Annual tenants' event 2025

We were delighted to welcome 35 tenants to our annual event, held at the council offices on Cobalt Business Park, on Friday 26 September 2025.

Our annual event is an opportunity for us to share with tenants what’s going on in the service, what you have told us we need to be better at, and – importantly – what we’re doing about it. Thank you to everyone who attended. If you’d like to get more involved in our tenant engagement work, please register on this website (top of your screen) so we can keep in touch with details about future events and activities.

Thank you to everyone who attended. If you’d like to get more involved in our tenant engagement work, please register on this website (top of your screen) so we can keep in touch with details about future events and activities.

Below is a write-up of the event, this is also attached to this page as a pdf.


Welcome: Cllr John Harrison, Cabinet Member Responsible for Housing

Cllr Harrison opened the event and welcomed everyone. The agenda for the day included a general service update, how we have listened to what tenants have told us is important to them and how tenant feedback is being used now to shape the services we are providing.

Service update: Peter Mennell, Director of Housing and Property Services

Peter began with a summary of the 2024 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) survey, which found that satisfaction with the service overall was 71%. There had been significant improvements in providing a home that is safe, our approach to handling complaints and our approach to handling anti-social behaviour. Tenants aged 65+ were most satisfied, as were tenants in North Shields and Shiremoor. Areas for further focus are listening to tenants' views and acting on them, keeping homes well maintained and making a positive contribution to neighbourhoods. There is generally lower satisfaction among tenants aged 35-44 and among those who live in Killingworth and Battle Hill.

Peter went on to highlight some the work over the past year which is helping to address some of those elements. Our new approach to tenant engagement has seen a much broader programme of activities where tenants can get involved and influence services; the NEAT Streets environmental funding is helping to keep our neighbourhoods cleaner, greener and safer; our work to improve quality and safety within our repairs and property service is demonstrating results; and the mainstreaming of dedicated teams to deal with condensation, mould and damp, and to provide tenancy and financial support is a direct outcome from tenant feedback. All of these are things that tenants have told us are important to them for their homes and communities.

Spotlight on condensation, mould and damp: Dave Melia, Service Manager – Property Services

Over the last couple of years, we have introduced a range of measures in response to tenant feedback around condensation, mould and damp. A dedicated team was created to help tackle these issues, and that team has now been mainstreamed as part of our wider property service.

We have improved our tenant condensation advice booklet, website information and ‘Report It’ form. A new policy was introduced in November and awareness training has been rolled out across the council to teams who visit tenants in their homes.

A key success has been the ‘video diagnostic tool’, where tenants can allow us to use their phone camera to show us the problem.

Together, these measures have led to significant improvements. Problems are being diagnosed more quickly, we can more easily allocate the correct resources to tackle problems when they are reported and we are able to provide a better service for our tenants. Complaints relating to condensation, mould and damp have reduced by 50% over the past year, the video diagnostic tool is now being introduced to help with other types of repair reports, and an awareness campaign will launch in the autumn. Our Repairs and Investment tenant panel will continue to monitor our progress.

Dave then asked the tenants to discuss on their tables whether they agreed with our approach and whether there was anything they would like to comment on. Feedback was:

  • The video diagnostic tool was of interest – some participants had used the system and found it helpful, however others were unsure.
  • Not everyone has a smartphone, there should always be an alternative option.
  • Could reporting also be made via interactive screens in our customer service centres, on the screens previously used for paying rent and Council Tax?
  • The leaflet with advice for preventing condensation was helpful, tenants from our sheltered accommodation were keen for that to be shared there too.
  • Getting to the root causes of damp and mould problems were felt to be key to sorting them out. An example was given of a workman noticing a problem while there for another matter and reporting it, which led to a successful repair.

Spotlight on the Tenancy and Financial Support Team: Ian Rice, Service Manager, Financial Support

This team provides dedicated support for tenants who can be referred from a variety of sources, for example the empty homes team, community protection, social services, health professionals or schools. Tenants can also self-refer. The team was created as a response to tenant feedback and the cost-of-living crisis, which highlighted issues such as rent arrears, under-claimed benefits and a recognition of the need to provide dedicated support for vulnerable customers.

Ian’s team works with the tenant to assess their current income and expenditure, support with relevant benefit applications and advise around debt and energy bills. Since the service was launched in April 2024, it has supported 1,594 tenants. In 2024-25, gains from benefits for tenants was £1m; and for 2025-26 so far that figure is £565,000. The need for dedicated support has been clearly demonstrated and the team will be a permanent resource within the Housing and Property Service from April 2026.

Ian asked tenants to discuss on their tables whether they agreed with our approach and if there were any additional comments they would like to make. Feedback was:

  • Tenants felt this was a good service, and plenty of residents need support.
  • More promotion to raise awareness and increase accessibility.
  • Consider ways to target tenants not due for home visits and who aren’t identified as ‘vulnerable’.
  • There can also be an issue for those who are too embarrassed to seek help.
  • Council staff answering the phones need to be knowledgeable about benefits.
  • New tenant packs could include signposting to relevant local support services.

Engagement and communication: Angela Melvin, Housing Engagement Manager

A lot of work has been done over the last year to develop our tenant engagement programme and offer a range of accessible ways for tenants to have their say on services. The Our North Tyneside Voice website launched in July last year, which covers all the council’s engagement activities and consultations. So far, over 620 tenants have registered to receive notifications of opportunities to share their views. For those without online access, paper copies of all consultations are in our main libraries.

Angela explained that our tenant panel agendas, focus group subjects and venues for activities are all influenced by our tenants and what they tell us they want to talk about. Tenants told us they wanted us to be more accessible in communities, so we started a programme of drop-ins at community venues. There have been six so far in 2025 and more are planned for November. The Neighbourhoods team are starting their own now in libraries over the coming weeks.

Tenants have reviewed the new Repairs Handbook, new and updated policies, the Tenancy Agreement, the new tenant engagement strategy, Good Neighbour Guide, letters for our tenancy home visits, and the North Tyneside Living handbook.

Turning to communication, Angela outlined that we promote what we do via the council’s magazine which is delivered to homes, the council’s social media and website, our community hubs and libraries, local community group newsletters and via our ward councillors. We are keen to use other ways too and there was then discussion on the tables about how we could reach more tenants. Feedback was:

  • Some residents don’t want to be involved, so focus on people who want to engage and perhaps offer an incentive to do so.
  • Tenants feeling they have been listened to could increase involvement, so we need to make sure we are publicising the results of questionnaires or surveys.
  • One size does not fit all and we need to understand what peoples’ preferred communication method is – offering different methods.
  • There were some suggestions of different places to advertise.
  • It was asked whether when people call us and are on hold, if a recorded message with information could be played.
  • Staff training and awareness of other services was mentioned, with Neighbourhood Housing Officers being visible and able to share key messages when they are out and about.
  • Going out to community venues is welcomed.

Neighbourhoods and communities: Julie Brown, Operations Manager, Community Protection

The second part of the event was dedicated to our work in neighbourhoods and communities. Julie began by outlining how we listen to what tenants have to say, including our annual Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) Survey, the council’s summer Big Community Conversation, our tenant drop-in events, tenant panels, focus groups, estate walkabouts, tenancy home visits and communal block inspections.

From these, there are some clear common themes in terms of what tenants feel is important: a more visible presence, community participation and volunteering opportunities, better communication, environmental maintenance such as grass cutting and hedge pruning, reminding tenants of their responsibilities, providing help for those who need a hand, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and working together with other council services and external partners to tackle issues together.

Julie explained that a lot of work is being done around these and it can be a case of perception v reality – that links back to how well we communicate and the channels we use to let tenants know what we are doing and the impact of it.

Our Community Protection team was brought into the Housing and Property Service last year and now regularly works from a hub in North Shields with colleagues in the police. We are looking to develop this with other locations too, as part of our work to increase visibility of our teams out and about. For environmental maintenance, the NEAT Streets programme mentioned earlier is continuing and our regular estate walkabouts pick up issues with overgrown areas which we report into our environment team for action.

We are developing a new vision for neighbourhood working, with a Neighbourhood and Community Customer Promise, a revised Good Neighbour Guide (which our tenant panel has reviewed), an updated Environmental Crime and ASB Policy and our service standards.

Julie then asked the tenants to discuss some specific questions on their tables:

Question 1: Having seen what we have done and are moving forward with, what else can we do to increase satisfaction?

  • The starting point here differs, as everyone’s expectations are different.
  • Simple things such as responding to voicemails, listening to what tenants tell us and visibility of staff are key.
  • There was recognition of more street cleaning in some areas, whereas others felt there was still more to be done around grass cutting, dog mess, drains not being cleared and overgrown areas.
  • There was felt to be a generally good standard of homes and estates, however a perceived lack of response to reports, eg for overgrown trees, frustrates people.
  • While we offer a free bulky waste collection, tenants asked whether help to get the items outside can be offered.
  • Regular positive promotion of good news stories is important, to promote what is being done, and provide advice and guidance.
  • Parents of young anti-social behaviour perpetrators should be held more accountable and joint working with the police and local schools was highlighted.

Question 2: How can we encourage tenants to work with us?

  • The tone of communication from the council could impact this – its frequency, tone, and how it makes people feel.
  • During tenancy home visits we can ask why people might be dissatisfied with their area if they raise this.
  • Not everyone knows what the council can and cannot do.
  • Housing Officers being visible, with targeted visits, would be welcomed. Ahead of estate walkabouts, cards could be delivered to homes to display, so the officer would know to stop and knock.
  • We could offer recognition for well-kept garden areas.
  • Working with community groups, youth hubs and community centres was highlighted, using them as venues for some of our activities and supporting tenants to set up their own community events if they wanted to.
  • Tenants working alongside staff would have a positive impact. ‘Community champions’ could work with the council and be part of our tenant panels too.
  • Is there an option to work with schools on civic pride and what this means?
  • If a resident makes a complaint or raises an issue, maintaining regular contact to keep them up to date with progress in resolving it is helpful.

Question 3: What do you think is reasonable for us to ask of our tenants and residents, in terms of taking care of our neighbourhoods and encouraging civic pride?

  • It is reasonable for people to take personal responsibility for being a good resident and neighbour – by helping other people, reporting problems, not leaving rubbish, keeping the noise down and parking considerately.
  • Those living in communal blocks should help with cleaning shared areas and keeping their own space tidy.
  • Enforcing the Tenancy Agreement was mentioned and the Good Neighbour Guide leaflet should be promoted more.
  • It was felt that more community policing would help; and telling tenants where they will be patrolling in advance, so they can approach for a chat.
  • Help for those who cannot manage their gardens was acknowledged.
  • Community projects, such as tree planting, were suggested.
  • Being clear around what is the responsibility of the council and what is the responsibility of tenants/residents/businesses was felt to be important. Everyone should work together.

Raffle draw

Thank you to all the suppliers who kindly donated prizes for our raffle draw:

  • Springs Roofing
  • Buston and Maughan
  • JTC Furniture Group
  • Remondis
  • JT Dove
  • F&I (John Flowers and Inglefords)
  • Rexel
  • Equitix
  • AJ Keith
  • Enviro-rod

Event feedback

There were 31 evaluation forms completed after the event. Tenants rated the event overall highly and comments included:

  • “I was very impressed with today’s event. I got to learn a lot more information on many things.”
  • “Well done. But definitely need a more diverse tenant engagement group.”
  • “Good opportunity to share ideas and felt listened to, knew from past events feedback taken on board and used.”
  • “This was a very well organised event, the information presented was concise and well delivered. The ideas given from the tables was varied and thoughtful. It was an enjoyable morning.”
  • “My comments were discussed and I received good replies. Informative.”

We were delighted to welcome 35 tenants to our annual event, held at the council offices on Cobalt Business Park, on Friday 26 September 2025.

Our annual event is an opportunity for us to share with tenants what’s going on in the service, what you have told us we need to be better at, and – importantly – what we’re doing about it. Thank you to everyone who attended. If you’d like to get more involved in our tenant engagement work, please register on this website (top of your screen) so we can keep in touch with details about future events and activities.

Thank you to everyone who attended. If you’d like to get more involved in our tenant engagement work, please register on this website (top of your screen) so we can keep in touch with details about future events and activities.

Below is a write-up of the event, this is also attached to this page as a pdf.


Welcome: Cllr John Harrison, Cabinet Member Responsible for Housing

Cllr Harrison opened the event and welcomed everyone. The agenda for the day included a general service update, how we have listened to what tenants have told us is important to them and how tenant feedback is being used now to shape the services we are providing.

Service update: Peter Mennell, Director of Housing and Property Services

Peter began with a summary of the 2024 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) survey, which found that satisfaction with the service overall was 71%. There had been significant improvements in providing a home that is safe, our approach to handling complaints and our approach to handling anti-social behaviour. Tenants aged 65+ were most satisfied, as were tenants in North Shields and Shiremoor. Areas for further focus are listening to tenants' views and acting on them, keeping homes well maintained and making a positive contribution to neighbourhoods. There is generally lower satisfaction among tenants aged 35-44 and among those who live in Killingworth and Battle Hill.

Peter went on to highlight some the work over the past year which is helping to address some of those elements. Our new approach to tenant engagement has seen a much broader programme of activities where tenants can get involved and influence services; the NEAT Streets environmental funding is helping to keep our neighbourhoods cleaner, greener and safer; our work to improve quality and safety within our repairs and property service is demonstrating results; and the mainstreaming of dedicated teams to deal with condensation, mould and damp, and to provide tenancy and financial support is a direct outcome from tenant feedback. All of these are things that tenants have told us are important to them for their homes and communities.

Spotlight on condensation, mould and damp: Dave Melia, Service Manager – Property Services

Over the last couple of years, we have introduced a range of measures in response to tenant feedback around condensation, mould and damp. A dedicated team was created to help tackle these issues, and that team has now been mainstreamed as part of our wider property service.

We have improved our tenant condensation advice booklet, website information and ‘Report It’ form. A new policy was introduced in November and awareness training has been rolled out across the council to teams who visit tenants in their homes.

A key success has been the ‘video diagnostic tool’, where tenants can allow us to use their phone camera to show us the problem.

Together, these measures have led to significant improvements. Problems are being diagnosed more quickly, we can more easily allocate the correct resources to tackle problems when they are reported and we are able to provide a better service for our tenants. Complaints relating to condensation, mould and damp have reduced by 50% over the past year, the video diagnostic tool is now being introduced to help with other types of repair reports, and an awareness campaign will launch in the autumn. Our Repairs and Investment tenant panel will continue to monitor our progress.

Dave then asked the tenants to discuss on their tables whether they agreed with our approach and whether there was anything they would like to comment on. Feedback was:

  • The video diagnostic tool was of interest – some participants had used the system and found it helpful, however others were unsure.
  • Not everyone has a smartphone, there should always be an alternative option.
  • Could reporting also be made via interactive screens in our customer service centres, on the screens previously used for paying rent and Council Tax?
  • The leaflet with advice for preventing condensation was helpful, tenants from our sheltered accommodation were keen for that to be shared there too.
  • Getting to the root causes of damp and mould problems were felt to be key to sorting them out. An example was given of a workman noticing a problem while there for another matter and reporting it, which led to a successful repair.

Spotlight on the Tenancy and Financial Support Team: Ian Rice, Service Manager, Financial Support

This team provides dedicated support for tenants who can be referred from a variety of sources, for example the empty homes team, community protection, social services, health professionals or schools. Tenants can also self-refer. The team was created as a response to tenant feedback and the cost-of-living crisis, which highlighted issues such as rent arrears, under-claimed benefits and a recognition of the need to provide dedicated support for vulnerable customers.

Ian’s team works with the tenant to assess their current income and expenditure, support with relevant benefit applications and advise around debt and energy bills. Since the service was launched in April 2024, it has supported 1,594 tenants. In 2024-25, gains from benefits for tenants was £1m; and for 2025-26 so far that figure is £565,000. The need for dedicated support has been clearly demonstrated and the team will be a permanent resource within the Housing and Property Service from April 2026.

Ian asked tenants to discuss on their tables whether they agreed with our approach and if there were any additional comments they would like to make. Feedback was:

  • Tenants felt this was a good service, and plenty of residents need support.
  • More promotion to raise awareness and increase accessibility.
  • Consider ways to target tenants not due for home visits and who aren’t identified as ‘vulnerable’.
  • There can also be an issue for those who are too embarrassed to seek help.
  • Council staff answering the phones need to be knowledgeable about benefits.
  • New tenant packs could include signposting to relevant local support services.

Engagement and communication: Angela Melvin, Housing Engagement Manager

A lot of work has been done over the last year to develop our tenant engagement programme and offer a range of accessible ways for tenants to have their say on services. The Our North Tyneside Voice website launched in July last year, which covers all the council’s engagement activities and consultations. So far, over 620 tenants have registered to receive notifications of opportunities to share their views. For those without online access, paper copies of all consultations are in our main libraries.

Angela explained that our tenant panel agendas, focus group subjects and venues for activities are all influenced by our tenants and what they tell us they want to talk about. Tenants told us they wanted us to be more accessible in communities, so we started a programme of drop-ins at community venues. There have been six so far in 2025 and more are planned for November. The Neighbourhoods team are starting their own now in libraries over the coming weeks.

Tenants have reviewed the new Repairs Handbook, new and updated policies, the Tenancy Agreement, the new tenant engagement strategy, Good Neighbour Guide, letters for our tenancy home visits, and the North Tyneside Living handbook.

Turning to communication, Angela outlined that we promote what we do via the council’s magazine which is delivered to homes, the council’s social media and website, our community hubs and libraries, local community group newsletters and via our ward councillors. We are keen to use other ways too and there was then discussion on the tables about how we could reach more tenants. Feedback was:

  • Some residents don’t want to be involved, so focus on people who want to engage and perhaps offer an incentive to do so.
  • Tenants feeling they have been listened to could increase involvement, so we need to make sure we are publicising the results of questionnaires or surveys.
  • One size does not fit all and we need to understand what peoples’ preferred communication method is – offering different methods.
  • There were some suggestions of different places to advertise.
  • It was asked whether when people call us and are on hold, if a recorded message with information could be played.
  • Staff training and awareness of other services was mentioned, with Neighbourhood Housing Officers being visible and able to share key messages when they are out and about.
  • Going out to community venues is welcomed.

Neighbourhoods and communities: Julie Brown, Operations Manager, Community Protection

The second part of the event was dedicated to our work in neighbourhoods and communities. Julie began by outlining how we listen to what tenants have to say, including our annual Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) Survey, the council’s summer Big Community Conversation, our tenant drop-in events, tenant panels, focus groups, estate walkabouts, tenancy home visits and communal block inspections.

From these, there are some clear common themes in terms of what tenants feel is important: a more visible presence, community participation and volunteering opportunities, better communication, environmental maintenance such as grass cutting and hedge pruning, reminding tenants of their responsibilities, providing help for those who need a hand, tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB) and working together with other council services and external partners to tackle issues together.

Julie explained that a lot of work is being done around these and it can be a case of perception v reality – that links back to how well we communicate and the channels we use to let tenants know what we are doing and the impact of it.

Our Community Protection team was brought into the Housing and Property Service last year and now regularly works from a hub in North Shields with colleagues in the police. We are looking to develop this with other locations too, as part of our work to increase visibility of our teams out and about. For environmental maintenance, the NEAT Streets programme mentioned earlier is continuing and our regular estate walkabouts pick up issues with overgrown areas which we report into our environment team for action.

We are developing a new vision for neighbourhood working, with a Neighbourhood and Community Customer Promise, a revised Good Neighbour Guide (which our tenant panel has reviewed), an updated Environmental Crime and ASB Policy and our service standards.

Julie then asked the tenants to discuss some specific questions on their tables:

Question 1: Having seen what we have done and are moving forward with, what else can we do to increase satisfaction?

  • The starting point here differs, as everyone’s expectations are different.
  • Simple things such as responding to voicemails, listening to what tenants tell us and visibility of staff are key.
  • There was recognition of more street cleaning in some areas, whereas others felt there was still more to be done around grass cutting, dog mess, drains not being cleared and overgrown areas.
  • There was felt to be a generally good standard of homes and estates, however a perceived lack of response to reports, eg for overgrown trees, frustrates people.
  • While we offer a free bulky waste collection, tenants asked whether help to get the items outside can be offered.
  • Regular positive promotion of good news stories is important, to promote what is being done, and provide advice and guidance.
  • Parents of young anti-social behaviour perpetrators should be held more accountable and joint working with the police and local schools was highlighted.

Question 2: How can we encourage tenants to work with us?

  • The tone of communication from the council could impact this – its frequency, tone, and how it makes people feel.
  • During tenancy home visits we can ask why people might be dissatisfied with their area if they raise this.
  • Not everyone knows what the council can and cannot do.
  • Housing Officers being visible, with targeted visits, would be welcomed. Ahead of estate walkabouts, cards could be delivered to homes to display, so the officer would know to stop and knock.
  • We could offer recognition for well-kept garden areas.
  • Working with community groups, youth hubs and community centres was highlighted, using them as venues for some of our activities and supporting tenants to set up their own community events if they wanted to.
  • Tenants working alongside staff would have a positive impact. ‘Community champions’ could work with the council and be part of our tenant panels too.
  • Is there an option to work with schools on civic pride and what this means?
  • If a resident makes a complaint or raises an issue, maintaining regular contact to keep them up to date with progress in resolving it is helpful.

Question 3: What do you think is reasonable for us to ask of our tenants and residents, in terms of taking care of our neighbourhoods and encouraging civic pride?

  • It is reasonable for people to take personal responsibility for being a good resident and neighbour – by helping other people, reporting problems, not leaving rubbish, keeping the noise down and parking considerately.
  • Those living in communal blocks should help with cleaning shared areas and keeping their own space tidy.
  • Enforcing the Tenancy Agreement was mentioned and the Good Neighbour Guide leaflet should be promoted more.
  • It was felt that more community policing would help; and telling tenants where they will be patrolling in advance, so they can approach for a chat.
  • Help for those who cannot manage their gardens was acknowledged.
  • Community projects, such as tree planting, were suggested.
  • Being clear around what is the responsibility of the council and what is the responsibility of tenants/residents/businesses was felt to be important. Everyone should work together.

Raffle draw

Thank you to all the suppliers who kindly donated prizes for our raffle draw:

  • Springs Roofing
  • Buston and Maughan
  • JTC Furniture Group
  • Remondis
  • JT Dove
  • F&I (John Flowers and Inglefords)
  • Rexel
  • Equitix
  • AJ Keith
  • Enviro-rod

Event feedback

There were 31 evaluation forms completed after the event. Tenants rated the event overall highly and comments included:

  • “I was very impressed with today’s event. I got to learn a lot more information on many things.”
  • “Well done. But definitely need a more diverse tenant engagement group.”
  • “Good opportunity to share ideas and felt listened to, knew from past events feedback taken on board and used.”
  • “This was a very well organised event, the information presented was concise and well delivered. The ideas given from the tables was varied and thoughtful. It was an enjoyable morning.”
  • “My comments were discussed and I received good replies. Informative.”