Senior leaders from Accent Housing, including Chief Executive Nick Apetroaie, spent two days visiting customers in communities across the country as part of the housing association’s annual Big Local Conversation.
The initiative saw members of Accent’s Executive and Senior Leadership Teams swap meetings for meaningful conversations. They met customers face-to-face, listening to first-hand experiences of living in Accent homes and communities and discussing what local improvements would make the biggest difference.
Across 15 and 16 September, 239 colleagues visited 43 communities spanning Accent’s five main regions – Bradford, Peterborough, Stockton-on-Tees, Burnley and Camberley- gathering feedback on what customers value most about their homes and communities, where improvements could be made and how services can better meet local needs.
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Leading the conversations were Executive Team members across the country, including:
- Nick Apetroaie, Chief Executive, who met customers in Clayton and Allerton, Bradford, West Yorkshire
- Conan McKinley, Executive Director of Assets and Compliance, who visited customers in Coulby Newham and Hemlington, Middlesbrough in the North East.
- Dean Anderson, Executive Director of Customer Experience, who joined conversations with customers in Leyland, South Ribble, Lancashire.
- Debbie Hinbest, Executive Director, People, Culture and Transformation, who spent time meeting customers in Surrey Heath, Camberley.
The Big Local Conversation is now in its fourth year and has evolved from a traditional doorstep survey into a more locally focused engagement programme, designed to create meaningful conversations and strengthen relationships between customers and colleagues. The campaign was developed in response to customer feedback calling for greater visibility, more dialogue, and more opportunities to influence decisions. This year’s questions and talking points were co-designed with Accent’s Customer Champions.
Early figures from this year’s campaign show that around 1,729 customer conversations took place, supported by 4,539 digital customer feedback forms, covering 43 communities across Accent’s operating regions.
Accent customer, Brian Beckett from Wakefield moved in six months ago said the thing he has valued most since moving in was the responsiveness of Accent’s repairs service. He recently had his heating upgraded and was incredibly pleased with the level of service by Accent and its contractor.
This year’s conversations focused on understanding what customers value most about Accent, what improvements would make the biggest difference in their communities and how services can better reflect customer needs. The feedback gathered will help shape local Community Action Plans and inform future service improvements.
1 in 4 customers said they want to see clean, tidy, and well-maintained neighbourhoods – from grass cutting, gardens and trees to bins, rubbish, and communal spaces.
1 in 6 talked about repairs, maintenance, and improvements to their homes, and the same amount said that Accent colleagues, Housing Partners and the support provided are among the things they value most about Accent.
Customers also shared how much they value having a good home, feeling safe and secure, and living in a community they can feel proud of.
Nick Apetroaie, Chief Executive of Accent Housing, said: “Being out in Bradford and speaking directly with customers is a powerful reminder of why listening locally matters. Every community is different, and the people who live there understand better than anyone what is working and where we need to improve.
“These conversations give us insight that we cannot get from reports and statistics alone. They help us understand how our services feel in practice and where focused action could make the greatest difference.
“Our commitment is not simply to listen, but to use what customers tell us to shape local priorities, improve services, and strengthen trust. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to speak openly with us.”
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Debbie Hinbest, Executive Director, People, Culture and Transformation at Accent, commented: “Over the last few days I have had the privilege of meeting more than 40 customers through our Big Conversation and spending time with our fantastic Camberley team. Listening to customers share their experiences, challenges and hopes for the future has been incredibly valuable. Every conversation was different, but one thing came through consistently: the difference our colleagues make every day. One customer said that ‘the team had changed his life and was beyond grateful’
“Thank you to all our customers for taking the time to speak with us, and to our colleagues across Accent for everything they you do. Hearing first-hand about the impact we have on people’s lives was a powerful reminder of why our work matters.”
Jo Gallagher, Head of Customer & Community Engagement at Accent, added: “The Big Local Conversation is our largest customer engagement event, providing an important opportunity for colleagues and customers to come together and have meaningful conversations about the issues that matter most to local communities.
“Over the coming weeks, we will review the feedback gathered across all five regions and use it to help shape local priorities and develop community action plans that reflect what customers have told us is important to them. By listening to local voices and understanding the unique needs of each area, we can focus our efforts where they will have the greatest impact.
“We will share updates with customers so they can see how their feedback is influencing decisions, shaping local priorities and helping us deliver positive change in their communities.”
