We’re investing £255,000 to fit out 70 re-let homes at the Fresh Start standard

We’re committed to investing £255,000 to fit out 70 re-let homes at the Fresh Start standard over the next six months.

Our Fresh Start project is a pioneering project to let our homes at a new, higher standard giving our new customers a foundation for life.

These 70 homes are our existing bedsits throughout Coventry, which are some of our hardest to let properties. 

Work will start in September 2020 with 35 of these homes having new flooring and fresh decoration and 35 having new flooring and white goods to help us really understand the impact these added benefits have for our customers.

Kevin Rodgers, our Chief Executive, said: “We believe very strongly that it is our duty to make sure when people move into our homes they get a fresh start.

“Too often social housing tenants start off on the wrong foot, with none of the essentials they need to be able to live well in a home.

“We believe this could be part of the solution to address many tenancy sustainment issues related to affordability, eviction and abandonment, particularly for single people who are struggling on low incomes and receiving Universal Credit.

“The Fresh Start standard is the first step in us saying that we think our customers deserve better and we are committed to making sure they get the right start with us.”

We piloted Fresh Start in ten of our homes in October 2019.

It followed a project which was led by an in-house team who worked with innovation organisation !WhatIf? to conduct research on what customers wanted most from their new home. From this the team created the new standard.

Our next pilot will test some elements of this standard to provide more robust data which will inform future investment.

For media enquiries contact our Communications Team.