Held at the Hotel Cromwell in Stevenage at the end of July, the drop-in event enabled tenants to speak directly with contractors, view examples of the products and materials that will be used and ask questions about the planned works in a relaxed, informal setting.

The improvement programme forms part of the council's continued investment in its housing stock, helping to ensure homes meet the Decent Homes Standard while delivering energy efficiency improvements where needed. Planned works include new kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, heating systems and other energy efficiency measures.

A range of contractors attended the event alongside several Stevenage Borough Council teams, providing residents with expert advice and information about the improvement programme and the support available throughout the process. Contractors included:

Sureserve Compliance	Heating Replacement
TSG Building Services plc	Heating Replacement
PiLON Ltd	Kitchen and Bathroom Replacement
United Infrastructure	Kitchen and Bathroom Replacement
Chas Berger Ltd	Window and Door Replacement
Etec Group	Window and Door Replacement
Equans	Retrofit Energy Efficiency works
CBM Group Ltd	Housing maintenance
DALROD	Drainage Services
Principle Construction	Damp & Condensation
3Phase	Electrical Compliance

It was also an opportunity for tenants to offer feedback about previous experiences, which will help to shape processes and improve council housing services in the future.

The event proved to be a valuable opportunity to reassure tenants, answer individual queries and help residents understand what to expect before work begins in their homes.

Councillor Loraine Rossati, Co-Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "We know that having work carried out in your home can feel daunting, so it was important to give residents the chance to meet the people delivering the improvements, ask questions and find out exactly what to expect. It was fantastic to see so many tenants come along and talk to the teams. These improvements are part of our ongoing commitment to investing in our council homes, ensuring they remain safe, modern and energy efficient for our residents."

Councillor Coleen De Freitas, Co-Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Tenancy Involvement said: “Not only do these events provide a great opportunity to meet the teams behind the works taking place, but they are a fantastic opportunity for us to hear first-hand about tenant experiences. We’re constantly looking to improve and shape our housing services, and I’d encourage anyone who receives any tenant feedback questionnaires to help us to help you by sharing your thoughts.”

The council will continue working closely with tenants and its delivery partners as improvement works are rolled out across council homes in Stevenage. Ensuring tenants receive a great service that they are happy with is top of the agenda throughout these works and sharing experiences is a big part of this. So, make sure to complete the feedback form once works have been finished.

All tenants can find out more about shaping future council housing services through our Resident Voice pages.