Hanover Insights': Insight into resident engagement and consultation

'My Home My Say' 

A new report launched by Hanover, on best practice for resident engagement and consultation states that traditional tenant engagement methods allow only the most committed residents to become involved in the decision making process.

Until 2006 Hanover’s primary method of engagement with residents was through regional forums. However, travelling to meetings and public speaking often deterred less confident residents and those with mobility issues from taking part.

Hanover has established a range of methods to involve residents which include:

Local Service Level agreements sets out the level of service provided by the locally based Manager in each scheme, as well as the emergency 24 hour alarm service (Hanover On Call), and service contracts that cover cleaning, gardening and local repairs. Residents are consulted every year on the standard of work each contractor carries out, and the specifications are displayed.

Hanover is one of the first organisations to begin the implementation of a new housing repairs consultation process called Hanover Quality Standard. This allows residents decision making in the work and cost which is undertaken on their development.

Greenshoots is an initiative which encourages residents to club together and “bid” for funds for a community project. There must be a majority of residents in agreement to show that the project has global support. Residents must be able to raise 20 per cent of the cost themselves. Hanover can then give the other 80 per cent of funding to allow residents to implement ideas that benefit all. This initiative gives residents the opportunity to independently change their scheme for the better.

The intouch panel was set up in 2007 as an opportunity for residents to make suggestions about Hanover services. It serves as a sounding board for new initiatives, and gives members the choice of how they are involved. This can be through face to face interviews, by telephone, email, postal surveys and workshops or conferences.

In October 2008 Hanover held a series of events across the country, with the aim of bringing together staff and residents to hear their views. Locations were chosen that allowed the maximum attendance by reducing travel as much as possible. A total of 1,250 people attended Stronger Together Events and gave their views and opinions on key issues.

Resident Council aims to reflect the views of the whole of the Hanover Group and include tenants and home owners from Extra Care Schemes, as well as from retirement housing in different regions of the country. The Council has the responsibility of challenging Hanover and ensuring residents are involved in the decision making process. The group meets regularly with Hanover’s Group Management Team.

Residents at every Hanover development have the opportunity to elect a representative to attend regional forums and reflect the views of residents on proposed direction and investment priorities. Resident Forums are meetings held four times a year in each of Hanover’s five regions.

Hanover have two residents on the Hanover Group Board who champion resident perspective ensuring that residents’ views are accounted for in making strategic decisions.

These methods have recently been cited on the National Housing Federation (NHF) website as an example of best practice in the areas of “Engagement, Consultation and Achieving Excellence Together” in the code of service delivery and accountability”.

Ends

To access a pdf of this report please click here

To access a copy of the press release please click here

To access the Insights section of our website please click here

Notes To Editors:

• Established in 1963 Hanover is one of the largest specialist providers of retirement housing and related support services for older people in England. The Hanover Group manages nearly 19,000 retirement and Extra Care properties, which are available for rent or purchase on more than 600 estates including 4000 on behalf of other organisations.
• Hanover is also the innovator of Extra Care Housing with estates in 52 locations. The group employs a dedicated workforce of nearly 1,000 individuals who provide over 30,000 residents and customers with a highly professional and personalised service.
• Hanover provides support services for residents and others including a home improvement agency which helps more than 5,000 people each year and an alarm monitoring service (Hanover on Call) which provides support to Hanover Residents and nine external organisations.
• The Group consists of Hanover Housing Association, Hanover Property Management Limited and Hanover Housing Developments Limited.
• The corporate headquarters is based in Staines, with offices in London, Chippenham, St Neots and Shipley. The Hanover board is chaired by Lord Richard Best and Bruce Moore is the chief executive.