Spring Customer Newsletter 2023

WELCOME

Welcome to your Spring edition of our Customer Newsletter.

This edition covers a number of topics including our investment in boilers, why you should sign up to our customer portal, our work on damp and mould as well as some reminders on the best way to get in touch with us.

We have committed to investing in our boilers over recent years which has a major benefit to our customers. We are using more efficient A-rated boilers, which makes it easier to heat your home but also keeps your energy costs down, which is increasingly important during a cost of living crisis.

We have seen an increase in customers using our Customer Portal by over 25% in recent months. Customers have the ability to view their rent balance, download their statement, pay their rent and much more. We’ll be adding more functionality to the portal over time which will allow you to self-serve even more. One customer said “the portal is easy and straightforward to use. I mainly use the portal to access my rent statement and view my account which has all the necessary information regarding my tenancy”. Customers who sign up between now and the end of April 2023 also have the opportunity to win a supermarket voucher, read on for more info.

We are currently conducting a trial where we are asking customers if they will allow us to install a moisture sensor in their home. The sensors will

provide us with data and information which will help us understand the environmental conditions of our properties. This will allow us to make informed proactive decisions on how we deal with damp and mould across our properties. You can read more about the trial later on in the newsletter, including a £20 incentive.

I hope you enjoy this newsletter and as always if you have any feedback on what you would like included in the newsletter or how we can improve our services, please get in touch. Our contact details are on the back page.

Thanks for reading,

Mark Field Chief Customer Officer

OUR PERFORMANCE DATA

BOILER PROGRAMME

Over the last two years we have installed over 990 new boilers in our rented homes. This equates to roughly 28% of our rented homes that have a gas supply.

The boilers we are using are more efficient than the older boilers which makes it easier for our customers to heat their homes. The improved efficiency also means that energy bills are lower than they would be, had we not replaced the older boilers. At a time when energy prices are high this is important for our customers.

We are exclusively using A-rated boilers, which are more environmentally friendly than previous versions, reducing our impact on the wider environment.

We are already seeing the benefits of this investment. Over the last year we have seen a reduction in heating related repairs of 20%. This means our team is responding to heating related repairs more quickly, keeping you and your home warm.

990 New Boilers

= 28% of our rented homes

20% reduction in heating related repairs

PORTAL SIGN UP

In our last Customer Newsletter, we told you about our new Customer Portal, which launched at the end of last year. Since launch 25% more residents have signed up and started using the platform! It is really encouraging to see so many of you using the portal on a daily basis and we really urge you to sign up, if you haven’t already.

You are now able to view your rent balance, download your rent statement, pay your rent, update your details and much more, 24/7. In order to process requests such as changes to your tenancy, we often require this in writing and with supporting documentation. By registering on our portal or using our online form we will be able to resolve these enquiries for you quicker. Over

time we will be improving the functionality so you’ll be able to do even more.

By using our portal and online forms your enquiry will get to the right place more efficiently than if you email us.

To encourage new users to sign up, we will be holding a prize draw for those of you that sign up between now and the 30th April. We will have four prizes in total: 3 x £100 supermarket vouchers and 1 x £250 supermarket voucher.

To register, please visit: www.sbhg.co.uk/customerregistration

Winners will be contacted directly.

Please ensure you are the main Account Holder for your property and have your Account Reference Number to hand, you will find this on your rent & service charge letter, which you received in February. If you can’t find your Account Reference Number or you are having issues signing up to the portal please call our Customer Service Team on 020 8996 4200, who will be able to help.

25% » more residents have signed up

EMAIL CONTACT

We have recently seen an increased amount of email contact to individuals at SBHA. The best way of getting in contact with us, is using our online forms. This will ensure your request goes to the correct team and a response can be issued within our expected response times.

When individuals are emailed they may not be the best person to respond and there is a possibility that they might be away from the business or out and about visiting other residents. This means your enquiry isn’t responded to as quickly as it could be.

On our contactuspage, you will see a number of ways you can get in touch with us, including our:

• General Enquiry Form

• Report a Case of ASB

• Damp & Mould Form

• Report a Repair Form

• How to Make a Complaint

CONDENSATION, DAMP AND MOULD AT SBHA

In June 2022 we launched our new damp and mould framework, aligned to the recommendations of the Housing Ombudsman report, and co-developed with a dedicated resident forum.

A separate policy reflecting the recommendations in the Housing Ombudsman report has also been published, readhere.

We have subsequently formed a Damp and Mould Taskforce who are responsible for resolving issues of damp and mould in our customers’ homes. The taskforce has dedicated full time resource, including Surveyors, Case Coordinator and Resident Liaison Officer.

In January and February of this year, the team responded to 141 cases whilst closing 197 damp and mould repairs.

It’s really important that cases of damp and mould are raised with us at the earliest opportunity. By raising issues of damp and mould our specialist team can come out, diagnose the cause and resolve the issue in a time efficient manner. The easiest way to raise a case of damp and mould is through our onlineform. Damp and mould can take time to resolve as the causes and

CONDENSATION, DAMP AND MOULD AT SBHA

resolution is often complex, which is why it is really important you let us know as soon as possible if your home has any damp and mould.

We are seeing increasing amounts of claims management companies targeting residents around damp and mould. We always encourage our customers to get in touch with us first, rather than engaging with these companies. If you do not, you are likely to delay the completion of necessary repairs to your home. If you are approached by these companies, please get in touch with us and we will discuss the steps that we can take to help you.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE

Dedicated Policy

In March 2022 we published our new Damp & Mould policy

Taskforce

Set up a dedicated damp & mould taskforce

Specialist Contractors

Enlisted the help of specialist damp & mould contractors

Online Forms

Made it easier to report damp & mould through our online form

Property MOT

Conducting routine property inspections to ensure proactive management of damp & mould

New Extractor Fans

Installing new extractor fans to reduce the impact of condensation

Front line Training

Upskilling our front line colleagues through dedicated damp & mould training

CONDENSATION, DAMP AND MOULD TRIAL

We are currently trialling the use of damp and mould sensors which will help us address any underlying issues in properties which may have damp and mould. The trial will provide us with data and information which will help us understand the environmental conditions of our properties. This will allow us to see patterns and trends in certain types of properties which will help us to resolve issues of damp and mould before they become a bigger problem.

The m ore data we get from the trial the more proactive we can be with our approach to damp and mould.

As a thank you, those who participate in the trial will receive a £20 supermarket voucher. Space on the trial is limited and we will be adopting a first come first serve approach.

If you would like to take part in the trial, please get in touch with us as soon as possible, by emailing damp.mould@sbhg.co.uk

The sensors will be provided to you free of charge and are battery operated. The set-up of the sensors is straightforward and they connect to your Wi-Fi. The sensors will come with an easy to follow set-up guide.

We hope that this trial will allow us to work proactively, ensuring fewer of our properties and residents are impacted by damp and mould. Please get in touch if you would like any more information on the trial.

CONDENSATION, DAMP AND MOULD VIDEO

Below, you will see our really useful video on damp and mould, which explains how you can reduce the risk of damp and mould in your home.

If you have damp and mould in your home, which isn’t going away, and you have tried the suggestions in our video, you need to get in touch with us. As your landlord it is our responsibility to resolve damp and mould that isn’t going away. If this is the case, your home may be suffering from penetrating or rising damp. These conditions can occur when a leak is present or because of a structural defect. We’ll send our specialist team in to diagnose and resolve the issue.

The best way to report a case of damp and mould is through our online form, Damp & Mould Online Form

COMPLAINTS PROCESS MAKE THINGS RIGHT CAMPAIGN

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) is working with social housing providers across the country to drive better housing standards.

Everyone deserves a home that is safe, secure and well maintained. However, many social housing residents either don’t know what to do if they have an issue with their home or lack confidence in how to go about tackling it.

DLUHC has launched a campaign to inform social housing residents that if they have a problem, it’s now easier to make things right. On the right hand side of this page and on subsequent pages you will find information on our complaints process as well as contact details of the Housing Ombudsman if you are not happy with our response.

Your experience matters to us, so whether we get it right or wrong we want to hear from you. We are committed to providing excellent customer service and we welcome positive feedback from our customers. It’s important to understand what we are doing well.

However, we recognise that sometimes things do go wrong and on occasions our services have not been good enough, giving residents cause for complaint.

We often find that issues are resolved quicker and with better outcomes when using an informal complaints process. So we’d really encourage you to get in touch with us as soon as possible so that we can work together with you to put things right. The easiest way to get in touch with us is through our website

We also recognise that sometimes an informal approach will not work, which will mean our formal complaints process will need to be implemented. You can find out more about our formal complaints process on our website and on next page.

LessonsLearnt

We continually appraise our complaints process and performance to ensure that we are not making the same mistakes again. One area that previously needed improving was faulty boilers, which were attracting high levels of compensation. In order to resolve this issue, over the last two years we have replaced over 990 boilers, which equates to 28% of our stock with a gas supply. Our investment in boilers has meant breakdowns and customer complaints have reduced. We will continue to invest in our boiler stock in the coming years.

We have also recently identified that decanted customers account for a relatively high proportion of our complaints. The complaints typically centred around a lack of communication specifically around how long customers would be in temporary accommodation for and the fact that they were receiving extensions to their accommodation late. In order to resolve this issue we have reviewed our decant policy and procedure and have limited who can approve decants and under what circumstances. Our Head of Housing Operations oversees our decants register and ensures that clear communication is provided to residents to keep them up to date with progress.

Whocancomplain?

Anyone who uses or receives a service from Shepherds Bush Housing Association can complain.

ComplaintsPolicy

You can read our Complaints Policy here: ComplaintsPolicy

Examples of Complaints:

• We have failed to respond to your initial enquiries

• Our staff or contractors were unhelpful or were not polite

• We gave unclear, misleading or unsuitable advice

• Our services were not to a good standard and we did not rectify this

• The length of time taken to provide a service and resolve an issue exceeded our service promise

• Failure to keep you informed of a decision we made

If we log your enquiry as a formal complaint,

we’ll get back to you within two working days via email. We will respond fully to your complaint within 10 working days. If we need more time to carry out an investigation or to gather more information, we will let you know.

Whatisnotcoveredbythe ComplaintsPolicy

We will not log your enquiry as a formal complaint if it is about:

• A repair, provision of service or action, if the target completion date has not yet passed

• A request for information

• A first-time service request

• Neighbour disputes (please read our AntiSocial Behaviour policy). We will check if our ASB policy and process has been followed correctly

• A problem that you have known about for over six months before making a complaint about it

• Legal action which you are currently taking against us and which has to do with the same complaint you have made

• Service charge disputes

If you would like more information on our complaints policy, our complaints process or how to make a complaint, please visit our website.

GoingtotheHousingOmbudsman

If you’ve been through our complaints procedure and are still unhappy, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service which was set up to resolve disputes involving the tenants and leaseholders of social landlords. The service is free, independent and impartial.

You should be aware however, that in the majority of cases the Housing Ombudsman will only consider a complaint once it has been through our internal complaints procedure

You can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service at:

Housing Ombudsman Service PO Box 152

Liverpool

L33 7WQ

E14 9GE 0300 111 3000 www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk

In February you will have received a letter stating that your rent from April is going to increase. We normally set rents in line with the Government Rent Standard which allows rent increases of Consumer Price Index (CPI) +1%. CPI is a common measure of inflation. In September 2022 CPI was 10.1%, which would normally mean that your rent could be increased by a maximum of 11.1%.

However, this year the government has announced a cap on increases to social rents of 7%, which will save the average tenant, in England, £200 next year. We support the government’s cap on social rent increases which is significantly below CPI. This increase will help us to maintain your home to a good standard, provide

an improved service to our customers and help fund our building safety work, making sure you are safe in your home.

Depending on the type of tenancy you hold with us, this increase will either be inclusive or exclusive of service charges.

RENT AND SERVICE CHARGE INCREASES FOR TENANTS £

We understand that this rent increase has come at a very challenging time with prices rising in many other areas. Careful consideration is taken when approving rent increases by our Board. This decision involves direct input from residents who sit on our Board as Board Members.

Please get in touch, our websitehasadditional informationwhichyoumay findhelpful

Our Income Team, income.team@sbhg.co.uk, are available to provide support if you have any affordability or money worries.

We also offer a range of initiatives that can be found in our Customer Welfare Support Offer

For more information on changes to your rent, please visit our website

RENT AND SERVICE CHARGE INCREASES FOR HOMEOWNERS

In February, you will have received a letter stating changes to your rent & service charges. We set your rent in line with the terms and conditions of your lease, which normally states that your rent can be increased by RPI + 0.5-2%. September’s RPI was 12.6% and November’s RPI was 14%, however we have decided to voluntarily implement the 7% social rent increase cap to our leasehold and shared ownership customers as well. This is in line with National Housing Federation recommendation for the 2023/24 financial year an improved service to our customers and help fund our building safety work, making sure you are safe in your home.

For more information on changes to your rent & service charges, please visit our website

voluntary rent cap of 7% applied to shared owners

FIRE DOOR INSPECTIONS

In light of recent government advice and pending legislation, we are preparing to undertake a programme of periodic fire door checks across our properties. This is a crucial inspection as fire doors play an essential role in preventing or inhibiting the spread of smoke and toxic gases and in preserving the effective compartmentation of buildings.

We are working in partnership with Savills to create a door register and programme of inspections. This will enable us to carry out periodic inspections and continue to ensure all doors in our blocks meet the required standards and that they are properly maintained.

Over the coming weeks, a Savills operative will attend your block and place a small adhesive QR code label on every door within the communal areas, including flat entrance doors.

The QR code labels are small and discreet, measuring 20mm x 20mm, and they will be placed in the top corner of each door on the hinge side. This label simply allows us to record information on the type/condition of the door and log future inspections. The Savills operative will cause no disruption in the course of their visits. They will be in Savills uniform and will carry their ID badge at all times.

Following the fitting of the QR code label, a Savills operative will attend your block at least once every 3 months to undertake fire door inspections. They are required to inspect every flat entrance door at least annually, so they may knock on your door during one of their visits and ask permission to inspect your door on both sides. This inspection should only take a few minutes at most, and we ask that you please allow access.

Your assistance and support are greatly appreciated as we work together to ensure the safety of all our residents. If you have any questions at all, please get in touch and our team would be delighted to help.

REPAIRS TIMESCALES

At this time of year, we receive a high amount of repairs, often due to seasonal conditions. This means we are having to prioritise emergency and urgent repairs.

This may mean that routine and planned repairs may take us a little longer to fix. Some of the areas we may be a bit slower in repairing are things like fencing, plastering, carpentry, fitting new kitchens or carrying out energy efficiency work. Instead, we are prioritising cases of damp & mould and ensuring we are responsive to any issues around heating, hot water, electrical and gas issues. We are working hard through our repairs backlog and we expect to be operating to our usual timescales by summer. We are sorry for the inconvenience this may be causing.

If you have an emergency or urgent repair that you need to report, please call us on 020 8996 4200

If you need to report a non-urgent repair, please use our online repairs form

If you need to report a case of damp and mould, please use our damp and mould form.

RESIDENT VOICE RECRUITMENT

We are recruiting! Our Resident Voice Scrutiny Panel plays a very important role in making sure we deliver services in a way that meets both resident and business needs.

Our Panel brings together residents to challenge how we operate and scrutinise our services. It’s all about making sure we provide excellent services that meet the standards we’ve set out.

The Panel is completely independent, entirely resident-led and holds SBHA to account. Members are fully trained to carry out reviews, supported by an executive scrutiny champion and an independent consultant.

We’d love to add more members to the panel. There are many benefits of being part of Resident Voice:

•You get a real opportunity to influence our services

•A great way to learn new skills

•Enhance your CV

•Boost your employability

•You gain an in-depth insight into our work as a social housing provider

•You get training and development opportunities on the way

•You learn new skills and meet new people

•We pay out of pocket expenses including travel

If you are interested in joining Resident Voice please email governance.team@sbhg.co.uk

OPEN ROLES

We currently have some really interesting vacancies, which we’d really encourage our customers who are looking for a new role to apply to. To view all current vacancies, please visit our website