News Extra - Issue one 2019

newsextra Issue one 2019

Important news, advice and information for customers of South Staffordshire Housing Association

“We didn’t know where to turn”

page 7

Customer honoured in Dyslexia Awards page 3

New rapid response triage repair service page 4

Ready... steady... GROW

pageone 122019 | newsextra 1 Issue

I hope that you enjoy the latest issue of News Extra. It’s a great read, with all the latest news about our new digital services. We’re making it possible for you to do more online including paying your rent, checking your balance, downloading past statements and changing your details.

You will also find information about the difference we have been able to make to communities by supporting local projects, developing affordable housing and creating apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

Our customers make a difference, too. We always enjoy hearing about inspirational tenants like Michael Ratcliffe who has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people who, like him, have a learning disability.

Jan Goode Neighbourhoods director

The apprentices you’re hired!

Fourteen apprentices and trainees met our chief executive Sarah Boden for a catch up about their progress before gathering for a photo shoot.

We have been actively recruiting young people in our repairs and maintenance team, Property Plus.

The apprentices, whose length of service ranges from a few months to over three years, work in a number of different roles across the two counties, including plumbing, electrical, gas engineering, multi trade and administration.

After recognising that our repairs and maintenance team has an ageing workforce, we launched the Construct Your Career campaign to attract more 18-24 year olds.

Advertising on social media and in newspapers saw around 70 people registering their interest, resulting in five apprenticeships and one traineeship.

2 newsextra | Issue one 2019

As chair of the Homes board I am very proud of the work that SSHA and Severnside Housing do to improve the lives of people and communities in this area. I see it when I visit the association offices, talk to the people who work there and when I meet our customers. I hope that you can see that too, reading this magazine.

This is an exciting time for us, with the possibility that we might join with our neighbours, Stafford and Rural Homes, to form a larger Group able to do more in Staffordshire and Shropshire.

You will remember that we wrote to you in February to seek your feedback about our potential merger. I would like to thank the 67 customers who took part in this consultation.

Responses were largely positive and we will listen carefully to your views when deciding whether to move forward to create a new housing group.

If the board agrees to take the next step towards merger, we will contact you again to invite you to take part in the formal consultation process.

Peter Phillips Chair, Homes board

Residents of the Yew Tree Court retirement living community in Shifnal have been celebrating the arrival of new garden furniture bought with the support of a generous grant from the Much Wenlock Forester Charitable Trust. “Residents really enjoy getting out of their homes and meeting neighbours in the garden. Our old furniture needed replacing and now we can’t wait for the sunshine!” said retirement living officer Toni Roberts.

If you live in one of our retirement living communities and you’d like to improve the facilities you use to socialise, talk to your retirement living officer to see if any grant funding is available for your project.

Shining Star honoured in Dyslexia Awards We are incredibly proud of the part that our customers play in local communities.

Supporting vibrant, thriving neighbourhoods is very important to us and we know that our customers make a huge contribution to their own communities through work as carers, nurses, fire officers and paramedics and by volunteering hundreds of hours every year as sports coaches, fundraisers and school governors.

Harlescott resident Michael Ratcliffe is one of our unsung heroes.

Michael has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people who, like him, have a learning disability. Selected from applicants across the country, he is part of an advisory group helping NHS England improve its services for people with learning disabilities or autism and their families. He also works with local and regional police on issues including disability hate crime, the treatment of vulnerable people in custody suites and the employment of staff with Down syndrome. His involvement as an advocate and campaigner for change has

taken him to Denmark and Luxembourg.

“Many years ago I saw people with mental health conditions and learning difficulties coming out of long-stay hospitals and struggling to adapt to life in the community. They would often be medicated, confused and frightened of returning to hospital. I felt that there should be more support available and wanted to help.”

©Michael Wilkinson – infocus Photography 2018

Michael Ratcliffe, winner of the 2018 Dyslexia Awards Shining Star Adult Award (left) is pictured receiving his trophy from Paul Shuttleworth of sponsor True Potential Hypnotherapy.

Michael got involved locally at first, eventually working closely with the Department of Health as co-chair of a national forum for people with learning disabilities. He also contributed to the influential government white paper Valuing People setting out a new vision for learning disability, including ending the long-stay hospitals which had so concerned him as a young man.

Our congratulations go to Michael, who was recently

presented with the Shining Star trophy at the Dyslexia Awards.

“Having a learning disability made me who I am; it’s part of my DNA. I don’t let it define me, though. It’s not about your disabilities, it’s about your ability and my ability was to make a difference. I’m really thankful that young people with learning disabilities and autism now have far greater expectations, opportunities and ambition.”

Read more about Michael in his own words: www.housingplusgroup.co.uk/michael-ratcliffe

NEW: Manage your tenancy online Coming soon Be the first to register for our new online services. Pay your rent, check your balance, download past statements and update your details – all online.

You asked us to deliver more digital services and this is just the beginning.

You’ll need your tenancy reference number (included on your rent letter) and an email address to register.

Visit www.ssha.co.uk/my-account to find out more.

You will be able to pay your rent online, by Direct Debit, standing order, PayPoint or by telephone.

Issue one 2019 | newsextra 3

Turning your feedback into action: Rapid response triage repair service delivers speedy results As a direct result of your STAR survey feedback we have launched a new rapid response triage repair service that ensures all emergency repairs are dealt with as swiftly and efficiently as possible.

Originally part of a pilot project, the new rapid response triage repair service represents a very significant change to our responsive repairs service.

Phase one of the project focused on emergency and urgent repairs. Just like a nursing triage, when you call us to report an emergency or urgent repair, our experienced triage teams, based in Shropshire and Staffordshire, will diagnose your repair, give it an appropriate classification and book in the job. If your repair is categorised as an emergency or urgent repair it will promptly be passed to our new rapid response team.

The team, which is dedicated to dealing with these crucial repairs, will be dispatched out to you in their new rapid

response uniforms and vans. All emergency repair jobs are dealt with within four hours and all urgent within four days.

Phase one of the project was such a success that phase two, managing repairs that take approximately one hour to complete, along with extended operating hours of 8.30am – 6pm, was introduced at the end of 2018.

Property Plus assistant director Andrew Kenny explains why the new initiative is proving such a great success: “The new service is very popular with customers as our experienced triage teams are using their extensive knowledge and expertise to accurately classify the repair.

The rapid response teams are then quickly dispatched with a real insight into the job enabling them to deal with it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Rapid response team

completed during the first visit and should a follow-up appointment be needed a return visit is arranged there and then.

“Feedback also tells us that customers particularly like that the majority of repairs are

“110% — service was very quick”

“Very satisfied - great service - great workman fixed straight away!”

Shopping voucher up for grabs!

Did you know that when we install new gas central heating to a home, Morgan Lambert carry out a gas safety audit?

Customers who give access to their home for this work to be done are entered into a quarterly prize draw. Up for grabs is a £50 shopping voucher!

Pictured is recent lucky winner Mr Cormie from Featherstone and Morgan Lambert consultant, Chris Inskip.

4 newsextra | Issue one 2019

You can find out more about our repairs and maintenance service and access useful customer information leaflets by visiting our website – www.ssha.co.uk/repairs

WIN £50

Repairs to your home Every year we spend over £20 million repairing, maintaining and improving homes across the Group.

Repairs are an important part of looking after your home. Sometimes repairs are necessary because of general wear and tear or because things go wrong and need a little extra attention.

Top tips for getting the most from our repairs service Before you call us to report a problem always take a look at the repairs checklist to make sure the job falls under our responsibility.

You can find a copy on our website www.ssha.co.uk/repairs Please make a note of the job reference number raised by our customer services team. If you have to call us back about a repair, quoting the reference number will allow us to easily access details about your repair.

If you are reporting a heating repair, please don’t forget to tell us whether you have gas or electrical heating.

Reporting a repair To request a general property, heating or hot water repair please call our customer services team on 01785 312000.

Reporting a meter cupboard repair }} For gas meter cupboard repairs please call our customer services team on 01785 312000. }} For electrical meter cupboard repairs please call Western Power (even if they are not your provider) on 0800 096 3080. If they are not the distributor for your area they will advise you who is. }} For communal area gas/electrical cupboard repairs please call our customer services team on 01785 312000.

If you are no longer able to be home for an appointment, please let us know so we can free up the slot for someone else who is waiting.

If you’re out when we call, we’ll leave a card with instructions on how to rebook your appointment.

On the day of your appointment, please make sure that we are able to gain access to your home to carry out the work. Anyone authorised to enter your property will carry an identity card.

Always ask to see it before letting callers in and be aware that there may be bogus callers operating in your area. If you have any concerns please call us on 01785 312000 to confirm their identity.

Please clear any area our operatives might need to access to undertake the repair.

Please make sure there’s a responsible adult, over the age of 18, at your home when we arrive – if there’s not we won’t be able to carry out the repair and you will have to rebook the appointment.

We monitor the quality of repairs and carry out satisfaction surveys on a number of completed repairs to make sure the work has been done correctly and to an acceptable standard. If we contact you for feedback please take part.

Grounds maintenance winter programme At the end of the peak summer season the grounds maintenance team started carrying out gutter clearing and repairs at our retirement living schemes.

They will also support our repairs and maintenance teams during the busy winter period, ensuring that all of our resources as used as efficiently and cost effectively as possible.

You can view full details of our ground maintenance service commitment at www.ssha.co.uk/gardening-services Issue one 2019 | newsextra 5

Making alterations to your home Should you wish to carry out any alteration to your home you need to seek our written permission before starting any work. If approval is granted for the alterations to be carried out we always check that the work has been undertaken correctly by a qualified and competent contractor and complies with current standards.

Unfortunately, there have been a number of incidents recently where customers have made alterations to their home without our permission which has led to them putting themselves, their family and neighbours in danger.

Work undertaken by customer: New non-fire rated downlights installed.

What happened?

The home set on fire and extensive damage was caused. Luckily no one was injured or harmed.

Outcome: Work to repair the home will cost over ÂŁ30,000.

The family had to move out of the property and will have to live in temporary accommodation for 6-9 months.

How do I request permission to make alterations to my home?

You need to complete our request for permission to carry out alterations form which can be found on our website, along with guidance notes.

What alterations do I need to get permission to do? }} Building an extension to your property including adding a conservatory or porch }} Erecting a shed or green house }} Installing a new bathroom or kitchen }} Removing or installing an electric, gas or open fire }} Installing a Sky dish, TV aerial, CCTV or burglar alarm }} Changing internal or external light fittings }} Installing a large stove style cooker which means a kitchen cupboard may need to be removed }} Removing kitchen worktops to make room for a fridge or cooker }} Installing a new driveway or dropped kerb }} Changing internal doors

What things do I need to remember? }} You are responsible for any repairs to the improvements you make.

Work undertaken by customer:

}} If you move out you must either leave any improvements or put your home back to its original condition.

Stove style cooker fitted by non-qualified engineer.

}} Please allow 4–6 weeks for a response. You must not start work until you have received written permission.

What happened?

}} You must make sure that the work is done properly and safely, using a competent contractor and obtain the necessary compliance certificates.

The new cooker was dangerously installed across a doorway and cupboards were removed causing a severe health and safety risk.

Outcome: The customer had to put the kitchen back to its original condition and replace the cooker with one of a more suitable size; installed by a certified engineer to ensure it complies with current gas safety regulations.

6 newsextra | Issue one 2019

}} Should you carry out alterations without our written permission you will be in breach of your tenancy agreement.

For more information and to find a copy of our permission form, please visit www.ssha.co.uk/repairs

“We didn’t know where to turn”

For John and Melanie Tomlinson, 2018 was a year they’d prefer to forget.

John faced ill health and redundancy and they had to leave the privately rented home they had occupied for the previous four years, when it was put on the market.

“We wanted to stay in Codsall and we needed to move quickly. The only place we were offered was a lot smaller, with three sets of stairs to climb.

We had to put most of our furniture and personal possessions into storage and it was really hard with three young children, having so little space.

I’m in a lot of pain and was struggling to manage the stairs. We tried to stay positive for the family but we were getting increasingly desperate.” John explains.

Eventually, the couple contacted South Staffordshire Council to see if there was any support available to them.

“We knew nothing about social housing and to be honest, we didn’t expect anyone to be able to help. We just didn’t know where to turn.”

To John’s surprise, SSHA stepped in to turn things round for the young family. John and Melanie were offered a three-bedroomed home on a new

estate in the village. They moved in just before Christmas.

“The housing association has been amazing and I was shocked at how quickly they acted. We’ve got a proper family home now, with a secure future for our children. It’s a lovely house and a great neighbourhood; the children have already made lots of friends.

“We had a tough time last year and two house moves in four months were incredibly stressful, which had an impact on my health. We celebrated the New Year in our new home and it felt like a fresh start for the whole family.”

Looking to move home?

The first step towards moving into a new home is to register with www.myhomefinder.org.uk If you are already registered and eligible you can bid for homes as they become available.

Issue one 2019 | newsextra 7

Keeping you safe in your home As your landlord we have important legal duties and obligations. Most of these responsibilities involve safeguarding you, your home and family.

undertaken, despite us making extensive efforts to gain entry, including numerous pre-arranged appointments and home visits, emails, text and answer machine messages.

By law, we must carry out safety first checks and it’s an important condition of your tenancy that you give us access to your home to carry out this work. You can find out more about our safety first checks below.

As a result legal proceedings were taken to ensure that the customer complied with the terms of their tenancy and we could fulfil our obligations to carry out the gas safety inspection.

The day before the court hearing the customer gave access for the following day. Given the difficulties already experienced we continued with the application to ensure the ongoing safety of the tenant and their family.

A four year injunction was obtained. If the tenant doesn’t comply with the terms of the order they will be guilty of contempt of court and could be sent to prison.

The customer was also ordered to pay the application costs which amounted to £849.60.

How do I know if my home needs a safety inspection?

When we need to carry out a safety inspection we will contact you and let you know when we, or one of our contractors, will visit your home to complete the work.

What will happen if I don’t allow you access to my home?

If you do not keep pre-arranged safety inspection appointments and ignore other subsequent communications we may have no alternative but to seek a possession order or injunction for access.

Recently a customer, who was in the probationary period of their tenancy, did not allow access to their home for a gas safety inspection to be

What should I do if I think I need a safety inspection?

Please call our customer services team on 01785 312000 who will be able to help you and arrange any necessary inspections.

Safety checks

Our safety first checks include:

}} Un-vented cylinders checks

SSHA has important legal duties and obligations to ensure you and your family are safe in your home.

}} Gas servicing and repair }} Electrical installation checks and associated repairs

}} Fire risk assessments (communal areas and sheltered schemes only) Failure to give access to your home to carry out these important inspections is a breach of your tenancy, which could result in the loss of your home.

If we book a safety check appointment with you, it is essential that you are at home to let our contractors in to undertake this vitally important work.

}} Solid fuel and oil central heating servicing and repairs }} Managing asbestos }} Solar PV roof panel inspections

Every year we spend over £60,500 on missed pre-booked appointments — money that could be spent on improving homes.

8 newsextra | Issue one 2019

If you need to change a safety check appointment please contact our customer services team on 01785 312000.

Fire doors – keeping you safe in the event of a fire Following the Grenfell Tower fire, the government found during testing that a number of fire doors in the building fell short of the expected standard.

This has lead to new guidance being issued to all landlords to evaluate the performance of fire doors in their properties. In line with this guidance, we are undertaking a full review and inspecting fire doors in all our flats and retirement living communities across the region.

Fire doors are found at the entrance to individual homes in communal blocks. The doors are there for your protection and it is part of our commitment to your safety that we undertake to inspect EVERY fire door in ALL of these buildings twice a year.

We will write to you when our inspectors are in your area. Please look out for that letter and ensure that you are available to give us access to your home so that we can inspect your fire door.

This is a safety first check that could save your life.

Report it!

If you have any concerns or think your building has a faulty fire door please don’t walk by.

Report it to us immediately on 01785 312000.

Five step fire door check anyone can do 1. Check for certification - is there a label or coloured plug/dot on the top or side of the door to show it is a certificated fire door?

2. Check the gaps around the top and sides of the door are consistently less than 4mm when closed. You can use a £1 coin to give a feel for scale, which is about 3mm thick.

The gap under the door can be slightly larger (up to 8mm is not uncommon), but it does depend on the door - as a rule of thumb, if you can see light under the door, the gap is likely to be too big.

3. Check the seals - are there any seals around the door or frame and are they intact with no sign of damage? These seals are usually vital to the fire door’s performance, expanding if in contact with heat to ensure fire (and in some cases smoke) can’t move through the cracks.

4. Check the hinges - are they firmly fixed (three or more of them) with no missing or broken screws?

5. Check the door closes properly - open the door about halfway, let go and allow it to close by itself. Does it close firmly onto the latch without sticking on the floor or the frame? Never prop a fire door open – it is completely useless if it’s wedged open.

Issue one 2019 | newsextra 9

Lending a hand in our communities Our Group sets out to support customers and communities. We do that directly, by providing affordable homes, care for elderly and vulnerable people and vital services.

We do it in other ways, too. Sponsoring outstanding local projects in Staffordshire and Shropshire means that we can work with other organisations and voluntary groups to make a difference.

We are really pleased to share with you some of the donations we have been able to make recently.

Supporting young people Shrewsbury and Oswestry Crucial Crew was established in 1994.

Each year, the charity holds a two-week event attended by up to 1,500 children from as many as 60 local primary schools.

Crucial Crew activities emphasise social awareness, safety training and essential life skills. Children learn about the dangers of drugs, internet abuse, cyber bullying, stranger danger, the impact of hoax calls and much more. Children gain confidence and are ready to make a positive contribution to their communities. Just as importantly, they have a lot of fun and make friends in different neighbourhoods.

We were delighted to be able to sponsor the fantastic work of Crucial Crew in this, its 25th year. A number of colleagues are also looking forward to volunteering with the project this summer.

Supporting volunteers

Supporting beautiful villages

The Volunteer Celebration Awards are very close to our heart. They recognise the commitment and enthusiasm of some remarkable people across South Staffordshire.

The Best Kept Village competitions encourage residents and groups to get involved in maintaining and improving the environment where they live. We were pleased to sponsor Staffordshire’s Best Kept Village Awards again in 2019.

The awards shine a spotlight on people who give up their time to provide local activities, mentor others, provide support to those who need a helping hand and enable their neighbourhoods to grow and thrive – including the kind of people who take part in the befriending programme for Care Plus.

Supporting food banks Food banks distribute parcels of donated food to individuals and families in crisis. We were pleased to make a donation to support the work of Shrewsbury food bank.

Volunteers play a hugely important part in our communities and these modest people often do so without any recognition. We love these special awards and were very pleased to sponsor the Volunteering through Adversity category. We are very much looking forward to meeting the winner of this prize.

Your views in action Get involved 10 newsextra | Issue one 2019

st Let’ alk

You wanted a faster service for repairs

st Let’ alk Your voice, your home, your future

If your organisation would like to apply for sponsorship, please email sponsorship@ housingplusgroup.co.uk or visit www.ssha.co.uk/sponsorship

We have improved our responsive repairs timescales and 94% of repairs are completed on time.

Visit www.ssha.co.uk/lets-talk

Your voice, your home, your future

Focus on… safeguarding Safeguarding means protecting the rights of an adult or child to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

As a responsible landlord, the safety of our customers is our priority. We want to make sure that you know how to get help and advice if you’re worried about a possible safeguarding problem in your neighbourhood.

What is safeguarding?

Abuse and neglect can take a lot of different forms. }} Domestic abuse }} Sexual abuse }} Physical abuse }} Psychological abuse }} Financial abuse }} Discriminatory abuse }} Neglect }} Human trafficking }} Modern slavery

Are you worried about a friend or neighbour?

It is often difficult to identify abuse or neglect but if you are in any doubt, always Speak Up. It’s easy to talk through a potential safeguarding concern. Just contact the local Safeguarding Board and they will take it from there.

To report a safeguarding concern in Staffordshire Vulnerable adult safeguarding

Speak Up In 2016-17 there were almost

S

1,000 concerns of abuse per day in the UK...

...more than

58,000 children needed protection from abuse...

Phone: 0345 604 2719 Email: VAStaffordshire@ staffordshire.gov.uk Child safeguarding of safeguarding enquiries Phone: 0800 131 3126 concerned people aged 65+...

Text: 07773 792016 Email: firstr@staffordshire.gov.uk Or the NSPCC: 0800 800 5000 ...the location of risk If you believe that there is a risk of immediate danger, call is usually the the police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

63%

family home

Littering and fly-tipping is on the rise Rubbish that has been fly-tipped is not only an eyesore for you and the local community it could also present a danger to health and a potential fire hazard.

It’s a problem blighting neighbourhoods across our region and clean-up costs are expected to top £30,000 this year. This is a huge amount of money that could be better spent on other priorities identified by customers like vital frontline support services and improving homes.

“Fly-tipping is having a big impact on our customers. They are quite rightly concerned

about fire safety and worried that discarded waste in communal and community areas can attract pests. We completely understand, too, that it spoils their living environment.” explains housing services manager Sam Allcott.

Report it!

“Please keep a look out for any suspicious activity and if you think fly-tipping is taking place, let us know straight away. We have zero tolerance of flytipping and will thoroughly investigate any reports. It is unfair that the actions of a small number of people can affect the safety and wellbeing of so many of our customers.”

To find your nearest household recycling centre, learn how to dispose of large bulky items and for general household waste advice please contact:

You can call our customer services team on 01785 312000 to report flytipping in communal areas and in your neighbourhood.

Further information

South Staffordshire Council 01902 696000 www.sstaffs.gov.uk/binsrecycling/bulkyhousehold-waste.cfm Issue one 2019 | newsextra 11

Ready….steady….GROW! With the clocks going forward and lighter evenings ahead, spring is definitely in the air.

We know that many of you take a huge pride in your gardens and every year we’re amazed at the blooming brilliant results of your hard work.

If you’re new to your property or you want to give your garden a bit of a makeover this year, we’ve asked our home grown experts for the seeds of their success.

Clive Fieldhouse is one of the green-fingered neighbours in The Orchard, Brewood. For the second year running in 2018, their flower power impressed the judges of the Civic Society’s hanging baskets and floral containers contest.

Gardens outside four bungalows in The Orchard are transformed into a riot of colour each summer and the friendly rivals work together to get everything ready for the all-important visit from the judges.

“It’s brought us closer together as neighbours and we’re always delighted when people tell us that they love walking past our homes. We don’t do this to win awards, we do it to create something beautiful that others can enjoy, too. It’s about taking pride in where you live.”

Clive Fieldhouse (centre) is pictured with neighbours Cliff and Jacqueline Baker, Rob Clayton and Bernard Rogers

Clive gave us these tips to get your gardens looking gorgeous this summer; 1. Start with a good tidy up. If you’ve already got containers and hanging baskets, empty them out and invest in some new compost.

2. Hanging baskets and colourful pots are great if you want quick results. Plant them in the spring and you’ll be enjoying the results in weeks.

3. Start growing early. You don’t need any special equipment. I sow seeds in the shed and then bring the seedlings indoors onto a warm kitchen window sill, ready to be put outside in May. 4. You can grow lots of plants from seed, which cost hardly anything. If you can, pop down to the garden centre and treat yourself to some trailing ivy and one or two showstoppers – I normally buy some fuchsias.

Bernard and Sheila Rogers, in their beautiful garden

Your voice, your home, your future

Your views in action 12 newsextra | Issue one 2019

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Customers in our retirement living communities wanted a say in staffing support in the schemes.

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Get involved

5. Don’t get too worried about planning, design and colour themes. Just give it a go!

We introduced a caretaker service in three schemes in 2018 and we’ll be consulting with other communities this year.

Visit www.ssha.co.uk/lets-talk

Your voice, your home, your future

New report says more than 21,000 new homes are needed in our region each year More than 21,000 homes need to be built in the West Midlands every year to solve the housing crisis, according to a report from the National Housing Federation (NHF) and Crisis, the national homelessness charity.

Around 16,000 homes were built last year in the region. The housing shortage is leaving thousands of people unable to buy their own home or find a stable home in the private rented sector and is even pushing people into homelessness.

The report calculated that in the West Midlands around 8,900 of new properties - almost 40% of the total - must be affordable homes including social housing. Just over 3,900 of these homes were built in the West Midlands last year.

The shortfall of homes in the West Midlands, particularly affordable homes, is having a serious impact. Three in ten under-40s can only afford to live in the region if they live in social housing.

Peter Phillips, chair of the Homes board at SSHA said: “High-quality social housing is the key to improving the quality of life of many people in Staffordshire and Shropshire. Good, affordable housing results in thriving neighbourhoods.

“Buying a house in this area is impossible for many people and there simply isn’t enough affordable housing to meet demand. This means that many people on a low income are relying on the private rented sector. They find it difficult to find a stable place to live and to put down roots in a community. In this issue of News Extra, John Tomlinson tells us what that means to a young family.”

What we are doing to meet the housing need In our new corporate plan we have made a commitment to beginning building work on 300 new homes across Staffordshire and Shropshire every year. You will be able to see how we are delivering on that commitment in our annual report.

We are working hard to build a range of large and smaller developments to suit local need in our towns and villages. We have already announced new developments in Kinver and Pontesbury.

t s ’ a t l k e L

There are some very exciting plans in the pipeline too – look out for news of these in the next issue of News Extra in the autumn.

You told us that you wanted faster heating repairs.

We chose Phoenix Gas Services as our new contractor, introduced faster repairs and made it easier for you to request a repair directly with us.

st Let’ alk Your voice, your home, your future

Your views in action Get involved

You wanted us to install more new kitchens and bathrooms In 2018 we fitted 140 more kitchens and bathrooms than the previous year.

Your voice, your home, your future

Visit www.ssha.co.uk/lets-talk

Issue one 2019 | newsextra 13

Spring clean your finances If you are finding it hard to budget or have debts, we can help.

Money can also be taken directly Paying your bills from your earnings and you could be sent to You need to prioritise some bills because of the prison. seriousness of what might happen if you can’t pay them on time. Always prioritise these bills when you are budgeting.

Rent If you fall behind with your rent we will work with you to schedule payments. If you don’t make an agreement to clear your arrears or fail to keep up repayments, you could lose your home.

Council tax If you don’t pay your council tax a court can instruct bailiffs to take your belongings. Nonpayment can even lead to imprisonment.

Gas If you don’t pay your bill your gas could be cut off.

Electricity You could have your electricity cut off if you don’t pay your bill.

TV licence You could get a court fine of up to £1,000. Nonpayment can lead to imprisonment.

Child maintenance Non-payment of maintenance bills can lead to bailiff action.

Court fines Failure to pay court fines can result in your belongings being sold to pay off your debts.

Boosting your income

Get in touch with our money advice team for information about ways to increase the money coming into your household.

Employment We know it’s tough to get into work. Talk to us about free support to develop skills for employment, further education or training.

Benefits If you’re unemployed or on a low income, retired, bringing up children, ill, have a disability or care for someone, you could be missing out financially.

We can check you’re claiming all the benefits you should be receiving.

Discretionary Housing Payment A Discretionary Housing Payment or ‘DHP’ helps meet any shortfalls you have in paying your rent.

Contact your local council for more details about the DHP. For advice about money, budgeting and getting into employment or training contact our money advice team on 01785 312000 or visit www.ssha.co.uk/money-advice

Together with Tenants

Your opportunity to help shape the way that housing associations listen to customers

SSHA has welcomed the National Housing Federation’s (NHF) Together with Tenants draft plan which was published in February.

The plan aims to ensure that tenants’ voices throughout the country are heard and that customers have more opportunities to influence the decisions that are made about the homes and services provided by housing associations.

Together with Tenants will help shape the way that housing associations listen to their customers now and in the future. That’s why we believe the plan is so important and why we are urging you all to take part in the national consultation.

Sarah Boden, Group chief executive, said: “We are proud that our customers have real opportunities

to get involved through the successful Let’s Talk channels we already have in place. Our board wants to do even more to listen to the views of customers and to make sure that our services and long-term plans are designed to meet the needs of local communities.

“Working in partnership with customers to create the best possible homes and services is at the heart of our vision for the future. I would encourage you to take part in the consultation, which closes on 19 April.”

14 newsextra | Issue one 2019

You can have your say by visiting the National Housing Federation’s website www.housing.org.uk/topics/together-withtenants/open-consultation-on-our-plan

Welfare Reform update The Universal Credit (UC) full digital service has now been rolled out for new claims in all postcode areas.

If you are currently on benefits or tax credits and your situation stays the same, you won’t yet move to UC. You should be aware, though, that the government plans to transfer people from existing benefits onto UC by December 2023.

Help and support If you need help please ask. You can contact our employment and money advice team on 01785 312000, your local Jobcentre, raise a query on your online UC Journal or go to your local Citizens Advice office.

UC information and benefit advice is also available on our website. Please visit www.ssha.co.uk/help-and-advice

If your circumstances change – for example if you find employment and then reapply for benefit later, your new claim will be for UC.

Top 10 tips for managing your UC claim 1

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Keep a daily check on your online to do list to make sure that there is nothing the Jobcentre is waiting for.

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Ensure you attend any appointments with the Jobcentre when arranged, be that the verification or work interview www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/ universal-credit/claiming/prepare-foryour-interview/

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Ask the Jobcentre for help with budgeting if you need it.

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Contact the council to apply for Council Tax Support separately at the same time you claim UC.

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Please remember - if you have an advance payment, this has to be paid back out of your first 12 monthly payments. Make sure you only request the amount that you think you will need to live on until your first payment is due.

If there is a change in your circumstances that means you need to apply for UC make your claim immediately. However, if you have lost your job it may be beneficial to wait until you have been paid before making your claim www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/ universal-credit/claiming/apply-foruniversal-credit/

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Ensure you have a valid email address.

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Ensure you have all the relevant information to hand (post code, National Insurance number, bank details, childcare costs, other benefit information).

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Ensure you have a bank account that can receive your UC payment.

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Think Direct Debit - this is the quickest and easiest way to pay your rent.

st Let’ alk

You asked for more support early in your tenancy.

Your voice, your home, your future

Your views in action Get involved

s talk ’ t e L

The support we put in place means that 80% of tenancies now last longer than two years.

Visit www.ssha.co.uk/lets-talk

Your voice, your home, your future

Issue one 2019 | newsextra 15

Cutting former tenant arrears When someone is no longer a SSHA customer and still owes us money, we don’t write it off. This rent debt is called ‘former tenant arrears’. It is our responsibility to recover money owed to us, which can be reinvested in homes and services for you.

Andrew Cork works in our income team and is one of the people working hard to recover former tenant arrears.

Between April and December 2018 Andrew helped to reduce this debt by £73,000 – that’s enough to pay for 25 new bathrooms or nearly 150 home MOTs! “It is satisfying work because it benefits customers who pay their rent and should receive the best possible services from us,” he explained.

“Working in the income team we understand how hard people work to manage their

money so that they can pay their rent on time, every time.

Reducing former tenant arrears means that we can do more for these customers through home improvements, aids and adaptations, work clubs and other support.”

Andrew and other members of the team spend time getting in touch with former tenants, some of whom might not know that they owe outstanding rent. Rent arrears can also stop customers from being offered homes with other providers in the future. Details of arrears are included in references and can impact on credit ratings.

“If someone leaves with a credit on their account, we work just as hard to find that former tenant and make sure they get their money back,” says Andrew.

“At the end of the day, it’s about being fair to our customers.”

How to make sure you don’t have rent arrears at the end of your tenancy When you decide to leave your home you must give four weeks notice. Ensure that your rent is paid for these weeks, even if you move out before the end of your notice period.

If you claim Universal Credit, you should tell the benefits office the date you plan to leave the property. If you leave before the end of your notice period you will receive housing benefit only up to the date you move out.

To avoid rent arrears you will need to pay the difference up to the end of the tenancy.

Partners doing more One of the values at the heart of our Group is partnership.

We know that by working together with local councils, community leaders, the police and fire services as well as businesses and voluntary organisations, we can do more to bring about real change for people, families and neighbourhoods.

One of these collaborations even led to a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for SSHA partner and technology specialist Mobysoft.

SSHA was one of the first housing associations to adopt Rentsense, the ground-breaking 16 newsextra | Issue one 2019

rent management system developed by Mobysoft.

“The innovative solution developed by Mobysoft underpins our Fair Landlord approach to income management,” explained neighbourhoods director Jan Goode.

“Rentsense means that we can work smarter and more effectively to personalise the support we provide to tenants, drive down rent arrears and provide a fairer service for our customers. Arrears on a small number of rent accounts have a big impact on everyone

because they reduce the money we can invest in home improvements, property maintenance and the development of much-needed affordable homes.”

Derek Steele, CEO and founder of Mobysoft said: “SSHA always looks for new ways of doing things that deliver better results. By working together to introduce Rentsense, SSHA has been able to sustain tenancies, keep people in their homes and maintain services for all their customers by managing rental income.”

New online repairs help and advice We’ve started a new project dedicated to improving your experience when trying to find information about the services we provide.

Our customer services team is only available during office hours but we recognise that you might need information at any time of day so we’ve developed a new help and advice section on our website to do just that.

You told us in the recent communications survey that

you wanted more information on repairs and maintenance, so we made sure that was one of the first thing we added.

You can find information about how to carry out simple repairs in your home, how to get support with getting online or find out about our Universal Credit advice service.

You’ll see a feedback box pop up when you’re browsing the new webpages so just let us know what you think we

Get involved — your voice, your home, your future

can improve and whether it’s helped you. We’re always open to new ideas!

Keep an eye out for future developments as the project progresses.

Don’t forget to also follow us on Facebook and Twitter to get handy tips and seasonal advice to avoid problems.

See the help that is already available to you at www.ssha.co.uk/ help-and-advice

st Let’ alk

We are committed to listening to the views of our customers and offering you lots of opportunities to have a real say in the services we provide.

Our board has made a commitment to listen and be influenced by the views of customers over and above the regulatory requirements.

Your voice, your home, your future

If you would like to have your say, there are a number of ways that you can get involved. You can join one of our customer-led panels who regularly meet at our offices, share your views by completing online surveys or tell us what you think over the phone and by email.

What do I need to do?

It’s easy to get involved. You can register online at www.ssha.co.uk/register-get-involved Email letstalk@housingplusgroup.co.uk or call our customer voice team on 01785 312000 Issue one 2019 | newsextra 17

Justice corner Protecting local communities SSHA works in partnership with the police and local residents to tackle reports and incidents of anti social behaviour (ASB). Here are some of the cases we have recently worked on.

Injunction A without notice injunction, with attached powers of arrest and exclusion order, was granted at Manchester County Court against a tenant following an arrest for a public order offence which involved a large kitchen knife.

The exclusion area included the street where the tenant lived along with the surrounding streets.

The tenant spent four weeks on remand and was released in January 2019. A criminal restraining order preventing them being within 500 metres of their home address was granted.

Shortly after being released the tenant breached

the injunction and restraining order and was arrested. At a hearing, the tenant was found guilty of the breach, fined ÂŁ90 and remanded back to prison to await sentencing for a further breach of a criminal restraining order.

The tenant has now given notice and will not be returning to the property. SSHA has supported and offered reassurance to the witnesses throughout the process and this action has prevented further anti social behaviour and safe guarded the community.

Eviction

Suspended possession order

An outright possession order was obtained in October 2018 against a tenant. The tenant was a prolific hoarder and previous legal and non legal actions had been taken over the years to try and resolve this issue. Work included organising the clearance of the property, arranging the services of a support worker and cognitive behavioural therapist, taking out an injunction and agreeing to a suspended possession order.

A suspended possession order (SPO) was granted in November 2018 against a tenant for causing alcohol related anti social behaviour over a number of years. The tenant’s behaviour was having a detrimental impact on those living around the property as the behaviour included nuisance late at night, arguments in the street, loud music, verbal abuse towards visitors to the property and criminal damage. The terms of the SPO restricted the number of visitors to the address to no more than two at a time and no visitors were allowed between 10pm and 8am. We are continuing to monitor the tenant to ensure compliance with the terms of the SPO.

In January 2019, SSHA took back possession of the property. Transport was arranged to take the tenant to the homeless team and we continue to work with the tenant to arrange collection of their belongings. The property has been cleared and re-let.

Report it!

To tackle harassment and anti social behaviour we need your help. Your report will be investigated and all information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

If you have witnessed or are the victim of anti social behaviour, please don’t hesitate to call us or any of the agencies listed below: }} SSHA on 01785 312000 }} South Staffordshire Council on 0345 678 9020 18 newsextra | Issue one 2019

}} Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. }} Staffordshire Police on 101 or 0300 123 2345 Further information You can view our leaflet on dealing with anti social behaviour as well as our ASB policy on our website www.ssha.co.uk/help-andadvice

Thank you for helping to improve our communications We asked you what you thought of the way we communicate with you and you’ve given us some great feedback to make this even better.

Part of our five-year vision is to focus on customers, communities and homes.

Communications is crucial to this work and nearly 400 of you responded to a survey about its effectiveness highlighted in our magazines and posted on our websites.

We’re proud to say that over 88 per cent of you said you find our communications easy to understand with more than 75 per cent saying you feel well informed.

The most popular way of hearing from us (71 per cent) is through our e-bulletins, with 77 per cent saying you are satisfied with this method of communication.

Magazines were the second most popular (34 per cent) with 60 per cent satisfaction. There was a similar (32.4 per cent) result for letters, with more than 60 per cent satisfaction.

iPad winner Joanne Bishop

You told us that you also liked to hear from us through social media, leaflets and our website.

Finally, we asked you what you would like to know more about. The most popular answer was home improvements and maintenance (64.8 per cent), followed by repair advice (53.4 per cent), local activities and events (41.4 per cent) and housing developments (39.1 per cent).

Other popular themes included employment and money advice, care and support and information about our shared ownership and market rent properties.

You also made some great suggestions relevant to projects we’ve been working on including providing online access to your rent statements with the ability to pay electronically too. See page 3 for more information about this.

Results from the survey will be used to inform future communications, including content in this magazine and we will keep you posted about the difference you’ve made.

Preventing blockages Blocked pipes are often caused by customers flushing items such as wet wipes and sanitary products down the loo or pouring leftover fats and oils down the sink.

Blockages are messy and unpleasant and can cause sewage to flow back inside your home. This can be upsetting for you and your family and could also prove to be costly as you may be recharged if it’s proven you are responsible for the blockage.

Below are some handy tips to help you prevent blockages.

Keep it clear – top tips to prevent blockages }} Cooking fat, oil or grease will harden, even if put down the sink with hot water so save it in an old tin and dispose of it in the rubbish. }} Throw coffee grounds and vegetable peelings away or add them to your compost. }} Use drain-grates to cover drain openings and minimize problems with hair and soap scum.

Thank you to everyone who took part in the survey.

Participants were entered into a prize draw to win an iPad and we’re pleased to say customer Joanne Bishop was the lucky winner.

}} Only flush toilet paper down the toilet. Put everything else in the bin.

For more information about our work and how you can get involved and regularly give feedback please visit – www.ssha.co.uk/ register-get-involved

}} Don’t flush any of the following items down the toilet: nappies, wipes, other sanitary items, breast pads, cotton pads, dental floss, razors or plasters.

Issue one 2019 | newsextra 19

WIN ÂŁ25

Word search Find the 10 hidden words to win a ÂŁ25 shopping voucher.

Please send your entry to the address below, by Friday 3 May 2019 The first correct entry drawn will win the prize.

Freepost SSHA Name:

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Congratulations to Ms Morris who won the word search competition in the last edition of News Extra.

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Homelife

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Full competition terms and conditions can be found on our website www.housingplusgroup.co.uk/terms-and-conditions-customer-magazine-competitions

Useful contact numbers: ll General property, heating and hot water repairs, rent payment, debt advice and fault reporting 01785 312000 (SSHA Customer Services) ll Gas servicing 01782 564448 (Phoenix Gas Services) ll Gas leaks 0800 111 999 (National Gas Emergency Service) ll Health and sickness help and advice 111 (NHS Direct)

ll Police 101 (non-emergency) ll Refuse collection 01902 696203 (South Staffordshire Council) ll Street lighting 0300 111 8000 (South Staffordshire Council) ll Street cleaning 01902 696316 (Staffordshire County Council) ll Personal concerns, worries and troubles 116 123 (Samaritans)

This newsletter is also available in:

Large print Audio Other languages Acton Court, Acton Gate, Staffordshire ST18 9AP Customer Services 01785 312000 enquiries@ssha.co.uk www.ssha.co.uk SSHA @ssha_tweets Care Plus @careplus_tweets