Virtual Roundtable - Mears Approach to Tenant Engagement & Communication Retrofit Works

Mears Approach to Tenant Engagement & Communication Retrofit Works (Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund - SHDF)

Mears want to ensure that tenants experience of retrofit is not only a positive one but is the absolute best it can be from its earliest outset. Excellent engagement and communication provide the solid foundations for an exceptional delivery of these works and ensure it is what tenants want and how they want it.
Join this online roundtable to hear about the Mears approach and give your feedback on how this can be improved.

The participation and contribution of Tpas tenant members will help Mears to build on existing processes and to create best practices that is hoped all tenants may be able to benefit from.

During the roundtable
You will

• Understand Mears approach to Tenant Engagement & Communication on Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Retrofit Works.
• Join breakout rooms to have your say on the Mears approach - have an overview of Tenant Engagement & Comms Plan & Associated Materials (notifications, letters etc).
• Give feedback from the breakout rooms
• Have the opportunity to ask questions

Webinar Delivery
This session will be led by

Julie Butterworth, Tpas, Head of Consultancy, 

Rob Chesman , Mears Group Group Head of Customer Experience 

Catherine McGarry, Mears Group Retrofit Compliance & Lead Energy Assessor

Sandra Butler, Mears Group Head of Business Support

How do I join the webinar?
We will be delivering this session on zoom - you will be sent a link to access the session a few days before.

If you have any questions, please email lisa.holt@tpas.org.uk

We hope you can join us!

Further information
Mears Approach to Tenant Engagement & Comms on Retrofit Works Overview

The UK is committed to reaching net zero by 2050. This means that the total greenhouse gas emissions would be equal to the emissions removed from the atmosphere, with the aim of limiting global warming and resultant climate change.

The National Housing Federation calculates that social housing contributes 10% of domestic use of fossil fuels. These numbers show why it is so important to decarbonise heat for the UK to reach its net zero target. With this understanding, how best are we going to make our homes energy efficient, warmer, healthier, better ventilated, and better performing for the environment?

The answer is through extensive retrofit activity. Domestic Retrofit refers to the process of making improvements to a home so that it becomes more energy efficient and operates with lower emissions.

The key finding of a report from Tpas and PlaceShapers, based on focus groups with over 100 residents and key sector sustainability experts was that the social housing sector should work collaboratively to develop clear communications advice so landlords can best work with residents and communities to deliver green homes. Early and consistent engagement has been identified as a key factor in the successful delivery of retrofit projects. Learnings from the SHDF (Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund) Demonstrator Scheme are that poor tenant engagement is a particular blocker to successful delivery.

The Social Housing Retrofit Accelerator (SHRA), a government funded service to support retrofit delivery states: “It’s important to think about retrofit as something that is being done with and for people, rather than simply being done to a building. People have an emotional connection to their homes, whether they are tenants or owners; for tenants, there is also a sense of having less control over major decisions about their homes. Being clear and open in engagement with people can therefore help to make the whole process feel easier for everyone.”

The sometimes-disruptive nature of retrofit works cannot be understated and a sensitivity to this should underpin operational delivery of these works. At Mears we strive to provide the best services to all our customers, at every point of contact. We pride ourselves on doing the right thing and placing customers at the heart of everything we do and our culture centres on collaborating with our tenants to achieve this.

Your Voice is part of our Customer Involvement Strategy and aims to drive action from insight and advance service standards for tenants through customer-led scrutiny and challenge. The shared learning from the Scrutiny Panel and associated groups across the company both drives innovation and promotes best practice.