Learning from Performance

At South Essex Homes, we continuously review our processes to improve services for our residents. By learning from performance data, resident feedback, and complaints, we have introduced several key changes to enhance efficiency and customer experience.

On this page you will find some of the improvements we have made so far, by making these changes, we are committed to delivering a better experience for all residents. If you have feedback on how we can further improve our services, please get in touch.

Dealing with Anti-Social Behaviour

We know that anti‑social behaviour (ASB) can have a serious impact on people’s homes and wellbeing. Our performance information showed a reduction in satisfaction with how ASB cases were being handled, so we reviewed how the service was set up.  

As a result, we have strengthened our Housing Community Safety Team, which now focuses specifically on ASB and hate crime. This means these often complex and sensitive issues are handled by staff with the right skills and experience.  

At the same time, the Tenancy Team now looks after neighbour behaviours relating to tenancy breaches. This clearer split of responsibilities helps us respond more quickly and effectively and ensures residents know which team to contact for support.  

Responding to Complaints on Time

We closely monitor how quickly we respond to complaints. This showed that we were not always meeting the Housing Ombudsman’s target timescales, which was not good enough for our residents.  

To improve this, we have increased resources in our complaints team. This has given us the extra capacity needed to manage complaints more effectively, even when demand is high.  

These changes mean we are now meeting the required timescales, helping to ensure complaints are handled promptly, fairly, and transparently. Responding on time is an important part of making sure residents feel listened to and treated with respect.  

Keeping Homes Safe with Up-to-Date Electrical Checks

Your safety is a top priority. When reviewing our electrical safety processes, we identified that checks were previously being carried out after certificates had expired. Whilst previously there was no legal requirements for electrical testing to be carried out every 5 years, it was recognised as best practice. This meant that at any time, some homes and communal areas did not have fully up‑to‑date certification.  

To fix this, we introduced a new planned programme that overlaps electrical safety checks. This means inspections are completed before certificates expire, ensuring homes and communal areas always have a valid electrical safety certificate in place.  

This change reduces risk, improves compliance, and gives residents greater assurance that safety checks are being managed proactively.  

Increasing Staff Visibility on Our Estates

Through resident satisfaction surveys, we have heard clearly that many residents feel they do not see SEH staff often enough on their estates. We recognise that seeing staff regularly and being able to identify who we are is important for building trust, reassurance, and stronger relationships with communities. 

We discussed this feedback with our Resident Advisory Panel to understand what would make the biggest difference. A key message was that while staff may already be visiting estates, residents are not always able to distinguish them from contractors or other visitors. 

In response, we are introducing SEH‑branded lanyards and larger, clearer staff badges for colleagues to wear when on site. This will make staff more easily identifiable and help residents recognise when SEH officers are present. 

We are also exploring additional branded items that staff can use while working on estates to further improve visibility and recognition. 

These steps will help ensure that when staff are on site, residents know who we are, why we are there, and feel more confident approaching us for support or advice. 

Making Sure Our Homes Are in Good Condition

We want to be confident that all our homes are safe, well maintained, and meet the Decent Homes Standard. To do this, we carry out stock condition surveys, which are detailed checks of properties to understand their condition and identify any repairs or improvements needed. 

Through reviewing our performance, we recognised that there was more work to do to ensure all properties are inspected at least every five years. These surveys help us:

  • Check that homes remain in good condition
  • Identify any hazards within properties
  • Take quick action where an issue is urgent
  • Plan repairs into our longer‑term works programme where they are not an emergency 

Where a survey identifies an urgent issue, we act quickly to put it right. Where work is not urgent, it is added to our planned programme so it can be addressed in a structured and cost‑effective way. 

To further improve this area, we have worked closely with Southend City Council to secure additional funding. This funding has enabled us to accelerate the survey and improvement programme, with the aim of achieving 100% compliance by March 2027. 

Stock condition surveys are a key tool in helping us understand the overall health of our homes. They ensure we have a clear picture of where investment is needed and provide assurance that our properties continue to meet required standards, now and in the future. 

Improving Our Repairs Service

We recognise that our repairs service is currently underperforming and understand the frustration and inconvenience this can cause for residents. This is something we take very seriously. 

To address this, we have put a Repairs Service Improvement Plan in place. This plan focuses on resolving the underlying issues affecting the service and is being monitored at a senior level to ensure progress is made and improvements are delivered as quickly as possible. 

To strengthen the day‑to‑day management of repairs, we have also employed a Contract Administrator. Their sole focus is to work closely with our repairs contractor to improve performance, communication, and overall service quality. This role provides clear oversight and helps ensure that issues are identified early and addressed promptly. 

In addition, we are investing in new technology that will allow us to carry out our own repairs satisfaction surveys directly with residents. This will give us a more accurate and honest picture of how the service feels for residents, helping us to identify where improvements are needed and track whether changes are making a real difference. 

While we know there is still work to do, these actions demonstrate our commitment to improving the repairs service and delivering a more reliable, responsive, and resident‑focused experience.