Your questions answered: rents, repairs, ASB and more

Some repairs take longer because they’re more complex or need special materials that we aren’t able to keep in stock.

We’ve made several changes to help speed things up:

We now have dedicated teams for different types of repairs and separate crews for larger planned jobs.

Teams work in specific areas (East and West) to cut travel time.

We’ve hired more skilled tradespeople and added a new fleet of vehicles so we can get to more homes each day.

These improvements are already making a difference – 92.2% of non-emergency repairs are now finished on time, an 8.7% improvement since last year.

Our repair times are in line with government standards and similar to other housing associations we compare ourselves with. We regularly review this through our Tenant Satisfaction Measure (TSM) returns.

Over the past few years, we’ve had to focus our spending on essential safety improvements in our blocks of flats. Because of this, we’ve had less money available for things like car parks and other external areas.

We know these areas are important too, and we’re planning to invest more in them soon. Our surveyors are currently assessing all external spaces so we can set priorities and create a long-term improvement plan, which will include car parks and accessibility upgrades for residents with disabilities.

Yes. We’re planning improvements to make all our homes more energy efficient, including bungalows. We’re focusing first on properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below C.

The EPC is a government rating that shows how well a home uses energy, from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). We’ve started with the lowest-rated homes, and any property currently below C will be upgraded over time.

We do carry out repairs to garages that are in use and part of our managed sites. If you rent a garage and something needs fixing, you can report it in the same way you would any other repair.

We always aim to keep every appointment, but sometimes things happen that are out of our control. This could be because a previous job has taken longer than expected or a colleague has become unwell at short notice.

If this happens, we’ll contact you as soon as possible to explain and either arrange a same-day visit (if we can) or book a new appointment time that suits you.

If we do miss an appointment, it’s treated seriously. We will investigate what went wrong and make sure a new appointment is confirmed with our team.

We know how frustrating it can be when an appointment is missed, and we’re always working to reduce how often this happens.

While we use contractors to help us deliver some of our services, most repair work is now carried out by our own colleagues. Any contractors we do use are responsible for clearing away rubbish and waste once their work is finished. This is part of their contract with us.

We’ll be reminding them of this again at our next contractor meetings. In the meantime, if you notice mess left behind after a job, please let us know so we can follow it up quickly.

We do our best to make repairs as convenient as possible for customers, especially those with caring responsibilities or disabilities.

Customers can choose appointment times that work best for them when booking online or through our Customer Services team, where you’ll be offered a range of time slots in line with our repairs policy, including options that avoid busy times like the school run.

For customers with disabilities or specific needs, we make sure important notes are added to the repair job so our trade colleagues can take any necessary steps to make the appointment go smoothly. Our planners also prioritise repairs where delays could cause extra difficulties for these customers.

All of our Community Housing Officers hold regular surgeries, walkabouts and drop-in sessions, giving customers the chance to meet us close to their home.

These sessions are a great opportunity to talk about any housing or neighbourhood issues and hear about what’s happening locally. Details of upcoming events are shared on our social media channels and website.

We understand that rising living costs are making things difficult for many households, and we take decisions about rent increases very seriously. As a not-for-profit registered charity, every penny of rent we collect is reinvested into maintaining and improving homes and delivering the essential services our customers rely on.

Like many organisations, the cost of providing these services has increased significantly in recent years, so to keep delivering them we need to adjust rents responsibly. If you are worried about money please contact us – we have a team of qualified money advice experts who are here and ready to help you with free, confidential and professional support.

We listen to what you tell us through satisfaction surveys, service reviews, complaints and customer panels. This helps us understand how satisfied you are with the quality of your home, communal areas and the overall service we provide.

Your feedback directly shapes how we improve services. For example, when we re-tendered our communal services contracts this year, we used what customers told us to set clear standards and hold our partners to account.

By listening, learning and acting on what matters most to you, we can make sure the rent money we collect is used to deliver services that customers value and trust.

Both social rent and affordable rent homes are cheaper than private rent. The difference is linked to the home, not the person living in it.

Some homes are let at social rent, where rents are set using a national formula that reflects local earnings and the size and type of the home. Others are let at affordable rent, where rents can be up to 80% of the local market rate, including service charges.

The type of rent charged depends on several factors linked to when your home was built, including how it was funded and any planning or funding agreements in place at the time.

Since April 2025, our new communal services contracts have in fact included a “cut and collect” approach instead of “cut and drop”. This change was made after customers told us they preferred grass cuttings to be collected, even if this meant a small increase in cost.

Collecting the clippings keeps communal areas looking tidier and helps maintain the right soil balance for healthy grass.

We take fly-tipping very seriously and work hard to keep our neighbourhoods clean and safe. Our Neighbourhood Services Team removes large amounts of dumped waste each year, and where we can identify those responsible using CCTV or evidence found in the rubbish we take tenancy enforcement action, or refer the matter to Walsall Council if they are not whg customers.

We also work in partnership with the council on their Waste Strategy, influencing how local services tackle fly-tipping, including through our fly-tipping ‘Crime Scene’ campaign.

Clearing up dumped waste costs whg more than £300,000 a year, so we encourage customers to report incidents using our online tool. Wherever possible, we recycle or reuse the waste we collect to support our Sustainability Objectives.

Our Community Housing Officers work with customers to make sure gardens are kept to an acceptable standard.

If a customer is unable to maintain their garden due to a disability or vulnerability, we’ll help them access appropriate support or services.

Where there’s no clear reason for a garden not being maintained, we’ll remind the customer of their tenancy responsibilities and agree what needs to happen next. If the issue continues, we may take further action to make sure the tenancy conditions are met.

We want our customer voices to reflect the full diversity of our customers, including younger people. We use a range of approaches like digital surveys, community events, youth projects and targeted outreach, so everyone can get involved in a way that suits them.

We’ve also created opportunities for younger customers to share their views like through podcast and media training, and creative projects like the Dudley Fields mural, where young people helped design artwork celebrating local pride and community spirit. We are always looking at more ways to make these opportunities easier for more people to take part in – for example, on different days of the week and at different times.

We know how worrying it can be to find damp or mould in your home. That’s why we’ve been working hard to stop it before it starts.

Here’s what we’re doing:
• More expertise: we’ve trained more surveyors in damp and mould so we can reach you faster and spot problems early.
• Better technology: we use new tools and sensors to monitor homes with ongoing issues, helping us find and fix problems before they get worse.
• Improved homes: we’ve upgraded heating systems, insulation and ventilation in many homes to help keep them warm, dry, and efficient. Where needed, we fit or replace extractor fans to keep air flowing properly.
• Faster responses: we have a duty surveyor available every day for emergencies and serious damp or mould reports.
• Customer voice: you’ve helped us shape our damp and mould policy and customer guide.

We also share simple tips to help reduce damp and mould – like keeping vents clear, wiping away condensation, and using extractor fans when cooking or bathing.

We take damp and mould very seriously – keeping your home safe, warm, and healthy is our top priority.

Fixing it properly can take time because every case is different. Each home, building type, and location can have its own causes, so our surveyors carefully investigate before making repairs. Simply painting over mould only hides the problem, it doesn’t solve it.

Here’s what’s involved:

Finding the real cause: Damp can come from a range of issues, such as leaks, blocked drains, condensation or structural problems. Sometimes, a home may have more than one cause, and each needs to be fixed separately.

Using the right tools: Our trained surveyors use specialist equipment, and in some cases environmental sensors, working with AICO, to monitor moisture levels and pinpoint the source more accurately.

Taking a thorough approach: We sometimes need to carry out drain surveys or staged investigations to fully understand what’s happening before repairs begin.

Working together: We’ll ask questions about how the home is used day-to-day to help us get a full picture, and with your permission, we may ask our community housing, social prescribing or money advice teams to help if extra support if needed.

Our goal is always to fix the root cause and prevent the problem from coming back, not just cover it up. It can take longer, but it means the issue is resolved properly the first time.

Alongside making property improvements, we regularly share advice to help customers manage condensation and prevent damp and mould in their homes.

We provide tips and guidance through our Round Your Way magazine, our monthly email newsletter, and on our website and social media channels. We’ve also produced a damp and mould guide that explains how to spot problems early and simple steps you can take to reduce condensation.

At the same time, our assets and investment team continues to carry out home improvements, like installing better heating systems, insulation and roof replacements, which all help keep homes warmer and drier. We will contact you when your home is due for these improvements.

We understand that things come up, so our missed appointments process is designed to be flexible and take individual needs into account. So if you can’t make your appointment, it’s easy to rearrange through our customer portal or by contacting us directly.

Missed appointments do have an impact – they use up valuable time and resources that could be spent carrying out other appointments. If we’re unable to gain access after several attempts, we may need to take legal action as a last resort, but this only happens after we’ve tried every possible way to make a convenient appointment.

Electrical safety checks are really important because they help keep you, your family and your home safe. Every year, around 30 people in the UK die due to faulty electrical wiring or appliances, so making sure your electrics are safe is vital.

That’s why we carry out the free safety checks. It’s a bit like an MOT for your home – a qualified electrician inspects your wiring and electrical systems to make sure everything is working safely. This gives you peace of mind and helps reduce the risk of fires, shocks or other electrical dangers.

We take electrical safety seriously and make sure every check is done properly, not just as a tick-box exercise.

All our electricians are fully trained and keep their skills up to date. After every inspection, a supervisor checks the work to make sure it meets the right standards.

We’re also inspected each year by the NICEIC, an independent body that makes sure our electrical work is safe and completed to a high standard.

We take ASB seriously and continue to invest in keeping our communities safe. We work closely with West Midlands Police, local councils and other partners to identify areas where ASB is a recurring problem and develop joint plans to address it. Our dedicated Community Safety Team investigates all reports thoroughly and agrees an action plan with those affected.

We’ve invested in new technology to help us respond quickly and gather evidence, including 434 fixed CCTV cameras, 6 mobile cameras that can be moved between locations, and 25 body-worn cameras used by colleagues where needed. This helps us spot issues early and take appropriate action, which could include mediation, injunctions or, in serious cases, legal enforcement.

We know some incidents go unreported, so we encourage residents to share concerns and evidence. The more information we receive, the better we can target support and prevent problems from escalating.

We respond to and begin investigating all reports of ASB as quickly as possible, and always within five working days. We may ask you to record incidents using diary sheets or provide other evidence, such as photos or noise recordings, to help us understand what’s happening.

Where the issues are evidenced, we take proportionate action with partners including the police and local council using the full range of enforcement tools and legal powers available. This could include formal warnings, tenancy or legal action, or referrals for support where needed. More details about our approach can be found on our antisocial behaviour page.

Wherever possible, we keep the details of anyone reporting ASB confidential. However, in some cases it may be possible for others to work out who has made a report – for example, if the issue involves an immediate neighbour.

We do also accept anonymous reports of ASB, but please be aware that this can limit what action we’re able to take. It’s often difficult for us to fully investigate or resolve a case without being able to contact you for more information or evidence.