Ealing Council's Housing Panel Reviews Repairs Diagnostic Centre Performance and Improvement Strategies
The Ealing Council's Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel has visited the borough's new Repairs Diagnostic Centre (RDC) as part of a wider review into the housing repairs service. The panel received an update on the performance of the new centre, which launched in August 2026, and discussed strategies to improve repairs response times and resident communication.
While overall repairs performance has improved over the past year, the panel heard that there had been some under-performance in August. Joint recovery plans with contractors, including Wates, are in place to address issues such as overdue repairs, first-time fix rates, and appointment keeping. Beyond these joint plans, strategies to improve first-time fix rates and appointment keeping include enhanced governance and contractor oversight, with operational, performance, and contractor review meetings to strengthen accountability. Improved first-time fix is being addressed through better performance insight, contractor accountability, and surveyor support to reduce repeat visits and resolve blockers. Appointments kept are being improved through weekly line-by-line reviews with Wates and clearer operational reporting to enhance scheduling, delivery performance, and appointment compliance. Furthermore, final recruitment to the Repairs Diagnostic Centre and additional surveyor support are in place to improve capacity, triaging, and urgent repair delivery.
The new Repairs Diagnostic Centre (RDC) is still in its embedding phase, with its full impact expected to be assessed in the new year. The centre aims to improve the diagnosis of repairs, enhance communication with residents, and ultimately improve the overall resident experience. Proposed success measures for the RDC include improved first-time fix rates, reduced repeat contact, improved communications, fewer complaints, and improved resident satisfaction. The full impact assessment is expected in the new year, with a site visit proposed for the new year and a further update on performance and resident outcomes to be provided towards the end of the financial year once sufficient data is available to evaluate the benefits and impact of the new model.
Discussions also highlighted the importance of resident feedback, with Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) indicating that communication, listening, home condition, and repairs are key drivers of overall satisfaction. A 96% stock condition survey coverage has been achieved, providing a comprehensive understanding of housing stock, with 94% of surveyed homes meeting the Decent Homes Standard.
Councillor Martin raised questions about the categorization of repair calls, response times, and the role of the Diagnostics Centre. Jed Livermore, Divisional Director from Wates, explained that emergency repairs are expected to be visited within four hours, urgent repairs within five days, and routine repairs within 28 days. He also clarified that the Diagnostic Centre uses a combination of a repair finder system and human interaction to diagnose issues.
Councillor Walkley inquired about the out-of-hours phone service, which is outsourced to a contractor who then liaises with Wates. Performance reports are received for the out-of-hours telephony, and the repairs operations manager reviews these. Joint meetings have been set up with Wates to discuss any issues encountered. Challenges have included jobs being raised as emergencies that are not emergencies, which is being addressed by ensuring the contractor has the right level of conversation with residents. Generally, there are not many complaints regarding the out-of-hours telephony.
Councillor Joy asked about sustaining the reduction in overdue repairs, and Samuel Taylor, Operations Manager, explained that Wates had increased capacity and that ongoing monitoring of key performance indicators was crucial.
Councillor Wheeler questioned how to ensure the sustainability of improvements, particularly when a contract is nearing renewal. The panel was informed that efforts were being made to prevent complaints by improving communication and services at the front end. Current average wait times for call handling have been up to 40-50 minutes. Efforts to reduce this include improved staffing levels and ensuring coverage across the phone lines. The meeting also noted that providing in-time updates to residents about their repairs would negate the need to call for updates, thus reducing demand and wait times.
Councillor Nasimi inquired about using data from councillor inquiries to identify trends, and Samuel Taylor confirmed that trend analysis is being conducted on councillor inquiries to identify trends and areas of concern. The specific types of repair issues most frequently flagged by councillors were not detailed.
Councillor Maximova asked about leaseholder access to repair services, and it was explained that leaseholders generally use the same contact number, though the Section 20 process can extend repair timelines. To mitigate these extended timelines, there is a focus within the repairs reprocurement to do that process at the start, so having some really good engagement with leaseholders, so not just council residents, but leaseholders as well, so that we don't have to go through that Section 20 process each time there's a repair on a property.
Councillor Jarman asked about the council's relationship with Axis, another contractor, and was informed that Axis handles voids, disrepairs, and pest control, and was not included in this specific meeting's focus 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 panel reviewed its draft work programme for 2026/2027. It was agreed that a site visit to the Repairs Diagnostic Centre would be scheduled for the new year, with a further update on its performance to follow.