Consultations and feedback

Complaints are one of the most important sources of resident feedback.

We do not view complaints as isolated incidents but as opportunities to identify themes, understand underlying causes and improve services for everyone.

Learning from complaints is now recorded and monitored through our action tracking arrangements, with improvements shared across services and reported back to residents through panels, meetings, newsletters and ‘You said, we did’ updates.

This helps ensure that resident experiences directly influence service design, staff training, contractor management and future decisions.

We are also strengthening how we demonstrate learning by tracking actions, monitoring outcomes and sharing evidence of improvements more transparently.

Key themes and what we’ve learned

Communication and keeping residents updated

What complaints told us

Residents often felt they were not kept informed about delays, appointments, next steps, responsibilities between teams, or the progress of their case. Poor communication increased frustration, even where work was eventually completed.

What we learned

• residents need proactive updates, not just responses when they chase
• explain delays and changes clearly
• provide one clear route for updates and ownership

Changes made

• introduced standard communication expectations for complaint-related repairs
• agreed clearer update points throughout a case
• increased use of ‘You Said, We Did’ feedback reporting
• improved resident-facing updates through panels, webinars, walkabouts and complaints reporting

Better record keeping and audit trails

What complaints told us

Communication records, inspections and evidence are not consistently retained, making it difficult to demonstrate what has happened and who had done what.

What we learned

• good records are essential for accountability
• evidence should be retained throughout the lifecycle of a case
• decisions and follow-on actions must be clearly documented

Changes made

• strengthened expectations around recording inspections
• increased use of photographs and evidence
• introduced complaint-learning actions relating to work order tracking and audit trails
• better monitoring of follow-on actions and recommendations

Contractor management and quality assurance

What complaints told us

Residents raised concerns about contractor workmanship, delayed works, incomplete repairs and poor oversight of subcontractors. Complaints also highlight issues relating to handling residents' belongings during works.

What we learned

• contractors need clearer standards and stronger oversight
• quality checking should not end when the contractor leaves site
• resident experience must form part of contractor performance monitoring

Changes made

• developed contractor engagement standards
• introduced post-repair checks
• strengthened contractor monitoring and follow-up
• increased focus on first time fix performance, and quality assurance

Repairs diagnosis and escalation

What complaints told us

Some complaints became prolonged because underlying causes were not identified

early enough or issues were repeatedly revisited without escalation.

What we learned

• complex repairs require better diagnosis from the first visit
• repeat failures must trigger escalation earlier
• delays should be actively monitored before they become complaints

Changes made

• introduced escalation triggers
• improved monitoring of repeat visits
• strengthened diagnostic expectations for damp, mould, leaks and recurring defects

Vulnerability, accessibility and reasonable adjustments

What complaints told us

Some cases highlighted the importance of recognising vulnerabilities, accessibility needs and preferred methods of communication.

What we learned

• resident needs must be identified and recorded earlier
• services should adapt communication approaches
• vulnerable households require swift escalation

Changes made

• improved vulnerability recording
• reviewed reasonable adjustment guidance
• increased focus on preferred contact methods
• strengthened awareness around disability and neurodiversity

Estate services and environmental management

What complaints told us

Complaints regularly highlighted fly-tipping, bulky waste, waste storage arrangements, communal cleanliness and environmental issues.

What we learned

• delays in removal encourage further dumping
• residents want visible ownership of environmental issues
• detter prevention is as important as response

Changes made

• waste containerisation programme
• door-to-tip bulky waste pilot
• improved enforcement and CCTV measures
• adoption of rapid investigation and removal approaches
• stronger monitoring of communal services

You said:

Residents consistently tell us that fly-tipping is one of their biggest concerns.

You want cleaner estates, faster action when rubbish is dumped, and practical solutions that make it easier for people to dispose of unwanted items responsibly.

We did:

• Making it easier to report fly-tipping

We've been encouraging residents, caretakers and staff to report fly-tipping through our online reporting system.

Using a single reporting route helps us build a more accurate picture of where fly-tipping is happening, identify hotspots, and ensure reports reach the right team quickly.

Report fly-tipping and fly-tippers

The more reports we receive through the system, the better we can understand the scale of the issue and measure whether our initiatives are making a difference.

• Improving information on our website

We've worked across Council services to improve the information available on our recycling and rubbish webpages. This includes creating a dedicated Door-to-Tip page and improving the flow between related pages, making it easier for residents to find the right service and understand their options for disposing of bulky items responsibly.

Find out more: Recycling and rubbish services

• Trialling the door-to-tip service

We're trialling a new door-to-tip bulky waste collection service on parts of the Pepys Estate. The trial allows eligible residents to book collections directly from their front door, helping people who may struggle to move large items to communal collection points.

The pilot aims to reduce barriers to responsible disposal and help prevent bulky items from being left in communal areas. We'll use resident feedback and reporting data to evaluate its impact and inform future decisions.

• Working together across the borough

We've brought together housing teams, environmental services and housing providers across Lewisham to share good practice and explore a more coordinated approach to reducing fly-tipping and managing bulky waste. By working together, we can better understand common challenges and identify solutions that benefit residents across the borough.

What's next?

We're continuing to:

• Monitor fly-tipping reports and identify hotspots
• Promote the use of the online reporting system
• Evaluate the impact of the Door-to-Tip pilot
• Work with housing providers and Council teams to improve services
• Use resident feedback to shape future environmental improvements

Find out about our innovative and resident-led approach to developing our new Resident Engagement Strategy.

• You said: Reliable caretaking schedules are important for residents on all estates and panel members understood how caretakers taking time off during the week to support weekend cover can disrupt services. However, there was an agreement that some blocks needed a weekend presence.
• We did: Estate Environment is working with colleagues to develop cost-effective proposals which will deliver a targeted weekend service without adding to Monday to Friday disruption. We aim to update residents early in 2026.

We wanted to update our antisocial behaviour (ASB) policy to improve how we manage cases within the limited resources of the ASB team. This included using our Housing Officers to respond to lower-risk cases more, which required us to rewrite the way we categorised cases. We also wanted to extend the target timescales for lower risk cases to 5 working days, bringing us in line with other councils and Housing Associations. Following up on concerns raised about noise in a previous survey, we asked about the specific types of noise that residents reported as ASB.

You said: 

• Clearer information was needed around the process for assigning ASB cases to Housing Officers
• Many residents were unsure who their Housing Officer was
• Clarity was needed on whether ASB should be reported to the Housing Officer or the ASB team
• Concerns were raised about how quickly ASB reports would be responded to
• Anti-social noise from immediate neighbours was the biggest issue (61% of respondents), followed by noise from outside sources such as traffic and trains (38%) and household noise travelling easily into homes (e.g., washing machines, upstairs neighbours walking, etc) (32%). (Residents could select multiple options)

We did:

• Clarified which officer would be responsible for investigating different types of ASB reported
• Committed to publicising how residents can find who their Housing Officer is (via the new Housing Portal or the Housing Officer search tool on the Council website) to ensure residents have a named contact for ASB issues
• Took on board feedback around alternative ways of receiving resident concerns such as Housing Officer surgeries, which are already being trialled by our Resident Engagement team
• Committed to reviewing and strengthening communication links between Housing Officers and ASB Officers to ensure both teams share an understanding of ASB issues
• Planned to incorporate feedback on different types of noise (such as footsteps from neighbouring homes) into the next Asset Management Strategy
• Continued monitoring of ASB and the impact of the new policy through service performance data, including Tenant Satisfaction Measurement data on ASB cases and resident satisfaction with how cases are handled

We had to update our damp and mould policy to ensure our legal compliance with Awaab’s Law, which came into force on 27 October 2025. This law places a legal obligation on landlords to act swiftly and proactively, ensuring that health risks linked to poor housing conditions are mitigated. To make sure the policy was clear and helpful, we consulted residents through a specific damp and mould panel (April 2025 - June 2025). We asked residents if they agreed with key policy statements on the following topics:

• Reporting damp and mould
• Assessing damp and mould
• Fixing damp and mould
• Resident responsibilities
• Performance and learning

We also asked residents how we can encourage people to report damp and mould concerns.

You said:

• The policy statements were clear and structured
• The language in the policy was plain and easy to understand
• Communication on damp and mould was key both with council tenants and leaseholders
• The process needed to ensure damp and mould is checked so it doesn’t come back

We did:

• Kept the policy language clear and easy to understand
• Committed to creating an Easy Read version of the policy
• Created a damp and mould communications plan based on your feedback
• Implemented a follow-up process after damp and mould repairs to ensure it doesn’t come back

Under Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010, we have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to avoid placing disabled people at a substantial disadvantage. While we were already making such adjustments in practice, the Reasonable Adjustments Policy was being introduced to formalise our approach and provide a clear framework. To make sure the policy was clear and helpful, we consulted residents through a survey (December 2024 - January 2025). We asked:

• Is the policy clear and easy to read?
• Does it cover everything it should?
• Should anything be added or expanded?

You said:

• 76.57% found the policy clear and easy to read
• 63.18% agreed that the policy covered everything it needed to
• Common feedback themes were:
  • Language was sometimes too complex or technical
  • Layout and font size could be made more accessible, with suggestions to add bullet points within the policy
  • Requests for an Easy Read version

We did:

• Revised the policy to improve accessibility:
  • Added bullet points
  • Simplified layout
  • Made language more user-friendly.
• Created an Easy Read version of the policy

We reviewed our vulnerable residents policy as part of its scheduled update and to reflect learning from good practice. To ensure the policy reflected residents' experiences, we consulted residents through a survey, which received 150 responses, and sought feedback through our resident-led panels. We asked residents about their experiences of how we recognise, record and respond to vulnerabilities, and what improvements were needed to better support residents.

You said:

• Residents often had to repeat information about their vulnerabilities and support needs
• Communication preferences were not always taken into account
• Staff needed better guidance to support vulnerable residents and signpost them to services
• Residents wanted their individual circumstances to be understood and treated with respect
• Consent and advocacy processes could create barriers to support
• Vulnerability information was not always recorded or used consistently

We did:

• Organised the policy around three principles: Recognise, Record and Respond
• Added a new section on staff conduct, setting clear expectations for respectful, person-centred services
• Strengthened guidance on recording vulnerabilities, communication preferences, and consent
• Improved requirements for recording and sharing vulnerability information so residents do not have to repeat their circumstances
• Committed to developing supporting procedures and staff guidance to promote consistent implementation of the policy

We reviewed our lifts and stairlifts policy to improve transparency, expand service standards, and clarify the requirements and responsibilities for managing lifts and stairlifts. As part of the review, we presented the draft policy to our resident-led Service and Performance Panel and Tenant Advisory Board. We asked residents whether the policy was clear, easy to understand and whether it provided enough information about our service standards and responsibilities. 

You said:

• The policy would benefit from clearer definitions and explanations of technical terms
• Residents wanted more information about service standards for maintaining lifts and stairlifts in their homes
• Communication during lift outages should be clearer so residents know what is happening
• Residents wanted clear contact information for reporting lift and stairlift issues
• The policy should better explain how lift inspections and examinations are carried out and who is responsible for them

We did:

• Added clearer definitions and explanations of technical terms
• Expanded information on service standards, including response times for maintenance issues 
• Included requirements for contractors to display signage following maintenance works to keep residents informed about lift outages
• Added clear contact details for residents to report lift and stairlift faults and concerns
• Clarified the difference between routine maintenance and independent thorough examinations
• Provided greater clarity on the types of properties covered by the policy and the statutory requirements it supports
• Added information on non-compliance and escalation processes to improve transparency
• Expanded information on staff and contractor competency requirements and included relevant Higher-Risk Building requirements