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Your Voice matters

We know our customers are the best people to help us shape and improve our services. You know when we get it right, and where we can make improvements. All our customers become a Voice when they become a Melin customer. We ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in surveys.

Written by Fiona

11 Mar, 2022

Melin Voices logo – Your voice matters

We know our customers are the best people to help us shape and improve our services.

You know when we get it right, and where we can make improvements.

All our customers become a Voice when they become a Melin customer. We ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in surveys.

If you receive a text from us, asking for your views please take the time to tell us your opinions, to help us make a positive difference.

If you have a suggestion or something that is important to you and you would like us to look into it you can email our Listen Act Learn staff group at listenactlearn@melinhomes.co.uk.

If you would like to be more involved you can join one of our Voices focus groups, just get in touch

  • The Community Group – meet monthly with the Communities Team to plan and fund neighbourhood events and award grant funding.
  • The Customer Service Group – they scrutinise the services that Melin provides and give recommendations on service improvement, seeking the views of residents and staff. They meet when required to get reports completed.

Our Voices have supported our communities with funding, making a difference to our residents. Here’s where some of the money was spent in 2022:

    • Food and fuel vouchers to Melin residents in need - £19,000
    • Tesco Gift cards for food for residents in need - £1,950
    • Blaenavon Heritage School's sensory garden - £253
    • Torfaen Voluntary Alliance: sponsoring the Torfaen volunteering awards night - £300
    • Only Melin Aloud choir - £500
    • Garden furniture requested for Residents at Ty George Lansbury - £580
    • Christmas selection boxes for estate visits - £98
    • Easter prizes for sheltered scheme quizzes - £52
    • Pets as therapy - £168
    • Easter funding for £100 per sheltered scheme
    • £50 to Cynfannol Women’s Aid
    • Christmas funding for £100 per scheme
    • Supported living schemes £50 each for Christmas

The story so far on large resident surveys in 2022

Our residents have provided so much feedback via surveys to us. Here are some of the surveys they have responded to. Our Voices Customer Service Group has helped review the responses and make suggestions on how we can improve.

Communication of service charges

The survey was sent to ask residents what they thought about how we communicate service charge information. Here’s how we listened, acted and learnt:

  • Residents were unaware of what areas were subject to grounds maintenance.
  • We will now be providing detailed diagrams of the residential areas and how often it will be tended to.
  • The service charge schedule is difficult to understand.
  • Clearer information is now being sent out with rent letters.
  • Large increases in rent are not explained.
  • Clearer information will now be sent.

Refuse and recycling

The survey was sent to ask residents what they thought about refuse and recycling. Here’s how we listened, acted, and learnt:

  • Residents (especially those in sheltered schemes) struggled with poor signage within bin stores and difficulty opening some of the larger bin.
  • We will be improving signage and will liaise with Local Authorities to improve or adapt larger bins.
  • Rubbish was being dumped in communal in bin stores.
  • We have added CCTV in certain hotspot areas to try and alleviate this and are looking at more secure bin stores.
  • Many of the recycling receptacles are in need of upgrading to make recycling easier.
  • We are working with local authority partners to create a solution.

Asset Management surveys

We have recently sent out surveys on the following areas

Cleaning

Residents said that they do not know when the cleaners are due and what they should be doing whilst on site. We have now put up information in schemes explaining what has been agreed with our contractors and the frequency of attendance.

Grounds maintenance

Residents were unclear about what is expected from the contractor. We are working with our contractor to produce rotas, so that residents will know when they are attending.

Window cleaning

Residents were unclear about the frequency of contractor visits. We have now put up posters so that residents understand that window cleaning is once a quarter.

Renting Homes survey

We have sent out 4,178 surveys asking residents if they would be happy to receive the new Occupation Contract by email and 1,036 said they would.

How you can help

It would help us if you can ensure we have your up-to-date contact details – your email, telephone number and preferred method of contact and the name and contact details of anyone else who lives with you. You can update through your account or email us enquiries@melinhomes.co.uk – please include your name and address so we know who you are.

Aside from this you don't need to do anything right now.

‘How Melin performed in the pandemic’ survey

We asked for residents views on how we performed, we received 742 the responses:

Has it been easy to contact Melin during the pandemic? Yes – 71% Neutral – 15.8% No – 13.2%

Has the service you received (taking account of the restrictions) been good? Yes – 69.6% Neutral – 16.4% No – 14%

Do you miss coming into Melin’s offices? Yes – 10.1% No – 89.9%

We also received 183 comments which were assessed by staff and residents who needed a response were contacted. We would like to thank all our residents who have taken the time to feedback to us about services. We have actively listened to what you have to say, acted when we can, and learnt from the information you give us.

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