Larkfield News - Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

larkfield news creating a better neighbourhood

WELCOME to the summer edition of Larkfield News. In February, we

celebrated our 20th anniversary as a landlord having acquired 565 homes following a successful transfer from Scottish Homes in February 1997. Now we own and manage 382 properties and provide services to an additional 566 owners.

Over the past 20 years we have invested over £8 million to improve our homes, and have worked hard to deliver customer-centred services within the heart of the Larkfield community. We are now looking to the future and working in partnership with Link, we are building new affordable homes within the former St Gabriel’s site in Braeside. Frances Beattie, Chairperson.

OPEN DAY Larkfield kicked off a year of community events, celebrating our 20th anniversary, with a Tenant Open Day on 28 February. The day gave staff and Committee members an opportunity to celebrate and engage with tenants and community stakeholders.

Local organisations including Heat Energy Scotland, Future Skills Project, Your Voice and Financial Fitness Services were in attendance, providing information about a range of services. There was also a raffle, bingo, live music and speeches, followed by lunch. The raffle raised a fantastic £261 for Motor Neurone Disease Scotland. www.larkfieldha.org.uk

Larkfield resident Caroline Devlin said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the day.

There were great stalls to visit and brilliant prizes to be won at the charity raffle. I’m looking forward to the next one!”

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RODENT TREATMENT We are aware of an increase in rodent activity and are working closely with Pest Control Officers from Environmental Health.

If you have rodents or vermin (such as rats or mice) in your home you should contact Inverclyde Council Safer Communities on 01475 717171 to arrange an inspection by a Pest Control Officer. We will only pay for pest treatments required within the home where the tenant’s living conditions are not deemed to be causing the infestation. We will also assist by carrying out works to block access points, identified by the Pest Control Officer.

To help us resolve this problem we need you to: • Keep your bin lids closed • Keep garden tidy and free from rubbish / food waste / nesting materials • Refrain from feeding birds • Ensure grass is kept short We will be carrying out inspections of our gardens over the course of the summer.

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Community Cinema We will be hosting two community cinema events in the coming months. The first for over 50s and another for famililes.

The first event is for over 50s in August. These afternoon events are very popular so join us at the Community Hall for a light buffet lunch before the film premiere.

The second event is for families which we hope to host before the end of the school holidays.

If you are interested in attending please contact our office and leave your contact details.

We will be in touch once dates have been confirmed. If you have any suggestions for the film choices, please let us know.

Estate Management During the summer months, the Housing Management team will be carrying out garden inspections and checking communal areas are clean and tidy. Please ensure your garden and hedges are maintained during this time. We would also like to remind you that brown bin collections have recommenced. while recycling at the same time.

01475 630930 info@larkfieldha.org.uk

We would like to highlight the main points of our Customer Service Standards.

This policy outlines what you can expect from our staff and what we expect from you as our customer in return: If you call us, we will: • Answer the telephone promptly • Call you back – if you have asked us to – within 24 hours where possible and within three working days

If you write to us, we will: • Respond within three working days where possible and no later than five working days to email and written correspondence • Inform you if it’s going to take longer • Include a contact name and telephone number, together with any other information needed (e.g. reference number)

If you email us, we will: • Acknowledge receipt of your email within 24 hours • Respond within three working days where possible and no later than five working days to email and written correspondence

Our standards are what you should expect from Larkfield, but we also ask that you: • Treat our staff with courtesy, respect and dignity • Keep any appointments that you have with us • Give us the information we need to help you • Give us your views and suggestions to help us improve our services Later this year we will be revising our Customer Care Standards as part of our commitment to put you first and deliver services that are accessible to everyone. We are keen to hear your views. You can comment or make suggestions to help us improve our Customer Service Standards by contacting us: Telephone: 01475 630930 In person: 14 Lothian Road, Greenock E-mail: info@larkfieldha.org.uk Website: www.larkfieldha.org.uk

www.larkfieldha.org.uk

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UNIVERSAL CREDIT Universal Credit is replacing a range of benefits and Tax Credits and will combine them in one single monthly payment.

You may be able to claim Universal Credit (UC) if you’re on a low income or out of work. UC is paid once a month, usually into your bank, building society or credit union account and you can apply for UC online. You will also need to attend an interview at your local job centre plus.

Department of Works & Pension (DWP) will contact you to tell you the time and date of your interview and at this interview you and your work coach will agree next steps including any job activity. You’ll get your first payment around six weeks after applying online if your application is successful. Make sure you check and tick the verification box so you are offered an interview as failure to do so will result in your claim being cancelled. The amount of UC you can get depends on your circumstances and income.

Your UC payment is made up of a basic standard allowance and any extra amounts that apply to you. To be eligible for UC, you must: • be 18 or older • be under state pension age • not be in full time education or training • not have savings over £16,000

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Universal credit & your rent As part of your monthly UC payment you can also get help with your housing costs. How much you get depends on your circumstances.

Remember that you are responsible for paying your rent so you can ask for this to be paid directly to Larkfield.

Follow these steps to apply online for Universal Credit: • Sign into your UC account • Report a change in circumstances straight away • Add a note to your journal and check your journal twice daily • Check when your next payment will be made • Ensure that your work coach is kept informed of any change in circumstances Your online journal will keep a record of all activities and messages.

Useful telephone numbers and website: DWP/Universal credit helpline: Telephone – 0345 600 0723 Text phone – 0345 600 0743 Inverclyde Advice First (for claimants) 01475 715299 DWP claim www.gov.uk/apply-universal-credit You may find it easier to use this tear off slip to make a note of your login details.

Username:.................................................................................

Password:..................................................................................

E-Mail:........................................................................................

If you make a claim for Universal Credit you should contact your Housing Officer to tell us you have made a claim. If you need help in completing a Universal Credit claim please contact the Housing Management team on 01475 630930.

01475 630930 info@larkfieldha.org.uk

GAS SAFETY You are required to allow our gas contractor access to carry out a Landlord’s Gas Safety Inspection each year. This inspection covers your gas appliances such as central heating boilers, gas fires, gas meters, gas pipe work and gas cookers (visual inspection only). It also includes a servicing check on your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to ensure your safety.

FIRE SAFETY You will no doubt be aware of the recent tragic event at Grenfell Tower in West London, which has been covered widely in the news.

We want to reassure tenants that we take fire safety very seriously. We undertake regular stock condition surveys and inspections ensuring buildings remain safe and maintained to the highest standards.

Larkfield tenants and owners can also help support fire safety in their building by ensuring that communal areas are free of any fire hazards.

If you have any concerns about your personal fire safety you can arrange a free home safety visit from a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service safety officer. They can

call at your home in order to provide any or all of the following: • A free fire safety check of your home • Provide and install free smoke alarms (if required) • Free fire safety advice and information If you would like a free home fire safety check, we can make a referral on your behalf. If you would like to arrange a fire safety check yourself, please call 0800 0731 999 or text fire to 80800.

Alternatively, contact your local fire station: Greenock/Gourock 01475 722222 Port Glasgow 01475 741222

www.larkfieldha.org.uk

If we contact you to arrange your annual check please respond immediately to arrange a suitable appointment with our contractor Gas Sure to carry out this important and necessary check.

How do I test my Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms?

Regular testing is an important part of Fire and carbon monoxide testing.

Alarms should be tested weekly to ensure everything is working correctly.

Direct Test from the alarm • Check that the green light on the alarm is on (this shows that it is receiving mains power) • Press the ‘Test’ button for 10 seconds • The alarm will sound loudly so that you know the alarm is functioning If your alarm is not functioning or starts unexpectedly beeping, please contact us for further advice.

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Larkfield Owners Access to Grants External Wall Insulation and Associated Works

INVESTING IN OUR HOMES During 2016/17 we invested over £500,000 in our homes.

We installed 80 new high energy efficiency central heating systems, 18 adaptations, five replacement bathrooms. We also carried out a full electrical re-wiring upgrade to two of our properties and structural steel repairs and insulated cladding to one of our Atholl Steel blocks.

Our Planned Maintenance Programme for 2017/18 includes: • Replacing 60 gas central heating systems • External wall insulation works to 20 homes • 100 electrical safety tests • 50 energy performance checks • Chimney removal works to 46 homes

You may have noticed that some homes in your area are having e external wall insulation (EWI) installed with a new dry dash render.

Inverclyde Council successfully secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area based Schemes (HEEPS:ABS) budget to install external wall insulation (EWI) to targeted properties within the Inverclyde area. The Wise Group are Inverclyde’s managing agent and have been able to pull together a funding package that will help deliver these improvements.

Installing EWI and a new dry dash render system varies dependent on the size and condition of the individual properties concerned.

The Scottish Government's HEEPS:ABS provides homeowners with an opportunity to reduce the amount of money spent on fuel bills by making homes more affordable to heat. Installing external wall insulation could help reduce your energy bills by up to £270* a year. *Savings figure source: Energy Saving Trust, (02/14). Actual savings depend on individual circumstances.

The EWI programme started in March 2017 and their presence on site is time restricted. Please call Home Energy Scotland now if you are interested in this work. If you rent your property from a private landlord you may wish to inform your landlord of this programme.

If you wish to register for this programme, please call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282, where one of their team members will discuss additional Scottish Government grants, which you may also be eligible for.

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01475 630930 info@larkfieldha.org.uk

Rent Consultation – Feedback At the start of the year we asked for your feedback on the proposed rent increase from April 2017 of 2.5% for all Larkfield rents.

There were a total of 57 responses, the highest response we have received to date.

How tenants responded: % Q1 Who believed that their rent represented value for money

81%

Q2 Who felt that their rent was either very affordable or affordable

53%

Q3 Who felt that their rent was either barely affordable or unaffordable

24%

Q4 Who were currently in receipt of full Housing Benefit

23%

Q5 Who agreed with our proposed rent increase of 2.5%

63%

In February, the Larkfield Management Committee agreed the proposal to implement a lower rent increase of 2.0% from April 2017.

In implementing this low rent increase we can: • assist our tenants, some of which are experiencing financial hardship;

The Management Committee agreed this recommendation taking account of:

• apply a rent increase which we believe will fall below the Scottish average

• the positive response from tenants to the consultation

• still make adequate budgetary provision for both short and longer term needs of the business.

• the increases proposed by other RSLs operating in Inverclyde

Larkfield’s annual rent increase of 2% for 2017/18 is one of the lowest for general needs RSLS operating in Inverclyde

• the budget requirements for the business including future investment to our stock

www.larkfieldha.org.uk

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Office closure Our office will be closed for the September holiday weekend on Friday 4 September and Monday 7 September 2017.

LARKFIELD OWNERS All Larkfield owners were issued their landscaping maintenance charge for 2016/17 in May 2017.

Payment was due by 19 June 2017. For anyone who hasn’t paid their annual charge please contact us to make a payment and to avoid a late payment charge.

We can discuss repayment options and arrange a suitable repayment option with any owners in financial difficulty. Owners can also spread the cost of their charge over the year. Weekly or monthly payments can be set up using your Allpay card or by setting up a Direct Debit. If you wish to set up a Direct Debit please contact our office.

Involving our Customers We are currently reviewing our Tenant Participation Strategy and Action Plan for this year. Larkfield’s Management Committee approved a draft strategy and action plan at its meeting in June, which states we will: • Publish our Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) by 31 October • Publish our Annual Report for 2017 • Establish a tenant led scrutiny panel • Carry out telephone and other ad hoc surveys to gather tenant feedback • Carry out annual tenancy visits • Re-develop our website • Explore customer portal (self serve digital option) for tenants • Hold a tenants open day and community events throughout the year • Develop new tenancy handbook

We are keen to hear your views and suggestions of how can involve our customers in what we do. You can comment on our strategy or make suggestions to help us improve our tenant involvement by contacting us: Telephone: 01475 630930 In person: 14 Lothian Road, Greenock E-mail: info@larkfieldha.org.uk Website: www.larkfieldha.org.uk If you would like a full copy of our proposed Tenant Participation Strategy and Action Plan please contact the office.

14 Lothian Road, Larkfield, Greenock PA16 0PG t: 01475 630930 f: 01475 636111 e: info@larkfieldha.org.uk www.larkfieldha.org.uk Office Opening Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am – 4pm Wednesday 9am – 12.30pm. Closed Wednesday afternoon We will produce this information on request in Braille, Audio Tape, Large Print and Community Languages.

Larkfield Housing Association Limited is a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, Registered Number: 2509 R(S), Registered Office: 14 Lothian Road, Greenock PA16 0PG. It is a Charity registered in Scotland, Charity Number: SC032418; a Registered Social Landlord with the Scottish Housing Regulator, Registration Number: HCB 293; and registered as a Property Factor Id: PF000279. Part of the Link group © Link Group Ltd 2017.

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01475 630930 info@larkfieldha.org.uk