Fixing It For Tenants
Fife Housing Association formally opened a new depot on the outskirts of Lochgelly this week. With easy access to the A92, the depot will house the Association’s newly formed Maintenance Service and provides an ideal location to reach the many properties owned by the organisation. The Association has long held the view that providing a prompt and effective repair and maintenance service is of the greatest importance to its tenants and it is because of this commitment that the new service has been established.
A team of 17 tradesmen and 2 administrative staff forms the initial workforce. The 17 tradesmen include joiners, electricians, plumbers, builders and painters. The skilled men already have experience working with Fife Housing Association and its properties since they were previously employed in that capacity by private contractors. The Association intends to enlarge the current workforce with the ultimate aim of developing a training element within the section and also to widen the range of work the department undertakes. This mirrors the policy being developed in partnership with the council and other housing associations based in
Alex Condie, Chairperson of Fife Housing Association is pictured at the opening of the depot as the department receives delivery of its specially equipped vehicles. “I hope these vehicles become a welcome sight to our tenants.” Alex remarked, “They should be a signal that their repairs are about to be fixed in a professional way.”
The service has already scored high ratings from the Association’s tenants. Steve Gow, the Departmental Manager is delighted with the initial responses. He told the press that the department always asks tenants for feedback on their experience of the maintenance service and every day it is receiving enthusiastic reports of good service, excellent workmanship and helpful staff. Steve said, “This sets a high standard that we need to sustain but we are determined to maintain this excellent start.
The day to day work of the men is supervised by Jim Philp and he stressed that a primary aim of the staff was to ensure repairs were carried out in the time frame specified in the Association’s repair policy. Less than 3 repairs in 100 currently fail to be completed on time with emergency targets always being met. “We are studying our few failures as we study everything we do,” Jim told us, “We want the service to get better and also want to minimise any distress to tenants resulting from their need to call us out. In addition it makes our work so much easier if we know the tenants are satisfied with what we do and are able to confirm it to us. The Association supplies every tenant with a copy of our repairs policy and this lets them know the range of work we do, how to get it done and how long it is likely to take. They know what to expect and we know what we have to deliver.”
In an emergency Fife Housing Association aims to have a tradesman at the tenant’s home within 2 hours of the report being received. Urgent repairs are targeted to be completed within 3 days and, while most routine repairs are completed within 15 working days, electrical and glazing work should be completed in 10 days. At the moment the Association sub-contracts gas maintenance and repair, recognising that special considerations apply in this area and the Association also continues to work closely with self employed and local firms who can offer valuable services in particular situations and circumstances.
Alex Condie pointed out that the Association currently spends around £2m every year on routine maintenance and reactive repairs and that value for money and the effective control of this work was essential if tenants are to receive the fullest benefit from their rents. Setting up a maintenance service team within its own organisation is one way Fife Housing Association hopes to meet important parts of its housing management function while continuing to promote employment and training opportunities for the people who live in
