#Futures50: Tenancy Sustainment — not just the fluffy stuff
Welcome to September #FuturesFam — a new month and another #Futures50 blog for your enjoyment.
This week we have Layna Warden, Group Manager — Tenants & Leaseholders at Dacorum Borough Council, telling us about her experience of setting up the Tenancy Sustainment team and the continuous sector battle of generic vs. specialist teams & services. A focus on Tenancy Sustainment is really valuable, and in the Housing Crisis world that we live in, supporting tenants to maintain a stable tenancy is more important than ever.
Thanks for contributing Layna, as ever #FuturesFam tell us what you think on Twitter!
“Oh you’re doing the fluffy stuff”
In 2014 I joined Dacorum Borough Council to create a new Tenancy Sustainment Team. I remember telling a former colleague about my new job, and their first reaction was to say ‘Oh you’re doing the fluffy stuff’; a reaction guaranteed to make anyone actually working in tenant engagement and support roll their eyes.
I was excited to be part of a Local Authority that understood the increasing pressures tenants are under and willing to try a different approach. I have learnt a lot about integrating a new team and changing perceptions to see that sustaining tenancies is in the best interest of tenants, communities and housing providers.
I remember having an assignment as part of my CIH Housing Studies qualification which asked ‘Should Tenancy Sustainment be provided by a designated team or integrated throughout the service’. I think this question is similar to the discussion of generic vs specialist Housing Officers.
Without a doubt having a dedicated team is beneficial, especially with funding cuts to mental health and support services. Also it can help build positive relationships with some tenants who have lost trust in their landlord. However, Sustainment should also be an integral part of any housing management service.
Most of us do it in one form or another without even realising. It’s carrying out pre-tenancy training; ensuring the right person is allocated to the right home; it’s ensuring we conduct home visits to those in their introductory period and persuading our repair contractors to talk to us when they spot a concern in our homes we might need to know about.
When we talk about reducing eviction rates, it doesn’t mean we overlook tenancy breaches or ignore rent arrears. I started out as an ASB Officer so definitely appreciate the importance of taking appropriate action. However, if we are proactive and take the time to listen to tenants, often we can resolve the issue without going down this road.
I recently tweeted about a compliment from a tenant after her Housing Officer did just that. The direct outcome; our tenant feeling confident, proud of her home and ready to move back into employment. The bigger picture is that as more tenants are empowered to get the right support, they develop their independence, and become part of more stable communities. Plus there is no need for legal action, and lots of job satisfaction for the Housing Officer. Win-win!
While case studies are fantastic for showing the team and senior managers or board members the direct impact of this approach, one barrier I came across was how to evidence the financial benefit to the organisation. Reaching out to other housing professionals for help was really valuable.
The Housemark Tenancy Sustainability club introduced me to some fantastic work already taking place and there are some useful case studies on the CIH knowledge hub for members. Another tool I found helpful was considering Social Value to demonstrate the positive impact. This helped me be successful in funding from Public Health to run a project on health and housing. We also invested in a new IT system so support officers can use the ‘Outcome Star’ which is a great visual method to show how far tenants have come.
I’m really passionate that Sustainment can make a real difference. It is not an add-on, and it features heavily whenever I am working on strategies and policies within my service area. Dacorum have a specific Sustainable Tenancy Strategy and I use this to lead by example when making decisions that affect our tenants.
While I still can’t help taking a deep sigh when someone dismisses sustainment as ‘fluffy’, I know the impact it has when effectively integrated. Now as a Group Manager at Dacorum, I know the Housing service recognises the value too, and I’m really proud at how it’s embedded as part of our culture.
