Ealing Council Housing Repairs Service Faces Scrutiny Over Delays and Performance Issues

Ealing Council Housing Repairs Service Faces Scrutiny Over Delays and Performance Issues

Ealing Council's housing repairs service is facing increased scrutiny following a recent meeting where councillors raised concerns about delays and performance issues, despite ongoing efforts to improve response times and resident satisfaction.

The Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel heard that while overall repairs performance had improved over the past year, there had been a noticeable under-performance in August. This dip was attributed to a combination of contractor resource pressures, vacancies, service transition activity related to the implementation of the new Repairs Diagnostic Centre (RDC), and operational process issues. Joint recovery plans with contractors, including Wates, have been implemented to address these issues.

Samuel Taylor, Operations Manager, explained that emergency repairs are expected to be visited within four hours, urgent repairs within five days, and routine repairs within 28 days. However, current average wait times for calls have been up to 40-50 minutes, with efforts underway to reduce this through improved staffing levels and proactive communication with residents.

The new Repairs Diagnostic Centre (RDC), launched in August 2026, is still in its embedding phase, with its full impact expected to be assessed in the new year. The RDC aims to improve repairs diagnosis, communication, and the overall resident experience. The council is ensuring tangible improvements during this phase through monitoring and analysis of call handler competency, performance meetings, co-location of officers with contractors for faster decision-making, and an enhanced training programme for the new team. Expected outcomes include reduced call waiting times, improved first-time fix rates, and reduced complaints.

Councillor Martin questioned the categorization of repair calls and the role of the Diagnostics Centre, while Councillor Walkley inquired about the out-of-hours phone service. The out-of-hours service is outsourced, and while generally receiving few complaints, a specific challenge identified is the miscategorization of jobs as emergencies. Improvements are being considered to ensure the contractor has the right level of conversation with residents to prevent this.

Councillor Joy asked about sustaining the 65% reduction in overdue repairs. Samuel Taylor explained that Wates had increased capacity and that ongoing monitoring of key performance indicators (KPIs) was crucial. Beyond increasing capacity, strategies to ensure long-term sustainability include ongoing monitoring of KPIs, the RDC's role, and strong collaboration, particularly in preparation for increased demand during winter. Efforts are also being made to prevent complaints by improving communication and services at the front end.

Councillor Wheeler questioned how to ensure the sustainability of improvements, particularly when a contract is nearing renewal. Councillor Nasimi inquired about using data from councillor inquiries to identify trends and areas of concern. Samuel Taylor confirmed that trend analysis is being conducted to identify key drivers of complaints and councillor contacts, with the aim of proactively addressing issues. This data is also used to feed into stock condition data and investment programmes.

Councillor Maximova asked about leaseholder access to repair services. Leaseholders generally use the same contact number as tenants, but the Section 20 process, which involves demonstrating value for money through quotes and resident input, can extend repair timelines compared to standard repair timelines for council tenants.

Councillor Jarman asked about the council's relationship with Axis, another contractor. Axis handles voids, disrepairs, and pest control and was not the focus of this meeting's discussion on responsive repairs.

The panel also discussed the importance of post-inspection visits and how residents' concerns about incomplete work are addressed, with assurances that residents are believed and that surveyors will inspect if there is any uncertainty. The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers and attendees for their contributions.

Further details on the meeting's agenda and reports can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.