Good homes
Good homes
We aim for every CKH home to be safe and well maintained at all times.
We are really pleased that satisfaction levels with our repairs service have improved. In 2023/24, 79% of you were satisfied with the overall repairs service you received, and that increased to 86% this year. This shows that the work we have done, in partnership with Mears, to improve our service and our communication with you is working. We are continuing this work and hope to see even more satisfaction with our service next year.
We are working really hard with Mears to improve our performance on the things that matter to you; getting your repair fixed first time and on completing repairs on time. We are still not quite there, but it remains a priority for us to get it right.
We have set up a repairs improvement project to monitor performance on a weekly basis and we are always looking for ways we can improve. The project is also supported by engaged residents.
Over the year we completed two emergency repairs late, so we did not meet our target of 100%. For urgent and routine repairs, we want to improve. In March and October we had a very high number of repairs reported which were not completed on time. To improve this performance, we have worked with Mears to increase the number of people available to complete repairs. We have also identified those repairs that will need more than one visit to complete the work, and we are trying to ensure appointments are made earlier so there is enough time to complete all the work on time.
Our new repairs service
This year we have been working to appoint a new repairs contractor. Our contract with Mears ends in March 2026 and we have gone out publicly to invite Mears and other companies to submit their bids for how they would operate a future repairs and maintenance service for us. We are working hard to get the best deal for you; both in terms of the service they provide and value for money. We will not compromise one of these for the other - we have very high standards!
Residents have also been taking part in the lengthy process of selecting our next contractor. A group of residents have been involved from the start of the process, making sure our initial list of requirements that our new contractor must meet included the things they know are important to you.
They have also helped with the shortlisting and have visited our final three contractors on site. They will have a say in our final choice for new contractor (which we will be announcing in the autumn) and we have made sure your voice is heard every step of the way.
How we performed
| 2024-25 performance | Target | Compared to target | |
| Repairs completed | 31,272 | - | - |
| Appointments kept | 99.66% | 98.9% | Where we need to be |
| First fix: repairs resolved on first visit | 91.3% | 98.5% | Needs improvement |
| Emergency repairs completed within 24 hours | 99.9% | 100% | Nearly there |
|
Urgent repairs completed within 7 days
|
94.5% | 99.5% | Nearly there |
|
Routine repairs completed within 28 days
|
96.7% | 99.5% | Nearly there |
What our engaged residents say
"The repairs service is so important for all residents – it’s the one service we all use! It can also be really frustrating if it doesn’t work well, so I am really pleased that CKH is placing so much importance on getting it right.
"I have been involved in the process to select a new contractor and I can confirm this is a really in depth project that has looked at every aspect of the service. I have been really pleased by the way CKH has explained the process to residents and involved us every step of the way towards choosing a new
contractor that we are all happy with." — Jill
Keeping you safe
The law states we must check the electrical safety of your home once every 10 years. We take health and safety so seriously that instead, we aim to complete safety inspections every five years. All our homes have certificates in line with the legal requirements, but at the moment, we’re a little behind our 5 year target. 37 homes were overdue at the end of the year, some due to residents not been home when we visited (18 homes had 3 unsuccessful visits) and others because work was outstanding. We have put in place a new process that works across multiple teams to improve this. At the end of the year (March 25) there were two legionella tests overdue, but both of these were completed in April 25.
If you are ever concerned about the condition of your home and think there may be a health and safety problem, please contact us as soon as possible. You can report a repair 24/7 by calling 01733 385000.
How we performed
| 2024-25 performance | Target | Compared to target | |
| Homes with valid gas safety certificate | 100% | 100% | Where we need to be |
| Homes with an electrical safety check in the past 5 years | 99.69% | 100% | Nearly there |
| Homes with an electrical safety check in the past 10 years | 100% | 100% | Where we need to be |
| Required homes with a fire risk assessment in place | 100% | 100% | Where we need to be |
| Asbestos surveys completed | 100% | 100% | Where we need to be |
| Required passenger lift inspections completed | 100% | 100% | Where we need to be |
| Legionella tests completed | 96.08% | 100% | Need to improve |
Supporting residents to stay warm and safe
Where residents do not allow us access for a gas safety check we have no choice but to cap their gas supply until we can test it to ensure it is safe. This is not something we do lightly and only if all ways of accessing a home have been exhausted.
Where gas is the main source of heating in a home, not having access to that heating can leave both residents and the home itself suffering the effects of the cold and possibly damp.
We noticed a small increase in the number of homes having their gas supply capped and we wanted to make sure these households were still staying warm and safe.
We contacted all residents with a capped gas supply to ensure they had adequate heating and that there was no damp or mould in their homes. We also worked with them to speak to their suppliers around payment plans to clear any arrears. Where residents expressed a preference for alternative heating, we have supported this where possible
What our engaged residents say
"I have sat on the Health and Safety Steering Group for a few years now, and I have seen first hand how seriously CKH takes your safety and how quickly they deal with any potential problems. I have also seen how their reporting system keeps on top of essential checks and that any works needed are done on time. Damp and mould, fire safety and gas and electrical testing are among the priorities and are discussed at every meeting.
"You can really help by allowing access for testing and reporting any problems promptly. If you think there is a health and safety concern in your home, please contact CKH as soon you can." — Terri
About our homes
In 2024-25, we invested £27 million into replacing or upgrading elements in our homes. That money was spent delivering more than 2,000 planned works including 153 new kitchens, 937 new boilers, and 477 new fire doors.
How we performed
| 2024-25 performance | Target | Compared to target | |
| Homes meeting Decent Homes Standard | 100% | 100% | Where we need to be |
| Average no. days taken to relet a home | 23 | 16 | Need to improve |
| Average score shown on energy performance certificates (called a SAP rating) | 83.1 | 83 | Where we need to be |
| How much rent is owed as a % of the total rent for the year | 0.9% | 1.4% | Where we need to be |
We have improved things for people moving into our homes through our new Moving in Standard. This is the standard our homes must meet when we let them, and they were shaped by engaged residents. Now, based on resident feedback, before any resident moves in, all our homes will include flooring and we will complete more repairs to fix problems left by previous tenants or wear and tear over time, so new residents can just focus on making themselves at home. Engaged residents have also been visiting a selection of empty homes to check they are meeting the Moving in Standard.
Because of the need to meet the new standard it has been taking us slightly longer to get these homes ready to rent out again to new residents. We have been working on the process with Mears and we are hoping to see that re-let time get shorter, but our priority is giving residents good quality homes from the moment they move in.
We are making sure the process of moving in is as easy as possible by providing all new residents with a ‘Your Home Handbook’ which gives them all the information they need on their rights and responsibilities, as well as how to get help and support. This is thanks to feedback from residents. We are also asking for feedback from all new residents, as well as those who have moved between CKH homes, in our ‘journey to your new home’ focus groups. We will continue to learn and improve with their feedback.