By Margaret Crosby

Last updated 15:54, Wednesday, 23 April 2008

AN advice centre for Copeland Homes tenants has taken 29,000 calls in its first year.

WHO YOU GONNA CALL?The staff of the Copeland Homes team give you the number you need.

Since April, 2007, the service has averaged 115 calls every working day, and staff proudly boast that the average time taken to answer each call was just 36 seconds, with over half being answered within 20 seconds.

The advice service (0845 1550980) is celebrating its first birthday and the figures show that more than 1,000 repair jobs were also logged each month, with both local contractors and Copeland Homes’ own maintenance team.

Housing advice team leader, Cathy Hunter, said: “I am delighted at the success of the call centre. The team has worked really hard to ensure that customer service excellence is always our priority.”

*Copeland Homes says its customers will be the first to benefit from a new gas deal. The three-star plus-rated gas service is of a higher standard than that previously provided and will be delivered through local contractors AFM Gas and Thomas Armstrong.

As part of housing association Home, Copeland Homes is one of the founder members of a Cumbrian procurement consortium called Cumbria Housing Partners. Advantages in belonging to such an organisation means better prices, processes, quality and service improvements.

Copeland Homes says its tenants will benefit from a fully comprehensive, three-star plus call-out, maintenance, servicing, repair and component replacement contract for central heating systems, warm air, hot water systems and miscellaneous gas appliances. David Fisher, Copeland Homes’ managing director, said: “The service will be delivered through fewer contractors thus improving our control.”