Tendring Council Tenants Shape Housing Services with New Improvement Report
Tenants' feedback and involvement are key to improving housing services, with satisfaction rates above the national average.
By Rebecca Flint
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of a council building with housing-related symbols.
Tendring District Council (TDC) has released its first Annual Housing Improvement, Performance and Assurance Report, detailing progress in 2025/26 and outlining future steps to enhance tenant services, with tenant feedback playing a crucial role.
Council tenants are actively contributing to the shaping of housing services in Tendring, with increased opportunities to influence how services are managed and improved. The report consolidates progress made during the 2025/26 period and sets out the forthcoming actions aimed at delivering a better everyday service for tenants.
Through initiatives like the Tenant Panel and broader involvement groups, tenants have provided input on policy reviews, service standards, procurement processes, and improvement priorities. During the report's period, 724 tenancy checks and 24 estate walkabouts were conducted, offering avenues for tenants to raise concerns and identify areas requiring support or action.
TDC's Cabinet was informed on Friday, 13 November, that stock condition surveys now encompass the majority of council properties, establishing a more robust foundation for planning maintenance and directing investment. Councillor Andy Baker, TDC's Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, expressed satisfaction with the overall tenant satisfaction rate of 79 per cent, which surpasses the national average of 73 per cent.
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"These encouraging results reflect the hard work of our housing teams and the tenants who give their time to help us improve. I’m particularly pleased that more tenants are helping to shape decisions about their homes and neighbourhoods. Through the Tenant Panel and our wider involvement groups, they are reviewing policies, helping to set standards and highlighting where things need to change. We want tenants to see that their feedback makes a difference, through services that are easier to use, respond to their individual needs and get the everyday things right. We’re proud of the services we provide for our residents, including housing, and we’re determined to keep raising the bar and delivering the high standards they deserve. Thank you to all the tenants, staff and partners who continue to support this work and help us build a better housing service."
A three-year Housing Improvement & Delivery Plan is guiding the council's work, complemented by enhanced performance and risk monitoring, and efforts to make services more accessible. Priorities for 2026/27 include improving repairs, ensuring homes are safe and well-maintained, expediting action on issues, providing increased support for tenants, and strengthening tenant influence in housing service development.
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"Tenants know what matters most in their homes and neighbourhoods, so it is important that we have a say in the decisions that affect us. The panel gives us a chance to raise concerns, put forward ideas and help shape improvements to the services we all rely on."
