Hi everyone, I hope you have all had a great summer.

While we were all living through the hottest recorded UK summer, our Salford Community Voice met with colleagues from across ForHousing to discuss the issues that matter most to us as tenants.

As always, our role is to listen, ask questions and make sure tenant voices are helping to shape services. Here’s a round-up of some of the key discussions from our latest meeting.

Janette Ball, Chair of Community Voice and ForHousing Tenant 

One of the biggest topics discussed was repairs and the work being done to improve the experience for tenants.

We heard about a new approach that uses customer feedback and data to identify repairs that may be at risk of becoming more complicated or delayed. This means teams can step in earlier, contact tenants and provide additional support before problems escalate.

There was also a positive update on damp and mould. Performance has improved, with most urgent mould wash appointments now being started within five days.

It was reassuring to hear that ForHousing is taking a preventative approach to damp and mould, focusing on tackling damp early, improving response times, and carrying out follow-up surveys at six and 12 weeks to help ensure mould does not return and Community Voice members welcomed this and agreed that preventing issues when possible is the right way forward.

If you would like to learn more about how ForHousing are working with us to continue improving repairs services, then you can read the full story here: Listening, learning and improving repairs and maintenance services – ForHousing

We reviewed ForHousing’s latest performance information and discussed how tenants feel about the services they receive.

There was some encouraging news, including strong performance in the way anti-social behaviour cases are handled. Members heard that investment in colleague training is making a real difference.

Alongside this positive progress, a key discussion centred on understanding why some tenants still feel unsupported during difficult situations. Community Voice stressed the importance of listening to these experiences and using feedback to continue improving services.

ForHousing colleagues shared a presentation about the Housing Officer Service following feedback from tenants who were unclear about the role of Housing Officers, how local teams work and the best way to get in touch.

The session explained the support Housing Officers provide, the work that often happens behind the scenes, and why we now operate as neighbourhood teams to provide a more consistent service. Members also heard why the Customer Connect Hub is the first point of contact, helping ensure enquiries are logged, tracked and directed to the right team quickly.

If you need to get in contact with the Customer Connect Hub, visit the ForHousing Contact us page for all the details – How to contact us – ForHousing

We reviewed the findings of a recent scrutiny report looking at gas servicing and repairs. Our Scrutiny groups are made up of ForHousing tenants who review how services are delivered and whether or not they meet tenants’ needs.

One of the areas discussed was communication, particularly, emergency response times. We highlighted how phrases such as “within 24 hours” can be interpreted differently and agreed that clear, consistent information is important for tenants. This is something that will be raised with Scrutiny groups going forward.

Scrutiny explored how FH support tenants who may have no heating and hot water as a result of boilers needed repairing or replacing. We were pleased to hear about the practical support available when heating or hot water is unavailable, ensuring tenants have access to help while repairs are being done.

If you would like to have your say and get involved with one of our Scrutiny groups, let us know here – Scrutiny – register your interest – ForHousing

Community Voice received updates on groups supporting children, young people and communities across Salford.

We heard about the continued success of youth provision projects, community funding programmes and Play Streets activities.

A standout update was that all those attending Play Streets activities will now receive food during sessions, thanks to funding from ForHousing. This will help support more families during the school holidays in the future.

We also celebrated the many local groups, organisations and volunteers who continue to make a difference through community projects funded across our neighbourhoods.

If you know about someone, or a group making a difference in your area, you can now nominate them for a Be Proud award – fill out the form to make your nomination today! – Be Proud nominations 2026

Before the meeting closed, Community Voice agreed to continue discussions around community investment and local opportunities at future meetings.

Thank you to everyone who continues to share feedback, get involved and help shape services. Your experiences and ideas play an important role in helping make ForHousing services better for everyone.

If you’d like to help shape your community, apply for funding, or just find out more, speak to your Community Development Officer.

Thanks again to everyone who came along and shared their thoughts — your voice really does make a difference.