HomesinSedgemoor
@HomesSedgemoor customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.org
www.homesinsedgemoor.org
0800585 360/ 01278552400
Homes in Sedgemoor, Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater TA63AR
Idohopeyouarekeepingsafe andwellwhilstwealladjustto lifeafterlockdownsandnow, especiallyatthistimeofyear, youareabletomeetupwith familyandfriends.
IjoinedHomesinSedgemoor justunderthreeyearsago andamtheHeadofHuman ResourcesandCorporate Services.MyrolemeansI leadandsupporttheHuman Resources,CustomerServices andCommunicationsteams.I enjoymyworkasitfocuseson supportingthebusinessinhaving therightpeoplewiththeskills toprovidegreatservicestoour customers.
Withinthiseditionof NeighbourhoodMattersyou will ndinformationonhowwe areworkingwithyoutokeep yourhomessafer,including somereallyhelpfultipson keepingsafeovertheChristmas periodaswellas nancialand energyadvice.Itisgreattohear fromsomeofthemembers oftheSedgemoorTenants AssuranceCommitteealong withtheworkofotherinvolved customers.Pleasedocontact ourCommunityEnablerTeamon 0800585360ifyouwouldlike toknowmoreabouthowyou cangetinvolvedtoo.
Youcanreadaboutthework wearedoingwiththeInstitute ofCustomerService,thisisa keypieceofworkforusasit providesuswithinformation sowecanbenchmarkand learnfromotherorganisations, notjustwithinhousing,who aretheverybestinproviding excellentcustomerservice. It isimportantforustogetthings rightthevery rsttimeandthe experienceyouhavewithany
colleagueacrossthebusiness hastobeapositiveone.We measurecustomersatisfaction fromthemonthlySTARsurveys weundertake.Youwillsee,we havesomereallygoodscores, butweknowthereareareaswe havetoimproveon.Webelieve, throughlisteningandactingon yourfeedback,wecanmakea differenceandensureweare puttingourcustomers rst.We willcontinuetosharewithyou theresultsofourperformance withinnewslettersandon ourwebsitealongwithhow theworkwiththeInstituteof CustomerServiceisshapingthe serviceweprovide.
I’dliketothankeveryone whoenteredthisyear’sphoto competition,wehaveallenjoyed lookingatthephotographs andlookforwardtoseeing thesephotosovertheyear viaourdigitalcalendarwhich isavailabletocustomersand colleaguesviaourwebsite. Congratulationstoallthe winnerstoo!
Ihopeyouenjoythisedition ofyournewsletter.Ifyouhave anysuggestionsfortopics youwouldlikeustoinclude, orwouldliketogetinvolved withourCustomerServices andCommunicationsService ImprovementGroup,wewould lovetohearfromyou.Please contactusonourmainnumber. Withverybestwishesfora MerryChristmasandahappy andhealthynewyear.
Bestwishes, Julia
JuliaPaling, Head of HR and CorporateServicesThankyou to everyone whoentered this year’s PhotographyCompetition. We were on thehuntfor your picturesque snaps, showinguswhatyou love aboutwhere you live.And we hadsome amazing entries!
Congratulationstowinner MrCadwallender,ofBurnhamon-Sea,whosephotoofanearly morningsunrisewasvoted asthetopentrybyour Facebookfollowers.
Congratulationsalsogoesto MrsCadwallender,ofBurnhamon-Sea,whosephotoofafrosty riverre ectioncamesecond,and MsBritton,ofBurnham-on-Sea, whosephotoofasquirrelaiming high,camethird.
Wehopeyouenjoyyour vouchers.We’dalsoliketo
saythankyouagaintoallof the nalists!
Thisyear,followinga consultationwithcustomers throughvirtualmeetingsand viaoursocialmediaplatform, yousaidyou’dpreferustospend moremoneyonotherareasof ourcommunicationwithyou. Followingthis,thedecision wasmadetostopproducing
theannualcustomercalendar. However,wehaveproduced adigitalcalendar,available onourwebsite,whichyouare abletoprint.Youwillalso seethatthewinningphotois nowalsofeaturedonthefront pageofyournewsletter.More informationaboutourfuture communicationplanscanbe foundonpage16.
Wearelookingforwardtoseeing yourentriesfornextyear.
HappyBirthdaytocustomer MrWoulfe,ofBridgwater, whohascelebratedhis 100thbirthday!
MrWoulfe,whohasbeen marriedfor74years,saidthe recipeforagoodlifeishard workandagoodfamily, includingtheloveandsupport ofagoodwoman.Anddrinkin moderation.
MrWoulfegrewuponafarm, andreturnedtoEnglandfrom Irelandin1942,whenhedecided tostayhereforgood.
Duringthewar,MrWoulfedrove prisonersofwartofarmsto work.MrWoulfewentonto workonafarminWestHuntspill, beforelaterworkingata Cellophanefactoryuntilhetook redundancyattheageof59.
MrWoulfeandhiswifehave beenintheir atfor15years andsaidtheyhavebeenwell lookedafter.
Wearepleasedtobeableto welcomeyouintoourreception atBridgwaterHouseagain Whenyouvisit,youwillnoticea fewchanges.Thetimewe’ve beenclosedhasbeenusedto refurbishthereception,whichwe sharewithSedgemoorDistrict Council.Thenewreceptionis equippedtoallowcustomersto accessourservicesdigitally,with thefunctiontocontactour CustomerServicesTeamif required.
Whatwillbedifferent?
•Wewillnolongerhavea memberofHomesin Sedgemoor’sCustomer ServicesTeambasedinthe reception9am-5pmbutyou cancontinuetocontactusvia theusualchannels.
•Customerswhovisitreception willbegreetedbyamemberof SedgemoorDistrictCouncil’s CustomerServicesTeamwho willassistyouwithusingthe newself-servekiosk
•Usingtheself-servekioskyou willbeabletologarepair. Youwillalsobeabletolog intoyouronlineportaltomake arentpaymentorreportan antisocialbehaviourincident.
•Wewillnolongerbetaking anycashpayments,including forrent,courtcostsor replacementkeysandfobs.
•Youwillstillbeabletodiscuss anytenancyissues,however, thiswillbewithamemberof SedgemoorDistrictCouncil’s CustomerServicesTeamwho willtriagecustomers.
•Home nderenquiries canbedealtwithusing self-servekiosks.
Pleasebeaware,customers visitingreceptionwillbeaskedto wearamaskforeveryone’s safety.AllSedgemoorDistrict CouncilandHomesinSedgemoor staffwillalsobewearingmasks. Thereception will be open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Aspartofourremodellingof theIndependentLivingService, Octobersawourplanning applicationforWestBowHouse extensionbeingacknowledged bySedgemoorDistrictCouncil.
Togetaheadofthebuild,we heldtwoconsultationswith customersatWestBowHouseto decideondécorandfurnishings plussomegreatoptionsforthe garden.Thankyoutoeveryone
thatattended,wenowhave somegreatcolourschemesand designstoworkwith.
Anovergrownpathway,which restrictedcustomers’accessto theirhomesinEastHuntspill, hasbeencleared.
Weweremadeawareofthe issueatChurchClose,and Geoff,ourIndependentLiving ServiceHandyperson,worked hardtocompletelyclearthe overgrownfoliage.
Ifyouhaveanyconcernsabout yourneighbourhoodorwould liketojoinusforyourlocal walkabout,pleasecontact CustomerServiceson
0800585 360.
Followingconcernsofuntidy gardensattheRingstoneEstate inWestHuntspill,wearrangeda CommunityClean-UpSkipDay.
Itwasagreatsuccesswithlots ofcustomerspartingwiththeir unwanteditemsandneighbours
helpingeachotheroutcarrying theirlargeritems.Itcreateda realsenseofcommunityspirit. Thankyoutoeveryonewho joinedustocleanupthearea,the RingstoneEstateisnowlooking muchtidier!
NeighbourhoodOf cersand Surveyorsalsovisitedyourhomes atthesametimetoallowyouto raiseanyconcerns.
DuringtheOctoberhalfterm, theDreamschemersgottogether tocreatesomespookypropsfor theVillagesTogetherHalloween Traileventthattookplaceon October30
Theymadescarecrows,witches, ghostsandmuchmoreandhada reallygreattime!
Allofthechildrengota Halloweengoodybagasathanks fortakingpartandtheyalso receivedatickettotheVillages TogetherHalloweenevent.
Weareintheprocessofplanning ourChristmasDreamscheme
event,whichwillinvolvemaking baublesfortheWoolavington andPuritonoutdoorChristmas trees.
Thereisgoingtobehot chocolate,marshmallowsanda visitfromSanta.
Ifsomeoneyouknow,aged between8-14yearsold,inthe PuritonorWoolavingtonarea, wantstomakeapositiveimpact intheircommunities,please contactourCommunityEnabler Teamon0800585360toget signedup!
CustomerslivingatMillbourne Road,Cheddar,saidtheywanted theirgardenstofeelmoresecure asthecommunalgardensbacked ontoafootpath.
Welistenedtotheirconcerns andarrangedforsomenew woodenfencingtobeinstalledto makeresidentsfeelsaferandto improvethewaythearealooks. Wehopeyoulikeit!
AHomesinSedgemoor customerhasthankedus, andpartnersWayAheadCare andDeltron,forthesupport throughouttheliftinstallationat GibbHouse,Bridgwater.
Duringtheworks,whichsawthe oldliftreplaced,ourCustomer LiaisonOf cer,Dan,wasmade awarethatoneofourcustomers, Gloria,wasapprehensiveabout usingthecommunalstairlift whichhadbeeninstalledwhile theliftwasoutoforder.
Aftercarefulreassurancefrom DanandtheWayAheadCare team,aswellasdemonstrations fromtheDeltontrainingteam, Gloriastartedtousethestairlift onaregularbasis,overcomingher initialfears.
Gloriasaid:“Afterbeing apprehensiveandnervousabout usingthestairlift,theHomesin Sedgemoorteamgavemethe con dencetoovercomemyfearin usingthestairlift,soIwasableto attendmyhospitalappointments.”
TheliftinstallationatGibbHouse waspartofourtwo-yearlift replacementprogramme,which willseeanumberofliftsinour blocksbeingupgraded.
Dansaid:“Weareveryhappywith thesuccessfulliftreplacement programme.Thefeedbackfrom ourcustomersregardingthenew liftsandtemporarystairliftshas beenfantastic.”
Youcanreportincidentsofantisocialbehaviouronourwebsite?Pleaseensureyoudetailall informationandtheimpactthattheantisocialbehaviourhashadonyoutohelpusreviewtheincident andseehowwecanhelp
We areenjoyingbeing back outand aboutinthe communitycarrying outour Walkabouts.
Thepurpose of ourWalkabouts is to identifyany areasofthe communitywhich couldbene t from improvement
In recent months,we’ve visited West Street,Woolavington, Highbridge, West Huntspill, Sydenham, Cheddar andHamp. We have enjoyedseeingour customersjoinour Walkabouts again, as well as localcouncillors andpartners.
During ourlatestWalkabouts we identi edissues with overgrown hedges,weedingand general y-tipping,which we havepassedontotoClean Surroundings to assistwith. We were also madeaware of issues with cars andtrailersin Burnham-on-Sea,and we are currently workingwithSomerset County Counciland local councillorsto improvethis. During ourHampWalkabout, we discoveredasofawhich had beendumpedinapark, butwe arepleased to saywewere able to remove this.
We have also creatednew Untidy Gardencards,which areapolite reminder to keep your outside spaces neat andtidy. If you receive oneofthese cards,we have explainedwhatcould be improvedinyourgarden andwe will be back in touch to see the improvements.
Wouldyou like to joinusfor your next local Walkabout? Here is when we will be in your area in thenew year:
•Tuesday, January11–join us at ReCreation, RhodeLane, Hamp,at10am
•Wednesday,January19–join us at the shand chip shop at Bitham Walk, Woolavington, at 10am
•Thursday, January27–joinus at Co-op, Parkway, Sydenham (Fairfax),at10am
•Tuesday, February 8–joinus at West Over Green, BridgwaterCentral (West Street),at2pm,and West eld House, Bridgwater Central (WestStreet),at2.30pm
•Wednesday,February23–join us at Co-op, Parkway, Sydenham (Dunwear),at10am
•Tuesday, March8–joinusat MorlandShops,Morland Road, Highbridge,at10am
•Wednesday,March 9–joinus at St George’s Hall, Kendale Road, Bridgwater Central (Newtown),at2pm
•Wednesday,March 16 –joinus at Crossways Inn, WithyRoad, West Huntspill,at10am
•Tuesday, April5–joinusat ReCreation, RhodeLane, Hamp,at10am
•Wednesday,April6–joinusat Rosewood Hall,Rosewood Close, Burnham-on-Sea, at 10am
•Thursday, April7–joinusat Penn Close, Cheddar,at10am
•Wednesday,April20–joinus at the shand chip shop, Bitham Walk, Woolavington, at 10am
If youcan’t make your next Walkaboutbut wouldliketo raiseany concerns aboutan issueinyourcommunity,let your Neighbourhood Of cer know by emailing customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.org or calling 0800585 360
Ithasbeenabusyfewmonths fortheSedgemoorTenants AssuranceCommittee(STAC).
STACmemberstookpartina workshoplearningallabout customer-ledscrutiny,which isthemechanismweuseto commissionanindependent reviewoftheservicesprovided byHiS.
Itallowscustomersand leaseholderstochallenge thedeliveryofservices,the performanceofthelandlord, andthevalueformoney fortenantsandprovidesa platformforcustomersto makerecommendationsfor improvementsintheseareas.
Thegroupheldaformal committeemeetinginSeptember, wherememberslookedatthe HiSAssetManagementStrategy. TheAssetManagementStrategy hasbeendrawnuptounderpin SedgemoorDistrictCouncil’s BusinessPlanandDevelopment Strategybysettingoutthestock investmentprioritiesforthe physicalcareandimprovement ofitshousingstock.
STACmembershavealsolearnt abouttheHousingOmbudsman’s ComplaintHandlingCode, whichsetsoutrequirements forlandlordstorespondto complaintseffectivelyandfairly, andfoundoutmoreaboutour capitalworksprogram,which includesanoverviewoftheworks wecarryout,suchasbathrooms, kitchens,doorsandroofs
MemberAimeePaynetellsus aboutherexperiencesofar...
Howwould youdescribeyour experience beingaSTAC member so far?
enthusiasticgroupoflikemindedindividuals.
Tell us onething you have learnt?
Ihavereallyenjoyedlearning aboutthehistoryofsocial housingandhowthe GovernmentReformActs havehadanimpactonour presentday
What areyou lookingforward to next?
Iamlookingforwardto workingwiththeotherSTAC memberstoaccomplisha scrutinythatwillbethoughtprovokingwithintegrity.
What does beingaSTACmember mean to you?
“Iwasdelightedtohavebeenselectedas oneofthefoundingmembersofSTAC. “Myfellowmembers,oldandyoung, representarealcross-sectionofHomes inSedgemoortenantsandweareallvery muchlookingforwardtoscrutinisingall aspectsofourhousing.
“Wearereceivingongoingtrainingwhich isveryinterestingandmakingusthink!
“Itpromisestobeaveryrewarding processandonewhichIfeelvery privilegedtobeapartof.”
Martin Heard
MyexperienceofbeingaSTAC memberhasbeenpositive andeducational.Ithasbeen fantastictomeetareally OurcustomerScrutinyPanel continuestoin uencepositive changesandimprovementsto theservicesweprovide.
CustomerGillianwasamember oftheScrutinyPanelsthat lookedatantisocialbehaviour andaidsandadaptations.
Shesaid:“Ienjoyedbeingpartof thescrutinysessionsandfound themveryenlightening.
“Understandingtheprocessand beingabletohaveasayinthem de nitelymakesadifference. “Thankyoufortheinvitation, it’sgoodtoknowHomesin Sedgemoorcares.”
TheWarmHomes Group, whichismadeupofcustomers, hasbeenbusyfindingways to ensure everyone canstay warm,particularlynow when we arespendingmore time in ourhomes.
Thegroup wasoriginallyset up to mark Fuel Poverty Awareness Dayin2020, to focusonaffordablewarmth.
Sincethen, customersand Home in Sedgemoorcolleagueshave continuedtomeetmonthly.The grouphas been looking at:
•Council Agenda -CarbonNeutral 2030
•The standard of currentheating options
•Alternativeheating types
•EPC counts,how it works(EPCwebsite) andaffordablewarmth
•Minimum standards to keep homeswarm
If youare interestedinjoiningany of ourinvolvedcustomergroups, includingSTAC, Scrutiny Panels or the Warm HomesGroup, please contactthe CommunityEnabler Team via email at community.engagement@ homesinsedgemoor.orgorbycalling 0800585 360 formoreinformation.
Wearepleasedtoannounce HACThascerti edour2020 21 SocialValueof£1,369,195. HACTisanorganisationthat partnerswithotherbusinesses acrossthesocialhousingsector todrivevalueforcustomers andtheircommunities.They dothisthroughinsight-led productsandservicesthat encourageinnovationandfoster collaboration.
Sarah,Neighbourhoodand CommunityEnablerTeam Leader,said:“We’redelightedto becerti edforourSocialValue. Ithelpsusmeasuretheoutcomes youwouldnotnormallybeable tosee.
“Italsohelpsusshapeour futureactivitiesandservices tocontinueimprovingthelives ofourcustomersandtheir communities.”
Althoughthisisnotrealmoney, itisanillustrativewayof demonstratingtheworth,or value,inawaywecanrelateto. We usethe Social ValueBank calculator provided by HACT to:
•Providereassurancethatthe servicesandactivitieswe providemattertoourcustomers andthecommunity
•Demonstrategoodvalue formoney
Weencourageourcustomerstotakepridein theirgardensandseekenjoymentandpositive wellbeingthroughgardening.Thisyearwasa bumperyearforentrantstoourcompetition. TheUKSocialValueBankrecognisesgardening andthrough24customerspartakingin gardeningactivitythroughourcompetition createdaSocialValueworth£35,115.
•Quantifythingsthatare otherwisedif culttoquantify suchas,wellbeing,feelingof safetyorgoodhealth
Some of the services we measureinclude:
•Debtmanagementsupport
•Customerinvolvement opportunitiesandactivities
•Communityengagement activities
•Antisocialbehavioursupport
•Supportingpeopletomove tosecureandappropriate accommodation
OurLettingsTeammanagestheprocess ofallocationofourhomes,supportingour customerstomoveastheirhousingneeds change.Alargepercentageofcustomersare newtoHomesinSedgemoorandareaccessing housingforawidevarietyofreasons.
TheUKSocialValueBankrecognisesthe wellbeingvaluewhenpeoplemovefrom temporaryaccommodationorroughsleepingto asecurehome.In2020 21theLettingsTeam supported22householdstomoveintosecure accommodationwithHomesinSedgemoor creatingaSocialValueworth£308,002.
TheIndependentLivingService (ILS)teamprovidestenancy sustainment,support,andthe reassuranceofa24 7alarm systemintheeventofan emergency.
ILSusesaBronze,Silverand Goldservicelevelsystem,based onthelevelofsupportrequired, withactivitiesandevents organisedinyourscheme.
Whatarethebene tsofmoving fromtheBronzeservicetoSilver orGold?
Bene tsfor you:
•Increaseyourindependenceand reduceloneliness
•Yourcareprovider(ifyouhave
one)willhavemoretimeto spendwithyouaswewilllook afteryoursupportneeds,such asimprovingindependence, managing nances,andmaking newfriends
•Assistwithunexpected incidents
•Helpreducetheneedto increaseyourcarehours
•Supportwithwellbeing andlifestyle
•Feelmoresecureinyourhome
•Supportwithnewandexisting healthissues
•Maximiseyourincome
Howcanarti cialintelligence helpsupportthehealthand wellbeingofyouorafamily memberlivinginoneofour IndependentLivinghomes?
Wearetriallingtwodifferent systemswithinourIndependent LivingSchemewhichcould bene tcustomers.
Konnect,byKraydel,isa television-basedplatformhelping oldercustomerslivehealthier andhappierlives.Thetechnology enableseasyvideocalling throughthetelevision.
WearealsotriallingMonicathe Cube,fromMiiCare.
Whethersaying‘hello’byname inthemorning,playingmusic,or monitoringhealth,Monicathe Cube,isaproactivecompanion
whoengagessociallytoprevent lonelinessandpromotehealthy habitsandbehaviours.
Ifyouwouldliketotryoneout foryouorafamilymember,or wouldliketo ndoutmore, thenpleasespeakwithyour IndependentLivingAdviseror callCustomerServiceson 0800585 360.
Alovely94-year-oldladyin BridgwatergaveourGold servicesupportworkera10 outof10forherweeklyvisits helpinghertogetoutand aboutmeetingfriendsreducing herisolationandloneliness.
Wearelookingforcustomers tojoinourShelteredHousing RemodellingAdvisoryPanel!
Anadvisorypanelhas beensetuptokeepour IndependentLivingService customersupdatedonthe progressofthenewschemes andwewouldloveyourinput. Wewouldliketohearyour ideasandexperiencesofwhat shouldbeincludedwiththe newschemes,what’sworked ornotworkedinthepast,and howyouwouldliketoseethe schemestakeshape
Comeandbepartofthenew picturefortheIndependent LivingServicebyjoining theShelteredHousing RemodellingAdvisoryPanel. Forfurtherdetails,contact Angi,HubManagerSouth,or Rachael,ProjectCoordinator, on 0800585 360.
We have always hadtonavigate throughsomuch informationfromenergycompaniestryingtodecidewhich supplier is best,which tariff is most suitable, howtopay etc. Butnow,inthiscrisis, ourchoices arelimited,and many customershaveapproacheduswith questionsonwhatto do in certainsituations.
Maria, Energy SupportAdviser,has triedtoanswersomeof thefrequentlyasked questions:
My supplier hasgonebust, what do Ineed to do?
Youshouldtakeameter reading,apictureshowingthe readisbest.Keepcopiesofyour recentbills statementsandif youhaveanonlineaccount, print,ortakesnapshotsofyour recentbills statementsclearly showingsupplier,dates,tariffand paymentsandbalances.
Youcancancelyourdirect debitifyouwantto,butyou don’tneedto.Ifyoualreadyhave aswitchinprogressthiswill proceedasnormal.
Ofgemwillappointanew supplier.Yoursupplyissafe, itwon’tbedisrupted,andit shouldonlytakeafewdays. Anycreditinwithyourold supplierisprotected.
Yournewsupplierwillcontact you.Whentheydo,asktobeput
ontheircheapesttariff.You willneedtodecideyour preferredpaymentmethod Therearenoexitfeeswithyour appointedsupplierifyoulater decidetoswitch.
Should Ilookfor a xedtariff? Somesuppliersarenottaking anynewregistrationsright nowandsomecomparisonsites areunabletoofferswitching servicesasmanytariffshave beenwithdrawn
Ifyoutakeouta xedtariffnow, youwilllikelybepayingmore thanonadefaulttariff*,which isprotectedbyOfgem’sPrice Cap**.However,withtheCap predictedtoriseagaininApril, youmaydecideto xandpay morenowtoavoidanypotential increaseslater.
Don’tbesurprisedto ndthat any xedtariffsavailablenoware
*Default tariff –standard variabletariffs on creditand payasgometers.
some60%higherthantheywere onlyoneyearago.
Iamcurrently on a xedtariff from before theincrease, should Iswitchnow?
Ifyourtariffwas xedpriorto theincrease,yourratesaremost likelyverygoodcomparedto anythingavailablerightnow.
What happensto my Warm Home Discountpayment?
Ifyouhaveappliedforyour WarmHomeDiscount***and yoursupplierhasgonebust,you shouldreapplytoyournewly appointedsupplier
What should IdoifI’m having dif cultypaying?
Youshouldalwayscontactyour supplierforhelp.Donotavoid talkingtothem.Supplierscan offersupportifyouarehaving dif cultypaying,fromenergy advicetorepaymentplans. Contactingthemisalwaysthe betteroption
credit andstandard prepaymenttariffs.Thiscap can be raised or lowered. Right now, due to theincreaseinwholesaleprices, thecap hasrisen substantially twicethisyearand is likely to go up againinApril2022. *** TheWarmHomeDiscountisa£140payment towardsyourenergycosts.Ifyou have notalready appliedand thinkyou maybeeligible, contactyoursupplier to applyorgototheir websitesearchingfor ‘suppliernameWarmHomeDiscount’
** OfgemPrice Cap-thisisa limitset by Ofgem on how much asuppliercan chargeconsumersfor standard
Thesearedif cultandunpredictabletimes,supportisavailableshould youneedit.Youshouldapproachyoursupplierinthe rstinstance.
Youcanalsotalktothefollowing:
•CentreforSustainableEnergy- 0117 9341400 orvisit www.cse.org.uk
•CitizensAdvice- 08001448848 orvisit www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Youcan work outhow much your home appliances cost to runusing an online electric calculator?You can nd it at www.sust-it.net/ energy-calculator.php.
Many people across Devon andSomersetare eligiblefor afreehomesafetyvisit from Devonand Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.
Thesevisitsareofferedby DevonandSomersetFireand RescueServiceaspartofapublic servicetoensuretheyaredoing everythingpossibletohelp peoplelivesafelyintheirhomes.
What happens during afree homesafetyvisit?
DevonandSomersetFireand RescueServicewillarrangefor oneoftheirfriendlyHomeSafety Technicianstovisityouinyour home.Thevisitusuallytakes
around45minutes,duringthis timetheywillidentifyandassess anyrisksinthehome,provide advicearoundsaferbehaviours andmayprovideequipmentto helpreducerisks.
Fire safety equipment
Aworkingsmokealarmisavital startwhenitcomestoprotecting yourselfandyourhomefrom re, butthereareadditionalitemsyou maybeoffered.
Forexample,forthosewhoare deaforhardofhearing,there aresensoryalarmsthathavea strobelightandvibratingpadin additiontothestandardsmoke alarmsound.Assessmentswill
It’s that time of year when your household maybe shellingout extracosts for food,decorations andmore.
Contentsinsuranceisdesignedto helpprotectyourpossessionsand personalbelongings,andcould justcostafewpoundsamonth.
TheCrystalInsurancescheme offerscoverfor re,theft,water damage, oodsandmuchmore.
Overthefestiveperiodorother religiousfestivals,theCrystal schemeautomaticallyincreases thecontentssuminsuredby £1,500or15%(whicheveris thegreater),foronemonth beforeandonemonthafter thespecialoccasion
To ndoutmoreaboutthe CrystalInsurancescheme,which
wasdesignedforsocialhousing customers,youcan:
•CallCrystalon 0345 4507286
•Requestanapplicationpack fromyourlocalhousingof ce
•Visit www.crystal-insurance. co.uk andrequestsomeoneto callyouback
Inordertostreamlineour paymentprocesses,andtoalign DirectDebitcollectionsmore tocustomers’actualpaydays, wewillnolongerbeoffering fortnightlyorquarterly(garages only)DirectDebitsasaway ofpayingrentfromApril2022 onwards.
Thesechangesmeanyoucan payeitherweeklyonaFridayor monthlyonanydaybetween1st28thofeachmonth.
Ifyoudon’twanttowaituntil March2022tochangeyour DirectDebit,youcanchangeyour DirectDebitfrequencynowby contactinguson 0800585 360
Within ourCorporate Strategy amain objective is to providegreat services forour customers. This also linksinwithour CustomersFirst Strategy andour back-to-basicsapproach.
Asanorganisationstrivingtobe theBestManagingAgentby2023, ourcustomerserviceiskey,and thereforebecomingamemberof theInstituteofCustomerService (ICS)seemedtobethenext logicalstep
TheICSisanindependentnot-forpro torganisation,withthekey aimtoimproveperformanceof organisationsthroughenhanced customerservice.
Bybecomingamemberthis year,wenowhaveaccesstothe
UKCustomerSatisfactionIndex whichallowsustobenchmark andcompareourperformance against13industrysectors. Ourultimategoalistoachieve theServiceMarkaccreditation whichwillvalidateourCustomers Firstcommitmentandtheculture ofHiS.
Toachievethis,allcustomers andcolleagueswillbesurveyed, andtheresponseswillthenbe assessedbyanIndependent Adjudicator,viatheICS.
Customersarelikelytobe contactedaroundMarch2022.
Ifwemeettherequiredscores, thenwewillbeawardedthe ServiceMarkaccreditation Thiswillbeanincredible achievement,asitisa nationalstandardsowillreally demonstratethatwearean organisationdedicatedto providingthebestservicetoour customersacrossallserviceareas.
Yourfeedbackfromour quarterlySTARsurveysprovides uswithavaluableinsightinto howyoufeelweareperforming asyourlandlord.
Fromthis,weproduceayearly actionplanbaseduponourresults andyourcomments,withboth goodandbadfeedbacktakeninto accountsothatweensureweare improvingwhereneeded,butalso continuewiththeaspectsthatyou havetolduswearegettingright.
Ourfocusforthecomingyear hasastrongemphasisonabackto-basicsapproach,linkedtoour CustomersFirstStrategy.
Ifyouareaskedtoparticipate inasurvey,pleasedotakepart, sothatwecanlearnfromyour feedback,andyouwillalsohave thechancetowina £50Loveto Shop voucher.
£50 LOVETOVOSHOPUCHER
Allcomplaintswereceivehelp ustoreviewourservicedelivery andensurewearelookingfor continuousimprovement
Itisclearfromthelastquarter thatourrepairsservicehasnot recoveredfromthebacklogof worksacquiredduringlockdown, andwearelookingtoaddress thisurgently.
Wehavealsoreceived adversefeedbackaboutour emergencyoutofhoursrepairs service,andsoareinvestigating alternativemethodsofdelivering thistocustomers.
Wearehappythatwehave beenabletore-instateface-tofaceviewingsofpropertiesfor potentialnewcustomersagain duringthislastquarter,asithas beendif culttodiscussproperty expectationsonaremote basisandhasresultedinsome complaints.
Anotherkeyareaoffocus,aswe continuetoresumeourusual servicedelivery,willbetackling persistentantisocialbehaviour inourneighbourhoods,and workingwithotheragenciesto addressthis
YoucannowaccessourlandlordperformanceviatheHousingOmbudsmanwebsiteat www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk.
Ourlandlord2019-20performancereportshows:
•ThecategoriesoftheenquiriesandcomplaintsreceivedforHiS
•TheoutcomesoftheHOdecisions
•ThetypesofordersmadeforHiStoputthingsright
•ThetimelinessofHiScompliancewithorderswherethetargetdateforcompliancewasduring2019-20
On July 21,2021, theGovernment decidedthatall five existing councils in Somerset willbereplaced by anew singleunitaryauthoritybyApril 2023.
Thismeans that SedgemoorDistrictCouncil alongside Mendip District Council, Somerset West andTauntonCouncil andSouth Somerset District Councilwill join with Somerset County Counciltoformanew unitaryauthority
AsanArms-LengthManagement Organisation(ALMO),Homesin SedgemoormanagesSedgemoor DistrictCouncil’shousing stockthroughamanagement agreementbetweenbothparties. Thisagreementhasjustbeen reviewedforafurther30 yearsandeveryoneatHomes inSedgemoorhopesthatwe willcontinuetoserveyouand manageyourhomesinthefuture. Therearelotsofthingsforthe newauthoritytodobeforeit goesliveinApril2023andwe willbehelpingtheauthorityin anywaythatwecanwhilstatthe sametimeworkingwiththem tounderstandtheiraspirations
foraffordablehousingacross Somerset.
Onceweunderstandmore abouttheseaspirations,Iwill letyouknow.
Fornowthough,wehavesetup adedicatedmailboxtoanswer anyquestionsyoumayhaveon localgovernmentreorganisation Theaddressis: HiS.LGR@homesinsedgemoor.org. Alternatively,youcancalluson 0800585 360 orwritetousat HomesinSedgemoor,Bridgwater House,KingSquare,Bridgwater TA63AR.
Ourproject,calledStrive,isafree, online,12-weeksupportcourse offeringadvice,training,support, tipsandtricksforthoselookingto starttheirownbusiness
Thisisachancejoinagroupof peoplewhoareallstrivingtostart abusinessandget:
•One-to-oneadvicefroman experiencedentrepreneur
•Weeklylivetrainingsessions oneverythingfrombrandingto book-keeping
•On-demandaccesstoextra coursesyoucanusetolearn anywhere,anytime
•Groupdiscussionswith otherresidents
•Achancetoentercompetitions withcashprizesandfeedback fromguestexperts.
Theprojectwillallbedelivered onlinesoallyouneedisadevice tologontotheinternetandthe drivetoworkonmakingyour businessideahappen.
eAtHomesinSedgemoor,we arecommittedtolisteningto ourcustomers.
Toseehowwecanimprove ourcommunicationswith youwehaveconsultedwith involvedcustomersaswellas usedsocialmediaplatformsto gainyourfeedback.
But,toensureweare providingtheopportunityto heareveryone’sfeedback,we arepleasedtocon rmthat wewillbecarryingoutafull customerconsultationinthe newyear.
Thisconsultationwillgive customersthechancetotell uswhattheylikeandwhat canbeimprovedwiththe communicationswesend outtoyou.Thiscoversall communicationsincludingour newsletters,AnnualReport, socialmediachannelsandour website.
Wewanttohearhowyou preferbeingcommunicated withandhowoften.
Welookforwardtocontacting yousoonandlisteningtowhat youhavetosay
Theteambehindtheproject hasworkedwith100sofpeople lookingtostartabusiness. Ifyouthinkthisisforyou, pleasecontactourCommunity EnablerTeambyemailing community.engagement@ homesinsedgemoor.org orcalling 0800585 360.
WewillbeonhandthroughoutDecembertohelpwhenyouneed us,andouroutofhoursemergencyrepairsservicewillcontinueto run24 7.Ourgeneralweekdayopeninghoursare9am-5pm,except Wednesdayswhenourlinesopenat10am-5pm.
Weareexcitedtobeholdinga Christmaswindowdecoration competitionforcustomers!
Weareaskingcustomersto decorateyourfrontwindows withabitoffestivesparkleso getyourtinselandbaublesat theready.
Therewillbetwocategories, oneforadultsandonefor children,withprizesawarded tothewinnersandrunnersup ofboth.
hoursare:
Friday,December31 9am–1pm
Monday,January 3Closed
Atallothertimeswewillcontinuetoprovideouroutofhours emergencyrepairsserviceonourusualcontactnumber0800585 360
Applicationsopenon December1,andcloseon Friday,December17.Our judgingpanel,madeupof involvedcustomers,willbe outchoosingthebest-looking festivedisplay,whichreally capturestheChristmasspirit, onMonday,December20. So,don’tbeaScrooge andenter!Call 0800 585360 oremail community.engagement@ homesinsedgemoor.org to enterbeforeitistoolate!For moreinformation,visitwww homesinsedgemoor.org.
Winnerswillbeannouncedon Thursday,December23.
We will be sharingdifferent festivecommunity events happeninginand around your area on ourFacebookpage. So,keepaneye out!
Devonand Somerset Fire andRescuehas puttogether12top tips to help keep youand your family safethisChristmas.
1. CheckyourChristmastreelightsareingood workingorderandconformtotheBritishSafety Standard.Neveroverloadelectricalsockets.
2. AlwaysswitchoffyourChristmaslightsbefore yougotobedorgoout.
3. NeverplacelitcandlesnearyourChristmastree, decorationsorfurnishingsandneverleavea burningcandleunattended.
4. Decorationscanburneasily-don’tattach themtolightsorheaters
5. Keepmatches,lightersandcandlesoutof children’sreach.
6. Therisksofaccidents,especiallyinthekitchen, aregreaterafteralcoholisconsumed-takecare ifyou’rehavingafewfestivedrinks.
7. NeverleaveyourChristmasdinnercooking unattendedandmakesureyouswitchoffthe ovenandhobifyou’releavingthehouse.
8. Makesurethatanyvisitorswhoarestayingwith youoverthefestiveperiodknowwhattodoin theeventofanemergencyandpracticeyour escapeplan.
9. Many resstartwhenpeoplefallasleepwhile smoking,ensureyouextinguishcigarettes properlyandneversmokeinbed.
10. Ifyouareplanningoncelebratingwith reworks,storetheminametalbox,readthe instructionsandnevergobacktoalit rework.
11. Remembertotestyoursmokealarmeveryweek anduseChristmasasaremindertocleanitand removedust
12. ThisChristmastakethetimetocheckonelderly relativesandneighboursandmakesuretheyare resafe.
Formoreinformation about re safety,visitDevon andSomersetFire andRescueService’s websiteat www.ds re.gov.uk
When experiencing financial strain,itcan be overwhelming when you think abouthow much debt youare in andhow to start reducing it
The rststepistoidentifyyour prioritydebtsastheyarethe mostimportantonestopay rst andcouldcauseseriousproblems ifnotresolved.Thisincludes paymentsforyourrent,water, gas,andelectricity
Writedownyourdebtsand putthemintheorderofmost importanttotheleastimportant Non-prioritydebtssuchasyour mobilephonebill,unpaidwater billsorpaydayloanswillbe lowerdownyourlist. Ifyouoweseveralcompanies money,it’sbesttocontactthem assoonasyoucantosetupa repaymentplanthatisaffordable foryou.TheCitizensAdvice BureauorStepChangecan supportyoutodothis.
Work outhow much youare goingtospend on each person –and stick to it.Besensible andstick to abudget.
If youare having problems paying your rent youmay be abletoclaim Housing Bene t or UniversalCredit housingcosts.
Shoparound. Tryasmany differentplacesaspossible to ndthe best price. Be wary of extended warranties; thecostof arepaircould be less than the cost of the warranty.
When nancial problems occurask forhelpstraight away before they getout of control.
Once Christmasisover, start planning howyou will do things next year. This might also be agoodtimetostart saving, so whynot joina Credit Union?
Youcangetfree,independent, con dential,andimpartial advicefromCitizensAdvice Sedgemoor–visit www. sedgemoorcab.org.uk/openinghours or 0344 4889623 for moreinformation.
Rent Free Weeks2021:
Keep things simple. Payfor your goodsoutright with cash or debitcardifyou canaffordto.
Don’t forgetyour normal weekly bills. Rememberyour rent, Council Tax, gas, electricity andfoodhavetobecovered andother existing debtsstill have to be paid.
Planning, budgeting anddisciplineare keyto avoidgetting into debtat Christmas. If you’re spending runs outofcontroldebtcould become away of life.
Thisyear,theRentFreeWeeksaretheweekscommencingMonday,December20,2021andMonday, December27,2021.
Ifyoupaymonthly,orareinarrears,theRentFreeWeekshavealreadybeencalculatedintoyour paymentsandyoushouldcontinuetopaythesameamountinDecember
Enterour Christmaswordsearch. Findall10wordsfromthelist,thenreturnitalongwiththe completedentryform.
Name:..................................................................................................................
Address:..............................................................................................................
Telephone:..........................................................................................................
Pleasecompleteyourdetails forachanceofwinninga £25voucher.
Sendyourcompletedentryform to:HomesinSedgemoor, BridgwaterHouse,KingSquare, BridgwaterTA63AR,email customer.services@ homesinsedgemoor.orgor messageusonFacebook.
Closingdate: Monday,January31,2022
MrsM,ofBurnham-on-Sea,andMrsH,of Bridgwater,whowon£50worthofLove2Shop vouchersfortakingpartintheSTARand Transactionalsurveys.
ToMrsL,ofHighbridge,andMissC,of Cannington,whowon£150worthofvouchers fortakingpartinourcustomersurveyfeatured inthelastnewsletter.
HomesinSedgemoor@HomesSedgemoor customer.services@homesinsedgemoor.org
Don’tforget to followusonsocial media andcheck ourwebsite!
www.homesinsedgemoor.org0800585 360/ 01278552400
Homes in Sedgemoor, BridgwaterHouse,KingSquare, BridgwaterTA6 3AR
