Let’s face it, if you work in housing and hear the words co-production or co-creation, you might instinctively brace yourself. Is this another meeting with a flipchart, a tray of custard creams, and the vague promise of “shaping the future together”? Maybe. But it doesn’t have to be. And more importantly, it shouldn’t be.
As someone who spends a lot of time immersed in the world of complaints, I know more than most how powerful tenant voice can be and how frustrating it is when it’s overlooked, misunderstood, or reduced to a theatre production. Yes, I’m talking about consultation theatre - that well-rehearsed act where we invite residents into the room, nod earnestly at their feedback, write things on post it notes… and then quietly carry on with what we’d planned to do anyway. But here’s the thing - when we co-produce properly, it stops being performance art and starts becoming powerful.
Tenants are experts in us. They know what we’re getting right, and exactly where we’re falling short. And when they share that with us, often based on deeply personal, sometimes painful experiences, that’s emotional labour. It’s not just free feedback, it’s energy, honesty, and a desire to help us be better. That deserves more than a thank you and a paper survey.
We owe it to our tenants and to ourselves to make sure that their involvement is meaningful. That we’re asking the right questions, for the right reasons. Not to tick a regulatory box. Not to pad out a report. But because we want services that actually work for the people using them. Because if a policy doesn’t make sense to tenants, or if a process causes more harm than help, it’s not good enough no matter how pretty the flowchart looks.
And from a Complaints perspective? True co-production could well be the difference between repeated frustrations and long-term service improvement. Between complaint volumes rising and trust being rebuilt, which is not always easy. It takes time, patience, and a willingness to be vulnerable. But it’s worth it.
So, let’s ditch the theatre. Let’s stop performing co-production and start living it. Not just as a principle, but as a practice one that values the time, experience, and emotional investment our tenants give us. With or without the custard creams!