Link Housing News - Spring 2017

SPRING

2017

housing news The newsletter for Link tenants

Inside: • Link 6 update, the journey so far • It’s all going on in Sheltered • Universal Credit roll out – how will it affect you?

• Meet the team – get involved!

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Welcome to the Spring 2017 edition of our tenant newsletter Since taking up my role as Director of Housing Services, we have been busy concentrating on six areas of business.

This has resulted in a number of improvements to the way in which we deliver our service.

Planning our business for the year ahead, we will continue our journey of concentrating on these areas and you, as our customer, will be at the heart of everything we do.

1. Consulting and engaging with tenants 2. Working towards a Customer Excellence Accreditation 3. Preparing for welfare reform and social security changes 4. Continuing our review of sheltered housing for older people 5. Service improvements 6. Alleviating homelessness and sustaining tenancies We want to be well placed to deal with the changes caused by welfare reform and the impact it will have on our tenants. We must ensure we can support people who need our help to pay their rent.

NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMITMENTS We aim to provide you with a high quality home, built and looked after to the highest standard. In addition, we want to ensure the area outside of your home is also kept to a high standard and one you can be proud.

In Spring 2015, we worked with tenants to draft new standards for improving neighbourhoods.

Over 40 tenants discussed with senior staff on what makes a great and well maintained neighbourhood, and how tenants, Link and other partners must share responsibility to deliver this.

Tenants also took part in discussions about resources for effective estate management and making tough decisions about budget priorities.

These discussions helped us to produce our “Neighbourhood Commitments�. These commitments outline what standards tenants can expect from Link and, just as importantly, what Link expects from tenants who live in the community.

We list around 40 commitments and new tenants are given a copy of this when they get their new tenancy. Our Neighbourhood Commitments is available on our website on www.linkhousing.org.uk/servicestandards Alternatively, if you would like a hard copy please get in touch.

We also want to provide value for money for the services you receive and we will be consulting with you later this year on our rent levels, our allocations policy and overall satisfaction with our service.

I look forward to your contribution to help shape future improvements.

June Green

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Universal Credit Roll-out You may be aware that the UK Government has begun to introduce Universal Credit (UC) throughout the UK. Over the next 18 months, full Digital Universal Credit will be rolled out across Scotland.

Local Authority Area

Universal Credit Full Service

East Lothian

March 2017

Clackmannanshire

June 2017

Stirling

June 2017

East Ayrshire

October 2017

South Lanarkshire

October 2017

North Ayrshire

November 2017

Fife

December 2017

South Ayrshire

February 2018

West Lothian

February 2018

Falkirk

March 2018

Scottish Borders

March 2018

North Lanarkshire

April 2018

Renfrewshire

May 2018

City of Edinburgh Council

June 2018

East Renfrewshire

June 2018

West Dunbartonshire

June 2018

Glasgow

September 2018

When UC is rolled out in your area, it will mean that if you are currently claiming one or more of the following means tested benefits you will be invited to claim UC which will replace these benefits. You will be contacted by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and your job coach to explain what you will have to do to claim UC. If you do not claim UC as instructed by the DWP your benefits will stop. l Income Based Jobseekers Allowance l Income Related Employment and Support Allowance l Income Support l Housing Benefit l Working Tax Credit l Child Tax Credit If you are not currently claiming a means tested benefit but your circumstances change requiring you to make a claim, you will have to apply for UC. If you are already claiming a means tested benefit and your circumstances change, you will have to claim UC instead of the means tested benefits you currently receive.

If you would like further information regarding how this will affect you, please contact your job coach at your local Jobcentre. Alternatively, contact Link’s Advice team on 01324 417 174.

You can also get further information about Universal Credit from the Department of Work and Pensions website www.gov.uk/universal-credit

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HELP AND ADVICE Link’s Tenant Transition Advice Service can help you with all aspects of money advice. This includes helping you manage a budget, negotiating with creditors, support with debt solutions as well as advice on savings.

The service is free, confidential and impartial and has been hugely successful.

“Just wanted say a big heartfelt thank you to Lauren Shields of Link’s Money Advice Service. We recently had cause to seek her assistance and I can honestly say she is a lovely lady who has helped take a lot of stress off our shoulders”.

The service can also help you be more “digitally equipped”, to help you apply for jobs or benefits online. Our Digital Inclusion Officer, Kerry Roberts can support and help you get online by providing one-to-one training. She can show you how to use tablets or mobile

Meet the team

phones, set up social media accounts and help you stay safe and secure online. You can also be shown how to look for and apply for jobs online.

You can also access a free laptop / tablet loan scheme.

This gives you the chance to try a laptop / tablet for six months – giving you the opportunity to try before you buy!

If you think you could benefit from money advice or digital support please call 0330 303 0106 or email TTAS@linkhaltd.co.uk

Lyndsey Murphy, Tenant Engagement Officer

Lyndsey will be working with Eleanor Henderson, Tenant Engagement Administrator and will be based in our Falkirk Office. Lyndsey and Eleanor will be responsible for keeping you up-to-date with what’s happening in Link, especially about issues that might affect your home and community.

The Tenant Engagement team holds various events, meetings and consultations to ask your views on any changes to the services you receive.

Lyndsey became part of Link’s Tenant Engagement Team in January 2017 and will be covering Leah Webb’s maternity leave until October 2017.

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Those of you from the Lanarkshire area will recognise Lyndsey from her previous role as a Housing Officer. For the past 12 years she has worked for Link Housing in various customer services roles and this

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experience has provided Lyndsey with a wide range of skills and knowledge of the dayto-day operations of a large successful housing association, committed to involving tenants.

Lyndsey is looking forward to meeting more of you during the next few months at local events taking place in your communities. Please come along and say hello.

We would love to hear your ideas.

To contact the Tenant Engagement Team, call the Customer Service Centre on 03451 400 100 or email us at getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk

Tenant scrutiny update GET INVOLVED CALENDAR SPRING/SUMMER 2017 Spring

The Tenant Scrutiny Panel’s role is to independently assess Link’s performance, make recommendations and highlight good practice. The panel is currently looking at planned maintenance – in particular how Link replaces kitchens.

The Panel uses a range of methods to review the planned maintenance programme, including site visits to other local authorities and Registered Social Landlords, interviewing contract managers, holding staff focus groups and carrying out tenant satisfaction surveys.

The Panel has met with tenants who recently had a kitchen installation in Dennistoun, Glasgow; Laurieston, Falkirk and Grangemouth to find out how any work affected them, what worked well and what could be improved. Recommendations from the Scrutiny Panel’s findings will be reported to the Link Housing Board and published in our Summer Newsletter.

• Members of the Tenant Scrutiny Panel speaking at the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland Conference • Tenant Scrutiny Panel Inspection Planned Maintenance – Kitchens • Results of TPAS Tenant Participation Accreditation Gold award • Training for Registered Tenant Organisations • Growing Beardmore, Clydebank Get Digging Event • Planned Maintenance and Repairs Consultation

Summer • Link Bus Tour – a week of events and visits to meet tenants in your communities • Growing Beardmore, Clydebank – Community Garden Open Event • Tenants Information Service (TIS) National Excellence Awards and Annual Conference Annual Conference 2017 • Anti Social Behaviour Consultation

We provide a range of ways for you to get involved in consultations including regional focus groups, local tenants groups and online surveys. Tenants on the consultation register will be invited to participate by letter, email and via our website and social media accounts.

Please contact us on getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or 03451 400 100.

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Linkscape is growing!

We brought you news in the summer 2016 newsletter that we are expanding Linkscape. Linkscape is established to encourage tenants, owners and staff to work together to make, and sustain, environmental improvements in some of the neighbourhoods in which Link works.

Linkscape has carried out works at St Andrews Gardens, Airdrie (pictured), a sheltered housing development, to improve the garden and patio areas to allow tenants to make more use of their outdoor space. The team also transformed a neglected shared garden area at Link’s properties at Hawthornbank Lane, Dean Village, Edinburgh.

It’s not always a ‘Beechgrove Garden’ that tenants want to see. Sometimes simple issues like how household refuse is collected and disposed of can make a difference on how we feel about where we live. During the year, Linkscape carried out a complete refurbishment of the two bin stores at Dochart Path, Falkirk after it was identified during the joint annual neighbourhood inspection with tenants.

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Linkscape’s Fraser and team

If you have any areas you think need the Linkscape treatment, please contact the Customer Service Centre on 03451 400 100.

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On site at our Alva development

Link’s Development Programme This year we will have completed 332 new homes across Scotland and during the next five years will deliver 3,200 more.

While it remains a challenge to build this number of new homes, Link’s Development Team continues to ensure the design, energy efficiency and space standards of our homes offers the very best.

Our Alva development in Clackmannanshire is an example of innovative design and energy efficiency. The homes internals were manufactured in a factory and within a pod and then transported to site. These new homes will achieve Gold Sustainability standard, a first for Link!

Thrushcraigs

Dunbeg Phase 2 Our completed developments include: Project

Total

City Park Phase 2, Edinburgh

87

Dunbeg Phase 2, Oban

25

Thrushcraigs, Paisley

70

Abbey Place, Paisley

38

Barcapel, Newton Mearns

33

Ferrymuir, South Queensferry

11

Eastfields, Glasgow

49

Livingstone Drive, East Kilbride

19

Total

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332

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What improvements are we making in your community?

Our Asset Management team continues to ensure Link’s properties are maintained and improved. During 2016/17, we invested more than £4 million on a variety of planned improvements and more than £1.6 million on cyclical maintenance and servicing works.

Biomass Heating We completed the installation of new biomass boilers to our properties in Luss. This involved replacing inefficient electric systems with new biomass boilers providing heat by burning wood pellets. Although only recently installed, feedback from tenants is positive with many commenting on how the new systems have made it easier to heat their homes.

Re-Roofing Works We continued our works in the Hamilton Street area of Falkirk, with a second phase of re-roofing completed early in 2017. Our contractors have now moved to Port Glasgow, to undertake the reroofing of a further 46 properties.

Heating Systems We achieved 100% compliance in gas servicing with over 5,500 boilers being serviced and inspected during the course of 2016/17. We have also undertaken a significant programme of boiler upgrades and new gas boiler installations. This programme of 200 properties has been completed in Cumbernauld, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Mauchline and Prestwick.

Re-surfacing Roads Until now, Link and neighbouring home owners were responsible for maintaining roads at our Blythswood scheme. Link has now completed a project to re-surface roads and improve areas of streetscape to the local authority standard which allows the roads to be adopted and relieve Link and owners of future maintenance responsibilities and costs.

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Link Property – Quality Assured!

Link Property, Link’s in-house trades contractor, now provides its repairs service across the central belt of Scotland to Link, Horizon and Larkfield tenants. We hope you see the benefit of an improved service which includes repair appointments, high levels of repairs delivered within time and a right first time approach.

To ensure Link Property continues to deliver a quality service, it gained accreditation in ISO 9001, an international certified and industry recognised quality management system to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide services that meet your needs.

In order to continue to retain ISO 9001, Link Property will be subject to testing by assessors to ensure a strong customer focus and continual improvement.

TRIAL OF TEXT REPAIR APPOINTMENT REMINDERS Link Property is trialling a text reminder service for repairs appointments.

We know that it’s easy to forget appointments that have been made, so we are proposing to send a text reminder to your mobile the day before your appointment reminding you of the time slot.

The text will also give you the number to call if the appointment is no longer suitable and you would like to re-arrange it.

We hope this will not only provide better customer service but also reduce the financial loss incurred by our operatives getting ‘no access’ to agreed appointments. The trial is due to start at the beginning of April and we will be gathering feedback from tenants as part of our customer satisfaction calls.

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GAS SERVICING In the UK, an average of 40 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning each year, with many more suffering health issues as a result of gas appliances that have not been serviced or maintained.

We would like to remind you of the importance of having gas appliances inspected annually to ensure safe operation. If you have a gas supply or appliances which have been supplied and fitted by us (for example a gas boiler), we have a strict legal duty to carry out an annual Landlord’s Gas Safety Inspection within 12 months of the previous inspection or installation. Our gas contractor, GasSure, will contact you each year to arrange to do this.

In view of the serious nature of the situation, and the potentially life-threatening consequences of any failure on our part to service our gas installations regularly, we have introduced a policy that involves enforcing entry to those properties where our tenants have refused access or ignored all attempts to make contact with them. This action will only be used as a last resort and you will be charged £150.00 for this Forced Access visit.

In 2016 we carried out 211 Forced Access visits.

Most tenants understand the importance of GasSure visiting to carry out this essential work.

Unfortunately, a small number of our tenants refuse access to GasSure, placing themselves, their families and neighbours at unnecessary risk.

Although we prefer to carry out the required Landlord’s Gas Safety Inspection with your consent, we have the right to force access to carry out this important inspection.

We therefore urge all tenants to work with us to ensure everyone’s safety by allowing GasSure access at the first attempt.

Please contact our Asset Management Team on 01324 417118 for more information.

TENANT CONSULTATION The Asset Management team has been working with the Tenant Scrutiny Panel to review Link’s process and procedure in relation to gas servicing and compliance. Going forward, Link will be holding tenant consultation events about our Asset Management Strategy and Property Maintenance Policy.

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Rent Consultation Feedback During November 2016, we consulted on a proposal to increase your rent by around 2.5% from April 2017. We included an article in our Winter newsletter and invited tenants to participate in a survey. We asked tenant focus groups and the Tenant Scrutiny Panel for their views on the information we should provide to tenants. We acted on their suggestions by including expenditure totals and average costs of kitchen and bathroom replacements in the newsletter article.

Research Resource (an independent consultancy) conducted interviews with 455 tenants. The key results from the survey were as follows: l

78% of tenants believed that their rent represented good value for money. This is similar to the Scottish average of 79%.

l

79% of tenants found their rent either easy to afford (45.5%) or just about affordable (44.6%); 10% found it difficult to afford.

l

78.5% of tenants found heating their homes to a comfortable level in the winter months easy to afford (57%) or just about affordable (28%); 15% found it difficult to afford.

l

At its January meeting the Link Group Board carefully considered the rent increase proposal.

It reviewed the results of the consultation along with information on previous years’ increases and comparisons with other landlords. It also took account of financial considerations. These included an increase in the Bank of England’s inflation forecasts from when the survey information was prepared. The Board acknowledged that cost pressures would therefore be higher in 2017/18 and to protect customer services it approved a rent increase of 2.7%.

We have written to tenants informing them.

75.5% of tenants were satisfied with the proposed rent increase, 27% were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied and 19% were dissatisfied.

If you can’t pay your rent or have difficulties paying please contact us straight away.

We can provide advice and make payment arrangements with you.

Call 03451 400 100 or email csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

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SHELTERED CHATTER Sheltered Housing Asset and Service Review Link is currently undertaking a review of all its sheltered housing developments.

We are looking at the physical elements of the developments and gathering views about the service provided by the sheltered housing team.

Consultation meetings have been arranged in each development and your sheltered housing officer will keep you up to date with details of the meeting being held where you live.

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If you can’t manage along to the meeting, you will still have the opportunity to take part and tell us what you think via a questionnaire that will be delivered by your sheltered housing officer.

Please take the time to complete the questionnaire and to tell us what you think. The questionnaire can be completed and posted back to the sheltered team at Watling House, or you can complete the questionnaire online at https://surveymonkey.co.uk/r/linkSH Everyone who completes the survey will be entered into a prize draw for ÂŁ50 worth of shopping vouchers. If you would like to be entered, please remember to provide your contact details.

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Around the houses 50s Diner make over – Peel Court, Cambuslang The lounge and dining area at Peel Court lounge was becoming tired and dated and the existing table was becoming too small to fit everyone – especially on ‘Fish Tea Fridays’.

Thanks to Bell Group, Dulux and some hard graft

by Link staff, the lounge and dining area was transformed into a 50s style diner – complete with new flooring, tables and chairs!

Tenants are delighted with the new diner/lounge and believe this is something to be proud of.

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THE KAY FAMILY ON TOUR Tenants and staff in our sheltered housing developments at Peel Court, Cambuslang and Albany Court, Denny, enjoyed a night of music and dancing from the Kay Family (which included our Chief Executive Craig Sanderson on drums).

Tenants at Albany Court joined in with the band, producing and playing a range of musical instruments. At Peel Court, staff learned how to do the Gay Gordons.

GLEN LYON COURT, CUMBERNAULD CELEBRATES 25 YEARS!

We would like to thank the Kay Family for coming along and entertaining the tenants and to the staff, Wullie Graham at Albany Court and Nicola Thomson at Peel Court for arranging the events.

Tenants and staff enjoyed an afternoon of fun, tea and cake whilst reminiscing about the 25 years since Glen Lyon Court opened.

Elaine O’Hanlon, Maggie McKerrow, June Green, Julie Brown and Craig Sanderson mingled with the tenants and enjoyed tea and a cake – generously donated by Paul Coyle the tenants’ window cleaner since the complex opened!

It was a lovely day, thanks to everyone who came along!

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Link’s Housing Options We are building affordable homes for sale and for mid market rent throughout Scotland as well as providing low cost initiative schemes for first time buyers.

Since advertising our properties on popular property websites, including Zoopla and S1 Homes, we have had over 800 enquiries since the beginning of the year. If you are interested in our properties, call a member of our team to request further information on 0330 303 0125.

New Supply Shared Equity Properties

City Park, Edinburgh

Mollinsgate, Moodiesburn

Abbey Place, Paisley

Two and three-bedroom flats Prices from £93,000 Due for completion August 2017 Eligibility: Priority to first time buyers

Two-bedroom flats Prices from £78,000 Completed March 2017 Eligibility: Priority to first time buyers

One-bedroom Independent Living Flats Prices from £78,000 Completed March 2017 Eligibility: 60 years and over

Mid Market Rent

LIFT Scheme

We have a number of properties available for mid market rent. To be considered for one of these properties, you must be earning over £15,000 per year. For more information and how to apply go to www.linkhousing.org.uk/ link2let

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WAYS TO PAY YOUR RENT There are various options available to make it easier for you to pay your rent:

LinkGiving Trust The LinkGiving Trust can provide financial assistance (of up to £500) to tenants, service users and community groups who have a connection with Link.

Further information can be obtained by calling 0345 1400 100 or email csc@linkhaltd.co.uk

KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH LINK

Debit or Standing Order: If you wish to set up a  Direct Standing Order or Direct Debit, please contact Link’s Rent Enquiry Team on 0330 303 0801 for advice.

and Postal Orders: Cheques and Postal Orders  Cheques should be made payable to “Link Housing Association”.

To identify your payment please write your name and property address on the reverse of the cheque/ postal order.

You can use your allpay card to make payments ℡ Telephone: using a credit or debit card. Please telephone Link Housing on 0330 303 0801, option 1 during office hours, or call the allpay 24 hour automated service on 0844 557 8321.

Text: Debit or credit card payments can be made using your own mobile phone – register online first at www.allpayments.net/textpay/login.aspx.

You can pay using your allpay card and credit/debit  Online: card at www.allpayments.net.

To download the allpay app for your mobile phone please refer to the www.allpay.net/app.

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Emergency contact numbers when the office is closed Gas Boiler and Heating Repairs

• Call 03451 400 100 Other emergency repairs

• Call 0800 783 7937 (out-of-hours service provided by Bield 24) • Call Lochaber HA on 01397 702 530 if you live in Fort William or Skye & Lochalsh HA on 01478 612035 if you live in 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. It is registered as a Property Factor Id: PF000355 and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Reference Number: 674050. Part of the Link group © Link Group Ltd 2017.

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