Making the repairs service smoother, faster and more effective

In the meantime, whilst we’re still carrying out work to the outside of properties, external communal areas and empty properties, we’re also working behind the scenes to make major improvements to the way the repairs service is run.

We’ve recently invested in new technology to help us complete more jobs each day, cut the number of visits needed to each home, reduce waiting times and increase value for money.

We have started to roll out a 12-month major computer upgrade to improve the way work is ordered, planned and carried out. This will cover all our repairs and maintenance work in council properties across the city including council housing, empty homes, schools and civic buildings. And we’ve already implemented important changes to the responsive repairs service to improve the way you report and receive repairs at home.

Thanks to new and improved mobile devices, our trade staff are now better able to plan and deal with repairs right first time. Being able to see the next day’s jobs on their device the day before means staff can load the correct materials and equipment on the van and ensure the right tradesperson with the correct skill level required is assigned to each job.

Over the next few months we will be rolling out more improvements using digital technology to cut paperwork and make the service more efficient and cost effective. This includes sending reminders for repair jobs by text rather than post (and we will also text you when the tradesperson is on their way to your home). We will also be sending online/digital customer surveys and providing digital certificates for gas, electrical and other health and safety work to further reduce paperwork and cut the time required for each job.

We are in the early stages of launching the new IT system, but we are confident it will deliver a more convenient and effective service for you. The new system is being phased in gradually over the next year and there may be some minor teething trouble while we launch our new way of working. We are striving to ensure you are not affected adversely by these changes, but if you think your job has been delayed or an appointment missed please call us on 023 8083 3006 and select option 2.

Once our customer satisfaction survey system is in place, please take the time to complete the survey after any repair work is completed in your home. Customer surveys will still be available in the traditional paper format for anyone who doesn’t have access to the internet. Your comments and suggestions are important and will help us to make further improvements.

Remember you can report a repair online 24/7. Our website also contains useful information about repair timescales and which minor repairs are your responsibility.