What CIP did: Talked about recent incidents affecting staff and discussed safety.

Why: To help protect staff and improve services.

Action taken: Shared examples and looked at possible tools like body cams.

Impact: Raised awareness of staff safety and supported better training and communication.

What CIP did: Regularly reviewed how complaints are handled.

Why: To make sure the process is clear, fair, and effective.

Action taken: Worked with the complaints team on service improvements and looked at how quickly issues are acknowledged.

Impact: Helped strengthen the complaints process and improve customer confidence.

What CIP did: CIP partnered with St Mary’s University and the University of Wolverhampton to support a research project focused on persistent damp and mould issues.

Why: To better understand tenant experiences, identify underlying causes (e.g. poor ventilation), and co-produce solutions that reflect the tenant voice.

Action taken: CIP members agreed to participate in online focus groups. A draft scope was developed, and residents were engaged to share insights. CIP members volunteered to support the sessions.

Impact: Strengthened the evidence base for tackling damp and mould, ensuring tenant experiences shape future interventions and policy development.

What CIP did: Conducted a structured scrutiny task reviewing Stage 1 complaint responses.

Why: To assess the tone, clarity, and empathy in complaint handling and identify areas for improvement.

Action taken: Reviewed real complaint cases, provided feedback on missed opportunities, repetitive language, and lack of context. Requested confirmation that complainants are contacted before Stage 1 responses are issued.

Impact: Led to improvements in complaint handling, including better proofreading, clearer communication, and more empathetic responses. Reinforced the importance of customer context in resolution.

What CIP did: Joined a subgroup to co-create the revised Customer Engagement Strategy.

Why: To ensure the strategy reflects customer needs and promotes meaningful involvement.

Action taken: Volunteers from CIP joined the subgroup. Feedback was provided on the draft CIP and Resident Engagement Officer webpages and survey circulation.

Impact: Enabled customer-led development of engagement tools and strategies, improving transparency and accessibility.

What CIP did: Reviewed and shaped ideas for customer educational workshops.

Why: To empower tenants with knowledge on repairs, financial support, ASB, and digital tools.

Action taken: Provided feedback on proposed themes including repairs handbook walkthroughs, budgeting sessions, and ASB reporting. Suggested form-filling support and collaboration with external partners.

Impact: Initiated development of practical, customer-focused workshops that will improve service understanding and tenant confidence.

What CIP did: Helped design a new Mystery Shopper Programme to evaluate service delivery.

Why: To gain insights into customer journeys and identify areas for service improvement.

Action taken: Reviewed programme scope, suggested service areas to include, and proposed names like “Check-in Champions” and “Tenant Talks.” Agreed to quarterly cycles and structured feedback.

Impact: Laid the foundation for a robust customer-led evaluation tool that will inform service enhancements and ensure accountability.

What CIP did: Reviewed feedback from previous scrutiny of Stage 1 complaints and supported development of a complaints explainer video.

Why: To improve communication, manage expectations, and ensure tenants understand how to raise complaints effectively.

Action taken: CIP feedback led to service improvements and plans to share before-and-after examples. Automated acknowledgements were confirmed, and best practices are being explored.

Impact: Enhanced complaint handling transparency and tenant confidence in the resolution process.

What CIP did: Discussed the new Decent Homes Standard and challenges in accessing properties for surveys.

Why: To ensure homes are safe and compliant, and that tenants are supported in understanding heating, ventilation, and survey processes.

Action taken: CIP recommended evening/weekend appointments, clearer communication, and tenant education. WH committed to improving access and staff training under Awaab’s Law.

Impact: Improved survey planning and tenant engagement, with a focus on health, safety, and reducing repeat issues.

What CIP did: Reviewed and revised the Stock Condition Survey letter to improve clarity and tenant understanding.

Why: To ensure tenants are well-informed and prepared for survey visits, reducing missed appointments and confusion.

Action taken: Suggested changes to wording, tone, and structure. Recommended adding guidance on access, communication expectations, and rescheduling.

Impact: Improved tenant communications and accessibility, supporting better survey outcomes and data quality.

What CIP did: Participated in role play exercises to explore tenant and staff perspectives on communication.

Why: To identify barriers to effective communication and promote empathy and consistency in service delivery.

Action taken: Recommended follow-up emails after calls, a flagging system for tenants with specific needs, and continued staff training.

Impact: Strengthened communication standards and inclusivity, ensuring services are responsive to diverse tenant needs.

What CIP did: Reviewed Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) reports and secure tenancy agreements.

Why: To help address ASB issues and make sure tenants understand their rights and responsibilities.

Action taken: Shared reports, held discussions, and planned to draft a report with recommendations.

Impact: Improved understanding and management of ASB, leading to better relationships in communities.

What CIP did: Discussed the need for more members and new recruitment ideas.

Why: To build a panel that better reflects the diversity of customers.

Action taken: Planned open days and a social media campaign with support from the comms team.

Impact: Strengthened recruitment efforts and encouraged wider involvement.

What CIP did: Reviewed boiler servicing and provided feedback on a new gas safety video.

Why: Tenants had concerns about what checks were being done and what to expect.

Action taken: Requested a clearer video showing the full gas safety check process — now live.

Impact: Improved understanding and safety through a more informative, accessible video.

What CIP did: Suggested renaming the 'Good Neighbour Charter' and reviewed the policy.

Why: Felt the title did not reflect the purpose and wanted to improve how noise issues are handled.

Action taken: Proposed a name change, reviewed examples, and asked for more data.

Impact: Started a review process that may lead to clearer policies and better neighbour relations.

What CIP did: Reviewed family homelessness and placements outside the borough.

Why: Concerned about the effects on schooling and mental health.

Action taken: Discussed improved results, including fewer families placed outside the city.

Impact: Helped highlight the importance of local placements and supported ongoing improvements.

What CIP did: Visited the Tarmac Road office to learn more about repairs.

Why: To better understand the process and identify issues.

Action taken: Followed up with the team and discussed service improvements.

Impact: Identified gaps and started conversations to make repairs more efficient.

What CIP did: Reviewed the draft policy.

Why: To check it is fair and effective for both staff and customers.

Action taken: Gave feedback and added it to the future agenda.

Impact: Ensured customer voices helped shape how complaints are handled.

What CIP did: Reflected on the year’s work and reviewed training from TPAS.

Why: To recognise progress and make sure members are confident in their role.

Action taken: Shared reflections and discussed future priorities.

Impact: Highlighted success stories and raised awareness nationally, including in the Ombudsman’s report.

What CIP did: Continued reviewing Tenant Satisfaction Measure data and survey feedback.

Why: To understand how well Wolverhampton Homes is performing.

Action taken: Looked at how data is collected and what customers are saying.

Impact: Improved awareness of satisfaction levels and helped shape focus areas.

What CIP did: Tested the app and website and gave feedback.

Why: To make sure the digital services meet tenant needs.

Action taken: Suggested more repair categories and easier access to tenancy documents.

Impact: Helped improve usability and ensured the platforms reflect real customer needs.