Housing Association
All of the articles you read in this newsletter can be found online at: www.orevalleyha.org.uk
summer 2017 Issue 65
Ore Valley
Latest News A fond farewell to Isabelle Our communications officer Isabelle Salter who has worked with us for the past two and a half years, is leaving us to take a fantastic new job with a marketing agency across the water in the Lothians. During her time with us Isabelle has helped to transform the way in which we provide information to tenants and others, in particular the creation of our new website, our now well established presence on social media and improvements to a range of printed material and publications. Andrew Saunders CEO - commented, ‘Isabelle has had a considerable positive and successful impact on our work, during her time at OVHA she has achieved a great deal. It is always wonderful to see people getting on in their career and we wish Isabelle well.’
And It’s Good Night From Me... After over two and a half years at Ore Valley, I have decided to move onto pastures new and recently accepted a job at a marketing and communications agency in Livingston. During my time as Communications Officer at Ore Valley, the organisation has really changed and evolved. We launched our brand new website in July 2015 which has been a huge success, we worked hard on improving our Facebook, which has given our tenants, and prospective tenants another way of getting in contact with us, we more recently developed our Tenant Portal with the intention of helping you, our tenants, feel more in control of your tenancy. I am proud of the improvements we have made to the way we communicate at Ore Valley, and the journey has really only just begun. I wish all the staff, board members, and tenants of Ore Valley the very best for the future. Isabelle Salter Communications Officer
Contents Latest News...................................2 Garden Competition.....................4 World Blood Donor Day................6 Moving Online................................7 The Stables at Cook Square........8 Repairs Update..............................9 Neighbour Disputes....................10 The Useful Page...........................12
Garden Competition D
o you know your way around the garden? Consider yourself a bit of a green-fingers? Every year we hold our Garden Competition to encourage our tenants to show off their beautiful horticultural creations. We have 4 categories: Best Kept Garden, Best Fruit and Vegetable Garden, Best Floral Baskets and Containers and Best Mixed Garden. We started this last year as we felt that not all gardens can be judged on one criteria - each has something unique to bring to the table! If you would like to enter this year’s Garden Competition you can do so via our website: ! Or if you would like a paper application, just let us know by calling: 01592 721 917. You have until the 30th June to apply to take part, and judging will take place in July. The winners will be announced at our Garden Competition tea party, held in August, and the theme last year was Alice in Wonderland! Each winner will receive a £50 Dobbie’s Garden Centre voucher, and there are also runner up prizes. Do you know of a friend, relative or neighbour who you want to nominate? Tell us who you think should take part, but make sure they are an Ore Valley Housing Association tenant too!
Winner of last year’s Best Kept Garden
World Blood Donor Day 14th June
I
t’s an amazing thing, to give blood, and everybody’s blood is valuable! The 14th June is World Blood Donor Day to highlight the importance of giving blood. There are only 126,471 active blood donors in Scotland, (who have all given blood within the last year) which is less than 4% of the eligible population.
Not everybody is eligible to give blood, the best way to find out if you are eligible is to take the quick quiz on the ScotBlood website. This will ask you a series of questions which you answer yes or no to. Find it here: www.scotblood.co.uk/giving-blood/cani-give-blood/
If you decide that you would like to donate your blood, you need to register. You can do this online by visiting their website (scotblood.co.uk) or by phoning 0345 30 17 270.
When and where can I give blood? Kirkcaldy
Cardenden 21st June 2017 4:30pm - 7:30pm
The Bowhill Community Centre 145 Station Road Cardenden KY5 0BW
Lochgelly 13th August 2017 10am - 12.30pm 2pm - 4pm
Lochgelly High School Station Road Lochgelly KY5 8LZ
Cowdenbeath 13th July 2017 4pm - 6pm 5.30pm - 7.30pm
The Leisure Centre 7 Pit Road Cowdenbeath KY4 9NN
19th July 2017 22nd Nov’ 2017 2pm - 4pm 5.30pm - 7.30pm
Templehall Community Centre Beauly Place Kirkcaldy KY2 6EX
14th May 2017 17th Sept 2017 10am - 12:30pm 2pm - 3.30pm
Adam Smith Hall St Brycedale Avenue Kirkcaldy KY1 1ET
What can you do? Give blood. Give now. Give often.
Moving Online A
s you are probably well aware, things are going more digital at Ore Valley. This is to give people more choice on how they access our 6. Apply for permission to construct a services. greenhouse or shed, or to put up a satellite dish. Previously you could only do this Our staff aren’t going to be replaced by through filling out a paper form, but this robots, and we will always be at the end of service is now online. the phone, but sometimes it’s quicker and easier to just do what you were going to The following listed items you will need to do online via your computer, smart phone, sign up to the Tenant Portal for: or tablet!
7. View your rent account. See your rent statement and all debits and credits on 1. Pay your rent. When you moved in, you your account. received an AllPay card, you will need this card to pay online. Visit our website and 8. Track your reported repairs and... follow the links to “Pay Rent”. 9. Leave feedback on your repairs. 2. Report a repair. There is a form at the bottom of the “Report A Repair” section of If you ever need any help or assistance on the website. This will send an email directly getting online, you can always chat to the to our repairs team. Please only use this team here and we will be happy to talk form for routine repairs. you through any process step-by-step. If you would prefer to have someone come 3. Send us a message, or a complaint. If to your house and work with you, get in you would just like to send us a message, touch with Danielle Porteous, our Tenancy maybe asking us a question or giving us a Support and Wellbeing Officer, on 01592 compliment (we love those!) then follow 721 917. the links to “Contact Us”. If you want to send us a complaint, (those are ok too!) go We have recently put our vacant Mid Market to “About Us” and then “Complaints” and Rent properties online too, and people can fill out the form. also apply for these online. This can all be found in our Mid Market Rent section of 4. Read our Tenant’s Newsletter. We put the website. all of these online, and you can either view them on our website, or by going to: issuu. Find us online: com/orevalleyha www.orevalleyha.org.uk
What you can do online
www.facebook.com/orevalleyha 5. View our policies. Including our Pet www.twitter.com/orevalleyha Policy and our Emergency Repairs Guide.
The Stables at Cook Square
Our new build housing project at the Stables, Cook Square in the centre of Lochgelly was completed and handed over to us in January 2017. The development is made up of 15 flats, 9 of which have 1 bedroom, and 6 have 2 bedrooms. The site had been derelict for decades, having once been the location where the Co-op horses were stabled - hence the new street name! All of the properties were let to applicants on Fife Housing Register and the new tenants all moved in as soon as the properties were available. We wish all of our new tenants well in their new Ore Valley home!
You told us that you weren’t happy with the repairs service we provided. We listened, and made significant changes. We brought our service back in house, with our Customer Service staff taking calls, and our Technical Officer, Alice Quinn, helping out with tricky repairs situations. We changed contractor, and have been working with Rogerson Plumbing and Heating to carry out the repairs since December 2016.
100% Satisfaction! We ask for tenant feedback on every repair carried out. We are pleased to say that every single piece of feedback shows are tenants are satisfied with their repairs.
“Very efficient and quick work!”
“Workman was polite and helpful.”
“Service was second to none. Brilliant thank you!”
These are quotes taken from Repairs feedback forms sent in by our tenants. How have you found the repairs service recently? Are you happy with the changes? Do you have any suggestions for us? Let us know! You can get in contact via our website, by popping into our office, or by phoning us on 01592 721 917, By signing up to our online Tenant Portal (portal.orevalleyha.org.uk), you can track your repairs and leave feedback online. Speak to us today about how to sign up.
How to deal with neighbour disputes N
eighbour complaints are some of the most common complaints we get at Ore Valley. From parking problems, to overflowing rubbish bins, to unruly dogs, to house parties - neighbours can be a pain! But what’s the best way to deal with difficult situations, and how should you react if you’re the one people are complaining about? 1. Speak to your neighbour. They might not realise that their behaviour is irritating or upsetting you. All it might take is a friendly conversation. 2. Speak to us. If you don’t feel you can speak to your neighbour, speak to us! We will speak to your neighbour on your behalf. We may suggest a mediation service which can really help resolve issues. 3. If there is anti-social behaviour, you can call 101. This is the non-emergency phone number for the police, and you should use this if you are affected by anti-social behaviour. 4. If you are in immediate danger - call 999. Many people are worried about calling the police, but if you feel threatened or are assaulted, you need to call the police. If you are the one being complained about... 1. Try to see the issue from your neighbour’s perspective. Even if you think they are overreacting or being fussy, be polite and just apologise for causing upset. Having this reaction could diffuse the situation and stop tempers from rising. 2. Be respectful. You will have signed our Good Neighbour Charter at the start of your tenancy, and it’s really important to be respectful to your neighbours. 3. Speak to us. If you feel you are being harassed by a neighbour, and their complaints are unjust, let us know and we can help with your situation.
The Board Report This section of the newsletter is intended to give a flavour of the key issues being considered by the Board during the last few months and also a look ahead at some of the issues coming up. The Board have recently discussed the following issues : • • • • • •
The annual performance return on the Tenant Charter which we submit to the Scottish Housing Regulator. The potential to deliver more new housing in the future. Some of the issues linked to welfare reform which will impact on our tenants and what we can do to provide more support to those most likely to affected. Planned maintenance projects for the next year and how to procure the works. The early stages of our review of our customer complaints policy, procedures and approaches. Annual budgets and accounts.
Looking ahead to the next few months the Board will consider : • • • • • •
Approaches to the provision of housing and support to younger people. Business Plans for the next three years. The review of Asset Management in particular the recently completed housing stock condition survey. The community investment plan - how we will use and distribute funds flowing in from the wind turbine developed by our subsidiary company. The potential to reconfigure our front office to make it more user friendly for tenants including the inclusion of computer access points for use by tenants. A review of cleaning contracts across the Ore Valley Group.
If you would like to find out more or are interested in learning how to get involved with the Association’s work, either as part of a tenant focus group we are establishing, or as a member of the Board, please contact us on 01592 721 917 to arrange an appointment.
The Useful Page emergency repairs To report an emergency repair phone our office number on 01592 721 917 at any time, day or night, and follow the instructions given. fife council Switchboard - 03451 55 00 00 Environmental Health - 03451 55 00 22 (rubbish collection, dog fouling etc.) Antisocial Behaviour - 03451 55 00 33 or call the police on 101 Advice and help National Grid - 0800 111 999 (if you smell gas) Scottish Water - 08000 778 778 (if you spot a water leak outside or for any issues with your water supply) NHS - 111 (for out-of-hours services including mental health services) Scottish Domestic Abuse Hotline - 0800 027 1234 (Domestic violence help for men and women in abusive relationships) Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide - 0300 111 5065 (9am - 9pm) Citizens Advice & Rights Fife - 0345 1400 095 (provides general advice) Step Change - 0800 138 1111 (debt advice charity providing impartial advice) Ore Valley Online
Office Closures
Facebook /orevalleyha Twitter @orevalleyha www.orevalleyha.org.uk
We will be closed on Friday 14th and Monday 17th July 2017 for the bank holiday.
Contact Details 114-116 Station Road Cardenden, Fife KY5 0BW Tel: 01592 721 917
This magazine was written and designed in-house by our Communications Officer Isabelle Salter, if you would like to see anything included that isn’t already you can phone us on 01592 721 917 or drop Isabelle an email on: isalter@orevalleyha.org.uk