role for both the client and contractors and it needs dedicated resources. Clients should be very explicit about their own responsibilities and what they expect contractors to provide in terms of liaison and communications with residents and how communications will be managed and integrated.
It is important for clients to ensure that Leaseholders are fully consulted about any proposals to carry out works to their properties and that their rights are fully acknowledged throughout. Having a corporately agreed procurement strategy based on Best Value and Rethinking Construction agenda will help clients to develop clear procedures on all leasehold works. Many clients already deal with this area very effectively.
Some organisations are under the impression that Section 20 (S.151 of the Leasehold Reform Act) inhibits partnering arrangements with suppliers. However, social housing landlords have an obligation to achieve Best Value and, in order to demonstrate this, they are encouraged to enter into partnering arrangements with suppliers. There is no conflict between Section 20 (S.151) and partnering or Best Value procurement provided that the actions undertaken by the landlord are seen to be reasonable and auditable, and in compliance the landlord's responsibilities under the legislation. The long term and successful management of leaseholder issues demand the full involvement of finance and legal staff, as well as housing staff working in an integrated client structure.
Leaseholders have a right to be consulted on the proposed works to their homes and they have a right to put forward alternative supplier names for the purpose of submitting quotations. Social housing landlords should actively involve leaseholders as relevant stakeholders in the whole procurement process, and ensure that all their legal obligations are meticulously followed throughout. Relevant notices must be issued within the stipulated timescales.
However housing clients are not obliged to accept quotations from contractors who do not meet their own established pre-qualification criteria. Neither is the landlord obliged to accept a lowest price bid when this compares unfavourably with a Best Value bid.
Over 50% of Housing Forum demonstration projects have dealt successfully with S.20 (S.151) by involving leaseholders from the earliest stages, by ensuring Best Value competitive procurement rules are followed, and by carrying out further competition within the supply chain where necessary.
Note that compliance with the s. 20 (s. 151) requirements requires certain notices to be served on leaseholders and in some circumstances these notices will need to be served at the same time as the package of works is advertised in accordance with the EU Procurement Regulations. Clients are recommended to seek advice as to the inter relationship between the Section 20 (Section 151) requirements and the requirements of the Public Procurement Regulations.
Barriers to change can be overcome by:
- Setting up comprehensive structures and processes for tenant participation and involvement.
- Incorporating leaseholders interests within the wider procurement issues.
- Ensure that there are written procurement policies and strategies which focus in particular on leaseholders.
Examples:
The London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney took a radically different approach to procurement involving the early appointment of a contractor, collaborative working and joint risk management which resulted in improved resident and tenant involvement in the development scheme.
Broomleigh Housing Association and Geoffrey Osbourne Ltd
Broomleigh Housing Association and Geoffrey Osbourne Ltd worked closely with the Federation of Broomleigh Residents to ensure that residents' views were considered at all times.
William Sutton Trust/Durkan partnership
A number of open days were held by the William Sutton Trust/ Durkan partnership for tenants to drop in and comment in the early design proposals and staff from William Sutton Trust and Durkan were on hand to explain and listen to tenants individually or in groups as required.
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council developed initiatives such as call centres and web sites to ensure that the service continued to reflect the tenants? needs and expectations.
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
Workshops were run by Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council and played a major role in communications and an open day was held and encouraged residents of the Noctorum Estate to participate.
Users can access further help using this link to a list of additional websites, literature and toolkits. This list is also available as you use the toolkit from each of the main section pages.
