We love hearing your feedback, as the residents living in the homes that we manage, and the communities that they make up, it is important to us that you know that you have a voice that is being listened to.
Below are some great examples of how your feedback has helped to shape our actions and decisions, thank you for always helping us do better by sharing your experiences.
You Said... |
We Did... |
| You want clearer rent statements and better updates about planned works in your area. |
We used your feedback to shape our communication strategy - making sure the information we send is relevant, timely, and easier to understand. We are now working with a new resident Resident Editorial Panel to refresh our rent statements and make them clearer. We're also exploring better ways to keep you informed about planned works, with more consultation to come. |
| You like Insight magazine - but think it could be less corporate and more about real residents and real stories. | We created a resident Editorial Panel to help shape the magazine. Their ideas are already making Insight more interesting and engaging. |
| You want performance information to be easier to access - and for estate noticeboards to be updated more regularly. |
We've started sharing quarterly performance updates on noticeboards so everyone can stay in the loop. We are now reviewing our noticeboards across all sites to make sure they're clear, up to date, and full of useful info. |
| The Resident Engagement section of the website is easy to use, but there's not always enough up-to-date info - especially with focus group minutes. | We are setting up a new Resident Engagement Focus Group that will help us keep the website relevant, accurate, and up to date. |
| Repairs and communication are your biggest concerns. You want us to listen - and act. | We're working closely with residents and our repairs contractor on a service improvement plan. We're also making sure You Said, We Did updates are shared in Insight, so everyone sees how we're responding to feedback. |
| Don't just send letters - keep us updated in a variety of ways. | Your feedback helped shape our Communication Strategy, and we're committed to keeping in touch through a mix of channels. Many of you said you'd like texts - and we're actively looking into that. |
| You told us which performance indicators about ASB and Hate Crime matter most - and how you'd like to see them shared. | We're now including ASB performance in our quarterly updates - visible on noticeboards, our website, and social media. |
| You prefer the terms "resident" or "tenant" - not customer, which doesn't reflect your relationship with SEH. | We've shared this across SEH. We're updating our policies and communications to reflect your preferred terms. |
You Said... |
We Did... |
| You'd like to see more short surveys linked to services - and want your feedback to actually lead to change. | We've started rolling out transactional surveys for temporary accommodation and resident engagement - and we are working with ATF to run short surveys at family sessions and youth clubs to find out what events you would like and how safe you feel in your area. We will use your feedback to shape future activities and let you know what changes have been made. |
| You told us you don't always feel safe living in your communities and that concerns about anti-social behaviour or even criminal activity can affect your ability to fully enjoy your homes and neighbourhoods. | We asked ATF (Achieve, Thrive, Flourish) to start working in several areas of Southend with a focus on helping young people, who might have been at risk of causing problems in their neighbourhood, to get involved and make a positive contribution to their areas. Through volunteering and accessing training, these young people have developed new skills and have gone on to secure jobs and 'pay it forward' by sharing their experience with other young people. |
| Residents in Shoebury told us you had concerns about County Lines | We worked in partnership with ATF (Achieve, Thrive, Flourish) to hold Positive Future Course at Shoeburyness High School, including 1-2-1 mentoring support with young people at risk of exploitation by gangs. |
| The Resident Engagement Team reached out to our Resident Advisory Panel (RAP) to gather their thoughts on the training opportunities provided by South Essex Homes for residents. We received an excellent response, with numerous valuable suggestions, including topics such as IT training, First Aid, learning English, Fire Safety, Recycling, and Health and Nutrition. | We sourced a variety of free online courses for our residents, covering many of these areas. These courses are now accessible through the South Essex Homes website: Resident Training | South Essex Homes |
| We need to ensure that our Resident Advisory Panel (RAP) represents the diverse communities within South Essex Homes. | We conducted an equality analysis of the RAP and identified an underrepresentation of younger residents and residents from diverse ethnic communities, as well as an overrepresentation of disabled residents. In response, we have actively promoted the RAP to underrepresented groups to encourage wider participation and ensure that all resident voices are heard. |
You Said... |
We Did... |
| Sending surveys to properties rather than to each household member felt unfair and meant fewer people could take part. | Moving forward, we will send surveys to each household member to ensure that everyone in your home can participate. |
| Having a welcome letter for new residents would be a good idea. We asked if residents would co-design this with us as current residents have first hand experience and insights living in Sheltered accommodation. | We are working with residents to design a 'Welcome Letter' that will provide an introduction to the Sheltered scheme for new residents helping them feel included and part of the community from the start. It will include details about communal areas, activities, and any support services. It will also include contact details for repairs and tenancy ensuring that residents know whom to reach out to with questions or concerns. We are working with residents in each scheme so that the welcome letter is tailored specifically to the unique characteristics of their scheme, ensuring that new residents receive relevant information that reflects their new community. |
You Said... |
We Did... |
| You preferred the use of 'temporary accommodation' to the term 'hostel'. You felt that residents entering temporary accommodation may carry a stigma associated with transient or temporary living situations. | This was raised at one of our Staff Briefings so staff are aware to be mindful of the language they use and to communicate in a way that respects residents' dignity which can help shift perceptions. We are sharing more positive outcomes and success stories from residents living in temporary accommodation. We have set up monthly coffee mornings, and held a workshop around positive affirmations for new art work in the communal lounge. |
| Residents asked if the communal lounge could be painted so that there is a space for adults as well as children, somewhere to sit and relax. | We reached out to one of our contractors, Bell Group, who were happy to start working on this project. We set up coffee mornings with the contractor and residents to discuss the paint colours, adult and children's furniture options, layout and other elements of the communal lounge. We asked the children for their ideas and they asked for a rainbow, and each child to have their handprint on the wall! We held a workshop where residents worked together to create pieces that reflect their individual stories making the space truly represent the residents who live there. The redecoration was a success and residents now have a welcoming space to relax in and to come together for events. |
| Can anything be done with the unused shed in the garden at Chaucer House, it was suggested that it could be turned into a sensory, multifunctional room. You also told us that this would help enormously for children with ADHD living in temporary accommodation. | Working with our contractor, we have transformed the shed into what is now called the Calm Cottage. It has been freshly painted, and an artist is creating murals on the outside. We have furnished it using feedback gathered through resident surveys to ensure it reflects what residents said they would find most useful and welcoming. We are now adding the finishing touches ahead of its opening in May. |
| Could we improve the garden areas in temporary accommodation to make them brighter and more colourful, creating more welcoming outdoor spaces. | Working with HARP and residents, we have started designing these areas through workshops and meet-and-greet sessions, making sure the spaces reflect what residents want and need. The work is due to start in May 2026. |
You Said... |
We Did... |
| You citied health concerns as a major issue on some estates and one resident suggested a diabetic drop-in clinic. | A drop-in clinic was set up in partnership with the Queensway Matters Group, local charitable organisation Vineyard (who operate the Storehouse) and local GP (General Practice) surgery to deliver diabetic checks. |
| You asked if we could help provide chair-based exercise sessions in your communal space. You told us you wanted support to keep fit and maintain your independence. | We worked with ATF to put arrangements in place to deliver regular chair-based exercise sessions, starting at the end of April. This is part of our commitment to supporting you to stay active, healthy, and independent for longer. |
You Said... |
We Did... |
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The Neighbourhood Focus Group said the noise reporting app is easy to use but could be improved, including longer recording times, better sound capture, and clearer information on how reports are used and acted on. |
We did take this feedback on board, are exploring improvements to functionality, and will ensure clearer communication on how evidence is used and how action is taken. |
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Following feedback from residents in the Planned Maintenance Focus Group, we've worked with them to develop a survey, like our You Said, We Did updates on the website. |
The survey will be sent to all residents on completion of works to help us improve our services. Residents can complete it online or via paper, with support available if needed. |
| The Leaseholder Focus Group raised that there aren't many stories aimed at leaseholders in Insight. | We featured a Day in the Life of a Leaseholder article, which received excellent feedback. |
| The Income Focus Group thought that residents would benefit from face-to-face support with Universal Credit and other services. | We held a pop-up session at Sandpiper on 3rd September 2025. It was well attended and residents told us they'd like more sessions across the city - which we are now planning. |
| The Complaints Review Panel suggested that new residents should be informed about their option to apply for a water meter to help manage utility costs. | We have included this information in the new property welcome packs, ensuring all new residents are aware of this option from the start of their tenancy. |
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The Disability and Carers Focus Group said that fire Safety is a key concern, particularly around preventing home fires and understanding what to do in an emergency. |
We arranged for our fire safety officer to deliver a presentation to the focus group providing practical advice on fire prevention and staying safe at home. |
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Members of the Responsive Repairs Focus Group said that the welcome box would benefit from including a cleaning cloth. |
We spoke to the contractors, and a cleaning cloth has been added to the welcome box for new residents. |
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It was suggested that High Rise Living Focus Group meetings should be hybrid and that estate days and meet and greet events could be held at weekends or later in the evenings. |
We held the last meeting as a hybrid session and will offer this going forward and will also explore more flexible timings for estate days and meet and greet events including looking at weekend options. |
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The Editorial Board wanted to review Insight earlier, be involved in the new app and website updates, and bring more residents into the group. |
We agreed to review ahead of the summer issue, involve you in the new app and website development, and invite new residents who previously expressed an interest to join. |