1. The document summarizes research into tenant expectations when moving into a new rental property. It aims to understand what is most important and what could provide a "wow factor". 2. Interviews found that the most important things are basic standards like cleanliness, working utilities and safety. The "wow factor" for most is simply having their own clean home. A few mentioned new decorations. 3. The worst thing would be a dirty, unclean property with disrepair or non-working facilities. Tenants want reassurance utilities will function properly.

1. Charter Housing
Voids Review
Customer expectations
February 2015

2. TopTip’s aim
• Understand what expectations are for people when moving into a new
property.
• What is important to them when moving in and what do they worry
could happen?
• Look at views of both those who have recently moved and also those
on the waiting list

3. Methodology
• Door to door visits were made to tenants who had
moved in within the last year. There were 250 re-lets in
2014, Charter staff managed to speak to 11 of these
when out door knocking with Evie during the first week
of December 2014
• A random sample of people on housing waiting lists in
all 4 local authorities were contacted via telephone to
get their views. We spoke with 44 on this waiting list
on Monday 8th December 2014.

4. 3 core questions asked
1. What would be the most important thing to you
when you open the door for the first time?
2. What would give you the wow factor?
3. What would be the worst thing that could
happen?

5. Executive summary
• A clear theme came out that the most important thing for
people when they move into their new home is quite basic
These minimum standards were
• A clean property
• Services (gas, electric, water, heating) all work correctly
• Safe and secure property
• When asked about what would wow them, a high majority
restated their basic expectations we’ve listed above
• The wishes were consistent whether they had recently
moved or had been waiting for some considerable time

6. A dirty home in a poor condition is considered to
be the worst thing that could be found when
moving in
No services, gas
or electricity
No heating
Maintenance
issues
Dirty, this
property took 2
weeks to clean
Current Charter tenant views
It would be a mess. lots
of work to do kitchen
and bathroom falling
apart as they are the
most important things
Views of people on waiting lists
Dirty and
badly layed
out
Poor condition,
rubbish left out
Property would smell of
animals and be not clean
and damp in the
property
Damp,
untidy
Horrible
house in bad
condition
Property un-kept not clean and
dark and have loads of decorating
to do as I am elderly and not able
to do decorating
Loads of work
needed and
property in a mess
Messy
Moving in and having
loads of work that
needs to be done like
back garden a mess
loads of repairs that
need doing
Broken windows, bad kitchen and
property where there have been
animals previously and flees have
not been treated. This has happened
to me before with the council
be in a poor
condition a
dump and
not clean
Make sure everything works
including heating and hot water as
when I moved in my current
property there was no boiler and
took me three weeks after moving
to get this fixed
Question asked: “What would be the worst thing that could happen when moving in?”
Property left in a poor
condition and a mess
Not clean,
mould and
damp on the
walls

7. What is the worst thing that could
happen when moving in?

8. For most people, the most important thing when walking
through the door for the first time is a clean property with
a minimum standard of decoration
Tidy and working properly
To have new
appliances.
When I moved into Merchant
Court it was brand new so I
had all brand new appliances
which was excellent.
I want it to
be clean
and tidy.
Current Charter tenant views
Everything in good
working condition
Views of people on waiting lists
So long as
everything basic is
there I’m happy.
A good heating
system and
working well
I want it to be clean
and fresh
To make sure
the property
was clean
Clean and
having my
own home
Would settle for
anything, would be
happy to have a roof
I would expect it to
be in a reasonable
condition and clean
working heating and hot
water
Clean and tidy I have
moved in to plenty of
property's that have been
awful I do not want to
clean up other peoples left
overs and to have heating
that works
Space for my child
and cleanliness.
Not too bothered
about decoration as
I would change this
to suit my taste.
Property must be clean
and decorated to
minimum standard,
maybe magnolia
To be able to move in its clean and
tidy and fresh looking would be nice
if it was decorated to a nice
standard until you can afford to start
to do things as when you first move
in you can not afford to do much
because of the moving expenses
Question asked: “What would be the most important thing to you when you open your front door for the first time?”
Clean
and tidy
feel safe and
property
secure
Cleanliness
Cleanliness!
Decoration
Everything in good
working condition
That the property is safe
Clean and tidy and
plenty of space and
good heating
Clean &
tidy no
odours
Would like it
to feel like a
home – no
damp
Nicely
decorated

9. Nice
kitchen
Wow factor? Most people just want a clean and
tidy home with services that work
Question asked: “What would give you the wow factor?”
What is important is a nice sized clean house, that is
safe and secure which they can call their own
Open fire
would be
incredible
If it was a
brand new
house
Newly
decorated, or
newly built
Quite a new
property
would make
me go wow
If it was
light and
welcoming
Bonus would be
having carpets or
flooring coverings. It
would be a huge relief
as its expensive
Modern
and safe
If no
decoration
was needed

10. Question asked: “What would give you the wow factor?”

11. 1. Get the basics right
consistently
Wow factor key words are:
Clean Nice
Tidy New
The wow factor is the new home that they can call
their own
A minimum letting standard that we consistently
achieve would leave the new residents happy
Having to deal with a dirty or messy home when
moving in creates hassle and could destroy the
wow factor

12. 2. Options
Everyone is in a different position when moving in
Giving a few choices can help different people in
different ways:
Paint colour
Decoration vouchers
Appliance or carpet/flooring packages
Not too bothered
about decoration as
I would change this
to suit my taste.
Would be nice if it was
decorated to a nice
standard until you can
afford to start to do
Bonus would be
having carpets or
flooring coverings
If no
decoration
was needed

13. 3. Cleaning
What does clean mean?
Further research into what people mean when they
say it should be clean
Ideas to prompt discussion:
Photo of property prior to let
Review specific complaints
Comparison with Private Rented
Sector cleanliness expectations
“Is it a Mothers’ clean” Andrew Frame 2014

14. 4. Common issues
Let new tenants know what to expect
What are the common issues that occur
Gas capped
Water off
Boiler may have problems if it’s been off
Providing easy to access information – on the
boiler?
No services, gas
or electricity
No heating Maintenance
issues
Make sure everything works
including heating and hot water as
when I moved in my current
property there was no boiler and
took me three weeks after moving
to get this fixed

15. 5. A real Wow?
Having my own homeWould like it to feel like a
home
Feeling of home
Somewhere in a nice area
Having
my own
place
Nice little
garden, quiet
and peaceful
House of
my own

16. Sample numbers overall
are sufficient for
qualitative study
However, we would
encourage triangulating
any options that you
consider
Possible ways to triangulate:
• Tenant groups
• Social Media polls
• 3rd party research
• @Contact
• Tenant Survey
Reality Check

17. Appendix A – Charter tenant questionnaire

18. Appendix B – Waiting list questionnaire