About our Customer Committee

Trent & Dove is supported by a Customer Committee, whose members are Trent & Dove customers. The committee takes customers’ views into account to shape and continuously improve the homes and services that Trent & Dove provides and the community investments it makes. 

Trent & Dove also has an  Executive Team and a Board that are responsible for the organisation's day-to-day running.

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Lora Boncheva | Customer member

Lora Boncheva

How did you hear about Trent & Dove?
I was recommended to Trent & Dove by my social workers after I was looking for a new home. I was bidding for less than a year.

What was your reaction when you were offered a Trent & Dove home?
I was shown an apartment. It was literally kicking all the boxes that I was hoping for.

I had been looking for other homes and rents were terribly high for just me and my daughter. I couldn't afford them on my own, so I feel so lucky to be here.

Why did you want to join the Customer Committee?

My family was going through a hard time, and my social workers and Trent & Dove helped us overcome our issues. Our family situation improved considerably when we were rehomed.

I think this is my chance to give back to the society and people who helped me and to contribute somehow.

What makes you a good Customer Committee member?
I graduated with a psychology degree and I am a qualified psychotherapist, so I am a very people-oriented person. I like to help others, and people who know me say that I'm quite empathetic, so I'm easily putting myself in other people's shoes.
This is a quality that can help me understand people who have complaints or worries about services and we can find a solution for them.

What have you managed to get from the Customer Committee?

I was very excited to become a member because the interview for the job itself made me feel like myself again. Since I came to England, I haven’t had many opportunities to have discussions and give my arguments on why I think like this.

Do you have a favourite quote or philosophy that inspires you?

There is a saying in Bulgaria: ‘The wolf has a thick neck because they're doing their job on their own’. This means when I have something to do. I'm trying to do it in the best possible way.

The Customer Committee’s purpose is to:

1. To provide a diverse cross-section of views, insight and opinion to the board from a customer perspective to:

a) Influence the board’s decision-making on key customer-related issues relating to the organisation’s responsibilities as a landlord or its commitment to communities (“Place-shaping”)
b) Enable the customer voice to shape and, and continuously improve, the homes and services that Trent & Dove provides and the community investments it makes. 
 

2. To scrutinise operational service delivery to ensure that quality, performance and impact is in line with:

a) The expectations set by the board
b) The organisation’s customer service commitments.
 

3. To provide assurance to the board on the impact and operation of Trent & Dove’s community support and investment activities, including:

a) Approving the criteria for awarding community grants and priorities for funding
b) Providing assurance to the board that Value for Money and Social Return on Investment is being achieved as a result of community initiatives, activities and grants.
 

4. To provide assurance to the board that there are effective mechanisms in place:

a) For the organisation to gather and analyse customer opinion and insight on key customer-related issues
b) For the organisation to take customers’ views into account in a meaningful way before making decisions on important matters which affect them
c) For the organisation to respond to customer views and feedback and implement continuous improvement actions
d) To enable the quality of homes and services provided by T&D to be continuously improved in response to customer insight and feedback;
e) to effectively communicate to customers how their views and insight have influenced Trent & Dove’s actions and decision-making.