We Hear You: Acting on feedback about shared spaces

What customers told us

A customer contacted us with concerns about the condition of an alleyway near their home.

They were worried it was unsafe and believed it formed part of their fire escape route. They also raised concerns about the standard of maintenance in the area and wanted reassurance that the issue was being taken seriously.

While we did carry out an inspection and later completed works to clear and repair the alleyway, the customer felt the issue took too long to resolve and that communication could have been clearer.

What we’re changing

The issues have highlighted some important learnings for us that should have identified responsibility for the alleyway earlier and clearly explain the steps we are taking to respond.

As a result, we’re making improvements to help prevent similar issues in the future:

• Better understanding of land ownership - We’re improving our GIS mapping and records, so we have a clearer picture of who owns and maintains shared spaces and walkways.

• Taking action where safety may be at risk - Where land ownership is unclear, we will make a management decision on whether action is needed, particularly if there are health and safety concerns, rather than delaying while ownership is confirmed. This will help us act faster when issues like fly tipping or unsafe storage arise.

• Clearer and more consistent communication - We’re improving how we update customers, explain decisions and respond fully to all concerns raised.

Our commitment

Customers raise concerns because they care about their homes and neighbourhoods. This case has helped us strengthen how we listen, act and communicate, and that learning is already shaping how we work.

This is part of our ongoing We Hear You commitment to improve services by listening to customer feedback and acting on what matters most.