Customer Annual Report 2021 – 22

Each year, we take a snapshot of our work in the previous 12 months. We report on how we have spent the rent that you pay, the services we have delivered and how we have performed.  

This annual report covers the financial year from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022, the final year when we measure our achievements against targets in the corporate plan following our merger.  

Just like any household, we have to budget carefully. Because the majority of our income comes from the rent paid by customers, we have a duty to get the best possible value for money when we reinvest that income into homes and services.

This year, we spent £22.8m with local suppliers, supporting 266 businesses providing employment in the areas where we work.

With the support of customers, we launched Homes Plus. As one landlord, we delivered savings of £1.4m.

And when energy costs were very low, we fixed gas and electric contracts until October 2024. This has meant that our offices and the communal areas for which customers pay service charges, are receiving energy bills significantly below current rates. Fixing at a time of low cost saved £900,000 this year.

Negotiating a new contract for the materials used in our home repairs and improvements has also made savings. We cut the cost of boiler and heating components by £123,000 this year too and achieved a saving of £10,000 on electrical materials. (Savings are reinvested in homes and communities.)

Continued restrictions imposed during the pandemic meant that we were not able to spend as much time in our retirement living communities as usual. When we couldn’t be there in person though, we kept in touch with residents through regular telephone calls. We were also able to carry out repairs and safety checks.

We changed the lives of people and families by supporting customers into employment and applauded some of our amazing residents with our Local Hero celebrations.

Our Homes Plus My Community Fund supported great projects run by charities, voluntary groups and our own customers. Grants were awarded to initiatives benefitting communities right across Staffordshire and Shropshire.

We support communities in other ways, too. As one of the area’s leading employers we are proud to employ 63 of our tenants.

As part of our Early Careers programme, we developed stronger relationships with schools and colleges. We employed 17 apprentices during 2021-22 and used apprenticeships to upskill our workforce. Some of those completing their training during this year, attended an Apprenticeship Graduation event in Stafford.

Our commitment to supporting safer communities was recognised with a national award from Resolve ASB, the UK’s leading organisation specialising in effective solutions to antisocial behaviour. In surveys carried out during this year, we were pleased to see increased satisfaction with this part of our work.