News Extra — Autumn 2016

Autumn 2016

The magazine for South Staffordshire Housing Association and Care Plus customers

A new housing association for Staffordshire and Shropshire

WIN a family membership of the National Trust

Our Annual Report

Benefits changes advice

Celebrations at Old School Court

Front cover: Chief executive Sarah Boden, deputy chief executive Phil Ingle and Paul Smith, chair of the Homes Board cutting the ribbon to officially open the doors of the new Housing Plus Group

A proud past, a bright future “As the new Housing Plus Group begins its exciting journey to deliver affordable homes, quality services and amazing care across two counties, I am certain that its future is bright because of the customers we serve and the people who work here.

I’m full of pride in what we’ve achieved almost two decades after the formation of SSHA. In 1997 tenants voted for stock transfer because you wanted more new homes to support local communities. You wanted your homes improved and more opportunities for older people to live independently, with care and support.

We’ve delivered.

We have built 1,000 more affordable homes in South Staffordshire.

We have created award-winning retirement living communities and launched Care Plus, providing around 1,400 hours of care and support to customers in their own homes last year. We have invested in our homes, spending £10 million per year on improvements like new kitchens, bathrooms and energyefficient boilers.

We have succeeded because we have fantastically committed people, focussed on our mission to provide homes and services for people who need and rely upon them. We benefit from fantastic partnerships in the community and customers who are at the heart of our business.

From 1 October SSHA and Care Plus will be part of a new Housing Plus Group with Severnside Housing.

The new merged Group is great news for the customers of both associations. A larger, stronger housing association will provide even better choices for you and your family. It will deliver local services from the heart of our communities. SSHA and Severnside will continue doing what we do best, learning from each other to deliver even more for you.

With a long career in housing beginning as a rent collector (long before direct debits!), I have met so many inspiring customers and have been deeply proud to work alongside such dedicated and energetic people. It has been a huge privilege to lead an organisation committed to making a difference, improving the lives of local people and helping communities to thrive.

My very best wishes for the future go to Sarah Boden, the leadership team and everyone who is a part of the new Housing Plus Group.”

Debbie Griffiths Chief executive, Housing Plus Group

The first ‘key’ moment in Debbie’s career at SSHA is top, taken shortly after she joined as housing director in 1997. As chief executive she led the construction of landmark developments, bringing new homes to local communities and flagship retirement living communities for older people.

After 19 years serving the people of South Staffordshire Debbie is stepping down with the launch of the new Group. Her links with Housing Plus Group will continue, though, as Sarah Boden and the new Board have asked her to provide help and support during the early days in the development of the new, larger housing association for Staffordshire and Shropshire.

2

Stronger together: a new housing association for Staffordshire and Shropshire “This is an exciting time for SSHA which is now part of a bigger, stronger housing association. The new Housing Plus Group will manage 12,000 homes and employ 500 people.

Together with Severnside Housing, SSHA will be providing affordable homes, important services and care for communities in Staffordshire and Shropshire. I am thrilled to be leading the new Group and would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to Debbie Griffiths for all that she has done to build the foundations of a new, stronger housing association.

It has been a great privilege to work in partnership with Debbie for almost a year as we prepared for this launch. She has taught me much about the wonderful communities of South Staffordshire and I’m looking forward to getting to know the area even better in the weeks and months ahead.

The Housing Plus Group will be a bigger, stronger association. We will be able to build more new homes in the local area. We will be financially stronger and more resilient, in a better position to protect and improve the services that are so important to you and your community.

The logo for the new Housing Plus Group. The bright colours of each roof represent members of the Group – including the familiar burgundy of SSHA

We are stronger together.

Stronger for YOU. Although the new Group has been created to make a real difference in Staffordshire and Shropshire, some things won’t be changing.

Your home, your rights, the rent and any charges that you pay will not be affected by our merger.

The services you receive will still be delivered locally, too. Your landlord will still be SSHA. You can still expect a fantastic service from repairs operatives and call centre advisors who know your area and understand what is important to you.

This is a moment to celebrate the start of something new. For us, it is time to work hard to deliver the homes that people need, the independence that we all expect as we get older and the kind of care that makes every day amazing.”

Sarah Boden Chief Executive of the Housing Plus Group from 1 October 2016

3

A fantastic competition

to celebrate the launch of the new Housing Plus Group We wanted to celebrate the launch of the new Housing Plus Group with some VIPs. Of course, those very important people are our customers!

The new Housing Plus Group will provide homes, services and care in Staffordshire and Shropshire. We are very fortunate to live and work in two of the most beautiful counties in the UK. One of the best ways to enjoy some of the most special places on our doorstep and further afield is through membership of the National Trust. That’s why we are giving away TWO prizes of family membership for a whole year, to the lucky winners of our Launch Celebration Competition.

National Trust membership gives free entry to 500 areas of beauty, interest and history and free parking in most National Trust car parks. As well as protecting the places you love; your family will have a ticket to amazing days out in the countryside, our forests and coastline.

Don’t miss your chance to WIN!

Who’s who: Your new Group board

Rolf Levesley,

Chair of Housing Plus Group

Paul Smith,

Chair of Homes Board Our prize of family membership covers two adults and up to five children (aged 17 or under) living at the same address.

Children under five go free.

Don’t miss out. Simply answer three questions about our new operational area below and send your entry to Communications, Housing Plus Group, Acton Court, Stafford ST18 9AP to reach us by 31 October 2016. The draw will take place after the closing date and the first two correct entries drawn will be our winners. The lucky winners will be contacted directly and details will be on our website and in the next issue of News Extra.

Jim Bolton,

Chair of Care Plus Board

Andrew Mason,

Chair of Property Plus Board

Question 1: Which naturalist famous for his book On the Origin of Species was born in Shrewsbury? ...............................................................................................................................

Question 2: Which famous society photographer lived at the National Trust’s Shugborough Estate near Stafford?

Gareth Evans,

Vice Chair and Senior Independent Director

...............................................................................................................................

Question 3: How many homes will the new Housing Plus Group own and manage? ...............................................................................................................................

Your name:..........................................................................................................................

Jonathan Dwyer,

Chair of Audit & Risk Committee

Your address:...................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................

Your email:..........................................................................................................................

Your phone number:.......................................................................................................

4

Sarah Boden, Chief Executive

the board members and executive team leading the new Housing Plus Group

Stronger together:

Your new executive team

working together to improve services for you

Chief executive,

Sarah Boden

As a merged, larger housing association, we will be able to make sure that some of the services that you receive get even better.

A great example of that is in our Customer Services team. Soon, colleagues in Severnside Housing’s call centre will be able to help you when all our advisors are taking other calls.

Finance director and deputy chief executive, Phil Ingle

Commercial director,

Peter Donovan

Neighbourhoods director,

Jan Goode

And we will be able to do the same thing for customers in the Shropshire area.

Firstly, our teams need to learn all about each other. When you call Customer Services, you expect the advisor to be able to answer your query straight away.

They know about your home, they have a detailed understanding of every part of our business and all the people who work there.

a short time in training every week, between October and April.

For SSHA customers, that means that the Customer Services centre will be shut between 10am and 12.30pm each Monday. Our advisors will be ready to help you from 8am until 10am and then it will be business as usual from 12.30pm onwards.

Please remember, though, between 10am and 12.30pm each Monday, you should report emergencies straight away and call back for all other enquiries.

From April 2017 onwards you can expect the same excellent service from your SSHA team, with more people to help you.

Thank you for your understanding while we improve our service.

When someone new joins the team they spend time familiarising themselves with that huge amount of information before they take any calls – it’s a bit like ‘The Knowledge’ famously studied

by London taxi drivers.

To acquire all that knowledge while continuing to run both our busy customer service centres, each team will spend

Property director,

Steve Collins

Care and support director,

Les Clarke

People and transformation director,

Doug Fuller

5

Building new homes for communities

Home is where the heart is for Ray and Joan Ray and Joan Griffiths have recently moved into their new home in Huntington. The couple collected the keys to an easyto-manage bungalow in an area which has been their home for decades.

We spoke to Ray days after the move and found out why Huntington is such a special place for him and Joan: “I was brought up in Huntington and for 30 years I worked as a miner at Littleton Colliery. We lived in one of the old coal board houses on the Stafford Road but we have reached an age where that house was a bit too big for us.

“We have moved into a brand new two-bedroomed bungalow. It’s smaller than our old house but it fits everything we need and we absolutely

New homes in Gravel Lane

6

Development sites such as these help people to live near their work. love it. We can’t fault the house and we’ve had an excellent service from everyone at SSHA.” Twenty-four new homes have recently been built in Huntington by S J Construction Ltd for SSHA, on sites in Gravel Lane and Fir Close. These homes were developed to provide some much needed affordable rented accommodation in the area.

All the properties had been allocated on completion.

“Development sites such as these help people to live near their work, enable young people to remain

in an area where they have close family ties and allow older people to live independently in their own community,” said Steve Collins, director of property.

Steve Collins, director of property

We’re listening:

We want your views The dedicated customers who make up our Service Review Partners play a big role in our drive to deliver the best possible services for customers.

outlining their findings and any recommendations for improvement.

The Service Review Partners look in detail at particular aspects of our service. They make fact-finding visits.

They talk to staff, customers and suppliers. They examine data and look at the results achieved. Then they present a report to the board,

At the moment, the panel is exploring how well our contractor Robert Heath Heating fulfils its repair obligations to SSHA customers. They are following individual case studies through to conclusion, benchmarking the service against other organisations,

This is a really important part of the way that we obtain customer feedback and use that to improve our working practices.

accompanying engineers on visits and talking to staff. Most importantly, though, they want to hear your experiences.

If you have received a repair from Robert Heath (the panel is looking in particular at repairs, not servicing or installation), please complete the form below and either post it to Richard Davis, SSHA, Acton Court, Stafford ST18 9AP or scan the form and return it by email to scrutinyq&a@ssha.co.uk

Robert Heath Heating Repair Survey 1. How satisfied were you with the level of service received?

Very Dissatisfied

Satisfied

Dissatisfied Neutral

Very Satisfied

4. Were all appointments kept by Robert Heath, and did they keep you informed?

Yes

No

If no, please explain:

Comments:

2. Was the repair correctly identified by the engineers at the first visit?

Yes

No

If no, please explain:

5. How easy was it to contact Robert Heath to report the repair?

1 Extremely Difficult

6

2

7

3

8

4

9

5

10 Very Easy

Comments: 3. How many visits were made by Robert Heath to complete the repair?

1

3

2

4 or more

If more than one, please give reasons:

7

We’re listening –

and acting The Service Review Partners previously looked at an issue which can mean that homes are empty for longer, between tenancies.

Empty homes are doubly bad news. Firstly, there is a delay before we can offer the property to someone who is waiting for an affordable home. Secondly, empty homes are a significant cost to us, particularly if we need to do additional work before we can re-let the home.

Those costs reduce the amount that we can spend on building new homes, delivering services and improving our housing stock.

Some of those costs happen when we have to clear out and clean a home when a tenant leaves. The Service Review Partners did a lot of work to understand whether we effectively communicated the responsibilities of a departing tenant to leave their home in a good condition.

As a result of recommendations by the Service Review Partners we have already improved our voids management processes.

At the pre-termination inspection we now take particular care to explain their responsibilities for the condition of the home they vacate under the Empty Property Standard, including the requirement to remove all their property from their home and garden as well as clearing any rubbish.

We have increased the contact and support we provide to customers during their notice period and where we know that a customer might find some aspects of their responsibilities difficult to meet, we signpost them towards sources of help.

Reducing the cost of voids benefits all our customers. At the heart of our Fair Landlord policy is a drive to reduce expenditure where it is unfairly spent on a small number of customers. By reducing those costs we do more with our rental income, investing in improvements to benefit more of our tenants.

Thank you to the Service Review Partners for helping us to improve the way that we manage the end of tenancies. Thank you to our customers for giving their feedback to the Service Review Partners and to everyone who works hard to ensure that they leave their address ready to be a new home for the next tenants.

8

We’re listening: the results of our customer satisfaction survey Thank you to everyone who took part in our satisfaction survey earlier this year. Your feedback is extremely important to us. This kind of research gives us an insight into what really matters to you. It shows us what we are doing well and helps us focus on things we need to improve or better explain.

This year’s survey provided some very encouraging news and also identified some areas to improve.

Since the last full survey in 2014, more of you said that you were satisfied that your rent represents value for money. Customers are more satisfied with the quality of their homes, too, suggesting that our new home MOT service and increased investment in replacement kitchens, bathrooms and boilers have benefited more of our tenants.

More people said that they were satisfied with the value for money offered by their service charges and there was also an increase in the number of customers who are satisfied that we listen and act on residents’ views. We were really happy to hear that.

As well as satisfaction increasing, the number of customers telling us that they were dissatisfied fell in five out of seven topic areas.

You told us that we can do some things better.

Some of you said that you had unresolved issues around repairs or anti-social behaviour. You felt that we could improve our communication after you have reported a serious problem or complex repair. We have already begun to improve this part of our service and are getting in touch with customers who told us that they had an unresolved issue. Read behind the scenes of an ASB success on page 22 and meet new members of our inspection team on page 11.

Customers also commented that we no longer carry out some of the repairs we used to provide. As a result, we have added information to the contents of the ‘welcome pack’ given to all new tenants. This now includes advice on which repairs are our responsibility and which are the responsibility of the customer. You will also see more information about Fair Landlord in your magazine and on a new area of our website.

Your views are important to us. You don’t need to wait until the next satisfaction survey to tell us how we are doing. Email customerfeedback@ ssha.co.uk

At your service: SSHA People

Dan Saunders, gas installation technician The success that we have had with our Fair Landlord campaign means that we have been able to increase our investment in home improvements including new kitchens and bathrooms, the MOT programme and the installation of energy efficient boilers.

Fair Landlord savings are re-invested into these projects as well as helping us build more homes for local communities.

Dan Saunders is part of our new boiler installation team. Installing boilers ourselves, instead of using contractors, saves us £200,000 per year. That means

that we can fit more of the latest, energy efficient boilers to help cut energy bills for customers.

Dan joined the association in August 2015: “I have worked in heating installation for the last five years,” he says. “We work in teams of two, in homes right across South Staffordshire.

On average we fit three boilers a week.

Depending on the kind of installation, it can take as little as a day to fit a new boiler which will make a real difference to someone’s home.”

The new boilers fitted by Dan and his team can result in a reduction in energy bills of £300 per household. They can

Depending on the kind of installation, it can take as little as a day to fit a new boiler. also save space, too, as this customer told us: “The new boiler is so much neater. It’s like having a new room! The people who installed it were wonderful. They were as pleased to be in our home as we were to have them.”

Boilers are reviewed as part of the planned maintenance schedule and assessed during your annual gas safety check. Boilers must be at least fifteen years old to qualify for replacement.

Dan Saunders (fourth from the left) – part of the boiler installation team

9

Ivy is Queen for a day at Coven Court When a retirement living community in Coven wanted a celebrity to formally open its new-look facilities, it didn’t have to look far. Coven Court stalwart Ivy Payton, 94, was the obvious choice.

“Ivy has lived at Coven Court since 1981 and has done a huge amount to create the strong sense of community there,” said Care Plus director of care and support Les Clarke. “In her time she has run keep fit classes and her famous baked pies raised hundreds of pounds for good causes. She even met her second husband, Frank, when they were both very involved with the volunteering activities at Coven Court.

“When we asked residents who they would like as the guest of honour at their special occasion, they suggested Ivy and she made the perfect VIP.”

Ivy Paton cuts the ribbon at the opening

same afternoon in celebration of the Queen’s 90th birthday.

“It was a lovely surprise and such an honour to be asked to cut the ribbon. I feel as though I have been Queen for the day!” Ivy said. “The new lounge looks lovely and bright. I

It was a lovely surprise and such an honour to be asked to cut the ribbon.

I feel as though I have been Queen for the day!

Ivy cut the ribbon revealing a newlook communal lounge and kitchen area, part of an investment of around £50,000 by South Staffordshire Housing Association which owns Coven Court. She also presided over a celebratory cream tea on the

10

hope that it will help to bring people together because that is so important.

Life is short and we should make the most of it. I’ve made lots of friends here – I expect half of the people here today will end up at my bungalow for a party afterwards!”

A raffle and sale of homemade cakes at the event raised £155 which will be used to provide new garden furniture for the courtyard at Coven Court.

“Older people can experience loneliness. That is why we believe it is important to invest in communal facilities and to celebrate people like Ivy, who do so much to bring people together,” said Les Clarke.

Our Fair Landlord policy makes it possible for us to invest in improvements to individual homes and to communities like Coven Court. Because we reduce our costs where we can and spend our income carefully to benefit more of our customers, we can keep making a difference.

Thank you for backing our Fair Landlord policies

Investing in the future

…introducing Mark Rosten and Suki Gill Our inspectors play a really important part in the services you receive from SSHA. Think of the inspectors as our in-house advice team. If your home needs major work or you have asked for an adaptation such as a ramp, an inspector will visit to see what is required and assess what we can do to help.

If our operatives believe that there is an underlying problem behind a repair, they might consult our inspectors. And when you call Customer Services, our advisors will sometimes call upon the knowledge of the inspectors to resolve your query.

The inspectors are also helping to cut the period of time that a home stands empty between lettings. Reducing what we call ‘void time’ is vital because it means that we can provide affordable

homes to people who need them.

It also underpins our Fair Landlord policies because voids are a significant cost to the Association. Cutting void time means that there is more money to spend on home improvements and services.

We have recently welcomed two new experts to our inspection team.

Asset manager Mark Rosten leads the team. Based in Warwickshire this is actually a return to Staffordshire for Mark, who previously worked with us until 2012.

“It’s good to be back working in Staffordshire,” Mark says. “We’re here to keep customers informed and make sure that everyone receives a fair service. We clarify the work which is our responsibility, as set out in the Repairs Checklist and ensure that major repairs

SSHA People

We’re here to keep customers informed and make sure that everyone receives a fair service. are completed on schedule and to the correct quality.”

Before joining us in August, asset inspector Suki Gill was a property surveyor. Based in Suffolk, she covered much of the country. “I’m still finding my way round some of the beautiful rural areas around South Staffordshire.

My sat-nav is really useful at the moment!” she says. “I am really enjoying my new job. It’s about building relationships, listening to customers and applying the Fair Landlord principles to every part of our service.”

SSHA inspectors Suki Gill and Mark Rosten

11

Annual report 2015-2016 • Annual report 2015-2016 • Annual report 2015-2016 •

How are we doing?

Every year we tell you about our financial performance. We also report back to you on how we measure-up against the important service commitments we make to our customers.

You can read a summary and our detailed value for money statement along with our financial report on the SSHA website. Information about our income and expenditure and our performance in key areas is presented on these pages:

Income 28,414,000.00

Rent & service charges

1,031,000.00

Sales

Rent from shops, garages etc 448,000.00 32,000.00

Interest receivable

799,000.00

Amortised grant

TOTAL

30,724,000.00

Your neighbourhood We are committed to helping customers experiencing ASB.

We dealt with 183 cases of antisocial behaviour, of which we closed 130 cases.

We worked with Staffordshire police to obtain 10 injunctions to protect victims of antisocial behaviour and crime.

Housing management costs 3,842,000.00 1,996,000.00

Routine maintenance

2,028,000.00

Planned maintenance

4,320,000.00

Bad debts

104,000.00

Depreciation & impairment 5,053,000.00 Cost of sales Support services Developing new homes

584,000.00 3,861,000.00 238,000.00

Interest payable & similar charges 7,071,000.00 Other costs

TOTAL 12

We are committed to attending all emergencies within four hours.

Result: 2015/16 99.08% We are committed to completing all agreed responsive repairs within 30 days.

Result: 2015/16 96.2% And also…

• We achieved 96.17%

customer satisfaction with repairs and maintenance

Expenditure

Service charges

Your home

35,000.00

29,132,000.00

Your tenancy We are committed to keeping rent arrears below 2%.

Result: 2015/16 1.5% And also…

• We let 506 homes including

general needs and supported housing. Of those applicants - 27 were in the Gold Priority band - 76 were in the Gold band - 166 were in the Silver band - 172 were in the Bronze band - 65 homes were let through Extra Care

• On average, empty properties with minor repairs were let in 21 days

• All of our properties meet our lettable standard

• Annual report 2015-2016 • Annual report 2015-2016 • Annual report 2015-2016

Involvement and empowerment Our commitment was to answer 75% of phone calls within 30 seconds.

Result: 2015/16 79.43% of calls were answered within 30 seconds.

This year we changed our commitment to deliver an even better service. We now undertake to resolve 75% of all queries and requests in the first call.

Satisfied customers There has been a big fall in complaints this year and a huge increase in compliments. Look at what a difference a year makes…

Did you know?

We received more compliments than complaints last year. That is really good news and very important to us, so thank you for letting us know about the great attitude and support you receive from our staff.

When we deal with complaints we promise to treat people fairly and follow the processes at the heart of Fair Landlord.

Did you know?

97% of complaints were acknowledged

2014/15

672 complaints 97 compliments 2015/16

304 complaints 332 compliments

Did you know?

99% of all complaints received were resolved at Stage 1 of our complaints process.

We learn from all of the feedback we receive to improve our services.

Did you know?

More and more people are sending feedback, both compliments and complaints, to us by email at feedback@housing-plus.co.uk

within two days and the majority of people who complained received a response within 10 working days.

If we have done something wrong, we work hard to put it right.

13

Are you ready for a

Make sure you’ve got winter all wrapped-up With the coldest weeks of the year ahead, we want all our customers to stay safe, keep warm and be prepared.

What if my boiler breaks down?

If you have a problem with your gas boiler, you should report this to Robert Heath Heating. Call them on 0333 240 8803. You might want to keep this magazine, with their number, somewhere handy, so that you know what to do if you have a problem.

As you know, we offer a 30-day promise for all our repairs, including boilers.

We try to carry out heating repairs as quickly as possible and in most cases, this will be within ten days.

If you have a back boiler, you must expect repairs to take considerably longer than the average time, however nearly all will be sorted within the 30 day promise. This is because many of the parts needed for these boilers are no longer manufactured. We work hard

14

to trace parts online, overseas or from recycling to minimise disruption.

This takes time.

Sometimes, our engineers simply won’t be able to obtain the part that they need to mend your boiler. In those cases, we will need to arrange to supply and fit a new boiler.

That can take time, too.

If we can't fix your boiler straight away, this isn’t because we don’t have enough engineers or because we don’t understand how difficult it is for you to manage without heating. It is because we can’t control the availability of obsolete parts. That also means that we can’t prioritise particular groups of customers. For us, every customer is a priority. We will always leave you with up to two temporary heaters until we complete your repair.

What we will do if you have a problem with your boiler Our engineers will work to complete all repairs within 30 days. In most cases,

they will have your heating working quicker than that – on average repairing in seven working days. However, depending on the make and model of your heating system, in some cases, it could take longer.

1. We will stay In touch and keep you informed about the progress with your repair.

2. If we can't fix your heating straight away, we will provide you with up to two temporary, portable heaters.

3. We are spending approximately £1m each year, replacing old boilers.

The new ones we install will cut your heating bills. Importantly, it is also very easy to obtain spare parts for these boilers. So if something goes wrong, we can put it right.

If we tell you that our boiler installation team is in your area and would like to replace your old boiler, let us carry out that work. Unfortunately, some customers refuse these improvements, placing them at greater risk of breakdown and making it difficult for us to repair problems quickly.

What can you do to make sure you are winter-ready?

Never block air vents and if you have coal or gas heaters make sure there is good ventilation.

If water pipes freeze, that's when bursts happen. Find out where the main stopcock is and check that you can turn off the water if you need to.

We provide smoke alarms for all homes. Use the test button and make sure your alarm is working. You can ask your local fire service to check your home for fire safety.

The Winter Fuel Payment and Cold Weather Payment

Claim all the financial support you can to help with heating bills. See opposite for more information about the winter fuel allowance.

If you are aged 62 or over, you can claim up to £300 in a Winter Fuel Payment. These are one-off payments which are normally made during November and December.

Wearing several layers will keep you warmer than one bulky jumper or coat because of the air trapped between the layers.

The Winter Fuel Payment is made to each eligible person in a household.

Each person who qualifies will receive a letter explaining what they will get, depending on their age and personal circumstances.

Find out whether your local pharmacy offers a prescription pick-up and delivery service.

Keep basic food supplies with extended use-by dates in the cupboard. If it is too cold to go out or you are worried about slipping on icy pavements, you could also try shopping online and get food delivered to your door.

Keep a battery-operated radio, torch and spare batteries handy in case there’s a power cut. If you have a mobile phone, laptop or tablet, keep it fully-charged so you can use the battery power if there’s no electricity.

Keep a list of emergency numbers, including Robert Heath Heating, by your phone.

If you received the Winter Fuel Payment last year and your circumstances haven’t changed, you should be paid again this year, without needing to claim. If you think that you are eligible for a payment and didn’t receive it last winter, you can claim by completing a form online at www.gov.uk.

If you are eligible for a Cold Weather Payment you will receive £25 for each week that the average temperature in your area falls to zero degrees centigrade or lower, for seven consecutive days between 1 November and 31 March.

You should receive the Cold Weather Payment directly into your bank account. If you think you are eligible but haven’t received the payment, contact Job Centre Plus.

To check that you receive all the financial help you can get, call SSHA Customer Services on 01785 312000 and ask to speak to a member of our advice and support team.

A Cold Weather Payment helps people on low incomes to heat their homes when it is particularly cold.

You will be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment If you have a child under 5 years old or you receive one of the following: Income Support Pensioner premium Disability premium Disabled child premium Child Tax Credit (that includes a disability element) Universal Credit

If you have a problem with your gas boiler, you should report this to Robert Heath Heating.

Call them on 0333 240 8803.

15

Are you ASBESTOS aware?

Asbestos fibres are resistant to chemicals and heat and extremely strong. As a result, asbestos has been used in building materials and products since the 1930s. It was most popular in the 1960s and 1970 and so homes built or refurbished around this period are more likely to contain asbestos. The use of asbestos in buildings stopped in 1999.

Homes built after this do not have asbestos containing materials in them.

Why might asbestos be a problem?

When asbestos materials age or become damaged they can release tiny fibres into the air. These fibres can be breathed into the lungs where they can be very damaging. When high levels are breathed in there is a greater risk of lung disease and other illnesses such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Asbestos is not dangerous if it is in good condition and left alone.

Is everyone exposed to asbestos?

There are extremely low levels of fibres all around us. However as these levels

16

are so low, they are unlikely to harm our health.

The level of fibres may be higher in buildings containing asbestos materials, especially where the materials are damaged. Again, the levels of fibres found in buildings are unlikely to be harmful but if you have damaged asbestos materials in your home you need to seek advice from us so we can take care of it.

Where might asbestos be in my home?

Asbestos can be found in areas like:

• Sheet roofing and cladding • Bath panels coatings to walls • Textured and ceilings • Vinyl floor tiles • Sink pads • Water tanks • Flue pipes • Bitumen roofing felt • Fuse boards • Oven gloves and ironing boards

What should I do if I suspect asbestos is present in my home?

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance is that if an asbestos containing material or product is in

good condition it should be left in place and not touched if it cannot be damaged easily. SSHA follows this guidance. We also keep an asbestos register and update this as part of our regular inspection processes.

High, short term exposure to asbestos fibres might occur when undertaking DIY work. Therefore, if you plan to carry out any DIY or improvements to your home you must seek written consent from SSHA before doing so.

To stay safe, never drill or sand down any surfaces in your home without obtaining advice and approval from us.

Further advice can also be sought from the HSE: www.hse.co.uk/asbestos

Will you be affected by the new benefit cap?

Changes taking place from this autumn could reduce the amount of Housing Benefit you receive.

The ‘benefit cap’ introduced a limit on the total benefit a household can receive. The government has reduced the amount in the benefit cap.

If your benefit was already capped, the total amount you receive will fall. And if you were not previously affected by the benefit cap you might find that your Housing Benefit is reduced for the first time meaning that you have to make up part of your rent using money from your income or other benefits.

The new limits of the Benefit Cap

•

If your household is made up of a couple (with or without children) or you are a lone parent and the children live with you the maximum benefit your household can receive will be £385 per week.

•

If you are a single person without children or your children don’t live with you the maximum benefit you can receive will be £258 per week.

The benefit cap doesn’t apply to all households. It will not apply if you or your partner qualify for Working Tax Credit or if you, your partner or any of your children receive one of the following benefits:

• • • • • • • • • • •

Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance Personal Independence Payment Industrial Injuries benefits The support component of Employment & Support Allowance Carers Allowance Guardians Allowance War/War Disablement Pension scheme Armed Forces Compensation scheme Armed Forces Independence Payment

War Widow’s or War Widower’s pension.

The new limits are expected to be introduced in late autumn.

For advice about the opportunity to move into cheaper housing, advice with budgeting and help to find employment, contact us on 01785 312000.

Local Housing Allowance: look out for information about proposed government changes to housing benefit People who rent their homes from a private landlord don’t receive Housing Benefit. Instead, if they are on low incomes they get help with their rent in the form of Local Housing Allowance (LHA).

The difference between Housing Benefit and LHA is that Housing Benefit can cover up to your full rent, depending on your income whereas LHA is a flat rate, regardless of the actual cost of rent and service charges.

If the LHA doesn’t cover the full amount, then the tenant has to make up the rest of their rent.

The Government has announced that, from 2018, LHA rates will be applied to Housing Benefit for all general needs tenancies that began from April 2016.

The same may apply for new tenants in supported housing although we are waiting for more information about this to be announced by the government.

Because our rents are usually below market rents we don’t expect the majority of our customers to be affected by this change.

Some groups, though, are at risk, particularly people aged under-35 who are single and without dependents.

This is because the LHA rate for these people would only cover the cost of a bedroom in a shared house. People in supported accommodation might also see a change because the combined total of rent and service charges could exceed the LHA rate, although the government has not yet confirmed that the changes will affect these tenants.

We are working hard on behalf of our customers. With other social housing providers we are lobbying the government to reduce the impact of these changes on vulnerable people and those least able to afford housing.

In the coming months please look out for communications and updates about this issue from SSHA and the Department for Work & Pensions. For information, help and support call our Customer Services team on 01785 312000.

17

Building new homes for communities

Retirement homes with a view Work has begun on a new development of retirement apartments in Penkridge. Called River View, the desirable address will provide 41 one and twobedroomed apartments with communal facilities including a lounge and orangery.

Many of the apartments have the advantage of views across the River Penk and looking out across the peaceful meadows, it is easy to forget that the bustling village of Penkridge is just a short stroll away.

Twenty-eight of the apartments will be available to rent, with 13 offered for shared ownership.

River View is being built on the site of the former Riverside House and the exciting development improves the standard of accommodation available to older people who want to live independently in an easy-to-manage, comfortable home.

Care Plus is an important part of Housing Plus Group. The high quality care service – rated ‘Good’ in all five key inspection areas by the Care Quality Commission – will be available to residents of River View. Residents will be able to call upon care arrangements tailored to their requirements and provided in their own homes, as their needs change.

If you would like to learn more about the apartments available to rent, contact Debbie Brownlie on 07957 832389 or email debbie. brownlie@care-plus.org.uk To express an interest in buying a shared ownership apartment, contact Gail Beddow on 01785 312213 or email gail.beddow@ housing-plus.co.uk

Completion is expected in September 2017.

Current construction on the River View site

Artist’s impressions of the new River View development

18

Retirement living options – available now Our apartments are designed to help you enjoy life. If you want to continue to live independently but in a smaller, easier-tomanage home, then our retirement living communities could be the right move for you.

Apartments for people aged 55+ are currently available to rent in these retirement living communities.

For more information call 01785 312292 today.

Coven Court, Coven | Studio apartments Pinfold House, Cheslyn Hay | Studio apartments Mill House, Kinver | Studio apartments Deansfield House, Brewood | One-bedroomed apartment A limited number of one and two-bedroomed apartments are occasionally available for rent or re-sale in our retirement living communities with care and support. For more information and to apply to join the waiting list for these properties call the numbers below: Corsers Court, Perton Cherry Tree Court, Essington Pencric, Penkridge Vine Court, Cannock

01902 747197 01922 712391 01785 711720 01543 465700

Keeping your home safe Robert Heath Heating are our gas servicing and repair provider and any heating issues you have should be reported directly to their call centre on 0333 240 8803.

As well as the local rate phone number for our customers you benefit from:

•

A dedicated call centre and contact number to report gas related repairs and arrange a gas service, available 24/7, 365 days a year

•

Alternative methods to contact and report a repair or arrange a gas service via email

•

Standard working hours of 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 5pm on Saturdays

•

A full appointment system for heating repairs and gas services.

Access to your home As your landlord we need access to your home so that we can meet important legal responsibilities. These duties include making sure that your gas and electricity is safe, that we manage asbestos safely and that communal areas have a fire risk assessment and fire doors.

As your landlord we have a legal obligation to carry out these essential and mandatory checks and tests. As our tenant, under the terms of your Tenancy Agreement you must provide us with access to carry these out. Under the terms of your Tenancy Agreement you must give us access to your home so that we can meet our legal obligations to keep you safe.

Why we carry out annual gas servicing By law, we must carry out an annual gas safety check of your home. This MUST take place even if you do not have a gas supply. We will ensure:

20

•

Gas fittings (appliances, pipework and flues) installed by us are maintained in a safe condition

• •

All work is carried out by a Gas Safe registered installer A gas service is carried out on each appliance/flue in your home every year. On new tenancies, all gas appliances and flues will be checked before you move in

• •

A record is kept of each annual gas service We provide you with a copy of your home’s current gas safety record.

Gas safety

•

Seek permission from SSHA if you want to replace a gas appliance and use only Gas Safe registered installers.

•

Contact SSHA if you see any of the following and turn off the appliance immediately: Sooting or staining on or around your gas appliance Yellow ‘lazy’ flames – not crisp and blue Anyone suffering drowsiness, headaches, nausea or chest pains when using a gas appliance.

• • •

Just as with routine repairs, we have classifications for heating repairs.

Extreme: These are attended to in four hours and are for times when you can smell gas fumes or have gas or water leaks from your heating system.

Routine: All other heating related faults are classified as routine. These might be faulty timer controls, air locks or partial loss of heating or hot water.

Please note: If you have an old boiler it can take us longer to carry out your heating repair because of the difficulty in obtaining spare parts.

Failure to give us access to your home to carry out legallyrequired safety checks could be dangerous to you, your family and neighbours. It also means that you are in breach of your Tenancy Agreement and could result in legal action.

Congratulations to Jack and Joan Bare Congratulations to Old School Court residents Jack and Joan Bare who have had a double celebration this year.

Mr & Mrs Bare have been marking their 77th wedding anniversary as well as Jack’s 99th birthday.

The best wishes of all of us at SSHA and Care Plus go to the happy couple.

21

Are you experiencing anti-social behaviour?

We understand that, if you are experiencing anti-social behaviour (ASB) in your neighbourhood it can have a big impact on your home life. We know that it can make you feel isolated and frustrated.

We can help.

The most important thing you can do is to report the behaviour to us. There is a lot we can do to make a difference.

Senior ASB and tenancy officer Scott Carter and his colleague Hannah Parrott told us about longstanding issues in Rugeley which have recently been resolved.

“It can take time to solve ASB problems because of the legal processes involved but serious sanctions exist and we don’t hesitate to take those steps when it is necessary,” explained Scott.

“In this particular case we had received a lot of complaints about ASB which was

22

We were delighted that their patience was rewarded when this issue was resolved. having a serious impact on our tenants and the wider community. There were reports of drug use, excessive noise, threats of violence and parties and behaviour requiring police involvement.

Hannah Parrott,

ASB and tenancy officer

Both flats have since been vacated and the offenders have terms within their injunction which prevent them returning to the area.

“We obtained injunctions against the people involved and served notice that we would seek possession of their flats if there was any further antisocial behaviour.”

“We worked with the police and other partners in the community to get this result and stayed in very close contact with affected residents throughout the process,” said Hannah. “We completely understood what neighbours were experiencing and were delighted that their patience was rewarded when this issue was resolved.”

Eventually, owing to further bad behaviour, the injunction led to the arrest and imprisonment of an offender.

If you are experiencing ASB, talk to us.

Report the problem and let us work with you to improve our neighbourhoods.

Small Business Saturday 3 December 2016 Small Business Saturday is the biggest day of the year for small businesses. On that day, we are all being urged to think small and make a big difference to some of the fantastic retailers and other businesses in South Staffordshire.

If you want to support your favourite small business or get to know some new traders, make a note of Small Business Saturday and help keep our brilliant shops in business.

These businesses are on your doorstep.

Super-convenient and tailored to your community, they are looking forward to giving you an extra special welcome on Small Business Saturday. Why not get together with a few friends and see how many local businesses you can support on that day?

You can also be part of the national buzz on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posting photos of you and your friends supporting local businesses using #SmallBizSaturday2016

#SmallBizSaturday2016

Keeping you informed One of the things that you told us in the recent Repairs customer satisfaction survey was that you wanted to be kept informed about repairs.

When you contact us to request a repair, please double-check that we have your current mobile number.

For repairs that fall into our 30-day promise we will usually be able to make an appointment with you straight away.

The day before your appointment, we will send a text to confirm that we will be attending the following day.

Are you claiming Universal Credit?

If you are claiming Universal Credit, let us know.

We can help with budgeting, advice and support.

Call us on 01785 312000

At your service In previous issues of News Extra we told you about the launch of a whole range of jobs we can carry out for you at affordable rates.

Some of those Repairs Plus services are available now at standard charges. Other jobs can be quoted individually, depending on the work involved.

Call us now to request any of the following work. Jobs are normally carried out within five days and payment is made at the time of booking.

Fitting a new bulb

£15

Clearing a blockage

£20

Re-glazing a double-gazed window up to 1.5m2

£100

Re-glazing a double-glazed window larger than 1.5m2

£175

Gaining access and replacing lock to a timber door

£50

Gaining access to replacing lock to a composite door

£70

Our experts are also available to deliver their award-winning services at rates which will be quoted in advance depending on the work involved. The specialist services below are available to SSHA tenants AND other members of the public.

Property Plus delivering a Repairs Plus service

Drain jetting CCTV survey from £160 High-pressure cleaning from £70 Drainage repairs from £50 Tree root cutting from £100

• • • •

Kitchens, bathrooms and shower rooms (note that SSHA customers receive these installation works free of charge according to the planned maintenance schedule).

Kitchen installation from £4100 Bathroom installation from £3000 Shower room installations from £4200

• • •

For more information about any of these services call Customer Services on 01785 312000.

Useful telephone numbers:

This newsletter is also available in:

• Gas leaks

• Street lighting

Large print

(National Gas Emergency Service)

(South Staffordshire Council)

Audio

0800 111 999

• Electrical emergency

0300 111 8000

• Street cleaning

01902 696316 0800 40 40 90 (National Grid)

• Health and sickness help and (South Staffordshire Council) • Personal concerns, advice 111 (NHS Direct) worries and troubles • Police 101 (non-emergency) • SSHA gas repairs and service 08457 90 90 90 (Samaritans) • General property repairs, 0333 240 8803 rent payment, debt advice (Robert Heath Heating) and fault reporting • Refuse collection SSHA Customer Services 01902 696203 01785 312000 (South Staffordshire Council)

Proud of our members

Braille Other languages For more information call Customer Services

Acton Court, Acton Gate, Staffordshire ST18 9AP Customer Services t: 01785 312000 e: enquiries@ssha.co.uk www.ssha.co.uk