Redbridge tenants report increased satisfaction with feeling heard, a new survey reveals, with specific initiatives aimed at strengthening resident voice contributing to the positive shift.
The latest Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) report for 2025/26 indicates an overall improvement in tenant satisfaction, with a notable increase in residents feeling that their views are taken into account and acted upon. This improvement is partly attributed to the establishment of a Resident Influence and Scrutiny Panel (RISP), designed to empower residents in the management of their homes and tenancies. The RISP will have a direct reporting line through the proposed Landlord Services Board to the Lead Member for Housing.
The TSM report, which benchmarks social landlords nationally, showed a statistically significant improvement in tenants feeling listened and responded to,
with satisfaction in this area edging towards 60%. Additionally, perceptions of the council's positive contribution to neighbourhoods also saw an improvement beyond the margin of error. The report also noted a significant reduction in non-decent properties,
decreasing from one in six to one in twenty-five.
However, the report also highlighted areas for improvement. Satisfaction with complaints handling and the upkeep of communal areas
scored lower than the previous year, and there was an increase in Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints received. The time taken to respond to complaints was also outside of landlord standards. An action plan has been agreed with the Housing Ombudsman to address these issues.
Andrew Billini, Director of Housing, stated that while the council is continuously improving,
there are always areas to do better. He noted that while specific bad practices were not outlined, the Preparedness for Housing Inspection
report highlights areas of ongoing activity
that require further work. These include finalizing policies on anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse, updating the tenancy strategy, and developing asset management and engagement strategies. The council also needs to gather more detailed data on tenants' equality categories and review its housing website for accessibility. The roadmap indicates that the council aims to achieve baseline compliance by October 2026 and improve all identified areas by the end of the calendar year.
Ben Tomlinson, Head of Housing Strategy, Quality and Assurance, added that while tenants generally receive a good service, the council needs to better evidence its work through its governance processes.
This involves implementing a new governance model with a Landlord Services Board, chaired by the Lead Member for Housing, Councillor Saima Ahmed. This board will help provide the regulator with evidence of governance and oversight. Policies on anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, tenancy strategy, asset management, and engagement strategies are being finalized and will be taken to cabinet.
The TSM survey for 2025/26 involved a specific sample size that we are required to achieve,
with the methodology set by a third-party company, Quest, which conducts telephone surveys of tenants throughout the year. While the overall satisfaction score was 69%, the exact percentage of tenants who participated is not explicitly stated.
Redbridge's 2025/26 TSM results were described as the best results that we've had
and showed an improvement over the previous year, benchmarking the council nationally. The council aims to achieve a C2 or C1 standard, the highest standard in housing delivery, by 2028 in relation to regulatory inspections.
Further details on the housing committee meeting can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.