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About us Who we are Together we are turning houses into homes, growing and building stronger communities and making a positive difference to people’s lives. We provide affordable homes for low-cost rent and low-cost home ownership. Our homes are in the following local authority areas: Contents Welcome Celebrating 25 years together and reflecting on a year of customer feedback, community impact and investment in homes and services.

Wychavon Your voice

Stroud Your community

179 164 communities

90% of homes for rent 10% shared ownership

More than three quarters of our rented homes are for social rent, which is around half the cost (50–60%) of renting on the open market - a big saving for our customers. The rest are at affordable rent, which is still about 20% cheaper than private rents.

i You'll find links throughout to further reports and information published on our website. If you aren't online and need a printed copy or have any questions, please call us on 01993 890000.

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I’m Vanda and I’ve lived in a Cottsway home since 2006. As Chair of the Customer Scrutiny Group, I’m proud to introduce Cottsway’s 2025–26 Annual Report and share how we’ve helped improve services this year.

The Scrutiny Group is made up of customers who use their experiences to review services and suggest improvements. We work independently, and with staff and Board Members, to make sure customers' views are heard.

It has been a busy and productive year. We have reviewed performance, contributed to key discussions and challenged services where improvements are needed. One of our main achievements was reviewing the end of tenancy process. After speaking with customers and staff, we made 13 recommendations to make it clearer, more supportive and more accessible. I'm pleased changes are already being made to improve the service.

Like all housing associations, Cottsway is working in a more regulated environment. Part of our role is to check how requirements are being met and make sure the customer voice is heard. Some of us also sit on the Customer Insight Group with service managers, reviewing feedback, complaints and performance and also attend Customer Committee with Board Members. I have seen first-hand that Cottsway values what customers say and uses it to improve services. You'll find examples in the pages ahead, along with customer satisfaction results and performance information. This report also includes updates on homes, communities, customer support, repairs, complaints, involvement, sustainability and new homes.

Welcome

Meet Vanda, our Scrutiny Group Chair

You’ll find examples in the pages ahead, along with customer satisfaction results and performance information. This report also includes updates on homes, communities, customer support, repairs, complaints, involvement, sustainability and new homes.

This year, Cottsway marked its 25th anniversary. It was a pleasure to be part of the celebrations and see the difference the organisation has made to people's lives and communities. We welcomed Cottsway's new Board Chair Anne McLoughlin, who takes over at the start of 2026-27. We were proud to be involved in her recruitment and see her social housing experience and commitment to customers.

Looking ahead, the Scrutiny Group continues to evolve and we are excited to bring fresh ideas into our work. Cottsway will also shortly recruit two new Board Members with specialist roles covering customer care and influence, and placemaking and development.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone of you who shared your experiences and feedback both to help us in our scrutiny work, and directly to Cottsway. Every customer deserves a voice, and I hope you're encouraged to hear and see that feedback is making a real difference.

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This year in summary

What we did

Homes and investment

Safety and compliance

£18.7m

invested in repairing and maintaining homes

100% safety checks completed

205 new affordable homes delivered 100% emergency repairs within 24 hours

Communities and engagement

£2m+ social value created

Customer feedback driving service improvements

£52.9m invested in new homes for social and affordable rent and shared ownership

100% meet the Decent Homes Standard

Improved estate inspections and our approach to neighbourhood services

81% of homes now A-C Energy Performance Certificate rated

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X 91% repairs satisfaction

94% said home is safe

You're happier with our services. All Tenant Satisfaction Measure (TSM) results were higher than last year.

90% said treated fairly and with respect

We'll work to continue ensuring you're satisfied with our services and will focus on lower-performing areas shown below.

46% satisfaction with complaints handling 71% said communal areas are clean and well maintained

512 70% happy with ASB handling

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Celebrating 25 years together

This year, we celebrated quarter of a century of providing affordable homes and supporting local communities.

Our anniversary celebrations took place in March at Brize Meadow - our largest ongoing housing development between Brize Norton and Carterton. This also marked the start of a new chapter as we welcomed new Board Chair Anne and said farewell to outgoing Chair Andrew Hall after seven years (both pictured below). Customers and partners joined us to reflect over the past 25 years and look to the future together. Since being established in 2001 following the transfer of 3,643 homes from West Oxfordshire District Council, Cottsway has grown significantly, delivering more than 2,300 new affordable homes and increasing the number of homes we own and manage by around 65%. At year end, we were close to reaching our 6,000th home milestone. To mark the anniversary, we've added an extra £25,000 to our Community Fund for 2026-27, enabling us to support more projects and customers. We'll also be working with a local community to plant new trees.

Since being established in 2001 following the transfer of 3,643 homes from West Oxfordshire District Council, Cottsway has grown significantly, delivering more than 2,300 new affordable homes and increasing the number of homes we own and manage by around 65%. At year end, we were close to reaching our 6,000th home milestone.

To mark the anniversary, we've added an extra £25,000 to our Community Fund for 2026–27, enabling us to support more projects and customers. We'll also be working with a local community to plant new trees.

What does social housing mean to our new Board Chair Anne?

In the lead up to taking over as Chair on 1 April 2026, Anne has been meeting customers, visiting homes and developments, and talking to our Scrutiny Group. She believes everyone deserves a safe, secure and decent home, and says one of the most rewarding moments in social housing is handing someone the keys to their first home.

For Anne, being a landlord that people trust and choose is vital: one that listens to customers, keeps homes safe and well maintained, and is committed to supporting strong communities. She's excited to join Cottsway and get to know more of the customers and communities we serve.

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Thousands of you took part in surveys and service consultations or took the time to get in touch with your feedback - thank you so much!

Your voice

Giving your views

77% agree we listen to your views and act upon them ↑3% 1,040 took part in Tenant Satisfaction Measure phone surveys

i Give feedback at anytime: cottsway.co.uk/feedback

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You said, we did

We made sure your comments, complaints and compliments were shared with teams across Cottsway, including senior managers, the Board and our Customer Scrutiny Group.

Theme	You said:	We did:
Communication	We didn't always keep you updated, especially when appointments changed or enquiries took longer than expected.	Regularly reviewed feedback, shared complaint themes with managers and refreshed customer care training to improve communication.
Timescales	Repairs sometimes took longer than expected and published timescales were frustrating.	Trained our Customer Services team to identify when standards are not met and take action to resolve issues more quickly.
Bereavement support	The bereavement process was complicated, and communication could be better.	Introduced a simpler process with clear ownership and better support, to try to make it easier for people during a difficult time.
Damp and mould	Damp and mould cases were not always handled as quickly or clearly as expected.	Strengthened our approach, followed legislative timescales and improved communication so you know what's happening and when.
Right first time repairs	Repairs were not always completed on the first visit.	Improved contractor oversight and increased checks and will introduce customer surveys to improve quality and communication.
Fences and boundaries	Fence and boundary enquiries sometimes took too long to resolve.	Created template letters and improved joint working between teams to provide quicker responses and clearer information.
Empty property recharges	Charges after moving out were not always clear.	Now take videos of empty homes to provide clearer, more accurate evidence and improve transparency.
Housing applications	You weren't always sure what would happen after emailing about your housing application.	Introduced automatic email replies explaining response times, giving a clearer idea of what to expect.

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Learning from complaints

“You told us that the same issues should not keep happening. That’s why we use feedback from complaints to identify trends, share learning with our teams, and make improvements that help us deliver better services across the organisation.”

Gemma, Interim Customer Services Manager

100%

of our complaints were responded to within target timescales

46%

satisfied with our approach to handling complaints ↑4%

Number of complaints	2025-26 numbers
Service requests received	259
Logged and shared with the relevant service manager as soon as a customer gets in touch. If the issue cannot be resolved, it becomes a Stage 1 complaint.	259
Stage 1 complaints received	384
The customer is informed who is handling their case, and we aim to resolve the issue within 10 working days. If new concerns are raised in this time, we will usually review them as part of the same complaint. Where this would cause unreasonable delays, the concerns will be logged as a new complaint. If the customer remains dissatisfied, they can request escalation to Stage 2 within 5 working days.	384
Stage 2 complaints received	58
A senior manager reviews the case and provides a detailed response within 20 working days. Customers can contact the independent Housing Ombudsman at any stage or if they are unhappy with the outcome of a complaint.	58

We follow the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code. We've captured detailed information about complaints received; trends and details of changes and improvements made in our Complaints and service improvement: Annual Report 2025-26. Read the full report at: cottsway.co.uk/complaints

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How satisfied were you with our services?

Customer satisfaction is high, with improvements across all measures and results that place us among the best-performing housing associations in the sector.

Customers tell us they feel safe in their homes, that repairs are carried out well, and that they are treated with respect by our staff. We're proud of these results, which reflect the commitment of our teams every day.

We also know there is more to do. Although satisfaction increased, scores for complaints handling, anti-social behaviour and maintenance of communal areas were lower than in other areas, and we're focused on making improvements where they matter most to customers.

We set ourselves high standards and are committed to listening, learning and improving, so that we can deliver the best possible services for our customers and continue to build on these strong results.

Sue Lakin, Deputy Chief Executive and Lead for operations

Our new Customer Engagement Plan

Customer Engagement Plan: 2026-29

Cottsway

At the end of the year, we launched our new Customer Engagement Plan 2026-2029, shaped by your feedback and new standards for social housing. Three main priorities came through clearly, which we call the 3 Cs: Communication, Communal areas and Contract management.

The plan explains how we'll focus on these areas, listen to your views, use information to better understand your needs, and create more opportunities for you to get involved and have your say.

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How did we perform?

Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) help us understand two things: what you think about our services (perception) and how well we are performing (management information).

The Regulator of Social Housing groups the results into five areas:

To find out what customers think, we use an independent research company called Acuity. They carry out phone surveys during each quarter of the year asking customers about the 12 TSM perception measures. This year 1,040 tenants took part.

We also report on 10 Management Information results, showing our performance on managing homes, complaints and reports of anti-social behaviour. We have compared our results with similar housing associations across England to see how we performed, using results published by the Regulator for 2024-25.

We have compared our results with similar housing associations across England to see how we performed, using results published by the Regulator for 2024–25.

This year, we met or exceeded all of our targets and our results show that we outperformed at least three-quarters of our peers in most areas.

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Tenant Satisfaction Measure results (rented homes)

	Target set by Cottsway	Actual performance (and increase / decrease on 2024-25)	Cottsway quartile position
Overall satisfaction	85%	88% (+3%)	Upper
Keeping properties in good repair
Satisfaction with repairs in past 12 months	87%	91% (+4%)	Upper
Satisfaction with time taken to complete most recent repair	85%	88% (+3%)	Upper
Satisfaction that the home is well-maintained	86%	89% (+3%)	Upper
Homes that do not meet the Decent Homes Standard	0%	0% (+0)	Upper
Repairs completed within target timescale - non-emergency	70%	76.9% (+7%)	Lower
Urgent: 5 working days
Routine: 20 working days
Non-routine: 90 calendar days (64 working days)
Repairs completed within target timescale - emergency (Within 24 hours)	100%	100% (0)	Upper
Maintaining building safety
Satisfaction that the home is safe	89%	94% (+5%)	Upper
Gas safety checks	100%	100% (0)	Upper
Fire safety checks	100%	100% (0)	Upper
Asbestos safety checks	100%	100% (0)	Upper
Water safety checks	100%	100% (0)	Upper
Lift safety checks	100%	100% (0)	Upper

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	Target set by Cottsway	Actual performance (and increase / decrease on 2024-25)	Cottsway quartile position
Respectful and helpful engagement
Satisfaction that the landlord listens to tenant views and acts upon them	74%	77% (+3%)	Upper
Satisfaction that the landlord keeps tenants informed about things that matter to them	85%	89% (+4%)	Upper
Agreement that the landlord treats tenants fairly and with respect	88%	90% (+2%)	Upper
Effective complaints handling
Satisfaction with the landlord's approach to handling of complaints	42%	46% (+4%)	Upper
Complaints relative to size of landlord (per 1,000 homes)	No target (monitored across the year)	71.4 (Stage 1) (+16.9%)	Median
A lower quartile result is better here because it means fewer complaints compared with the number of homes the landlord manages.	No target (monitored across the year)	10.8 (Stage 2) (+5.2)	Median
Complaints responded to within Complaint Handling Code timescales	100% (Stage 1)	100% (Stage 1) (0)	Upper
	100% (Stage 2)	100% (Stage 2) (0)	Upper
Responsible neighbourhood management
Satisfaction that the landlord keeps communal areas clean and well-maintained	68%	71% (+3%)	Median
Satisfaction that the landlord makes a positive contribution to neighbourhoods	77%	83% (+6%)	Upper
Satisfaction with the landlord's approach to handling anti-social behaviour	69%	70% (+1%)	Upper
Anti-social behaviour cases relative to the size of the landlord (opened per 1,000 homes)	14	7.5 (46 cases) (-6.3)	Lower
A lower quartile result is better here because it means fewer ASB cases compared with the number of homes the landlord manages.	14	7.5 (46 cases) (-6.3)	Lower
Number of cases that involve hate incidents (per 1,000 homes)	No target (monitored across the year)	0.2 (1 case) (-0.2)	N/A

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Management performance: progress and continued focus

Non-emergency repairs completed within target timescale:

Performance for non-emergency repairs overall has improved significantly in the last two years as we have continued to work hard to balance value for money with delivering a high-quality repairs service.

By planning repairs more efficiently and making the best use of our resources, the proportion of all non-emergency repairs completed within target timescales increased from 59% in April 2024 to 77% by March 2026.

Today, more than three-quarters of non-emergency repairs are completed within target, with an average completion time of 16 days. We know there is still more to do and are continuing to focus on completing repairs more quickly while keeping costs under control. The increasing number of repairs requested provides us with the biggest challenge, especially as we don't know in advance how many requests we will receive.

We're pleased that customer satisfaction with our repairs service has continued to increase and remains high. We also completed all emergency repairs on time and 85% of urgent repairs within target.

Complaints relative to landlord size:

We've seen an increase in complaint volumes and this reflects a wider trend across the housing sector, with the Housing Ombudsman reporting a 30% rise in complaints about social landlords. This demonstrates an increased awareness of how to raise concerns - which is something we've been actively encouraging.

Despite this, our complaints handling was strong overall. Customer satisfaction with how we dealt with complaints increased from 42% to 46% and remains in line with the sector median.

We responded to 100% of Stage 1 and Stage 2 complaints within our published timescales, which are in line with the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code. This places us among the best-performing housing associations in this area.

Independent surveys are also carried out after we've had a key interaction with customers and you may have taken part in one of these after having a repair done, if you've reported ASB, made a complaint or moved into a new home. View the annual results of these post-transaction surveys, and updates on other customer feedback: cottsway.co.uk/customerfeedback

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How we have been here for you

Our Customer Services team responded to over 100,000 customer contacts. That's equivalent to 275 a day.

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Supporting you

We've supported hundreds of you, from preparing to move into one of our homes to helping with your tenancy, finances and benefits. We've also helped people access training, coaching and education, and supported them when moving home.

9 three-hour packages of specialist support to tackle hoarding disorder as part of a new initiative this year.

292 provided with tenancy support to help you continue living in your homes.

116 received pre-tenancy support or attended pre-tenancy workshops to help you prepare to build a successful tenancy. 68 received training, education or help back into employment.

68 received training, education or help back into employment.

£72,000 provided to Citizens Advice Oxfordshire for a free, independent debt and welfare advice service open to all of you. 299 foodbank referrals to support those of you in need.

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“It's great to feel we're home at last”

This year, we let 419 homes to people in housing need. This includes Deanna and partner Wade, who moved into a two-bedroom Cottsway home. After a planned stay abroad with family did not work out and with Deanna heavily pregnant, the couple returned to West Oxfordshire, where they had both lived previously. The family spent eight months on the council's housing waiting list while living with a relative, before finally being offered a home of their own. With support from our Housing team, the couple quickly settled into their new home and community. Green-fingered Deanna has especially enjoyed having a garden of their own.

After a planned stay abroad with family did not work out and with Deanna heavily pregnant, the couple returned to West Oxfordshire, where they had both lived previously. The family spent eight months on the council's housing waiting list while living with a relative, before finally being offered a home of their own.

With support from our Housing team, the couple quickly settled into their new home and community. Green-fingered Deanna has especially enjoyed having a garden of their own.

After being homeless and sleeping on a sofa, moving into our own house has been amazing. We love how peaceful it is here. Cottsway staff have been really quick to help, usually fixing problems within a day or two. They even provided us with a second-hand cooker through their furniture re-use scheme, which helped us out a lot. It's great to feel like we're home at last.

Deanna

Find out about how to get support, or applying for a Cottsway home, on our website: cottsway.co.uk

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Fair and inclusive services

We worked to make our services more accessible and inclusive. Website accessibility improved from 63% to 99% this year, while translation support and our emergency out-of-hours service remained available. We also monitored customer satisfaction, supported vulnerable customers, reviewed staff and Board diversity, and funded projects that improve education, skills and local communities.

Read our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2025-26: cottsway.co.uk/EDI

Keeping you informed

We refreshed our ‘Homepage’ customer newsletter, with more service updates, customer stories and examples of how feedback has shaped our services. We started sending this via text message in addition to email, and by post to a minority of customers where we do not have digital contact details, because we want to ensure you all receive a copy.

We had more than 90,000 website visits, posted over 330 social media updates and engaged with you online.

Continuing to go digital

More customers are choosing to use our online services.

Registrations for our ‘My Cottsway’ customer portal increased by 300 to 2,481, with customers using it to manage rent accounts, make payments, set up Direct Debits and check previous repair appointments and request routine repairs.

We also saw more enquiries through email and webchat, while phone enquiries fell and call answering times improved.

89%

satisfied we keep you informed about things that matter to you ↑4%

76% of customers now access services online. ↑3% 91% satisfied with the online services we provide. ↑4%

What you said

“I would just like to thank you so much for all your help. I really appreciate your honesty and compassion.”

"Whoever answers the phone always treats me with kindness and patience, I really value that I can speak to someone and it's not automated!"

“I have never experienced such kindness, patience, courtesy, empathy and understanding. Everyone I spoke to at Cottsway could not have been more helpful and truly lovely.”

“Thank you so much for the very prompt and detailed follow up of my complaint. You have given a really clear and precise summary which is easy to follow. I appreciate the hard work and time it must’ve taken to do this.”

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We own and manage a diverse range of homes, from historic properties dating back to the 18th century to modern homes, including houses, flats and bungalows.

Keeping these homes safe, well maintained, energy efficient and comfortable for you to live in is our key priority. Our in-house Repairs and Assets teams, supported by specialist contractors, work year-round to carry out repairs, deliver planned improvements and complete essential safety checks.

Your homes

About your homes

More than three-quarters of our rented homes are for social rent, which is around half the cost (50-60%) of renting on the open market. This helps people access secure and affordable housing. Most of our remaining homes are let at affordable rent, which is generally around 20% below market rate.

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Repairing and maintaining your homes

£18.7m spent repairing, maintaining and improving homes.

17,606 responsive repairs equivalent to over 48 repairs every day.

2,196 emergency repairs done within target timescale of 24 hours, equivalent to 6 per day.

297 empty homes (voids) repaired ready to re-let.

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100% Homes meet national Decent Homes Standard.

100% Safety and compliance checks completed.

100% Emergency repairs completed within 24 hours.

91%

satisfied with our repairs service (past 12 months) ↑4%

94% said home is safe ↑5%

88%

89%

satisfied with time taken for last repair ↑3% said home is well-maintained ↑3%

We carry out a property inspection called a 'stock condition survey' at your home every 5 years to ensure it is safe and well-maintained, and help plan for future improvements. It's important you give us access when the time comes for your next check: cottsway.co.uk/plannedwork

Supporting customers to live independently at home

We invested almost £288,000 installing aids and adaptations to ensure our homes continue to meet the needs of our customers and support independent living.

We also spent over £82,000 on our assisted gardening and decorating schemes, helping vulnerable customers keep their homes and gardens in good condition.

Our new homes completed in Woodstock this year (find out more on page 27) also include dedicated mobility scooter parking and charging facilities, joining other existing developments that already have homes with adaptive features.

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Repairs and maintenance: Where the money's been spent

Improved performance in a year of continued high demand

Demand for repairs has increased by more than a third over the past two years, and we've been working hard to continue delivering a high quality, responsive service.

The tables that follow show that our performance improved this year despite this increased demand. Average repair times reduced from 20 days to 16 days, and more non-emergency repairs were completed on time, increasing from 69.9% to 76.9%.

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Repairs summary	2025-26	2024-25	2023-24
Number of responsive repairs	17,606	17,586	13,102
Average time taken for responsive repairs	16 days	20 days	24 days
Number of emergency repairs	2,196	2,270	2,067
Emergency repairs carried out on time (within 24 hours)	100%	100%	99.9%
Non-emergency repairs carried out within timescales	76.9%	69.9%	59%
Planned maintenance summary	2025-26	2024-25	2023-24
Kitchens fitted	214	252	251
Bathrooms fitted	102	63	68
Empty homes repaired ready for people to move in	297	238	380
Home safety checks (TSMs)	2025-26	2024-25	2023-24
Gas services	100%	100%	100%
Electrical safety checks	100%	100%	100%
Asbestos safety checks	100%	100%	100%
Water safety checks	100%	100%	100%
Lift safety checks	100%	100%	100%

What you said

Our in-house trades team and the office staff who help arrange repair appointments do much more than carry out repairs. They're committed to providing great customer service, and we really appreciate the overwhelmingly positive feedback you've shared about them.

Here's just a handful of your comments received:

The plasterers that came today were so friendly and exceptional. The quality of work is amazing, they were kind, professional and did so much more than I was expecting. They are a serious asset to you. They even cleaned up fully after. As was the electrician amazing I had for my plug and shower repair. You wouldn't guess this is a social housing repair. Please thank the plasterers for how fab they were.

“My repair was raised and dealt with within a few hours. I’m extremely grateful.”

“Thank you to the operatives who were courteous, clean and tidy and respected our home, and explained everything without using jargon.”

Great experience while having installation of air source heating/hot water. The guys that installed were lovely and polite, giving great attention to detail, asking our opinions and what would be best for our household. They were tidy all the way through, never leaving anything messy. Couldn't have asked for a better team!

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Improving energy efficiency

We've continued working to make our homes warmer, greener and cheaper to run. Our target is for 95% to be at least Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C rated or above by 2028.

As part of this work, we replaced windows and doors in some homes. We also installed solar panels at 34 more homes and fitted 46 air source heat pumps to replace older, less energy-efficient heating systems.

Improving our least energy-efficient homes

Thanks to government funding and our own investment, we're continuing to improve the energy efficiency of more than 270 of our least energy-efficient homes by 2028. This will help reduce both energy use and carbon emissions. Depending on the property, improvements may include solar panels, air source heating, ventilation upgrades and additional cavity wall or loft insulation. Our aim is to bring as many of these homes as possible up to EPC rating C.

Upgrading non-traditional homes in Cirencester

A major project began this year to upgrade 17 non-traditional ‘Easiform’ concrete homes in Shepherds Way and Bowling Green Road, Cirencester. This began with replacing gas boilers with air source heat pumps and installing new windows and doors. Wall insulation is also being fitted, which should have a big impact on improving energy efficiency for customers there.

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Tackling damp and mould

Awaab's Law was introduced at the end of October 2025. Following the tragic death of Awaab Ishak in Rotherham and in the lead-up to this new law, awareness has risen over the dangers of damp and mould, encouraging more customers to report problems. We've responded to changes by:

Spotting, assessing and escalating potential issues earlier.

Picking up and acting on issues identified through surveys, inspections and engineer visits.

Improving how we diagnose problems.

Keeping customers better informed throughout.

We are continuing to do more to tackle the root causes of damp and mould and prevent problems from returning.

Our performance

Since Awaab's Law came into force:

Required timescales	Our performance
Emergency hazards – completed within 24 hours	100%
Investigations within 10 days	90.6%
Written outcomes issued to customers within 3 days	99.5%
Remedial works started within 5 days (or 12 weeks where work is more complex)	100%

Tips for helping to reduce damp and mould

Reduce moisture

If you have extractor fans fitted, please leave switched on, do not switch them off.

Dry clothes outside when you can. If not, use the kitchen or bathroom with the window open and leave extractor fans on.

Avoid drying clothes on radiators - use a rack instead.

Put lids on pans when cooking. Don't boil kettles too long.

If you use a tumble dryer, make sure it vents outside.

Improve ventilation

Open windows for a few minutes every morning to allow moist air to discharge. This helps prevent condensation on windows.

Keep a small window on latch or trickle vents open in rooms you use most. Do not leave windows permanently open.

Close the kitchen or bathroom door when cooking or showering to stop steam spreading.

Leave some space behind furniture so air can move around the room.

Keep your home warm

Try to keep your home at around 18–21°C.

Let us know if you have any problems with your heating or if draughts are making your home difficult to keep warm.

Do not use gas or paraffin heaters, as they can create extra moisture and can be dangerous.

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Building more affordable homes to help more people

With almost 25,000 people on waiting lists in the areas we serve, we're committed to working with local councils and developers to build more affordable homes.

Continuing investment

We invested £52.9m this year in providing more new affordable homes - this includes all ongoing development schemes, not just those completed this year.

Homes handed over in:

Woodstock (Ryegrass), Chipping Norton (Hailey Avenue), Swindon (Stanton Chase), Carterton (Swinbrook), Moreton-in-Marsh (Dunstall Farm).

Building ongoing:

Brize Meadows (between Brize Norton and Carterton), Malmesbury, Wanborough, Perrybrook, Leckhampton.

New developments started in:

Tetbury, South Marston, Chipping Norton, Highworth, and Moreton-in-Marsh at Dunstall Farm (started and finished this year).

Find out more about the latest new affordable homes we've provided and information on development expenditure: cottsway.co.uk/developinghomes

You said, we did:

We have worked with partner agencies to improve developer performance when it comes to low-cost ownership homes, following feedback from customers.

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Transforming older homes for the future

We've continued to replace older independent living schemes with modern, energy-efficient homes that better meet the needs of customers.

This year, we completed the redevelopment of the former Ryegrass scheme in Woodstock, creating 37 new apartments for people aged 55 and over – all for social rent at around 60% of the market rent value.

Built in partnership with Feltham Construction Ltd and with support of a £4.07m grant from Homes England, the new homes are modern, energy efficient and made for comfortable living with features including balconies.

The apartments are split across four separate buildings and, following a suggestion from Woodstock Town Council, these have been named Ballard House, Grierson House, Marshall House and Shelmerdine House after four authors who have compiled historical books of Woodstock.

We're now continuing to plan for redevelopment of other former sheltered housing in West Oxfordshire - in North Leigh, Eynsham and Charlbury.

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Your community

How we have supported your communities

We've created just over £2m social value*, from community clean-ups and pre-tenancy support to tackling homelessness with partner organisations. We've also funded free debt advice through Citizens Advice and created opportunities that support you and your communities.*We use the HACT social value insight tool to track the impact of our work to see how much value we're adding to the community.

*We use the HACT social value insight tool to track the impact of our work to see how much value we're adding to the community.

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Almost £30,000 in grants for community projects

Through our £30,000 Community Fund, we supported 15 projects to strengthen communities and improve your opportunities.

This includes family support services, free play days for children, youth leadership and skills programmes, financial education, sports clubs, guiding groups, parent and toddler activities, and a youth worker role. Grants also helped improve community facilities through energy-efficiency upgrades, supported families through a school uniform scheme and baby bank vouchers, and contributed to community events such as the Phoenix Festival in Cirencester.

Pictured left, Jodie manager of Leafield Pre-school - which received almost £1,400 towards a new secure gate to improve security for children, carers, staff and visitors.

Thanks to those of you who voted on our Cottsway Communities Facebook group to help decide how much each project should receive!

For more on our fund: cottsway.co.uk/fund

Working with others to support you

We met some of you at summer Play Days and supported young people through leadership and work experience opportunities with partners including Travis Perkins Managed Services, Oxfordshire Youth, and a local law firm.

We continued our support for local advice services by providing free office space in Witney for Citizens Advice Oxfordshire and funding a debt and welfare advice service open to all customers.

We also host Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank in our offices and help customers in need by referring them to the Foodbank service.

There's lots of information about support available on our website or give us a call.

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Going the extra mile for our community

Our staff Charity Committee chose Sobell House Hospice as its Charity of the Year and raised an incredible £6,500 this year through raffles, quiz nights, bake sales and other fundraising activities.

The Oxfordshire hospice, which supports more than 4,500 people each year, said the donation could fund over 267 hours of specialist nursing care.

Sobell House said they were “blown away by the kindness and support” our staff have shown to them and thanked colleagues for their generosity, highlighting the difference the fundraising will make to patients and their families across the local community.

Increasing biodiversity

We’ve worked with our grounds maintenance contractor to create better spaces for wildlife on Cottsway-owned land - and have enjoyed receiving your suggestions for this!

Together with the contractor John O'Conner GM Ltd, we've planted wildflowers, put up bird and bat boxes and installed fencing, hedging and seating in various locations, as well as a custom-made raised bed at a block of flats.

83%

satisfied that we make a positive contribution to neighbourhoods ↑6%

71% 70%

satisfied that we keep communal areas clean and well-maintained ↑3% satisfied with our approach to handling anti-social behaviour ↑1% satisfied with our approach to handling

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How we are improving neighbourhood services

We've listened to your feedback about our work in your neighbourhoods and have introduced a new approach to estate inspections, keeping a closer eye on communal services and housing- related concerns. We'll continue to build on this.

New Good Neighbourhood Management Policy

We've introduced a new Good Neighbourhood Management Policy to explain how we handle housing-related concerns that are not classed as anti-social behaviour (ASB). This has made the process clearer for everyone.

While ASB reports fell this year, with 46 cases reported, we received more reports about neighbour noise. Not all noise complaints are investigated as ASB, but we still look into concerns and provide support where needed.

We also work with the police and other agencies on ASB cases involving harassment, intimidation, drugs or criminal activity. During the year, 7 cases were referred for mediation.

New app to help deal with estate issues

Our Neighbourhood Housing Officers (NHOs) regularly check your estates and shared spaces to make sure everything's safe, clean and cared for.

Following a customer Scrutiny Group review, we've been working to develop a new mobile app to help NHOs record issues, upload photos and raise repairs instantly, leading to faster fixes, consistency and better tracking. We hope this will also help to free up their time to help them focus on other work.

We’ve also increased awareness of inspection dates, encouraged customer involvement, and worked more closely with our grounds maintenance and cleaning contractors to help ensure services meet expected standards.

Looking ahead, extra funding will be set aside for neighbourhood improvements, with customers helping to shape how it is used.

For dates of estate inspections: cottsway.co.uk/estates Report communal issues: cottsway.co.uk/communal

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Investing in homes and communities

Managing our finances responsibly

Being financially strong helps us maintain homes, improve services and build more affordable homes.

Most of our income comes from rent, and this year we collected 100.50% of the rent due. Other income comes from service charges and proceeds from the sale of shared ownership properties.

Every pound of income we receive is used to support our customers and communities. Any surplus we make is reinvested into your homes, the services we provide, and new affordable housing.

Although costs have increased due to inflation and rising demand for repairs, we remain focused on delivering high-quality services and investing in the future. By operating within a manageable and cost-effective distance of our offices in Witney, improving efficiency, and securing better value through procurement, we maximise the impact of our resources and deliver value for money.

Where the money's gone

£49.9m Total income - from rent, service charges and shared ownership property sales

£31.3m Spent - to provide services, maintain homes and support neighbourhoods

£5.5m Surplus - reinvested to deliver more affordable homes after meeting costs and interest on borrowing

Our audited Financial Statements 2025–26 give full details of our accounts and include a Value for Money summary: cottsway.co.uk/publications

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For every £1 rent collected:

Director's pay (part of services and support costs)

38p invested in homes

We are open about how we spend money and how senior leaders are paid. Amounts paid per home:

Repairs and maintenance, including routine fixes and larger scale responsive and planned maintenance works, and safety checks.

23p for services and support

Day-to-day tenancy services, including housing and neighbourhood services, customer services, communities, welfare and tenancy support, staffing at all levels and running costs.

Highest paid director (per home) £32.41

Total director pay (per home) £113.62

Cost of managing and maintaining each home

Social housing cost (per home) £5,038

9p reinvested directly into building new affordable housing

This covers everything we do, from service charges and repairs and maintenance through to investing in new homes, communities, neighbourhood services and more.

30p paid for borrowing used to provide homes

This is the amount paid in return for the money we have borrowed to build homes - we pay our lenders for the use of their money, just as you pay rent for the use of your home. While some of the cost of new homes is funded by grants or shared ownership sales, the remainder is funded by the rent we collect. Without borrowing, it would take us years to save up the money needed to build new homes - this allows us to provide homes sooner, reducing the housing waiting list, and use the rent we collect to pay for the money we borrowed.

Find out more about our Board and Leadership team: cottsway.co.uk/leadership

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What happens next?

We've now completed the third year of our Corporate Plan 2023-28, which focuses on three key areas: People, Homes and Business Strength. We are on track to deliver, and in some areas exceed, the ambitions set out in the plan.

As we enter the fourth year, we will continue to focus on what matters most: providing good homes and services for current customers, while helping meet the need for more safe, affordable housing. By working in partnership with others, delivering value for money and remaining financially strong, we can continue to invest in homes, services and our communities for the future.

During 2026–27 we will:

To:

Invest £20.1m in maintaining and improving your homes.

Keep homes safe, well maintained and fit for the future.

Install 213 new kitchens and 99 new bathrooms.

Improve the quality and comfort of your home.

Invest £51.1m in new affordable homes.

Increase the supply of affordable housing in our communities.

Deliver 232 new homes for social and affordable rent and shared ownership.

Help more people access affordable housing.

Continue improving the energy efficiency of homes.

Work towards 95% of properties achieving EPC C or above by 2028, reducing energy costs and environmental impact.

Boost our Community Fund by £25,000 to mark our 25th anniversary, bringing the total funding available for the year to £55,000.

Support stronger communities through environmental projects, neighbourhood activities and individual learning opportunities.

Make additional funding available for neighbourhood improvements.

Tackle issues not covered by our existing repairs and planned maintenance programmes, with input from customers.

Progress the redevelopment of our former sheltered housing schemes at Evenlode (Charlbury), Shakenoak (North Leigh), Sunnyside (Eynsham)

Provide more, modern and energy-efficient homes.

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There is still more work to do. Over the next 12 months, we will focus on:

Delivering the priorities in our Customer Engagement Plan 2026-2029, with a particular focus on communication, communal areas and contract management. We'll create more opportunities for you to influence decisions, improve how we use your feedback, and work closely with our Scrutiny Group to act on its recommendations.

Supporting customers through ongoing cost of living challenges and helping to sustain tenancies. We’ll provide £72,500 to fund independent debt advice from Citizens Advice, available to all customers. We’ll also continue supporting Citizens Advice Oxfordshire and Witney and West Oxfordshire Foodbank by providing facilities to support their services.

Further developing our online services, to make it easier to access information and manage services digitally, including enhancements to the My Cottsway customer portal.

Meeting new regulatory requirements and keeping homes safe. This includes preparing for the next phase of Awaab's Law, which will cover a range of health and safety hazards in homes. We are also preparing for changes to the Consumer Standards, including a new measure for electrical safety testing, which we already carry out and monitor. In addition, we're getting ready for the introduction of Social Tenants Access to Information Rights (STAIRs), which will give customers new rights to request information about how we manage homes and housing services.

i View our Corporate Plan 2023–28 and supporting strategies: cottsway.co.uk/corporate

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Get in touch

If you would like to get involved or you have any ideas about how Cottsway can improve, or you're a business interested in working with us, we would love to hear from you! Cottsway House Heynes Place Avenue Two Witney Oxfordshire OX28 4YG

Cottsway House Heynes Place Avenue Two Witney Oxfordshire OX28 4YG

cottsway.co.uk

E: contact@cottsway.co.uk T: 01993 890000

Have you signed up to My Cottsway?

You can use our customer portal to pay and check your rent online, request some routine repairs and check details of repairs you have previously asked for, update your details and more. Manage your tenancy conveniently, at a time that suits you. Register for My Cottsway and download the app at: cottsway.co.uk/mycottsway

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