Leaseholder News April 2012 by Wolverhampton Homes

Leaseholder

NEWS

April 2012

Page 3 Have your say

Page 4 Meet your Review Panel Member

Page 6 Keeping you safe

Bromfield Court Blooms thanks to residents Find out how residents improved their estate on page 5

Message from the

Chair of theR R Leasehold R R RR Forum RR RR

The general lack of support shown by RRRR leaseholders in a number of areas has R R undoubtedly led to the discontinuation RRRRR of regular group meetings. RR RR Alternatively, a series of All of the Forums will beR RR RR open meetings which I R R Leaseholder Open R R strongly urge all Forum events will take RR R leaseholders to make R RR place in different an effort to attend as it RR RR locations across the is very much within theirR R City. It is hoped that R RR these events will attract own interest R a wider interest and in Full details of each R R turn encourage more Forum can be found on R R leaseholders to get page three of this R involved. newsletter, alternatively, RR The area and venue of you can visit the leaseholders` section of each Forum has been RR the Wolverhampton selected by the leasehold management Homes website which R has recently been team. They invite updated, making it leaseholders to come R along to meet with staff simpler to access. and fellow leaseholders Peter Broome and discuss any Chair of the queries or concerns Leasehold Forum they may have.

If you require this information in another language or format, contact us on 01902 556789.

02 Leaseholder News April 2012

Welcome

to the new look Leaseholder News

We hope you like the new look and the articles about you and your fellow leaseholders. You told us you'd like to have more people stories so R we've tried to include as many as we can. R Meet Alysha on page 4 who has joined the Review Panel and on page 5 you can read about R leaseholders who helped improve their estate. R Please let us know what you think and if you have R stories get in touch. any Helen Bellingham R Head of Homes Sales and Leases R R

Website R

Following feedback from Leaseholder Forum members, we have updated your section of the website. We have made it easier to find and added new pages to give you a lot more information. Please check it out and let us know what you think. homes.org.uk www.wolverhampton

JOIN US: Leaseholders and staff chatted about issues at last year's Get Togethers G E T I N V O LV E D

Have your

say

Do you need advice about your lease? Have you got a problem that you need our help with? Do you want to find out more about our services to you? Come along to our Open Forums, meet the Home Sales and Leases team and have a chat with other leaseholders. You can talk to us about your lease, your service charge, gas servicing or any other issues. There will be three Forums and you can drop into any of them; you don’t need to go to the one nearest to you. • Wednesday 25 April from 7-8.30pm at Merry Hill Housing Office, Leasowes Drive, Merry Hill, WV4 4PZ. • Tuesday 1 May from 7-8.30pm at Hilton Hall, Hilton Road, Lanesfield, WV4 6DR. • Wednesday 9 May from 7-8:30pm at Corpus Christi RC Church, off Griffiths Drive, Wednesfield, WV11 2LT. Don’t miss your chance to come and chat to the Home Sales and Lease Team and if there are any specific issues that you would like us to cover, please let us know in advance.

Leaseholder Open Forums For more information, call the Home Sales and Lease Team on 01902 556789. Please let us know if you have any special requirements which would help you to attend. We can offer help with childcare or travel. We look forward to seeing you there! Get Involved! There are lots of ways that you can have a say in how your Leasehold Management Service is run, here are just a few: • Come along to our Leaseholder Open Forums • Join the Leaseholder Forum • Apply to join the Board or Review Panel • Join our Focus and Discussion groups • Go to our Special Interest Groups • Attend your local Tenants and Residents Association meetings • Go to your local estate inspection • Become a mystery shopper • Comment on our Facebook page If you would like to get involved, please contact the Leasehold Management Team on 01902 556789.

April 2012 Leaseholder News 03

Welcome

Alysha

New Review Panel Member Want to make a difference? Alysha Shah, who has been a leaseholder since May 2004, wanted to do just that so she’s joined the Review Panel. The Review Panel checks that we keep our promises to you, looks at how well we are performing and ensures residents are fully involved in decisions about services. Alysha said: “I joined the Review Panel because I wanted to gain a better understanding of the services that are provided to tenants and leaseholders. “I also wanted have an input and influence the decisions that affect leaseholders. “The Review Panel gives me a chance to stay in the loop and keep up to date with what’s going on at Wolverhampton Homes. I can then report this back to the Leasehold Forum. “I really enjoyed my first meeting. As a leaseholder, I got to see things from the tenant viewpoint and look at the process of delivering services rather than just seeing the outcome. It’s really good to know what’s going on.” If you are interested in coming along to a Review Panel meeting, please contact the Review Panel Support Officer on 01902 556789.

USE YOUR VOTE: Resident Board Members stand for election every three years.

Board elections WHO WILL YOU VOTE

FOR?

It will soon be time to vote for candidates for the Board Elections. This is your chance to choose who will represent you. Board members agree budgets and how money will be spent, approve policies such as parking, fencing and antisocial behaviour. They also monitor performance and must consider leaseholders when they make decisions. Shaun Philpott, is a business advisor and is the Leaseholder Champion on the Board. He said “Board members make decisions on a lot of issues that are relevant to leaseholders. We discuss communal area repairs, major repairs, parking issues, antisocial behaviour on estates and charges for the concierge service. These all affect leaseholders so it’s vital that you vote for the person that you feel will represent your interests in the best way.

“Please make sure that you use your vote and perhaps next time why not apply to be a Board member yourself to represent all your fellow leaseholders?" You will receive your ballot papers at the beginning of June. There are two vacancies so you will need to vote for two candidates. We need to receive your votes by 22 June 2012.

Board Meetings You are welcome to come along to any our board meetings. Our next meetings in 2012 are: • Monday 14 May • Monday 17 September (AGM)

SERVICE CHECK: The Review Panel checks that we keep our promises

All meetings are held in our Head Office at Hickman Avenue and start at 9.30am. To find out what decisions were made at previous meetings, search ‘board’ on www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk.

Leaseholder Survey update

NEIGHBOURHOOD PRIDE: Debbie Smith and Arthur Ward enjoy Bromfield Court's garden

DOWN YOUR WAY

You should have now received your copy of the Leaseholder Satisfaction Survey. This is your opportunity to share your views on the services you receive from Wolverhampton Homes. Thank you to everyone who returned their questionnaire. If you still want to take part, it’s not too late. Please return your questionnaire by 20 April, your views are important to us. We will tell you about the results in the next edition of Leaseholder News.

Bromfield

Court the team YOUR TEAM: Chris Churm and Ben Howley will answer all your queries

As the spring sunshine highlights the freshly cut grass and pretty blooms, leaseholder Debbie Smith, can rightly feel proud of her involvement with her community.

“It’s a lovely estate but we wanted some of the overgrown trees to be dealt with so we contacted Wolverhampton Homes. “They removed and cut back a lot of the trees and the old shrubs so we get a lot more light now. They planted some new shrubs and replaced the old fencing that was falling apart. “They also put some fences around the bin area so that we can’t see the bins when we drive onto the estate. It’s so much nicer now, it’s a complete transformation. I can feel proud of where I live.” If you feel your area needs improving, contact us to let us know 01902 556789.

Do you have a story about where you live? Get in touch with us and we can tell your story in the next issue of Leaseholder News. Email communications@wolverhamptonhome.org.uk or phone 01902 556789.

MEET

Meet Chris Churm and Ben Howley, your Leasehold Management Officers. If you have a query about your home or lease, Ben and Chris are the men you need to talk to. They can help you with queries about: • Service charges and invoices • Payment plans for charges and invoices • Antisocial behaviour and breaches of lease • Consent to carry out alterations or improvements • Gas servicing • Major improvements Ben said: “We also deal with general day-to-day queries that don't necessarily fit into a box, such as the purchase or sale of a leasehold property, sub-letting, alterations and improvements. Generally, if you have any questions about your lease, your block or the management of your estate we are your first port of call.” April 2012 Leaseholder News 05

Fire DOORS

Gas servicing keeping you SAFE

GAS SAFETY: Joyce Cattell joined the gas service plan to stay safe

Last autumn we wrote to 182 leaseholders asking them to make sure their front door was safe in case of a fire. These were leaseholders whose front door opens onto a communal area. A Fire Risk Assessment had reported that their front doors did not have 30 minutes fire resistance, which is a requirement under fire regulations. Thelma Philpott from Bradley was one of those whose door was not safe. She had the choice of arranging to replace her door with one that had 30 minute fire resistance or asking us to arrange it for her. Mrs Philpott said: “My door wasn’t very old but I did understand that we need to be safe. “I thought to make it easy I’d ask Wolverhampton Homes. I was very happy with the choice of doors they offered me, I chose a white one with a half moon window at the top. I was happy with the work and they put a door chain on for me to make me feel extra safe.” We would like to thank all of you who have had your doors replaced with new fire doors or who have produced a certificate to prove that your current door meets the regulations. SAFE FROM FIRES: Thelma Philpott is safe with her new fire door

Joyce Cattell of Tettenhall recently joined our Gas Service Plan and had a chat with us to tell us all about it. She said: “I thought it would be a good idea to join the scheme as it’s good to have the peace of mind it offers. This way I don’t need to remember to arrange my annual service and it’s all done for me. “The price was very reasonable as it includes call outs. Everything is included so you get a lot for your money. “Before I joined, they had to come out to check that everything was in good order. It was a good job they did as they found a problem with my fire and the old back boiler, something hadn’t been sealed properly so it wasn’t safe. “I’ve been very pleased with all the work they’ve done, they didn’t leave any mess.” Have you joined our gas service plan yet? Mrs Cattell and 200 leaseholders have. Regular servicing of your gas appliances will help to keep you and your family safe, reduce the likelihood of break downs and help to reduce running costs. For more information visit the Leaseholders’ section of www.wolverhamptonhhomes.org.uk or contact 01902 556789. Please remember that all leaseholders must provide us with a valid gas certificate. If you are not a member of our gas service scheme we will contact you to request a copy of the certificate.

06 Leaseholder News April 2012

WHY NOT PAY YOUR SERVICE CHARGES BY DIRECT DEBIT? You will have recently received your latest Service Charge invoice. Before you grab your cheque book, wallet or paypoint card, why not set up a Direct Debit?

Direct Debit is the easiest way to pay your service charge: • You don’t have to remember to pay - your Bank or Building Society does if for you. • You can spread your payments over a period of time – up to 12 months. • You have a choice of payment dates. • If you are ill or cannot get to a One Stop Shop you don’t have to worry – your Service Charges will be automatically paid. • You don’t have the risk of carrying large amounts of cash with you.

• You are covered by the Direct Debit guarantee which means if a payment is taken by mistake it is refunded straight away. Did you know that it costs us £1.40 to process a cash payment and just 5p to process a Direct Debit.

This means that if you all choose to pay by Direct Debit your Management Fee would continue to reduce as our administration costs become lower. To set up a Direct Debit for your Service Charges please contact your Leasehold Management Team on 01902 556789.

DISCOUNT ON... Show off your hanging

baskets and pots If you’re proud of your pots or hanging baskets, why not enter the 2012 Garden Competition? The closing date for entries is Friday 13 July and judging will take place in August. So grab an entry form from one of our One Stop Shops or download it from our website, search for ‘garden competition’. homes.org.uk www.wolverhampton

electrical goods We’ve teamed up with Wolf Savings and Loans and Co-op Electrical to offer fantastic deals on electrical items. This includes fridges, fridgefreezers, cookers, washing machines and tumble dryers. You can pay in full, directly from your Credit Union account or take out a loan to pay for the purchase. It even includes free delivery and removal of your old goods. To take advantage of this fantastic scheme contact Wolf Savings and Loans www.wolfsavingsandloans.co.uk or 01902 572340. April 2012 Leaseholder News 07

Sudoku

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• Join the conversation on our Facebook page by visiting www.facebook.com/wolveshomes • Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WolvesHomes • For face-to-face enquiries visit one of our One Stop Shops: City Centre, Bilston, Low Hill, Merry Hill, Wednesfield, Heath Town • For written enquiries, write to: Wolverhampton Homes Chillington Fields Industrial Estate off Hickman Avenue Wolverhampton WV1 2BY

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• For general enquiries call Homes Direct on 01902 556789 • For out of hours emergencies call 01902 552999

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Return to: Communications, Wolverhampton Homes, Chillington Fields Industrial Estate, Off Hickman Avenue, Wolverhampton, WV1 2BY.

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08 Leaseholder News April 2012

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