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Orbit Housing to Do Its Own Repairs in Stratford From April

Orbit told Stratford councillors its repairs here go in-house from 1 April 2027, as a resident criticised how it handles antisocial behaviour.

By Alex Harrington 2 min read Source: SDC Overview and Scrutiny Committee recording, 28 Oct 2026
Elizabeth House on Church Street, the offices of Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Elizabeth House, Stratford-on-Avon District Council's offices on Church Street. Photo: Jaggery, CC BY-SA 2.0

Housing association Orbit will start doing its own repairs here from 1 April 2027, instead of relying on outside contractors for day-to-day jobs. Its managers told Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 28 October that the region is the first to make the switch, calling it “our pilot area”.

On this page
  1. What Orbit told councillors
  2. The criticism
  3. If you’re an Orbit tenant

Orbit said it has more than 5,000 homes in the Stratford area, from general family housing to a growing number of later-living homes. Councillors questioned its managers a week after a council report showed complaints about housing association homes in the district rising.

What Orbit told councillors

  • In-house repairs: a new direct repairs team from April, with an operations director being appointed, more local jobs and premises being sought in the area. A new contractor has also been taken on for bigger, more complex repairs.
  • Repair times: day-to-day repairs are moving to within 21 days, and emergencies to within 4 or 24 hours depending on the type. Orbit said it currently meets the emergency target more than 95% of the time.
  • Complaints: 59 complaints were open in the region, and about 23 disrepair cases, both down on earlier levels, Orbit said. A councillor asked why formal stage two complaints had risen; Orbit said it is now escalating cases more readily, in line with the Housing Ombudsman’s code.
  • Antisocial behaviour: a new “safer neighbourhoods” team, approved by Orbit’s board this year, will bring antisocial behaviour, domestic abuse, hate incidents and safeguarding together.
  • Help for struggling tenants: Orbit said it spends about £3 million a year on its Better Days programme for its most vulnerable customers, and urged councillors to refer tenants who can’t afford repairs that are their own responsibility, such as storm-damaged fences.

The criticism

Before Orbit spoke, a resident used the public question slot to criticise its September 2025 restructure, which replaced a specialist antisocial behaviour team with neighbourhood managers. The speaker said only 64% of tenants surveyed were satisfied with how Orbit handles antisocial behaviour. Orbit said the change was meant to cut the number of handoffs between teams, and that satisfaction so far this year is slightly up on last year.

Councillors gave mixed reports. One described a months-long repair case in their ward with missed appointments; another said the neighbourhood manager in Bishopton had made a big difference. Council officers said Orbit has not yet been inspected by the Regulator of Social Housing, and that the providers in the district that have been inspected all received the top two grades. The councillors’ housing associations working group is now closing.

If you’re an Orbit tenant

Report repairs to Orbit first and keep a record. If a problem isn’t fixed, your district councillor can raise it with Orbit, and once you’ve been through Orbit’s complaints process you can go to the Housing Ombudsman. More council news is on our council page.

Alex Harrington

Alex Harrington grew up in Stratford-upon-Avon and runs What's up, Stratford? as an independent guide to the town.

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