Tenant feedback helps shape Council repairs and maintenance

Dacorum Mayor Cllr Garrick Stevens, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property Services, Cllr Simy Dhyani, Dacorum Borough Council Chief Executive Darren Welsh with Cardo engineer and Ricky Lang, Head of Safe Homes

Wednesday 1 July marked the start of a new five-year contract with Cardo to continue repairing, maintaining and improving council homes across the borough.

Dacorum Borough Council has worked closely with tenants to strengthen the repairs service, using feedback to introduce key improvements to the contract.

What this means for tenants and leaseholders

  • No change to reporting repairs: Tenants will report repairs in the same way.
  • Live appointment tracking: Tenants will be able to track the arrival of their Cardo operative through a link sent by text message or email.
  • Information on who is attending: Tenants will be sent the Cardo operative’s name and a photograph, to give more reassurance and transparency.
  • Enhanced repair diagnosis: New IT systems will support more accurate diagnosis of repair issues, helping to fix issues first time and reduce repeat visits.
  • Clearer appointment information: Tenants will receive more detailed information about what repair is to be carried out, helping them better understand what work is scheduled and reducing uncertainty where multiple repairs are outstanding.

Listening to tenants

Tenant feedback has played a key role in shaping the new five-year contract, with residents’ voices continuing to inform decisions that are made, how the service is delivered and future improvements.

The Council has been working closely with tenants through engagement events and the new Tenant Voice Panel, whose members are helping to ensure tenant perspectives are reflected in the ongoing management of the contract. Members of the panel attended an engagement event in June to share feedback on where improvements could be made.

Chair of the Tenant Voice Panel, Michelle Mitchell said: ‘We will play an important role in monitoring progress giving valuable scrutiny, challenge, and resident insight to help ensure that there are  improvements for tenants. As a voice for tenants, we will make sure residents remain at the centre of new decisions and improvements to the service.’

The contract will also deliver wider community benefits, including local employment opportunities, apprenticeships, training programmes, social value initiatives and community investment projects, helping to create positive outcomes for residents beyond the repairs service itself.

Cllr Simy Dhyani, Dacorum Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property Services said: ‘Our priority is making sure every resident lives in a safe, comfortable and well-maintained home. Since Cardo took over the repairs service, they have worked closely with the Council to maintain continuity, improve performance and build on our shared commitment to putting residents first. This new contract marks the next phase of that partnership. By introducing new technology, greater transparency and an even stronger focus on customer service, we are creating a repairs service that is more responsive, reliable and accountable. We have listened to our residents, learned from their feedback and continued to invest in improving the service. This contract reflects our determination to keep raising standards and deliver the high-quality repairs service our residents deserve.’

Liam Bevan, CEO of Cardo Group said: ‘This reappointment reflects three years of hard work and trust between Cardo and Dacorum Borough Council and we’re incredibly proud of what that partnership has achieved together. It’s a strong endorsement of the quality and consistency our team delivers day in, day out. We’re looking forward to building on this foundation – investing further in local apprenticeships, supporting community projects, and continuing to deliver the standard of service Dacorum’s residents expect and deserve.’

The contract was awarded following a competitive selection process and builds on the progress made since Cardo began delivering the service three years ago. It will support continued improvements to repairs and maintenance services for residents.

To report a repair, please visit Repairs and Home Maintenance page.

L-R: Dacorum Mayor Cllr Garrick Stevens, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property Services, Cllr Simy Dhyani, Dacorum Borough Council Chief Executive Darren Welsh with Cardo engineer and Ricky Lang, Head of Safe Homes