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Customers
Our customers are at the heart of our business. They are our most important stakeholder group and include tenants, residents and other service users. We are committed to achieving customer service excellence in all that we do.
The Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Standard is recognised across the UK and it lies at the heart of an overarching strategy to provide public services for all customers which are efficient, effective, excellent, equitable and empowering. It is aligned with the five key drivers of customer satisfaction: delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism, and staff attitude.
The Association has held the CSE accreditation for many years and the 2023 annual review took place in late November. The assessment found that ng homes continue to meet the requirements of the Customer Service Excellence standard. You can read the Customer Service Excellence 2023 report now.
We always strive to treat our customers with respect and be responsive to their needs. We value the views of our customers and actively seek ways in which to engage with and listen to our customers, involving them and working with them to develop and deliver the services that they want.
Staff
At ng homes we understand that our people are our greatest resource. Our staff are committed to delivering an excellent level of service to our communities and we value and support all of our people and encourage them to achieve their maximum potential. Our staff are motivated, supported and developed to ensure that the organisation provides excellent services to tenants and other customers and achieves our ambitious objectives.
We have created a positive work environment where everyone can contribute to achieving high performance. We work together to make the organisation the best it can be. We aim to create a workplace where everyone is personally involved and understands how their role contributes to the success of the organisation. Succession planning at all levels is a priority, so we identify clear development routes for staff and recognise the importance of informal types of development, such as mentoring and coaching as well as more formal methods of training and development and we continue to provide opportunities for staff to grow and develop with the organisation.
In 2024, the Association achieved another successful annual review of our Investors in People (IIP) accreditations which we have held since 2017. Our 'We Invest in Wellbeing' review, held in March 2024, was very positive and acknowledged the hard work being put in across the organisation to build and develop a wellbeing culture in the Association. The Report highlighted that the Association continues to meet the standard at the higher ‘Gold’ level across all indicators (‘High Performing’) stating that “the organisation has clearly defined and visible wellbeing goals”. The Gold accreditation is in place until January 2026 and recognises the high level of focus on wellbeing within the business, the great work of all staff and the support provided by the Association’s Board in ensuring that we continue to support the health and wellbeing of our tenants and residents.
We are committed to ensuring that the housing sector is seen as a place where young people can have a fulfilling job and build a rewarding and meaningful career. To this end we have supported a number of modern apprentices many of whom have gone on to permanent positions in ng homes and beyond. Our trainees are provided with comprehensive training which includes studying towards a recognised qualification from the Chartered Institute of Housing and guidance and support to ensure that they are equipped with the skills and ability to work in a wide range of important roles within the housing sector.
Volunteers
Volunteers play an important role in ng homes. We value the contribution and role of volunteers and we work in partnership with a range of organisations to support them with training and development opportunities to ensure that they are able to get the most from their volunteering, including accreditation where appropriate.
Our Volunteer Policy forms the basis of this aspect of our work and we intend to build on the current framework for volunteering opportunities to consolidate and expand our regeneration activities and services in order to improve the lives of our tenants, residents and local people across all ages and cultures.
Volunteering opportunities are achieved through a variety of initiatives and activities, from helping develop the landlord report, to focus groups, and community based projects.
Regulators
ng homes is registered with and regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) - and is classed as "systemically important". In May 2024, the Scottish Housing Regulator published an updated engagement plan for ng homes. Read the full ng homes engagement plan here or through the pdf linked here : SHR Engagement Plan ng homes
The Association provides the Regulator with an Annual Assurance Statement and we will work closely with the Regulator to ensure that we continue to meet the regulatory standards of governance and financial management. Governance self assessment will continue to be a key feature of our approach.
If you wish to raise a complaint or concern with the SHR, they have published a leaflet outlining information for tenants and service users of social landlords. You can find ou tmore about how to raise a complaint or serious concern on the SHR website or through their leaflet.
You can also view the SHR landlord report on ng homes via the SHR website.
We are also a registered charity regulated by OSCR and as a community benefit society we are overseen by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government has supported a number of our key programmes and initiatives with funding and this has enabled us to deliver innovative programmes within our communities. We take account of the Scottish Government’s national policy priorities when developing and delivering our services. We are committed to excellent customer service and meeting customer expectations in line with the Scottish Social Housing Charter ensuring quality and standards of service and supporting the Scottish Government’s long-term vision for a safer, stronger Scotland. Where appropriate, we will work with others to influence government policy on housing, community, and health and social care for the benefit of our customers. This was reflected in funding support direct from the Scottish Government and from other public grant programmes including Climate Challenge Fund, People and Communities Fund, BIG Lottery Fund and others.
Partners
ng homes is an established ‘community anchor’ and we work with local partners to deliver community events and develop community assets, build capacity, develop local people and improve access to support and services. Our aim is to work with a range of partners to deliver lasting benefits to local communities and to have a positive influence on the housing sector in general. Our partners may be small local organisations or groups or they can be large national organisations. Key partners include SFHA, CIH, SHARE, Employers in Voluntary Housing, Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government as well as local community based voluntary groups and local businesses / organisations. We also have a strong partnership with SFRS (Scottish Fire Rescue Services).
Lenders
We understand the importance of loans and treasury management to our business and maintain a strong professional relationship with our lenders. Finance is important to allow us to build new homes and refurbish our existing stock.
We recognise the necessity of compliance with the terms set out in its loans with current lenders, the Nationwide Building Society (NBS), GB Social Housing (GBSH), Energy Savings Trust (EST) and The Housing Finance Corporation (THFC). We communicate with our lenders in an open, professional and timely manner to ensure that our lenders are aware of our plans and that we are meeting all of our obligations within the terms of our loan agreements and covenants.
Suppliers / Contractors
We have strong working relationships with a variety of suppliers and contractors. Our relationships are built on mutual respect and integrity. We engage with professional, ethical companies that deliver value for money products and services. We will ensure that we continue to develop and maintain sound positive relationships in line with good practice in procurement, contract management and professional services.
