Read our 2021/22 customer satisfaction results

Published: 5 July 2022

Our 2021/22 customer satisfaction results are now available, detailing satisfaction across a range of measures including our repairs service, your neighbourhood and the value for money that we provide.

Since 2020, we have used a third-party provider, IFF Research, to collect satisfaction information throughout the year, to give us an up-to-date picture of customer satisfaction levels. IFF Research is registered with Market Research Society and is bound by its code of conduct. 

IFF Research has spoken to 600 customers between April 2021 – March 2022. The feedback that you provide is used to improve our services to you, as well helping us to identify where to focus our resources.

The results

Whilst satisfaction has generally declined this year, it is a trend that has been seen across the housing sector. SLH is still performing highly, particularly when compared to others. In fact, SLH performed higher than average across all measures when compared to other housing providers.

Overall satisfaction

Overall satisfaction with our services has decreased by 6% compared with 2020/21. Feedback from customers who were dissatisfied with SLH’s services overall focused on the time taken to complete repairs.

Repairs and maintenance

Satisfaction with repairs and maintenance showed a decrease of 8% compared with last year and is closely linked with overall satisfaction. When customers are very satisfied with repairs, their overall satisfaction is 98%. When customers are very dissatisfied with repairs, their overall satisfaction is 25%. Our results are better than the average across other housing providers.

Quality of home

Satisfaction with the quality of home also decreased by 7% compared with last year. A key driver of overall customer satisfaction, our results were on par with the performance of other housing providers.

Neighbourhood as a place to live

Satisfaction with your neighbourhood as a place to live declined slightly, in line with the performance of other housing providers. For survey purposes we divide our neighbourhoods into West Speke, East Speke, Garston and our Independent Living schemes in Woolton. The breakdown of satisfaction for these areas is as follows:

• West Speke – 87%
• East Speke – 84%
• Garston – 86%
• Independent Living – 96%

Rent provides value for money

Satisfaction with the value for money of your rent decreased in line with similar decreases across the housing sector and potentially as a result of increases in the cost of living and rent.

Service charge provides value for money

This is the area which has seen the biggest decrease in tenant satisfaction, dropping 17% from 83% in 2020/21 to 66% in 2021/22. This was consistent with falls across the sector, due to dissatisfaction with communal maintenance charges paid while services were limited or suspended during lockdowns.

Listening to tenants’ views and acting upon them

Seven in ten customers were satisfied that SLH listens to their views and acts on them. This is a key driver of overall satisfaction. This has decreased from 8 out of 10 last year and is in line with the performance of other housing providers.

Safe and secure home

88% of customers said that they have a safe and secure home, with a small decrease in satisfaction compared with the previous year. This is our highest score across the range of measures and better than the average across other housing providers.

Easy to deal with

81% of customers said that SLH is easy to deal with. Customer feedback suggested that SLH staff provide good customer service that is often positive and helpful, but customers become dissatisfied when issues take too long to sort out.  

Net Promoter Score

Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) fell from 58 to 40. 6 out of 10 tenants would recommend SLH to family or friends. Customers highlighted issues taking too long to sort out and poor customer service as reasons not to recommend SLH to others.

What’s next?

Thanks to everyone who took part. Feedback from this survey, along with feedback from complaints and the work being completed with the Institute of Customer Services has identified a number of areas for improvement. We are currently exploring the best way to implement them across the business and will keep you updated.