Customer Services
Customer Service Managers
This section describes in more detail the role of the Customer Service Manager (CSM).
Customer Services Managers (CSMs) are the main contact between Old Ford and our residents. Each CSM oversees a patch of properties.
CSMs work in partnership with a range of statutory services, including the Youth Offending Team, Police, Fire Brigade, and schools, in order to manage any issues customers may have.
CSMs undertake a broad range of housing management related duties including:
- Tenancy Management: CSMs carrying out accompanied viewings with new tenants and administer tenancy sign-ups including: the signing of the tenancy agreement; helping with housing benefit applications; giving general information about the locality; giving information regarding estate related regulations; giving advice on succession, assignment and re-housing; dealing with breach of tenancy issues. CSMs also conduct tenancy audits and update equality and diversity information by visiting tenants at homes to update occupancy records and gathering any information as regards to disability, preferred language of communication, etc. During these visits CSMs can discuss any issues of concerns with residents, including benefits entitlement, repairs, rehousing, etc.
- Income Collection: CSMs support tenants having difficulty paying rent and service charge by helping with the completion of benefit applications or through referral to budgeting and advice agencies. CSMs also take legal action to recover rent arrears.
- Anti-social behaviour management: we appreciate that anti-social behaviour can have a detrimental effect on residents’ lives and therefore take the matter very seriously. CSMs manage the prevention and resolution of anti-social behaviour and give advice and take appropriate action on neighbour disputes, harassment, noise and other nuisance behaviour. CSMs will liaise with partnership organisations where appropriate and will attend court for injunctions, repossessions and ASBO hearings. CSMs are able to signpost victims of ASB to supportive agencies and are also able to offer mediation services, professional witnesses, covert surveillance. In extreme cases legal action may result in loss of a tenancy for the perpetrators.
- Resident and consultation meetings: CSMs attend general resident meetings, consultations and project meetings, and liaise with other agencies that residents may wish to be involved for advice on management of their estate or their local area.
- Health & Safety: CSMs carry out health and safety, communal, estate, and block inspections and organise fire safety days with the London Fire Brigade.
- Emergency management: CSMs deal with emergency situations such as power failures, water failure, leaks, etc. This can involve organising alternative accommodation
- General duties: CSMs liaise with Repairs Team, Leasehold Team, Regeneration and Planned Maintenance Teams where necessary. They are involved in investigating fraud allegations and suspected abandoned properties (which may lead to repossession) and investigate and respond to complaints and expressions of dissatisfaction. CSMs also process rent refunds, compensation, insurance and other claims.
