TSM takeaway 1: prioritise tenant voice mechanisms
- Phil McCavish
- May 19
- 2 min read
Our Insights Report on the the latest Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) data published by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) to identified five recommendations to focus improvement activities.
Download the one page summary:
Recommendation 1 — prioritise tenant voice mechanisms
The challenge
Tenant voice has the second-strongest correlation with overall satisfaction, yet many organisations still measure it only through formal mechanisms — panels and scrutiny committees — that fail to capture day-to-day tenant experience.
The evidence
• TP06 (tenant voice) correlates with TP01 at r = 0.94 — second only to home condition.
• Top performers combine multiple, low-friction channels.
• Formal mechanisms alone appear insufficient.
Why it matters
Tenant voice is a strategic satisfaction driver, not just an accountability measure. Listening — and visibly acting — builds trust and lifts TP01 across the board. Weak voice quietly erodes every other perception score.
What good looks like
Multiple, low-friction channels — tenants raise issues and concerns in the way that suits them.
Customer boards are well integrated into governance and cascade information to wider customer group
Feedback visibly informs decisions — closed loops, not suggestion boxes.
Tenant insight is integrated into service design, not bolted on.
Leaders are visible and accessible.
Customer-facing staff are empowered, listen and are listened to.
Recommended actions
Map tenant voice channels against customer journeys — find the gaps and close them.
Empower and equip customer-facing staff as primary listening posts.
Build a visible 'you said, we did' loop that follows through to individual tenants.
Build customer boards into formal governance.
Enablers and watch-outs
Data systems to consolidate insight across channels.
Avoid over-reliance on formal panels.
Voice must drive service change or fatigue sets in.
Leadership accessibility is non-negotiable.
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