COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 13, 2023

QUESTION NO. 16

QUESTION: Councillor Eoin Ó Broin

To ask Chief Executive if he considers that having a maintenance office for say every 1000 homes in the possession of SDCC would give a greater sense of duty of care to tenants?

REPLY:

As part of the Council's ongoing digital transformation to provide enhanced and optimal customer service, the Housing Online (HOL) portal provides an online, fully mobile responsive self-service area that allows housing customers to self-serve 24/7 on any device for various housing services.  In this context, the online housing maintenance service facilitates the submission of maintenance requests straight into the system from any location which will allow a more timely and responsive service.

In relation to the service delivered by Housing Maintenance to specific areas, a team consisting of an area foremen, craft workers and general operatives are assigned dedicated areas within the county allowing the teams to develop both good relationships with local Council tenants and familiarity with areas and properties. In addition, our Estate Management teams also provide additional face-to-face services and supports to tenants within their locality.

Providing maintenance offices and staff for every 1,000 properties would require re-deployment of staffing and funding as well as duplication of services and facilities diluting existing efficiences.  It is the vie wof the Council that continuing the combined approach of providing additional digital services to tenants and improving the local service delivery provides a greater impact on improving the quality of life for tenants and communities.