Housing report 2023

We have a strong commitment to listening and responding to the resident voice. Throughout 2023/24 we provided a wide range of opportunities for tenants and residents to engage, feedback, and inform improvement to housing services.

Tenants and residents were involved in a wide range of engagement activities including:

• Tenant Scrutiny Review of Stage 1 complaint responses
• review of our Repairs Policy
• redesign of the housing application process
• redesign of the homeless appeals process
• self-assessment against the Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code
• review of multi-storey services
• Building Safety Resident Engagement Strategy
• Gateshead Housing Standard for Ageing Well
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
• community engagement events
• redesign of the digital enquiries and complaints form

To test that our approach to tenant and resident engagement complies with the new Transparency Influence and Accountability Standard (opens new window), we have applied for landlord accreditation (opens new window) with TPAS. They offer a nationally recognised accreditation scheme, which helps us to develop a strong culture of involvement and drive business improvements with your involvement.

In your neighbourhood

We provide a wide range of tenancy and estate management services to council tenants across Gateshead through our Neighbourhood Services team. Dedicated neighbourhood housing officers are aligned a geographically defined number of properties, and are responsible for all tenancy and estate management related matters.

Over the year the team has achieved:

• 533 Home Welcome Visits
• 718 Tenancy Audits
• 382 visits to low and medium rise blocks
• 64 investigations of suspected abandonments
• 640 home Improvement requests approved
• 1,487 tenancy terminations processed
• 217 tenancy changes approved
• 31 mutual exchanges approved
• 54 households supported into temporary accommodation
• 98 visits to 'Gas Capped' homes.

In 2023/24 the team opened 992 new anti-social behaviour cases, and 823 (83%) were acknowledged and investigations began within timescale (one day for high priority cases and three days routine cases).

The team also handled 30,000 telephone calls, 4,797 enquiries at the reception desk in the Civic Centre, and 997 face-to-face contacts across other council buildings.

In 2025 we will continue to work with tenants and residents to improve the way we deliver services. Find out how you can find out more about the different opportunities to engage with us.