Tenant Liaison Officers help ensure improvement works run smoothly
6 February 2006

South Somerset Homes and their partners Rok and Connaught Property Services have recruited Tenant Liaison Officers to help ensure that improvement and modernisation works to residents’ homes run smoothly and efficiently and that residents are consulted and kept informed at all times.

South Somerset Homes, Rok and Connaught Property Services entered into a six-year partnership in 2004 to deliver the improvements and modernisation programme in order to meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard. South Somerset Homes is on target to achieve this standard for all of their homes by 2010.

Tenant Liaison Officers visit each resident at their home prior to works beginning to discuss the details of the works to be undertaken and to find out if they have any special needs or health problems which may need some consideration. This includes alleviating any concerns or following up any queries that the residents may have. The Tenant Liaison Officers also visit the private owners if any of the works affect them so that they are also fully informed.

Ethel Harris, a resident of South Somerset Homes is absolutely delighted with the recent refurbishment and improvement works that have been undertaken to her home in Kingsdon. The works undertaken included an internal re-decoration of the kitchen, external painting and decorating; improving the whole kitchen layout and installing new fitted kitchen cupboards; full electric night storage heating and upgrading the electrical wiring.

Pictured from left to right is Angela Blunden (Tenant Liaison Officer, Rok) and Ethel Harris (resident) in her new kitchen.

Ethel says, ‘I want to say a big thank you to the workmen for the wonderful work they have done. They were clean, courteous, polite, willing and thorough. I would especially like to say a special thank you to Angela Blunden, the Tenant Liaison officer, who was always so kind and helpful.’

Mark Mullen, Head of Planned Maintenance says, ‘This programme of works will ensure that all our homes meet the government’s ‘Decent Home’ standard by 2010. The Tenant Liaison Officers are playing a vital part in the success of this programme ensuring there is good and effective communication between the residents and project team and that there is always someone that the residents can talk to about any aspect of the programme. This includes working closely with tenant representatives.”

Pictured from left to right is Mandy Fielding (Tenant Liaison Officer, Connaught) and Robin and Patricia Chunn (residents) in their new kitchen