Management Committee response to the Tenants Satisfaction Survey
June 2024
The Finsbury Park Housing Co-operative Management Committee has considered the findings of the recent Tenant Satisfaction Survey.
We are pleased with the results of the survey. There was a 48.6% response rate (18 responses) by members, with a 70% approval rate across the board and 83.4% approval for the service we provide. These results suggest that nearly every FPHC member is relatively content. However, we know there is always work to do, and the MC is putting together plans that we believe will further improve services to all members of the co-op.
We were concerned that some comments submitted via the survey suggested that not all co-op members were completely clear about how FPHC works. We want to set that right.
How we make decisions
As you know, every FPHC member working to manage the organisation is a volunteer, and gives up their time for free.
As has always been the case, decisions about the running of FPHC are made during public Management Committee meetings, which still take place every week, on Tuesdays. We also hold frequent SGM meetings during which every member has a vote. Anyone who has ever been allocated a property will have attended one or more of these meetings, and all members and non-members are welcome to attend.
We have volunteer officers who are responsible for certain functions, including maintenance, treasury, and more. These officers act on behalf of and with support from the MC.
All members receive invitations to attend our weekly hybrid meetings (online and in person at the office), and those meetings regularly host 25%–35% of all members. During the past year, approximately half our members have attended at least one MC meeting. We believe this makes the co-op’s decision-making process transparent and accountable.
If you are not receiving email invitations to join meetings, please write to fphc.mc12@gmail.com and provide your preferred email address.
How we communicate
We usually contact all members by email. From time to time we also send paper-based correspondence, although in order to reduce costs we are attempting to move all correspondence, including rent statements, to email.
It costs FPHC about £200 each time we write to all members, as postal and print charges have drastically increased. We believe this money is better spent on other operating costs.
We also publish minutes of our meetings in a timely manner, usually within a week of the meeting taking place. These minutes are distributed with the agenda for our regular meetings.
If you believe you are no longer receiving important co-op emails, or want to contact the MC, please email fphc.mc12@gmail.com.
How to report problems with rent
Our treasurer, Julian Richman, follows in the footsteps of all previous FPHC treasurers and acts as the first point of contact for any issues regarding rent. Julian, who is an unpaid volunteer, has a dedicated part-time staff member and is supported by the wider management team.
He is currently putting a new online banking system for rent collection into place, and you can expect further details about this soon. If you have a rent payment problem, please contact Julian at treasurer.fphc12@gmail.com.
We also request that all members use the new rent payment codes that Julian recently provided you with.
How we do maintenance
Maintenance is managed by Roger Kidd on a voluntary basis, with full support from the Management Committee. He deserves much thanks for managing so many properties and has our full support. It would be helpful if members could help Roger to help them by facilitating access for our workers in a timely fashion – too much of his time is squandered chasing access problems.
Presently we do not have a volunteer who is willing to manage the cyclical maintenance process (the regular process in which homes are maintained).
This has been the case for a while and is one of the reasons we have moved to secure external management services to support our mission to provide high-quality, affordable housing to members of our co-operative. If you have a maintenance request or query, please contact Roger at kidd.roger@gmail.com.
Management services
A proposal to work with an external management services company, Coop Homes, was put to the co-op membership in a Special General Meeting (SGM) November 1 2022, and all members had the opportunity to vote. Prior to the presentation other options were considered and Coop Homes attended a meeting to explain their services and and respond to questions. The proposal was approved by majority vote, with negligible votes against.
Coop Homes will provide the following services to FPHC:
• Reactive maintenance
• Cyclical maintenance (programme to be agreed in future)
• Rent collection and associated tasks
• Safety checks – eg. gas, water safety, fire risk assessments, etc
• Management reports
• Policy and governance support
Our management agreement with Coop Homes is currently going through legal review. We are working toward an immediate start once the deal is finalised and a contract signed. We believe the move will optimise our service offering across the board, although of course the co-op will continue to be independent.
How to add an item to a FPHC meeting agenda
If you want to raise any matter during a meeting, please write to the secretary of FPHC. Martin Hudson (who is also a volunteer) at martinh.fphc@gmail.com, or contact FPHC via fphc.mc12@gmail.com. Please make your request at least 48 hours before the meeting you would like to have the item raised at. Your request will be considered for discussion.
Working together
In the four decades since Finsbury Park Housing Co-op was established, members have given generously of their time and input as we work together to support and run our unique organisation. We are only as strong as our members.
Thank you to all who attend our regular meetings, to the members who take on essential volunteer work, and everyone who completed this year’s Tenant Satisfaction Survey.
We thank all the volunteers who worked to maintain our organisation throughout its history, and the team who ran our first survey. We look forward to drawing on its insights in the months to come.
FPHC Management Committee
June 2024