Winter 2014 Housing News

WINTER

2014

housing news The newsletter for Link tenants

Inside: • Winter safety tips and opening hours • Link Property takes on apprentices • Tenant Scrutiny update

www.linkhousing.org.uk

Hello from the editor

We want you to love where you live

♥

We are launching our estate management strategy review and consultation early in 2015.

We will be looking at how we can work together to make our estates and common areas places we can all be proud of.

Welcome to the winter edition of Housing News.

We have included lots of information to help you prepare for winter and the festive holidays.

We are delighted the Tenant Scrutiny Panel won the TPAS ‘Best Practice – Tenant Scrutiny of the Charter’ award in November. This is a great boost for tenants and staff involved and we look forward to hearing more from the Panel soon.

We recognise that tenants and owners get frustrated at the time it takes to resolve estate issues, and that some estates need investment in landscaping to improve how they look and feel.

We want to involve and empower tenants and staff to work jointly to improve these areas and will be seeking your views at a workshop early in 2015. This discussion will include local budgets and decision-making, grow your own vegetable projects, and let’s see what other ideas crop up!

If you would like to take part in the consultation workshop please contact Eleanor Henderson or Leah Webb, Tenant Liaison Officer, on 03451 400 100 or email getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk

Once again we have included Quids In magazine with lots of information on managing your money.

You told us you want more information about local areas in the newsletter. If you have any news or ideas for articles please email Leah Webb on getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or 03451 400 100.

Wishing you a healthy and happy new year.

Leah Webb Tenant Liaison Officer

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03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

Tenant Scrutiny Panel win TPAS award Tenants Linda Cornwall, Christine Kyle and Elsie Boyce attended the glittering awards ceremony at the Fairmont Hotel in St Andrews on 7 November 2014. Linda (chairperson) said,

The Tenant Scrutiny Panel (the Panel) is an independent group that considers Link’s performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter.

‘We are stunned but also elated with this award in the category Best Practice in Developing Tenant Scrutiny of the Charter’.

Big thanks to Leah Webb for all her hard work and achievement working with us to get us recognised in this way!’

Link Listening We gather your feedback in a range of ways, including local tenants groups, individual contact with staff and tenant consultations. Here are some examples of issues raised by tenants we have responded to recently: Tenant e h t d e w made nts revie l Tena nts Policy and ut Payme ndations abo e recomm ce payments t n en a disturb g in line with r p in ou increas . The Link Gr ion es increas l make a decis il .

Board w in early 2015 his about t

l We organised tenants’ meetings to improve communication about planned heating system upgrades.

l Catrine tenants told us the raised beds in their development needed replanted so staff, tenants and the landscaping contractor organised a planting day. l We repa ired surgery fe the dental nce at Kirk sh The Tenan ts and Res aws. ide Group req uested this nts a they felt th is was ma s king the area lo ok uncare d for and a targ et behaviour for anti-social .

www.linkhousing.org.uk

The Panel is currently examining tenants’ experiences of contacting Link via the Customer Service Centre and the Housing Officer. It is gathering evidence using a range of methods, for example, mystery-shopping, staff focus groups, and a callaudit to test customer satisfaction with the service.

The Panel will report its findings and recommendations early in 2015 to the Link Housing Board and report to tenants in the spring newsletter. l We prov ided small grants to tenants’ g roups to o rga kids panto mime trips nise a other loca l activities nd .

l Bearsden tenants meetings identified problems with drainage and landscaping.

The contractor is now doing remedial works and tenants will be involved in deciding what replanting and landscaping will be done. oal ed football g in l We install rassed area posts in a g e. A tenant Carrickston us this survey told ren safer as makes child ying ey were pla previously th rk. in the car pa

l We produce letters in larger print as standard for te nants who request this.

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Responding to customer feedback Your feedback is the most important measure of our performance.

We use complaints and compliments to review the way we deliver our services to find ways to improve. So far in 2014 the good news is that complaints are reducing and compliments are increasing. We share feedback so that all staff learn from mistakes and are given an opportunity to suggest how we can make things better. Our performance for meeting timescales for front-line resolution is getting better, with 92% within the target of 5 working days, compared to 85% last year. Unfortunately, we responded to only 74% of second stage complaints within the target of 20 working days (77% last year). We have put measures in place to improve this figure for the rest of this year.

Complaints by Service Service

Complaints by Category Category

Number

Failed action

118

Standard of service

85

Communication

24

Contractor attitude

24

Staff attitude

17

Policy

12

Staff error

11

Failed procedure

9

Missed appointment

7 307

Compliments by Service Number

Service

Number of compliments

Repairs – Link Property

84

Repairs – R3

63

Repairs – Link Property

66

Cyclical maintenance

30

Sheltered housing

30

Estate management

29

Tenancy management

14

Factoring

24

Arrears

10

Tenancy management

23

Advice teams

6

Planned maintenance

17

Development

3

Development

14

Customer support

3

Gas servicing

11

Repairs – R3

2

Customer support

4

External contractor

1

Arrears

3

Cyclical maintenance

1

Rent enquiries

2

House sales

1

Finance department

1

Lettings

1

House sales

1 307

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03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

137

REGIONAL ROUND-UP

(L-R) Craig Sanderson, Link Group CEO, Billy Brotton, Larbert High School with the children from the sports club.

Tryst Community Sports Camp Link provided £500 sponsorship to the Tryst Community Sports Club Multi-Sport October Camp. Link’s sponsorship helped hire coaches from the Falkirk area and purchase new equipment for the camp and Larbert High School.

‘Thank you for giving me and my sister the opportunity to go and experience the sports camp. We played dodge ball, football, basketball, table tennis and at lunch time we had a packed lunch and watched a DVD.’ (Amelia, aged 7) The Tryst Community Sports Club is a partnership between Larbert High School, Stenhousemuir Football Club and The Falkirk Community Trust – an outstanding example of sports provision, not only in Falkirk but in Scotland.

Shortlees Community Garden update We are a garden group based in Shortlees, Kilmarnock, and meet on the first Tuesday of the month, from 6.30pm – 8.00pm, in Shortlees Community Centre. We aim to create a new community garden and growing space for our area. Everyone is welcome so if you’re interested in finding out more, please telephone Andy Shade on 01563 257331.

Edinburgh Tenants Federation Registered Social Landlords Group We are a group of tenants of Registered Social Landlords working to achieve tenant and resident engagement in Edinburgh. The group has secured support from the Scottish Community Development Centre as part of its Achieving Community Empowerment Programme. Thank you to Link who provided us with financial support to help set up our group.

Our aim is to identify and encourage best practice in housing services, by sharing knowledge of the issues affecting tenants and residents. This will support landlords to achieve tenant participation to meet the standards of the Scottish Housing Regulator. We aim to increase our membership and work with landlords by holding regular meetings to promote our message of ‘doing things as opposed to being done to’ for tenants and residents.

If you are interested in joining the group please contact Matt Wheatley on 0131 554 2464 or wheatley.matthew@yahoo.com

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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REGIONAL ROUND-UP

Oatlands Development Trust (ODT) ODT is a community led organisation working to influence the regeneration and improve community facilities in Oatlands, Glasgow. It’s had a successful year and delivered a play park for the area and lots of events for local people. It is currently carrying out play park surveys with residents to measure the success of this project.

ODT is looking to create a new community owned and managed building for the Oatlands community. It is in the middle of fundraising for the £190,000 project which will include an open plan function hall, kitchen, breakout room and office. The facility will be used for a number of different community benefits including groups for children, young people and café space for community meetings and consultation events. For more information email OatlandsDT@gmail.com

DESTITUTION CAMPAIGN – STILL HUMAN, STILL HERE

Over the next few weeks, Positive Action in Housing (PAIH) is working to ensure that people who are at risk of destitution have access to basic survival essentials over the Christmas and winter period.

It is making an urgent appeal for financial donations to give direct humanitarian relief and protection for destitute people seeking asylum in Glasgow. An asylum seeker is a person fleeing from persecution, war, violence and oppression in their home country.

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Destitute asylum seekers are forbidden to seek work or access public funds or emergency homeless accommodation. Many have fallen into long term destitution and are part of Europe’s invisible citizens.

Everything offered is donated by the people of Scotland, as well as social housing providers, voluntary organisations, trade unions, universities, schools, faith groups and many others. Please note that ALL money donated to this appeal goes towards providing direct humanitarian relief to destitute refugees.

If you would like to donate you can do so safely and securely at PAIH’s Justgiving page www.justgiving.com/Winter-DestitutionAppeal or if you would like to volunteer or find out more contact them on 0141 353 2220.

03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

FREE computer classes in West Dunbartonshire Link, in partnership with West Dunbartonshire Library Service, is running an eight-week computer beginners course for tenants at our office in Dalmuir.

This training, part of the Quest course run by the local library service, is normally only available in libraries.

The trainer, Hugh Beattie, said,

“There is a good vibe in the class, lots of questions, and very interactive.”

Tenants are half-way through their course and have completed the sections on using and understanding the computer, word processing and are looking forward to learning how to use the internet. Everyone finishing the course gains a completion certificate.

We are planning to run the course again early in 2015.

To book a place contact Kerry McCall on 0330 303 0106 or email TTAS@linkhaltd.co.uk

Affordable Warmth Dividend in Glasgow The Affordable Warmth Dividend is a £100 payment made by Glasgow City Council to residents who are 80 years old and older (on or before 31 March 2015) to keep warm during winter.

Application forms are available on the Council’s website at www.glasgow.gov.uk/ affordablewarmth or from your local Revenues and Benefits Centre or by telephoning 0141 287 7961 before 31 March 2015.

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Remembrance centenary To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One we spoke to two Link tenants about their memories of war time.

Tommy is a Link tenant from Claddens Place, Glasgow, and is looking forward to celebrating his 100th birthday on 19 March 2015.

Tommy was stationed in France, Holland, Belgium, Egypt, Tunisia, and Algiers. Here is just one small part of his amazing survival story from the Dunkirk evacuations in 1940.

Tommy was an instrument mechanic and was stationed with a Major’s Company (comprising four men) when they were in Belgium trying to find their way back to their unit. They found themselves staying in a small town in the local Mayor’s house. The Major sent Tommy

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out to get more supplies of ‘baked biscuits for the journey’.

The Major’s interpreter, an Irish Captain, volunteered to go with Tommy. On the way they met French soldiers who told them the Germans had captured the food stores and advised them to go back and leave the area immediately. They met a man on the way, Tommy said, ‘he looked like an entertainer, in top hat and tails and shiny shoes, he reminded me of Jack Buchanan, he was pleading for his life.’ The French soldiers suspected the man was a spy, so they shot him.

They immediately left the Mayor’s house and headed for Holland, but Holland was not safe so they headed back to Belgium. They were isolated from British troops in the heart of deserted land and nearby the German frontier. Eventually they came upon a section of 18 British troops. The Major instructed Tommy to stay with the men and head to Dunkirk where troops were being evacuated. They walked for days and on the way they met two little boys, aged 7 and 10, whose parents had been killed by a bomb. They let the boys walk with them and took them to the ‘Mound’ (a church and place of

refuge for women and children near Dunkirk).

When they arrived in Dunkirk the group was advised to split up into twos as they had more chance of getting on a boat evacuating the troops back to England. Tommy was partnered with a man called Christie. There were thousands of men on the beach, communication and orders were confusing, and a chaotic scene ensued. German and British planes fought in the skies above just three miles away and every 15 minutes they were instructed to take cover in the sand dunes then get back in the queue for the boat. Tommy didn’t do this. He met a man with ‘three pips on his jacket’ indicating he was a Captain’s rank. The man said to Tommy, ‘I am not a Captain, I just found this jacket and put it on.’ They saw ‘a wee boat’ and the three of them got on it, but they soon realised it was not seaworthy, he said, ‘we were all at odds and ends with ourselves’. They entered the water to try and get on another boat. Tommy was up to his chest in water when they were discovered, and ordered back on to dry land. Tommy told the man with the Captain’s jacket

03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

to shout instructions that would allow them to enter the water to try and get on a boat. It worked.

He was up to his neck with water again, but Tommy could not swim, he tried his best but was sinking. His jacket filled up with air and allowed him to float. He got hold of the anchor on the boat and pulled himself round where he managed to climb on.

Just as Tommy thought he was safe, they realised the

boat’s hold was full of water and it was going nowhere. A nearby Frigate was rescuing men from the boat, Tommy and his two comrades made it and they set sail to Dover.

Tommy made it back to Dover.

He served five more years in the army and returned to his family in 1945, aged 30.

Official accounts estimate 11,000 men died at the battle of Dunkirk, 40,000 were captured and 338,226 evacuated.

HELEN’S STORY Helen is a Link tenant from Balmore Place, Glasgow.

Helen was 12 years old when she was evacuated with her three younger sisters at the beginning of the war in 1940 to Skye. Her dad was serving in the army and her mum stayed at home in Possilpark with another two young children and Helen’s older brother. Helen’s memories of this time are vivid and the experience was difficult for her looking after her three sisters. She remembers the woman who they were sent to stay with was not nice, they stayed in the attic of a big house and had to walk four miles to the school. They were put to hard labour in the peat fields, and she remembers always feeling hungry and longing for home in Glasgow. Helen’s mum and dad agreed a secret code with her to let them know if

they weren’t being looked after properly. She was instructed to write ‘God save the King!’ at the bottom of her letters. She wrote to them and put this on every letter. When her dad was on leave, he borrowed a friend’s motorbike and came to visit them. They told him what was happening and he went home to arrange tickets for them to come home. Soon after, their mother sent news she had bought them train tickets and they were to come home. On the departure day no one woke them (they needed to get up at 5am to walk to the bus) they walked for four miles in cold wet weather and missed the bus connection that was to get them to the train. The next day the police arrived at the house and instructed the lady of the house to make sure the children were woken to travel to get their bus. Helen remembers staying up all night to make sure they made the bus the next time.

They spent the rest of war time at home in Glasgow and can remember the local school and houses being bombed.

www.linkhousing.org.uk

9

Winter safety

Do you want to build a snowman?

Whilst we hope you enjoy the magical feeling that snow brings (think Oleg the snowman from Disney’s Frozen!) we want you to be safe this winter.

Follow these top tips for keeping safe: l Make a household plan and collect together the items that will be essential to you and your family in an emergency. For example, a torch and candles. l Make your home more energy-efficient, keep dry (protect pipes and know how to turn off the water supply if you need to) and stay connected (keep a battery-operated radio and a list of emergency contact numbers to hand). l If you have medicines that you take on a regular basis make sure you have enough supply should you be unable to go to the pharmacist for a few days. Over the festive season it is important to know when your GP will be open. l Ensure you have access to a shovel and salt or grit to clear snow and ice from paths and drives.

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03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

Preventing burst pipes Follow these tips to prevent waste pipes freezing: l Check dripping taps and overflow and report any faults quickly. Whilst waiting for repairs staff to arrive for a dripping tap, keep the plug in the sink or bath to prevent water freezing in the waste pipes. Note nothing can be done about a frozen pipe until it defrosts. l Keep your home warm, day and night, by having your heating on low. l Use draught excluders. l Cover your water tank (for those who don’t have a combi-boiler). l Close your curtains to stop heat escaping.

If you get a burst pipe: 1.

Turn off the water supply at the main stopcock, the electricity supply at the mains and the water heater. Call us on 03451 400 100 if you need advice over the phone to do this.

2.

Turn on all the taps to drain your system.

Collect water in the bath or sink for washing and flushing the toilet.

3.

4.

Inform your neighbours in case it may affect them.

Telephone Link or the emergency contractor if outside office hours (see back page for phone numbers).

PREVENTING CONDENSATION MOULD Condensation is the biggest cause of dampness and starts as moisture in the air, usually caused by cooking, washing or drying clothes indoors.

When the moist air hits cooler surfaces it turns into water, which can lead to mould. Follow these tips to prevent any problems: l Keep heating on a low setting all the time and wear extra layers l Cover pans when cooking l Turn on extractor if you have one l Always vent tumble dryers outside the home l Close the door when having a bath or shower l Wipe condensation off windows l If you dry clothes indoors, open a window l Leave space between the back of furniture and the wall to allow air circulation.

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Paying for tenants’ repairs HOME INSURANCE – ARE YOU READY FOR WINTER? Link has negotiated a great rate for home contents insurance. The cover has been designed to help you insure your belongings against burst pipes and water damage as well as theft, vandalism and fire. Premiums for standard cover start from as little as £1.33 a fortnight (for tenants aged under 55) and just £1.02 a fortnight (for tenants aged 55 and over), and just 82p a fortnight for residents of sheltered housing. These premiums are for standard cover. You can also increase cover for an additional premium to include extended accidental damage cover, cover for wheelchairs/scooters, hearing aids, and personal possessions cover (for items away from the home).

Exclusions and limits apply to all covers. All premiums can be paid fortnightly or monthly by cash, on a monthly direct debit basis or annually. Get a free information pack by visiting www.thistletenantsscotland.co.uk or by emailing tenantscontents@ jltgroup.com or telephoning 0845 601 7007 or 01628 586 187.

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A growing number of tenants are not paying for repairs which are their responsibility and it is costly for Link to chase this debt. Our process will change from the 1 February 2015.

When you call us to carry out a repair which is your responsibility, you will be told how much it will cost. You can then decide if you want to call your own contractor or if you want Link to carry out the repair for you. If you choose Link, you will be asked to make a payment over the telephone of at least 25% of the cost of the repair and agree to pay the rest in three instalments.

The most common rechargeable repairs and their costs are listed below. These are examples of costs which you are liable for if you cause the damage.

Repair

Cost

Lock change due to lost keys

£65

Blocked toilet

£50

Blocked sink/shower

£50

Board up window

£50

Tripped electrics

£50

Renew double glazed unit

£150

Renew glass to single glazed window

£95

PLEASE NOTE if you call us outwith office hours there is an additional £20 added to each cost.

We also plan to restrict the repairs service that is provided to tenants who do not maintain their repayment agreement.

If you are interested in giving us your views on this please contact Leah Webb on 03451 400 100 or email getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk

03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

GAS BOILER SAFETY Failure to service and maintain gas appliances can result in fires, explosions and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO is a highly poisonous gas, you cannot see it, taste it, or smell it, but it can kill quickly with no warning.

Gas Safe Registered engineers need access to your property every year to carry out a Landlord’s Gas Safety Inspection. If you don’t allow us access to carry out the inspection you are placing yourself and your family at risk. If we have to force access to make the system safe you will have to pay the costs to break in to your home.

Follow these simple steps to keep you and your family safe. l Allow the Saltire engineer access on the planned date to allow your gas appliances to be serviced. l New or second hand gas cookers must be installed by a Gas Safe Registered engineer l Check for warning signs – lazy yellow or orange flames, black marks on or around the appliance and excessive condensation in the room. l Look out for the six signs of CO poisoning – HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, BREATHLESSNESS, NAUSEA, COLLAPSE AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS. l Regularly test carbon monoxide alarms by pressing the test button. l Do not block air vents or flues.

REMEMBER If you smell gas, fumes or your CO alarm is activated, please call the free Gas Emergency Services emergency line immediately on 0800 111 999.

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Annual rent increase 2015

RENT CONSULTATION 2015-2016

Each year we review how much rent you pay to make sure it covers the services we provide and our properties are managed and maintained to a high standard.

We will carry out an in-depth review of our rent policy in consultation with tenants during 2015.

Keeping rents affordable is a high priority, and we are responding well to the challenges we face as a result of welfare reform measures. The 2015 rent increase proposal will be in line with the current policy which was agreed following a consultation exercise in 2012 to use the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rather than the Retail Price Index (RPI). Based on the current rate of CPI the increase is likely to be around 2.5%.

We want to explore available options, for example, the consequences of the rent increase decisions on services and investments and agree with tenants how we can meet expectations and ensure rents remain affordable.

If you would like to submit comments to the Link Group Board (which makes the decision in January) please telephone Leah Webb, Tenant Liaison Officer, on 03451 400 100 or email getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk by 12 January 2015.

Management and maintenance administration 25p

Loan finance 17p

POUN

D

Depreciation 23p

ON

E

We will publicise the consultation to all tenants next year and provide a range of ways for everyone to have their say.

Bad debts 2p

Planned/cyclical major repairs 16p

Reactive maintenance costs 17p

Landscape Maintenance – how are we doing?

As the growing season comes to an end and winter is upon us, we want to know what you think of our two contractors. We will contact a sample of tenants in winter and summer months by telephone to conduct a satisfaction survey.

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JMK Groundcare Ltd covers the west areas and Land Engineering Ltd the east and central areas. We are in year two of a four-year contract, and hope some of you will spend a few minutes talking to a member of the Technical Services Team to help us improve the service. We will tell you the survey results in the spring newsletter.

03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

Advice Service for Link tenants Our Advice Service offers free, confidential and impartial advice to all Link tenants to help maximise household incomes and minimise outgoings.

We have achieved: l

Over £1 million from a range of benefits awarded to Link tenants with the assistance of Welfare Rights Team.

l

Over 2000 referrals dealt with by providing assistance to tenants with benefit matters.

l

Over £1 million of debt managed for tenants.

l

Over 270 referrals actioned for assistance with financial products and budgeting.

l

Successful Digital Roadshow event in Glasgow.

If you require any advice or assistance please do not hesitate to contact us.

l

‘Techy Tea Parties’ held within Sheltered Housing Complexes.

For benefits advice telephone Welfare Rights on: 01324 417174 or email Adviceserviceteam@linkhaltd.co.uk

l

Introduction of laptop loan scheme.

This is achieved by offering a variety of specialist services including: l Provision of advice and information on a range of benefits l Assistance with dealing with debt l Provision of digital inclusion advice l Provision of energy advice These services are provided by two specialist teams: Welfare Rights and Tenant Transition Advice Service (TTAS). These services are delivered by telephone advice, home and office visits, information roadshows and weekly open surgeries.

For money, digital and energy advice telephone TTAS on: 0330 303 0106 or email TTAS@linkhaltd.co.uk You can refer yourself to the Advice Service via our mobile phone app. Just type www.linkhousing.org.uk into your internet browser in your mobile phone or tablet device and you will able to access the Link mobile app. Just click on the Get Advice button.

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Link is proud to be diverse We believe that diversity is a good thing for our communities. Here are a few stories to show the equality and diversity work we are involved in: Hi, my name is Christopher, I am a Link tenant from Catrine. I am registered blind and Link has helped me to sustain my tenancy by assisting me adapt my property. I also participate in the Tenant Scrutiny Panel and estate walkabouts with the housing officer in my area. I have a computer on loan from Link and they supported me to access specialist training. I am now using email and this has helped me keep up to date with Panel papers and stay in touch with my family.

Hi, I am Lynsey Murphy and I am the Housing Officer covering South Lanarkshire. There is a range of languages spoken by tenants in the areas I manage.

We have translation services available although we often rely on tenants’ friends and families to help them communicate with Link. I hold weekly surgeries to support tenants in my area and I enjoy learning about other languages and have even picked up a few words myself!

Link tenants, Stanislava and Alan, work as volunteers for the Forth Valley Migrant Support Network. This is an independent organisation set up to support migrant workers from Eastern European countries whose ambition is to live and work in Scotland. They help with CVs, communicating with Link and other landlords and provide practical support like access to translation, internet and phones.

Prefer large print or alternative format?

Would you prefer communications from Link in a different format? We are now able to respond better to tenants’ preferences for receiving information in bigger print size. We don’t want you to have to request this each time you get a letter. Please call the Customer Service Centre on 03451 400 100 or email csc@linkhaltd.co.uk to let us know and we will update our records.

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03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

Link says ‘You’re Hired’ to its new apprentices Link will produce this information on request in Braille, Audio Tape, Large Print and Community Languages.

To find out more, telephone us on 0330 3030 124.

Link welcomed the first three apprentices to be taken on as part of Link's in-house repairs and maintenance service, Link Property.

In partnership with Falkirk Council's Employment and Training Unit we secured three new apprentices, Jordon Tapping, Danny Kleinman and Connor Mathieson for plumbing, electrical and painting and decorating trades.

Connor Mathieson said:

LINK CELEBRATES LIVING WAGE COMMITMENT Link has been accredited as a Living Wage employer.

“I am really enjoying my job and have already been helping my mentor, Jim Durning, to paste and hang wallpaper. I am really interested in painting and decorating and I was delighted when I was offered the apprenticeship with Link.”

The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Link, regardless of whether they are permanent employees or third-party contractors and suppliers, receive a minimum hourly wage of £7.85 – significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.50.

Link Group Chairman Peter Foreman said, “Link is a successful social enterprise, delivering a wide range of housing and care services. That has only been possible because of the commitment, dedication and enthusiasm of our staff. One of our strategic objectives is to sustain their good health and wellbeing and essential to that is appropriate remuneration, a key element of which is paying the Living Wage.”

(L-R) Connor Mathieson (Painter), Danny Kleinman (Electrician), Jordan Tapping (Plumber).

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Sheltered News

Ann Fearon remembered The recent passing of Ann Fearon, Sheltered Housing Officer at St Andrews Gardens in Airdrie, was a devastating blow. The significant attendance at her funeral (comprising family, friends, tenants and colleagues) was a testament to the esteem in which she was held. She was renowned for her energy, kindness and professionalism and for ‘going the extra mile’. She will be greatly missed.

Ice and snow Please take care during winter months, when snow and ice conditions can be expected. Local councils have a responsibility to clear and grit main routes. Link does not carry out routine snow clearing and gritting of pathways so avoid any unnecessary journeys when the weather is bad.

Sheltered Housing Officers will not call contractors to undertake this service. Grit bins will be available and kept stocked up.

Staffing update Jeanette McQueenie retired as cleaner at Peel Court in July and Cathy Doyle has been appointed to fill the vacancy.

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Matthew Shaw, a social work student who spent his work experience with us in the early part of this year, has joined our bank of relief Sheltered Housing Officers.

Techy Tea Parties Craig Stephenson, Link’s Digital Inclusion Officer, recently held Techy Tea Parties in Albany Court and Peel Court to help residents with all things computery (a technical term). Residents were shown some of the many interesting and useful aspects of the internet were given help with mobile phones and any other internet devices they wanted to use.

Tell us your Story We are looking for tenants who would like to share their story about how moving to a Link home has positively impacted on their lives.

We are developing a new website and would like to include real-life stories about how people’s health, wellbeing, financial situations and relationships improve when they become a Link sheltered tenant.

Any information that is used will be anonymous, unless you give us permission to use your name. If you are interested, please let your sheltered housing officer know and we will come and meet you.

03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

Do you know anyone who would like to become a Link tenant?

We are finding some sheltered flats take a little longer to allocate than they used to.

Please let your friends, family and members of any clubs or groups that you attend know of the advantages of living in a Link Sheltered property and encourage them to register an application with our Homehunt team. Call 03451 400 100 and select option 3 for more details.

Tenants & Staff Interview Panel The four members of the panel will be assisting when we interview for the new Sheltered Housing Officer for St Andrews Gardens in Airdrie, following the sudden death of our colleague Ann Fearon.

Interviews will take place on 10 December and we hope that the successful candidate will join the team during January 2015.

Your views count Our cleaning staff and contract cleaners carry out a cleaning programme that is agreed with your Sheltered Housing Officer. Over the coming months we will ask your views on the quality of work undertaken, and if there is anything that we need to change. We would be grateful if you would complete the short questionnaire when it arrives.

What’s on in your area l Information is being circulated to each complex about events being organised by Sheltered Housing Officers and tenants to celebrate Christmas. l The Saturday night group from Castings House visited Erskine Hospital to drop off a donation of £175.00 and spent some time looking around the garden centre and Nick Nairn restaurant. l Tenants from Glen Lyon Court enjoyed an afternoon wandering down memory lan at Summerlea Heritage park in Coatbridge and suggest that others should visit this free attraction. l Tenants and staff in Claddens Place organised a spooky Halloween party.

www.linkhousing.org.uk

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WAYS TO PAY YOUR RENT There is a number of ways to pay. You can choose the one that suits you best:

by Telephone Call Link on 03451 400 100 or allpay on ℡ Pay 0844 557 8321 – to pay by credit or debit card.

by Direct Debit Call Link on 03451 400 100 to set up a  Pay Direct Debit. over the internet Pay over the internet using either a  Pay debit or credit card at www.allpayments.net. Make sure you have a note of your allpay reference number.

by Cheque or Postal Order Cheques or postal orders  Pay should be made payable to Link Housing Association Ltd. If a cheque is dishonoured, we reserve the right to make a charge against your account to cover bank charges plus handling costs.

WINTER HOLIDAY OPENING HOURS We are closed 25, 26, December 2014, 1, 2 January, and re-open on Monday 5 January 2015.

Pay using the allpay app You can download the allpay app onto your mobile phone to make payments this way.

£

Pay by Cash You can pay your rent for no charge in any Post Office, shop or garage which displays the Paypoint, E-pay, Payzone or allpay logo using an allpay card. Any payments you make are applied to your rent account within 24 hours and you will be given a receipt to confirm payment.

We are open 9am-5pm on 24, 29, 30 and 31 December 2014.

The Customer Service Centre, housing officers and repair service will operate as normal on these days.

Emergency contact numbers for when the office is closed during winter holiday period Gas Boiler and Heating Repairs

• Gas Boiler or Heating less than 12 months old?

Call Devine Energy on 0131 660 22 99 • Gas Boiler or Heating over 12 months old?

Call Saltire on 03451 400 100 and select option 1 Other emergency repairs

• Call Link Property on 0800 783 7937 (out-of-hours service provided by Bield 24) if you live in West or Central Scotland • Call R3 on 03000 99924 if you live in the Borders, Edinburgh, East Lothian, Fife, Midlothian and West Lothian • Call Lochaber HA on 01397 702 530 if you live in Fort William or Skye & Lochalsh HA or 01478 612035 if you live in the Highlands (Kyle of Lochalsh)

Link Housing Association Limited is a company registered in Scotland under the Companies Acts, Company Number: SC216300, Registered Office: Link House, 2c New Mart Road, Edinburgh, EH14 1RL. Registered as a Property Factor Id: PF000355 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Interim Permissions Reference Number: 643282. Part of the © Link group 2014.

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03451 400 100 or csc@linkhaltd.co.uk