Our customers are at the heart of everything we do at Futures. We absolutely love hearing your thoughts and feelings and any ideas you have, and it's thanks to you customers who do express your opinions for changes we've made.

Communal areas, particularly external communal areas, have been a hot topic at Futures over the last few months. Feedback from a Customer Relationship Survey this year revealed just 45% were satisfied with their external communal areas, and we've received some dissatisfied comments from My Voice members around grass cuttings and fly tipping. 

  • "They don't come round to mow the grass properly, window never changed for over 6 years, neighbour's hoarding rubbish." Customer Relationship Survey
  • "Did ours yesterday but they always leave some sticking up around the edges and around the street lights so it looks untidy." My Voice member
  • "Because if you ask them to do anything they'll do it for you, although they are some issues like the grass isn't mowed as much as it used to be." Customer Relationship Survey

So, what have we done to address this?

1. We've created a leaflet explaining why we've changed the way we're cutting the grass in areas around your home. 

2. We stopped using a harmful weedkiller four years ago and it's been a big work in progress to find a suitable alternative. Read how we've now got safe weedkiller at the ready.

3. If we've not been able to cut grass, we'll now leave behind a card explaining why we weren't able to complete the job so our customers understand why.

4. Our garden maintenance team has contacted customers who raised issues in the Customer Relationship Survey, so we can fully understand what needs improving in external communal areas.

5. We've made more information available to customers by updating the information on The Help Hub, just search for ‘communal areas’.

6. The whole of team Futures will be out in communities as part of a ‘Futures in the Community’ event on 7 December. Following on from what customers have told us about the indoor areas and communal outdoor spaces in need of improving, part of the activity that day will include;

  • Re-furbishing and re-opening our Evergreen Community Centre in Heanor.
  • Decorating some of our community centres that could do with sprucing up.
  • Opening community centres and inviting you to come along for a brew, cake, biscuits and a natter with some of our people in a warm space.
  • Refreshing outdoor spaces through clearing any bulk waste, litter picking, tidying communal gardens, planting fruit trees and shrubs plus repairing fences and path.

The above is just a taster of what’s to come. Look out for more information about ‘Futures in the Community’ in the November customer newsletter.

We do want to say a big thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We'll continue to listen to your feedback and hope these measures we've introduced improve the experience for all our customers. If you'd like to make your voice heard, then sign-up to our online community My Voice or find out more here - plus, you can earn yourself some rewards along the way!