September 2022 - Customer Newsletter

WELCOME

Welcome to your September edition of our Customer Newsletter

This newsletter covers a number of topics including a video on how we performed last year, our recently carried out estate walkabouts, an update from the Leasehold Forum and a fantastic personal development programme for people aged 16 24.

We have some exciting developments which will be coming online in the next couple of months. You’ll be able to use our Chatbot which will automatically answer commonly asked questions. If the Chatbot can’t answer your question you’ll be put through to one of our Customer Relationship Advisors on live chat who will be able to help. We will also be launching a repairs portal where you’ll be able to report repairs 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The portal will originally only be available for repairs within tenants homes, but we are looking at developing the platform to include leasehold and communal repairs.

You’ll still be able to call us to report a repair, if you’d prefer, but the repairs portal means you can report repairs any time of day.

We are very much aware that it is a very difficult time financially for lots of people at the moment. Later on in this newsletter you will see a number of examples of how our Income Team has helped customers. If you would like to know more about how we can support I’d really encourage you to get in touch with the Income Team as they are here to help.

I hope you enjoy the September edition of the newsletter. As always, we are happy to hear your thoughts and ideas on how we can improve our services. If you’d like to get involved, please get in touch using the contact details on the back page.

Thanks for reading,

Mark Field

Chief Customer Officer

OUR PERFORMANCE DATA

HOW WE PERFORMED IN 2021-2022

We know that the services we provide are not perfect and we are working hard to improve them. We hope you have seen positive changes in our performance over the last 12 months. Whilst we know there is plenty of work to do, the below video shows some of our achievements in 2021-22. We look forward to working with you closely to further improve our services.

ESTATE WALKABOUTS

Recently, colleagues from a variety of teams have been participating in estate walkabouts with customers. We have held walkabouts at the Townmead Estate, Kelway House, Holland Gardens and Art Wood Apartments. These sessions have provided really valuable engagement with customers.

Customers have been able to tell us what needs to be improved and where we should be investing. Customers have also had the chance to meet their Customer Relationship Manager or Leasehold Officer. We want to work collaboratively with you so that we can make improvements that will make the biggest difference to our customers

We think that face-to-face communication is really important and we have committed to hosting at least one estate walkabout each month. If you think an estate walkabout where you live would be a good idea, please get in touch with us at: customer.service@sbhg.co.uk

CUSTOMER SUPPORT OFFER

We understand times are difficult at the moment. We are here to help and we have a comprehensive Customer Support Offer in place, which provides assistance in a number of different areas, for those who need it.

Whether our customers find themselves in vulnerable situations or are just about getting by, one of our key aims is to provide accessible support open to all to minimise arrears and sustain tenancies.

If you'd like more information, please get in contact with our Income Team who are here to help income.team@sbhg.co.uk or on 020 8996 8874

THE COST OF LIVING AND HOUSEHOLD ENERGY

The cost of living is at its highest level in a decade, with household energy bills being the largest expense.

In England, Scotland and Wales, the energy price cap is set by Ofgem. The cap was due to rise again by 80% from 1 October 2022 for 24 million people.

But, the UK Government has now frozen typical energy bills at around £2,500 for the next two years, starting this October. This is almost £1,000 less than typical bills would have risen to under the cap.

From October, your energy bills might be higher or lower than £2,500 if you use more or less energy than a typical household.

If you are struggling to pay your bills, there is help available. We can help customers who are on pre-payment metres access fuel vouchers. We have partnered with the Fuel Bank Foundation to support our customers in heating their homes.

If you would like more information on fuel vouchers please speak to a member of the Income Team - income.team@sbhg.co.uk or 020 8996 8874

FOOD VOUCHERS

If you are struggling to feed yourself or your family we can provide fast-track referrals to agencies within the borough we operate in to provide food vouchers. This doesn’t just mean access to tinned food from a foodbank it also means access to fresh fruit and vegetables and access to hot cooked meals.

If you would like more information on food vouchers please speak to a member of the Income Team - income.team@sbhg.co.uk or 020 8996 8874

A customer who struggled to engage with us due to their mental health ended up receiving a backdated housing benefit payment of £4,500 and an ongoing annual housing benefit payment of over £5,000 after support from one of our Welfare Benefits Advisors. This breakthrough not only significantly helped the customer’s financial position it majorly benefitted their mental health.

Housing benefit was suspended from one of our customers but with the support of one of our Welfare Benefits Advisors their housing benefits was re-instated to the value of £9,700.

A customer was awarded a Personal Independence Payment of £10,000 after the intervention of our Income Team. This improved their mental wellbeing and gave them financial security for the medium term.

We supported a customer in getting white goods through their Local Support Payment application via Hammersmith and Fulham Council. The customer received £900 towards their white goods. We also helped them obtain a taxi card.

The Income Team has assisted 35 homes who are on pre-payment meters, and would otherwise have struggled to pay their energy bills, to receive fuel vouchers.

A customer had been impacted by the spare bedroom tax, which cost them £773 for the year. We successfully helped them apply for a discretionary housing benefit payment which covered the entirety of the tax.

A vulnerable customer whose housing benefit had stopped due to paperwork not being completed was visited at home by one of our Income Officers. They helped the customer complete the paperwork and provide all relevant documentation. This resulted in their housing benefit being reinstated and a backdated payment of £4,000. What could have ended up in legal action has resulted in the customer’s rent account being in credit.

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HOW OUR INCOME TEAM HAS HELPED CUSTOMERS

FEEDBACK FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS

Active Successful Engagement (ASÉ) CIC is a Community Interest Company committed to community cohesion and reintegration of their clients. We work with ASÉ, alongside Hammersmith & Fulham Council and the police to support families, some of which are our tenants, in the south Fulham area. The group also helps organise activities in the community such as youth clubs.

We recently received some glowing feedback from ASÉ about one of our colleagues that we wanted to share with you.

I wanted to take the opportunity on behalf of ASÉ to express how incredibly delighted we are to have had an opportunity to work with Nd Eboka.

Nd has been an incredible asset to our Parents/Carers Coffee Mornings and Partner Meeting sessions. His extensive knowledge, sensitivity and professionalism is phenomenal. At the Final Partner Meeting Nd attended our session prepared and was engaging. He actively listened and promptly provided requested information and solutions to worried parents/carers.

Importantly, Nd ensures our parents/carers feel heard, are well informed and feel reassured. Nd has unquestionably contributed to building confidence in the Shepherds Bush Housing Association’s service and demonstrated your commitment to supporting your residents. Our parents/carers feedback has been great and based on my personal observations and interaction with Nd, alongside the parents/carers I have felt assured that we are in knowledgeable and experienced hands. Nd has demonstrated that he works hard to ensure we receive the appropriate support and relevant information in a timely manner, which has been incredibly important in terms of the work that we do. Nd is a wonderful asset to your team and a consummate professional.

LEASEHOLD FORUM UPDATE

The Leasehold Forum has welcomed further new members and continues to review some of the key arears affecting our leaseholders and shared owners. The meetings held in June and September reviewed a number of keys areas;

•Lease extensions – why you should extend your lease, the process and for the coming reform – useful on advice on how lease extensions are calculated can be found at; https://www.lease-advice.org/calculator/ or please just contact the leasehold team at ; leaseholders.enquiries@sbhg.co.uk

• Managing Agents – some of you will have the services to your homes provided by a third party managing agent – the forum have reviewed our plans to support and work collaboratively with shared owners in these schemes and with other Housing Associations – the Housing Ombudsman has published a ‘spotlight’ report, which can be found at; https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/wp-content/ uploads/2022/03/Spotlight-Report-Managing-Agents-March-2022.pdf

• Street Properties – there are a number of street properties, quite often converted houses with only two flats – we are shaping a review of these properties to ensure that we are delivering the appropriate services and providing our customers with meaningful opportunities to influence the services that they receive

There are two further forum meetings this year, taking place in September 2022 and March 2023 where we will be discussing;

If you would like to get involved, please contact the leasehold team at leaseholders.enquiries@sbhg.co.uk – we are very keen to listen to your feedback and work with you to help shape and improve the services that we deliver.

QUEENS PARK RANGERS COMMUNITY TRUST –PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Queens Park Rangers Community Trust are running an Employability, Skills & Personal Development Programme for 16-24 year olds who are not in education, employment or training. The scheme is a 10-week full time programme.

Attendees will receive a Level 1 certificate in customer service upon completion as well as Level 1 or 2 in English and Maths:

They will also be working on a variety of areas which will include :

• CV writing

• Confidence building

• Interview techniques

• Communication skills

• Money management

The programme will offer a blended learning experience which will include days hosted by QPR Community Trust as well as self-directed learning. The aim will be to offer a dynamic and varied learning experience which will be supported by a variety of external guest speakers and will include workshops .

Additionally, participants will also be invited to attend two weeks work experience at a different suitable community placement’s to further prepare them for the working world.

Travel expenses and lunch is provided as well as incentives such as match day tickets, stadium tours and access into other QPR Community Trust activities.

The scheme starts on Monday 10th October 2022, so please register you interest quickly.

To register your interest please contact Errol O’Flaherty –Employability Coordinator

E-mail: errol.oflaherty@qpr.co.uk Tel: 07483 006 910