Southwark Housing News Summer 2013

Summer 2013

Southwark Housing News My Southwark, your services, our apprentices, page 6

Inside this issue: Housing service performance, page 4 How disability support is changing, page 12 Fire safety, page 14

The magazine for Southwark Council tenants and leaseholders

www.southwark.gov.uk/shn

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News

Community conversations Throughout April and May, officers and councillors have been out on the streets of Southwark asking you what you think about the future of council housing in the borough. Discussing the report of the independent housing commission and other recent changes in the law, residents were asked who should council housing be for, how much we should have and how it should be managed?

From electronic voting at community councils to filling in surveys in libraries, around 1,000 residents have taken part. A report will be presented to the council’s cabinet in July outlining the opinions and comments received. For further information visit www.southwark.gov.uk/communityconversations

How to spot scams – don’t be a victim!

Scams are schemes designed to con people out of their money. Scams may come in a variety of ways including through the post or via phone calls, emails, online or in person. Some signs of scam include: ■ The call, letter, email or text came out of the blue ■ You’ve never heard of the competition they are talking about ■ You didn’t buy a ticket

■ They ask you to send money in advance ■ They tell you to respond quickly ■ They tell you to keep it a secret ■ They seem to offer something for nothing If it seems too good to be true – it probably is.

Targeted by a scam? Report it by calling Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk

More and more residents are taking up the chance to get a free health check. The NHS health check programme is continuing to help Southwark residents stay healthy and avoid developing long term health problems. It takes just 20 minutes but can make a big difference. You’ll find out whether you’re at risk of developing some of the most common health problems like diabetes, kidney problems or heart disease and get personalised advice to help you stay healthy. Anyone aged between 40 and 74 with no previous health issues can get involved. Ask your GP or check out www.southwark.gov.uk/healthcheck to see when the team will be in your area.

News

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Update on Southwark’s complaint policy

Are you missing out?

If you’re among the 37,000 residents that have a My Southwark online account, you’ll already know that along with loads of useful information about services and facilities in your area, you can also view your council tax account and benefits entitlements. You’ll also know that we’ve recently added access to your library account and launched the My Southwark community forums.

And there’s lots more coming soon, including ■ viewing your rent, garage and service charge accounts ■ viewing your repairs history It's free and available 24/7, so what are you waiting for?

Sign up today at my.southwark.gov.uk

We’re coming to an estate near you We’re bringing the repairs service to you to make it easier for you to report communal repairs and repairs to your home. Your resident officer will be available to help with housing issues. Our repairs team will also be on hand to assess jobs, carry out repairs or make arrangements for work to be done.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

28 June - Lettsom estate 26 July - Caroline Gardens 26 July - Hawkestone estate 14 August - Doddington estate 30 August - East Dulwich estate 20 September - Rockingham estate

For further information visit www.southwark.gov.uk/estateactiondays

From 1 April 2013, Southwark moved from a three stage to a two stage complaint policy, in order to resolve complaints more quickly. If you need to log a new complaint you can email complaints@southwark.gov.uk Additionally, responsibility for overseeing complaints about housing moved from the Local Government Ombudsman to the Housing Ombudsman. This means that if a resident is unable to resolve a complaint using Southwark’s complaint process, they can ask the Housing Ombudsman to investigate. This free and independent service is open to both tenants and leaseholders. Visit www.housingombudsman.org.uk for more information.

Welfare reform and housing roadshow events The council’s housing options and homelessness services is working with Southwark Legal Advice Network to deliver monthly events to advise residents about how benefit changes will affect them and what they can do about it. Residents can get help and advice in finding a job, moving to a smaller home and managing their money.

We've been working with Job Centre Plus to help prepare residents for the benefit cap and universal credit. Housing advice is now available at London Bridge, Kennington and Peckham job centres, with employment advisers offering a service from the council's homesearch centre in Peckham. For more information visit www.southwarkhomesearch.org.uk or www.southwark.gov.uk/welfarereform

Rightfully Yours service Are you claiming all that you are entitled to? Rightfully Yours is a specialised service that helps vulnerable people in Southwark make sure that their benefits are correct, assists with new benefit claims, provides representation at appeal tribunals and offers casework support for more complex benefit issues. If you are over 60, housebound or unable to visit the offices, they can even visit you at home.

Rightsfully Your e service

Benefits advic

For advice, more information or to book an appointment call 020 7525 7434, email rightfullyyours@southwark.gov.uk or visit www.southwark.gov.uk/rightfullyyours

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Repairs performance report

We haven’t nailed it yet, but we’re getting there...

We asked tenants for feedback on the repairs service and the good news is the results show that the service is improving.

Every month an independent telephone survey is carried out to get your feedback on repairs carried out by the council that month. Between April 2012 and March 2013 we asked over 12,000 tenants to rate the council’s performance. The results show that our repairs service is improving.

What do the results show?

Looking at three key areas of particular importance to you, we have seen positive performance.

Appointments made and kept In the past, missed appointments were a common complaint from tenants. The latest results show a clear increase in appointments made and kept; now 96 per cent compared to 93 per cent last year.

Although these latest results exceed our target of 95 per cent by 2015, we are pushing ourselves even harder to hit 100 per cent.

Right first time Another common complaint from tenants was that contractors had to return to correct repairs that were not completed right first time. Tenants are now reporting that 77 per cent of repairs are completed right first time, up from 69 per cent last year.

Occasionally we won’t be able to complete a repair first time but we’re putting measures in place to ensure that you know what’s going to happen next and when we will complete your repair.

Overall satisfaction with the service When asked about their overall satisfaction with the service, 81 per cent said that they were satisfied, up from 79 per cent last year.

Councillor Ian Wingfield, deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, said: “The figures are a testament to the hard work of council staff and our contractors. I am pleased to see that we have made improvements in all areas, which is essential if we are to deliver our Fairer Future promise to make all council homes warm, dry and safe.”

Here’s what we’re doing to get continued improvements “We have set our contractors challenging targets to reach by 2015/16, to carry out the majority of repairs at the agreed time and during the first appointment”, said Councillor Wingfield.

In addition, we're putting residents at the heart of the repairs service. From 1 June 2013, we have brought customer service back in-house, which has provided better control over the quality of service provided.

Repairs performance report

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“If things are going to take longer than expected, then just let me know.

Keep me informed.”

Ann Carter had water leaking from a radiator in her bathroom.

You could win £1000

We’ll soon be introducing a ‘now and next’ job ordering system which will help to ensure jobs are progressed promptly to completion. This means that in the future our contractors will not receive a new job order to move on to until the repair they are working on has been signed off by the tenant. We’re also already using before and after photos. This makes it easier for everyone to verify what repair work has been done. Our contractors are also recruiting permanent staff in key positions to help deal with more complex jobs.

Southwark building services has worked closely with the training of 20 contact centre apprentices and paired them with experienced members of staff. This is to ensure that they have a better understanding of repair issues from a tradesperson’s perspective which we expect will lead to greater satisfaction with our customers. There is also a full time officer at the contact centre to assist with day to day issues.

We need your feedback to continually improve the repairs service we provide to you.

From 1 June, if you have had a qualifying housing repair on your property we will email you a link to complete an online satisfaction survey. If completed, you will be entered into a quarterly prize draw for a chance to win £1000. For more information visit www.southwark.gov.uk/repairsfeedback.

Councillor Wingfield concluded “We acknowledge that despite the improvement in performance, there is still more work to do, particularly to improve customer satisfaction. However, I’m really pleased that the signs of the first year of our three year plan are that we are now moving in the right direction.”

Promise 4 Improve our customer service with improved online services, including delivery of a better housing repairs service, independently verified by tenants.

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Customer services

My Southwark, your services, our apprentices The council is bringing customer services in-house.

Previously delivered by external contractors, we’re now taking direct responsibility for the service and training 40 new apprentices in the process.

This forms part of the work we’re undertaking to improve the experience for our customers and will help us fulfill our Fairer Future promise to improve our customer service with more online services, including delivery of a better housing repairs service, independently verified by tenants.

For several years, the council has contracted an external supplier to provide many of our customer services. For example, the customer service centre which handles requests for housing repairs or the one stop shops in Peckham and Walworth. Now we’ve brought those services back in-house, complete with a brand new contact centre in Peckham.

The transition to an in-house service has its challenges but it also presents a number of opportunities. These include the move to new premises and the chance to upgrade our dated customer relationship management systems. But, just as importantly, it’s created the opportunity to provide 40 people with apprenticeships.

The apprentices, many of whom come from the borough, undertake a five week training course with the council before taking their place in the customer services team. While working for customer services, they continue their training and will work towards a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ). The scheme gives each apprentice the chance to learn new skills, gain valuable work experience and to attain a

IN BRIEF: ■ Customer services are being brought in-house ■ 40 new apprenticeship opportunities ■ A new council contact centre has opened ■ 24/7 access by phone ■ More ways to get stuff done online worthwhile qualification. Throughout the process, they’ll work alongside experienced customer service staff as they learn the ropes. At the end of the apprenticeship, many will be offered a full time job in customer services or have the chance to take up other opportunities elsewhere in the council.

We’re also continuing to improve our online services, including the My Southwark personalised customer portal. Visit the council’s website, and once you’ve signed up for an account, you’ll be able to access information and services tailored to your needs. More than 250 new users are signing up every week so if you're not one of them, take a look at my.southwark.gov.uk and find out how you can benefit.

Customer services

PROFILE NAME: Alisha AGE: 23 am FROM: Peckh To become L: NEXT GOA ager a council man I was a stay “A year ago . I heard dying online u st , m u m e Plus. at hom h Job Centre g u ro th b jo about this ortunity.” l for this opp fu te ra g y ll a I’m re

The apprentices

PROFILE NAME: Mark AGE: 29 FROM: Borough and Bankside NEXT GOAL: To become a project manager or software developer “A year ago I was at university studying in teractive systems engineering. I heard about this job through a friend. In th e future I hope to become a project manager – I see this as a big career op portunity.”

Alisha and Mark are two of the first twenty apprentices who have just completed training. Another twenty are currently being trained. For more information or to view job opportunities in customer service visit www.staylocalgofurther.co.uk

Our commitment to you These changes will enable us to build on the achievements of the past and deliver further improvements to you in the future.

Most importantly, we’re working to ensure that the transition is seamless and any disruption is kept to a minimum. You will still be able to access the service just as you did before, via the same phone number, same email address and online through the My Southwark portal.

And our promise remains the same – to provide an excellent service delivered by well trained staff who will strive to get it right first time, every time.

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8 Bermondsey and Rotherhithe New cycle route connects Camberwell to Rotherhithe The new South Bermondsey Bridge has now been officially opened and forms part of the new Sustrans National Cycle Network 425 that connects Camberwell with Durand's Wharf, Rotherhithe. The route creates a much improved link to South Bermondsey Station and allows for residents and visitors to walk and cycle safely to local shops, train stations and other destinations. This is just one of a number of exciting cycling related projects to be completed in 2013.

Councillor Peter John, leader of Southwark Council said: “Our aim is to make Southwark the safest cycling borough in London and we're working to make it an even better borough to cycle in. These improvements will make cycling and walking easier and has had huge support from local residents. The bridge marks the latest piece of our expanding programme of cycle and walking improvements to the area which we hope will ease traffic congestion and pollution and boost people's health and fitness.”

Borough, Bankside and Walworth Walworth playground receives a makeover This old overgrown playground in Congreve Street, Walworth, was in great need of a makeover having not been used since 1997. Thanks to a successful Cleaner Greener Safer bid last year, the playground received a £28,000 grant to transform the space into a community garden. The area has been cleared, the tarmac resurfaced, raised beds have been built, and a pergola and greenhouse installed. A water collection and storage system has also been added plus a new artwork gate, fence and trellising. Local residents who would like to grow their own food here can contact Tamara at Be tamara25k@ fo re googlemail.com

Cleaner Greener Safer funding is awarded to ideas put forward by local people to improve their local environment. Individuals or someone on behalf of a group can apply, but you must live or work in the community council area where you are proposing the scheme. Any idea that makes your area cleaner, greener or safer will be considered. The next round of funding is opening later this year. For further information, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/cleanergreenersafer.

Af te r

9 Camberwell

Dulwich Experience African culture

Camberwell regeneration In Summer 2014, a new library is set to be built in Camberwell to replace the current rented library on Camberwell Church Street. The new library will offer a larger and more inviting children’s area, more books, quiet spaces to study, computers and free Wi-Fi. The public space around the library will be redesigned to create a safe and welcoming setting as part of the wider town centre improvements.

The new library is just one part of the Camberwell regeneration project, which will also see improvements to the pedestrian environment including new lighting, improved footways and enhanced layout and planting. This will make the pedestrian routes safer and more pleasant and provide a welcoming and dynamic public space.

To keep up to date with the Camberwell regeneration programme visit www.southwark.gov.uk/camberwell regeneration

Peckham and Nunhead Get fit outdoors Southwark’s latest outdoor gym has been built in Brimmington Park, just off Asylum Road. The equipment is low impact so it is easy and safe to use without a gym induction. Save yourself a gym membership fee and come down to give it a try whenever it suits you. Southwark now has over ten outdoors gyms across the borough, from Durand’s Wharf to Peckham Rye Park. To find your nearest one visit www.southwark.gov.uk

For a fun filled day for the family, come to the Africa Live festival in Dulwich. As well as live music and story telling, there will be handmade bespoke goods for sale, African food, arts and crafts and much more. The event aims to showcase the best in African culture and provide an opportunity for communities to learn about the unique cultures of the African diaspora, the Caribbean and Latin America. So if you want to have fun and celebrate African culture, come down to Goose Green Park on Saturday 17 August from 12pm to 7pm.

If you would like to get involved in the event, there are many opportunities including volunteering and having your own stall. Find out more by emailing enquiries@theafricanmarketday.com

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Tenancy checks

Keeping our tenants safe and well Did you know that if you have a secured or assured tenancy that you can swap your home with another tenant?

Perhaps surprisingly, it is not that well known, but this is just one of the reasons why we carry out tenancy checks. Simply put, this is where one of our resident officers comes to your home on an annual basis (or sometimes more often), to make sure you are being looked after and are happy with your tenancy. This ties in with our Fairer Future promise to make sure that your home is warm, dry and safe.

As Peter Bailey, resident services officer explains: “We have a responsibility to ensure the welfare of all our tenants. We check that they are keeping to the terms and conditions of the tenancy, the property is in a good state and occupied by the registered tenant. Part of my job is to also carry out checks to make sure the tenant is happy in their property and I try and resolve any concerns or refer them to another agency if I cannot sort it out myself.”

If you would like to move and you meet the criteria for mutual exchange, you are not restricted to Southwark, but can swap your tenancy with any local authority landlord or housing association tenant in the country. There are lots of websites like www.homeswapper.co.uk out there with properties available and you should consider all the costs involved.

You need to tell us if you want to do this but it’s your responsibility to find another property and get the landlord and tenant to agree.

Case study Mutual exchange Gabriella Usuanlele, resident services officer, looks after the tenants on several estates in Dulwich. Just before Christmas 2012, she was carrying out routine tenancy checks and during the course of a couple of days she found three tenants who wanted to move. One tenant wanted to downsize, one wanted a bungalow due to poor mobility, and one wanted a bigger property as they had just started a family. However, they all had one thing in common – they all wanted to remain on the same estate.

With long waiting lists, their only option was mutual exchange. With Gabriella’s help, she was able to arrange an exchange between all three tenants. “With changes to the benefits system and the introduction of the bedroom tax, this will be more common” she said. “It’s important we are able pick up the concerns of our tenants and help all we can.”

Case study Some good news during a tenancy check During a routine check with of one of his tenants, Peter Bailey was speaking about any benefits the tenant may be entitled to. It turned out the tenant had not been receiving a retirement pension, despite being over the pensionable age. Peter made some enquiries at the Department of Work and Pensions, and discovered the tenant had an entitlement to their pension. He completed the claim form with her and she now gets a weekly pension of £140 per week plus backdated payments of almost £10,000. As Peter said: “She was extremely grateful and I was only too happy to help.”

Tenancy checks

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If you require information in your language, or in other formats such as audio or large print, please call 020 7525 5000.

D U FRA

Crackdown on housing fraud reaps rewards

Southwark tenants who obtain council properties only to illegally sublet, purchase or abandon them face tough measures including eviction.

A campaign to crackdown on illegal subletting in Southwark has successfully recovered 322 properties since April 2012.

A series of operations, including tenancy checks and intelligence sharing with multi agency partners, has uncovered abuse by some tenants who are breaking the law by secretly moving elsewhere so they can make money from renting out their council home. Others have been found to have obtained their council properties using false documents.

Councillor Ian Wingfield, cabinet member for housing, said: “With over 20,000 families currently on our housing waiting lists, illegal occupancy is depriving these people who genuinely need housing. With the overwhelming success of our campaign in 2012/13, we have set ourselves an ambitious target to recover 500 properties by April 2014. We will continue to come down hard on anyone found to be illegally subletting council properties and will not stop until all properties are recovered.�

Report it If you know of anyone subletting or taking possession of a property fraudulently, report it by calling 020 7525 4686 or emailing specialinvestigationsteam@southwark.gov.uk

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Personal independence payments

Receiving disability living allowance? We explain how the welfare changes introduced by the government may affect you.

When Tom Smith was diagnosed with various health conditions including severe heart problems, arthritis and sciatica, he learnt to deal with the restrictions to his mobility and became used to receiving assistance to conduct his personal care. The extra costs he faced surprised him: “I have to eat special foods now to manage my condition, which costs more, and I also have to use more fuel.�

He receives disability living allowance (DLA) to help him with the additional expenses and ensure he gets the right support. It helps him pay for things like travel, special dietary needs and allows him to participate in leisure activities. He also gets support from someone who comes to help with his shopping and conduct his care needs.

Personal independence payments

Tom is getting ready for changes in how he receives this support. The government is introducing a new way for people with long term conditions to get help managing the extra costs. The new system is called the personal independence payment (PIP) and is replacing the existing DLA scheme.

PIP is coming to Southwark on 10 June 2013. From then, people making new claims should apply for the new scheme, rather than DLA.

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Got questions? Get in touch You can visit the government’s website to see how PIP may affect you at www.gov.uk/pip Our Rightfully Yours service helps to make sure our most vulnerable residents are getting all the benefits they are entitled to. If you are not sure you are getting all of your benefits, please contact our advice line on 020 7525 7434 or email rightfullyyours@southwark.gov.uk

From October 2013, when children who receive DLA turn 16, they’ll be invited to apply for PIP. So will working age people who have a DLA award coming up for renewal.

Working age adults on DLA whose needs change and who therefore need their benefits to be revised will also apply for PIP rather than DLA from this time.

Advice and guidance

Most working age adults will not be affected until October 2015, when they will be asked to apply for PIP. This change does not affect pensioners and children under 16.

There are lots of organisations in Southwark which can give you advice about everything from changes to disability support to managing your money.

What to expect

Southwark Disablement Association (SDA) Alongside a range of services, the SDA offer support and information about benefits

There are some things that make PIP different to DLA. Firstly, as well as the paper application, most people will be invited for a face to face assessment. Secondly, people receiving the lower rate of DLA may find that they do not qualify for PIP. The award you receive is comprised of two components daily living and mobility. It’s based not on the condition itself, but how the condition affects you. Therefore, while Tom has a friend also suffering from arthritis, they may find that their PIP awards are different. It depends on how they are personally affected by their condition and the impact it has on their functional abilities.

If you’re concerned about how the PIP scheme may affect you or want some further advice, then the council's Rightfully Yours team can help, as can a number of organisations in the borough listed on this page.

For further information on how disability support is changing, visit www.southwark.gov.uk

Tel: 020 7701 1391 Online: www.sdail.org Southwark Citizens Advice Bureau Provide a wide range of confidential advice Tel: 0844 499 4134 Online: www.southwarkcabservice.org.uk Blackfriars Advice Service Offer free, confidential advice face to face and on the phone Tel: 020 7358 7035 Online: www.blackfriars-advice.com Southwark Advice Plus An information, advice and access service for disabled adults Tel: 0845 671 7173 option 4 (local rate call) Online: www.lcdisability.org/southwarkadvice

14 Lakanal fire inquests – coroner recommendations Since the Lakanal fire we have learnt immediate and enduring lessons and are working to improve what we do to make residents and homes safe.

The inquests into the Lakanal fire concluded on 28 March 2013 with narrative verdicts recorded for each of the deceased. The inquests provided information on the many different factors that contributed to the fire as well as providing the families affected with answers to their questions about the fire.

Following the inquests, Coroner Frances Kirkham wrote to Southwark Council, the London Fire Brigade and the Department for Communities and Local Government with a list of recommendations. The recommendations include a review of the policies and procedures concerning fire risk assessments, training of staff, access for emergency services, information and guidance to occupiers, signage and retro fitting of sprinklers. The council has now responded in detail to all these recommendations.

Councillor Ian Wingfield, cabinet member for housing said: “We want to do all we can to ensure maximum fire protection and safety following the tragic deaths at Lakanal, and have already taken action to make blocks safer.”

“The majority of the Coroner’s detailed recommendations cover areas where we have already made great progress, such as the creation of a dedicated and highly skilled fire safety team and the prioritisation of high risk buildings for fire safety works. Many actions can also be swiftly implemented. For example, she challenged us to improve our signage and onsite information, and we are working with the London Fire Brigade to do that.”

“However, in considering the Coroner’s letter, it has become clear that some recommendations raise more complex questions and are not things that Southwark can solve alone. There are legal obstacles that prevent us from carrying out some of the suggested work, and I have written to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to see how these can be overcome.”

In the event of a fire ■ If a fire breaks out in your flat, tell everyone and get out as quickly as possible via a planned escape route.

■ Don’t stop to pick up valuables.

■ Dial 999 and stay out of your home until the fire brigade says that it is safe to return.

■ Use the stairs, not a lift. Don't use a balcony unless it is a proper escape route.

■ If you are trapped, close the door of your room and use bedding or towels to block any gaps to stop smoke or fumes.

■ Shout from the window to attract attention and call for help.

■ Many purpose built flats and maisonettes have fire safety measures built into them, so if fire breaks out elsewhere in your building, you are usually safer staying in your home.

But if heat or smoke affects your home, get out at once and close the door behind you.

Top tips for reducing the fire risk in your home ■ Fit smoke alarms ■ Don’t smoke in bed ■ Never leave candles unattended ■ Don’t overload electrical sockets ■ Keep matches and lighters away from children ■ Switch off electric blankets when in bed ■ Keep clothing away from heating appliances ■ Don’t overfill or leave pans and deep fryers unattended

For more information on the Lakanal inquests and to read the complete response to the Coroner, please visit www.southwark.gov.uk Further information on fire safety can be found at www.southwark.gov.uk/firesafety

15 Domestic abuse: finding solace

Within months of her arrival, Julie’s husband had become controlling.

He was verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive. When Julie first came to the attention of the Southwark Advocacy and Support Service (SASS) she was struggling with anxiety and depression. Her physical health was suffering and she felt isolated. She feared leaving her husband, believing she would become homeless as she couldn’t access public funds.

Unfortunately, Julie’s experience is common. She is one of hundreds of people who contact the council every year for support. In the last year alone, almost 1,000 victims have been helped by SASS, the support service delivered by Solace Women’s Aid and funded by the council. They come from every walk of life; from different backgrounds and all ages. But there are many other women and men who routinely suffer the effects of abuse in silence. They don’t realise that it is unacceptable behaviour and, more importantly, they don’t realise that help is available.

In April 2013, the government adopted a wider definition of domestic abuse as any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over. It includes psychological, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse.

Here at Southwark, we’re continuing to increase our efforts to reach out to all those affected. We’re actively *Names have been changed to protect identities

Posed as a model

When Julie* left her home, family and friends in the Caribbean to live in England with her new husband, she had every reason to be optimistic about this latest chapter in her life. Sadly, her dream was not to last.

engaged in supporting around 200 people at any given time. We help them to break the cycle of abuse and we help the victims and survivors to improve their emotional health, reduce drug and alcohol dependency and stabilise their finances. We also run programmes for the perpetrators of domestic abuse and training programmes for anti abuse champions, helping to increase awareness of the issue in the process.

Julie was one of the more fortunate ones. With our support, she was able to share her experiences and learn from those of other women. Since attending a support group, facilitated by Solace, Julie is less anxious, less isolated, no longer feels depressed and she now feels empowered to make her own decisions about her relationships. Her self esteem has increased, helping her to her to find a job and giving her the confidence to find alternative accommodation.

For more information on domestic abuse and how you can get help, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/domesticviolence

16 And finally...

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LIBRARY IMPROVE TENANT REPAIR

Pick which of the following subjects you’d most like to read about in a future issue of Southwark Housing News Benefit changes Repairs contractors Social lettings Name:

Tel no:

Address:

Age: Comments:

Send back your completed word search by 26 July 2013 to: Southwark Council, The Editor, Southwark Housing News, Communications team PO BOX 64529, London SE1P 5LX. Winners will be announced in the next edition.

The information you provide will be used fairly and lawfully and Southwark Council will not knowingly do anything which may lead to a breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Useful housing contacts Housing services for council tenants Tel: 020 7525 2600 – Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm Rent Pay by direct debit: 020 7525 2600 Pay by debit/credit card: 0845 6000 611 (24hrs) Pay online: www.southwark.gov.uk/payforit To pay in person: Peckham cash office: 19-23 Bournemouth Road, SE15 Walworth cash office: 177-179 Walworth Road, SE17 Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8.30am to 4pm To pay by post: London Borough of Southwark, Income Collection Business Unit, PO BOX 11767, 153-159 Abbeyfield Road, London SE16 3ZF Repairs Tel: 0800 952 4444 (24hrs) Online: www.southwark.gov.uk/repairs Utilities (emergencies): Electricity: 0800 096 9000; Gas: 0800 111 999; Water: 0845 200 800

Publication date June 2013. This magazine is printed on recycled paper.

Leaseholders/freeholders Home ownership unit – Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm Tel: 020 7525 1400 Email: hsg.homeownership@southwark.gov.uk Southwark antisocial behaviour unit Tel: 020 7525 5777 (24 hours) Email: sasbu@southwark.gov.uk Web: www.safersouthwark.gov.uk Southwark Homesearch Bidding hotline: 0845 270 0655 Bidding text line: 07781 486 526 Advice line: 020 7525 4140 Web: www.southwarkhomesearch.org.uk Write to Southwark Housing News The Editor, Southwark Housing News Communications team PO BOX 64529 London SE1P 5LX or email elizabeth.bolton@southwark.gov.uk