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Building Safety is a continuous journey, and with the new Building Safety Regulator now established, and new duties and safety standards, we continue to invest in and improve the safety of all our buildings, which over the coming years includes sprinklers being fitted in all our high-rise blocks.


THE SOCIAL HOUSING ACT Te Social Housing Act and the new Consumer Standards are paving the way for huge changes across the social housing sector. Ultimately, the reforms aim to deliver safer, higher quality homes and


stronger landlord/tenant relationships, where residents’ voices are heard and listened to. As a social housing provider, these things should always be our core purpose, and we welcome the reforms. Changes can’t happen overnight, and we’ve been evolving and adapting for


many years now. Certainly, since the Grenfell tragedy, we’ve been committed to do everything in our power to ensure our buildings and our residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes, and we’ve made great strides on this front, however, we’ll continue to learn and grow to ensure all our buildings are safe places to live, both now and in the future. Te Awaab’s Law amendment is a crucial part of the reforms and tackling


hazards in our properties is an absolute critical priority for Salix Homes. We take the condition of our homes very seriously and we are committed to making sure all our tenants have a healthy and safe home, and crucially that they’re listened to if they do raise a concern with us. Tere is of course a lot of work still to do ahead of the regulatory changes, but


we’re working hard to prepare for the new regulation and improve our services for tenants. We’re getting to know our residents and their homes better, we’re improving and analysing our tenant and property data, and we’re better equipping our workforce to deliver our services and meaningfully engage with residents.


TENANT PORTAL Salix Homes tenants are able to manage their tenancy online using our ‘MySalix Customer Portal’, which includes reporting repairs and maintenance issues. Tey can simply book a repair on the portal, schedule a time to suit them, and track the engineer, so they’ll know who’s going to arrive and when. We’re currently exploring a new solution to enhance the diagnostic


effectiveness of the MySalix portal, to further streamline and improve our repairs service. We’re also looking at introducing a remote inspection and surveying tool, whereby we can use live-video technology to assess and survey repairs and maintenance jobs as part of the initial assessment. It’s something


that we initially trialled during the Covid-19 pandemic when there were restrictions around visiting people’s homes, but we’re now looking to implement this technology to further speed-up and enhance the service. We are committed to using a data driven approach to the management of our


assets, and last year, we secured funding from the Social Housing Quality Fund (SHQF) to install Switchee smart thermostats in more than 2,300 properties across Salford, which act as an early warning indicator to let us know if a property is at risk of damp, mould or condensation. Te Switchee devices measure the temperature, airflow and humidity, and if


they detect an issue, for example a property being consistently below 18°C, they send us a warning signal directly. We can arrange an inspection to determine if any further action is required and they can also detect any faults with the boiler, so we can take action if we need to.


KEY OBJECTIVES Last year, we launched our latest corporate plan, “Our Sustainable Future 2023- 25”, setting out our key objectives for the next two years. We’re aiming to get back to our roots and refocus on our core values to provide good quality homes and services. Te plan focuses on three key areas, which are: Sustainable Homes: We aim to provide high quality homes for our residents,


making sure they are safe, affordable and energy efficient. We’re aiming to introduce our new home quality standard, maintain 100% home safety compliance, increase satisfaction with our repairs service, ensure we have a data-driven approach to the management of our assets, and build 300 new homes by 2025. Sustainable Business: Te focus for our business is to be fit for today and


prepared for tomorrow, making sure we remain efficient and well-governed, and we’ve recently retained our G1/V2 Regulatory Status. We’re also focusing on developing a more modern employee offer and delivering an inclusive and supportive working environment. Sustainable Communities: We are committed to providing first class


services and investing in our customer service channels to ensure we are meeting and exceeding our tenants’ expectations. We’re reviewing and developing our approach to customer service, including tenant communications and accessibility, in a bid to increase residents’ satisfaction. We’re also continuing to develop our tenant engagement arrangements to ensure a strong and influential resident voice, as well as increase the social value of our work in communities.


Article supplied by Sue Sutton, chief executive of Salix Homes www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMMFebruary/March 2024 | 23


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