To ensure the team give you the best service it can, some changes are being made to the way they work and how you can contact the department.
More ways to get in touch
One of the team’s key priorities in Thamesmead is making it easier for residents to get in touch. By doing this, the team can address your concerns more efficiently and effectively.
You can already contact the team by phoning the customer hub (0300 123 3456), going to the website or booking a face-to-face appointment at home.
Team members will be more visible in local communities and regularly out in their neighbourhoods so they can develop closer links with local people.
The department has also started holding resident surgeries where you can meet Peabody staff to raise any issues you might be experiencing.
At the surgeries all Peabody teams who work in Thamesmead are in the room together, meaning residents who have problems, or any questions, can immediately speak to the right person to get things done. As Pablo Cazar, Assistant Director for Resident
Services for Peabody in Thamesmead, explains: “Resident surgeries are proving very popular. All the teams are there together so residents can speak face to face with someone, whether it’s raising a concern about something going on in their area or an issue with a repair.”
The next resident surgery will be a The Nest Community Building and Library in Southmere on Tuesday 24 October between 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 7pm. There will also be local surgeries rolled out across Thamesmead throughout the year.
More neighbourhood roles
Peabody is introducing more local managers as part of a plan to bring the team and residents closer together. The team members will be working in the local area every day.
This means each team member will have smaller areas to look after so they can spend more time getting to know each neighbourhood and the local community. This will help them to better understand and respond to any issues people raise.
Community Safety Specialists are also being introduced to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse and knife crime. Ken Andrew, Peabody’s Community Safety Manager in Thamesmead, outlines why this new approach is being introduced. He said: “We appreciate the impact anti-social behaviour has on residents and their quality of life. This new team will liaise with other organisations such as local authorities, police and mental health support services to tackle it. “The team consists of highly-trained and experienced officers who will provide a professional service to residents. They’ll be visible in the community, so residents know exactly who to talk to.”
Wells Chomutare is Peabody’s Managing Director for South London and oversees the team in Thamesmead. He explains why this new approach is being taken. Wells said: “We need to make sure that we deliver services that residents really want and that we are trusted and valued by them.
“Having reviewed how we work; we want to develop a closer relationship with residents so we can deliver a more effective service. “We can only do this by working together with residents, who can highlight local issues and concerns so we can address them. Being better connected also enables us to be aware when any opportunities come up that can help create better communities. “It will also be easier for residents to make appointments and meet team members. We want residents to have a wider choice of how they connect with us.”
This new more visible community-based approach is best summed up by Wells: “You will know who your local team are and who to contact. “We’ll work in partnership with you and our team will be key members of the community we serve.”
Repair days
We are also holding repair days where a particular block or neighbourhood will be the focus of an intense day of activity to tackle small repair jobs.
Residents can book a 30-minute slot and a multi-skilled trades person will visit you to fix that dripping tap or creaking door. Pablo: “This is a great way of dealing with those niggling repair jobs in a quick and efficient manner. “It also means we can meet and engage residents who we perhaps wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to speak to because they don’t get out and about or know how to contact us.”
If you’d like to know more about upcoming resident surgeries and repair days, please keep an eye on our website for updates. You can also get in touch with the team via the Peabody Customer Hub on 0300 123 3456.
