Service Standards
Service Standards and Local Offer
Local Space is committed to putting people first. We want to exceed expectations and strive to deliver an excellent service and make a difference. We value input from our customers and have a firm commitment to consult and involve you in influencing the services we provide and decision we make. We will focus on how our services fit in within the regulatory framework and make sure we’re doing what’s most important to you.
Keeping properties in good repair
Carrying out repairs to our customers homes is a key part of any housing provider. We will make sure we make it as easy as possible to report repairs and ensure these are completed as quickly as possible.
Ways to report repairs include:
- Telephone on 0208 221 4000 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, (24 hour service for emergency repairs on 020 3597 2093)
- Email or in person at our Local Space Office.
- Online via our website contact form
- Raise repairs via our online portal called ‘My Account’
We will carry out repairs within the following timescales:
- Emergency – completed within 24 hours and made good within 2 hours.
- Urgent – completed within 7 calendar days.
- Routine – completed within 31 calendar days.
We expect you:
- To inform us quickly when a repair is needed, give us reasonable access to your home for repairs and annual gas safety checks, and keep your home and communal areas clean and tidy.
Maintaining building safety
Your safety is and will always be our top priority.
We will:
- Carry out annual gas safety checks on all our equipment and installations.
- Carry out an electrical safety check of your property every 5 years.
- Carry out Fire Risk Assessments on blocks we own and manage and ensure recommended action is carried out. For buildings where we are not the freeholder, we will engage with the Managing Agent.
We expect you:
- To inform us quickly if you have any building safety concerns.
- Allow us access to your home to carry out safety works.
Respectful and helpful engagement
At Local Space staff strive to listen and care; understand your needs; work together; and be committed to making a lasting difference.
We will:
- Offer a range of flexible ways for you to get involved and get your views heard
- Encourage all our customers to be involved in a way that suits them
- Offer you the opportunity to test and scrutinise our service.
- Provide training to enable you to be informed and empowered.
- Pay for any out of pocket expenses such as travel and reasonable dependent care costs.
- Ensure that the Local Space Board hears the results of customer consultation.
- Regularly promote the ways to get involved via the website, text, leaflets and newsletters.
- Listen to your suggestions.
We expect you to:
- Respect our staff
- Provide us with information we need to assist you
- Be willing to share your views with us on how we are performing, looking at new and innovative ways to improve our services.
Responsible neighbourhood management
We want you to be proud of your home and the neighbourhood you live in.
We will:
- Carry our regular cleaning of communal areas in block we are own and manage.
- Ensure that communal external areas are clear of rubbish, well maintained, and inviting spaces to relax.
- For buildings where we are not the freeholder, we will work with Managing Agent to ensure they clean and maintain the communal areas.
We expect you:
- To ensure you keep your communal areas clear as items left are a fire risk; block escape routes and exits; could cause accidents; and makes communal areas more difficult to clean.
- To dispose of waste and bulking items responsibly.
Effective handling of complaints
When we make a mistake we will always apologise, aim to put it right, and improve so we do not make the same mistake again. We learn from our mistakes and will use the feedback our customers provide to improve our services.
We will:
- Provide an easy to understand complaints policy and procedure.
- Take complaints face to face, in writing or over the phone.
- Investigate and respond to initial complaints within 5 working days for Early Resolution Enquiries and 10 working days for a Stage 1 complaint.
We expect you:
- To provide any additional information to enable us to fully investigate any complaints.
We actively seek feedback from our customers. For example, customers are invited to complete a telephone survey following complaints, when we let a new home, and on completion of repairs and gas servicing works.
We also periodically carry out satisfaction surveys, to see how happy people are with the services we offer. so we’d like you to contribute by giving us feedback.