Research and analysis

Social Housing Quality Programme: Residents Survey Report executive summary

Published 13 December 2022

Applies to England

Background

1. The Social Housing White Paper, published by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) in November 2020, set out wide ranging reforms designed to improve the quality of social housing, and ensure residents felt safe, listened to, and had access to redress when things go wrong . The Levelling Up White Paper reinforced this commitment to improving quality, setting out the government’s ambition to halve the number of non-decent rented homes by 2030.

2. This research was commissioned by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) to establish robust baseline metrics for the reforms the government is making to improve the quality of social housing. Information will be used to inform next steps, and to measure trends over time, so the impact of the reforms can be measured.

3. The Tenant Satisfaction Measures, which are being delivered by the Regulator of Social Housing, are entirely separate to this research. Whilst some of the questions asked in the survey are similar to the Tenant Satisfaction Measures, data from this survey will not be used to measure the performance of individual landlords.

4. A total of 5,004 social housing residents took part in the survey between 22 March and 11 May 2022. Of these, 2,561 residents took part over the telephone and 2,443 took part online.

Overall service

5. Two-thirds (67%) of residents were satisfied with the service provided by their landlord overall, while just under a fifth (18%) were dissatisfied and 15% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

6. Satisfaction was notably higher among:

• shared owners (82%)
• older residents aged 65-74 (74%) and 75 and over (83%)
• men (70%, compared with 65% of women)
• white residents (69%), compared with 57% of ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities)
• those living in the North of England, particularly the North East (74%)

7. Dissatisfaction was higher than average among:

• those aged between 25 and 54 (22%)
• ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities) (25%)
• those with a Local Authority landlord (21%)
• those living in London (27%)

8. There was some link between these factors, with London residents more likely to have a local authority landlord (40% vs. 27% outside London) or to be from an ethnic minority background (excluding white minorities) (41% vs. 9% outside London).

Maintenance

9. Two-thirds (65%) of residents were satisfied with how well their home was maintained, while a fifth (21%) were dissatisfied. Satisfaction levels by subgroup mirrored those seen at the overall level.

10. The most common reasons given by residents not satisfied with the maintenance of their home were:

• mould, damp, and condensation (55%)
• home insulation (33%)
• ventilation (23%)
• electrical wiring (16%)

Safety

11. The majority (82%) of residents were satisfied that their home was safe to live in, whilst one in ten residents (10%) were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and a similar proportion (8%) were dissatisfied.

12. The most common reasons given by residents not satisfied that their home was safe to live in were the same as those cited as maintenance issues:

• mould, damp, and condensation (56%)
• home insulation (20%)
• ventilation (19%)
• electrical wiring (17%)

Repairs

13. Three-quarters (73%) of residents said they had reported a repair to their landlord in the previous 12 months. Views among them were mixed in terms of the service they had received: around 6 in 10 (58%) were satisfied, but around 3 in 10 (29%) were dissatisfied. When asked to think about their most recent repair that had been resolved, the majority (78%) said they were satisfied with the time taken to complete the repair. Just over 1 in every 10 (14%) said they were dissatisfied.

14. Dissatisfaction was slightly higher amongst:

• those with a non-profit landlord (18%)
• those living in a flat (17%)

Complaints and anti-social behaviour

15. Many, but not all, residents knew how to make a complaint about the service they received from their landlord and/or had heard of the Housing Ombudsman. Awareness was slightly higher for how to make a complaint about their landlord’s service (69%), than for the Housing Ombudsman (59%). Just under half (47%) of residents were aware of both channels, while almost a fifth (18%) were not aware of either. Awareness of complaints channels tended to be higher amongst older residents, male residents and those of a white ethnic background.

16. A quarter (26%) of residents said they had been affected by anti-social behaviour in the previous 12 months. Many (69%) of those who had been affected by anti-social behaviour informed their landlord about it. Just under a third (31%) did not tell their landlord about the anti-social behaviour. The most common reason for this was because they did not think their landlord would do anything about it (40%), while a sizeable proportion did not feel it was the landlord’s responsibility to deal with anti-social behaviour (24%).

17. Amongst those who did inform their landlord about the anti-social behaviour, more than half (54%) were dissatisfied with the landlord’s handling of the case, and with the outcome of the case (55%). Just a quarter (27%) of residents had heard of the Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review arrangements, also known as the community trigger. The Community Trigger gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the ability to demand a formal case review (where a locally defined threshold is met), in order to determine whether there is further action which can be taken. The Community Trigger brings together partner agencies such as the police, councils and social landlords to investigate complaints and to make sure they have been dealt with properly.

Accountability and respect

18. Two-thirds of residents (65%) agreed that their landlord treats them with respect, with a quarter (25%) strongly agreeing. However, more than 1 in 10 (13%) disagreed. Agreement tended to be higher among:

• older residents
• male residents
• white residents
• those living in the North of England

19. Meanwhile, agreement was typically lower among:

• those aged 25-54
• those with a Local Authority landlord
• ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities), female residents,
• those living in London

20. Compared with the proportion agreeing their landlord treated them with respect (65%), it was more common for residents to feel satisfied with their landlord’s professionalism: just over three-quarters (77%) were satisfied, of whom a third (34%) were very satisfied. 1 in 10 (10%) were dissatisfied. Again, older tenants were more positive than younger, as were white residents compared with ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities), while satisfaction was lower among those living in London.

Contact and information sharing

21. The vast majority of residents knew how to get in touch with their landlord (97%). Those who knew how to get in touch were asked how easy they found it to do so: most felt it was easy (71%), although 1 in 7 (14%) reported it was difficult to get in touch with their landlord. Again, older residents and white residents were more likely to find it easy to get in touch with their landlord, while residents in London were less likely to find it easy (58%).

22. Just over three-quarters (77%) of residents agreed that they know how to access information relating to things that matter to them as a resident, while just 8% disagreed that they would know how to access such information. Differences in agreement between demographic groups again followed a similar pattern to that seen across other measures.

Engagement and influence

23. Just over half (52%) were satisfied that their landlord listens to their views and acts upon them, while just under a quarter (23%) were dissatisfied. At the same time, just under six in ten (58%) agreed that they trust their landlord to do what they say they will do, while almost a quarter (24%) disagreed. Across both these measures, older residents, male residents, and white residents were more satisfied with their ability to influence their landlord and more likely to trust their landlord, while residents in London had lower satisfaction and trust.

24. Just under 6 in 10 residents (58%) agreed that their landlord consults them on decisions that impact them and their home, while just under half (49%) agreed that their landlord consults them on decisions that impact their local community and other residents.

25. Most residents (80%) had not been involved with any activities or groups connected to their landlord. The most common involvement was being a Tenant and Resident Association member (8%), followed by attending estate related events such as estate walkabouts, estate events and residents’ meetings (7%). The following types of resident were more likely to participate in several activities or groups:

• male residents
• ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities)
• shared owners
• those living in London

Summary of demographic differences

26. Overall, two-thirds (67%) of residents were satisfied with the service they received from their landlord; however, some groups of residents were less positive across virtually all measures:

• those aged between 25 and 54
• ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities)
• those living in London

27. There was considerable overlap between these groups, as residents living in London were much more likely to be from an ethnic minority background (excluding white minorities) compared to the rest of England (41% vs. 9%), though there was no difference by age. Within London, overall satisfaction levels were at the same level regardless of ethnicity, with equally 56% of white residents and 56% of ethnic minority residents (excluding white minorities) satisfied (although white residents were more likely to be very satisfied). On a positive note, London residents were more likely than the national average to be involved in an activity or group connected to their landlord.

28. Although not the case for all measures, satisfaction and agreement were also often lower for those with a local authority landlord, those living in flats, and female residents.