Top rating for housing association

11:00am Thursday 11th September 2008

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EVESHAM and Pershore Housing Association’s services were described as the best in the west in the latest independent report by the Audit Commission.

The report found that the service provided by the Evesham and Pershore Housing Association (EPHA) is ‘excellent’ and had ‘excellent prospects for improvement’.

This is the highest rating that can be awarded by the commission. The EPHA is the first housing association in the West Midlands to achieve it, and only the fourth in the entire country to gain a double excellent score.

The Audit Commission inspection team found that services are easily accessible, that vulnerable people are well supported and homes and estates are maintained to a consistently high standard.

Deborah Good, regional acting head of housing for the Audit Commission, said: “A strong customer focus, together with clear leadership and self-awareness means that EPHA is continuously working to understand and tackle the challenges faced by its residents and communities.

“As a result it is able to improve the quality and range of its services whilst keeping costs down.”

The EPHA, part of the Rooftop Housing Group, was formed in 1994 to take a split transfer of homes from Wychavon District Council.

The Audit Commission’s inspection focused on the EPHA’s landlord services, which include the repair and maintenance of people’s homes, rent collection, estate management and anti-social behaviour.

Recommendations to help the EPHA improve still further included monitoring service standards with customers as well as making use of customer profile information to ensure that services are delivered fairly to all groups.

Chief Executive Ian Hughes was full of praise, for both Rooftop staff and residents.

He said: "The inspectors looked at every nook and cranny of our service. Many staff members were interviewed at length, as were many residents, and I think it’s a testimony to the way we work that the report makes constant positive reference not just to our services, but to our people."