The case of Awaab Ishak put landlord communication and inadequate repair services under the spotlight. Tenant concerns were not being addressed quickly enough or with sufficient seriousness and assumptions were made about the family’s lifestyle. Sadly these issues may not be isolated but widespread across the sector.

With the introduction of Awaab’s Law, landlords are now legally required to take appropriate action to fix issues within prescribed timeframes. Are the sector’s systems, processes and culture up to it?

This session’s agenda will address:

•       How to ensure a tenant-focused culture that runs through repairs services internally and with external contractors
•       Improving communication with and treatment of tenants who report disrepair and damp and mould, including those who may not report cases for fear of eviction.
•        Moving from a reactive to a proactive approach to repairs services
•       The importance of staff and third party training and using all home and tenant interactions as opportunities to identify and report issues
•       Why do tenants sometimes refuse access and how can the sector engage them better?
•       What can tenants expect from their landlords under the new law and what can they do when things go wrong?