Council Home Tenant Satisfaction Climbs to 71% in West Northamptonshire
Council leaders says safety compliance and property improvements are driving the trend
Residents living in council-owned housing in West Northamptonshire have reported increased satisfaction with their landlord service, as revealed by the 2025/26 annual performance report by Northamptonshire Partnership Homes (NPH).
Tenant satisfaction has risen to 71% from the previous year’s 67.5%, showcasing improvements across customer satisfaction, safety compliance, and property standards.
"The overall performance for 2025/26 shows a positive direction of travel," said a spokesperson from West Northants Council (WNC), highlighting the enhanced satisfaction results.
Following a self-referral to the Regulator of Social Housing in 2024 addressing serious failings, WNC voted in November 2025 to close NPH and manage housing services in-house by April 2027.
The proportion of non-decent properties lowered from 19.2% to 7.6%, with a target to meet decent homes standards by September 2026.
Checks for fire, asbestos, and water adhered to 100% compliance, with electric and gas safety compliance improved.
"We have made strides in ensuring homes meet safety standards," a council officer remarked, underlining the ongoing service improvement efforts.
While tenant satisfaction with repairs improved to 76.7%, satisfaction with handling anti-social behaviour (ASB) dropped to 57.2%. Common ASB issues include noise, verbal harassment, and substance misuse.
Council officers acknowledged the need for further improvement and communication, despite fewer ASB reports per 1,000 homes compared to the prior year.
"We recognise that residents' perceptions require attention, and we continue to work on improved communication and solutions," a representative noted.
Meetings with the housing regulator have now been reduced to bi-monthly as positive progress continues. However, the council awaits the planned inspection expected by March 2028 to challenge its C3 regulatory grading.
The full report will be reviewed by WNC’s cabinet at a meeting on 16th July at 6pm in the Towcester Forum.