Dear Resident, 

Welcome to another edition of our ‘Improving Your Homes’ newsletter, keeping you informed about the latest changes from Newham’s housing service as it continues along its improvement journey. Our latest Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) results have been published; the results show a significant improvement on previous years, with your overall satisfaction with the service you receive increasing from 59% to 71%. This is great news. 

These ratings are a good indicator of how we are progressing as a service. There is some way to go to reach the service standards that we are aiming for, but we are listening to you; taking action and making the necessary changes to deliver a better housing service for all tenants and leaseholders. 

Satisfaction among those of you who have used the repairs service over the last year remains at 72%, but I am delighted that 84% of you felt that as your landlord, the Council treats you fairly and with respect.

All social landlords across the country complete this assessment, which looks at how well social housing landlords in England are doing at providing good quality homes and a good service. In Newham, the survey with residents was carried out from 20 January to 6 March 2025. You can view the full TSM results and find more details on the website, or have a look at the short video in this newsletter.

I’m determined to continue working with the service to make the improvements that are needed to improve housing standards and provide a service you can be proud of. The TSM results show we’re on the right track. 

Best wishes, 

Cllr Blossom Young 

Cabinet Member for Council Housing Improvements

The number of tenant complaints in the last year has increased. This is a good thing - more of you are coming forward to report issues directly or to your housing officers, which shows that more of you feel confident that your voice matters and that raising an issue will lead to action. More complaints being received has affected how quickly we respond to or resolve complaints, and some complaints are taking longer to resolve than they should. We aim to listen and resolve all concerns quickly, and are putting plans in place to speed up the time to respond to complaints and sort issues out. 

You have told us that how we resolve complaints is getting better. 63% of you were satisfied that your landlord listens to tenant views and acts upon them in 2024-2025. The figure for 2023-24 was 54%.

We value your feedback and are committed to addressing your concerns promptly. If you are dissatisfied with the standard of service, actions or lack of action, you can log a complaint on our complaints webpage

We are sharing these essential fire safety tips and resources to keep you and your loved ones safe: 

Reporting a fire: 

• To report a fire, call 999 or 112. 
• When it is safe to do so after a fire, please provide details about the incident to us: buildingsafetyteam@newham.gov.uk 

Your evacuation plan:

• Know your escape plan. If you live in a block, your evacuation plan will be displayed in the communal area. 
• If a fire breaks out in your home, leave immediately and call 999/112.  

Fire Doors (including your front door): 

• Keep fire doors closed, self-closing devices should not be tampered with. 
• Any faults or damage to fire doors should be reported online: www.newham.gov.uk/housing-homes-homelessness/repairs-1; or by calling: 0800 952 5555 
• If you wish to alter or change your front door, you will need to contact us for approval: buildingsafetyteam@newham.gov.uk

Fire Safety Advice:

• Check your home is safe using the London Fire Brigade’s tool: Fire safety at home | London Fire Brigade

Sometimes council officers or our contractors need to enter your home. This might be for a repair, to check electrical or fire safety, or to make sure the people you have told us live in your home are living there. 

If you get a letter or phone call telling you we need to visit, don’t ignore it - it may be important for your safety. If the appointment time doesn't work for you, call us on 020 8430 2000 and we will try to find a time that is suitable for you. 

We will always try to work with you around access to your home. But we will use our legal powers if we need to, because the safety of your home is vital for you and for your neighbours. 

We always carry identification. Never let anyone in your home unless they show you their Newham Council staff or contractor ID cards.

You are invited to join us at our Community Fun Days.

There will be food stalls, family activities and children’s entertainment. You can also meet our Housing teams as well as other services from Newham. 

Come along and join the fun: 

• Wed 6 Aug, 12-5pm, Sandal Street Play Area, E15 3NN 
• Wed 13 Aug, 12-5pm, Hermit Road Recreation Ground, E16 4JT 
• Wed 20 Aug, 12-5pm, May Green, Watson Street, E13 0SA 

For more information, email: getinvolved.housing@newham.gov.uk; or visit www.newham.gov.uk/housingfundays