We provide Out of Hours (OOH) contact services for WCHG, ensuring urgent tenant calls are answered quickly and issues are resolved promptly to keep homes safe. In April–May 2025, WCHG’s tenant-led Scrutiny Group reviewed our service, focusing on performance, response times, and tenant satisfaction.
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) is a registered social landlord and a charitable community benefit society based in South Manchester. They manage approximately 14,000 properties, providing homes for over 29,000 people in the Wythenshawe area.
WCHG aims to provide good quality homes and services, and to play a leading role in creating safer, healthier communities. For more information visit – https://www.wchg.org.uk/
We deliver Out of Hours (OOH) contact services for WCHG, providing vital support to tenants during evenings, weekends, and busy periods. The service ensures that urgent calls are answered quickly by knowledgeable staff and that any issues are dealt with promptly to make homes safe. This responsive approach helps maintain tenant safety and confidence outside of normal working hours.
In April and May 2025, WCHG’s tenant-led Scrutiny Group conducted a review of our Out of Hours service, focusing on performance, response times, and tenant satisfaction. The review assessed our call handling delivery as well as the broader out of hours repairs service.
Does Orbis answer calls from WCHG tenants in a reasonable timeframe?
Yes, Orbis answers calls from WCHG tenants within a reasonable timeframe. All 20 randomly selected calls were answered promptly, and performance data confirms most calls are answered within 2 minutes. Occasional delays are linked to staff sickness or extreme weather, but Orbis increases staffing in winter to manage demand.
Does Orbis correctly diagnose emergency repairs?
Members observed that call handlers asked relevant questions and effectively triaged responses based on tenant input, using an emergency criteria list to guide decisions. Orbis reviews a selection of calls each month to monitor quality, and the Customer Hub manager also has access to call recordings for additional oversight. If a repair operative reports that a call-out was not truly an emergency, this is flagged at monthly ‘Working Well’ meetings to help refine and improve triage questions.
Does the repairs service meet its target of making safe within 24 hours?
In most months, 100% of emergency repairs are made safe within 24 hours—often sooner. However, in April 2025, performance dipped slightly to 97.6%. Since 1st April 2025, 53 emergencies were not made safe within 24 hours, with nearly a quarter of these involving drainage issues handled by a non-Orbis contractor.
Does the OOH call handling service provide a good quality service to tenants?
The Scrutiny Group reviewed 20 tenant calls to Orbis, assessing them against 11 quality criteria. Overall, members found the quality of calls to be good, with call handlers asking appropriate questions and managing calls effectively.
Does the OOH repairs service provide a good quality service for tenants?
Yes, appropriate measures are in place to ensure staff receive relevant training and that both tenant and operative safety is prioritised. Between 1,000 and 2,000 emergency repairs are completed each month, with only 7 complaints recorded over the past year. Call reviews also indicated a high level of tenant satisfaction with the service provided.
Does the OOH service provide Value For Money for tenants?
The Out of Hours call handling service offers good value, but too many repairs are classified as emergencies. With a 96% first-time fix rate, the service shows strong efficiency.
Does the OOH provide equitable outcomes for all customers?
Out of 20 tenant calls reviewed, one was found not to have services properly tailored for a customer with a disability. WCHG has agreed to create clearer guidance on reasonable adjustments to better support customers with disabilities.
Do tenants who do not speak English as a first language benefit from this service as much as everyone else?
One of the 20 calls reviewed highlighted a concern that tenants whose first language is not English may not always receive an equitable service. In this case, although the call handler was patient, clear, and thorough, they did not offer the available translation service. Members worried this might have limited the tenant’s ability to fully communicate their needs. Orbis does provide access to the Language Line service to support non-English speakers.
We are committed to continuously improving our service. Any area that requires improvement is promptly reviewed, and immediate corrective actions are implemented. Following the findings of this review, we have already taken several steps to enhance performance and service quality in certain areas:
Real-Time Communication and Data Sharing
Proactive Incident Management
Personalised Customer Experience
Overall, our service was found to be highly satisfactory by their independent review committee. At Orbis, we value the opportunity to support WCHG through the Out of Hours (OOH) service, fully understanding its vital role in tenant safety, asset protection, and delivering responsive customer care. Our partnership with WCHG has been both rewarding and insightful, highlighting the importance of seamless, 24/7 support in the housing sector.
Our team brings extensive skills and expertise, combining property management knowledge with strong capabilities in security and emergency response. Orbis staff are highly trained in crisis management, effective customer communication, and rapid problem-solving. They are also technologically proficient, using advanced monitoring and reporting tools to maintain service quality. Above all, our customer-focused approach reflects a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced within housing services.
