Housing Management
The Housing Management department is responsible for the delivery of all services to the Association's tenants. We aim to deliver a high quality service in accordance with the Customer Service Standards agreed with our Tenants Forum on an annual basis. This Annual Report reflects performance in a number of key functions.
Allocations
This year a total of 712 allocations were made in accordance with the Common Selection Scheme. 13% of these were to existing BIH tenants moving within our stock and 22% were made to Housing Executive transfers. Lettings made by our Joint Management partners for temporary accommodation amounted to 582 over the year.
Empty Homes
Voids expressed as a percentage of rent loss significantly reduced from 1.46% to 1.07%. This was within our target for the year. A successful initiative has been the use of ‘To Let’ signs at a number of sheltered dwellings with low waiting lists.
House Sales
The number of houses purchased by tenants increased to 25 this year. For the first time a number of flats have now been sold.
Rent Arrears
Current Tenant Arrears increased to 4.13% of rent receivable. Past Tenant Arrears also rose to 2.79% and Technical Debt reduced to 1.03%. Debt remains an area that requires intensive management and counselling.
Typical Weekly Rent Levels
| One Bedroom Sheltered Flat | £43.10 |
| Two Bedroom Rehabilitated House | £44.18 |
| Three Bedroom New Build Semi-detached House | £66.60 |
Property Services
Repair completions by our contractors and Handyman service were within the following target times:
- Emergency (24 Hours): 82% of 2389 repairs
- Urgent (4 Days): 86% of 3595 repairs
- Routine (28 Days): 89% of 4026 repairs
- Change of Tenancy (15 Days): 83% of 507 repairs
Overall 86% of all repairs were completed on time, which exceeded our target.
984 properties were included in the Cyclical & Planned Maintenance Scheme.
Supported Housing
The Supported Housing section co-ordinates the delivery of our support service and monitor schemes jointly managed by our voluntary sector partners and Health Trusts in order to meet Supporting People requirements. This year the average occupancy rate for our joint management schemes providing accommodation for a number of different client groups was 94%. For Category One schemes for older people there was 98% occupancy and 94% in respect of Category Two schemes.
Tenants Forum
The Tenants Forum and its Executive met eleven times during the year and held its 11th Annual General Meeting in February 2007. Mr Geoff Hindley (Chairman) and Mrs Mavis Hogg MBE (Secretary) also continue to serve on the Board of the Association. The Forum plays an important function in policy making and setting service standards as well as a being a formal consultative body.
Complaints & Compliments
80 written complaints were received and replied to in accordance with the Complaints Policy. We also received 184 compliments about our service.
Staffing
Our properties are managed on a geographical basis with each staff team headed by an Area Housing Manager:
- South/East Team: Marian Cushnan
- South/West Team: Brenda Beeks
- North Team: Alison McBride & Andrea Mitchell (job share arrangement)
These teams comprise of 21 office-based staff including 3 Arrears Officers, 15 Housing and Administrative Officers and 13 Resident Supervisors.
- Property Services Manager: George Downey
This section has 11 staff including 2 Property Surveyors, 3 Technical Officers and 3 Handymen.
- Supported Housing Manager: Louise Roberts
This section has 22 staff including 3 Community Support Officers and 18 Scheme Co-ordinators.
Alan ReaDirector of Housing