Report on Improving Housing Management Services at Silverview Housing

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of issues within housing management services, specifically focusing on the challenges faced by the Silverview Housing Association. The report identifies three primary areas of concern: extended repair times and appointment mismanagement, customer dissatisfaction stemming from anti-social behavior, and the problem of vacant properties leading to a decline in appearance and instances of vandalism. The analysis delves into each issue, offering practical solutions such as adopting project management tactics to reduce repair times, implementing a structured appointment system with reminders, and fostering better communication between contractors and residents. Furthermore, the report suggests the implementation of a SMART plan to improve housing management services, including measurable objectives, achievable goals, and a defined timeframe for implementation. The report recommends strategies like monitoring contractor behavior, establishing customer service forums, and enhancing security measures to address the identified problems and improve overall service quality and resident satisfaction.

Housing Management
Services
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Issue 1 : Long time in repairs and appointments not being kept.................................................3
Issue 2: Dissatisfaction among customers in context to anti-social behaviour ...........................4
Issue 3: Many properties are lying empty, spoiling appearance and vandalism..........................5
SMART plan for improving Housing management services ......................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Housing management services is combination of number of housing development
activities in order to meet the needs and requirement of customers. It includes construction and
repairing of buildings as per the needs of clients. It is considered as one of essential section that
enhances the opportunities for real state sector (Sadowski, 2009). It is also essential for housing
development associations to ensure that the legal aspects and frameworks are considered in
appropriate manner to meet objectives. Current report focuses on the activities that can overcome
the issues in regard to housing management services. It will also include consideration of Smart
plan that can promote positive work environment at housing management service sector.
Issue 1: Long time involved in repairs and mismanagement in appointments
The major issue associated with Silverview Housing Association is that residents are not
happy with the time to repair construction. According to them too long, long time was indulged
in repairing and contractor was not keeping the repair appointments. From this, effective
management of housing service is influenced significantly. Due to delay in repairing, satisfaction
level among residents is declined (Lai, 2011). Beside this, misplacing appointments by
contractor was another serious concern which certainly leads to wastage of time. Additionally,
resident need to wait for repairing even after taking prior appointment from the contractor.
Hence, both of these issue are of major concern that needs to consider in order to overcome the
same (Svensson, 2008).
For the purpose of resolving the problem of appointments, mentioned housing association
must keep time frame while giving appointments. For this, reminder can be kept for appointment
in order to get rid from the issue of high waiting time (Bovaird, 2009).
The proper time of appointment schedule is to the given over the telephonic medium or
messages can be sent to the residents. The contractors have to meet the visitor within reasonable
times, except in emergencies. The appointment can be given the clients of residents after
checking the scheduled, therefore, they have to keep specific recodes (Bovaird, 2009). The
contractors are suggested to provide morning or afternoon appointment for repairs and it is also
necessary that the appointment are to be arranged directly by the Contractor. Furthermore,
contractors and staff need to put every effort to keep their appointments and in case there is an
unavoidably delayed so they can contact clients/ tenant over telephone.
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In addition to that, to overcome the issue of long time in repairs, the Silverview Housing
Association must make use of specific time management tactics. Nonetheless, some project
management tactics can also be applied during the planning so that work can be finished within
specific time frame (Yau, 2011). The major objective of cited housing management service
companies is of carrying out all repairs within the target times, as this is a major term of tenancy
agreement. To overcome the delay, it is important to make sure that delays outside need to be
recognised and documented as these can impact overall delay in the repairing services. The raw
material required for repairing must be acquired in time so to overcome the delay (Burney,
2009). In addition, proper monitoring of the repairing services can be done within the required
time to reduce the time in overall repairing work and to make tenant / residents happy.
Issue 2: Dissatisfaction among customers in context to anti-social behaviour
As per the detailed study of contractor behaviour, the residents are facing dissatisfaction
issue due to anti-social behaviour among contractors. It has been identified that in housing
management services that behaviour and attitude of concern person is not supportive that impacts
the lifestyle of the customer. Miscommunication and coordination are key issues that creates
conflict situations with residents (Rodger, 2012). It is essential for management of housing
services association to ensure that proper guidance and information is being provided to
customers in regard to repair and development. For example, the Mr. xyz has hired a housing
management service firm for repairing of house. But due to anti-social behaviour of professional,
Mr. xyz is not having proper information about the developments. It may create dissatisfaction
issue among customer perception and influence overall development (Crawford, 2009).
It has been identified that the contractor must follow the standards of housing association
to ensure about behavioural aspects. It is essential for contractor to provide proper information
about developments so that behavioural standards can be meet in appropriate manner. Any kind
of repairing decision must not be taken without consultation of customer (Kemshall, 2010). In
this regard, the housing association can design monitoring system and feedback process to ensure
about behaviour of contractor. For example, the monitoring authorities may have visited to the
construction site and ensure that the standards are well maintained. Interaction with resident to
take feedback about the contractor is also one of significant way. It will assist in overcome issues
regarding anti-social behaviour (Moreno, 2014).
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It is also essential for housing association to ensure that the contractors are having proper
information about professional behaviour. It can also be recommended that the improvement in
interpersonal skills is one of critical aspect that can overcome issue of anti-social behaviour.
Number of programs can be arranged for contractors to ensure that they have proper learning
about anti-social behaviour (Council, 2013). For instance, training can be provided to improve
interpersonal skills. Contractors must have polite and courteous nature while dealing with
colleagues and residents. During the repairing and construction the contractor have to deal with
various complex situations so it is necessary for him to ensure that he is not getting hyper. This is
because it will assist in maintaining the decorum and provides satisfactory aspects through
promotion of good work attitude.
Moreover, it can also be recommended to the housing association to establish the
customer service forum that can ensure that contractor is not involved in any kind of unethical
practice. Proper guidelines can be provided to professional in regard to ethical practice and anti-
social behaviour. For illustration, contractor must avoid activities that impacts social aspects of
residents (Council, 2011). Such as smoking at people property, rudeness while interaction,
excessive noise must be avoided, privacy aspects must be maintained to provide satisfaction.
Mentoring activities can be performed by the association to ensure that the workers and
contractors are not using bad language at the property. No arguments must be there while
working at site so that social aspects may not be affected.
Issue 3: Many properties are lying empty, spoiling appearance and vandalism
It has been identified that the most of time the housing association is facing issue in
regard to lying empty. Residents are not being sold due to several reasons that spoils the
appearance of estate. It is significant for housing authority to perform activities that can
overcome such kind of issue in appropriate manner. Vandalism of empty buildings and residents
is also one of critical issue that spoils the appearance of estate (Mid Wales Housing Association,
2010). These kinds of issue may be occurred due to lack of frameworks that can protect location
from such kind of harms.
In regard to this, it can be recommended to the housing association that number of
frameworks can be designed to protect location and overcome such issues. It is also necessary for
housing development authorities to ensure that the activities are performed as per customer needs
and expectations (Council, 2011). It will attract customers towards purchase of housing
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properties and reduce the ratio of empty property. It can also be overcome by creating better
awareness among customers so that buildings can be protected in appropriate manner.
In addition to this, number of promotional activities can be designed to create better
aware among people about property so that house can be sold in order to overcome the issues. It
can also be recommended that the housing authorities can also have CCTV installation at the
housing property to ensure that the place is not destroyed or spoiled by any individual. This kind
of monitoring system will assist in overcome issue and leads to various development (Council,
2013). Moreover, the personal safeguarding is also one of significant aspect that can protect
property and overcome the issue of vandalism in appropriate manner. Security guards can be
hired to protect location and ensure that the empty location is safe. For example, the anti-social
behaviour persons has visited the unsold empty property and location is not safeguarded by
personal (Moreno, 2014). In this situation, it may be possible that the anti-social elements may
harm the property. It means the CCTV monitoring and hiring of person to guard location are
beneficial for housing association.
SMART plan for improving Housing management services
The objective of Silverview Housing Association is to resolve the key issue that are to be
faced by the residents of the area. As above stated manner issue faced by the residents are of
long time associated with repairing, delay in repairs appointments due to proper record is not
kept by the contractor, residents are dissatisfied with the anti-social behaviour adopted at the
time of asking for empty properties.
Solution of issue 1
Long time associated with repairing
Criteria Objectives Ways to attain
objectives
Time frame Monitoring
Specific To overcome
the delay in
repairing
services
To overcome
the issue
project
management
tactics can
also be applied 3-4 Months Monthly
Measurable Quality
improvement
in repairing
services
Achievable Issue can be
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resolved
through using
tactics
during the
planning
Raw material
required for
repairing must
be acquired in
time
Resourced Use of project
management
tools
Timed Within 6
months
Delay in repair appointments
Criteria Objectives Ways to attain
objectives
Time frame Monitoring
Specific To reduce the
time for
waiting
appointment to
residents
Set the time
fame for
appointment
and to keep
some record of
appointments.
Appointment
schedule is to
the given over
the telephonic
medium or
messages can
be sent to the
residents.
1-2 Week Daily
Measurable Application of
time
management
tactics
Achievable Use of
technology to
make effective
contacts with
residents
Resourced Telephonic
medium
Personal
meetings
Timed 1 month
Solution of issue 2
Residents are dissatisfied with the way that anti-social behaviour
Criteria Objectives Ways to attain
objectives
Time frame Monitoring
Specific To overcome Housing
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the issue
associated
with ethics in
constriction
area
association
can design
monitoring
system and
feedback
process to
Ensure about
behaviour of
contractor.
Training can
be provided to
improve
interpersonal
skills.
Establish the
customer
service forum
that can ensure
that contractor
is not involved
in any kind of
unethical
practice.
3-4 Months Weekly
Measurable Can be
overcome
through
following
guidelines
Achievable By assessing
the
requirements
of tenets /
residents
Resourced Training,
specific
guidelines
Timed 6 months
Solution of issue 3
Lying empty properties and vandalism
Criteria Objectives Ways to attain
objectives
Time frame Monitoring
Specific To fill the
vacant
property
Promotion of
location
through social
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media.
CCTV
monitoring of
property to
overcome
issue of
vandalism.
Personal
guarding
through help
of security
agency.
7 -8 Months Every 2 Months
Measurable Can attract
society people
via promotion
Achievable Demand of
property
Resourced Social sites
promotion,
hoarding,
rebates,
special offers
for property
purchase of
lease
Timed 6 months to 1
years
CONCLUSION
As per the above study, it can be concluded that the housing management services faces
number of issues that impacts their operational opportunities. It has been identified that with an
assistance of time management and project management tools that association can easily
overcome the issue of delay in projects and improper practice of appointments. In addition to
this, with a use of training and other monitoring practices the housing authorities can easily
overcome the issue regarding anti-social behavior of customers. This is because it promotes
ethics among members and improve satisfaction level of residents. '
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bovaird, T., 2009. Public management and governance. Taylor & Francis.
Burney, E., 2009. Making people behave: Anti-social behaviour, politics and policy. Routledge.
Council, B.C., 2011. Empty properties. Work. 117(352). pp.5010.
Council, B.M.D., 2013. What can the Council do about empty homes. Sage.
Crawford, A., 2009. Criminalizing sociability through anti-social behaviour legislation: dispersal
powers, young people and the police. Youth justice. 9(1). pp.5-26.
Kemshall, H., 2010. Risk rationalities in contemporary social work policy and practice. British
Journal of Social Work. 40(4). pp.1247-1262.
Lai, J.H., 2011. Comparative evaluation of facility management services for housing estates.
Habitat International. 35(2). pp.391-397.
Moreno, E.L., 2014. Ghost cities and empty houses: wasted prosperity. American International
Journal of Social Science. 3(2). pp.207-216.
Rodger, J., 2012. Criminalising social policy: anti-social behaviour and welfare in a de-civilised
society. Routledge.
Sadowski, L.S.,2009. Effect of a housing and case management program on emergency
department visits and hospitalizations among chronically ill homeless adults: a randomized
trial. Jama. 301(17). pp.1771-1778.
Svensson, C., 2008. Associations between housing, management, and morbidity during rearing
and subsequent first-lactation milk production of dairy cows in southwest Sweden. Journal
of dairy science. 91(4). pp.1510-1518.
Yau, Y., 2011. Collectivism and activism in housing management in Hong Kong. Habitat
International. 35(2). pp.327-334.
Online
Mid Wales Housing Association, 2010. Code of conduct for responsive repairs, maintenance &
improvement contractors. [PDF]. <Available through: http://www.google.co.in/url?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwiZiJ6Yy4vMAhUHLpQKHf
PwCMYQFggfMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mid-walesha.co.uk%2Fdownload
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%2Fcontractor-code-of-conduct&usg=AFQjCNGpj8BN_BNgmWO84yUIKBm4bD-
vbQ>. [Accessed on: 13 April, 2016].
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