Our approach to keeping you safe in your home

Customer Engagement Approach for higher risk buildings, including sheltered schemes

Last updated: October 2024

We want our customers to be safe and feel safe in their home

We aim to achieve this by ensuring our services are fair, easily accessible and shaped together with Thrive customers. Find out more by clicking below.

  • Learning about the safety of your building

    So you can easily access the latest safety updates and information about your flat block on demand, we’ve developed a building safety pack for your building.

    Locate your building's safety information pack now!

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  • How you'll hear about changes to your building or the management of it

    If we plan to change the management of your building or works are required to meet building and/or fire safety requirements, we will always notify you at the earliest opportunity.

    Here's how you can expect to hear from us:

    1. You will receive written communications detailing the requirements – a copy of this will be available on the myThrive hub.

      Where a change is considered an immediate health and safety risk to life or compromises the structure of the building, we'll visit you in person. Otherwise;

    2. You can comment or challenge the required changes and can do so in the following ways:
    3. If we don't hear from you, we will contact you using your preferred communication method to tell you about the next steps for the upcoming changes (for example, when the works will commence). If no preference is recorded, we'll contact you by email.

    You are always invited to input on any proposed changes until works commence and can ask questions and give feedback at any point in the process too - just contact us in the usual ways.

    Leaseholders will be consulted with about any changes under Section 20 legislation. Click here to find out more.

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  • Accessing safety information on demand

    There are a variety of ways you can access information and our latest updates including on:

    • our website – our website is equipped with the latest building and fire safety advice, including evacuation procedures and other helpful resources
    • the myThrive hub – to request and view building safety documentation (such as recent communications or compliance certificates) relating to your home
    • Facebook – we regularly post out useful tips and reminders about building and fire safety.

    If you need a hard copy of any safety information relating to your block, please get in touch.

    *Further information is provided upon request and can take up to four weeks to provide depending on the detail required.

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  • Communicating with you regularly

    Each year, we develop a communications calendar to make sure you receive important information in a variety of ways throughout the year. Building and fire safety is always a feature.

    As a minimum and on a yearly basis, you can expect to receive the following communications which include building and fire safety as a topic:

    • four email newsletters (when you have provided us with your email address and do not unsubscribe from our mailing list - if you need to update either of these records, visit: thrivehomes.org.uk/updates
    • two to four postal communications.

    Building and fire safety topics featured in the above direct communications could include:

    • reminders of the fire evacuation procedure
    • top tips throughout the year, for example fire safety at Christmas
    • advice and information – for example, how to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
    • reminders of customer responsibilities and what Thrive does to keep buildings and customers safe.

    If there's anything you'd like to hear more about, please let our building safety team know at: thrivehomes.org.uk/safetyteam

    We will write to you when we need access to carry out inspections, safety checks or servicing, for example your gas safety check.

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  • Having your say

    We want our conversations to be two-way, to make sure you can have your say and be heard. 

    Shaped together with customers, there are a number of ways for you to get involved and you can find out more about this by clicking here.

    The following are some of the ways you can hear about and give input about anything relating to your home or relationship with Thrive, including fire and building safety:

    Inspections 

    If you live in a flat block, you can expect a quarterly inspection of all communal areas to take place – for buildings above seven storeys inspections will take place monthly.

    We'd love to meet you on site to answer any questions or inspect anything in particular with you. To arrange this, simply get in touch with our building safety team at thrivehomes.org.uk/safetyteam or contact us in your usual way!

    Giving feedback

    Your feedback is one of the ways we can ensure the safety of your building, so whether it's good or bad news, we want to hear from you! The easiest way to give feedback is on our website thrivehomes.org.uk/give-feedback.

    You can also give feedback to us over the phone, in person or by writing to us.

    We use all findings to improve our services, and we especially want to hear from you if you have any feedback or suggestions to do with the safety of your building.

    Home Plan visits for tenants 

    If you're a tenant, you'll receive an annual home plan visit as a way of seeing how things are going at home and take a look at the condition of the property. This is an opportunity for us to talk about building or fire safety in your building, and for you to ask questions and have an input on any safety related matters.

    Chatting to us at our annual events for buildings seven storeys or above

    These events are for you to access important updates and answer any questions or concerns about your building. We will contact you with details of these events (these could be held digitally), and you can find out if there are any upcoming events in your area on your building and estate page at: thrivehomes.org.uk/my-home-info

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  • Digital inclusion

    To make sure our communications are accessible to all we provide the following:

    • if you do not have an email or mobile number on file with Thrive, you will receive up to four postal mailings a year containing news and information - including important topics about building safety
    • option 4 on our telephone system is accessible to provide service updates to those unable to access our online updates
    • ReachDeck Toolbar adds speech, reading and translation to our website facilitating access and participation for people with dyslexia, low literacy, mild visual impairments and those who speak English as a second language
    • links to ‘download and print’ or ‘request a printed copy’ are available on our website so that you can access information on demand electronically or in hardcopy.

    If you have any accessibility requirements, please let us know straight away! The easiest way to update your records is on myThrive hub by clicking here or contact us in the usual ways.

  • Complaints and safety concerns

    Our complaints process has been developed to make we listen, respond and act on your feedback.

    A copy of the process is readily available on our website and details:

    • how any decisions will be communicated
    • timescales for response, investigation and the final resolution of the complaint.

    Click here to view our full complaints procedure

    We take all complaints seriously, especially if it concerns you, your neighbour’s or building’s safety.

    If it’s an immediate health and safety risk, we want to hear from you straight away. Please call us on 0800 917 6077.

    If you have concerns that aren’t so urgent, you can get in touch with your dedicated Building Safety team at: thrivehomes.org.uk/safetyteam

    Escalating your building safety complaint

    We will do everything we can to resolve any issues or concerns and we will always ensure your safety is never compromised.

    Where you feel your complaint has not been fully addressed or there is a significant risk to life or serious injury, you are able to escalate the issue(s) to the Housing Ombudsman.

    For high rise buildings (above seven storeys in height), we will be required to report to the Building Safety Regulator each year to review the safety of the building against any significant complaints raised. This is another way of making sure your building is always safe and well maintained. 

  • Measuring success

    We are always listening, learning and improving

    To make sure we are delivering our commitment to ensuring you are safe in your home, we will:

    • carry out a corporate customer communications audit – we will review our communications activity every year to ensure building and fire safety has been effectively communicated
    • launch operational reviews – where we have introduced changes to your building, we will ask for your feedback to understand how well you have been kept informed
    • use of measures – we will use the following questions in our customer satisfaction surveys to indicate if we are delivering against the strategy:
      • New customers: How satisfied or dissatisfied were you with the information and advice provided about moving in?
      • Existing customers: How satisfied or dissatisfied are you that Thrive keeps you informed about things that matter to you?
    • check your understanding - so that we can make sure our communications is clear and easily understood, we may ask for your feedback on various building safety topics. We will use this information to understand if any areas need a focus to increase customer knowledge or where we can make our messaging clearer
    • stay abreast with current legislation/regulation – consistently review the engagement approach against the Government’s published bills and requirements. This will make sure we are always staying updated with the latest changes and requirements.

    In addition to this, we will formally review this engagement approach every two years.

  • Balcony Safety

    Balconies are wonderful spots to enjoy the sun and fresh air. To ensure everyone’s safety, we've put together a simple guide on what you can and can’t keep on your balcony. 

    If you have any questions about balcony safety or what items can be stored, please contact our building safety team. We’re here to help!