Resident consultation

Plumlife should ask you for your views before making any major changes in the housing management arrangements regarding your property. After consultation, you should be notified of the decision that has been made and why it was reached.

Plumlife sometimes uses customer surveys to find out what people think about the housing service. Please do take the time to complete and return any survey which is sent out to you as this is most important when it comes to reviewing and improving the services we provide. Plumlife also produces a newsletter twice a year which we hope you will find informative.

You can get involved as little or as much as you want - it is up to you. We are always keen to hear what you have to say.

Plumlife recognises the need to consult with its residents on important decisions and to understand and be aware of its residents' opinions, needs and problems. This means we can work together to provide the best possible services to you within our limits and resources. Matters on which there will be consultation include:

• the service charge accounts and budgets
• changes in management arrangements and services
• improvements and major repairs if the cost exceeds £250 per unit
• long term agreements (eg long term contracts)

Consultation is usually by one or a combination of the following means:

• sending letters to all residents
• displaying notices in prominent places
• calling a meeting of residents

When consultation is not possible

When for example works have to be done urgently, Plumlife reserves the right to take whatever action is appropriate and seek dispensation from consultation.

Residents' committees

Residents have the right to form and join a Residents' Committee to represent their interests. Before Plumlife will recognise a Residents' Committee, it must be satisfied that it is properly constituted and that membership is open to all residents on the estate. A recognised Residents' Committee has a range of rights and access to information from Plumlife.

Plumlife can provide helpful guidelines on forming a Residents' Committee on request.

The Secretary of all recognised Residents' Committees will be sent all consultation information including estimates of costs for other than minor works, and he/she will be notified of the outcome of any consultation undertaken.

You can contact the Residents' Committee in the first instance if you wish a problem or query to be raised with Plumlife staff on your behalf.

We aim to improve consultation with all our residents by:

• printing documents in plain English wherever possible
• offering versions in other languages
• producing regular newsletters each year
• giving all our residents a handbook
• producing an annual report that outlines performance across MMHG
• holding meetings with our residents associations on a regular basis