Latest updates (July– September 2025)
Latest updates (July– September 2025)
Policy reviews
We’ve been reviewing several policies that help keep our communities safe and supported. Here’s what residents told us and what we’re doing.
Updated policies will be published on Settle Connect and the website.
CCTV Management Policy
We recently reviewed our CCTV Management Policy to make sure it reflects residents’ views and priorities. Feedback gathered through our survey showed that most residents found the policy clear and easy to understand. A common theme was that CCTV, including video doorbells, helps residents feel safer at home.
This feedback is now being used to review and update the policy, ensuring it balances home security with privacy considerations. The revised policy will also make it easier to understand when CCTV installations are permitted and the standards expected for their use.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
Feedback from residents showed that most found the policy clear and easy to understand, and one key theme was the importance of using simple language with clear definitions so that everyone can understand it. All feedback is now being reviewed to ensure the updated policy reflects residents’ priorities and supports fairness, equality and inclusion in everything we do. The revised policy will be published soon, setting out our ongoing commitment to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Pest Control Policy
The updated policy was published in August and in response to resident feedback now includes examples of the types of pests covered, clearer definitions of responsibilities for both Settle and residents, and full names alongside acronyms to make the policy easier to understand. Your input has helped us ensure the policy sets clear expectations and reflects what matters to you. The policy can be viewed on our website.
Reasonable Adjustments and Vulnerable Needs Policy
Thank you to everyone who shared feedback during the review of our Reasonable Adjustments and Vulnerable Needs Policy. You told us you wanted clearer explanations of what vulnerabilities and reasonable adjustments mean, more information about how we identify and support residents who may need extra help, reassurance that our colleagues are trained to provide the right support, and a single point of contact when discussing your needs. We’ve updated the policy to reflect this, and you can read more here.
Repairs service update
We’ve continued to make improvements to our repairs service based on resident feedback gathered through the tenant satisfaction measures surveys between April 2024 and March 2025.
These improvements are part of our repairs improvement plan, which focuses on the areas you’ve told us matter most – completing repairs quickly, getting them right first time, and keeping residents informed.
To improve communication, we’ve introduced new email and text message alerts at each stage of a repair. You’ll now receive updates when a repair is raised through My Settle Portal, reminders 10 and 2 days before your appointment, and confirmation once the work is complete. If a follow-up visit is needed or we’re unable to access your property, you’ll also get a message to let you know.
Big Door Knock
At the beginning of July, colleagues from across Settle, including members of our Executive Team and Board, visited the Westmill neighbourhood in Hitchin as part of the Big Door Knock.
It was an opportunity to meet residents, listen to what matters most, and gather feedback through a short survey focused on our five key areas for improvement.
What residents told us will help shape the Westmill Neighbourhood Plan and how we improve and develop our services.
Find out more in our Big Door Knock news story.
Nightingale Park improvements
Residents told us they want a welcoming, safe, and enjoyable park that meets the needs of children, families, and the wider community.
We worked with the Nightingale Community Group and local residents to finalise plans for Nightingale Park in Baldock.
Around 50 residents took part in a community event, sharing ideas, voting on proposals, and drawing suggestions for features like swings, slides, and a trim-trail track. The park’s wildlife area will remain, with improvements planned to enhance it further.
Construction is due to begin in October, and residents have been sent details of the plans. For the full story, visit: Residents help to shape the future of Nightingale Park
Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) 2024/25
Between April 2024 and March 2025, 1,258 residents took part in our tenant satisfaction measures survey. Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback, it helps us understand what matters most and where to focus improvements.
The results show progress across all 12 satisfaction-based measures compared with last year, including a 5% rise in overall satisfaction to almost 75%.
Residents told us they value clear communication, quicker repairs, and services that are reliable and easy to access. These themes link directly to our five key areas for improvement.
Find out about some of the changes we’ve already made and feedback from residents in our Tenant Satisfaction Measures 2024/25 news story.
We’ve also published the full results against the tenant satisfaction measures (TSMs) and will use this data to monitor progress and continue improving the services we provide.
Complaints and query handling
Between April 2024 and March 2025, our Contact Hub answered almost 70,000 calls and replied to over 20,000 emails, consistently meeting our response targets.
Residents told us they value quick, helpful responses, clear communication, and colleagues who show understanding when issues arise.
In response, we’ve:
- Refreshed our post-call survey to make it easier for residents to share feedback and recognise great service.
- Continued to focus on resolving issues at first contact, with colleagues receiving extra training and support.
- Improved access to online services, including the My Settle Portal, where residents can report and track repairs, check rent balances and update personal details.
If you need to get in touch, visit our Contact Us page or you can get support through Live Chat on every page of our website.
Residents told us they want complaints to be handled fairly, clearly, and transparently. We’ve updated FAQs and guidance on how to make a complaint on our website, and an online complaints tracking process is being developed on My Settle Portal. The Voice of the Resident Panel tested the new reporting tool in August to make sure it is easy to use and clear for everyone. Once the upgrade is complete, you’ll be able to track your complaint in the portal and see key updates, including when we’ve responded. We’re aiming to have this live later in the year. See more about the panel’s discussions in our Voice of the Resident Panel meeting update – July 2025.
In September, we published our Annual Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report 2024/25, reviewed by both our Board and the Voice of the Resident Panel. The report shows how complaints are handled, the improvements we’ve made, and how we plan to continue improving services. We also submitted our Complaint Handling Code Self-Assessment to the Housing Ombudsman and included a response from our Board to provide assurance on our performance. You can learn more about how we handle complaints on our Complaints page.
Service Styles
Over 200 colleagues have now completed our Service Styles training.
Each colleague has made a personal pledge to deliver services that are responsive, respectful and reliable, shaping how we communicate, resolve issues and build trusted relationships with residents and communities.
Read more about the training and Settle’s pledge to consistent and professional services in our news story.
You can see colleague pledges, updates and real examples of Service Styles in action on Settle Connect. Residents can also use this platform to continue to share what’s working well and where we can improve.
Anti-social behaviour (ASB)
In July, the Voice of the Resident Panel reviewed improvements to the online ASB reporting tool on My Settle Portal. Residents and the panel had previously given feedback on usability, wording, and accessibility, helping make the tool clearer and easier to use. The tool is due to go live in September 2025. Read more about the changes in July’s Voice of the Resident Panel meeting update.
Feedback from the latest transactional surveys, Big Door Knocks, and Settle Connect is encouraging. Since September, more residents are satisfied with how we manage and respond to ASB. In September 2025, we were managing 111 ASB cases and successfully recovered several properties through proceedings. This builds on our demand-led approach introduced in January 2024, which gives neighbourhood teams a stronger focus on community safety and earlier intervention. Our news story on ASB explains more about how we’re working with partners to improve how we respond to anti-social behaviour. You can also find out more about our approach and the support we offer on our anti-social behaviour web page.
Clean and green estate management
Last year, residents shared feedback on our grounds maintenance and communal cleaning services. You told us that you often see contractors in your neighbourhood but not actively working. In response, we’ve increased regular audits of grounds maintenance and communal cleaning services alongside our partners, to make sure work is carried out as expected.
We continue to work on the Clean and Green Estate Management improvement plan, and you can see progress on the areas that matter most to you -making it easier to report issues, improving partnership working, and understanding the services we provide.
Work is also underway behind the scenes to update our website so you know exactly what to expect. This includes clearer information on what we are responsible for, what our partners do, how long services should take, and who to contact if an issue falls outside of Settle’s responsibility. Our Digital team is making it easier to report neighbourhood issues through My Settle Portal, and updating the site with contact details and schedules for services like grass cutting and communal cleaning.
The Green Panel
The Green Panel has launched a new resident-led project on sustainability, focused on practical ideas to create greener, more sustainable neighbourhoods. We received 158 comments from 50 survey responses, giving us a wide range of resident views.
Your feedback is helping the Green Panel understand what matters most. Take a look at the key themes identified from the survey and follow this project on Settle Connect.
The Green Panel is now reviewing your comments and we’ll share updates on Settle Connect and the website, showing how your ideas are helping to influence practical improvements in our communities.
Rooted in Community
Residents told us they’d like more greenery in their neighbourhoods. In response, we launched Rooted in Community, giving you the chance to help decide where new trees, shrubs, and plants should go on Settle-owned communal land. From May to September, residents could pin their suggested locations on our interactive map and share why they thought a spot would benefit from greenery. Your ideas will help us plan planting in October, choosing the right trees and plants for each location to support shade, wildlife, and cooler, greener neighbourhoods.
You can read more about the project here: Rooted in Community on Settle Connect.
The Green Panel
The Green Panel has launched a new resident-led project on sustainability, focused on practical ideas to create greener, more sustainable neighbourhoods. We received 158 comments from 50 survey responses, giving us a wide range of resident views.
Your feedback is helping the Green Panel understand what matters most. Take a look at the key themes identified from the survey and follow this project on Settle Connect. The Green Panel is now reviewing your comments and we’ll share updates on Settle Connect and the website, showing how your ideas are helping to influence practical improvements in our communities.
Let’s Talk About Stigma in Social Housing project
We’re pleased to share we received a total of 115 comments from 51 survey responses about this project. Residents told us they sometimes feel judged or treated unfairly because they live in social housing, and highlighted the need to challenge negative stereotypes and improve everyday experiences. Our Colleague and Resident Panel (CARP) is reviewing your feedback to identify ways to tackle stigma and inform improvements across Settle. We’re making sure younger residents’ voices (ages 14–18) are included so all perspectives are heard. Feedback from residents is under review, and the panel will use it to shape practical actions and improvements. Updates will be shared once the review is complete. You can read more and follow the project here: Let’s Talk About Stigma in Social Housing.
Digital Ease
My Settle Portal
Residents told us they wanted clear guidance on how to use the MySettle Portal, including registration and key features. A MySettle Portal “How-To” video has been developed and the Voice of the Resident Panel worked with our Communications team to review the video before it was published.
Residents gave feedback on clarity, pace, and usefulness. 66% of residents said the video was clear and easy to follow, and had a good pace. They also suggested more videos on updating details, payments and setting up direct debits, reporting repairs, and reporting ASB. We’ve improved the video for mobile viewing to make it easier to follow and are continuing to create more short “how-to” videos to help residents use the portal independently. You can register for an account and watch the video here.
Pay by Link
Residents told us they wanted a quicker and simpler way to make payments. In response, we’ve launched Pay by Link, a new, secure way to pay using a mobile phone or laptop. Read more about this new payment method in our news story.
You can see all other ways to make a payment to Settle on our Make a payment page.