Durham County Council Consulation of Tax Reductions
Durham County Council is proposing a new income-banded Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme for working-age residents, starting April 2026.
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At believe housing, we’re always looking for ways to improve the services we offer.
Each quarter, we share the positive actions and results that have come from the feedback we’ve received from our customers, along with the steps we’ve taken — and plan to take — to keep making things even better.
Customers often refuse access for major home improvements, causing delays and extra costs. The Major Works team has asked Customer Engagement to investigate the reasons and find ways to support customers better.
The Engagement and Major Works team conducted consultations to understand refusals and offer tailored services like packing, cleaning, and childcare. They showcased planned improvements, resulting in 3 out of 15 refusals re-joining the program for 2024/25, potentially saving 15% in costs. The team is now exploring ways to expand this successful approach.
We invited customers to let us know what they valued from our services, how we could improve our current offer and how they felt we could enhance our communities. We held a focus group and sent out a survey to all customers with an email address inviting them to take part.
A new customer strategy is being developed based on feedback from 998 survey responses. This input will be included in the updated Corporate Plan, set to launch later this year. A session with customers is scheduled this month to gather their thoughts on the final version.
Customers let us know it’s frustrating when a repair can’t be completed on the first visit due to lack of parts or wrong trade attending the repair.
We’ve carried out training and now our trades staff create follow on appointments wherever possible with the customer before leaving their homes. Staff in the Customer Hub also received more training on repairs calls to ensure we get the right trades attend.
Durham County Council is proposing a new income-banded Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme for working-age residents, starting April 2026.
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With the temperatures set to sore again this week, here's some of our practical tips to help keep you (and your home) stay cool and comfortable.
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We are aware that some customers have been approached at home by people offering help with disrepair claims.
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A grassroots football club in County Durham is celebrating an upgrade to its facilities, thanks to support from believe housing and its suppliers.
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