Pets and animals review

Policy and procedure review

What did we ask?

We invited five customers to help us review our pets and animals policy and guidance. Our customers were asked to examine the documents and then join us in a focus group to discuss how we might improve things.

What did our customers say?

Our customers gave us a lot to think about. Below we have summarised the recommendations into five points.

• Promote the policy and guidance more.
• We don't understand the decision making process and who gives permission.
• The letter telling customers that they cannot have a pet is patronising.
• Customers should have to pass their property inspection before being allowed to have a pet.
• The permission to have a pet letter doesn't explain how Selwood Housing will remove pets.

What did we do next?

We edited our policy and guidance taking on the feedback from customers and made them aware of these changes. These edits include:

• We will update the website to include the frequently asked question sheet to make it easier for customers to find the information.
• We have made it clearer which staff members make decisions about pet requests.
• We have changed the wording of the letter to make it sound less patronising.
• We have included that customers need to pass a property inspection before being allowed to have a pet.
• We have expanded the policy to state that legal action could be in the form of an injunction or possession proceedings.

Feedback about the process

Fun and genuinely interesting. Completely relevant as both a responsible pet owner and Selwood tenant. I just hope my comments can help.

Interesting & good to be involved with policies that related directly to customers

Pets and animals review report

Pets and animals review report , 382.7KB PDF

Pets and animals guidance

Pets and animals guideance, 310.7KB PDF