National SAAP Client Satisfaction Survey

4.4 Satisfaction with accommodation

4.4.1 Overall satisfaction

Overall, more than two-thirds of clients (73%) indicate that they are satisfied with their accommodation, rating it as 'good' (26%) or 'really good' (47%). Only 2% of clients rated their accommodation as 'bad' (see Figure 14).
Fourteen percent stated that they did not receive accommodation. Looking only at those who received accommodation (n=864), 54% describe it as 'really good', 30% as 'good', 10% as 'just okay' and 2% as 'bad'.

Figure 14: Overall satisfaction with accommodation

Figure 14: Overall satisfaction with accommodation

Question 5: Thinking about this stay with <INSERT NAME OF AGENCY>, overall how good or bad did you think the accommodation you are provided with is? By accommodation we mean the room or house that you are staying in. Is it ...?

Base: All respondents (n=999)

The proportion of clients rating the accommodation as 'really good' ranges from a high in Victoria of 64% to a low of 42% in Western Australia. Clients in the ACT are the most likely to rate their accommodation as 'bad' (6%) (see Table 9).

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Table 9: Overall satisfaction with accommodation by state/territory
	National % (n=846)	ACT % (n=20)	NSW % (n=201)	NT % (n=19)	QLD % (n=139)	SA % (n=87)	TAS % (n=49)	VIC % (n=297)	WA % (n=51)
Really good	54	49	44	45	56	56	43	64	42
Good	30	31	32	48	31	35	41	22	40
Just Okay	10	14	16	2	9	6	12	6	17
Bad	2	6	3	0	1	1	1	4	0
Don't know/no opinion	4	0	5	5	3	4	3	5	0

Base: Respondents who received accommodation (n=864)

The proportion of clients rating the accommodation received as 'good' or 'really good' ranges from a high of 87% for multiple (SA only) agencies to a low of 76% for agencies classified as 'other' types (see Table 10). Clients of 'other' type agencies are the most likely to say this was 'just okay' or 'bad'.

Table 10: Overall satisfaction with accommodation by service delivery type
	National % (n=864)	Crisis/Short- term % (n=274)	Medium to long-term % (n=333)	Other % (n=205)	Multiple (SA only) % (n=53)
Really good	54	57	57	43	57
Good	30	29	29	30	33
Just Okay	10	10	8	15	7
Bad	2	2	2	3	0
Don't know/no opinion	4	2	4	6	6

Base: Respondents who received accommodation (n=864)

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Demographic Differences
The proportion of clients indicating satisfaction with the accommodation varies by age, with younger clients least likely to say that their accommodation is 'really good' and most likely to indicate it is 'just okay' (see Figure 15).
Women express greater satisfaction with the accommodation received than men.
Single parent clients are more likely to rate the accommodation as 'really good' (60%), when compared to partnered clients (55%) or clients arriving alone (50%).

Figure 15: Overall satisfaction with accommodation by age

Figure 15: Overall satisfaction with accommodation by age

Base: Respondents who received accommodation (Under 15 years = 52, 15-17 years = 98, 18-19 years = 83, 20-24 years = 97, 25-44 years = 391, 45-64 years = 134, Over 65 years = 9).

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4.4.2 Satisfaction with elements of accommodation

The majority of clients express satisfaction across all elements of their accommodation. The most positively rated elements are shown in Figure 16, while the least positively rated elements are shown in Figure 17 on page 38.
Satisfaction is highest with availability (94% say 'yes, it is true that accommodation is there for me when I need it'), comfort (93%) and cleanliness (92%)
Clients express least satisfaction with the quality of the food (50%), availability of workers (69%) and modernity of the accommodation (75%) (see Figure 17 on page 38).

Figure 16: Satisfaction with accommodation elements - Top 8

Figure 16: Satisfaction with accommodation elements - Top 8

Question 6: I am going to read you a list of things that might describe the accommodation provided to you by <INSERT NAME OF AGENCY> during this stay. For each, please tell me whether this is true or not.

Base: Respondents who received accommodation (n=864)

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Demographic Differences¹⁴

Availability

The proportion of clients expressing satisfaction with the availability of accommodation ranges from 90% in the Northern Territory to 100% in Western Australia (see Table 11).
Partnered clients are disproportionately less satisfied with the availability of accommodation (89%).

Table 11: Availability by state/territory
	National % (n=846)	ACT % (n=20)	NSW % (n=194)	NT % (n=19)	QLD % (n=136)	SA % (n=85)	TAS % (n=49)	VIC % (n=291)	WA % (n=51)
Yes, true	96	98	96	90	98	98	94	94	100
No, not true	4	2	2	5	2	2	3	6	0
Don't know	1	0	2	5	1	0	3	0	0

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

Cleanliness

Employed clients are disproportionately satisfied with the cleanliness of their accommodation (97%).

Safety

Single parents are more likely to express satisfaction with the safety of their accommodation (96%) compared to partnered clients (88%) and those arriving alone (91%).
Clients aged between 18 and 24 years are disproportionately less satisfied with the safety of their accommodation.

Security

The proportion of clients expressing satisfaction with the security measures at their accommodation (such as door locks) ranges from a low of 89% among short-term residents (under one week at the time of the survey), to 96% among clients residing between one and four weeks.

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Security of belongings

Proportions of clients expressing satisfaction in each state/territory ranges from a high of 97% in Tasmania and South Australia to a low of 84% in New South Wales (see Table 12).
Clients of 'other' agencies are disproportionately dissatisfied with the security of their belongings (12% dissatisfied; see Table 13).
Women (94%) and single parents (98%) are disproportionately satisfied with the safety of their belongings.
Clients under 20 years are least likely to express satisfaction with the safety of their belongings (88%).

Table 12: Security of belongings by state/territory
	National % (n=836)	ACT % (n=20)	NSW % (n=194)	NT % (n=18)	QLD % (n=137)	SA % (n=84)	TAS % (n=48)	VIC % (n=285)	WA % (n=51)
Yes, true	93	85	84	96	95	97	97	95	92
No, not true	7	14	14	4	5	3	3	4	8
Don't know	1	2	2	0	1	0	0	0	0

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

Table 13: Security of belongings by service delivery type
	National % (n=837)	Crisis/Short- term % (n=270)	Medium to long-term % (n=319)	Other % (n=198)	Multiple (SA only) % (n=50)
Yes, true	93	93	96	86	96
No, not true	7	7	4	12	4
Don't know	1	1	0	2	0

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

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Adequacy of Space

Clients born outside of Australia (96%) and those without multiple needs¹⁵ (98%) are more satisfied than Australian-born residents (88%) and those with multiple needs (91%).
Clients who had resided for less than one week at the time of the survey are least likely to express satisfaction with the space allowed them (88%).
Clients expressed least satisfaction with the quality of the food (50% say 'yes, the food is good'), availability of workers (69%) and modernity of the accommodation (75%).

Figure 17: Satisfaction with accommodation elements - Bottom 6

Figure 17: Satisfaction with accommodation elements - Bottom 6

Q6: I am going to read you a list of things that might describe the accommodation provided to you by <INSERT NAME OF AGENCY> during this stay. For each, please tell me whether this is true or not.

Base: Respondents who received accommodation (n=864)

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Privacy

The proportion of clients expressing satisfaction with the amount of privacy afforded them ranges from a high of 98% in Tasmania and Victoria to a low of 72% in Western Australia (see Table 14).
Clients in 'other' agencies are disproportionately less satisfied with their level of privacy (84%) compared to other agency types (see Table 15).
Women (94%) express higher levels of satisfaction with the amount of privacy they received, compared to men (88%).
Short-term residents (under one week at the time of the survey) are disproportionately dissatisfied (88%), compared to longer-term clients.

Table 14: Privacy by state/territory
I could find privacy here if I needed it
	National %	ACT % (n=839)	NSW % (n=194)	NT % (n=19)	QLD % (n=133)	SA % (n=81)	TAS % (n=49)	VIC % (n=291)	WA % (n=51)
Yes, true	91	97	83	95	90	95	98	98	72
No, not true	8	3	16	5	9	5	2	2	26
Don't know	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	2

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

Table 15: Privacy by service delivery type
I could find privacy here if I needed it
	National % (n=837)	Crisis/Short- term % (n=270)	Medium to long-term % (n=319)	Other % (n=198)	Multiple (SA only) % (n=50)
Yes, true	91	91	96	84	95
No, not true	8	8	4	15	4
Don't know	1	1	0	1	1

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

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Furniture Quality
Women express higher levels of satisfaction (92%) with the furniture provided, compared to men (87%).


Neighbourhood Safety
Clients in South Australia and the ACT express the lowest levels of satisfaction with the safety of their neighbourhoods (73%), whereas clients in Tasmania expressed the highest levels (95%; see Table 16). Clients of 'multiple' agencies (SA only) are also disproportionately less satisfied with their neighbourhoods (71%; see Table 17).

Table 16: Neighbourhood safety by state/territory
The neighbourhood is safe
	National % (n=844)	ACT % (n=20)	NSW % (n=195)	NT % (n=18)	QLD % (n=136)	SA % (n=85)	TAS % (n=49)	VIC % (n=288)	WA % (n=51)
Yes, true	86	73	81	90	88	73	95	93	83
No, not true	12	20	16	8	9	25	5	6	15
Don't know	2	7	3	2	2	3	0	1	2

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

Table 17: Neighbourhood safety by service delivery type
The neighbourhood is safe
	National % (n=844)	Crisis/Short- term % (n=270)	Medium to long-term % (n=325)	Other % (n=199)	Multiple (SA only) % (n=51)
Yes, true	86	88	89	83	71
No, not true	12	9	10	15	26
Don't know	2	3	1	2	4

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

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Adequacy of Kitchen Equipment
Residents in Western Australia express the least satisfaction with their kitchen equipment (74%) while residents of the Northern Territory express the most satisfaction (96%) (see Table 18).

Table 18: Adequacy of kitchen equipment by state/territory
The kitchen has enough equipment
	National % (n=795)	ACT % (n=18)	NSW % (n=181)	NT % (n=96)	QLD % (n=130)	SA % (n=79)	TAS % (n=47)	VIC % (n=273)	WA % (n=49)
Yes, true	88	95	84	96	88	92	95	90	74
No, not true	11	5	13	2	12	7	5	10	24
Don't know	1	0	3	2	1	1	0	0	2

Base: Respondents who received accommodation and did not answer 'not applicable'

Modernity

The proportion of residents expressing satisfaction with the modernity of their accommodation ranges from a low of 70% in medium to long-term agencies to a high of 84% in crisis/short-term agencies.
Single parents (81%) and employed clients (87%) are disproportionately likely to express satisfaction with the modernity of their accommodation.
Conversely, residents over 45 years (67%) and those who had resided at the agency for more than 26 weeks at the time of the survey (67%) are disproportionately less satisfied.

Food Quality

Women are more likely to express satisfaction with the quality of food (94%) than are men (87%).
Single parents (100%) and clients who had resided for more than four weeks (93%) are disproportionately satisfied with the quality of the food.

The findings reported on in the demographic differences section have excluded those who answered 'not applicable'. Thus the base size will vary by attribute.
Please see page 56 for more information.

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