CEO Mathew Baxter asks are we making progress on repairs at Tpas Conference

Are we making any progress on repairs?

That was the focus of a panel session, including Echelon Group CEO Mathew Baxter at the Tpas National Tenant Conference, sponsored by the Echelon Group.

Mathew was joined by Rebecca Reed, Head of Insight & Development at the Housing Ombudsman Service, Julie Butterworth Head of Consultancy at Tpas, and Kai Jackson, a tenant of Black Country Housing Group, to discuss why many tenants are still not getting the repairs service they should rightly expect, what’s gone wrong and what needs to change.

Mathew covered the reasons for the apparent deterioration in property condition and explored eyes and ears initiatives, using annual inspections to assess condition/requirements and remote sensors to manage the condition of properties, as well as outlining the importance of rigorous procurement and making sure we get the right partners to deliver repairs.

Kai gave her lived experience of receiving a repairs service, detailing how she has been able to inform processes to make a difference to the service being delivered.

Rebecca spoke about the importance of data and having the right strategies in place, while Julie focused on making reporting repairs easier, the importance of consistency, and the crucial role that KPIs play in understanding and improving service delivery, asking are repairs portals and digital services fit for purpose?