Service Standards

• Offer a variety of ways for you to reach us, ensuring we’re available when you need us. Our Contact Centre is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. For emergencies, we provide a free phone line which is available 24/7.
• Respect your time and aim to answer all telephone calls within 60 seconds. Voicemail is used sparingly, and we commit to returning your call the same day.
• Respond to all your messages within 24 hours - whether they are emails, text messages, website contact forms, social media posts, or messages sent through the My PCH portal. We will listen to your needs and make sure we identify the correct person to handle your enquiry.
• Respond to written letters within three working days and provide a named contact with their email address and telephone number. Wherever appropriate we will respond by calling you.
• Provide opportunities for you to visit us in person at our office, open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. We also hold regular community drop-in sessions. We respect your preferences and offer to meet you at a time and place convenient to you.
• Listen to your concerns and provide a quiet room for private discussions.
• Strive to resolve or action 75% of your queries at the first point of contact.
• Provide regular news, updates, and information through various channels, including newsletters, social media, website stories, and hard copy leaflets. We respect your needs and offer information in other formats upon request.
• Maintain and regularly update a database of your communication preferences, ensuring we deliver information in the format you prefer.
• Provide information in other languages upon request and ensure our website and postal information is fully accessible. We offer translation services, read aloud services, large font size, and British sign language translation when needed.

• 80% of calls answered in 60 seconds.
• 95% of digital contacts receive a response in 24 hours (Mon-Fri).
• 95% of letters receive a response in 3 working days.
• 75% First Call Resolution Rate.

• Ensure you can view your new home before you move in by either sharing a video so you can view your home virtually or by organising an in-person viewing, so you can decide if it is right for you before you accept.
• Work with you to ensure your home meets your needs and is affordable for you to maintain a tenancy.
• Ensure your home is safe, secure, and clean and provide you with information to help you enjoy your new home when you move in.
• Let you know when your home is ready to move into and keep you informed of any changes.
• Provide easy and accessible ways of managing your tenancy, including digital services through the MyPCH portal for those who prefer to access services online, and offer you an option to sign your tenancy agreement electronically or in person, as you choose.
• Help you manage a move in the future by providing clear moving out guidance, letting you know how to leave your home and return your keys, as well as potential costs if you were to leave your home in an unsatisfactory condition.

• More than 95% of tenants are satisfied with their new home.
• All homes are re-let within 20 days.

• Support you to settle into your home when you are first allocated a tenancy with PCH.
• Tell you who your Housing Officer is and how to contact them. You will receive a visit from your Housing Officer within the first three months of your tenancy, and we will check in with you again if we have any concerns about your tenancy or support needs.
• Ensure that our housing management team demonstrate our values as an organisation in all interactions with you and feedback the outcomes of any issues raised in your neighbourhood.
• Provide information on how to keep your home and building safe and keep communal areas clear from items which could be a fire or safety risk.
• Remove illegal fly-tipping on PCH land, including items from residents’ homes such as fridges, freezers, furniture, and commercial builders’ waste. We will address all instances of fly-tipping either through your tenancy or via the Local Authority in the case of private fly-tippers.
• Remove graffiti including painting, writing, soiling, marking or other defacing of any property or structure that we own. Should the graffiti be offensive, this will be removed within 24 hours of it being reported.
• Support you to make any changes to your tenancy if you need to, such as assignments, successions, or a mutual exchange to move to another property.
• Provide free access to Home Swapper, the national exchange service, and guidance on how to swap your home if you want to move. If you make an application for a mutual exchange, we will respond with a decision within 42 days and keep you up to date with the progress of your swap.
• Consider requests and not unreasonably withhold permission when you ask to do something such as keep a pet, alter your home, have a lodger, or put up a shed, and assess each case on its merits. We will provide a response to requests within 10 working days.
• Support and make referrals to any agencies which you may need to help you manage your tenancy.
• Be visible in our communities and support your community so that you can be proud to live in it by:
  • Being part of your community and regularly present on the estate attending surgeries, drop-in sessions, and events.
  • Inviting you to join us when we inspect your neighbourhood and communal areas, including playgrounds.
  • Working together with partner agencies to improve the appearance of your neighbourhood and keep it clean, tidy and well maintained.
  • Carrying out stairwell cleaning in blocks where residents have elected to pay for this additional service.
  • Managing all the trees and biodiversity on PCH owned communal land.
  • Consulting with you about how we manage and maintain any new communal spaces.
• Investigate and act on any breach of a tenancy agreement including reports of:
  • Anti-social behaviour.
  • Sub-letting of a property.
  • Property abandonment.
  • Tenancy fraud.

• Support you if you need to move to another property or into temporary accommodation whilst we carry out any repairs or works to your home which can’t be managed whilst you are living there. Our Housing Team will carry out an assessment to identify your housing needs and support you throughout the process.

• Percentage of residents who are satisfied that their landlord makes a positive contribution to the neighbourhood (TSM).
• Percentage of residents who report that their landlord keeps communal areas clean and well maintained (TSM).
• Percentage of residents satisfied with the value for money of service charges.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with the overall service from their landlord.
• Number of anti-social behaviour cases per 1,000 stock.
• Number of hate-related anti-social behaviour cases per 1,000 stock.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with our approach to anti-social behaviour.

• Provide a range of secure ways to pay your rent and other charges, encouraging Direct Debit as our preferred method of payment.
• Provide you with access to your rent statements online through our MyPCH resident portal and accompanying app or send you a printed statement on request.
• Let you know if your rent and service charges change at least 28 days in advance.  If there is a change to your Direct Debit payment, we will let you know 10 days in advance.
• Make sure that payments appear on your account within two working days.
• Contact you if you miss a payment and help you to get back on track.  We will agree an affordable payment arrangement, and refer you to our support services or other agencies if you need more specialist help e.g. help with claiming benefits you are entitled to.
• Give you clear information about what your service charges cover and how we have calculated them.
• Ensure that all new Universal Credit claimants receive the correct initial payment.

• Additional income (£’s) generated for tenants as a result of helping them claim benefits and other financial support.
• Number of customers helped through the Financial Support Fund in the current financial year.
• Number of customers helped by our Financial Inclusion Officers in the current financial year.
• % of customers who pay their rent by Direct Debit.

• Make sure you have a variety of ways to report repairs to us easily and quickly and offer a date and time for your repair appointment that is convenient to you.
• Let you know which repairs we are and are not responsible for. Information will be set out in your tenancy agreement and made available on our website.
• Prioritise your repair as either routine, urgent or emergency. This will be assessed with you when the repair is initially raised. You can find more information about which repairs are classed as emergency, urgent, routine or planned here on our website.
• Emergency repairs which involve a serious, immediate risk to your health and safety, or to the security of your home, will be carried out within 24 hours. These will include issues like:
  • Total loss of heating between November and March
  • Dangerous of exposed wires
  • Blocked toilet
  • No electricity
  • Total loss of water
  • Report of gas leak or carbon monoxide alarm sounding
• Urgent repairs will be completed within five working days of being reported up to 8pm on the fifth working day. They include issues like:
  • Immersion heather repair or replacement
  • Shower not working and no bath available
  • Containable water leak
  • Part failure of electrical supply
• Routine repairs will be completed within 20 working days. They include issues like:
  • Faulty or dripping tap
  • Internal door sticking
  • Shower head leaking
  • Blocked or broken guttering
• Damp and Mould inspections will be completed within seven working days if there is:
  • Rising damp
  • Known vulnerability of residents
• Planned repairs will be completed within 60 working days. They include issues like:
  • Concrete and path repairs
  • Fencing and gate repairs
  • Replacement of doors or windows
  • Plastering work
• Be polite and respectful when carrying out work in your home and show our identification before entering your home.
• If complex repairs are needed which can cause disruption, we will:
  • Be clear about what is needed, and what the next steps are.
  • Let you know how long the work will take.
  • Make sure you know who is managing your repair and how to contact them.
  • Maintain contact with you so that you know what to expect.
• If we need you to move out while repair work is carried out, we will make the arrangements with you for temporary accommodation and cover reasonable costs. Some examples of when we might recommend you move out on a temporary basis include:
  • Major flooding
  • Fire damage
  • Structural repairs meaning the property is unsafe
  • No toilet facilities for over 24 hours
• Send you reminders about scheduled appointments, and if we are not able to complete your repair first time, we will keep you updated with progress and come back at an agreed time that suits you.
• Provide clear information about our out of hours emergency repairs service to ensure you are aware of the service we provide.
• Leave your home clean and tidy and remove all our rubbish.
• Undertake a regular programme of improvements and give you effective advance notice of when this work will take place.
• Ensure that our staff have the relevant up to date skills, safety equipment and training.
• Ensure that our contracted partners carry out work to the standards we expect.

• Percentage of residents satisfied with the overall repairs service.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with the time taken to complete the last repair.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with their last repair.
• Percentage of emergency repairs completed within specified timescales.
• Percentage of non-emergency repairs completed within specified timescales.

• Ensure your homes meet the Decent Homes Standard* and are kept in a good state of repair through our planned investment programmes.
• Visit your home every five years to check its condition.
• Publish our investment programme so you are aware of planned works coming up to your homes.
• When undertaking works to your home, we will:
  • Contact you before visiting your home.
  • Let you know what you can expect.
  • Provide information about who will be completing the work.
  • Explain how long it will take.
  • Share what choices you may have.
  • Outline what disruption we cannot avoid.
  • Ask what help we may need from you.
• Leave your home clean and tidy and take all rubbish away when we have finished.
• Carry out a risk assessment prior to work being carried out in your home.

*A decent home: definition and guidance

• Percentage of residents satisfied with the quality of their home.
• Percentage of homes meeting the Decent Homes Standard.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with their experience during refurbishment works.

• Reporting
  • If you report an issue of ASB to us, we’ll discuss the issues with you and provide advice, support and information on potential next steps appropriate to the situation.
  • If you make a complaint about ASB, we’ll agree an action plan with you that includes telling you how often we’ll keep you updated on the case and explain how you can update us on the situation both during standard office hours and out of hours.
  • We’ll complete a victim-focussed risk assessment so we understand how you feel and how best to support you through the complaints process, which could include referring you to support agencies.
  • We’ll support you to capture evidence of any ASB by giving you access to our Noise App or other equipment to capture recordings or provide advice on completing written diary notes.
• Investigation
  • During the process of investigating a complaint of ASB, we will keep a log of all relevant details and continually review evidence as it is provided.
  • We’ll work closely with partner agencies such as the police and local authority on a plan to address the issues and support you.
  • We’ll protect your identity if you wish and share regular feedback with you once we have discussed the allegations with our partner agencies, updating you on any actions taken.
•  Resolution
  • We’ll review all available options including mediation services if appropriate, as well as Acceptable Behaviour Contracts or Good Neighbour Agreements.
  • We’ll ensure residents abide by the terms of their Tenancy Agreement or take appropriate action where there are breaches.
  • We will consider legal actions if these are required, and progress appropriate injunctions or court orders if necessary.
  • We’ll share information with you about the Community Case Review process (also known as a trigger).
  • We will only close a case if:
    • The issues have been resolved to your satisfaction.
    • We have taken all available action to resolve the matter and cannot take any further action without new evidence.
    • Another agency is dealing with the case, and it no longer requires our involvement.
    • No evidence is found to prove incidents of ASB occurred.

• Percentage of residents satisfied with the way we handled their anti-social behaviour complaint.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with the outcome of their anti-social behaviour complaint.
• Percentage of residents satisfied with our approach to anti-social behaviour.
• Number of anti-social behaviour complaints per 1,000 stock.
• Number of hate related anti-social behaviour complaints per 1,000 stock.

• We are committed to providing an open, fair, and impartial complaints process. We care about your experiences and encourage you to voice your concerns through complaints, customer satisfaction surveys, and engagement opportunities so you can let us know how we are doing.
• We respect your concerns and promise to listen attentively. Your complaint will be investigated promptly, and you will be regularly updated on its progress.
• The investigating officer will contact you within two working days following receipt of your stage one complaint to discuss it in more detail. A written acknowledgement will be sent to you on the same day.
• We aim to provide a response at stage 1 of the process within 10 working days of acknowledging the complaint.
• If the complaint progresses to stage 2, it will be acknowledged within two working days of receipt. A stage 2 response will be provided within 20 working days of the complaint being acknowledged.
• We will ensure you know how to make a complaint, understand the complaints process, and are aware of what to do if you are unhappy with how we handle your complaint, including how to contact the Housing Ombudsman Service.
• We will inform you about any agreed resolutions and ensure they are completed promptly.
• We value your feedback on our complaint handling process and are always looking for ways to improve.
• We are committed to learning from complaints to improve our services. We will inform you about any changes made as a result of your complaint.
• We will publish our complaints policy, and any other relevant documents required under the Complaint Handling Code on our website.

• Be in the top 25% of landlords for satisfaction with complaint handling.
• 100% of complaints are closed within the timescales of our policy.
• More than 85% of residents know how to make a complaint

• Carry out an annual safety check of any gas appliances and flues within your home and provide you with a Landlord Gas Safety Record, which will be posted to you within 28 days of the check.
• Carry out a safety check to electrical installations in your home and communal areas at least every five years, ensuring all new tenants receive a copy of the current electrical safety certificate when they move in.
• Carry out annual asbestos checks to all communal areas where there is asbestos present. If there is asbestos in a property, we will leave it there if it is in a safe condition but will advise you where the asbestos is. We will issue you with an asbestos survey report for your home if you request one or tell you when your survey is due to be carried out.
• Undertake a weekly test of all fire alarms in communal areas.
• Inspect and test emergency lighting every month.
• Undertake bi-monthly maintenance checks of all lifts within communal areas.
• Carry out fire risk assessments to ensure our buildings are safe and fit for purpose.
• Provide carbon monoxide detectors to all properties with a gas appliance or open fires and test them every year as part of our annual gas safety checks and replace them if faulty.
• Provide mains-powered smoke alarms to the current standards, tested every year as part of our annual gas safety checks, and replace every 10 years before the end of unit life.
• Carry out regular checks and controls such as temperature monitoring and water sampling on communal water systems to ensure they remain free from legionella.

If you live in one of our tall buildings over 18m in height (Tavy House, Lynher House, Marlborough House, Tamar House, Woodlands Court, Morley Court) there are additional standards which apply under the Building Safety Act 2022. For all our tall buildings, we will:

• Complete an annual fire risk assessment to identify and prevent risks and ensure your safety. We will maintain, inspect, test, repair and upgrade fire safety equipment when needed.
• Provide relevant building and fire safety information to residents and host visits from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service to ensure there is a regularly updated emergency plan in place which residents are aware of.
• Regularly monitor and maintain security systems to ensure a secure environment for all residents.
• Conduct regular cleaning of communal areas and manage effective waste management to prevent health or safety risks.
• Enable all residents to report safety concerns through any of our communication channels to ensure they are investigated.
• Actively engage with residents over the age of 16 about building safety decisions, and host regular events to enable residents to share feedback, suggestions and concerns.
• Prepare, update and keep relevant detailed Building Safety Case reports for each of the 18m+ tall buildings to comply with Government regulations.
• Make sure that residents are aware of information about their building, which includes:
  • What keeps your building safe
  • How often safety systems are checked to make sure they work
  • How you can join discussions about your building
  • What should you do if there’s a fire or emergency
  • What you can do to help us keep your building safe

• 100% of blocks will have an annual fire risk assessment and ensure all identified actions are completed within specified timeframes.
• 100% of mechanical and electrical systems will receive their regular servicing and maintenance within specified timeframes.
• Building safety case reports will be made available to residents.
• More than 85% of residents report that they are satisfied that their home is safe.
• We are 100% compliant with our health and safety obligations (gas safety, electrical safety, fire safety, asbestos, water safety and lift safety).

• Provide a range of ways for you to get involved in shaping our services and enable you to hold us to account about the services we deliver.
• Share information about resident involvement opportunities including through our quarterly InTouch resident newsletter, our monthly e-newsletter, on the PCH website and through our social media channels.
• Deliver resident involvement opportunities which are fair and inclusive.
• Provide practical support for resident involvement, including holding accessible meetings and offering guidance and support for residents’ groups.
• Tell you what has changed because of your involvement, and let you know how your feedback contributed to improvements in our services.
• We’ll provide consistent and accessible feedback, so residents know they have made a difference by:
  • Publicising Neighbourhood Plans that set out improvements and feedback to residents on what has been achieved.
  • Publish ‘You Said We Did’ features that are promoted internally and externally across a wide variety of platforms and medias.
  • Publicise locally and nationally the successes and new initiatives resulting from resident engagement.
• Continually monitor our performance by sharing results, including sharing progress on any corrective actions.
• Work with external partners on projects to help improve your communities and provide support for initiatives which help you get involved in your neighbourhood.

• Percentage of residents satisfied that their landlord keeps them informed.
• Percentage of residents satisfied that their landlord listens to views and acts upon them.
• Percentage of residents involved in PCH’s engagement activities.
• Diversity monitoring of involved residents (percentages).

• Consult with leaseholders when major works or works costing more than £250 are required to your property, giving you advance notice of any works and the costs involved, and support you with payment options.
• Support you if you decide to sell your property by responding to Leasehold Property Enquiries (LPE1) within agreed timescales.
• Help you to understand the terms of your lease, including repairs obligations.
• Work with you to understand what work needs to be done to your building and what your priorities are and take these into consideration.
• Ensure we provide you with relevant information on building safety for your block, building or home.
• Hold a weekly drop-in session for Leaseholders at The Beacon Community Centre in North Prospect and hold a regular forum where you can discuss and share any concerns and provide relevant, up to date information about your home and our plans.

• Consult with commercial tenants when major works are required to the block, providing advance notice of any works and the costs involved.

• Percentage of leaseholders satisfied with PCH as their landlord.
• Percentage of leaseholders satisfied with value for money of service charges.

• Provide clear information about our shared ownership homes for sale through our website and other channels including social media.
• Respond to any queries about our shared ownership homes within three working days.
• Keep you informed about the progress of your purchase or sale, if we are acting as the sales agent for your resale of a shared ownership home.
• Publish guidance and fees for buying and selling shared ownership homes on our website.

• Percentage of purchasers satisfied with the buying process.