Tenants play a central role in how we shape and deliver our services. By taking part in meetings, surveys, focus groups, walkabouts and local events, you help us make housing services better, influence decisions and support stronger neighbourhoods.
We engage with tenants in many ways, but to be open and transparent about how these methods directly impact services, we have listed outcomes for meetings and surveys below.
Value of meetings
The table below shows how your involvement has made a real difference. Whether it's influencing repairs contracts, helping design new tenancy agreements, or celebrating community pride through garden competitions, your voice has empowered change.
Each entry highlights how tenant input has:
- shaped decisions on housing policies and services
- informed improvements to communication, maintenance and estate management
- empowered communities through recognition, collaboration and transparency.
| Meeting | Date | Residents Participated | How are findings used |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 2 June 2026 | 8 | • Contract update from Sureserve, with up to date figures. Informed members of a newsletter which will be published in September, reminding tenants to check boilers. • Introduced the Housing Asset Management Strategy to members of the group, discussions surrounding making an accessible version for tenants. • Update on the Cleaning Contract Focus Group, currently 4 members. • Discussed with the group what information videos they would like to go alongside the Tenant Handbook. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 14 April 2026 | 8 | • Mears will be introducing a new tenant portal. • Majority of tenants are pleased with the new Tenancy Agreement. • Update on the Temporary Moves Policy update - 'Decanting' has been removed from the policy name. • Recruitment for the Resident Scrutiny Group has begun. • We received 448 Tenant Engagement survey responses. • Categories for the 2026 Garden Competition were finalised. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 10 March 2026 | 7 | • 'Our Commitments to you' Webpage is currently being worked on, 8 Commitments were agreed on. • Update on the new Tenancy Agreement. Once it has been agreed at cabinet, copies will be shared with everyone. • Update on the Asset Business Plan - stock condition surveys complete. • Estate event dates have been confirmed. And a survey for tenant engagement and communication has been put together, which will be sent to all tenants. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 27 January 2026 | 11 | • Update on Damp and Mould Policy and tenants provided valuable feedback on the new Damp and Mould Leaflet. • Updates on other policies the tenants have had the opportunity to feed into. • Ideas for tenant newsletter provided by tenants. • Tenants agreed for a separate Tenant Survey Scrutiny Meeting. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 18 November 2025 | 7 | • Tenancy review update and feedback with operations manager • Mears update from customer success manager, agreeing transactional survey questions, discuss call handling and social value. • DDTCG asked housing options manager to attend to answer questions provided. • Information to DDTCG regarding communications planned, input and feedback provided by tenants. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 14 October 2025 | 6 | • Mears – Customer Satisfaction Presentation. • Tenancy Agreement • Policy officer comments following Cabinet. • Annual Report 2024/25 • Housing Performance data and metrics |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 02 September 2025 | 6 | • Mears – contract update (post mobilisation) • Information - compliance update • Information - Tenancy Agreement update |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group Garden Competition Prize Giving | 19 August 2025 | 20 | Event to award prizes to participants. Working in partnership with Mears. Empowering and celebrating tenants. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group Garden Competition Judging | 29 July 2025 | 7 | Tenant directly involved in judging the tenant garden competition, working in collaboration with DDC officers. Empowering and celebrating tenants. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 22 July 2025 | 7 | • Information - development at Sholden update • Policy update of six H&S policies • Introduction to the new housing operations manager • Discuss new Tenant Handbook • Newsletter editorial • Garden competition • Handbook |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 03 June 2025 | 7 | • Chair’s update • Newsletter • Garden competition • Scrutiny of six H&S HRA policies • Communal cleaning contract • Discuss regulatory inspections |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 22 April 2025 | 5 | • Information - Local Government Reorganisation • Stock condition (asset team) • Planned maintenance programme/ SCS • Garden competition • Handbook • Newsletter • Chair’s update – Mears mobilisation |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 11 March 2025 | 6 | • Housing development • Terms of reference • Estates update • Regulatory update – inspection programme first year complete/ improvement action plan. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 28 January 2025 | 5 | • AGM – electing roles inc. new repairs representative contract meeting • Policy process • Mears van branding – DDC logo/contact details, uniform/brand guidelines, customer journey • Social value – manage expectations • Scrutiny of Disabled Adaptations Policy. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 12 November 2024 | 5 | • Anti-Social Behaviour Policy (2024) • Information - parks and open spaces update) |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 01 October 2024 | 5 | •Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030 (at the beginning) • Information - estates management manager update • Scrutiny of Annual Report 23/24 |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group Garden Competition Prize Giving | 11 September 2024 | 20 | Event to award prizes to participants. Working in partnership with Mears. Empowering and celebrating tenants. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 28 August 2024 | 4 | •Scrutiny and agreement of Tenant Engagement Expenses and Incentives Policy (2024) • Housing operations update • Tenant engagement update • Repairs contract update |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group Garden Competition Judging | 27 August 2024 | 5 | Tenants directly involved in judging the tenant garden competition. Empowering and celebrating tenants. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 09 July 2024 | 4 | • Scrutiny of Domestic Abuse Policy • Introduction to DART Team • Scrutiny of Managing Unacceptable Behaviour Policy |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 28 May 2024 | 6 | • Parks and open spaces - tree issues and trees in void properties • Agree terms of reference, code of conduct and strategy • Information - housing operation update • Information - estate walkabouts |
| Focus Group - Agreeing local offers | 07 May 2024 | 5 | • Agree local offers • Agree code of conduct • Agree terms of reference |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 16 April 2024 | 6 | • Scrutiny of Pets Policy and Anti-Social Behaviour and Hate Crime Policy • Information - housing operation update • Tenants survey (compare to other councils) |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 12 March 2024 | 6 | • XL Bully update • Vulnerable Tenant Policy • Property assets update Repairs contract, energy efficiency, loft insulation, Preston update – EIP • Senior housing officer update Estate inspections – findings from the last round of inspections (are there any problems or delays getting things sorted?) Learning from the inspections. • Housing update from housing operations manager • Resident involvement update • Forward plan • Set date for special meeting. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 23 January 2024 | 6 | • AGM • Introduction of new head of housing • Damp and mould video • DDC's stance on new American Bully XL legislation • Scrutiny of performance figures. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 14 November 2023 | 8 | • Information - introduction to new operations manager • Tenant Survey 2023 results - discussion, scrutiny and action plan. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 03 October 2023 | 7 | • Information - senior housing officer update on his service (ASB) • Update on garden waste • Newsletter editorial • Garden competition • Tenant survey 2023 |
| Focus Group - Responsive Repairs Contract | 19 September 2023 | 6 | Tenants have their say on the scope of the new contract. Discussing and deciding tenant quality question/s and the selection process |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 22 August 2023 | 7 | • Information - external decorations update • Agree tenant engagement in procurement • Newsletter editorial • Garden competition. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group Garden Competition Prize Giving | 17 August 2023 | 20 | Event to award prizes to participants. Working in partnership with Mears. Empowering and celebrating tenants. |
| Focus Group - Responsive Repairs Contract | 15 August 2023 | 6 | Tenants have their say on the scope of the new contract. Discussing potential community projects, DDTG suggestions and tenant involvement in contract management. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group Garden Competition Judging | 01 August 2023 | 7 | Tenant directly involved in judging the tenant garden competition. Empowering and celebrating tenants. |
| Focus Group - Responsive Repairs Contract | 25 July 2023 | 6 | Tenants have their say on the scope of the new contract. Discuss additions – suggestions for consideration: repair tracking, online reporting, gardening team, bulk repairs, blitz cleans, handyman for sheltered schemes. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 11 July 2023 | 7 | • Information - senior housing officer update on his service (IL and customer/transactions) • Update on repairs contract • Newsletter editorial • Garden competition • Tenant survey 2023. |
| Focus Group - Responsive Repairs Contract | 20 June 2023 | 6 | Tenants have their say on the scope of the new contract. Discuss customer journey and will calls be taken by DDC or contractor |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 30 May 2023 | 5 | • Information - planned works - kitchen programme update • How damp/mould has impacted the planned works schedule • Newsletter editorial. |
| Focus Group - Responsive Repairs Contract | 23 May 2023 | 6 | Tenants have their say on the scope of the new contract. Discuss KPI’s, response times, void times. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 18 April 2023 | 6 | • Information - customer journey of reporting a repair. Discussed improvements • Information about procurement of new repairs contract • Staff updates - retiring key staff. |
| Focus Group - Agreeing local offers | 18 April 2023 | 6 | • Information - what is a local offer. Discussed annual report • You said we did/performance, comparing what we said we would achieve and how we did. • Agreeing local offers for year ahead. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 07 March 2023 | 7 | • Update on council’s response to damp and mould • Decisions re. garden competition • EIP progress update. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 24 January 2023 | 6 | • AGM • Election of officers • Agree focus group scope and terms of reference • Planning agenda items for the year |