We’re pleased to present this year’s Annual Report on Housing Services – a reflection of our ongoing commitment to providing safe, secure and high-quality homes for our tenants.

Over the past year we’ve faced challenges and embraced opportunities, all with the aim of improving the lives of those who live in in our communities. Whether through essential repairs, new housing developments, or tenant engagement initiatives, our focus has remained firmly on delivering services that meet the needs of our tenants and respects tenant voices.

This report outlines the progress we’ve made, the lessons we’ve learned and the goals we’ve set for next year. It also highlights the invaluable contribution of our tenants, whose feedback and involvement continue to shape the way we work.

We know that a home is more than just bricks and mortar, it’s the foundation for wellbeing and community. As we look ahead, we remain committed to strengthening the tenant voice and working together to shape a robust housing service that prioritises safety and the needs of tenants

- Cllr Pam Brivio - Housing Portfolio Holder

- Nadeem Aziz - Chief Executive

Introduction

Welcome to our Annual Report 2024/25 – a summary of how we’ve managed our homes and supported our neighbourhoods and communities over the past year. This report is designed to give tenants a clear picture of what we have done, how we’ve performed, and where we’re headed. It covers key areas such as:

Tenancy management
Tackling Anti-social behaviour
Repairs and maintenance
Safety and compliance
Tenant engagement
Homeownership
Complaints

We believe in transparency and accountability, and this report is part of our commitment to keeping tenants informed. Whether it’s improving the quality of our homes, responding to tenant concerns, or investing in our neighbourhoods, everything we do is informed by your voice, with the aim of improving the services we deliver where we can.

Tenant Satisfaction Measures Results 2024/25

Every year we must complete a Tenant Survey gathering feedback from tenants across a range of key service areas, including repairs, communication, and overall satisfaction with their homes. The results show encouraging progress, with 77.3% of tenants reporting that they are satisfied with the service they receive—an increase from last year.

Overall, this year’s results in satisfaction with our services increased, on average by 7.7% across the 12 TSMs. We are proud of these excellent and positive results, but we remain committed to listening, learning, and acting on tenant views to make our housing services even better. All our performance information can be found on our website, including this year’s and last year’s Tenant Survey results: Our performance.

Tenant Perceptions
	Tenant Satisfaction Measure	2023/24	2024/25	Change
TP01	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied with the overall service from their landlord.	68%	77.30%	9.3%
TP02	Proportion of respondents who have received a repair in the last 12 months who report that they are satisfied with the overall repairs Service.	72.80%	78.70%	5.9%
TP03	Proportion of respondents who have received a repair in the last 12 months who report that they are satisfied with the time taken to complete their most recent repair.	68.70%	73.10%	4.4%
TP04	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their home is well maintained.	64.40%	74.40%	10%
TP05	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their home is safe.	70.20%	81%	10.8%
TP06	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord listens to tenant views and acts upon them.	53.90%	61.90%	8%
TP07	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord keeps them informed about things that matter to them.	59.50%	66.30%	6.8%
TP08	Proportion of respondents who report that they agree their landlord treats them fairly and with respect.	71.10%	78.70%	7.6%
TP09	Proportion of respondents who report making a complaint in the last 12 months who are satisfied with their landlord’s approach to complaints handling.	34.20%	48.30%	14.1%
TP10	Proportion of respondents with communal areas who report that they are satisfied that their landlord keeps communal areas clean and well maintained.	55.20%	59.60%	4.4%
TP11	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied that their landlord makes a positive contribution to the neighbourhood	51.20%	57.60%	6.4%
TP12	Proportion of respondents who report that they are satisfied with their landlord’s approach to handling anti-social behaviour	49.30%	54%	4.7%

Building Safety
	Tenant Satisfaction Measure	2023/24	2024/25	Change
BS01	Proportion of homes for which all required gas safety checks have been carried out.	100%	99.9%	-0.1%
BS02	Proportion of homes for which all required fire risk assessments have been carried out.	95.4%	94%	-1.4%
BS03	Proportion of homes for which all required asbestos management surveys or re-inspections have been carried out.	99.5%	92.7%	-6.8%
BS04	Proportion of homes for which all required asbestos management surveys or re-inspections have been carried out.	100%	100%	0%
BS05	Proportion of homes for which all required communal passenger lift safety checks have been carried out.	100%	100%	0%

Anti-social Behaviour
	Tenant Satisfaction Measure	2023/24	2024/25	Change
NM01	Number of anti-social behaviour cases opened per 1,000 homes	49.8	104.3	54
NM02	Number of anti-social behaviour cases that involve hate incidents opened per 1,000 homes	1.4	1.3	-0.1

Decent Home Standard and Repairs
	Tenant Satisfaction Measure	2023/24	2024/25	Change
RP01	Proportion of homes that do not meet the Decent Homes Standard. (Lower percentage is better).	3.9%	2.5%	-1.4%
RP02(1)	Proportion of non-emergency responsive repairs completed within the landlord’s target timescale. (Higher percentage is better).	67.3%	91.4%	24.1%
RP02(2)	Proportion of emergency responsive repairs completed within the landlord’s target timescale. (Higher percentage is better).	95.3%	100%	4.7%

Complaints
	Tenant Satisfaction Measure	2023/24	2024/25	Change
CH01(1)	Number of stage one complaints received per 1,000 homes.	27.7	34.7	7
CH01(2)	Number of stage two complaints received per 1,000 homes.	4.1	4.7	0.6
CH02(1)	Proportion of stage one complaints responded to within the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code timescales.	89.3%	93.5%	4.2%
CH02(2)	Proportion of stage two complaints responded to within the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code timescales.	100%	100%	0%

Tenant engagement

Tenants are at the heart of what we do, and we work collaboratively to improve services and make sure we are providing opportunity for independent scrutiny.

This year:

3 Community events within our neighbourhoods were held
10 formal meetings (incl. Tenant Consultative Groups meetings) were held
8 policies and strategies were scrutinised

We’re listening – you said, we did

You Said: A few tenants complained about the hedges along a few of our roads being overgrown and were finding it difficult to walk on the paths.

We Did: We sent letters to each of our residents along these specific roads to remind them to maintain their hedges.

You Said: Tenants complained that some estate signs were in poor condition and local residents were not taking notice of them, causing anti-social behaviour.

We Did: We purchased new and improved signs, baring our most recent Council logo and style. These include ‘No Ball Games’ and ‘Resident Only Parking’ signs at some blocks and schemes.

You Said: Tenants noticed that other residents were propping communal doors open regularly, which became a fire hazard and cause of worry for our tenants.

We Did: We visited the affected block to ensure fire closers were not damaged. No repairs were necessary, so we wrote a letter to all residents in the block asking them to avoid propping doors open and explaining the fire risk this poses.

We’re improving how we connect and engage with tenants

It’s encouraging to see from the latest Tenant Satisfaction Measures results that more of our tenants feel that we treat them fairly, listen to what they have to say, and act on it. However, we want to do more and make it easier for tenants to talk to us, stay informed and share their views. Here’s what we’re planning for next year:

Pop-up housing surgeries: We’ll be setting up drop-in sessions in our neighbourhoods, where tenants can speak directly with a member of our housing team about any issues or questions.

More regular updates: Our Keep Me Posted bulletin service will keep tenants up to date with news, changes and useful information. The service is free and can be accessed by signing up online: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKDOVER/subscriber/new

Better ways to give feedback: We’re launching a simple online feedback form so tenants can tell us what’s working, what’s not, and what you’d like to see improved.

We’re keen to hear from tenants interested in shaping the services we provide, reviewing our performance, or helping us improve policies and services. Tenants who are interested should email tenantinvolvement@dover.gov.uk and let us know how you’d like to get involved.

Our housing stock

The Council current has a housing stock of 4,828 homes, which comprises of:

3,949 general needs homes
289 sheltered housing homes
122 interim accommodation homes
43 shared ownership homes
425 leasehold homes

These are the property type and sizes our rented properties only:

Size Property	Flat	House	Bungalow	Maisonette
Studio	26	0	0	0
One bed	593	41	308	2
Two bed	870	665	257	54
Three bed	24	1327	2	24
Four bed	5	83	0	1
Five bed	0	8	0	0

New affordable homes

Delivering new affordable homes across the district is one of the key strategic priorities of the Council. Affordable homes include social housing but also affordable home ownership schemes such as Shared Ownership and First Homes.

Our Housing Development team is working hard to provide more affordable homes, and there are several ways we can do this. Some homes are built on land the Council already owns, while others come through agreements with developers (known as Section 106 sites). We also buy homes directly from developers or purchase properties on the open market to add to our housing stock.

To fund these developments, we use a mix of resources, such as grants from Homes England and other government programmes, money from homes previously sold under Right to Buy, and contributions from developers.

We can also combine some of these funding sources.In 2024/25 we increased our stock by 55 new homes, of which:

45 social housing homes

10 Shared Ownership homes2

9 were 2-bed homes

25 were 3-bed homes

1 was a 5-bed home

51 were houses

4 were flats

Our aim for 2025/26 is to double the number of new homes delivered to at least 129, which will be a mix of social housing and Shared Ownership.

Homes we’ve lost

While we continue to build and acquire new homes, we also lose some properties from our housing stock each year.

A total of 15 homes were lost, of which:

14 homes were lost through the Right to Buy scheme.
1 shared ownership home was lost through 100% staircasing, resulting in its transition to private ownership.
0 homes were lost through redevelopment and demolition.

While these changes reflect tenant and leasehold choice, we remain committed to replacing lost homes through new developments and reinvestment, ensuring that affordable housing continues to meet the needs of our communities.

Rents and value for money

Rent is a vital part of sustaining high-quality housing services. It funds repairs, maintenance, improvements and the development of new homes. We understand that every pound matters, which is why we’re committed to delivering value for money across all our housing operations.

Council rents are set in line with national guidance from the Regulator of Social Housing, using a formula that considers property value, local income levels, and property size. This ensures rents remain affordable while allowing us to invest in safe, decent homes for all tenants.

How we’re doing

Our Benefit and Money Advisors helped 963 households, compared to 1,069 in 2023/24.
£25,506,131.00 worth of rent was collected, compared to £22,880,298.00 in 2023/24.
1.15% of rent is in arrears, compared to 1.08% in 2023/24. This figure remains well below the national average of 2.56% reported by Housemark in April 2025.

How we spend your rent

Your rent helps us maintain safe, comfortable homes and delivers essential services across our neighbourhoods. Every pound is carefully managed to ensure we provide the best value and continue building a service that tenants can rely on. The graph below provides a breakdown of costs per area, based on the average weekly rent charged.

Average weekly rent £104.12:

£37.56 - General Management
£11.72 - Planned Works
£34.41 - Repairs and Maintenance
£17.60 - Loan Interest
£2.82 - Sheltered Housing

Tenancy Fraud

Tenancy fraud occurs when someone obtains or occupies a Council home through dishonest means – such as subletting without permission, providing false information on housing applications, or continuing to live in a property after the rightful tenant has moved out or passed away.

This kind of fraud isn’t just a breach of trust; it directly impacts those in genuine need of housing. Every home misused is a home denied to someone on the housing waiting list. It also places unnecessary strain on public resources and can lead to unsafe living conditions.

We take tenancy fraud seriously and work hard to detect and prevent it. By protecting our homes, we protect our communities.

This year:

A total of 19 alleged fraud cases were reported to us.
A total of 11 fraud cases were investigated.

Allocation and lettings

If you’re thinking about moving or just curious about what’s available, Kent Homechoice lettings scheme is a great place to start. It gives you the freedom to browse available homes and ‘bid’ on the ones that suit your needs – whether you’re after more space, a different location or a fresh start.

How we’re doing

As of 31 March 2025, there were 1,650 households on the housing waiting list, with 1,188 being home seekers and 462 being transfers.
We received 231 new applications to join the waiting list on average per month.
The applications on our housing waiting list and the average time they waited for properties is set out below from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Type / size	No. of Lets	Shortest wait (days)	Longest wait (days)	Average wait (days)
Sheltered accommodation	26	199	1,980	527
Studio general needs	9	17	1,061	346
1-bed general needs	72	22	4,437	527
1-bed bungalow	9	12	2,932	653
2-bed flat or maisonette	101	43	2,557	462
2-bed bungalow	12	64	1,084	431
2-bed house	62	109	1,247	453
3-bed flat or maisonette	6	456	1,147	786
3-bed house	54	163	3,109	908
4-bed house	4	311	896	651
5-bed house	0	n/a	n/a	n/a

Mutual exchange

A mutual exchange is a way that tenants can move home by ‘swapping’ homes with each other. Approved exchanges can take place between tenants with Council houses or housing association homes anywhere in the UK. The Council is a member of HomeSwapper which provides a popular way for tenants to find a suitable exchange.Between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025, we helped 43 households exchange homes, compared to 32 in 2023/24.

Reletting empty homes

For the period 2024/25 we let 306 homes compared to 354 homes in 2023/24. Of the total, 241 were in general needs housing, and 65 were within independent living homes. The table below shows the number of homes relet over the last 3 years.

	General Needs	Supported Accommodation	Total relets
2022/23	201	91	292
2023/24	246	83	354
2024/25	241	65	306

The average number of days to re-let a home was 40 days – this is an improvement from the previous year which was 48 days. Below shows the number of homes relet over the last 3 years:

2022/23: 30
2023/24: 48
2024/25: 40

Evictions

Eviction is the legal process of ending a tenancy, usually when a tenant breaches the terms of their tenancy agreement, such as persistent non-payment of rent, anti-social behaviour, or unlawful subletting. It’s always a last resort, and we follow strict procedures to ensure fairness and transparency.

Evictions are important because they help protect the safety, wellbeing and rights of all tenants. When tenancy rules are broken, it can disrupt communities and deny homes to those who genuinely need them. By enforcing tenancy agreements, we uphold the integrity of our housing services and ensure homes are used responsibly.

Support is available for tenants who are struggling with their tenancy. Early communication can often prevent things from reaching an eviction stage.

We evicted 7 households compared to 2 in 2023/24. All evictions this year were related to rent arrears.

The table below shows the total number of evictions, including by type, over the last 3 years.

	Rent arrears	ASB	For both	Other reason	Total
2022/23	4	0	2	1	7
2023/24	1	0	0	1	2
2024/25	7	0	0	0	7

Anti-Social Behaviour & Hate Crime

Tenants affected by ASB can report this using our online ASB form or contact us through any of our other contact methods. Our approach prioritises early intervention, mediation and where necessary, formal action.

This year: 467 ASB reports were received, compared to 221 reported last year. This year’s figure was related to:

1 abandonment
1 alcohol abuse
13 crime – domestic abuse
62 crime – drug misuse / dealing
0 crime – harassment / verbal
32 abuses
6 hate crime
48 crime – other
3 crime – sexual offence
19 crime – violent incident
7 garden nuisances
46 neighbour disputes
122 noise nuisances
36 pets and animal nuisance
27 safeguarding
12 vehicle nuisances
32 waste accumulation

We use our powers to intervene when needed, which include these types:

Right to review - 0
Notice of Seeking Possession - 3
Injunction - 0
Demoted tenancy - 0
Extension of Introductory Tenancy Period - 0
Community Protection Warning - 2
Community Protection Notice - 2
Acceptable Behaviour Agreement - 0

Domestic abuse

Domestic abuse is any form of threatening, controlling, or violent behaviour between people in a close relationship. It can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background, and often happens behind closed doors, making it harder to detect.

We take domestic abuse seriously and work closely with support services to help those affected. This year we developed a dedicated Housing Domestic Abuse Policy that sets out how we identify, respond to and support victims / survivors of domestic abuse. This policy was shaped through multi-agency collaboration, aligning with national guidance and local strategies.

This year:

13 cases of domestic abuse were reported to us.

We are currently working towards achieving DAHA accreditation – a nationally recognised standard from the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance. This means we’re reviewing and strengthening how we respond to domestic abuse across our housing services. It’s part of our commitment to making sure every tenant feels safe, supported and heard in their home.

Repairs and Maintenance

A well-maintained home is essential for comfort, safety and peace of mind. The Council is responsible for ensuring that all properties meet Decent Homes Standard, whether it’s fixing a leaking roof, maintaining communal areas, or ensuring gas and electrical systems are safe and compliant.

We deliver a range of repair services, including:

Emergency repairs, such as major leaks or loss of heating, typically addressed within 24 hours.

Urgent repairs, like broken locks or windows, completed within a few days.

Routine repairs, such as minor plumbing or plastering, scheduled within a longer timeframe,

In addition to responsive repairs, we carry out planned maintenance, like boiler replacements, roof works, and external decorations, to keep homes in good condition over the long term. We also maintain communal areas and conduct regular safety checks to ensure everything is functioning as it should.

This year:

A total of £3,070,302 was spent on repairs, compared to £2.7 million reported last year.
100% of emergency repairs completed on time compared to 99.3% reported last year.
90.4%% of non-emergency repairs completed on time, compared to 92.1% reported last year.
12,566, number of routine repairs were completed, compared to 12,469 reported last year.
78.7% satisfaction with repairs and maintenance completed, compared to 72.8% reported last year.
On average it took 16.77 days to complete a routine repair, compared to 16 reported last year.

Improving our homes

We’re taking a proactive and comprehensive approach to ensure our housing remains safe, comfortable and sustainable for years to come. Our commitment to providing high-quality homes is reflected in the steps we’re taking to care for and improve our homes.

Here’s how we plan to make a difference:

Planned maintenance with purpose – we’re working on developing a robust and refreshed Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan that will set out how we plan to invest in our homes.
Tackling damp and mould head-on – we understand how serious damp and mould can be, that’s why we’re prioritising early intervention, and faster response time to keep our homes healthy and safe.
Listening and improving – tenant feedback helps shape our strategies and plans. We’re committed to making improvements that reflect what matters most to tenants.

This year:

37 homes had new insulation fitted
66 asbestos work was carried out, with 416 removals.
257 homes had new boilers installed
339 homes and buildings were externally decorated
92 homes had their roofs replaced
94 homes had kitchens replace
65 homes have new front or rear doors installed
2 door entry systems were installed
98 homes had bathrooms replaced
9 homes had windows replaced

Disabled adaptations

We’re committed to helping tenants live safely, independently, and with dignity in their homes. That’s why we offer a dedicated disabled adaptations service, designed to make practical changes that support the individual needs of tenants, and improve their quality of life and independence.

To help guide this work, we published a new Disabled Adaptations Policy, which sets out how we assess, prioritise and deliver adaptations. This Policy ensures that our approach is fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of tenants.

The total cost of adaptations spent this year was £378,500, compared to £617,000 reported last year.
We made adaptations to 189 homes, compared to 255 reported last year.

This year we made the following adaptations:

15 Flush floor showers
108 Rails (all types)
16 Stairlifts
7 Ramps
2 Over bath showers
1 Extension
5 Wash/Dry WC
24 Various internal works
11 Various external works

Health & Safety

We work year-round to ensure that all council homes and communal areas meet health and safety standards. This includes everything from fire safety and gas servicing to electrical checks and removal of hazards like damp and mould.

We carry out:

Annual gas safety checks in all homes with a gas supply
Regular fire risk assessments in blocks with communal areas
Electrical testing in both individual homes and communal spaces
Inspections of communal areas to keep escape routes clear and buildings secure
Installation of carbon monoxide alarms where needed

During 2024/25 we continued to carry out all essential checks to ensure our homes were safe. Our dedicated Compliance team continue to use the new risk assessment schedules and actions plans established last year, to ensure that we continue to meet all property safety requirements.

This year:

227 homes reported damp and mould, compared to 151 reported last year. Each of the cases reported this year received 1st initial diagnosis and work ordered, however 41 were reported but we could not gain access, compared to 28 reported last year.
243 damp and mould orders were completed.
The total cost of work ordered this year was £169,300, compared to £319,397 reported last year.
590 smoke alarm and heat alarms were replaced.
72 carbon monoxide alarms were replaced.
715 Electrical Installation Condition Report completed (EICR)
3,583 Local Gas Safety Records (LGSR) completed

Homeownership

Homeownership for many tenants is a natural next step, and the Council is here to support tenants and residents onto the property ladder.

There are two key homeownership schemes we offer:

Right to Buy: This is a government initiative that allows eligible council tenants to purchase the home they currently live in at a significant discount. It’s designed to help long-term tenants transition into ownership while remaining in their community. The scheme is available to secure tenants, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
Shared ownership: This option enables tenants and residents to buy a share of a property – typically between 10% and 75% and pay rent on the remaining portion.

Over time, shared owners can increase their share through a process known as staircasing, eventually owning the property outright if they choose, and no restrictions apply.

This year:

144 applicants registered their interest for shared ownership (via Shared to Buy)
15 full applications to purchase a shared ownership home were received.
0 shared ownership sales completed.
4 shared ownership resales.
0 number of shared owners increased their share (staircasing).
75 Right to Buy applications were received this year.
87% Right to Buy applications received were eligible

Complaints Handling

We understand that sometimes things go wrong, and when they do, tenants voices matter. Complaints give us the opportunity to put things right and improve the services we provide.

We aim to make the complaints process simple, fair, and accessible. Tenants can raise a complaint online, by phone, in writing or in person. We’ll acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within agreed timescales, keeping you informed throughout.

Our approach follows the principles of the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, which became statutory in April 2024. This means we’re committed to:

Responding within clear timeframes (typically 10 working days for Stage 1, and 20 working days for Stage 2)
Being open, transparent, and empathetic in our communication
Taking account of individual circumstances and vulnerabilities
Learning from complaints to prevent future issues

We don’t just resolve complaints; we try to learn from them and drive change. Whether it’s improving communication, refining processes, or updating services, tenant feedback helps us do better.

This year:

We received 184 Stage 1 complaints, up from 161 reported last year. We responded to 93.5% of all Stage 1 complaints within the 10-working day standard.
We upheld 113 complaints made at Stage 1.
We handled 32 escalated complaints at Stage 2, up from 23 reported last year. We responded to 100% of all Stage 2 complaints within the 20-working days standard.
The Housing Ombudsman investigated 3 complaints in 2024/25, the same number as reported last year

Priorities for 2025/26

As we look ahead to 2025/26, we remain committed to improving the quality, safety and accessibility of our homes and the essential services we provide to our tenants. Alongside providing an efficient everyday service, some of our key priorities for the coming year include:

Delivering new council homes through ongoing development projects, ensuring that a range of housing types, size and tenure mix is offered to maximise housing options for tenants and residents.
Delivering new and updated housing strategies and policies, including:

- Updated Housing Health and Safety Policies

- A new Tenancy Strategy

- An updated Tenancy and Neighbourhood Management Policy

- A review and update of our Tenancy Agreements

Meeting new requirements under the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023, including proactive inspections and transparent reporting.
Completing a stock condition survey (SCS), to identify where repairs and maintenance are required, and to determine where there might be potential health and safety hazards that require quick remedial action.
Expanding tenant panels and feedback forums to ensure tenant voices help inform and shape our decisions.
Improving how we collect and publish housing performance data, so that the Tenant Consultative Group, and internal operational groups, can scrutinise performance and help us improve service delivery.
Continuing to prepare for the implementation of Awaab’s Law, that will be effective from 27 October 2025.
Preparing for a regulatory inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing, as directed by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023. This is due sometime in the next 4 years.

Keep me posted

News and alerts by email from your council.
Register now at www.dover.gov.uk/keepmeposted

New website launch!

Annual Report 2024-2025

View/Download the PDF

Annual Report To Tenants (2024/25)

Keep me posted