Meet Robert, Asset Strategy Director!
Robert, our Asset Strategy Director, shares what our 99.9% Decent Homes Standard result means for you
A safe, warm and well-maintained home matters to everyone. That’s why we’re pleased to share that 99.9% of our homes meet the Decent Homes Standard. It’s a result that reflects our commitment to providing homes that customers can feel safe, warm and secure in.
To explain what this means for you, we caught up with Robert Panou, our Director of Asset Strategy.
Robert and his team play an important part in looking after our homes, so we asked him to talk us through the Standard, how we make sure homes meet it and what you should do if you feel something in your home isn’t right.
Robert, what’s your job as the Director of Asset Strategy?
My job is to look after safety and the long-term investment plans for Stonewater’s homes.
That means making sure we understand the condition of our homes, plan the right repairs and improvements and invest in the things that make sure our homes remain safe, warm and well-maintained. I also work closely with teams across Stonewater to make sure investment is targeted at the right areas in the right way, and our homes are fit for the future.
Can you explain the Decent Homes Standard?
Of course. The Decent Homes Standard is set by the Government to make sure that all rented homes are safe, decent and warm. It focuses on things like keeping homes free from serious hazards, in good repair, energy efficient and free from damp and mould.
But for me, it's really quite simple. I want anyone living in one of our homes to feel safe, comfortable and proud of where they live. That's what a good home should be. Meeting the Decent Homes Standard helps us make sure we're providing that for our customers and supporting their health, wellbeing and day-to-day life.
How do you make sure homes meet the Decent Homes Standard?
There’s a lot we do to make sure we meet this standard. We have a team of surveyors who are out every day inspecting homes and working with you to make sure your home is safe and secure. So, how do we do this?
We carry out regular inspections and safety checks
All our homes are routinely inspected by a team of specialist surveyors through something called a Stock Condition Survey. You may not have heard of this before, but every single one of our homes has this survey carried out at least once every five years. Our surveyors look at things like the walls, windows, roof areas, doors, kitchens, bathrooms and heating and electrical systems.
The surveys help us identify anything that may not be safe and plan any upgrades or improvements. They’re also a fantastic opportunity for you to meet your local surveyor, chat to them and point out any concerns or repairs. We also look at other information such as customer satisfaction responses, repairs history and feedback from colleagues to enhance the data we collect from surveys.
We plan improvements to our homes
I know things don’t last forever in your home, and sometimes our buildings need a bit of TLC.
That’s why we have a programme of planned improvements. It covers many things such as replacing or upgrading kitchens, bathrooms, windows and doors, roofs and gutters, decorating communal areas and exteriors, right through to heating systems.
It’s definitely not a small task, and it takes a lot of planning. I know these improvements can make a massive difference to you. And part of the reason I love my job is seeing comments from happy customers who have let us know how a modern kitchen or new windows have improved their lives. I also know these improvements are great for the community, too, showing that homes are well looked after and invested in.
Sometimes our surveyors may spot repairs that need urgent attention in our homes or buildings, and we’ll always look to tackle those first. When this happens, it can mean other planned improvements are pushed back. I know this can be disappointing if you’ve been waiting a while. But please don’t worry, it doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten them, and we’ll get them planned back in as soon as we can.
Making sure repairs are carried out
We need to make sure we stay on top of any day-to-day repairs you report to us, and that they’re booked in and dealt with as soon as possible. This stops smaller issues from becoming much bigger.
Keeping you warm
Part of my job is to make sure your home is ready for the future, and we’re working hard to make sure that all our homes have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above by 2030.
I’m pleased to say we’re making great progress towards this target and making our homes more sustainable through upgrades to heating systems and insulation. We’ve also got our award-winning retrofit programme, which installs the latest technology in homes, such as smart heating controls, solar panels, heat pumps, ventilation systems and much more. I find this really exciting because we’re starting to see the impact that new technology has on improving customers' homes.
Tackling damp and mould
I want to say this first: no one should be living with damp, mould or condensation.
If you have it in your home, please let us know as soon as possible. I know sometimes people can feel embarrassed or ashamed about having damp and mould in their home. But you really don’t need to be, we have a team of friendly damp and mould surveyors who are there to help you tackle it. Our aim is not just to clear the damp and mould, but to tackle the root cause so that it doesn't return.
What does the standard mean for customers?
I want you to be proud of where you live and feel that your home is safe, secure and comfortable. I want you to have confidence that your home is looked after properly, is free from safety risks, and is well-maintained.
Reaching 99.9% of our homes meeting the Decent Homes Standard is a very strong result, but I don’t want to stand still. While I’m really pleased with what we’ve achieved, I know there’s always more we can do. My team and I are committed to learning, improving and making sure you can be proud of where you live.
The Standard is set to change in the next few years and works alongside other laws, such as Awaab’s Law. We will be changing the way our survey works to align with the new standard, and we’ll keep listening, taking action when things aren’t right and looking for ways to make our homes even better. But we can only do this with your help, so please keep speaking up and telling us about your experiences and work with our surveyors so they can survey your home. Without a survey, we will not know what to plan.
What should a customer do if they think their home isn’t safe?
No one should be living in a home they believe is unsafe, and I want you to challenge us and speak up if you:
- Think that we’ve missed a survey of your home
- Have new or outstanding repairs
- Think something isn’t safe
- Feel we're not meeting the standards you should expect from us
I know we don’t always get things right, but I genuinely believe that by working together, we can put things right more quickly. Letting us into your home and sharing your feedback helps us understand what matters to you, identify where we need to improve and make sure we're providing safe, quality homes for everyone.