Annual visits to council housing tenants in Sheffield were ‘very productive’ in the last three years.
Council housing tenancies terminating have reduced from 4,387 in 2016/17, when annual visits were implemented, to 3,498 in 2019/2020, with approximately 200 decreased anti-social behaviour cases of tenants in the same period, according to Sheffield Annual Visit Evaluation Report 2020.
The visit offered by Neighbourhood Officers aimed to provide all tenants with an opportunity to discuss tenancy concerns and access support to sustain and enjoy their home.
Councillor Karen McGowan said: “I think it’s unbelievable that we are in such a system now where the tenants don’t need to go down for help. It’s just fantastic service.”
Around 70% of the tenants have welcomed a discussion with their officer from April 2019 to February 2020, as revealed by Housing Security Report 2020, while the average rate of visit quality given by the tenants was over nine.
Beverly Mullooly, Head of Services at Sheffield City Council, said: “You can see from the highly satisfactory rate that tenants who have received an annual visit are very happy with the service provided.
“It’s obviously a positive feedback for us, and the visits we have done were proven very productive.”
As part of the annual visit offer, in 2019/20, over 600 referrals were introduced to provide specialist advice and signpost tenants to appropriate service.
Gill Ward, of Stradbroke area in Sheffield, who was involved in the annual visit, said: “In my personal experience, it’s a valuable service that has improved my community and, as a tenant with disabilities, improved my quality of life, the quality of my tenancy, and provided reassurance and support.
“It makes my world of difference knowing that person will act upon my enquiry, liaise with other departments on my behalf or signpost me elsewhere if needed.”
Citywide Referrals April 2019 to January 2020 Chart illustrated locally delivered service, such as social cafes, was most popular among referrals, linking tenants into their local community.
Thomas Dunn, a voluntary referral for service delivering, said: “I’m proud of being referrals to increase community resilience and reduce social isolation.
“We had the appropriate training to carry out our roles.”
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