Newham Tenants and Leaseholders Update

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A message from Michael Kelleher
Director of Housing Services

This edition focuses on the issues residents tell us matter most: keeping homes safe, improving housing services, dealing with neighbour concerns and making sure your voice helps shape what we do next.

Many of the changes you'll read about have come directly from conversations with tenants and leaseholders at Housing Surgeries, Estate Action Days, Walkabouts and focus groups. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share feedback, raise concerns or tell us about their experiences.

We're listening, learning and making changes. This newsletter is one way of showing you what we're doing, what happens next and how you can get involved.

Finally, please follow our Housing WhatsApp channel to receive important Housing news and updates straight to your phone.

Damp and mould: please report it early

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Damp and mould can affect your health and wellbeing. If you notice signs of damp or mould in your home, please tell us as soon as possible so we can investigate and take action.

We've updated our damp and mould guidance to make it clearer:

what damp and mould can look like
how to report it
what happens after you report it
what you can do while we're investigating, where it is safe to do so

Our dedicated Damp and Mould Team reviews every report and arranges follow-up action. Urgent cases are assessed within 24 hours.

Need to report damp and mould? Fill out this form

The sooner you tell us, the sooner we can help.

Fire safety: what you need to know

We've recently updated our fire safety information to make it easier to understand what fire risks may exist in and around your home, and what simple steps you can take to help keep yourself, your family and your neighbours safe.

This includes advice on cooking safely, using heaters, checking smoke alarms, keeping escape routes clear and reducing risks linked to e-bikes and e-scooters.

We also recognise that some residents may need extra support in an emergency. Through person-centred fire risk assessments, we can identify individual needs and put measures in place to help people stay safe. If you think you or someone in your household may need additional support, please get in touch by calling 020 8430 2000 or email us at HLOteam@newham.gov.uk

As part of our commitment to improving communication and housing services, we encourage all council tenants and leaseholders to visit our updated fire safety pages and familiarise themselves with the advice available.

New support for residents experiencing domestic abuse

Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home.

Our new Domestic Abuse Policy sets out how Housing Services will respond when residents are experiencing domestic abuse.

The policy makes sure:

reports are treated seriously and quickly
housing staff assess risks and provide support
residents are connected with specialist services
housing options are explored where needed

Support could include helping someone remain safely in their home, arranging a managed move, helping with rehousing or making referrals to specialist support organisations.

You do not need to report domestic abuse to the police before asking Housing Services for help.

Our staff are receiving specialist training so they can respond appropriately and sensitively when residents need support.

Read the full policy

Meet your Housing Liaison Team

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Our Housing Liaison Team is here to support council tenants and leaseholders with a wide range of housing matters. Whether you have questions about your tenancy or lease, need help understanding council processes, or want to be connected to the right service, Housing Liaison Officers are here to help.

The team supports residents by phone, email, face-to-face appointments and home visits, where needed. Housing Liaison Officers regularly inspect estates and communal areas, helping to identify issues such as repairs, cleaning concerns, fly-tipping and estate improvements. They also work closely with specialist teams across the Council to ensure residents receive the right support as quickly as possible.

As part of our ongoing work to strengthen resident engagement and improve services, we've updated our Housing Liaison Team webpages to make it easier to find information and access support.

To find out who your Housing Liaison Officer is, or to get housing advice and support, visit our updated Housing Liaison Team pages or contact HLOTeam@newham.gov.uk.

What you told us

Last year many of you took part in our Tenant Satisfaction Measures survey. Thank you to everyone who shared their views.

Here's what residents told us:

59% were satisfied with the overall landlord service
64% were satisfied with the repairs service
54% felt the Council listens to resident views and acts on them
68% felt they are treated fairly and with respect

Some residents told us services are improving. Others said they want quicker responses, better communication and more opportunities to have their voices heard.

We've heard that feedback.

What we're changing

We're already taking action by:

increasing face-to-face engagement through Housing Surgeries, Estate Action Days and Walkabouts
strengthening our response to damp and mould
improving support for residents experiencing domestic abuse
creating new ways for residents to influence housing services
developing clearer approaches to neighbour disputes and noise concerns

You can view the full satisfaction survey results on our website

Get involved

If you'd like a bigger say in housing services, there are now more ways to get involved. The Resident Involvement Team has introduced a range of:

focus groups
forums
events
volunteering opportunities

Recent focus groups have helped shape:

the Domestic Noise Policy
the Good Neighbourhood Agreement

When residents share their experiences, it helps improve decisions, services and communication.

Find a way to get involved

Ask Michael

What do you think about the updates in this newsletter? Is there something you'd like us to cover in a future edition? Do you have feedback about Housing Services?

Email: AskMichael@newham.gov.uk

We read every email and regularly use resident feedback to help shape future improvements.

To make a complaint, scroll down to 'Useful links'.

Meeting residents face to face

Many residents tell us they value being able to speak directly with Housing staff.

That's why we've introduced:

These events give residents a chance to:

report concerns
discuss repairs
get tenancy advice
speak directly with housing teams

Lucia's story

At a recent Estate Action Day, one resident reported damp and mould concerns directly to our dedicated team and was able to start the reporting process face to face.

Watch the video

Shauna-Kay's story

At a Housing Drop-in Surgery, another resident spoke with her Housing Liaison Officer about planned kitchen improvements and received advice about next steps.

Watch the video