Why the tenant voice is key to our work

Listening to and acting upon feedback from people who live in our properties is a key element of our work.

It has been embedded in our organisation over many years, with our involved tenants who work hard to scrutinise our policies and procedures, and who act as our critical friend.

Our Tenants’ Voice – Improving Services Group is a group of volunteer tenants who complete reviews on different areas of our organisation. They identify what we do well and make recommendations for improvements in areas where we could do better.

Volunteer tenants in our Tenants' Forum meet quarterly to receive updates on information and performance for comment before they are presented to our board. Their role is to review the information that is presented, to ask questions, make comments and have their say.

Quality checks on our complaints and compliments process are carried out twice a year by tenants in the Your Voice – Complaints and Compliments group, while our Tenant Talk group review specific services to find out what our tenants think, what we are doing well and what could be improved. 

Tenant committees

Our new tenant committee builds further on this work. It is a group of tenant representatives and board members who come together to shape, influence and review service delivery and performance based on tenant experiences. They will be using outcome measures such as key performance information and Tenant Satisfaction Measures with a focus on continuous improvement.

Tenant representatives Michael, Tracey, Peter, John, Danielle, Julie and Jane (who has a shadow** role) will join with board members to assess how we are performing as a landlord. They will also consider our complaints process and check that we are meeting our regulatory and legal standards.

Each tenant representative has their own buddy. This is a Progress Housing Group colleague who volunteered and has been appointed to support them with any questions they might have with the committee papers and reports.

Louise, Internal Communications Business Partner, is Danielle’s buddy. She says: “I was really excited to take up the opportunity to be a buddy for one of our new tenant committee members. So far, I’ve had the chance to meet all the tenant committee members and learn more about their motivations for joining the board, which are varied and inspirational.

“I’ve been paired with Danielle who has been such a great addition to the board, bringing with her plenty of the skills and knowledge, enthusiasm and personality, to add to the diversity and tenant insight we’ve been looking for to continuously improve.

“Personally, I’m looking forward to learning more about board and regulatory processes and I’m excited to be part of the journey we’re on with new sector opportunities.”

Our first committee meeting was attended by our tenant representatives, board members and two independent members. Progress Housing Group colleagues Tammy Bradley, Executive Director (Operations, Services and Support), Tola Adesemowo, Director of Housing Operations, and Debbie Atherton, Executive Director (Governance, People and Communications), also attended.

They discussed the key objectives of the strategic plan, which can be found here: Strategic Plan and Business Priorities | Progress Housing Group (progressgroup.org.uk)

The tenant committee will join our Group Board away day in October, where they will meet the board members and take part in a session to discuss the business plan priorities for Progress Homes that will feed into the Group Strategic plan. It will also be an opportunity for tenants and the Board to develop and agree an understanding of the key outcomes that will be achieved together as the committee evolves.

Meeting feedback

Here is what our tenant representatives said about their first meeting:

Michael: “I thought our first meeting was very informative. It has been nice meeting everyone.

“I have always been involved in helping people. I’m a good listener and I try my best to help solve problems. Hopefully in the future I will be able to contribute more and be an asset to the committee.”

Tracey: “I like to know the big picture so I can know how to help others.

“I want to be part of the change and make a difference to support other tenants. It is critical going forward that tenants have this voice and that we listen.

“It has been really nice to get together and everyone has different skill sets and qualities. It is nice Progress is having this tenant committee so we can have this input.

“It is also good to have the independent members who bring experience from other housing associations.”

Debbie Atherton, Executive Director (Governance, People and Communications), says: “We welcome our tenant representatives to the organisation and thank them for their commitment in helping us to establish our new tenant committee. We’re excited about the future ahead, and how we and the Board can use their feedback, insight and lived experience to help drive improvements and have an impact on our future strategies.”

*Progress Homes is part of Progress Housing Group and is a term we use to refer to our general needs, independent living, leasehold, supported housing tenants and shared ownership customers.

** A shadow role is where an individual may need some additional support ahead of becoming a formal tenant representative committee member.

Would you like to be involved?

For more information about the many ways you can get involved, visit our website: Ways to get involved | Progress Housing Group (progressgroup.org.uk) .Alternatively you can email our Customer Voice Team at community@progressgroup.org.uk or call 01772 450669.