Meet Incommunities’ new Customer Experience Committee

A committee ensuring tenants and local people have a voice in decision making at Incommunities is now in place.

The group – made up of eight members – including five residents from the local community – had their first in person meeting in January.

The team includes five Incommunities’ customers – Tirivashe Mutindimuri, Zia Ur-Rahman, Karen Rispin, Nasar Haq, and Lara Oyedele.

They will work closely with three Incommunities board members Kanika Selvan, Cath Owston and Mushtaq Ahmed-Khan, to represent their communities, voice opinions and feedback on the services Incommunities provides. All were hired after an in-depth application process.

Janey Carey, Executive Director of Customer and Communities at Incommunities, said: “We are delighted to launch our Customer Experience Committee.

“They will help us to make important decisions about the things that matter to our customers and the issues that affect the people in their everyday lives.

“Their passion and diverse range of skills and expertise will make a real difference to the way we manage and maintain homes.”

Incommunities leaseholder Lara Oyedele, from Bradford, has 25 years’ experience in a wide range of housing related roles and is a non-executive director of a number of other housing and charitable organisations.

Lara said: “I’m passionate about the provision of social and affordable housing in Bradford and want to make a positive contribution to how Incommunities look after tenants and residents. I want to be the voice for other leaseholders who may not have the time or the ability to comment directly on their experiences.”

Incommunities’ customer Tirivashe Mutindimuri, who lives in Huddersfield, was keen to join the Customer Experience Committee having previously served as on Incommunities’ Operations Committee.

Tirivashe said: “I’ve always had a strong desire to ensure customers and other impacted stakeholders are involved in the decision-making that will affect them from an early stage.”

Zia Ur-Rahman, from Bradford, has worked in local authorities for 12 years where he has helped social housing customers to keep their tenancies while helping them to maximise their income.

Zia said: “I have seen firsthand how social housing can provide a lifeline for those going through a very difficult time. Being on the Committee will help me to make a difference to lives of families and individuals in the district and beyond.”

Huddersfield-based Karen Rispin brings a wealth of knowledge from her fifteen years of experience within the social housing sector.

Karen said: “I am passionate about customer experience, and committed to making a positive impact to ensure that all social housing customers receive the best possible service.”

Nasar Haq, who lives in Huddersfield, has 30 years of experience in marketing and communications and is a co-designer of the award-winning West Yorkshire Root-Out Racism Movement.

Nasar said: “I am passionate about ensuring that services are delivered in an inclusive way. I think having real voices from customers and tenants influencing the decision-making process will benefit everyone.”

Incommunities has also launched a Customer Voice Strategy which is designed to provide opportunities for residents to shape and improve its services.

Janey Carey added: “The development of our Customer Committee is really positive and there are also other ways our customers can get involved, give feedback and suggest ideas.

“Hundreds of people signed up to be an involved customer when we launched this option last year. But we’re keen to hear from as many different customers as possible.”

Any Incommunities customer who would like to get involved and provide their feedback can enter their details online at https://bit.ly/3GSWL8G.

It is open to all customers of Incommunities and establishes how customers would like to get involved and their preferred methods of communication.