The Scrutiny Panel Update March 2026

Hello fellow residents. This is just to let you know how the Panel is getting on and to update you on what we have been up to at our monthly meetings.

The Scrutiny Panel is a collaboration of 6 Trusts across the West Midlands. It has been formed to scrutinise processes and procedures and to recommend improvements and best practices.

What we did last year:

The Panel came together officially in April 2025 and have served for one year in which we reviewed the Complaints process across all 6 Trusts taking part in the collaboration.

We chose complaints because, nationally, complaint handling in local housing has become a major focus. Also, across the Trusts, residents said they were not always fully satisfied with how they were dealt with. It is felt that a complaint could be viewed as an opportunity to learn and to build trust.

Throughout the year we met monthly to assign tasks and review completed actions. We visited schemes, spoke to staff and talked to residents formerly and through surveys. We checked websites and key documents. We also compared what each Trust does well and where improvements can be made.

In December 2025 we produced a comprehensive 25-page report along with 15 key recommendations to the Trusts. This was well received by all of them and they are committed to working through the recommendations we made to make sure everyone understands how to complain. They also want residents to feel their complaints are taken seriously and sorted out quickly.

The Report and recommendations were presented by Panel members to the Board and Trustees of each Trust on the following dates: -

•  Broadening Choices for Older People - Wednesday 10 December 10am

•  Yardley Great Trust - Thursday 11 December with Bob

•  Sir Josiah Mason Trust - Thursday 17 December with Chris and Maggie

•  Harborne Parish Lands Charity - Thursday 5 February with Panel Members Sandra Hayes       and Margaret Stevens

•  Solihull Care Housing Association - Friday 6 March with Jonathan Hurling, Cherry Bailey,                     Pat Chakki and Barbara Damon

•  Lench’s Trust - Thursday 26 March with Dr Phil, Vera, Matt and Bob

We will know hold each of the Trust’s to account and monitor their progress with delivering our recommendations, we hope you start to notice the positive changes.

What happens next – The Moving In Experience

In January 2026 we had our first meeting to agree upon a new project for this year. We feel that moving to a new home is such a stressful, and sometimes, frightening experience, so we should think about how this could be made less stressful and more positive for new residents. Our new project for 2026 will be to consider ways in which the Trusts can make the‘Moving in Experience” better for all new residents. We want new residents to feel welcome and valued and have a great first impression.

We want to look at all the relevant information provided and if improvements can be made when a resident moves in to a new home. We want to make information simple and easy to understand.

We are hoping that our current residents will be able to speak to us about their experiences and add their thoughts to how it could be made easier, more efficient and a happier event.

We are having our April Meeting on 20th April at Tanners Close, one of the Lench’s schemes in Sutton Coldfield and there will be further updates about our progress.

Our Panel and their roles for 2026

 There is a lot to do for the new project so we have split into groups that each have specific tasks. The groups are as follows (there are a few residents yet to be assigned groups):

1.     Experience (your lived experiences plus wider views from surveys with new residents, coffee mornings, viewing empty homes, mystery shopping)

Eileen, Vera and Pat (Lench’s) , Lynn, Steven, Kim and Maureen (BCOP),  Pat, Pat, Cherry, Barbara, (SCHA) Val R, Margaret Webb (HPLC) .

2.    Staff insight (talking to staff involved in the moving in experience for their thoughts, what they would like to see improve, reviewing standard letters, any complaints and reviewing training provided)

Eileen and Val (Lench’s), Val R and  Diane (HPLC), Chris and Maggie (SJMT/YGT)

3.    Document review (website, lettings policies, pet policies, lettable standards, tenants handbook, information issued, Ombudsman advice and Regulators requirements)

Don, Eileen (Lench’s) Sandra, Val, Margaret Stevens (HPLC)

4.    Performance and satisfaction data including about the process/standards of new homes

Eileen (Lench’s)

5.    Best Practice from the wider housing sector (videos, visuals, glossy guides, hampers / welcome packs, Tenants handbook etc)  

a.    Your Housing Group

b.    Together Housing

c.     Stockport Homes

d.    Onward Homes

e.    Progress Housing

Phil, Val and Matt (Lench’s)

We will keep you updated throughout the project but if you have any questions or suggestions or fancy getting involved please approach the panel members within your Trust.

Many thanks

Eileen