Housing news Winter 2017

WINTER 2017

housing news The newsletter for Link tenants

Inside: • Welfare Reform • TPAS Gold Award Tenant Participation • Sheltered Housing Celebrations • Get involved in the rent consultation

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Welcome to our winter newsletter Welcome to this winter edition of our tenants' newsletter which I hope you find informative and interesting. Link Housing is continuing on a journey of change as we prepare our systems and resources for the move from housing benefit to Universal Credit in the coming months. As we operate in so many different local authority areas, we want to ensure we reach all our tenants who need support with these changes. As the roll out programme takes place, it is planned that our Officers will be in the communities visiting our tenants to ensure there is help where needed. Further details will follow early in the new year.

Finally, I wish all our tenants the compliments of the season, and best wishes for a healthy, happy 2018.

June Green Director of Housing Services

We were deeply touched by the tragic events at Grenfell Tower, London.

We would like to assure you that the safety of our tenants is of paramount importance and reassure you that, when carrying out significant improvements of our properties, the design meets with current building standards and the materials we use are independently assessed for suitability in terms of fire safety. During improvement works, additional measures may be carried out by Link to ensure all of the required safety, quality and technical standards are met.

While Link has a part to play as your landlord, fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. We’d like to

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LINK CHARTER REPORT CARD We have published our Charter Report Card for 2016/17 where you can find information on: l l l l

Tenant satisfaction levels Housing quality and maintenance Anti-social behaviour Rents and service charges

The Charter Report Card is based on the information we send annually to the Scottish Housing Regulator.

We’ve included our performance levels during the past three years and compared it to the Scottish average. This means you can see if our performance has improved or deteriorated, and how we compare with other landlords.

You will find the Charter Report Card on our website www.linkhousing.org.uk If you would prefer a hard copy please call us on 03451 400 100.You’ll also find information on the performance of all social landlords on the Scottish Housing Regulator’s website www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk

remind all our tenants to ensure their own electrical appliances are safe and communal areas are kept clear at all times. This includes storing rubbish temporarily or leaving items that might block the access of an escape route and could have a devastating effect should a fire break out.

If you have any questions or concerns about your property or communal areas, please contact the Customer Service Centre on 03451 400 100.

The Scottish Fire Service offer free home fire safety visits and give great advice on fire safety to ensure you and your family are safe in the event of a fire. You can access more information on its website: www.firescotland.gov.uk/your-safety.aspx

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Tenant Scrutiny Update The Tenant Scrutiny Panel’s role is to independently assess Link’s performance, make recommendations and highlight good practice.

Left to right: Link Housing Chair John Flaherty, Tenant Scrutiny Panel members, Shona Gorman, Lindsay Anderson, Elsie Boyce, Director of LHA June Green and Link Group Chair Ross Martin.

Link gets the Gold We are delighted to have achieved the gold standard of Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Scotland accreditation.

This award recognises excellence in involving tenants and other customers in the delivery of housing services. The award itself is validated by an independent panel of tenant participation experts.

In order to achieve the gold level accreditation, we had to demonstrate how we met ten standards outlined by TPAS which are key to effective tenant involvement.

TPAS was impressed by the wide range of engagement opportunities that we offered as well as how our Tenant Scrutiny Panel works to ensure good outcomes for tenants by advising how performance is reported and by independently

assessing services to identify areas for improvement.

Lesley Baird, Chief Executive, TPAS Scotland said: “By achieving TPAS accreditation at gold level, Link has demonstrated that it provides the highest standard of tenant participation. Tenants and other customers are able to get involved in a variety of ways and are empowered to influence decisions. Link continues to be a champion of tenant participation and scrutiny which other landlords can learn from.”

June Green, Link's Director of Housing Services added: “We are absolutely delighted that we have achieved the gold standard. Tenant participation plays a key role in helping Link not only to improve its services and performance but also to identify ways we can do this to meet our tenants’ expectations and deliver added value for money.”

The Panel recently completed an inspection of Link’s planned maintenance programme – in particular how Link replaces kitchens.

The Panel used a range of methods to review Link’s service, these included site visits to other Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords, interviewing contract managers, staff focus groups and carrying out satisfaction surveys with Link tenants during the kitchen replacement process.

The Panel made a total of nine recommendations; it’s report was presented at the Link Group Board in September. During the inspection the kitchen replacement programme was brought in-house. This meant the Panel had the opportunity to input to the new service customers receive; highlighting good practice and how things could be improved from the word go!

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Rent Increase Consultation Rent and service charge increase for 2018/19

How our weekly rents compare to other landlords Average Weekly Rents

We would like your views on our proposal to increase your rent by around 2.6% in 2018/19. On average (excluding service charges), this will mean an increase of £2.05 per week.

Size

Although we want you to be able to afford our rents, we also need to invest in our properties and provide you with quality housing management, repairs and advice services. If we increase our rents by 2.6% we can continue to do this.

You may also pay charges for services such as stair and window cleaning or common grounds maintenance. These charges are calculated on an individual scheme basis and are not included in the above proposed increase.

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Link average 2016/17

Housing association average 2016/17

Studio

£66.35

£69.96

1 Bedroom

£73.28

£77.87

2 Bedroom

£83.61

£78.32

3 Bedroom

£91.73

£86.68

4 Bedroom +

£100.03

£96.36

All properties of the same size across our 22 council areas are used to calculate the average rent. Some properties have service charges and some don’t.

The rent increases we applied from 2014 to 2016 were below average and resulted in a decreasing difference between our rents and the housing association average.

Year increase agreed

Link rent increase

Scottish average

2016/17

2.7%

2.3%

2015/16

1.5%

1.9%

2014/15

2%

2.7%

2013/14

3%

3.5%

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What does your rent pay for?

Your rent is needed so we have money to repair, maintain and upgrade your home, manage neighbourhoods, provide housing management, and grow our business and social aims.

We invest profit and rental income back into services for our customers.

■ Voids & Bad Debts £502,000 ■ Employment Costs £4,472,000 ■ Maintenance £10,595,000 ■ Service Charges £1,497,000 ■ Staff Overhead & Facilities £2,952,000 ■ Depreciation £5,688,000 ■ Loan Costs £5,481,000 ■ Direct Housing Costs £600,000

In 2016/17, your rent was spent on: l Voids and Bad Debts – cost of lost rent between tenancy changes and unpaid rent arrears l Maintenance – planned and cyclical maintenance (e.g. bathroom and kitchen replacements), major repairs and day-today repairs l Service charges – estate management including landscape maintenance, stair cleaning and window cleaning

l Staff overhead and facilities – all back office administration and support staff plus office costs and overheads relating to front line services l Depreciation – reduction in value over the lifetime of our properties l Loan costs – interest on borrowing to build all Link homes l Direct housing costs – property insurance and other property management expenses

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We added value to our maintenance and housing management service by:

What service did we provide in 2016/17?

Your rent allowed us to provide services to over 6,500 tenants.

We: l Completed 25,866 emergency and reactive repairs l Let 803 houses l Resolved 693 antisocial behaviour cases We also spent £5.9 million on cyclical and planned maintenance projects. We: l Upgraded 120 kitchens and 20 bathrooms l Replaced 66 roof coverings l Carried out painter work to 1,210 properties l Carried out gas servicing to 6,132 properties l Completed 281 heating installations We have kept the cost of replacing kitchens and bathrooms the same as last year; the average new kitchen costs £3,006 and the average new bathroom £2,780.

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l Providing more than 1,500 tenants with money and benefits advice l Building 328 new homes l Helping more than 150 tenants get online l Providing City and Guilds ICT training for 23 tenants and laptop loans for more than 100 tenants l Supporting and funding 50 tenant group activities l Directly providing employability initiatives including 37 work placements and nine modern apprenticeships l Obtaining a total of 51 work placements, apprenticeships and new jobs with our suppliers and contractors What can you expect next year?

In addition to the services above, we have budgeted to replace: l l l l l

Windows in 81 homes 256 kitchens 240 bathrooms 401 gas boilers 35 stair/close doors

We also intend to: l Upgrade 254 smoke detectors l Complete external painter work for 877 properties l Invest in neighbourhoods and environmental improvements How does our service compare with other landlords?

Our performance is better than the Scottish average in most areas relating to repairs, property condition and rent

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arrears. Our customer satisfaction survey in 2016 reported 89.5% of our tenants were satisfied with the overall service we provided compared to the Scottish average of 89.7%.

Value for Money Our 2016 customer satisfaction survey found that 78% of tenants felt the rent for their property represented good value for money compared with 71% in 2013.

We want to keep improving value for money for our tenants. We will do this by putting our customers first in service improvements.

Recent improvements include the launch of Link Property’s kitchen and bathroom replacement service.

Affordability The percentage of tenants who found our rents fairly or very easy to afford increased from 34% to 46% in November 2016.

We know how important it is that you can afford our rents and we offer budgeting advice and benefit checks to help you with this. We also ask for your views on rent affordability in our rent increase survey.

This year we considered the affordability of our rents using a method developed by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations. We found that almost four out of five property types were “green” rated with average rents less than 25% of net moderate income – a commonly used indicator of affordability.

What do you think?

We are committed to listening to our customers and acting on your views. We have commissioned an independent market research company, Research Resource, to complete a customer satisfaction and rent increase survey.

To participate in the survey you can: l Telephone Research Resource on freephone 0800 121 8987 l Go online http://www.research resource.co.uk/ linkrentsurvey.html l Speak to Research Resource if they contact you by telephone Who decides the rent increase?

All the feedback we receive will be added to a report, which Link Group Board will consider in February when it makes the decision on what the rent increase will be.

PAYING RENT IS NOT A CHOICE Rent is our main source of income. We can’t provide our service or maintain and improve our homes without it. It is a condition of your tenancy agreement that rent is paid in advance on or before the first day of every month.

Although nearly two-thirds of tenants get help with their rent through Housing Benefit (or the housing element of Universal Credit), every tenant is responsible for making sure their rent is paid on time.

If you are struggling to pay your bills due to benefit cuts and rising household costs, we can help. We can make sure you meet your legal obligation to pay your rent. If you don’t pay, we may have to take legal action which could result in you losing your home.

Preventing and managing rent arrears is a major challenge for us.

We have reviewed our approach to make sure it is effective and fair. This approach is set out in our revised Prevention of Rent Arrears and Debt Collection policy.

It covers: l The help we will give our tenants to prevent them falling into debt l What action we will take to help tenants manage any rent arrears l The circumstances when we would take legal action to end a tenancy You can read this policy on our website. If you would like a hard copy please call the Customer Support Team 03451 400 100 or through live chat on our website.

If you have any feedback on this policy, please email getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or call our Tenant Engagement Team on 03451 400 100.

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Are you ready for

Universal Credit?

You may have heard that benefits are changing with the introduction of Universal Credit (UC). This replaces Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance, Housing Benefit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Employment and Support Allowance.

UC is being rolled out over the next year for new claims only. From late 2018, claimants currently in receipt of existing benefits will be transferred to UC. The Department for Work and Pensions has advised that this process will require the claimant to complete a UC claim form online and attend the Job Centre to agree and sign a Claimant Commitment. Once in receipt of payment, the claimant will be required to pay their rent from their UC payment.

We know some of our tenants will find this adjustment difficult, but we are here to help!

If you need help making a new claim to UC, understanding the transition processes or paying your rent with UC, please speak to your Housing Officer or a member of our Advice Service team.

We will ask you a few questions about what you may be affected by to ensure you get the right help and advice.

DIRECT RENT PAYMENTS Are you making a new claim to Universal Credit or already receiving Universal Credit?

If so, you can ask for your rent to be paid directly to us. If you would prefer to pay your rent this way please speak to your Work Coach for more information.

If you are already receiving UC in a full service area you will be able to apply for direct payments of your rent from January 2018.

You can also request payments fortnightly instead of monthly. Please seek advice before opting for this payment plan as it is not straightforward.

Contact the Advice Service on 01324 417 174 Email: adviceserviceteam@linkhaltd.co.uk

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Have you insured the contents of your home?

Link does not insure the contents of your home or your personal possessions and we strongly urge that you arrange home contents insurance for this reason.

Thistle Tenant Risks can offer all our tenants a chance to insure their contents and personal possessions in an easy and affordable way. This will provide peace of mind, knowing that you are covered for fire, theft, storm, burst pipes, flood and other risks.

Ask your Housing Officer for an application pack, which includes premiums and payment methods, or contact: Thistle Tenant Risks on 0345 450 7286 Visit: www.thistletenants-scotland.co.uk And request a call back today!

Imagine if you were unfortunate enough to experience a flood due to a burst pipe in your home or that of a neighbouring property, which caused extensive damage to your ceilings, carpets, furniture and other personal possessions. Could you afford to replace lost items?

Link is able to repair the burst pipe and damage to the ceiling as we are responsible for the building itself, but it is your responsibility (see your tenancy agreement) to replace your belongings and having home contents insurance would help with this.

We know from experience that incidents occur, which can often leave tenants struggling to find extra money to replace lost, stolen or damaged goods and this is why we strongly urge all our tenants to arrange home contents insurance.

Limits and exclusions apply. A full policy wording is available on request.

Thistle Tenant Risks is a trading style of Thistle Insurance Services Limited. Thistle Insurance Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Lloyd’s Broker. Registered in England under No. 00338645 Registered office: 68 Lombard Street London EC3V 9LJ.

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We are not bystanders We recently asked staff to sign up to the 'No Bystanders' campaign, which is run by Stonewall UK, to help stamp out abuse.

Staff signed a pledge which states they will never be a bystander to hateful language and abuse. If they hear it, they will call it out and report it, and if they can, they will stop it. They promised to stand up for fairness and kindness.

believe we are entitled to be treated with respect and dignity and that the workplace and home are better places when we are.

The pledge is a powerful, public declaration that we will do everything we can to provide a safe environment for our staff to work in and for our tenants to live in. Bullying and hate crime harm people and create divisions. We

Find out more about the campaign on the Stonewall website www.stonewall.org.uk Link is an Investor in Diversity (IID), number 49 in the top 100 companies as measured by the National Centre for Diversity and a Stonewall champion.

ZERO TOLERANCE TO UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS STAFF We treat our customers with courtesy and we expect the same treatment.

Occasionally, the behaviour or actions of individuals using our services make it very difficult for us to deliver those services effectively.

In a small number of cases, the actions of individuals become unacceptable because they involve abuse of our staff.

To help staff manage these incidents, we have introduced an Unacceptable Actions Policy. This sets out the approach taken in circumstances where the behaviour of an individual is considered to be unacceptable.

It applies to anyone who is interacting with our staff and contractors and includes tenants, applicants, owner occupiers and members of the general public. We believe there are three categories that deem actions as unacceptable:

Aggressive or abusive behaviour Aggression that may result in physical harm and behaviour or language (oral or written) that may cause staff to feel upset, afraid, threatened or abused.

Unreasonable demands A demand becomes unreasonable when it impacts on our staff’s ability to deliver services effectively to other customers.

Unreasonable persistence or levels of contact Where some customers will not or cannot accept that Link is unable to assist them further or provide a level of service other than that provided already.

The proposal to introduce this policy was discussed at our recent consultation forums and there was overwhelming support from all attendees that this should be introduced as soon as possible. The policy can be found on our website www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Tackling anti-social behaviour We want to make sure our tenants, and those living in our communities, can enjoy their homes in quiet, peaceful and secure surroundings. That’s why we take anti-social behaviour (ASB) complaints seriously.

ASB includes excessive noise, domestic abuse, harassment, threatening behaviour, hate crime, vandalism, animal nuisance, vehicle nuisance, and drug or alcohol related behaviour.

Although the majority of our tenants are good neighbours, in recent months we have pursued legal action against a minority whose behaviour was causing distress and alarm to other residents.

We took the following actions: l Following complaints from local residents, Link was successful in obtaining its first ASB Order, banning an individual from entering one of our estates l We obtained an Interdict against a Link tenant, preventing them from accessing one of our sheltered housing complexes.

We pursued this action following the perpetrator breaking into our premises and stealing items from within the complex.

We are now pursuing an eviction action against this tenant l We are currently pursuing an eviction action against a tenant whose frequent disturbances, excessive noise, fire raising and lack of control of their dog has caused concerns and distress for neighbours

Fortunately these are rare cases and most neighbour complaints we receive can be resolved without the need for any legal action. We are committed to responding to and investigating all complaints of ASB. On receipt of a complaint we will: l Visit both parties to discuss the problem and to try to resolve the issue l Arrange mediation if you and your neighbour are agreeable l Speak to other organisations which might be able to help, for example Police Scotland or Environmental Health l As a last resort, take legal action against the tenant if a tenant is in breach of their tenancy agreement

Get involved Are you interested in how we tackle anti-social behaviour? We want you to take part in our antisocial behaviour consultation in 2018. The consultation will be advertised on the Link website and social media in February/March 2018.

Contact us at getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or 03451 400 100.

You can report anti-social behaviour by calling 03451 400 100 or completing the anti-social behaviour form on our website.

Any criminal behaviour or activity should be reported to the Police Scotland on 101.

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NEW HOMES 161 HOMES AT CITYPARK WAY, EDINBURGH We recently completed the third and final phase of our development at Citypark Way, Edinburgh. The development comprises a mix of 23 two, three and four-bedroom flats for social rent and 23 flats for sale through the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme.

The flats benefit from generous storage, energy-efficient gas central heating, double glazing as well as parking and a “central park” area.

34 GOLD STANDARD HOMES FOR SOCIAL RENT ALVA Our Alva development comprises a mix of onebedroom flats and two and three-bedroom houses.

48 properties were built with 14 homes transferred to Paragon Housing Association upon completion.

An innovative method of construction was used to build these homes. Pre-manufactured “pods” were constructed in a factory and then delivered to the site by lorry. The pods, completely finished inside with kitchens, bathrooms, heaters

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and full decoration, were then craned onto the site where the external layers were constructed.

The homes have been built to the Gold Standard of Sustainability of the Scottish Building Standards 2015. This means they have excellent levels of insulation ensuring a reduction in running costs compared to standard housing.

The homes also have solar panels, mechanical ventilation heat recovery and air source heat pumps.

Tenants have been given manuals and a short video guide to help them understand and use the technology in their home.

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The first phase of the development was completed in December 2015 and included 28 flats for social rent. The second phase of 87 flats for mid market rent was completed in March 2017.

Buying a home could be more affordable than you think!

Many of our customers tell us that saving a deposit to buy a home is a huge challenge.

The Scottish Government’s New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) or Open Market Shared Equity Schemes (OMSE) can help make home ownership more affordable.

Will McKenzie recently moved into one of our NSSE properties at Citypark Way in Edinburgh.

He tells us how the scheme helped him: “My property is more suited to my needs than any property I would’ve been able to afford on the private market. Not only is the quality of my home incredible, but I was able to purchase a flat with a second bedroom which will be great when I look to start a family in the future.”

Morag Campbell used the LIFT Open Market Shared Equity scheme to help her buy her dream home. Morag said: “At one point I thought it was going to take me years to get onto the property ladder. I had been working hard to save the minimum 10 per cent deposit, and then I found out about the LIFT scheme.

It helped ease some of the financial pressure I felt and, thanks to the scheme, I managed to purchase a home sooner than I thought possible – it only took me around four months!”

We know buying a home can often be a confusing process, especially for first-time buyers. Link has been administering these schemes on behalf of the Scottish Government for a number of years, and during this time we have helped more than 1,500 buyers onto the property ladder.

Need a LIFT onto the housing ladder?

Get a step up via the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme!* Funding for 10% to 40% of purchase price The scheme is aimed at first-time buyers, social rented tenants, disabled people with a housing need, armed forces personnel and recent veterans. *terms and conditions apply

Apply online www.linkhousing.org.uk/LIFT Call: 0330

303 0125

Email: LIFT@linkhaltd.co.uk Follow us: @Link_Group_Ltd or Facebook.com/LinkGroupLtd

If you would like more information about the New Supply Shared Equity or Open Market Shared Equity schemes please call 0330 303 0125 or visit our website www.linkhousing.org.uk

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Property Maintenance Policy and Asset Management Strategy Consultation Thank you to tenants who recently took part in our Property Maintenance Policy and Asset Management Strategy Consultation. From your feedback, we have taken steps to improve the service that we provide.

WE ASKED How often would you like to receive a copy of our planned maintenance programme and how would you like the information to be sent to you?

YOU SAID You would like to hear about work in the planned maintenance programme between one and three years in advance of the work happening. You told us that you would like to hear about this in the tenant newsletter.

WE DID We will provide you with an annual planned maintenance programme in the spring newsletter.

WE ASKED We currently pay disturbance allowance to tenants who have had kitchen and bathroom replacements. In future we are considering using that allowance to provide redecoration and/or basic floor coverings. What do you think of this?

YOU SAID You thought that providing decoration/floor coverings during planned improvements would be beneficial to tenants rather than receiving the allowance.

WE DID We will review the practicality and costs associated with the proposal. We will tell you the outcome in time for the 2018/19 improvements.

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WE ASKED

WE ASKED

Should tenants have a clear rent account prior to having planned maintenance enhancements/ improvements carried out in their home?

What does value for money mean to you, in particular when it comes to planned maintenance? Would you accept longer day-to-day repair timescales if this allowed savings that could be reinvested in planned maintenance?

YOU SAID Overall tenants felt that rent accounts should be clear and not in arrears. Some tenants agreed that in some instances improvements should take place regardless of the rent account and most tenants felt strongly that it is unfair to single out those with rent arrears.

WE DID This proposal will be considered at a Link Housing Board meeting and all concerns raised during the consultation will be addressed.

YOU SAID A majority of tenants felt planned maintenance and repairs timescales offered good value for money and some tenants felt that emergency timescales were excellent.

A few tenants commented that appointment availability was difficult due to work commitments.

WE DID WE ASKED Unfortunately, a small number of tenants refuse to give access for planned maintenance. What are your views when non-access means that work is carried out at a later stage sometimes with further cost implications to the organisation? What can we do to encourage tenants to give access?

YOU SAID You highlighted that a number of factors should be taken into consideration as to why no access is given. Most tenants agreed that forced access should be made if the work is essential for Health and Safety or welfare reasons.

WE DID Procedures will be developed to ensure all factors are considered when a tenant does not allow access for planned maintenance to be carried out. Alternative arrangements will be made with the tenant to ensure the completion of work.

Appointments are designed to be as specific as possible for tenants and we offer AM and PM appointments. There is no plan to change the current timescales. There is no plan to extend services.

WE ASKED At present when we are upgrading bathrooms we install a bath and over-bath showers. Would you prefer to have a shower cubicle instead?

YOU SAID Tenants strongly supported showers being included, but felt choice is key and both options should be available.

WE DID We will assess whether the choice of showers and baths can be provided in new projects from 2018/19. Current bathroom replacements allow for a new bath and an over-bath shower.

For a copy of the consultation report please contact getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or call 03451 400 100.

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Link Academy launches in Falkirk Courses available BASIC COMPUTING CITY & GUILDS This course is open to anyone, and gives participants an opportunity to learn new skills in basic computing. You can learn at your own pace with trainers on hand to support you along the way. The course is run every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm.

STEP ON The Step On course gives young people aged 16-25 in the Falkirk area the chance to improve their employability skills. We work with young people to help them develop their confidence, learn new skills and work on their personal development – all while gaining an SQA qualification.

STEP UP (12 WEEK EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMME)

We have recently opened an employability academy in Falkirk for our tenants and the local community.

At the Link Academy, we run volunteer programmes, employability courses and qualifications, all of which can help you develop the skills, knowledge and experience needed to secure employment.

Our central learning hub is based in the newly opened McKinven House in Falkirk, we also have facilities in Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh and Fife.

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Step Up gives young people aged 16-24 in the Edinburgh area the opportunity to develop their confidence and employability skills while also giving them the chance to gain valuable work experience. We know the importance of developing an experience that’s right for you, and we will work alongside you to discover the best options.

LINK TO WORK Link to Work is a 13-week employability course which is open to anyone over the age of 25. This course runs for two days a week over an eight week period in the training room, then for five weeks in a work placement of your choice.

WORK ABLE Work Able provides support for up to 52 weeks to help participants get into work. The programme aims to give specialist support to people with health conditions. The course plan outlines coaching, training and support you will receive to help you into work or further education.

If you are interested in signing up to any of our courses, please call 01324 466 860 or email linkacademy@linkgroup.org

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SHELTERED CHATTER

Albany Court, Denny Some of our green-fingered tenants have been busy enjoying a spot of gardening. Other tenants got involved by contributing ideas and garden ornaments.

Special requests were made for butterflies, windmills, solar lights and scarecrows! The roses were contributed by individual tenants, so the improvements have been a true joint effort. Well done everyone, it looks fantastic!

Ben Lui, Cumbernauld Four tenants braved the elements and walked 3.5 miles around Broadwood Loch for Cumbernauld Action and Care for the Elderly (CACE), raising ÂŁ149.00.

An afternoon dance was organised to celebrate the achievements of Isobel, Jane, Peter and Malcolm – who were all awarded certificates for competing the course.

CACE provides clubs, activities, functions, afternoon tea dances and transport for the elderly in and around Cumbernauld. A number of our tenants have benefitted from its services for several years.

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Tenants and their families raised over £200 at a MacMillan Coffee morning held on 11 September.

Gordon White won the ‘Best Cake Competition’ with his clootie dumpling.

On hand to help serve the selection of lovely cakes were our very own “naked waiters” Willie Lochran & John Doran from the repairs department.

Maggie McKerrow, Willie Lochran and Rita Young.

Peel Court, Cambuslang Tenants from Peel Court enjoyed helping Linkscape transform the communal garden area.

The tenants welcomed the new patio area, raised beds and refurbished seating. Well done to all the tenants for their hard work.

Sheltered Housing Forum The most recent forum was held at our Morar Court complex in Grangemouth, and was attended by 10 tenants from across our sheltered housing developments.

Attendees were given the opportunity to give their views on the Asset Management Strategy and Property Maintenance Policy.

The theatre comes to Glen Lyon and Ben Lui! GeezaBreak Theatre Productions put on a fantastic show for tenants from our Glen Lyon and Ben Lui sheltered housing complexes.

They couldn’t stop laughing!

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We’re also looking for suggestions on what tenants would like to see discussed at our future forums. If you have any ideas, please speak to your Sheltered Housing Officer about coming along to the next forum.

Dates for your diary l l l l

THURSDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2017 THURSDAY 22 MARCH 2018 THURSDAY 19 JULY 2018 THURSDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2018

Venues to be confirmed

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Glen Park Gardens, Cambuslang Resident Jean Crawford celebrated her 95th birthday with entertainment from singer Lauren Hickey. Jean has been a resident at Glen Park since it opened in 1993.

Glen Park Road, Lochwinnoch Glen Park Road recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with an afternoon tea party.

Mrs Kyle another Glen Park resident cerebrated her 100th birthday with a party for friends and family – some of whom travelled from Canada and America for the big day! Party goers enjoyed dancing and a performance from a singer.

Top ten tips for avoiding a 4) Keep things simple festive debt hangover 1) Plan early Be realistic and budget accordingly. Work out how much you are going to spend on each person and stick to it. Manage expectations as to what you or Santa give.

2) Don’t forget the everyday bills Remember that rent, council tax, utility bills and other existing debts still have to get paid, and the consequences can be severe if they’re not. Even though it’s the festive season, you still have to get your priorities right.

3) Don’t bank on an overdraft Even if you need more money, don’t run up an overdraft without talking to your bank first! It will work out much more expensive.

If you can afford to pay for your goods outright by cash, cheque or debit card don’t be persuaded to take out extended credit unless it works out cheaper.

Link’s Director of Housing Services, June Green, presented longstanding resident Mrs Adams with flowers. Mrs Adams has lived in the development since it opened on 25 August 1992.

8) Do your own credit checks If you’re going to use a credit card, shop around and compare on Money Saving Expert first.

Some cards charge high interest and some are interest free.

5) Shop around Try as many different places as possible to find the best price.

Buy what you want and not what other people say you need. Be wary of extended warranties – the cost of the repair could be less than the warranty.

6) Buy safe to be safe Whatever the deal, don’t buy from unauthorised lenders.

The initial savings could prove to be false.

7) Read the small print Check for hidden extras in the credit agreement and work out the amount payable. Ensure instalments are within your budget before signing.

9) Be organised There’s a lot to remember over the festive season. If you’ve borrowed money, don’t forget it won’t be long before you have to make a payment. Make sure you pay on time, even if it’s the minimum payment or you will be faced with charges.

10) Start planning and saving for next year In the new year, it’s worth looking at what you did well, and what you didn’t. Learn to start planning how you will do things differently. This might also be a good time to start saving for next year.

If you are struggling to pay your household bills or need help with budgeting, please call us on 0330 303 0106.

www.facebook.com/LinkGroupLtd www.linkhousing.org.uk

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RECRUITING NOW Tenant positions available on Link Housing Board

HOLIDAY OFFICE OPENING HOURS CLOSED 25 and 26 December 2017 OPEN 27, 28 and 29 December 2017 CLOSED 1 and 2 January 2018 The office reopens on 3 January 2018

Wishing you a happy festive holiday from Link

l Do you want to help shape the future of Link Housing and represent customers’ views? l As a Tenant Board Member your role will be to bring a customer’s perspective and experience to the discussions of the Board l Develop new skills l Can you attend one meeting every two months in Edinburgh or Falkirk? l Support and training provided l Expenses provided

“I really enjoy being part of the Link Housing Board.

It gives me the opportunity to make informative decisions about the organisation, helping to make lives better for our tenants.”

Arthur Diamond Link Housing Board Member Need more information? Contact Link at getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk CALL 03451 400 100

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. Call Lochalsh HA on 01478 612035 if you live in Kyle of Lochalsh

@Link_Group_Ltd

Facebook.com/LinkGroupLtd

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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03451 400 100 csc@linkhaltd.co.uk