Tenant Satisfaction Measures: Key Findings and Sector Insights

We are now in the second year of Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) results and although it is still too early to draw firm year-on-year comparisons, they are already proving to be a valuable tool for driving service improvements and accountability. Nearly half a million tenants (just over 10% of all social housing households in England) participated in the surveys, making the TSMs a robust and representative data source for both individual landlords and the sector overall.

The latest results show broadly consistent outcomes with last year’s results. Overall, tenant satisfaction has risen a little, from 71.3% to 71.8 with the highest satisfaction levels reported in areas like repairs (74%), home safety (78%), and being treated with fairness and respect (78%).

However, nearly one in five tenants (18%) remain dissatisfied with their landlord’s overall service and overall satisfaction ranging from 79% or higher in the top quartile to 65% or lower in the bottom. Landlords should take steps to understand why this is and what their data is telling them. This discontent is particularly evident in the area of complaint-handling where satisfaction is at just 36%. This continually low satisfaction with complaint-handling remains a concern and highlights an area that requires focused improvement. 

Looking at management data, it is encouraging to see safety compliance has improved. Overall, the results show generally good compliance with essential building safety checks and most landlords are meeting all required building safety standards. Amongst large landlords, the majority of homes had up-to-date inspections for gas, fire safety, asbestos, water systems, and lifts. However, we know that not all landlords are compliant in this area and even where performance is good, landlords must continue to have robust oversight in this area to ensure tenant safety.

Repairs performance has also seen some improvements with 79% non-emergency responsive repairs being completed within target timescales over the past year. Emergency repairs performed even better, with 91% of the 3.8 million reported completed on time. However, again, variation between landlords is significant. For example, the top-performing 25% of landlords completed 89% of non-emergency repairs on time, but the bottom quarter achieved less than 75%. With new challenges continually emerging , including those presented by the recent implementation of Awaab’s Law, landlords must continue to keep pressing for improvement.

Looking for further support with your compliance with Awaab's Law? Download our free Housing Provider's Guide to Awaab's Law to find out what the time frames mean for you, how to adapt your damp and mould approach, and what's coming next for Awaab's Law. 

When comparing performance, it’s important to consider contextual factors, such as region, landlord size, tenant age, etc. as these may all impact results. However, context should also not be used to excuse areas of lower performance; service quality remains the key driver of tenant satisfaction.

It is also important to remember that TSMs will not capture every aspect of landlord performance. TSMs should be used alongside other data sources, such as stock condition surveys and tenant demographics to build a more comprehensive picture of how landlords are meeting the consumer standards. However, they do serve as a strong foundation for oversight and a valuable can opener for conversation and reflection. Boards, councillors, and leaders should examine their results closely, celebrate successes, and address any areas where performance is lagging. It is positive that progress is being made, but continued effort is needed to ensure all tenants receive the quality of service they deserve.

Here at Pennington Choices, we’re helping many housing providers understand their performance and supporting them in driving improvements including through Consumer Standards Reviews, Compliance Health Checks, Damp and Mould Health Checks and Building Safety Gap Analysis. Get in touch to find out how we can support you.