It was a busy three months, with lots of holidays and celebrations mixed in with some difficult global and local events.
However, within our communities, there have been many things worth celebrating, including our merger on 1 October 2023, with Network Homes.
We are now called SNG (Sovereign Network Group) and work across the South and South West of England, London and Hertfordshire.
Our CEO Mark Washer said: “This is an important moment for SNG, but we are now absolutely focussed on delivering the benefits for our customers, and future customers. Our combined strength gives us the opportunity to remain ambitious in our plans to create more homes, and more sustainable homes that people can love living in over many generations. This commitment to our environment and enabling wider social success within our communities is built into SNG from the very start.”
You can still contact us the same way as you normally do for any questions around your tenancy, repairs and services.
Giving you the best experience
As a result of customer feedback, we made some significant changes so that we can provide a far quicker service for those who need simple aids or adaptations to their home – our target is now to respond within 20 days.
We’re also making various changes to our repairs service following the results of a major resident-led scrutiny into the damp and mould service plus a further piece of research with customers into their experience of repairs.
In Q3 we started using video visits to gather more information quickly after a report of a serious damp and mould issue; sharing extra information by SMS about preparing for appointments; and making it easier to access our support services by giving our trades information they can share with customers - and then a way to ask our teams to get in touch if you would like our help. And we added lots more content, suggested by customers, to our tips on avoiding condensation, damp and mould and winter tips, advice and support pages.
Great news for our customers
In December, two new SNG customers, one who had left a difficult relationship, and another who had been living in shared housing for years, were finally able to say they had a home of their own. Watch the video below to hear what difference it’s made to them.
We launched our mental health text messaging service with our partner, Shout, who can provide SNG customers with free, confidential mental health support, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Find out how the service works and how you can access it if you need it.
We’re also now working in partnership with the homeless charity Shelter to prevent avoidable evictions and to support customers to re-engage with us as their housing provider.
And we’ve expanded our digital inclusion offer, which now includes free training from Barclays Digital Wings and free sim cards.
In our communities
Alongside Clarion, Brighter Places, and Abri Housing, we helped fund The Youth Club on Wheels, a new mobile youth service, which works with young people in hard-to-reach areas of Bristol and rural areas where there are currently little to no services for young people to interact, engage and enhance their skills.
We also supported a resident-led winter market offering free surplus food at Rectory Park, Northolt, in West London (this is one of the new areas we work in). We teamed up with charity The Felix Project to supply the food to residents at the estate’s community centre.
And we distributed 126 microgrants to organisations within our communities to raise awareness of, and support, improved mental health and wellbeing.
Our Q3 highlights
Watch the video below to find out some of our Q3 highlights.
- We gave 652 customer keys to their new home
- Answered calls in less than a minute on average
- Supported 520 customers through our Financial Inclusion service
- Replaced 700 boilers
- We supported 375 customers with Universal Credit claims
- We helped 10 people with business self employment
- We helped 1,344 in fuel poverty
- Supported 143 community organisations
Working locally
Our teams work hard to provide good services, so it’s always lovely to hear positive feedback from customers about how they’ve made a difference to their lives.
Employment and skills make a difference
“Thank you a trillion for rewording and fixing my supporting statement. I truly appreciate your hard work and support and I'm applying for the position right away.”
Life-changing support
Our Customer Income Advisors helped one customer appeal an unsuccessful application for Disability Living Allowance (DLA). They attended the tribunal together and the customer was awarded £68.10 DLA a week, with £4,300 backdated.
Fantastic customer feedback
“I've had a new kitchen and bathroom and wanted to say how amazing it looks. The men on the job are a credit to you, always so polite and cheerful.”
We listen
After feedback from our customers, our Dorset Localities team built two new parking spaces at a housing for older people scheme, making an instant difference.
More fantastic customer feedback
To the Service Charges team and Wiltshire Locality Manager
“[I wanted to] express my sincere thanks to the Service Charge Team & Ian. Not only were they helpful, but also really kind & professional too, they have really gone above & beyond to help us.”
To our Devon trades team
“The Two Johns arrived at 8am yesterday and DID NOT STOP. What they managed in one day is just exceptional and outstanding.
“Thanks also to Ricky for making this happen!! Please let them all know and the whole of the company too. Very happy to live in a Sovereign home.”
To our Customer Specialist Claire
“She didn’t cut me off when I explained what I had gone through. Didn’t judge or change her tone of voice. She's a complete asset and went above and beyond and I wanted to make you aware of her hard work and dedication."
To our Greenham Trades team
"I just wanted to say a big thank you to the gentleman (Caz) that came to my house to treat the damp. He was extremely helpful, he was very tidy, polite and went above and beyond to help myself and my neighbour with some issues we have had of late.”
How we’re performing
In quarter 3, our Customer Service team continued to improve how quickly they respond when you get in touch via all our different channels.
- Answering phone calls: 48 seconds vs 2 minute target
- Answering emails: 22h 20 mins vs 48 hours target
- Responding to social media messages: 1 hour 5 minutes vs 1 hour target
- Responding to webchat: 42 seconds (no target as it’s a new channel)
In our post-call customer surveys we also received an average of 4.15 out of 5 from customers vs our target of a minimum 4 out of 5.
Between October and December 2023:
Community investment
- 143 community organisations supported
- 441 young people took part in youth social action through our SNG #iWill programme
- 2,409 community members engaged with our services and initiatives
- 5 'environment and place' programmes and initiatives
- 4 ageing well programmes and initiatives
- 2 new neighbourhoods initiatives
- 135 health and wellbeing programmes and initiatives
- 3 social inclusion/isolation reduction programmes and initiatives
Funding
- £372,587.64 external funding secured
Employment and Skills
- 71 people helped into work or better work
- £1,384,150 Social Value generated by our Employment and Skills team
- 217 training outcomes achieved
- 10 people with business start up and self employment
Other highlights:
We received 76 applications to our SNG #iWill 2.0 programme during quarter 3, a phenomenal amount of interest. We awarded 16 grants to youth organisations based within our communities to support the development of young wellbeing champions to support young residents.
We supported a series of events on 27 October as part of World Clean-up Day. We provided funding for 13 groups who supported 98 volunteers to give 79.5 hours of their time to contribute to helping keep their community free of litter and waste. Thank you all!
Between quarter 1 and quarter 3:
- We’ve had 774 anti-social behaviour cases reported to us.
- We’ve had 694 safeguarding cases report, which is a significant increase on the same time last year. This has likely been impacted by the cost-of-living crisis.
- We have also seen an increase in domestic abuse cases, with 142 reported.
Between October and December 2023:
- We let 652 homes
- 451 were re-lets to existing homes and 201 were first lets in new build homes
- We completed 80 mutual exchanges
Between October and December 2023:
- Our Customer Income Advisors took 551 referrals.
- They also closed 627 cases, with 520 (82.93%) engaging with the service and working with us to maximise their income and improve their financial resilience.
- We supported 375 customers with their Universal Credit claims.
- We referred 47 customers to local money partners to support them with debt advice and explore their options.
Our news
We publish news stories throughout the year. In quarter 3, we released 5 stories - you can read them on our News page on our SNG website 
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Press release
Sovereign and Network Homes merge to form SNG
On Sunday 1 October 2023 Sovereign and Network Homes merged to form SNG (Sovereign Network Group).
Housing associations come together to deliver for Bristol youth
SNG, together with Clarion, Brighter Places, and Abri Housing has raised £19k in match funding to support Young Bristol’s innovative Youth Club on Wheels work across the wider Bristol area.
SNG and Shelter partner to prevent avoidable evictions
SNG is announcing a new partnership with the homeless charity Shelter to prevent avoidable evictions and to support customers to re-engage with the housing provider.