Consumer Standards: Older and Vulnerable Residents Round Table

Join Sir Norman Lamb on 1st October, at Friends House in London (opposite Euston Station) for a Round Table discussion on “Consumer Standards: Older and Vulnerable Residents”

This event is aimed at CEOs and Senior Leaders of Social Housing only – places are limited.

Please register your interest for the event here.

On April 1st, the Regulator of Social Housing introduced a new framework, which includes regular assessments of landlords against four new consumer standards: Safety and Quality Homes; Transparency, Influence and Accountability; Neighbourhood and Community; and Tenancy Standards.

But with up to 40% of your general needs customers being older and vulnerable, how are you going to prioritise and cater for them?

These customers are at serious risk of digital exclusion because they don’t own or aren’t experts with smart devices, making communications difficult and endangering all your self-service goals. They are also less likely to recognise damp and mould due to visual and other impairments and less able to report these and other issues to you. They may even be less able to respond appropriately in emergencies because reminding them what to do is more difficult, and because of mobility and cognitive challenges.

It’s also important to consider that they may be more isolated and lonely – this can create unhappy and anti-social customers who are more likely to die and be undiscovered, which would be a disaster for them – and for you too. 

How do you know who your older and vulnerable customers are and importantly what their needs are? How accurate is your data and customer insight?

How do you access these customers effectively, so that you can understand them and their properties to deliver safe, quality homes, including efficient repairs and maintenance?

How do you ensure that you treat your older and vulnerable customers fairly, so that they are not digitally disenfranchised, enabling them to voice their concerns in a way that is inclusive and allows them to hold you to account? Regular engagement with tenants is crucial as part of your Tenant Engagement Strategies. How are you innovating your Tenancy Management delivery and meeting diverse needs?

What are you looking to achieve as a service outcome for your older and vulnerable residents and how will you achieve this? How will you evidence that you are showing fairness and respect to your older and vulnerable tenants and where does this sit as part of your organisational culture? Is your organisation customer focussed?

And, how do you make sure that these residents feel safe, secure and less isolated in their own homes and neighbourhoods?

These questions are at the heart of the principles behind the Consumer Standards and we’ll be sharing best practices and the challenges that social landlords face, with actionable outcomes for everyone who attends.

The event will be hosted by Sir Norman Lamb and chaired by Matt Baird.

Sir Norman Lamb

Sir Norman Lamb was a Member of Parliament for over 18 years. During that time, he served as Minister of State for Care and Support and also chaired the Science and Technology Select Committee before standing down in 2019. During his time in Parliament, he developed a passion for mental health, social care and the protection of vulnerable people. Sir Norman currently chairs a large NHS mental health foundation trust and has advisory positions with organisations he feels are doing something of social value.

Matt Baird, Founder of the Social Housing Round Table

Matt has specialised in recruiting for and supporting the Social Housing sector across the UK for many organisations. Aiding registered social landlords, local authorities, charities, developers and investment businesses, Matt has always understood the importance of the relationship between social purpose and commerciality.

Supporting businesses aiding the homeless, the elderly, young people leaving care, anyone with mental health needs or learning difficulties, Matt genuinely cares about the businesses he supports because of the value they give back. From front-line customer service, maintenance and teams of assistants through to Heads and Directors of Services, Project Managers and niche          specialisms, Matt will ensure he delivers on what individual client’s needs are at every turn.

We’re delighted to have the following guest speakers at the event: