Service Standards

Our Service Standards show our commitment to delivering excellent services to customers, showing you clearly what you can expect from us. We offer many services here at One Manchester, from those that help keep your houses safe and in a good state of repair, to services that help support our communities to thrive. 

We’ve outlined our service commitments below to provide you with the relevant information to effectively deliver each of these services, including information on what you can do to support us in improving and maintaining your homes and communities.

Our caretaking service helps keep your high-rise building clean, safe and well maintained. Your dedicated caretaker carries out regular cleaning and safety checks, helps look after shared areas, and works to make sure communal spaces are welcoming for everyone who lives there.

Note: This section is specific to high-rise buildings.

• We'll have a caretaker on site five days a week.
• We'll clean communal areas every day to help keep them clean, tidy and safe.
• We'll litter pick shared outdoor spaces at least five times a week.
• We'll provide a cleaning schedule so you know what tasks will be carried out and how often.
• We'll carry out regular daily, weekly and monthly building checks to make sure communal areas are safe, well maintained and in good condition.
• We'll keep noticeboards up to date with important information about cleaning, safety and your building.
• We'll identify and report any health and safety concerns or maintenance issues we find in shared areas.
• We'll work to ensure communal areas remain welcoming and pleasant for everyone who lives in the building.

• Help us keep communal areas clean and tidy and free of any personal belongings.
• Let us know if you spot any cleaning, maintenance or safety issues in your building.
• Be considerate of your neighbours when using shared spaces.
• Treat our colleagues with courtesy and respect.

Rob Crehan - Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods

• We'll work with you to create an action plan, so you know what will happen next and what support is available.
• We'll keep in touch with you throughout your case and provide updates at least every two weeks.
• We'll contact you within 24 hours for urgent reports including hate crime, violence or arson, and within 5 working days for all other community safety concerns.
• We'll carry out a risk assessment and explain how we'll manage your case, making sure our approach reflects your individual circumstances and needs.
• If you're worried about reporting an issue, we'll explain how we can help protect your identity and handle information sensitively.
• We'll work with partner agencies where appropriate to help resolve issues and support those affected.

• Report any community safety concerns to us as soon as possible, or contact the police immediately if someone is in danger or a crime is taking place.
• Work with us by providing information and evidence where possible to help us investigate your case.
• Let us know if your circumstances change or if your concerns increase, so we can provide the right support.
• Treat our colleagues with courtesy and respect.

Rob Crehan - Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods

When you get in touch with us, we'll take the time to understand your query, provide clear advice and work to resolve things as quickly as possible. We'll keep you updated along the way and aim to resolve your query as quickly as possible.

• We'll answer 95% of incoming customer calls.
• If you're eligible for our callback service, we'll hold your place in the queue and call you back when it's your turn. If you miss our call, we'll try up to three times.
• We'll listen carefully and treat you with empathy, understanding and respect, especially when discussing sensitive or difficult issues.
• We'll ask about any additional support needs or vulnerabilities so we can provide the right help and make sure we're taking the most appropriate action.
• We'll aim to resolve your query at the first point of contact wherever possible.
• If we can't resolve your query straight away, we'll explain what will happen next, who is dealing with it and when you can expect an update.
• We'll keep you informed of progress and provide updates when further action is needed.
• We'll provide an emergency repairs service outside normal working hours.

• Provide as much information as you can so we can help resolve your query quickly and accurately.
• Let us know if your contact details or circumstances change, so we can provide the right support.
• Treat our colleagues with courtesy and respect.
• Give us feedback on your experience so we can continue to improve our service.

Darren Ashworth - Assistant Director of Customer Contact

The Financial Inclusion team are here to support customers who maybe struggling financially to maintain all their commitments. They provide budgeting support and advice, complete welfare benefit checks and support in appealing benefit decisions for customers.

• We'll offer support over the phone or face to face, depending on what works best for you.
• We'll provide appointments at our community outreach locations across our neighbourhoods.
• If you're eligible, we can help you access support through our Thrive Fund via a referral from a One Manchester colleague.
• We'll run monthly Universal Credit drop-in sessions at our Gorton Hub and Aquarius Centre.
• We'll hold annual rent increase drop-in sessions during April to support customers who receive Universal Credit.
• We'll carry out benefit checks to make sure you're receiving all the financial support you're entitled to.
• We'll support you with budgeting and managing your money.
• We'll help you challenge benefit decisions where appropriate.
• Where specialist debt advice is needed, we'll signpost you to trusted organisations such as Citizens Advice.
• We'll support you with applications to charities and grant schemes where you may be eligible for additional help.

• Let us know if you're worried about your finances or struggling to manage your money. The sooner you get in touch, the sooner we can help.
• Tell us if you've lost your job or experienced a change in circumstances that affects your income, so we can check whether you're entitled to additional support.
• Work with us by providing any information we need to help you access support.
• Treat our colleagues with courtesy and respect.

Victoria Curry - Assistant Director of Allocations and Income

Our Compliance and Building Safety teams work hard to make sure your home is safe, secure and meets all legal safety standards.

• We’ll make sure your home meets all relevant health, safety and compliance requirements.
• We'll provide regular opportunities for customers living in high-rise buildings to speak with our Building Safety Team about any concerns.
• We'll work with our High-Rise Customer Panel to ensure our safety communications are clear, accessible and meet customer needs.
• We'll maintain a dedicated webpage for each high-rise building, with important information about the building and its safety arrangements.

• Allow us access to your home for safety inspections and checks.
• Report any safety concerns or hazards as soon as possible.
• Help keep communal areas and escape routes clear by following our Sterile Areas Policy.
• Test your smoke alarms regularly and let us know if there are any issues.
• Dispose of waste responsibly.
• Attend resident meetings where possible.
• Treat our staff and contractors with courtesy and respect.

Ted Malkin - Interim Assistant Director of Health, Safety and Compliance

Our Mobile Caretaking Team helps keep your building and shared spaces clean, safe and well maintained. The team carries out regular cleaning of communal areas, keeps outdoor spaces free from litter and reports any repairs or safety concerns they find, helping to ensure your building remains a safe and pleasant place to live.

• We’ll be present on site every two weeks to undertake cleaning duties and health and safety checks.
• We’ll provide you with a cleaning schedule detailing what tasks the team will carry out and how often.
• We’ll carry out building checks every two weeks to ensure communal areas are clean and safe.
• We’ll carry out communal cleaning every two weeks
• We’ll litter pick in any shared outdoor space every two weeks.
• Where there is a noticeboard on site, we’ll keep it up to date with any relevant information about cleaning and safety.
• Our Team Leaders will carry out building spot checks on a monthly basis to ensure cleaning standards are being kept.

• Keep communal areas tidy and free of any personal belongings.
• Treat our mobile cleaners with courtesy and respect.

Rob Crehan - Assistant Director of Neighbourhoods

We provide a responsive, customer-focused repairs service that prioritises safety and quality, with clear timescales for every type of repair. We work to diagnose repairs accurately, offer flexible appointments and complete work right first time wherever possible, keeping you informed at every stage.

• We'll use technology to help diagnose repairs accurately and make sure you get the right support as quickly as possible.
• We'll attend to all repairs within our policy timescales (above)
• We'll inspect properties reporting damp and mould within 10 working days and provide a report within 3 working days of visiting.
• We'll take your individual circumstances and any support needs into account when arranging repairs.
• We'll offer a range of appointment times to fit around your circumstances wherever possible.
• We'll always aim to fix the problem on our first visit. If that's not possible, we'll make it safe and arrange any follow-on work within 24 hours.
• We'll send appointment reminders for all pre-booked repairs, so you know when to expect us.
• We'll provide an emergency repairs service outside normal working hours.
• We'll send you a repairs handbook with useful information about looking after your home and reporting repairs.

• Help us keep your home and garden in good condition.
• Report any repairs as soon as you can, so we can put things right quickly.
• If you can’t make a repair appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so we can rearrange it for a time that suits you.
• Tell us if your circumstances change, so we can make sure you're getting the right support.
• Please do not smoke while our colleagues are carrying out work in your home.
• Please make sure any pets are safely secured in another room while we visit.
• Treat our colleagues with courtesy and respect.
• Make sure an adult is present during repair appointments so we can access your home and complete the work.

Anthony McMaster - Assistant Director of Repairs