Following the success of our first Listening Space sessions in July, Local Space will be hosting more sessions in the future, giving residents more chances to speak directly with senior leaders and help shape the services we provide.
The pilot sessions gave residents the opportunity to meet with Deputy CEO Mark Kent and talk about their experiences, concerns and ideas for improving Local Space services.
The response to the sessions was extremely positive, providing valuable insight into what matters most to residents and helping us better understand both the challenges people face and what is working well.
Listening to what matters to residents
Residents shared their experiences across a wide range of topics. Some of the key themes from the conversations included:
- Repairs, including damp and mould – the importance of timely, effective repairs and a quick response when damp and mould issues are reported.
- Communication – the need for clearer information and regular updates, particularly throughout the repairs process.
- Building safety and security – concerns around building security, vandalism and antisocial behaviour.
- Affordability – the impact of housing costs on household finances.
- Housing management – difficulties understanding who is responsible for repairs and services when more than one organisation is involved in managing a building.
- Community and involvement – a desire for stronger community connections and more opportunities for residents to get involved and influence the services they receive.
- Customer service – positive feedback about Local Space colleagues who provide support to residents.
- Homes and stability – residents also spoke positively about the stability and security that their Local Space homes provide for themselves and their families.
The sessions gave us a valuable opportunity to hear directly from residents about both the things that are working well and the areas where we can do more.
Turning feedback into action
Listening to residents is only the first step. We are using the feedback from the sessions to help inform our ongoing work and identify where improvements can be made. This includes:
- Strengthening our repairs service and contractor management.
- Improving communication and providing clearer routes for enquiries and support.
- Increasing accountability across housing and resident services.
- Reviewing our approach to damp and mould and building safety concerns.
- Strengthening our response to antisocial behaviour.
- Creating more opportunities for resident involvement through scrutiny, consultation and engagement.
The feedback will continue to help us understand residents’ experiences and make improvements where they are needed.
More Listening Space sessions to come
Our first Listening Space sessions were a great opportunity for residents to speak directly with senior leaders, share their experiences and tell us what matters to them. Following the success of the July pilot, we’re looking at holding more Listening Space sessions in the future. These sessions will give more residents the opportunity to share their views, raise issues that matter to them and help us understand how we can improve our services.
Mark Kent, Deputy CEO of Local Space, said:
“I really enjoyed our first Listening Space sessions. Hearing about our residents’ experiences, what we’re getting right and where we could do better was incredibly valuable. Ultimately, we’re here to serve our residents, and the best way to understand how well we’re meeting their needs is to hear directly from them. What I heard in those first sessions has already helped shape our priorities and the way we work, which is exactly what these conversations should achieve. I’m really looking forward to continuing them.”
We’d like to thank everyone who took part and shared their views. Your feedback is helping us understand residents’ experiences and identify where we can make improvements.
We’ll share more information about future Listening Space sessions once they are confirmed.
Listening, learning and acting on residents’ feedback remains a key priority for Local Space.