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The Tenant Perception Survey is open for 25-26! |
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 Please take a couple of minutes to share your views in our Tenant Perception Survey – your feedback is valuable and will help us to shape and improve our future services.
The Tenant Satisfaction Measures have been introduced to drive up standards and improve the quality of social housing by ensuring housing providers are accountable for the services delivered to customers. 12 of the 22 measures come directly from our customer feedback obtained through tenant perception surveys.
Quarter 2 - Tenant Perception Survey Feedback
This quarter, we received 44 comments from tenants, these included:
- 9 compliments
- 3 general comments
- 32 actionable comments
Below is a breakdown of the 32 actionable comments received against each housing team.
- Housing Options - 0
- Repairs & Maintenance – 14
- Tenancy - 4
- Estates – 14
The 32 actionable comments received, resulted in the following outcomes.
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16 service requests were raised to address specific issues
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12 tenants received advice to help resolve their concerns
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2 home visit was arranged to provide support in person
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2 tenants were signposted to another service for further help
We always appreciate hearing from you, your comments help us improve the services we provide and ensure your housing experience is the best it can be.
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Lots of opportunities to get involved and have your say! |
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Members of the Tenant and Leasholder Forum and our Housing team
Join our Tenant and Leaseholder Forum!
Want to help us to hear the voice of tenants and leaseholders and to take an active role in influencing and holding us to account in how we deliver services? Join our forum!
The group meets quarterly to look at and comment on performance information and reports. We are looking to develop this forum further and would like a few more tenants and leaseholders to join the existing group.
In October members of the forum joined some of our Housing team on a tour of the borough (pictured above) looking at communal areas of our blocks and sheltered properties. They found this very useful and gave a valuable insight into the priorities for the planned maintenance budget for the year ahead.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact tenancy@oadby-wigston.gov.uk.
Lots of other roles are also available!
We are also looking for tenants interested in taking on the following voluntary roles to help us make sure your views are heard in decisions made about services provided for you:
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Grounds Maintenance Champion– Take a walk around your neighbourhood making sure we have cut the grass, trimmed hedges, and remove fly tipping as we say we do.
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Sounding Board Member– We want to hear your opinions before we make changes to services. You can have your say - online, in person, or by post, committing as much time as you can spare.
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Communal Cleaning Inspector– To undertake monthly checks of communal areas or community centres near you and score how well our cleaning contractors are performing.
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Empty Homes Inspector– Inspecting properties when they ready to let to ensure they meet the lettable standard.
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Estate Walkabouts- These are a great way for you to help us keep our communities clean, tidy, and problem free. Most walkabouts start at 10am.
If you are interested in any of the above voluntary roles, please contact tenancy@oadby-wigston.gov.uk
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In the colder months staying warm while managing energy costs can be challenging, but a few simple habits can make a big difference.
- let sunlight in by opening curtains during the day and closing them at night
- reduce draughts with excluders
- close internal doors to keep heat in where you need it
- set your thermostat between 18–21°C and remember that turning it up higher will not heat your home faster
- keep radiators clear
- add extra layers of clothing
- switch off lights and appliances when not in use
- washing clothes at 30°C and using Eco settings can also help lower bills
If you dry clothes indoors, use an airer in a well‑ventilated room and avoid placing items directly on radiators, as this increases moisture and energy use. Spin clothes well and open a window slightly to reduce damp.
If you are struggling with energy costs, support is available through:
Citizens Advice Leicestershire: 0300 330 1025
Energy Saving Trust: 0300 123 1234
Warm Home Discount
LEAP Energy Advice: 0800 060 7567
Our tenancy team is here to help you stay warm and comfortable this winter, so please get in touch if you need advice.
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Tackling and preventing damp and mould |
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Tenants’ safety matters to us. With Awaab's Law coming into effect in October 2025, we're ensuring we're busy responding to calls quickly and giving a good service.
We currently have a Damp, Mould and Condensation Policy why not take a look and let us know if you have any ideas on how the policy can be improved, whether you have had issues with damp or just want to improve housing for everyone, your voice matters.
We are also rolling out more training for staff and sharing information with tenants to help everyone spot and manage damp and mould early, keeping our homes healthier for all.
If you would like further information on Awaab’s Law and what this means for tenants, please get in touch.
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If you want to report an issue of damp or mould in your home please call us on 0116 250 3193 or email repairsadmin@oadby-wigston.gov.uk.
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Support to raise a complaint |
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When things go wrong or if you are not happy with the service we provide you, you have a right to complain, and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to tell us about it.
You should always report a repair or issue to our Customer Service Team first by calling (0116) 288 8961, giving us a chance to respond and to act.
If you are later unhappy with the service you receive, you may need to make a complaint.
If you need to make a complaint you can find lots of ways we can help you on our website.
What to include in your complaint
- Your name, address, and contact details.
- A clear description of the problem (what, when, where, who was involved).
- How the issue has affected you.
- The outcome you want the council to achieve.
You can also find guidance on making a complaint from the Housing Ombudsman:
- How to make a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service.
- How to be a representative for a resident.
- How the Housing Ombudsman investigates complaints.
- Housing Ombudsman Service Resident Panel.
Please be aware that the Housing Ombudsman no longer accepts new case enquiries by email. Instead, residents will need to use their online complaint form.
Residents who need support can call the Housing Ombudsman on 0300 111 3000.
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We started our housing application renewals process in August 2025. This process consists of contacting customers, month-by-month, who have been on the housing register for one year or more from the month the application was made.
Customers will receive notification via email (unless they asked for communications to be via letter) asking them to renew their application and update their application and if there are any changes we need to be aware of. If the renewal is not completed within 28 days of receiving the communication, the application will be cancelled and customers will no longer be able to bid on properties.
Currently we still have 1107 active applications from customers who wish to be on the housing register.
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You said: Our communication about repairs was poor.
We did: Our Repairs Team reviewed the Repairs Procedure, as a refresher, to help improve how we communicate with you.
You said: Repairs were taking too long to complete.
We did: We have introduced weekly operational meetings to review all open repair jobs to ensure they are progressed.
You said: The communal bushes on Kings Drive had not been cut back.
We did: We contacted the Grounds Maintenance Team and arranged for operatives to attend the site.
You said: Neighbours were leaving rubbish outside a communal flat door in an internal hallway.
We did: We attended the site the same day, carried out spot checks and continue to monitor the area on a weekly basis.
You said: You have concerns about reporting an anti-social behaviour issue and felt there had been a delay in receiving a response.
We did: We arranged a home visit to discuss the concerns in person, provided an update on the actions taken, explained our partnership working with the police, and provided advice on mutual exchange.
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Marriott House clean up day |
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One of our final clean up days of 2025 took place at Marriott house in September. This gave our tenants the chance to throw away any unwanted items from their flats and to introduce the communal area management policy to Marriott House.
Once we had cleared away items for residents we sat down and had food and a chat. Members of the Housing Team along with a local councillor for the area attended to offer advice and support.
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Ending your tenancy - FAQs |
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Every year around 60 Council tenancies come to an end. But there are a number of myths around what you need to do and what happens when you want to move. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions:
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Can I just hand my keys in next week if I want to? You have to give 4 weeks written notice to end your tenancy, ending on a Monday.
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If I leave without paying all my rent, nothing will happen, will it? If you leave owing arrears, we will pursue these from you, including taking legal action if we need to. This will add costs to the amount you owe to us. If you cannot pay them all before you go, you can make a payment agreement with us. Also, we will not normally allow anyone with arrears to become a Council tenant again in future.
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I have accidentally damaged some doors and walls - what do I need to do about these? We will arrange to inspect your home when you give us notice, so we can determine anything you need to put right before you go. This will save you from being charged for repairs or damage after you leave.
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Do I need to bring my keys to the office? No, as long as we receive notice from you, we can arrange to fit a key safe outside your home, so you can leave your keys there. It is important you leave all your keys, including entrance fobs for flats and keys for outbuildings as well as main doors.
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A T-Level placement with OWBC |
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You might have spotted our T-Level placement student, Tom, out and about on our estates! Tom works with OWBC each Wednesday as part of his Business Administration course, here he is to tell us more about his time with us:
I started in HR but then moved to Housing in June 2025. I am really enjoying my time at the Council and have been able to use my experiences during my course assignments such as minute taking for tenant meetings.
This was very helpful and gave me a lot to talk about in my Business and Administration module, giving me a distinction on completion of that section. As well as benefits for my course I have also met lots of amazing people in my time here across both teams I have worked in. Whenever I have perhaps struggled with a task I was set to complete or was unsure of what to do in certain scenarios, everybody who I have worked with has always been very helpful and supportive.
The things I have done during my time in housing include, events such as clean up days, managing key safes, attending to fire alarms to reset, fly tip runs and admin management. I would encourage any student thinking of a placement to consider a role at OWBC!
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Door entry systems upgrade |
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Work is continuing to upgrade our door entry systems to ensure they remain reliable and efficient.
We have appointed Baydale Control Systems to carry out these improvements across all schemes and blocks. They will also take on ongoing repairs to the systems and manage the speech‑call equipment within our sheltered schemes.
Work is scheduled to begin in February.
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Regulator of Social Housing inspection |
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The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), an independent public body overseeing housing associations, local authorities, and other social housing landlords, focuses on their financial viability, governance, and consumer standards like safety and service quality.
In the near future OWBC will receive notification from the RSH of their intention to inspect the Council in its role as a social landlord. We will be inspected on the RSH Four Key Standards:
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Safety and Quality Standard:
- Focus: Homes must be safe, well-maintained, and good quality.
- Landlord Action: Understand home conditions, provide timely repairs, ensure health & safety, and offer effective improvements and adaptations.
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Transparency, Influence, and Accountability Standard:
- Focus: Landlords must be open, fair, and respectful to tenants, allowing them to influence services.
- Landlord Action: Provide clear information, act on feedback, offer complaint processes, and measure tenant satisfaction (Tenant Satisfaction Measures).
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Neighbourhood and Community Standard:
- Focus: Promoting safe, well-maintained neighbourhoods and communities.
- Landlord Action: Work with partners to ensure tenants live in safe, well-kept areas.
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Tenancy Standard:
- Focus: Fair allocation, management, and ending of tenancies.
- Landlord Action: Manage tenancies effectively, allocate homes fairly, and provide good tenancy support.
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We have appointed a new voids contractor, FG Moss.
They will be responsible for carrying out the repairs and improvements needed to bring empty properties up to a lettable standard. FG Moss will begin delivering the voids service from early February.
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