Our Accreditation Journey – Embedding Customer Voice at the Heart of What We Do
Monday 4th of August 2025
Our accreditation journey spanned approximately 18 months and was a key priority for us, driven by our deep commitment to ensuring that Customer Voice remains central to our organisation. This particular accreditation followed a different format than we had previously experienced, with a framework built around seven key strands that truly reflected every aspect of our business.
Throughout the process, we worked closely with our assessor. This involved submitting detailed evidence, a robust self-assessment, and participating in a series of interviews and workshops. These sessions brought together a broad range of stakeholders including staff, customers, partners, as well as our Board and Committee members.
The assessment closely aligned with the key themes within the revised Consumer Standards, enabling us to use the process as an opportunity to reflect, prepare, and improve. While we identified areas that needed development, the structured approach allowed us to address these methodically and constructively. For example, we enhanced the visibility and transparency of our performance information on our website and expanded the communication around our engagement activities. We realised that although a lot of great work was already underway, we weren’t always sharing it in the most effective or accessible ways for our customers.
This journey has laid a strong foundation for further development. It has provided valuable insights and prompted thoughtful reflection across a wide range of areas. More importantly, it has served as a catalyst for elevating the profile of Customer Voice throughout the organisation—strengthening our collective understanding and reinforcing the importance of customer engagement at every level.
The accreditation process was by no means a simple exercise. It rigorously tested all aspects of our Customer Engagement offer, including our resources, strategy, scrutiny, governance, and communication. Beyond examining the offer itself, the assessors conducted deep dives into the impact of our engagement activities—assessing whether co-creation and acting on feedback is genuinely happening.
Following the assessment, we also received a series of recommendations which have given us clear direction for how we can further enhance and strengthen our approach. While the journey was challenging, it has been incredibly rewarding and has provided momentum for continuous improvement. We're proud of what we've achieved so far and remain committed to building on this work to ensure Customer Voice continues to be at the heart of everything we do.
Bali Nahal, Assistant Director of Customer Services at Estuary Housing Association
Find out more about Tpas Landlord Accreditation here