|
We hope you are keeping safe and well. You can listen to this email by clicking here. Inside this email:
• Free family food & activities in the school holidays
• How is BITMO doing?
• BITMO’s GATE programme for August
There is also a section on how BITMO learns from complaints. And please sign and share Trevor, Gerry and John's petition for safe pedestrian access to Belle Isle Circus.
Free Family Food & Activities this Summer
Here is a report on BITMO's performance from April to June this year.
 Are you interested in helping improve BITMO’s performance? To find out more please contact call Peter Olver on 0113 378 2188 or email him.
You can find out more about BITMO’s performance on our website here.
When we get things wrong, we try to put them right, and make sure they stay put right. We make changes that benefit everyone, from the lessons we learn. Here are three complaints that BITMO received, and how we dealt with them.
Case Study 1 Damp and Mould Upheld Stage 1
Our tenant got in touch to report that their home suffered from damp and mould. An inspection was carried out, and black mould spores were found. The tenant was advised that the house was cold because of its construction type and that the solution was to increase the heating and ventilation in the property. The complaint centred around the tenant feeling that the Surveyor had not directly addressed the root cause of cold. The complaint was upheld. The Surveyor should have taken more account of the fact that the property is cold and considered insulation issues, and offered support through our Winter Warmth offer and made a referral for gas energy vouchers.
£50 compensation was offered, and the property has been included in the thermal efficiency workstream of the planned works programme this year. The complaint led to a review of the management of damp and mould which found considerable weaknesses. The policy and procedure have been re-written and staff training has been provided.
Case Study 2 Customer Service Not Upheld Stage 1
During the application of our messy gardens procedure, we received a complaint about a member of staff attending a garden inspection after the tenant said they could not make the appointed time. The staff member responded to the tenant that they did not need to be present as he was able to inspect the garden regardless. He confirmed the date and time of the visit. When he attended, he knocked on the door as a matter of courtesy and the tenant was in.
The tenant’s complaint was 1] that the visit should not have gone ahead, and 2] they did not want the staff member concerned to continue to be involved in their case.
The complaint was not upheld because 1] it was reasonable to carry out the inspection without the tenant being present and 2] Cases are allocated on the basis of job role and skill set, and the allocation was appropriate.
Case Study 3 Customer Service Upheld at Stage 2
The tenant was in significant current and former tenancy rent arrears. A back payment of a direct deduction from benefits was received from UC which would clear the current rent arrears and leave a credit of £40 on the account. The residual amount was credited to the former tenancy debt account. The tenant complained that this should not have happened, and they wanted to be credited directly with the £40.
At stage 1 the investigating officer concluded that the complaint should not be upheld as it was reasonable to transfer the money to the former tenancy debt.
At stage 2 it was considered that the sum should not have been transferred to the former tenant debt as there is no policy in place to support this. In addition, it is not possible to request a direct deduction in respect of a former tenancy debt, so it is not reasonable to use a deduction to contribute to that debt.
Keep up-to-date with BITMO services and local news by visiting the BITMO Facebook Page and the BITMO website.
Belle Isle TMO works in partnership with Leeds City Council to serve the residents of Belle Isle estate.
Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation Limited Registered under the Co-operative and Communities Benefit Societies Act No.29817R. Registered Office: Aberfield Gate, Belle Isle, Leeds, LS10 3QH
|
