Listening to residents at Moselle House – what we heard and what we’re doing 

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Settle colleagues with partners at Moselle House in Watford standing in a line in front of a Settle truck with bags of rubbish.

In April, we spent the day at Moselle House in Watford as part of a Neighbourhood Action Day and Door Knock, making practical improvements and speaking with residents about what matters most to them day to day about where they live. 

Around 60% of households were spoken to in more detail, helping us better understand residents’ experiences of living at Moselle House, understanding what’s working and what isn’t, and to help us use that feedback to shape improvements. 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us and share their views.  

What we did on the day

Colleagues, partner organisations and a member of the SettleParadigm Joint Steering Group, focused on making immediate improvements to the building and surrounding areas. This included:

    • Clearing a full truckload of rubbish from site, including around 20 bags of waste from the car park

    • Clearing a full truckload of rubbish from the site and car park, including around 20 bags of waste and wooden pallets that posed a potential fire risk

    • Tidying and cleaning the bin areas

    • Removing outdated and excessive signage and installing clearer signs for visitors and deliveries

    • Sanding and treating planters, as a first step towards longer-term improvements to the outdoor space

    • Supporting residents with the removal and disposal of bulky items from their homes

    • Reporting repairs in communal areas and individual homes, with specialist teams attending where needed.

We also spoke with local shopkeepers about the shared car park, agreeing next steps to improve how the area is used and looked after.

Image 1: Staff member speaking with a resident on a flat rooftop, holding a clipboard. Image 2: Group of Settle colleagues, with two police officers and a partner from Citizens Advice Bureau talking together on the roof top garden at Moselle House. Image 3: Operative applying glue to a buildinng sign.
From left to right: A member of the Neighbourhood team speaking with a resident about their experience of living in the block; colleagues discussing local issues with PCSO Ruxane Osler, PC Steven Shaw and a partner from Watford Citizens Advice Bureau; and an operative installing new signage in the building.

What you told us

Residents told us they appreciated seeing us on site and having the opportunity to talk through any concerns in person.

The main themes we heard were:

Rubbish and cleanliness
Residents told us that bin areas are sometimes misused, with rubbish left in communal areas or brought in from outside the block..

Parking
Parking was raised frequently, with concerns about spaces being used by visitors or people working in nearby shops, making it harder for residents to park.

Safety and anti-social behaviour (ASB)
Some residents shared concerns about feeling unsafe in and around the car park and communal areas and said they would like to feel safer where they live.

Image 1: One Settle colleague and a partner from CAB speaking with a resident in a hallway, with one holding a clipboard and taking notes. Image 2: Two volunteers wearing high-visibility vests standing outdoors beside a car, holding litter pickers and bags of collected rubbish. Image 3: Two people carrying out outdoor maintenance work in a planted courtyard area next to a residential building.
From left to right: Amanda Surridge, Director of Neighbourhoods at SettleParadigm, and a partner from Citizens Advice talking with a resident during a door‑knocking visit; our Customer Service Hub Manager and Carl Shilloto, a Settle Paradigm Joint Steering Group member litter picking; and the Estates Team sanding and re‑staining planters in the communal garden.

What we’re doing

We’ve taken everything you told us and are using it alongside other feedback to shape plans for Moselle House. Work is already underway or being developed to improve the car park and explore better parking arrangements for residents. We’re also looking at introducing low-maintenance planting to improve outdoor spaces and reduce ongoing maintenance issues. Alongside this, we’re continuing work to improve bin areas and encourage proper use, helping to keep communal spaces clean and tidy.

We will also be following up with residents with clearer information about waste disposal and keeping communal areas clean and tidy, alongside ongoing work with local businesses around their responsibilities for shared spaces.

Where concerns about anti-social behaviour were raised, these have been shared with the local police team.

We’ll continue to keep residents updated as plans develop. For larger projects, we’ll write to you directly once decisions have been made and timelines are confirmed.

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From left to right: Joe Williams, Executive Director of Customer Services, helping with improvements to the communal area; Moselle House; and the Community Investment Coordinator cleaning the bin storage area.


Joe Williams, Executive Director of Customer Services, said:

The difference made at Moselle House was genuinely inspiring – from improving communal areas to taking the time to speak with residents. It’s clear that a lot of work went into making the day a success, and it’s an important step towards longer-term improvements for residents.

We want to hear from you 

Neighbourhood Action Days and Door Knocks are just one of the ways we listen to residents. There are lots of other ways to share your views and help shape what we do next. 

You can: 

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