Leeds Federated Housing Association is a social housing provider responsible for managing and maintaining homes for tenants across several management areas. Like all registered providers of social housing, the organisation is required by the Regulator of Social Housing to collect and report Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs). These measures assess tenants’ perceptions of landlord performance across key service areas such as repairs, safety, communication, complaint handling and neighbourhood management.
Leeds Federated commissioned M·E·L Research to deliver an ongoing programme of perception research with tenants to support this regulatory requirement. The research aimed to provide a robust and representative measure of tenant satisfaction, while also generating insight that could inform service improvements and operational decision-making.
The research had several key objectives. Firstly, it sought to provide an up-to-date picture of tenants’ satisfaction with their homes and with the services delivered by Leeds Federated. Secondly, it enabled the organisation to monitor performance over time by comparing results with earlier survey waves. Finally, the findings were designed to support strategic and operational planning by ensuring tenant perspectives were incorporated into service development and improvement initiatives.
Delivering this research presented a number of methodological considerations. Because the results were used to meet regulatory reporting requirements, the sample needed to be representative of Leeds Federated’s tenant population. This required a carefully structured sampling approach and robust statistical methodology to ensure confidence in the results. Additionally, the research explored potentially sensitive issues such as complaint handling, antisocial behaviour and perceptions of stigma, meaning questions and fieldwork processes needed to be handled carefully to encourage honest and constructive feedback from tenants.
Approach
M·E·L Research designed and delivered a structured quantitative survey with tenants to collect perception data aligned with the regulator’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures framework.
The research incorporated the following key stages:
Survey design and development: M·E·L Research developed a structured questionnaire covering all required Tenant Satisfaction Measures, including overall satisfaction, repairs services, safety of the home, communication, complaints handling, neighbourhood perceptions and value for money. The survey also included open-ended questions allowing tenants to provide detailed feedback on their experiences and suggestions for improvement. Additional questions were reviewed and incorporated on a quarterly basis to ensure the survey continued to meet Leeds Federated’s evolving business needs.
Telephone survey fieldwork: Fieldwork was conducted by M·E·L Research’s specialist call centre using telephone interviewing. Interviewers were fully briefed on the objectives of the study and the importance of collecting accurate and unbiased feedback from tenants. Where tenants were unavailable at the time of the call, appointments were offered to ensure they had the opportunity to participate.
Sample design and quotas: To ensure the results were representative of the tenant population, a stratified random sampling approach was used. Quotas were set by age group and management area to reflect the profile of Leeds Federated’s housing stock. This ensured balanced representation across the organisation’s Central, North and South management teams and across different age cohorts.
Sample sizes: 150 per quarter
Rolling annual dataset: Results were combined with earlier waves to produce a rolling dataset of 600+ tenant responses, enabling more robust analysis of trends across the year.
Statistical reliability: The sampling approach was designed to achieve the margin of error required by the Regulator of Social Housing. The final rolling dataset achieved a confidence interval of ±4%, ensuring the findings were statistically robust for regulatory reporting.
Data weighting: Once the annual dataset was compiled, weighting was applied by age to ensure the respondent profile more closely reflected the overall tenant population. This process ensured the final results accurately represented Leeds Federated’s stock profile.
Qualitative feedback collection: Alongside closed survey questions, tenants were invited to provide open-ended comments explaining their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with services. These responses provided richer contextual insight into tenants’ experiences and priorities.
Outputs
M·E·L Research conducted detailed quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data to provide Leeds Federated with a clear and comprehensive picture of tenant satisfaction.
Analysis included:
Aggregation of quarterly data to create rolling annual results.
Statistical comparison of satisfaction measures across different service areas.
Identification of trends across multiple survey waves.
Examination of differences between demographic groups and management areas where relevant.
Thematic grouping of open-ended tenant feedback to highlight common experiences and service improvement opportunities.
Findings were presented in a comprehensive written report containing charts, data tables and commentary explaining the results and their implications for service delivery. The report provided a detailed breakdown of performance across all Tenant Satisfaction Measures, including overall satisfaction, repairs services, communication, neighbourhood perceptions and value for money.
The outputs enabled Leeds Federated to monitor performance against regulatory requirements while also identifying strengths and areas for improvement in service delivery. The research also supported internal planning by highlighting the aspects of housing management that most strongly influenced tenant satisfaction.
Client testimonial
“It’s been a pleasure to work with Jenny and the team. Your wealth of sector knowledge and experience was invaluable in making the project a success. The analysis and insight you’ve provided has helped to drive service improvements across our business and made a real difference to our customers. We’ve really valued your support and guidance throughout our time working together.” – Joseph Robley, Customer Insight and Engagement Officer
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