Guildford council tenants express frustration over lack of support and care from their landlord, urging for better communication and service.
Guildford: Tenants are feeling pretty let down by the Guildford Borough Council. They’re saying the council isn’t listening to their complaints and needs to show a bit more care.
According to a recent report, only 61% of tenants are satisfied with the service. That’s below the national average! The council manages around 5,200 social housing properties, so this is a big deal.
Cllr Julia McShane, who oversees housing, mentioned they’re working on improvements. She said they’re using feedback from tenants to create a solid improvement plan. But many tenants are still unhappy.
Over 65% of those surveyed were dissatisfied with how complaints were handled. The main issues? Poor communication, customer service, and slow repairs. It’s clear there’s a lot of room for improvement.
Cllr Howard Smith pointed out that the results were disappointing but not surprising. He noted a rise in complaints and a growing number of empty homes. Plus, not enough new homes are being built to replace those lost.
Only 22% of tenants felt satisfied with how their complaints were managed. That’s a pretty low number! It seems like this is a common issue across many social housing providers lately.
Acuity, the research company, emphasized that tenants need to feel their complaints are taken seriously. Sadly, only 41% felt the council was listening to them, which is below the national average.
Repairs have been a hot topic too. Some tenants praised the speed and quality of work, while others complained about delays and forgotten jobs. It’s a mixed bag.
Less than half of the tenants were happy with their communal areas, like hallways and gardens. They also want more action against anti-social behavior, which can really affect their living experience.
This news comes after the council admitted to serious failings regarding safety reports for over 1,700 homes. They’re trying to improve, though, by setting up a new Housing Operations Board to listen to tenant feedback.
New laws in 2023 require social landlords to publish tenant satisfaction ratings. It’s a step towards better accountability, but tenants are hoping for real change soon.
