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 | 10 March 2026 | TBC | TBC |
| 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 • Parks and open spaces update • Information re tenant survey • Agree new logo • EIP Downs Road agree proposal. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 01 November 2022 | 6 | • Information - ASB team Q&A • Information about procurement of new repairs contract • Discussed damp and mould/ condensation leaflet • Focus group update |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group (special meeting | 25 October 2022 | 7 | • Information - tenant engagement in regulation - how important it is that tenants have a say. • Results of survey discussed • Agreement about future engagement • Discussed changing name to DDTCG - adding 'consultative' to enhance understanding of purpose. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 20 September 2022 | 7 | •Tenants agreed stopping online meetings • Focus group update • Information - fire safety Q&A • Newsletter editorial discussions. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 09 August 2022 | 6 | • Focus group update • Q&A with parks and open spaces • Discuss changes to ToR • Discuss changes to code of conduct • Discuss expenses review • Performance scrutiny group. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 28 June 2022 | 7 | •Discussing and agreeing Cllr involvement in scrutiny • Review ToR •Focus group update Information - benefit and money advice |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 17 May 2022 | 5 | • Focus group update • Newsletter articles and ideas for topics • Scrutiny for new Neighbourhood Strategy • Focus group update |
| Focus Group - Communications | 10 May 2022 | not recorded | Meeting 4 - Confirm the action plan – What you want DDC to do? |
| Focus Group - Communications | 26 April 2022 | not recorded | Meeting 3 - Workshops, improvements and discussing ideas. |
| Focus Group - Communications | 12 April 2022 | not recorded | Meeting 2 - What other people do and what we used to do. How can we improve? |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 05 April 2022 | 6 | • Focus group update • EIP • Repairs KPIs • Compliance figures • ASB figures • Poster competition update. •Neighbourhood Strategy |
| Focus Group - Communications | 29 March 2022 | not recorded | Meeting 1: Introduction to staff, each other and subject area. Why are we doing this and what’s so important about it? |
| Focus Group - Tenant Involvement Project | 17 March 2022 | 5 | Planning, scrutinising and agreeing the future tenant engagement activities, looking at the following areas: • Presentation from DDC • Desktop review – Looking at other organisations. |
| Focus Group - Tenant Involvement Project | 10 March 2022 | 5 | Planning, scrutinising and agreeing the future tenant engagement activities, looking at the following areas: • What do tenants want to be involved in? • Barriers to involvement • Roundtable discussion. |
| Focus Group - Tenant Involvement Project | 03 March 2022 | 5 | Planning, scrutinising and agreeing the future tenant engagement activities, looking at the following areas: • Tenant engagement structure • Best practice. |
| Focus Group - Tenant Involvement Project | 24 February 2022 | 5 | Planning, scrutinising and agreeing the future tenant engagement activities, looking at the following areas: • What is tenant engagement? • Regulatory obligations. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 22 February 2022 | 4 | • Information - definition of the decent homes standard • Information -the possibility of a pre-payment repairs scheme for tenant responsibility repairs. • Focus group update (Tenant Involvement Strategy) • Information - our estate assistants • Information - planned works update • Identifying what performance information needed. |
| Dover District Tenants' Consultative Group | 11 January 2022 | 5 | • AGM • Election of officers • Agree focus group scope and terms of reference • Planning agenda items for the year • Identifying what performance information the group would like to scrutinise. |
Value of surveys
Through regular surveys, tenants have helped us understand what’s working, what needs improving and where we should focus our efforts.
We’ve used survey results to create action plans, compare our performance with other councils, and ensure your voice is reflected in everything we do.
| Survey/questionnaire | Year | Status | Total responses | Link to response/summary | How are findings used |
| Preliminary consultation with PRPs - Tenancy Strategy | 2021 | Closed | 10 | Internal use only | Used to add data and information to the Tenancy Strategy on total number of social homes in the district and use of fixed-term tenancies. |
| Tenancy Strategy & Tenancy Management Policy | 2021 | Closed | 1 | Tenancy Strategy Report.pdf | Comments are used to make amendments to the draft documents. |
| DDTG Survey - Special Meeting for Future of Tenant Consultation | 2022 | Closed | 5 | Open to DDTCG only. Information gathering for special meeting to discuss Tenant Engagement at DDC on 25.10.22 | |
| District Housing Needs Survey | 2023 | Closed | 1,067 | The results are used to support affordable housing development, responses to planning applications, and housing policy development. | |
| Tenant Survey 2023 | 2023 | Closed | 704 | Tenant Satisfaction Measures | Results are submitted to the Regulator of Social Housing as part of their monitoring and inspection programme. Results are also analysed internally by DDC with recommendations put into action to improve services. |
| Community Perception Survey - Stockdale Gardens, Deal | 2023 | Closed | 5 | Internal use only | Perception of ASB in the particular estate. Evaluated by ASB team to help with ASB case. |
| Community Perception Survey - Leivers Road, Deal | 2023 | Closed | 9 | Internal use only | Perception of ASB in the particular estate. Evaluated by ASB team to help with ASB case. |
| Stembrook Court - New Bin Storage Solution | 2023 | Closed | 13 | Internal use only | Giving tenants an opportunity to share their views and inform the new storage arrangements at the block of flats. |
| Lettings Customer Satisfaction Survey | 2023 | Active | 13 | Internal use only | Transactional survey to capture opinions about the service received and identify what has gone well, and what can be improved upon. |
| Anti-social Behaviour - Customer Satisfaction Survey | 2023 | Active | 18 | Internal use only | Transactional survey to capture opinions about the service received and identify what has gone well, and what can be improved upon. |
| Tenant Survey 2024 | 2024 | Closed | 677 | Tenant Satisfaction Measures | Results are submitted to the Regulator of Social Housing as part of their monitoring and inspection programme. Results are also analysed internally by DDC with recommendations put into action to improve services. |
| Community Perception Survey - Stockdale Gardens | 2024 | Closed | 1 | Internal use only | Perception of ASB in the particular estate. Evaluated by ASB team to help with ASB case. |
| Community Perception Survey - Stembrook Court | 2024 | Closed | 4 | Internal use only | Perception of ASB in the particular estate. Evaluated by ASB team to help with ASB case. |
| Community Perception Survey - 1-12 St Nicholas Road, Deal | 2025 | Closed | 3 | Internal use only | Perception of ASB in the particular estate. Evaluated by ASB team to help with ASB case. |
| Preliminary consultation with PRPs - Tenancy Strategy | 2025 | Closed | 10 | Internal use only | Used to add data and information to the Tenancy Strategy on total number of social homes in the district and use of fixed-term tenancies. |
| Tenant Survey 2025 | 2025 | Active | 74 (to date) |
Value of consultations
Consultations are a vital part of how we develop and improve our housing service.
They give you a direct voice in the decisions that affect your homes and communities, helping us understand what works well and where change is needed.
By sharing your ideas and priorities, you help shape the way our services are delivered, ensuring they reflect the needs of the people who use them every day. Your input supports better decision‑making and helps us build safe, responsive and inclusive neighbourhoods.
You can see results and take part in active consultations by following the link below.
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