Housing News April - June 2026

Welcome to this edition of Housing News. This is your update on housing services at St Albans City & District Council.

In this issue, we cover our inspection outcome, upcoming Community Days, and how your feedback is shaping services.

In January 2026, the Regulator of Social Housing published the outcome of our consumer standards inspection. We received a C2 grading, meaning the regulator found evidence of some good practice, but also identified areas where we need to improve.

We want to be open with you about this. A C2 grading tells us that while we are doing some things well, we are not yet consistently meeting the standard our residents deserve. We accept this outcome and are taking it seriously.

What happens next?

We are working through a focused improvement plan. This means being more responsive on repairs, communicating more clearly, and making sure resident voices genuinely shape how services are delivered.

👉 Read the full Council update

👉 Read the full regulatory judgement

You will see progress updates in future editions of Housing News.

If you have questions about the inspection or want to know more about what we are doing:

📩 residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk

How to Update Your Universal Credit Journal From 6 April, tenants who receive Universal Credit will need to update their housing costs in their online Universal Credit account. This ensures your correct rent is included in future payments.

⛔ Do not update your account before 6 April.

If changes are made too early, Universal Credit may reject the update. This could result in the wrong rent being paid and may put your account at risk of arrears.

We understand this process can feel confusing, so we have created a simple step-by-step guide to help you update your account quickly and confidently.

🌐 Follow the guide: How to update your Universal Credit account

If you need support, our team is here to help:

📩 tenancysustainment@stalbans.gov.uk

Earlier this year, many of you took part in our Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) survey. This is a national survey that all councils and housing associations in England must carry out each year.

It asks a standard set of questions about your experience of housing services, including repairs, communication and overall satisfaction.

We are currently finalising the results and will publish them shortly.

What to expect

We want to be open about what the results are likely to show. They will highlight areas where we need to improve, particularly in services that matter most to residents.

This reflects feedback we have already been hearing and is consistent with the outcome of our recent inspection.

This year, we used a more digital approach to gather responses, contacting residents by email and text message. This provided a broader and more immediate way for residents to share their views, and is an important part of how the results have been gathered this year.

What happens next?

Once the results are published, we will share them clearly and honestly, along with the actions we are taking in response.

This work will form part of our wider improvement plan following the inspection.

If you have questions about the survey:

📩 residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk

We take reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) seriously and are committed to helping residents feel safe in their homes and communities.

ASB can include issues such as noise nuisance, harassment, vandalism, drug-related activity and hate incidents.

What you can expect from us:
• A prompt response; within 3 working days for most cases
• Faster action for serious or high-risk cases
• Clear advice and agreed next steps
• Regular updates while your case is active
• Joint working with the police and partner agencies

If you are experiencing ASB, please report it as early as possible so we can support you and take action.

📞 01727 866100 (ask for the ASB Team)
📩 asb@stalbans.gov.uk

Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and included in their home and community. Being targeted because of your identity; such as your race, religion, disability, sexuality or gender identity, is not acceptable.

We are working with True Vision to support reporting of hate incidents and ensure residents can access the help they need.

A hate incident is any act of hostility, discrimination or abuse directed at someone because of who they are. If this happens to you, you are not alone and support is available.

Our Anti-Social Behaviour Team will:
• Listen and take your concerns seriously
• Record what happened based on your experience
• Respond promptly and appropriately
• Work to prevent further harm

All reports are handled sensitively and confidentially.

How to report a hate incident:
📞 01727 866100 (ask for the ASB Team)
📩 asb@stalbans.gov.uk

🚨 Emergency: call 999
📞 Non-emergency police: 101

🌐 True Vision: report-it.org.uk
📞 Victim Support: 0808 1689 111

We work closely with safeguarding partners to protect residents and will share information where appropriate to keep people safe.

Earlier this month, members of the Housing Team joined residents at Aldwick Court for a community litter pick, making a visible difference to the local environment.

The team worked together to clear the estate, tackling everything from general litter to more difficult items. Residents shared positive feedback following the event:

"It is clear that the work has made a significant and positive difference, and we truly appreciate their participation in helping to improve our community."
Mark, Aldwick Court Residents' Association

"I just wanted to thank you and the team for litter picking. I appreciate looking out my window and not seeing mess."
Resident, Aldwick Court

Thank you to everyone who took part and helped improve the area.

If you would like to organise or join a litter pick in your neighbourhood, please get in touch:

📩 residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk

We are inviting residents to join our Housing Services Focus Groups. This is an opportunity to review performance, share feedback and help shape how services improve.

Each group will focus on a key service area, such as repairs or complaints, and work directly with Housing Services.

What is involved?

• Meetings every two months
• Reviewing real performance data
• Sharing your views on what is working and what needs to improve
• Occasional light preparation between sessions

What you will receive

• £10 voucher per session
• Training and support through TPAS (Tenant Participation Advisory Service)
• A direct opportunity to influence services

No experience is needed. We welcome residents from all backgrounds and will support you to take part.

📩 To register your interest: residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk

You can also speak to your Housing Officer.

Every tenant and leaseholder has a dedicated Housing Team to support you with your tenancy, whether you need help with rent, repairs or a neighbourhood issue.

Who to contact

Neighbourhood Housing Officers
Your main contact for tenancy matters, anti-social behaviour, estate inspections and settling-in visits.

Income Officers
Support with rent payments, payment plans, budgeting, benefits advice and preventing arrears.

Tenancy Sustainment Team
Additional tailored support to help you maintain your tenancy.

Important update

We are making changes to Housing Officer areas.

All tenants and leaseholders will receive an email confirming their new Housing Officer and how to contact them. Please look out for this.

Not sure who your current officer is?

We continue to act on feedback from residents through surveys, community events and the Tenant & Leaseholder Forum.

Here are some recent changes made as a result of your feedback:

📘 You said: "We want to see improvements in repairs and complaints handling."
✅ We did: We are setting up resident focus groups to review repairs and complaints processes in detail and help shape improvements.

📘 You said: "We are not confident using online systems to report issues."
✅ We did: At a recent drop-in session at Breadcroft, we provided on-the-day support to help residents set up MyStAlbans accounts and shared a simple step-by-step guide.

📘 You said: "Deliveries are often left in the wrong place in our block."
✅ We did: We installed clear council-branded signage to guide delivery drivers to the correct location, improving security and reducing missed deliveries.

📘 You said: "There are safety concerns in communal areas."
✅ We did: A recent issue involving clinical waste was referred immediately for specialist removal to make the area safe.

The Council insures the structure of your home, but not your personal belongings. If there is a fire, flood or theft, replacing items such as furniture, clothing or appliances would be your responsibility.

Contents insurance can help protect you against these unexpected costs. Even a low monthly premium can provide reassurance and financial support when you need it most.

One option available to council tenants is the Crystal Insurance Scheme, provided by Thistle Tenant Risks and designed for people living in social housing.

Typical cover may include:
• Furniture, electronics and white goods
• Clothing and personal items
• Accidental damage and theft
• Sheds and outbuildings

📞 0345 450 7286
🌐 www.crystal-insurance.co.uk
📄 Or ask your Housing Officer for a paper form

The Council does not recommend or endorse any specific insurance provider. You are free to choose the cover that best suits your needs.

If you need to visit us in person, our main reception at the Civic Centre is open at the following times:

Monday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am – 1:00pm
Friday: 9:00am – 3:00pm

Please note that opening hours vary across the week.

If reception is closed, you can still leave documents securely using the Council letterbox outside the main entrance.