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Orbit Heart of EnglandAnnual Report to Customers

April 2011 to March 2012

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ContentsWelcome to the Annual Report 3

Tenant Involvement and Empowerment Standard 4-8

Home Standard 9-12

Tenancy Standard 13

Neighbourhood and Community Standard 14-16

Value for Money Standard 17-18

Rent Standard 19

Governance and Financial Viability 20

Continuing the journey… 21

How we compare with other housing providers 22

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Over the year, Orbit Heart of England has worked hard to provide better services to its 14,500 customers. We have been in great demand, dealing with over 65,000 repairs, nearly a quarter of a million telephone calls, housing 1,200 new customers and building over 400 new homes. But what is important is getting our services right for you, our customers.

We have achieved a lot in the last 12 months. But we know there are some parts of our service that we must improve if we are to provide great services to you. So this report is a way of showing you, honestly, what we have achieved and what we still need to work on.

We have split this report into sections. Each section covers one of the standards that our regulator, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), looks at - so you can see how our services measure up to them. These HCA standards are also our Orbit Heart of England Service Standards – what the HCA would call our ‘local offers’.

By working with customers, the most important service standards have been identified and this report shows how we have performed in the year.

You can also read about the work we have been doing in local communities, providing other services and working on new projects that are important to local neighbourhoods or particular groups of customers. You can find more information and how we performed against all our service standards for 2011/12 on our website. www.orbitheartofengland.org.uk

We hope you find this year’s report interesting and informative. We welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing your views. You can do this by completing the enclosed feedback form.

Welcome to this year’s Annual Report to customers

Green – Target achieved

Amber – Target was not achieved but performance was better than last year

Red – Target was not achieved

We are committed to putting the customer first to ensure that you are at the forefront of our thinking and consistently get the quality service you deserve.

WHAT WE DID

• Trainedover70%ofstaffonCustomerService(known as Customer First) so they know what it means and what they must do to meet it.

• Introducedthe‘CustomerSpotlight’award;achievedInvestorsinPeopleandInvestorsinExcellenceawards.

• Providedstaffwithmobiletechnology,suchasiPads,so they have the information they need wherever they are, helping to improve efficiency and to provide better customer service.

• Workedwithcustomerstoreviewandupdateourwebsite, making it easier to use.

• ExpandedtheuseoftheCustomer Secure area on the website. You can view charges and payments, update your personal details and contact us.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• ContinuetotrainstaffonCustomerServicewiththeaim of improving how we communicate with you.

• WorkwiththeCustomerServiceCentretoimprovethe efficiency and quality of the service we provide.

• Developdigitaltechnologyprojectssoit’seasierforyou to access our services and to help improve communications.

• Makemoreimprovementstoourwebsiteincludingself-help money advice tools.

Tenant involvement and empowerment standard - customer service

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126 staffnominated by customers forthe Customer

Spotlight award

Facts and Figures64% are satisfied that we are able to resolve their queries83% of customers are satisfied that they are kept informed about things that affect them69% of our customers say that their last query was answered in a reasonable timescale

Calls answered at our Customer Service Centre within 20 seconds 59%

Customers satisfied with the service provided by the Customer Service Centre 95%

Sometimes things don’t go as they should. Last year we received 301 formal complaints which were dealt with through our formal complaints policy.

The Customer Service Centre handled 243,000 calls during the year. On average, that’s17foreveryhousehold.

WHAT WE DID

• Updatedourcomplaintspolicy and procedures to make sure the service is fair and you can access it easily.

• Concentratedonworking out what has gone wrong when you

first tell us.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Providefurthertrainingtostaffonhowtodealwithcomplaints (part of our Customer First development).

• Improvehowwelearnfromourmistakesandtell you what we have done about them on our website and newsletter.

• Lookatotherorganisationswhoachievegreatcustomer satisfaction and learn from them so we can improve ourselves.

Tenant involvement and empowerment standard - complaints

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What you complained about

1)Responsiverepairsservice73%

2)Nonmaintenancecomplaint10%

3)Plannedmaintenance9%

4)Staffcomplaint5%

5)Gasservicing&breakdown2%

6)CustomerServiceCentre1%

What we did as a result of your complaint

1)Correctiveactiontaken56%

2)Compensationpaymentmade22%

3)Adviceprovidedtothecustomer12%

4)Nofurtheractionwasrequired5%

5)Miscellaneous5%

Complaints responded to within fourteen days72%

Customers satisfied with how their complaint was handled 51%

Complaints formally acknowledged within three calendar days 87%

To make sure that we are putting our customers first, we work with customers to review and improve our services. Over the last year, there have been even more opportunities for customers to have their say.

WHAT WE DID

Improved our customer communications:

• WorkedwithcustomersonthisAnnualReport;gotfeedback on improving our website from over 20 customersusinganonlinesurvey;sentoutInvolvementNewstointerestedcustomers.

• TheReaders’Panelmadesurepoliciesandleafletswereclearandinformative;theEditorialPanelmettoreview the Heart of the Matter newsletter.

• Invitedcustomerstoprovidehonestfeedbacktostaffabouttheirgoodandbadexperiencesofourservices.

• Providedtrainingtoover160customers.

Improved a range of customer services:

• TheCustomerScrutinyGroup(CSG)lookedatkitchenandbathroomrefurbishments;theirrecommendations were put in place to improve services.

• Customerfocusgroupslookedathowhomeimprovements and rent statements could be made better.

• Developedanewapproachtocustomerinspectionusing the CSG to look at links between our repairs service and the Customer Service Centre.

• Usingindependenttelephoneandpostalsurveys, got feedback from over 4,500 customers on their experiencesofallourservices.Thisisusedtoplanservice improvements.

Provided other types of involvement for customers:

• ReviewedourBoardmembership;twooutofsevenBoard places are held by customers maintaining a strongcustomerinfluenceatthislevel.

• Trainedcustomerstobepartofthecommunityinvestment panel.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

In2011,wemadechangestothecustomerinvolvementteam. This year, working with staff and customers, that team is doing a major review of customer involvement opportunities to plan how we operate in the future. This includesexpandingtherangeofactivitiesweoffer,improving how we communicate and share achievements and how we review our effectiveness.

Tenant involvement and empowerment standard - involvement & impact

69% ofcustomers are

satisfied that their views are taken

into account

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Number of additional customers expressing an interest in being involved 624

The Customer Scrutiny Group (CSG) is a voluntary group of customers from across Orbit Heart of England who look at and monitor the day to day functioning of Orbit Heart of England.

WHAT CUSTOMER SCRUTINY ACHIEVED

The CSG completed the first scrutiny review on kitchen and bathroom refurbishments and whether customers were satisfied with the service. A detailed report, along with recommendations on where the service could be improved, was presented to the Orbit Heart of England Board in June 2011. Some of the CSG recommendations are already in place. These include:

• Customerlettershavebeenchangedwithnewinsertstoclearlyexplaintherefurbishmentprocess,includingwhatisknownas‘TheDeal’documentanda detailed Frequently Asked Questions sheet.

• Improvementshavebeenmadetotakeintoconsideration individual customer requirements such as vulnerability and disabilities.

• TheCustomerServiceCentrehasnowgotdetailsrelating to the kitchens and bathrooms programme so they can handle requests more efficiently.

• TheSiteSupervisorwilladvisethecustomerofanychanges they need to be aware of while work is taking place.

Inaddition:

• NewCSGmemberswererecruitedand,alongwithexistingmembers,wereprovidedwithtrainingtohelp them understand their role.

• TheCSGbegananewprojectlookingatwhycustomers have to chase up repairs.

• Customerinspectorshadtheopportunitytogoandobserve the Customer Service Centre.

WHAT IS PLANNED

• Completethereporting of repairs project and present our findings to the Orbit Heart of England Board.

• Completeatleastone other project.

• RecruitnewCustomerScrutinymembers.

• Publishinformationaboutscrutinyandtheworkthathas been done on the Orbit Heart of England website. www.orbitheartofengland.org.uk

Tenant involvement and empowerment standard - Scrutiny

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Kitchen Refurbishments – The Deal This document is sent to all customers who are due to have a new kitchen installed as part of our 2012/13 Home Improvement Programme. The purpose is to inform customers what they can expect of us and conversely what we expect from you in relation to the installation of a new kitchen. Kitchen refurbishments are potentially the most disruptive and complex of our ‘Home Improvement’ projects. And as such need careful planning and your full co-operation at all stages, to ensure the finished product meets your expectations and our own. A kitchen refurbishment can be split into two basic phases:- Pre- Installation Phase and Installation Phase Throughout the Pre-Installation Phase you will have a say in the design and planning of your new kitchen. You will need to make choices in relation to the layout, colour and style, in discussion with our staff and/or our representatives. The installation will be carried out by Property Matters, our ‘In-House’ maintenance service provider. All our staff and representatives carry identification, so please ensure you ask to see for proof of identification when they come to your home.

Tenant involvement and empowerment standard - responding to the diverse needs of our customersOver the last year, we continued to develop our understanding of customer needs and delivering services which meet those needs.

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Facts and Figures87% of customers believe Orbit Heart of England treats them fairly

97% of customers were satisfied with the aids & adaptations service

57 wet rooms installed

WHAT WE DID

• Continuedtoupdatetheequalityanddiversitydatafornewandexistingcustomers.

• Usedtheinformationforlongertermplanning,suchas our older persons’ strategy. We also put the informationtopracticaluse;forexample,givingPropertyMattersinformationonwhethertheyneedtogiveyouextratimetogettothedoor.

• Completedaserviceimprovementprojectforouraidsandadaptationsservice;introducedacustomerapprovedleaflettoexplaintheservice.

• Workedwithouroldertenantstohelpimprovetherent statement information.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Improvehowwemanageouraidsandadaptationsservice.

• Continuetotailorourservicesusingtheinformationyou provide.

• Developastrategytohelpusworkwithcustomerswho live with dementia.

• Lookatoptionstoautomaticallyprovidethequarterlyrentstatementleafletsinalternativeformatsandlanguages.

• Provideadditionaltrainingtostaffaspartofour

Customer Service training.

Information held regarding our customers 98%

Home standard - responsive repairs

The repairs service is one of the most important services for our customers. Over 65,000 repairs were reported between April 2011 and March 2012 with the vast majority being delivered by our in-house repairsteam,PropertyMatters.

WHAT WE DID

• Usedtextmessagestoimprovecommunicationso that you know when your repair or annual gas service would be completed

• GotpeoplewiththerightskillsandputtherightsparesonthevansoPropertyMatterscouldfixmore repairs at the first visit.

• Extendedavailableappointmenttimestocomplete the annual gas service.

• Gotanindependentassessmentonhowweareperforming to identify strengths and weaknesses.

• Askedover2,000customershowtheyfeltwhen we did a repair in their home to see what is working well and where we still need to make improvements.

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Facts and Figures99.7% of properties had a valid landlord’s safety certificate as at 31st March 2012

Over 10,500 properties had their gas installations serviced using Property Matters gas engineers

Over 400,000 miles driven and 90,000 litres of fuel used delivering the maintenance service in 2011/12

93% of customers were satisfied with the service provided during their annual gas service

More than 1 in 4 of our repairs are treated as an emergency (within 4 or 24 hours)

Home standard - responsive repairs continued

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Continuetoimprovetheskillsofourworkforceandwhatsparestheycarrytocompletemorejobsonfirstvisitandincrease the number of jobs staff can complete each day.

• WorkwiththeCustomerServiceCentretoimprovehowrepairsarediagnosedsomoreofyourcallscanberesolved without the need to speak with someone else.

• Increasethelevelofcustomerinvolvementtohelpimprovethisservice.

• Changehowwescheduletheannualgasserviceprogrammetoincreaseperformance.

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Customers telling us that the job was completed at the first visit 76%

Customers telling us that an appointment was provided for their repair 78%

Customers satisfied with the repairs service 82%

Home standard - quality of accommodation; improving homes; planned worksInvestinginourpropertiesandyourhomeisamajorcommitmenteachyear.Deliveringahighqualityservice is critical so, like the repairs service, most of our home improvement work is now done by our PropertyMattersteam.

WHAT WE DID

• Completedamajorserviceimprovementreviewofhow we manage home improvements.

• UsedtheCustomerScrutinyGrouptochallengeourperformance.

• Improvedtheinformationtocustomerswhoarehaving work completed.

• Investedover£7millioninhomeimprovements.

• Reducedthenumberofhomeswhicharefailingthedecent homes standard.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Increasecustomersatisfactionbycontinuingtomakeimprovements following the service improvement review.

• Askcustomershowtheyfeelaswecompleteworktoimprove their home so we know whether the improvements are working.

• ImproveITsystemstohelpmanageourhomeimprovement works.

• Makesurewemeetthenewlegislationregardingasbestos.

• Targetpropertieswhicharepoorinenergyefficiencyto help reduce customers’ gas and electricity bills.

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Facts and Figures89% of customers are satisfied with the quality of their home

£1.4m invested in new bathrooms

£4.5m invested in kitchens

90% of customers were satisfied with the choices available as part of the kitchen and bathroom programme

Customers satisfied with the Planned Maintenance service 86%

Home standard - sustainability

Over the last year, we focused on reducing energy bills and tackling fuel poverty. ‘Fuel poverty’ is where families cannot afford to keep adequately warm at reasonable cost.

WHAT WE DID

• Investedover£100,000toimprovetheinsulationof671properties.

• Invested£60,000toinsulateandrendertheundersideoffloorsto13bedsitflatsatTanyardFarm,Coventry to stop heat loss.

• Invested£360,000installinggroundsourceheatpumps to over 30 properties.

• Gotexternalfundingofover£280,000tohelpuspayfor sustainability improvements.

• Installedbothsolarthermalandairsourceheatingtoproperties in the Twycross area to reduce heating and domestic hot water bills.

• Employedan‘EnergyDoctor’toprovideadviceonfuel efficiency to help our customers reduce their bills.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Developadviceandguidancegiventocustomersonthe new equipment installed in their homes and reduce their overall energy consumption.

Futher information and advice can be found on our website: www.orbitheartofengland.org.uk

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We plan toinvest over £1.3 million in Orbit

Heart of England homes to reduce

energy bills

Tenancy standard

Weaimtoletourhomesasquicklyandasfairlyaspossible.PropertyMattersteamscompletedmaintenance work to bring the properties up to standard for the incoming customer.

WHAT WE DID

• Customerswereinvolvedindevelopinganewcustomer information pack which replaced the tenants’ handbook.

• Tenancysupportworkers,whoprovideafree,confidentialsupportservice,helped568newandexistingcustomers.

• Obtainedfeedbackfromnearly500customersandused this to track what was working well and what areas needed to be improved.

• DevelopedanewTenant&Rentpolicytorespondtothe new Housing Reform Act.

• Offered all new customers money advice within the first few days of their tenancy starting.

• Workedcloselywithenergyproviderstospeedupthe time it takes to get the power on in our empty properties so we can repair them in a shorter period.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Undertakeareviewofhowweletourshelteredaccommodation with the aim to significantly reduce the time taken.

• ImproveourITsystemtoidentifywheredelaysarehappening and allow us to improve the time taken to let all our properties.

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Facts and FiguresTenancy support service managed to secure over £650,000 in financial gains for customers

General needs properties took, on average, 23 days to let

Sheltered accommodation properties took, on average, 53 days to let

Average number of days it took to re-let general needs and sheltered properties 26 days

Customers satisfied with their new home 94%

Neighbourhood and community – local servicesWhile we have service standards that set out what we promise to do for any Orbit Heart of England customer,ourlocalhousingteamsandOrbitIndependentLiving(OIL)teamshavebeendevelopingadditional services and activities that meet the needs of their particular customers and communities.

WHAT WE DID

• Setupworkclubstohelpcustomersintojobs,byproviding training and support in CV writing and interview techniques.

• Workedinpartnershipwithorganisationstoprovide a range of after-school and school holiday activities for young people.

• Developedaprogrammeofschemeandestateinspections and ‘clean up’ days to improve communal spaces.

• Usedamobileofficetoconsultwithcustomersovermajorimprovementworks;aswellasdevelopnewpartnerships in the area.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DOAlllocalhousingandOILteamswillbeworkingwiththeir local communities to develop new activities that tackle local issues that are important to customers.

The following are just some of those activities:

• Followingextensiveconsultation,agroupofcustomers in Rugby is working with housing staff to oversee a programme of scheme improvements on their estate.

• TheBurtonhousingteamisworkingwithagroupofcustomers to look at the way that the team handles customers’ complaints and how they can improve the service.

• InHinckley,housingstaffareworkingalongsidemembersofourIncomeandMoneyAdviceteamstoprovide information and advice to customers who are affected by government changes to housing and other benefits.

• TheStratfordTownteamislookingatdifferentmethods to tackle low level Anti-Social Behaviour. Customers will have the opportunity to work with the team to see how effective these methods are.

• Workcloselywithcustomersonacasebycasebasisto resolve issues and identify solutions regarding insufficient parking.

MoredetailsonwhatlocalhousingandOILteamshave been working on are available on our website www.orbitheartofengland.org.uk

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Facts and Figures89% of customers are satisfied with their local neighbourhood

61% of customers were satisfied with our Estate Service

64% of customers think that their service charge provides good value for money

Neighbourhood and community – building brighter futuresOrbit Heart of England is a major investor in local communities. Working with customers and other community representatives,wehavespentover£600,000tohelpmakeadifferencetolocalpeople’slives.

WHAT WE DID

• Spent£209,000onarangeofprojectstoimprovefinancialcapabilities.Forexample,providingfinancialskills training in schools. This helps school leavers gain money management skills and avoid the consequences of debt and unaffordable loans.

• Spent£70,000tosupportresidentsintowork.ThisincludedfundingtwoEmploymentDevelopmentOfficers to provide personal support to help our customers into work.

• Spent£190,000toempowercustomerstolivesafe,independent lives. This included providing technology upgrades in sheltered housing schemes (eg. fitting vibratingpillowsandflashingbeaconstoalertsomeone with a hearing impairment should a fire alarm go off) and the warden call systems at a number of schemes.

• Spent£134,000totackleAnti-SocialBehaviour and provide youth inclusion projects, including a number of summer holiday and evening events.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Increasetheamountwespendoncommunityimprovementinitiativestonearly£1million.

• Wewillhelpcustomersintoemploymentandwewillalso create 16 new apprenticeships, work with credit unions to provide savings schemes and affordable credits and invest in young people’s activities.

• Continuetoworkwithcustomersandstaff,aswellasindependent advisers, to make decisions about where we spend some of this money.

• Domoreworkwithprivatesectorcompanies,whichmay bring additional money, skills sharing and volunteer help for our communities.

• Lookforfundingfromoutsidesourceswhichwillincrease what we can do to improve our neighbourhoods.

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More details are available on our websitewww.orbitheartofengland.org.uk

We spent £134,000 to tackle

Anti-Social Behaviour and provide youth inclusion projects

Neighbourhood and community - dealing with Anti-Social BehaviourLast year, there were 252 cases reported to us relating to Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) on our estates and schemes. Many cases were dealt with quickly by our Community Housing Officers but some of them needed us to take firmer action.

WHAT WE DID

•Servednoticesforpossessionanddemotion;obtainedinjunctions.

• UsedAcceptableBehaviourContracts.

• Workedinpartnershipwithfamilyintervention projects.

• Workedwithlocalauthoritiestoservenoise abatement notices.

• Providedeveningandschoolholidayactivities in some areas to reduce young people’s involvement in anti-social activities.

• ImprovedthedesignofsomeestatestopreventorreducecrimeandASB;forexample,better lighting, CCTV, lockable gates for alleyways.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• ReviewourASBprocedurestomakesuretheyofferthe best possible service to our customers and that the procedures take any changes to the law into account.

• Continuetoworkwithlocalcommunitiesandpartneragencies to carry out improvements to areas to prevent or reduce crime and disorder.

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Customers contacted within timescales when they have reported an ASB problem 98%

Customers satisfied with how their ASB case was handled 69%

Value for money

We are always looking for ways to improve what we do for our customers, making sure we use our money and resources in the most effective ways.

As we are a not-for-profit organisation, any surpluses (money left over after we have met all of our costs) goes back in to the business. This helps us to build more homes or provide new services like money advice. Lastyear,itmeantwecouldspendanextra£500,000oncommunityprojects.

Over the year, our staff found lots of ways in which they could make savings in everything they did. The total valueoftheseeverydaysavingscametoover£160,000.

WHAT WE DID

• £11,000savedbybuyinglandregistrydatafromanother supplier.

• £8,000savedbyusingourin-houserepairsteam,PropertyMatters,toinstalltrafficcalmingmeasures.

• £3,600savedinstafftrainingbydeliveringWelfareReformBriefingsfromanin-houseexpert.

• £2,000savedinbankingcostsbyencouraging137customers to change their payment method to direct debitinexchangeforrewardpoints.

• £1,500inpostagesavings.

• £1,000savedbynegotiatingforfreemediationtraining.

• £975savedinstaffingcostsbyimprovingdutyrotas.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Wewillcontinuetolookatwaystoimproveefficiency and provide increased value for money. Some of the details are included in this report within each of the sections.

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Value for money

Here is some information on where our income came from and what we did with it last year. We have addedabreakdownofotherincomeandotherexpenditure.

Note1-Duetochangesinaccountingrulessomeelementsofplannedmaintenancecostsarenowcapitalised(ie.afixed,one-timeexpense).Thesearewrittenofftotheaccountsdependingontheassumedlifeoftheplannedassetandareshownasdepreciation.During2011/12wespent£7,021,000whichincludedreplacementkitchens,bathroomsandboilers.

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Income Total % £ £ Rent collected 59,882,000 76%Service charges 3,917,000 5%Support charges 1,902,000 2%Property sales 9,059,000 12%Other - see below 3,549,000 5%

Management services 123,000 Services to Group members 655,000 Home ownership services 530,000 Other social housing activities 927,000 Non social housing activities 1,303,000 Interestreceivableandsimilarincome 11,000

78,309,000

Spend £ £ Routine maintenance 15,850,000 25%Planned maintenance - see Note 1 below 6,362,000 10%Service costs 3,919,000 6%Support costs 2,285,000 4%Management 8,757,000 13%Interest on loan charges 15,673,000 24%Depreciation of housing properties - see Note 1 below 6,854,000 11%Other - see below 4,542,000 7%

Management services 55,000 Services to Group members 790,000 Home ownership services 635,000 Other social housing activities 1,227,000 Non social housing activities 1,368,000 Rent loss from bad debts 396,000 Pension 71,000

64,242,000 Surplus before transfer to reserves 14,067,000

We plan to run a major information campaign on welfare benefit changes to improve customers’ awareness

Rent

Over the last year we continued to reduce the level of rent owed to us by improving how we manage our accounts, providing rewards for on-time payments and supporting those most in need through our money advice team.

WHAT WE DID

• Introducedfasterpaymentssomoneyreachestherent account sooner.

• ImprovedtheinformationprovidedtotheCustomerService Centre, and staggered our rent statements, so they can handle your queries better.

• Improvedtheinformationonrentstatementsandonour website to make it more customer-friendly.

• Provideddedicatedrentsupportforallnewtenantsbefore and shortly after their tenancy begins to help with benefits and payment.

• Trainedourstaffonchangestothebenefitssystemsso we can give good advice to customers.

• Increasedthenumberoflocalandnationalsupplierswhere reward points can be redeemed.

WHAT WE PLAN TO DO

• Runamajorinformationcampaignonwelfarereformto improve customers’ awareness.

• Introduceweeklyandfortnightlydirectdebitpaymentoptions and increase the number of monthly dates available.

• Introducemorerobustchecksbeforeacustomersigns up for their tenancy to make sure they can pay the rent and identify any support needed.

• Increasethesupportavailabletoourcustomersviaour money advice service.

• Continuetoexpandourrewardschemewithmorecustomers and more suppliers involved.

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Overall level of arrears at 31st

March 2012 was 3.4% - down from the previous year

Facts and Figures93% of customers were satisfied with our money advice service

89 customers were supported by our money advice team during the year

97% of customers were satisfied with the range of payment methods available

Our maintenance budget for 2012-13 is £24 million

Governance and financial viability

TheBoardisresponsiblefortherunningofOrbitHeartofEngland.Duringtheyearanumberofchangeswere made which reduced the overall number of Board members but still kept a strong customer representation with two customers sitting on the Board.

Overall,attheendoftheyear,wehadachievedasurplusof£14.1mtoreinvestinthebusinessandintoourneighbourhoods and communities.

Our strong financial performance gives confidence to our customers, regulator, funders and other stakeholdersthatwecandeliverexistingandnewservices.

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Continuing the journey…

So that was a round up of last year’s achievements. While there were many successes in improving our services to customers and communities, we know there is more to do if we are to be the best that we possibly can be.

Inthecomingyear,weareconcentratingonimproving our main customer service areas including:•Ourrepairsservice•Thewaywelethomes•TheCustomerServiceCentre•Estateservices•Complaintshandling•Involvingcustomers

By listening to and involving our customers, learning from other organisations who are providing better quality and more efficient services, and by continuously challenging ourselves to be better at what we do, we aim to make Orbit Heart of England not just good at what it does, but a truly great organisation.

Thatmeans,bynextyear,wewanttoshowthatourperformanceputsuswithinthetop25%ofhousingproviders. This will not be easy, especially when there are big changes happening in the housing world. For customers and for us, one of the biggest changes we need to prepare for will be to welfare benefit rules.

Looking even further ahead, to 2020 and beyond, we are already developing plans for how the organisation needs to change to stay ahead of our competitors and continue to build brighter futures for people and our communities. So while we may not be there yet in all areas, we hope you can see we are working on all the right things to reach our destination.

brighter futures for peopleand communities

Thank youWe have been working closely with customers to write this report and make sure that it gives you information that is useful, understandable and interesting.

Many thanks to all members of the customer working group and the Readers’ Panelwhohaveputinalotoftimetohelpusgetthewordsright,andthemessagesmeaningful.Yourfeedbackhasbeeninvaluable.Ifyouwanttobeinvolvedinhelpingusdevelopnextyear’sAnnualReporttocustomersthenplease e-mail us at involvement@orbit.org.uk

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Thankyou

How we compare against other housing providersThe table below shows how our performance compares against similar housing providers. We compared ourselves againsthousingproviderswhohavemorethan5,000propertiesandworkacrossmorethansixlocalauthorityareas.

Orbit Heart of England owns over 14,500 properties across the Midlands operating in 26 local authority areas.

Tenant involvement & empowerment

Tenant involvement & empowerment

Tenant involvement & empowerment

Tenant involvement & empowerment

Home

Home

Home

Neighbourhood & community

Neighbourhood & community

Tenancy

Neighbourhood & community

Value for money

Rent

Customers satisfied overall with Orbit Heart of England as a landlord

Customers satisfied with how their complaint was handled

Customers satisfied with the outcome of their complaint

Customers satisfied that their views are listened to and will be acted upon

Customers satisfied with the repairs service

Customers satisfied with the overall quality of their home

Percentage of properties with a valid gas safety certificate as at 31st March 2012

Customers satisfied with how their Anti-Social Behaviour case was handled

Customers satisfied with the outcome of their Anti-Social Behaviour case

Average time taken to re-let a property

Customers satisfied with their neighbourhood as a place to live

Percentage of customers who feel that their rent provides value for money

The level of overall arrears including housing benefit

We are in the top25%

We are above average but not quite great yet

We are below average

We are in the bottom 25%

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All customer satisfaction results quoted in this report are taken from our ongoing independent ‘Moments of Truth’ surveys or our annual ‘Have Your Say’ survey.

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Please note: If you need this document translated (or in a different format, large print, Braille or audio) please contact our Customer Service Centre on 0345 8 500 500 or e-mail us at info@orbit.org.uk

Kurdish

Se necessitar deste documento traduzido (ou em formato diferente, impressão de maior formato, Braille ou áudio), contacte o centro de apoio a clientes em 0345 8 500 500 ou envie uma mensagem de correio electrónico para info@orbit.org.uk

Portuguese

Polish

Punjabi

www.orbitheartofengland.org.ukHeart of England Housing Association Ltd (exempt charity)

Registered office: 10 Greenhill Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6LGIndustrial and Provident Number: 304466R

Homes & Communities Agency Registration Number L4526