Link Housing News - Summer 2016

SUMMER/AUTUMN

2016

housing news The newsletter for Link tenants

Inside: • All aboard the Link Housing 6 • Digi-tales • Customer satisfaction improvements • New live chat service for tenants

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All aboard the ‘Link Housing 6’ June Green took up the role of Director of Housing Services on 2 May 2016. June has a new vision for Link Housing that aims to put you – our customer – first.

These themes are known as the “Link Housing 6”.

1.

Working towards customer service excellence accreditation

2.

Introduction of mobile technology – providing a more efficient and cost effective way for housing officers to work so they can spend more time with tenants in the community

3.

Preparing tenants for welfare reform and benefit changes to ensure Link maximises its rental income and tenants are able to afford their rent

4.

Consultation and review of processes to ensure procedures are in line with best practice, to reduce waste in processes and make customers’ experiences better

5.

Consult and review the sheltered housing service for customers

6.

Performance review of the Annual Return on the Charter which Link submits to the Scottish Housing Regulator

June says: “There are exciting times ahead as we embark on a journey to reach the “Link Housing 6”, achieving what we have set out during next year. I am looking forward to supporting, motivating and directing staff during what is likely to be a very busy time.”

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LinkChat – A quicker way to get in touch Get live, real-time support without having to pick up the phone. To use LinkChat, access our website www.linkhousing.org.uk via your smartphone or computer.

Click on the “Chat with us” box that automatically appears at the bottom righthand side of the page. LinkChat is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, when the office is open. If you contact us when the office is closed, we will respond to any queries the next working day. Our dedicated Customer Support Team will respond to your query.

New eNewsletter – sign up now

Like us on Facebook We continue to post information about products and services for tenants, available properties and events we are holding on our Facebook page – Facebook.com/LinkGroupLtd If you like our page this doesn’t mean we can see your personal information – just ensure you have your page set to the highest security settings.

We want to issue our newsletter electronically. But before we can do this, and as part of data protection legislation, we need your consent to email it to you.

Sending newsletters by email will save Link considerable amounts of money – money that we can reinvest in tenant projects such as funds for local tenant groups’ community activities.

You can sign up to receive your newsletter electronically by emailing csc@linkhaltd.co.uk or by calling 03451 400 100.

You can also sign up via the Link website http://linkhousing.org.uk/news letter-sign-up/

KEEPING YOUR INFORMATION UP-TO-DATE Link collects a lot of information about tenants.

Under Data Protection legislation we must make sure that it is kept up-to-date and accurate. We will be sending out a data check form to a sample of tenants in September. This will make sure we have the correct information and tenants can let us know if any of it is wrong or out of date.

Need help getting online, call the Advice Team 01324 417174

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ADVICE SERVICES TENANT STORY Our Advice Service continues to help tenants with money, debt and budgeting advice. Here is one recent example of how they have helped a tenant improve his life.

The Advice Service was recently contacted by a tenant who was struggling to manage his finances after a family bereavement.

The tenant struggled with addiction, depression, anxiety and is unable to work. He receives his income through Employment Support Allowance (ESA) but was not sure how to budget and often ran out of food before the next ESA payment was due.

The tenant was referred to a Money Advice Officer (MAO) who visited his home. The MAO took a list of his income and expenditure, showed the tenant where his money was going and how much money he would have left each week after paying his essential bills.

The MAO then contacted creditors to ask for balances, explained the situation and requested a hold on any further action. The MAO applied to a charity for support with his electricity arrears – the charity helped to clear the debt.

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The MAO told the tenant about our Welfare Rights Service, referred him for a full benefit check and made a referral to a local foodbank.

The Welfare Rights Officer (WRO) met with him and identified he could be eligible to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The WRO supported him with an application to claim this. It was initially refused but the MAO supported the tenant to provide further evidence and the refusal was overturned. The tenant was awarded PIP and received a backdated payment to October 2015 which helped him get back on track with his finances.

‘After falling on hard times I contacted Link’s advice team and received great and friendly advice from Lauren and Stevie. I am now getting Personal Independence Payment and got proper help and advice to get my life back on track.

I would recommend anyone who is struggling with their finances to get in contact with Link’s money advice service’.

Contact the Advice Service on 01324 417174

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Meet the team Sean Currie Asset Planning Manager

Over the past ten years, Sean has worked within the social housing sector, most recently as Asset Manager at Clyde Valley Housing Association and prior to that as a project manager dealing with the delivery of various housing associations’ investment programmes.

This experience has provided Sean with a wide range of skills and knowledge within the property maintenance field and allowed Sean to develop an in-depth knowledge of the day-to-day operations of a Housing Association.

Having only been with Link for a short time, Sean is looking forward to meeting more of our customers during the next few months.

To contact the Asset Management Team call 03451 400 100.

Sean recently joined Link as Asset Planning Manager and will be responsible for the continued successful delivery of Link’s investment programme.

This currently sees £6m invested annually ensuring our properties are maintained to a safe and modern standard. This year will see investment in new kitchens, heating systems and roof replacements, to mention a few of our larger projects.

Looking to the future, there will be a focus on the development and implementation of the Asset Management Strategy, development of our stock condition information, including our future investment plans, and the implementation of a programme to achieve compliance with the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) between now and 2020.

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A great digi-tale I received a request for help from a tenant who was dealing with a serious illness which meant she was unable to work. She asked for one-to-one help to learn more about digital services.

I helped her organise emails, showed her how to add attachments, reply to emails and forward information. When she upgraded her phone she added Skype and Whatsapp which will give her free video calls and texts. This will save her money and help her communicate with her family.

I visited her at home four times earlier this year where I helped her with her insurance and with a query about her energy bills. Her home contents insurance was due for renewal so I helped her take out Thistle Tenant Risks home contents insurance which saved her £7.19 a month compared to her previous cover. I also made a referral to our Money Advice Officer in the Edinburgh area.

The tenant saw an improvement in managing her finances online and her online skills improved by 25%. She said:

The tenant had a laptop and a smartphone but wanted to learn more as her family often travel and she wanted to keep in touch with them, especially her granddaughter. I explained the accessibility features and adjusted the screen size to suit her needs. I explained the privacy settings on Facebook so she made changes to her page and was more comfortable with the information she was sharing.

‘I am so happy, I learned so much in such a short time, delighted’.

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from help please get in touch. Contact Kerry on 0330 303 0106.

Kerry McCall Digital Inclusion Officer

LINK SIGNS DEAL WITH VIRGIN MEDIA Virgin and Virgin Media are well established internet service providers, communication, e-media and home entertainment providers. Virgin has a new project called “Project Lightning” which is a £3bn private investment project to significantly increase the availability and potential connection to the Virgin fibre superfast broadband network during the next five years.

Link has signed an agreement which allows Virgin Media to install fibre cable to (but not within) Link owned houses. There is a range of potential benefits to tenants including cheaper broadband offers, faster internet access, digital training and apprenticeships.

There are no areas confirmed for this yet. Any works will be delivered by Virgin Media and Link has no control over the buildings or properties allocated for receiving the new cabling. If you would like any further details please contact David Newton, Link’s Programme Management Coordinator on 03451 400 100.

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Customer satisfaction is at record levels We are delighted with the results from our most recent customer satisfaction survey.

95% of tenants are satisfied with the service we provide – a significant improvement from the 85% recorded in our 2013 survey and well above the current Scottish average of 88%.

Other examples of significant improvement are noted below (in brackets the 2013 results): l 98% (up from 78%) of tenants were satisfied with the opportunities to participate in our decision-making processes. l 98% (up from 87%) of tenants thought that we are good at keeping them informed about services and decisions. l 93% (up from 82%) of tenants were satisfied with the way we deal with repairs and maintenance.

We surveyed 443 tenants using the same face-toface survey method as the 2013 survey. It was carried out by an independent consultancy (Research Resource) and the sample size complies with the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) guidance.

The responses to seven questions have been included in our Annual Return on the Charter (ARC), which we submitted to the SHR in May.

Our performance on all of these indicators is better than the current Scottish average. We will also update the Tenant Scrutiny Panel (TSP) as it continues to help us focus on tenant priorities.

In addition to the ARC questions, the survey includes information on factored owner services, internet use, affordability of rent and heating, customer care, advice services, recent repairs, housing quality and the neighbourhood.

We discussed the survey with the TSP and we will review the results over the next few weeks so we can respond to some of the issues it highlighted.

Actions are likely to include a more detailed consideration of value for money for tenants and raising awareness to help you get online.

We are very grateful to our customers for the time spent completing the survey. Your feedback is essential to improve our services. We look forward to working with the TSP and producing our Charter Report Card which will be published on our website by the end of October and available to tenants who request it.

You can see and compare Link’s performance to other Registered Social Landlords on the Scottish Housing Regulator’s website https://www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk

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Bell Group, Link staff and tenants at the ‘60 minute make over’ of the bin store.

LINKSCAPE GROWS Congratulations to the Linkscape team on its successful first year in the pilot Falkirk areas. Tenant satisfaction with the neighbourhood increased and the project has demonstrated improved value for money by providing services “in-house”.

Linkscape works with tenants and Link’s housing officers to invest in communal areas and improve the environment. The project team has expanded and now comprises of a supervisor, landscaper, two operatives and two apprentices.

Progress was a bit slower in Glynwed Court as new gas supply and heating upgrades were being installed. The team has now completed some work to respond to tenant requests for planting.

Grahamston Link Residents’ Association has been set up to sustain tenant involvement in this area.

The team worked with tenants in Wallace Street, Falkirk to create community growing space, plant bare areas, upgrade seating areas and helped with the community volunteering day to do a ‘60 minute makeover’ of the bin stores.

Three new Linkscape tenant project areas have been selected in Hamilton Street, Falkirk, Calderwood, East Kilbride and Bonnington Road, Edinburgh. The Linkscape team is also supporting Growing Beardmore with the build of the community garden in Dalmuir – see page 15 to hear more from the group.

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“Linkscape has brought tenants together with a common purpose, to make their environment better, nicer and more socially inviting. Raised beds and gardens have been created and some of us have been eating our home grown produce.

We look forward to further progress with the Residents’ Association.”

Lindsay Anderson, Chairperson

Community planters and trellis.

“The last year for Linkscape has been truly amazing.

What has been achieved in such a short space of time is remarkable. This was down to a combined effort with tenants who got involved and wanted to improve their outdoor space, working together with Link housing staff and my team. I have seen the community come together and new friendships being made which proves how much having a nice environment can improve quality of life.

Congratulations to Connor and Joe on achieving their apprenticeships and getting full-time jobs with Link. Well done Joe for winning “Apprentice of the Year” award. I’d like to welcome the newest members of Linkscape to the team – Iain, Matthew and Jonathon.”

Fraser Davidson, Supervisor

Community planting at Wallace Street.

Growing Beardmore with Housing Officer Angela Nisbet and West Dunbartonshire Council staff designing the community garden.

Linkscape does not carry out Link’s grass cutting contract which is still done by Land Engineering in the east and Nurture Landscapes in the west.

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Help stop fly-tipping in your area

We are sad to say that fly-tipping remains a problem in some areas.

It causes frustration for tenants and staff, and costs Link money to remove. If you require advice on uplifts please contact Link or your local council to find a way to remove items responsibly.

Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of waste, ranging from a bin bag of household rubbish to large quantities of tyres or construction waste. With local councils requesting payment for uplifts, fly-tipping is on the increase. If caught fly-tipping you could face a fixed Penalty Notice of £200 or, if taken to court, up to a £40,000 fine or even imprisonment. Our housing officers work closely with council staff and take flytipping very seriously. Tenants with large families can request bigger bins and those with medical needs, or babies, can request more regular uplifts.

Here are some dos and don’ts.

DO

DON’T

1. Contact Recycle For Scotland to have large re-usable items collected for free anywhere in Scotland. Call 0800 0665 820 or visit www.reycleforscotland.com and complete the online form.

2. Contact your local council to arrange uplift from your home.

3. Dispose of any unwanted items at your local recycling facility free of charge.

4. Use your recycling bins correctly and put them out for collection on the specified day.

5. Report any incidents of fly-tipping within Link areas to your Housing Officer and council who will investigate.

1. Put out uplifts for collections before the specified collection date.

2. Allow your bins to be contaminated and overflow with rubbish.

3. Dump rubbish within closes, drying areas and gardens.

4. Leave your bin in the street after collection.

5. Leave bulky items in closes or common areas – they are a fire hazard.

6. Don’t be a Dumb Dumper.

If you would like to report any incidents of fly-tipping you can contact Dumb Dumpers on 0845 230 4090 or visit www.dumbdumpers.org and complete the online form.

If you would like help to arrange a community clean-up in your area contact getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk.

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Community volunteering making a difference

Link staff working at Woodside Court, Falkirk.

As part of Link Housing’s community volunteering project, staff took part in a project at Woodside Court in Falkirk to clean up the garden area for residents to use. Woodside Court is supported housing accommodation.

Volunteers worked with Linkscape to clear garden debris, remove moss from the walls, paint fences and garden huts, restore paving, lay chips and bark, and turn a disused pond area into a planted area with shrubs and flowers.

Before

The garden was in such a state of disrepair that residents were unable to sit out in the summer and make use of it. The work carried out now allows the residents to benefit from their garden and encourages the tenants and staff to take ownership of maintaining the area.

The project took two days to complete and staff continued to work hard despite heavy rain on the second day. Well done!

After

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Link Listening TENANT RESPONSIBLE REPAIRS Thank you to tenants who recently took part in our tenant responsible repairs consultation at our regional focus groups in west, central and east locations.

We discussed a range of issues and made changes to the policy as a result of the feedback: l l l l l

carried out a Plain English review added a right to appeal defined vulnerability improved the list of standard charges improved communication when a tenant plans to leave a property l developed “frequently asked questions” (FAQs) on moving out l explored the use of discretionary rights to suspend some services if tenants don’t pay We are improving the way we administer tenant responsible repairs. Tenants are supportive of this stricter approach and we have recovered more money than in previous years.

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

RENT SETTING CONSULTATION We are reviewing our rent setting policy and we want your views.

The rent setting method that we currently use was adopted in 2001 and is based on a points system.

This helps to resolve the challenge of a large

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number of different types of properties in 22 local authority areas and ensures transparency of rent setting to tenants, funders and the Scottish Housing Regulator.

The points set the amount of rent to be charged for each property. Each property is allocated a total number of points depending on its type, size and amenities.

We examined other housing associations’ rent setting policies and concluded the rent setting method we use mirrors what others use and is the most transparent system. Therefore, we do not propose to change from a points-based system.

We believe there are four areas that need to be reviewed and we seek your views on the following: l l l l

Locality points Points attached to semi-detached houses Annual increases formula Points attached to energy efficiency

You can take part in the online survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2HD8F79 or by telephoning our Customer Service Centre on 03451 400 100.

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ALLOCATIONS AND ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR REVIEWS The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 brought in some changes about how we let our properties and how we deal with anti-social behaviour. Later in the year the Scottish Government will issue guidance on how these new rules should be implemented.

Once the guidance is published we intend to review our Lettings Policy and Anti-Social Behaviour Policy. If you are interested in attending a consultation event please contact getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or call 03451 400 100.

TENANT PARTICIPATION STRATEGY REVIEW Link has a strong record of involving tenants. We want to review and build on what we have achieved to set a new strategy for 2017-2020. Tenant participation is key to encouraging a positive landlord-customer relationship and helps us deliver services that meet tenants’ needs.

Tenant Scrutiny Panel.

Tenant participation is about sharing knowledge, responsibility and decision-making. We work with tenants, staff, managers and our Board to do this.

Successful tenant participation delivers benefits for staff, landlords and tenants by creating a culture of trust, respect and partnership. It is your knowledge and experience of services that is our most valuable tool in learning how we can improve. We want you to be able to provide this knowledge and experience without any barriers and to participate in a way that suits you.

There are lots of ways to get involved in this consultation: l online survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ FGQQQBQ l Regional focus group meetings l Link tour bus in September – Crieff, Tillicoultry, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Catrine, Fife, West Lothian, Kilmarnock, Irvine and the Borders. l Registered Tenants Organisations’ meetings l By phone 03451 400 100 l By email getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk

Tenant West Forum.

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REGIONAL ROUND UP

Link Housing staff with Growing Beardmore.

Falkirk Council Local Housing Strategy Link staff and tenants have been involved in coproduction meetings to develop the new local housing strategy. Falkirk Council would like your views on its draft Local Housing Strategy by the end of September.

Grahamston Link Residents’ Association helped with the ‘60 minute makeover’ of the bin store area in Wallace Street, Falkirk. The group wants to build a community growing space and is looking for a site and funding.

It is also setting up a Neighbourhood Watch and meets regularly on the last Tuesday of the month.

For more information contact the group on anneglra@mail.com.

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“It’s been exciting getting the lottery funding; we’re looking forward to having a community garden for all tenants on our doorstep. Link staff have been very supportive, helping with applications and meetings and Link funded the first stage.

We want a beautiful and productive space to meet neighbours, learn to grow vegetables and outdoor activities, or just relax and enjoy the fresh air.”

Rose Dorman, Chairperson Growing Beardmore tenants.

West Growing Beardmore has been awarded £10,000 towards the garden build costs from the Big Lottery Fund. The group held its AGM in July and plans community consultation days over the summer to finalise the garden design. The group negotiated a lease for the site in Beardmore Place, Dalmuir from Link to enable them to apply for funding. The community garden will house a range of raised beds of different sizes to grow vegetables, kids’ garden and seating and learning areas, storage, poly tunnel and water harvesting facilities. The garden is run by tenant volunteers with support from Link and West Dunbartonshire Council staff.

South Lanarkshire Council – Housing Survey Every five years the Council produces a new plan for housing, the Local Housing Strategy. The next one will be prepared for 2017 – 2022. The views shared in this survey will help shape the future of housing in South Lanarkshire. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey. https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=146 831673232 Kirkshaws Residents’ and Tenants’ Association – elected new chairperson following the sad passing of John Colquhoun. John worked closely with Link for his community and he will be sadly missed. The group met in August and discussed how they can keep John’s legacy and fighting spirit alive in Kirkshaws.

Edinburgh Tenants and staff helped to transform Hawthornbank Lane, Dean Village Edinburgh.

See www.linkhousing.org.uk/news for more details.

Tenants are involved in the conservation of the Mansfield Traquair Centre. See www.mansfieldtraquair.co.uk for details of free open days.

Craigmillar tenants helped to rescue the Castle View High School prom when the school was closed suddenly due to building safety concerns.

The Craigmillar Castle Regeneration Group funded the prom to be hosted in the Whitehouse and the event was such a success they have booked again for next year.

The group also funded the purchase of community defibrillators which have been allocated to a range of community organisations across the area. The group holds a regular meeting on the second Monday of each month at 7pm in the Whitehouse.

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Tenant scrutiny gas servicing recommendations approved The Tenant Scrutiny Panel report into gas servicing was approved by the Link Group Board in May.

access to properties could be improved. If this could be done then it helps Link to negotiate contracts in the future – ultimately helping tenants get better value for money for their rent.

The Panel’s role is to independently assess Link’s performance, make recommendations for improvements and highlight good practice.

The Panel used a range of methods to review the gas service including shadowing gas engineers, interviewing the contracts manager, holding staff focus groups and carrying out a tenant satisfaction survey. The Panel assessed value for money by considering customer satisfaction, performance and benchmarking (comparing costs) with other housing associations.

Although there are some concerns regarding costs relating to lack of access, the Panel acknowledged that if the profit margin is too low for the contractor then the service quality is at risk. The balance is to ensure Link provides the best possible service at the best cost for tenants whilst maintaining a good contractual relationship.

The Panel chose gas servicing as it wanted to validate customer satisfaction figures, assess value for money and because it is a legal safety requirement for all tenants to allow access to their properties for a gas service once a year.

Nearly a third of tenants do not allow access at the first appointment, placing themselves, their families, neighbours and staff at risk. The cost of tenants not giving access is built into the contract cost and the Panel’s aim was to investigate how

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The Panel’s recommendations were: 1. All letters and communications to be reviewed. Letters to include the statement ‘carbon monoxide is a silent killer’ in red on all letters. The wording of all letters needs to be simplified but strongly worded regarding health risks and Link’s and tenants’ legal responsibilities.

2. Link to keep records of the reason why a tenant refuses access and calculate costs of letters and failed contacts.

3. Send “stage three” letters by special delivery post to see if this reduces forced accesses.

4. New tenants should be strongly advised at the settling-in visit of the importance of the annual gas service first appointment response.

5. Gas Sure branding to be consistent. There is sometimes confusion over who is conducting the gas service. The letters and vans state Gas Sure, but the engineer uniforms state James Frew. Link stresses the importance of checking contractor identification before allowing workers into the home and this confusion may result in no access.

6. Housing officers should be involved at an earlier stage by taking a proactive approach to working with tenants who do not give access. Improve the process for identifying and managing repeat ‘no access’ customers.

7. Link to validate contractor customer satisfaction data more regularly. Spot checks to be carried out checking that the surveys are being carried out by operatives.

8. Gas to be reconnected within 4 hours of moving in for all new tenants.

9. New build tenants should be reminded gas service is due (possibly Clerk of Works communicating on snagging).

10. More regular reporting to Board of gas serviced on the 1st visit and targets for improvement to be set.

11. Benchmarking data from other housing associations’ gas servicing performance to be analysed and considered in any future value for money assessments conducted by Link.

The Gas Servicing Team is working through the recommendations to implement the changes.

A progress report will be provided to the Tenant Scrutiny Panel later this year. This work was also used as a case study as part of Link’s participation in the Scottish Government’s Stepping up to Scrutiny programme.

The Panel has now moved on to a new project to assess the performance and value for money of the planned investment programme (kitchens, bathrooms, window replacement and gas heating upgrades).

For a copy of the full report findings contact getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk or call us on 03451 400 100.

RECRUITING NOW We are looking for tenants to get involved in the Tenant Scrutiny Panel.

• We want you to bring your skills and knowledge to the Scrutiny Panel, check and challenge Link’s performance, and drive up quality and standards.

• Can you attend one meeting per month in Falkirk or Cumbernauld? Travel expenses are paid.

• We are looking for people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences.

• Join customers who have established and developed award-winning scrutiny at Link and have already made a big impact.

• Support and training provided.

We will hold an information session for interested tenants. Please contact us on 03451 400 100 or email getinvolved@linkhaltd.co.uk if you would like to find out more.

Panel Chair Elsie Boyce says: “We are keen to get new members to help with the work of the Panel. We are a dedicated group of experienced tenants who welcome new people and ideas.

I find it very worthwhile being a Panel member.

The work is interesting and our recommendations are taken seriously and supported by Link. Scrutiny is about making customers’ views heard and experiences better”.

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New build and regeneration updates

Buccleuch Street, Glasgow

Road works started at Blythswood

The refurbishment of 15 large multi-occupancy properties was completed on 29 March 2016 and now comprises 26 flats for mid market and social rent. The flats all benefit from new kitchens, bathrooms and central heating as well as new roofs with solar panels to reduce the costs of communal electricity charges. A new tenant said,

Construction consent to upgrade the roads in Blythswood was approved by Renfrewshire Council Roads Department in May. This will allow Link to proceed with road works at Blythswood Drive and Andrew Street in order to bring them up to a standard that Renfrewshire Council will adopt.

This has been a priority for tenants for a long time so we are delighted the work has started.

Construction works include:

“We are so happy with my home from Link2Let, I couldn’t have asked for any more.

This really has changed our lives.”

l l l l

Resurfacing the road Upgrading the parking Upgrading the street lighting system Upgrading the pavements

Link has appointed a contractor, MacLay Civil Engineering. The programme of works started in August and is due to be completed in October.

Thrushcraig Crescent, Paisley This new build development, comprising 70 bungalows, houses and cottage flats for rent and shared equity, was completed on 14 July 2016.

Each home has been built to a high standard of design and quality, resulting in warm, comfortable and energy efficient homes which will be cheaper to run.

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The programme may be subject to change.

The Asset Management Team will keep all residents informed of any changes to the programme. We apologise for any disruption this may cause and we ask that everyone complies with information provided on local notices during the works.

If you have any queries contact the Programme Management Officer, Christine Moore on 01324 417114.

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SHELTERED CHATTER

Forth and Clyde Canal

Selfie time

Events at Glen Lyon Court...

Tenants in Glen Lyon Court enjoyed their annual canal cruise, complete with a picnic on board, on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far!

Glen Lyon Court is 25 years old this year. To celebrate, the tenants will have an afternoon tea on 24 October, with a cake provided by the window cleaner, Paul Coyle. Paul has cleaned the tenants’ windows in Glen Lyon Court since it opened.

Tenants will invite Link senior staff to this event.

A dinner party will be held in the lounge for tenants on 3 November served by Regis Banqueting with entertainment and dancing.

Glen Lyon residents

trips, as well as taster sessions on computer skills and classes on mindfulness and relaxation.

June Green, Director of Housing Services, Link Housing said:

“Link is delighted to have been awarded funding from the Big Lottery to help Glenpark Gardens’ tenant well-being project. We know the money will make a big difference to the complex and the residents who live there.”

Sheltered Housing Forum update The Sheltered Housing Forum met in August at Albany Court, Denny.

Well done to Glenpark Gardens Sheltered Tenants Association which was awarded a Big Lottery grant of £6,000 for a wellbeing project which includes activities, trips and garden equipment.

The Forum has previously discussed ‘Planning Together’ and is looking at ways to develop the sheltered housing service to meet the needs and aspirations of our tenants. The Forum was given an update on progress to date and a commitment made to keep tenants informed through the Forum and their sheltered housing officers.

The money will be used to buy equipment, including a computer and printer, as well as plants, hanging baskets and a storage box for the gardens. It will also be used for functions and bus

The meetings are held four times per year.

If you would like to attend a future Sheltered Housing Forum please speak to your Sheltered Housing Officer.

Glenpark Gardens hit the jackpot

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WE NEED NEW BUILD HOMES CUSTOMER FEEDBACK Link values the views and opinions of its tenants and residents and we ask those living in a new build or refurbished property to complete a ‘Your New Home’ customer feedback survey.

The survey is short and asks eight questions about your experience of living in the property. The survey can also be completed on-line through Survey Monkey. Your views will help us improve the quality and design of the homes we build in future. For example, where possible, we have increased the number of kitchen units in new build properties, as this is something you have told us you would like.

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

Emergency contact numbers for 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 2016.

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03451 400 100 csc@linkhaltd.co.uk