As the social housing sector shines a spotlight on tenant engagement during #scrutiny week, Berneslai’s report is just one of the many ways in which NFA members – made up of council-owned ALMO housing management organisations – are already working hard to encourage and improve tenant engagement.

Amanda Garrard, Chief Executive at Berneslai Homes said: “I’d like to thank tenants who were involved in putting this report together. It really puts tenants at the heart and provides some real lived experiences and inspiring stories. We’ve committed to providing an excellent customer service and we’ve included some ‘you said, we did’ examples of how we’re improving services and learning from tenant feedback.”

The report looks at building safety, repairs, engaging with tenants, neighbourhood management and complaints handling. The editorial panel was made up of members from the organisation’s residents’ panel, Tenant Voice Panel and Scrutiny Panel. The scrutiny team has recently produced reports on damp and mould and challenged the way Berneslai communicates with residents about planned repairs. 

Currently underway, with the help of involved tenants, is the development of new strategy make sure residents are at the heart of all communication, and to work out new ways of capturing residents’ views at neighbourhood level. The aim is to have a new approach in place within the next 12 months. 

Printed copies of the annual report are available at local libraries in Barnsley and Berneslai Homes community centres and independent living schemes.