Spotlight Spring 2015

spot light

Spring 2015

What’s inside Gardening Competitions Pages 5 & 13

My Home Online Page 11

Your magazine from

town&country housing group

Hello

Spring finally seems to be in the air with blossom coming out and bulbs popping up. If you’re a keen gardener, why not enter our annual gardening competition? We’ve launched a separate competition for our East Kent residents this year in addition to our normal competition and we want as many entries as possible in both.

Our Scrutiny Panel have been busy as ever and have almost finished their review of our repairs service – turn over to find out more about what they’ve been doing.

Welcome to the spring issue of Spotlight.

We received the fantastic news at the beginning of the year that we are placed at number 45 in the Top 100 Best Not-for-Profit Organisations to Work for, after receiving a 2 star accreditation with Best Companies.

Contacting us Tenancy or estate issues Call us on 01892 501480 and press option 1 or Email info@tchg.org.uk

Bob Heapy Chief Executive

the regulars Regenerating our estates

P18

Competitions

P19 & 23

How are we doing?

P20

Heating and Hot Water For Gas or electric heating or your hot water, Call Swale Heating on 0800 011 3139.

For oil heating, call Headcorn Heating on 01622 891299.

Complaints, compliments and feedback

P21

Get on the housing ladder

P22

Leaseholders For all queries about your and shared owners rent or repairs please call us on 01892 501490.

Our Customer Service Standards

P24

Visit our website www.tchg.org.uk

P4

Editorial Panel

Repairs review

Repairs Call 01892 501480 and press option 2.

Anne Harvey, Jackie Johnson, Monica Brown, Rowena Lomas, Carol Francis, Ricky Brown, Sue Thomas and Alexine Bullett. Thanks also go to all residents and staff who have helped.

Produced by

Magazine Production Shirley Coomber Spotlight is printed with vegetable based inks on paper from sustainable sources. Please recycle your copy.

2 Spotlight l Spring 2015

We can provide information in other languages and other formats such as on CD, in large print and in braille please contact us on the details above.

For information in another language call us, give your phone number and say which language you need.

P11 My Home Online P5 Community grants P6 P5 & P13

2015 Gardening Competitions

P8

P12

P17

Lanterns light up Tunbridge Wells

P7

now!

Importance of Safety checks

P14

Tackling tenancy fraud P10 P15

New contracts agreed

Celebrating P9 2 stars!

Are you prepared for

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 3

Repairs Review is well underway!

The Scrutiny Panel’s review of repairs is almost finished and will be presented to the Group Board in June. We’ll then let you know about the changes it is recommending.

The review has focussed on the day-to-day repairs service and how we communicate with you

throughout the repairs process.

As well as doing a lot of background research, the panel have met with other residents, our staff and our contractors to see first hand how things work and to talk to them about issues such as:

They have looked at our handyman service and talked to Neighbourhood Housing Managers about improving information from our contractors, reporting their findings back to the Scrutiny Panel.

●● Communication with residents

What’s New?

●● Flexibility and consistency of the service

The Scrutiny Panel is now on Facebook! You can find out all the latest news from the Scrutiny Panel on their Facebook page at facebook.com/scrutiny.panel

●● Time taken to complete repairs.

The scrutiny panel has also involved the two tenant repairs panels in the review.

Pictured below: Members of the Scrutiny Panel with Independent Chair Katherine Parker and Resident Scrutiny Panel Manager Helen Charles.

We have three new Scrutiny Panel members, Laura Dullar, Michelle Kerwin and Barbara Twiss. They are currently learning the ropes; taking part in induction training along with meetings and activities supported by our more experienced panel members.

We still have vacancies on the Scrutiny Panel – why not apply?

If you’re interested in working with us to improve our services, please contact Helen Charles, our Resident Scrutiny Manager, by emailing scrutiny@tchg.org.uk or calling 01892 501470.

4 Spotlight l Spring 2015

Gardening Competition 2015 The Gardening Competition is FREE to enter and is open to ALL our tenants, leaseholders and shared owners*. As long as it fits into one of the categories simply use your imagination to capture the judge’s eye!

It could be a clever use of space, be water friendly, have an innovative planting scheme or be a vegetable garden.

Prizes to be won

There are National Gardening voucher prizes of £110, £60 and £35 for each category. The overall winner of the ‘Stacey Cup’ will be awarded to the most imaginative garden!

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Categories for the

Best

Could your garden be a winner?

If the answer is YES then complete the enclosed entry form and pop in the post by the deadline.

Closing date for entries

Small garden (up to 40sqm) Large garden (40sqm +) Communal garden New tenant garden

W indow box, balcony or hanging display

Friday 26th June

Judging will take place on

Saturdays 4th & 11th July

Sundays 5th & 12th July

Please note* Each household can only enter their garden into one category.

try For an en call ase form ple 30 16 01892 50

Grateful thanks to this years sponsors

Pictured left: Our gardening commitee planning the competition.

We’re pleased launch East Kent’s own competition this year! See p13

Does your community group need funds?

We can provide grants between £100 and £1,000.

Our small grants support community organisations to fund events, community initiatives or activities in their area that directly benefit our residents and the community.

Grants could be used for: ●● Putting on an event or activity ●● Setting up a community based project ●● Organising a community social event

Want to know more?

To find out more and apply for a grant, contact our Community Investment Team on 01892 501630.

Alternatively you can email grants@tchg.org.uk and request an application pack.

●● Funding minor community equipment

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 5

How to avoid throwing out unused food 4 P lan your meals for the week – write a shopping list and stick to it!

6 D on’t shop when you are hungry.

Did you know that the average household wastes £60 every month on food?

There are 2 main reasons for this: ●● We cook or prepare too much ●● Food is not used in time Love Food Hate Waste, launched in 2007, promotes practical everyday things we can do to reduce food waste, benefit our purses and the environment too!

4 R egularly check use by dates in your cupboards, fridge and freezer so you know what needs eating by what date.

4 P ay attention to portion sizes! Check rice and pasta packs for per person portion sizes. Calculate the number of potatoes and carrots needed before you peel them.

6 A void impulse buys and only do ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ offers if it is non-perishable or you are sure that you will use it before the expiry date.

4 U se leftovers – cooked vegetables can make bubble and squeak. You can also freeze leftover cooked food for a child’s meal another time.

4 U se fruit that is going out of date - why not whizz up with some yoghurt to make smoothies?

4 F reeze loaves of bread and take out slices when you need them.

4 B uy meat and fish in bulk and freeze individual portions.

For more information on how to save money on your food bill, free recipes or to download the ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ app visit their website www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.

New Year, New You! A special event at the TN2 Community centre in Sherwood gave local people a helping hand to put their New Year’s resolutions into action.

Twenty-four local groups and agencies attended with everything from serious and thought provoking displays to fun and energy filled activities on a smoothie bike.

More than 70 residents attended and enjoyed activities which included advice and a raffle with great prizes! The Mind skiffle band performed and had people on their feet, giving the event a real buzz.

6 Spotlight l Spring 2015

A similar event took place at Old Park Community Centre, Dover. Residents received support around money advice, employability and healthy lifestyles from a local trainer.

n Lear ills sk new

your Build nce e confid

y Mone e advic

rove Imp tyle lifes

now!

Nine out of ten of us have kerbside collection schemes, so if you don’t already have a recycling box or bag provided by your local council, it’s worth calling them and asking for the one you’re missing.

house to think whether items can be reused or recycled before they are thrown away.

Different councils collect different materials, although most collect cans, plastic and paper. Make sure you encourage everyone in your

This information is from www.recyclenow.com, where you can find out lots more about recycling.

Contact your local council to find out about collections in your area.

Your local council Local councils run a collection service for large or bulky items such as unwanted pieces of furniture. There is usually a charge for this service, but sometimes it is free for residents who receive certain benefits.

To find out more, please contact your local council.

Do you have unwanted, good quality furniture?

Why not donate it to charity and help other people?

If you have furniture or electrical goods in good condition which may be of use to others, you could contact one of the following organisations who may be able to reuse the item, instead of it going to landfill.

West Kent: British Heart Foundation, YMCA, Hospice in the Weald, the Bridge Trust, Bromley’s Give to Give East Kent: Emmaus, British Heart Foundation and YMCA furniture shop. Necessary furniture in Hersden, near Canterbury, collects furniture and electrical goods from those who want to donate and gives it to those in need for a small charge.

To find out more about how you could benefit or donate, call 01227 712680 or visit www.necessaryfurniture.org.uk.

Alternatively Search online or check the phone book for shops in your area.

Freecycle & Freegle These online groups offer people the chance to give away items they no longer need or find items they do need.

To find out what is available in your area visit www.uk.freecycle.org or www.ilovefreegle.org

Are you in need of low-cost furniture?

These charity shops are a great way of getting hold of cheap furniture. If you’ve just moved home, why not see what they have to offer?

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 7

Val Joy Community Celebrations 2015 The Val Joy Community Celebration recognises residents and community groups who regularly volunteer their time for the benefit of others. They are named after Val Joy (pictured right) whose voluntary work made a huge difference to her community for many years.

The Award During the celebrations, we will also present our Lifetime Achievement Award to someone who has volunteered for many years within their community.

Who do you think deserves this honour?

To nominate your community star, or if as an individual volunteer or part of a volunteer group you would like to be involved in this exciting and fun celebratory event, please contact Carol Francis on 01892 501630 or email carol.francis@tchg.org.uk.

The celebration event, which will be held in early June, will have a 1950’s theme and look at our health and wellbeing from the inception of the NHS to modern day lifestyles.

It is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate together and speak with other volunteering groups.

The Love Where We Live Awards 2015

At the event you will also be able to find out how you, your group or someone in your community could be nominated for one of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s ‘Love Where We Live’ awards.

Introducing Customer Net about our services. It’s based online and is a really quick and easy way to share your views.

How does it work?

We have just launched Customer Net, our online consultation panel.

We’ve introduced Customer Net to hear what you think

8 Spotlight l Spring 2015

Each month we will email you asking for your views on a service we provide or some improvements that we want to make. We may ask you to fill in a short survey to share your views; we may offer a prize draw for some surveys.

We promise not to bombard you with requests and fill up your inbox, but we do want you to share your thoughts with us.

How to join If you don’t receive emails from us and would like to join Customer Net and share your views please email info@tchg.org.uk and ask for your email address to be added to our database.

It is designed to help long term unemployed people who feel ‘stuck’ in their job, are searching or returning to work after having a child or long term sickness.

Work in Progress Residents have been getting ‘back to work’ with our innovative training.

‘Work In Progress’ has been tailor made for Town & Country Foundation by Working Futures.

The workshops help improve confidence, CV building, identifying skills, where to find ‘hidden jobs’ and any other issues as they come up during the course.

If you would like this training offered in your area then let us know!

We’re celebrating 2 Stars!

Staff are celebrating after Town & Country was named as one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Not for Profit Companies to work for, after receiving a 2 star accreditation with Best Companies.

We were named as number 45 in the Top 100 Not for Profit Companies to Work for.

Being a Sunday Times Top 100 company is a huge achievement for any organisation and shows a commitment to creating a place where people choose and love to work.

Chief Executive Bob Heapy said: “We were thrilled to hear that we had been given a 2 star accreditation and even more so that we were in the Top 100 Best Not for Profit Companies to Work for. This recognises the changes we have gone through over the past 12 months, changing our culture and being more customer focussed.”

If you are interested in working for us, please visit our website: www.tchg.org.uk/careers.

Visit our page

www.facebook.com/townandcountryhousing Follow us on Twitter: @tandchousing

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 9

What is Universal Credit?

For people of working age Universal Credit will replace six benefits with a single monthly payment.

Those being replaced are:

If you are already claiming, or plan to claim any of these benefits it is important you find out about Universal Credit and how it will affect you.

Say NO to…

●● Housing benefit ●● Income-based jobseeker’s allowance

6 Pay day loans or 6 Unlicensed money lenders and

●● Income-related employment and support allowance

6 Never ignore debt and 6 D on’t stick your head in the sand!

●● Income support

We can help!

●● Working tax credit

6

Call us on 01892

●● Child tax credit

1

to prepare yourself for

Get your rent account into credit now. If you pay at least £3.70 per week

4

Make sure you have a bank account or similar that can receive the payment. If you have a bank account you

5

should check that you can use it to set up direct debits. If you don’t have an account you should open a bank account or similar.

3

501480

TOP TIPS

on top of your rent now it will reduce the risk of being in arrears when you’re switched over to Universal Credit.

2

Visit our website: www.tchg.org.uk/universalcredit or call us and we will send you a copy of our guide to benefit changes.

Decide how you’re going to pay your rent. Direct debits are a quick

and easy way to pay your rent. You set it up once and don’t have to remember when to pay.

10 Spotlight l Spring 2015

Get used to budgeting for monthly payments if you don’t already.

You will receive your Universal Credit once a month so you’ll need to ensure you pay your rent and other bills leaving enough for essentials, such as food, for the month.

Think how you will manage your money. If you are struggling to make ends

meet contact us straight away and we’ll see how we can help you.

6

Make sure you will be able to claim online. You can access the internet

free of charge at your local library and they often also offer computer training if required.

You will also be given assistance at your local job centre with your application.

My Home Online offers even more!

My Home Online, the secure customer area of our website, will soon show you even more information about your tenancy such as: ●● Your Payment Reference Number making it easier for you to pay your rent online ●● Your Neighbourhood Housing Manager and Income Manager’s details ●● A breakdown of your rent and service charges

As well as: ●● A statement of recent transactions from the last 6 months ●● Paying your rent online via Allpay ●● Outstanding and completed repairs to your home, block and estate ●● Reporting non-urgent repairs We have created My Home Online to enable tenants, leaseholders and shared owners to keep up to date with their tenancy at any time of the day without having to wait to speak to a member of staff.

So far more than 1,350 customers have registered!

Have you registered yet?

Visit www.tchg.org.uk/ myhomeonline and register now.

Coming soon!

– the My Home Online app In May we’re launching our My Home Online app for customers who prefer to use a smartphone or tablet to get online. It will enable you to: ●● view your rent account online ●● get a paperless rent statement ●● make a rent payment ●● check and update your personal details ●● view your repair history ●● report a repair including uploading photos of the problem ●● contact us

From May you can download the app for free from your app store (Apple, Android or Windows) and get information on the go.

Data usage Please be aware your data will be used when accessing the app.

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 11

Lanterns light up Tunbridge Wells There were thousands of smiles covering the length of Camden Road as the Winter Lantern Parade lit up the town. More than 1,500 people took part in the parade which was themed on water and featured giant lanterns shaped as an octopus, submarine and pirate ship.

Bloco Fogo led the way with their salsa beat, while the LED glow performers from Showstoppers followed at the end.

The event is organised by CREATE, sponsored by Town & Country Housing and supported by our Foundation.

The parade is always held mid winter, linking to New Year celebrations elsewhere in the world.

In the build up to the event, artist Jane Churchill and volunteers held more than twenty workshops to construct and decorate the lanterns.

Community Investment Manager Sarah Holden said: “It was a fabulous event and there was a great sense of communities coming together to celebrate and enjoy the spectacle.

“This was the 7th annual parade and we are already looking forward to building on this year’s success next year.”

12 Spotlight l Spring 2015

East Kent Happenings

We are pleased to launch

East Kent’s own

Gardening Competition 2015 This year we are pleased to launch a separate gardening competition for East Kent - with one difference - an additional category for a Young Person’s Garden which is aimed at the under 25s.

Prizes to be won

As with the West Kent competition, there are National Gardening voucher prizes of £110, £60 and £35 for each category.

Closing date for entries and dates for judging

These are the same as that for West Kent - please see page 5 for full details and also the terms and conditions.

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News from Old Park!

l

l

Categories for the

Best

Small garden (up to 40sqm) Large garden (40sqm +) Communal garden New tenant garden Window box, balcony or hanging display Young persons garden (under 25’s)

Free internet use Computer use is FREE at the Old Park Community Centre! Pop in, check your emails, look for new jobs and maybe even do your shopping!

Introduction to Volunteering Residents in Old Park learnt more about volunteering at a course held at the community centre. Participants looked at volunteer placements available, the skills they currently have and skills they could gain from volunteering.

The event was a success!

Here is what they said: “Getting the information presented in a ‘not boring’ way” “Finding out what opportunities there are out there” “I found it very helpful” “I enjoyed the day, thank you”

Grow fresh food for you and your family!

Old Park has a community allotment and would love to help you grow seasonal fruit and vegetables.

This is a fantastic opportunity with the allotments available to anyone on the estate. Staff are available to provide advice to growers.

For more information contact 01892 501630.

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 13

Tackling tenancy fraud Across the UK it is estimated that 50,000 housing association and council homes are occupied by someone who shouldn’t live there or have obtained the tenancy fraudulently.

What is tenancy fraud?

There are different types of housing fraud. Here are some of the most common ones: ●● unlawful subletting – is where a tenant lets out their council or housing association home without the knowledge or permission of their landlord.

They often continue to pay the rent for the property directly to their landlord, but charge the person they are subletting to a much higher rate. It is unlawful and unfair to sublet and to profit from a property which could be given to someone legally entitled to occupy it. The Social Housing Fraud Act 2013 has made it a criminal offence for a tenant to sublet their home. The maximum penalty is a two-year jail sentence and a

fine of up to £50,000. The court also has the power to make the tenant pay back any profits made from subletting. ●● obtaining housing by deception – is where a person gets a council or housing association home by giving false information in their application, for example not telling the landlord they are renting another council or housing association property or giving false information about who lives with them. ●● wrongly claimed succession – is where a tenant dies and someone, who is not entitled to, tries to take over or succeed the tenancy. For example, they might say they lived with the tenant before they died, when in fact they were living elsewhere. If you are not sure whether you are eligible to succeed a tenancy, please contact us. ●● key selling – is where a tenant is paid to pass on their keys in return for a one-off payment.

Why is it important that we tackle tenancy fraud?

There isn’t enough social housing to meet the needs of people who genuinely need it.

We have to make the best use of the housing that is available ensuring that it is occupied by those who are legally entitled to do so.

People waiting for social housing will have to wait even longer if homes continue to be occupied by people who have no right to be there.

Any Town & Country tenant currently subletting their home or committing tenancy fraud should arrange to hand back their keys without delay to avoid legal action being taken against them.

If you suspect tenancy fraud in one of our homes please contact us on 01892 501480.

Val Joy Community Celebrations 2015 see page 8 14 Spotlight l Spring 2015

Moving out What you must do If you want to end your tenancy with us and move out of your home, you must let us know and we will send you an End of Tenancy Form. We will then write to you to let you know when your four weeks’ notice ends.

When we have received your notice, we will: ✔✔ Write to you confirming the date your tenancy will end ✔✔ Make arrangements to inspect your home ✔✔ Tell you how you must return your keys to us

We ask that you: ●● Leave the property clean, tidy and clear of all rubbish, furniture and personal belongings. ●● Let your utility companies know you are moving home arrange for final bills to be sent to your new home and any future bills to sent to our Head Office unless a mutual exchange has taken place then the sent to the new tenant. ●● Inform us who your current utility suppliers are and your leaving meter readings.

●● Leave the decoration of the rooms in good condition. ●● Any minor alterations made to the property should be put back to the way it was when you first moved in. ●● Make sure that all outstanding debts are paid to us.

Need to know more?

Please contact us for more information.

New contracts agreed for estate cleaning and gardening We have now agreed new contracts for estate cleaning and gardening. They started on 1st April 2015.

Over the next 3 months we’ll work closely with the new contractors to ensure our estates meet the required standards.

A key part of our new approach is to receive regular feedback from customers about the work of the new contractors. If you would be happy to help us monitor the quality of their work by giving us regular feedback about your estate or block please contact us.

The new contractors are: For cleaning, communal window cleaning and removal of bulk rubbish ●● East Kent - DMS ●● North Kent - Town & Country Cleaners Ltd ●● West Kent - Just Ask Estate Services Ltd

Grounds maintenance, gardening and tree work ●● East Kent - Countrywide Grounds Maintenance Ltd ●● North Kent - Klassic Maintenance Ltd

Some contractors remain unchanged Bridglands will continue to carry out gardening in West Kent and All in One will continue providing cleaning and gardening services for the Old Park Estate.

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 15

Are you aged 55 or over?

Would you like to move to a new home COMING SOON!

4 brand new schemes in Tunbridge Wells, Paddock Wood and Cranbrook We are building four new sheltered housing schemes. All are a mixture of 1 and 2 bedroom flats and are due for completion between spring and summer this year. Two of the schemes are suitable for people aged 55 and over and the other two are suitable for those aged 65 and over.

Over 55

Over 65

Mount Ephraim, Tunbridge Wells Expected completion Spring 2015

Cranbrook Pet friendly Expected completion Spring 2015

Kent & Sussex Site Greggs Wood Road

Sherwood, Tunbridge Wells Pet friendly Expected completion Autumn 2015

Major Clarke House MacDonald Court

Paddock Wood Expected completion Spring 2015

Are you interested?

If you are interested in one of the new schemes your next step would be to register your interest with Kent Homechoice. If you are not yet registered for housing go to their website at www.kenthomechoice.org.uk and click on ‘register’, complete the on-line housing register application form and see if you may be eligible to apply.

If you do not have access to the internet, for help or further information you can go to Tunbridge Wells Gateway (8 Grosvenor Road) or call the Allocations Team at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 01892 526121.

16 Spotlight l Spring 2015

Please keep communal areas clear and safe It’s really important that nothing is placed in any communal area which could be hazardous to residents or visitors.

This includes corridors and stairwells in blocks of flats and outdoor communal areas such as gardens and grassed areas which all need to be kept clear. Thank you in advance for your help with this.

We ask you to do this for two main reasons:

All items must be removed from communal hallways and communal gardens, including: ●● Prams ●● Shoes ●● Pictures ●● Plants and plant pots ●● Bikes

If someone comes to your door who says they work for us but cannot show you their ID, do not let them in!

If they do show you their ID but you’re not convinced they work for us, please call us on 01892 501480 to check.

This rule applies to anyone who comes to your door. A genuine caller would be happy to wait whilst you check who are they are. Close the door and then call a number on a bill to check who they are never a number they give you!

In the event of a fire items obstructing the entrance to the block or in the hallways can make it extremely difficult for the Fire Service to get to the fire and can stop you and your neighbours evacuating.

Improve the look of your homes:

●● Toys ●● Recycling bins

We want all of our estates to be clean, tidy and clutter free, so they can be enjoyed by all.

No ID? No Entry!

For your safety and peace of mind all of our staff and contractors will show you their identification before they enter your home.

Your health & safety:

We will make sure you’re given time to remove your items, however if we have to use a contractor to dispose of anything you will be recharged for this cost.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Help us make sure your home is safe Electricity and gas can be dangerous; to make sure your home is safe, we have a legal obligation to check your gas boiler every year and your electrical installation every 5 years.

When it is time for your home to be tested, our contractors will contact you, either offering you an appointment or asking you to call them to make one.

Please take the time to do this.

The testing only takes a couple of hours and is definitely worthwhile to guarantee your family’s safety.

If you cannot keep the appointment, please contact them and re-arrange it by calling them on the number on the letter. If you cannot find the letter, please telephone our Repairs Desk on 01892 501480 and select option 2. They will give you the number.

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 17

Regenerating e t a d p u n our estates a

Rusthall

Our project to replace the old, unpopular flats in Cranwell Road, Rusthall with 18 new houses and 22 flats is complete.

Tunbridge Wells

Clifton Road and Burslem Road

All the properties have been handed over and new residents are moving in.

Lakewood Sherwood

Phase two and three – 122 new homes, including 40 homes for older people, a neighbourhood park and a community square are due to be completed in late autumn.

Phase four includes the flats further up Greggs Wood Road past the TN2 Centre.

We will be consulting with local residents again on a revised scheme and will let you know when that will be as soon as we can.

Work on the new houses being built in Clifton Road and Burslem Road is nearing completion and both projects are due to be finished by the end of May.

Paddock Wood Our new sheltered scheme at MacDonald Court in Paddock Wood, which will provide 39 one and two bedroom modern flats with communal facilities, is complete. Residents will be moving in towards the end of April.

18 Spotlight l Spring 2015

New pic in the folder

Improving our homes Flats and houses in Sherwood have undergone a range of improvement works to smarten them up as part of our repair and decoration programme.

doors a fresh new look. New bin stores were built behind some of blocks to store the bins off the pavement and make them less of an eyesore.

Our contractors George Jones have been working on properties in Sherwood, painting external and internal communal areas, cleaning uPVC windows, soffits and fascias and carrying out other repairs and improvements.

Waste pipes that were no longer fit for purpose were replaced with new uPVC pipes.

New flooring is being fitted to the communal areas and new rotary washing lines will be installed.

Residents of flats in Greggs Wood Road chose the paint colour that has given their internal communal areas and

Who won last time?

Can you find the SNAILS (not including the snail on this page) hidden throughout this issue of Spotlight?

Write down on the entry form which pages you find them on and send this page to us by Friday 8th May 2015.

Send your entry to: FREEPOST RTJS-HTYR-LJKB, Spotlight Town & Country Housing Group, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LQ.

Similar works have taken place to blocks in Harries Road and Allandale Road transforming and improving the local environment.

These are just some of the 1,579 properties included in our 2014/15 repair and decoration programme. In addition, Countrywise Repairs have undertaken cyclical decoration and repair work in Rusthall, which has greatly enhanced the area.

Can you find... the snails?

Wordsearches

Adult wordsearch Jocelyn Payne, Dover

Name

Address

Child wordsearch Scarlett DurĂŠs, Herne Bay

Find the glass slipper Mrs Prior, Paddock Wood

This competition is open to all ages with a ÂŁ10 voucher to be won, so why not give it a try?

Phone Number

The snails are on pages

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 19

How are we doing?

Here is a summary of our performance figures for the period October to December 2014. *Figures correct as at January 2015.

Customer satisfaction with repairs

6

Actual

Target

87.3%

90%

Repair appointments kept

4

Actual

Target

99.8%

98.5%

Emergency repairs completed in 24hrs

4

Target

100%

100%

Homes with a valid gas certificate

4

Actual

Target

100%

100%

Average time to re-let homes

Rent owed to us (arrears)

4

Actual

Actual

Target

Actual

Target

1.9%

2.5%

18 days

15 days

Complaints resolved within 10 working days Actual

24%

6

Complaints

Target

Of the 28 formal complaints that were received, 17 were for repairs and maintenance, four for housing management and seven for other departments.

75%

Complaints tend to go over target because investigations are on-going and extra time is needed to fully resolve issues.

6 20 Spotlight l Spring 2015

Where complaints have been open for longer than 10 days, we aim to keep you informed and provide regular updates.

Roundup

be reporting on the differences you have made though the Tenants Annual Report.

Residents have had input in:

100 95 75

25 5

2014/15 saw the launch of our Town & Country Pop Ups. A total of 15 have been delivered in West Kent and seven in East Kent.

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Pop Ups are a way for us to meet with you in a relaxed atmosphere to consult on a variety of service areas and subjects so that you have the opportunity to influence the services we provide. We will

●● Repairs responsibilities ●● Rents & Service Charges ●● Energy Efficiency (including damp & mould) ●● Resident Engagement Standards ●● Estate Services ●● Service/estate improvements.

Have your say!

Why not come and talk to us when we Pop Up in a neighbourhood close to you.

The next Pop Up for West Kent is taking place on Thursday 16th April on the playground area in Ramslye Tunbridge Wells from 12noon to 2pm. Come along and see the new play equipment that local residents helped to choose.

The next Pop Ups in East Kent are on 9th May in Watercress Way, Gravesend and 26th May at Hughenden Reach in Maidstone. Look out for the publicity for both these events.

Up Coming events in Dover MiniBeast Safari Up coming Pop Ups Thursdays 16th April

Want to know more about either of these events?

Contact Sara on 07545 207308 or email sara.hutchinson @tchg.org.uk

10 week Parenting Course at Old Park Community Centre Starting Friday 1st May 9.15 – 11.15am

Complaints, Compliments and Feedback We welcome comments about our services; your feedback is vital in helping us understand what we are doing well and where we can improve.

We change our processes where we can to prevent the same problems happening again. For example, we are looking at ways we can improve communication to ensure that we follow up issues where necessary.

Where we get things wrong we will apologise and advise what we’ll do to put things right.

The majority of complaints can be sorted out when they are first raised. If we cannot do this, there are 3 stages to our formal complaints process.

More information

Details are in our complaints leaflet and online.

How can I make a complaint or give you a compliment? ●● Call us ●● Online www.tchg.org.uk ●● Write to us or visit our offices: Monson House, Monson Way, Tunbridge Wells, TN1 1LQ

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 21

Get on the housing ladder Did you know?

There are lots of ways you can get a foot on the housing ladder. Below are some of the options you may like to consider.

Would you like to know more?

If you would like to find out more about any of these schemes or to find out if you are eligible, please contact our Sales & Marketing team on 01892 501677 or email sales@tchg.org.uk.

Shared ownership

Right to Buy

Right to Acquire

Also known as part-rent/ part-buy, shared ownership is an ideal way to get a foot on the property ladder.

RTB scheme allows most council tenants to buy their council home at a discount.

Tenants who transferred from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council in 1992, or from Dover District Council in 1999, have what is known as the ‘Preserved Right to Buy’ their home from us.

You might be eligible to buy your home through Right to Acquire if you’ve been a public sector tenant for five years.

You take out a mortgage to buy part of the property – typically between 25% and 75% – and pay a discounted rent to us on the remainder.

You can choose to buy a bigger share in the property if your circumstances change in the future. This is called ‘staircasing’. If you are already a shared owner and want to buy a bigger share, please contact us.

If you qualify for Right to Buy, you can get a discount on the market value of your home when you buy it. The current maximum discount is £77,000.

The discount is based on the length of the tenancy.

Your home must qualify for the scheme too, and must either have been: l

b uilt or bought by a housing association with public funds from 1 April 1997 onwards

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t ransferred from a local council to a housing association after 1 April 1997.

Restrictions: Please note there are many restrictions that apply with Tenants Right to Buy and Tenants Right to Acquire and some homes are excluded.

HOMES FOR SALE in Tunbridge Wells

22 Spotlight l Spring 2015

3 bedroom houses from £110,000 * We have four 3 bedroom houses available to buy under shared ownership and one for private sale in Clifton Road, Tunbridge Wells.

Full market valuation from £275,000 (*£110,000) Shares* are available from 40% with discounted rent payable on the remainder. Service charges may apply.

These stunning homes will benefit from: l Fitted kitchen l Washer/dryer l Single oven with hob and extractor hood l Fridge freezer l Carpeted throughout l Ceramic floor tiles to kitchen and bathroom To register your interest please call our Sales & Marketing Department on 01892 501677 or email sales@tchg.org.uk

Competition time!

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Entry Form

One lucky reader aged up to 12, will win £10 in gift vouchers in our children’s word search competition.

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Why not have a go at winning £50 in gift vouchers in our adults word search competition? All entries must be received by Friday 8th May 2015.

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Telephone Post this page to FREEPOST RTJS-HTYR-LJKB, Spotlight Town & Country Housing Group, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LQ

Spring 2015 l Spotlight 23

Our Customer Service Standards We aim to provide a high level of service, When you visit us, we aim to: and have a set of service standards that ●● Ensure our reception areas are clean, show our customers what level of service tidy and accessible to all customers. they can expect to receive.

When you telephone us, we aim to: ●● Announce who we are by name. ●● Answer your call in less than 20 seconds, ●● Give you the choice to wait for an advisor to become free, if we are busy, or leave a message. ●● N ormally, you will only come through to an answer machine when we are closed. ●● A ll messages left on our answer machines will be responded to within 2 working hours on the understanding that you leave your name and contact details. ●● A nswer at least 90% of all calls first time, and minimise the need to ring back. ●● E nsure that someone will assist you if the member of staff you are trying to contact is not available. ●● T ry and resolve your query at first point of contact, but if we cannot we will direct you to the appropriate people.

Letters and e-mail us, we aim to: ●● Acknowledge the receipt of your letter or e-mail where applicable, within a maximum of 5 working days. ●● W here a more detailed response is required we will respond in full within a maximum of 10 working days. ●● K eep you informed and let you know who is dealing with your request.

●● T ry and arrange for a private interview room on request. ●● N ot keep you waiting for more than 10 minutes for someone to see you. ●● See you on time, if you have an appointment. ●● P rovide free information in leaflets which are accurate and up to date.

Visit you at your home, we aim to: ●● T ry and arrange an appointment at a mutually convenient time. ●● I ntroduce ourselves and the purpose of the visit. ●● A lways provide identification, and leave your property clean and tidy.

Where we get it wrong, we aim to: ●● Tell you and apologise. ●● P ublish information on our complaints process. ●● L isten to your complaint, attempt to rectify it in a timely manner, and at a local level. ●● U se your feedback to identify root causes in order to continuously improve our service.

Equality & Diversity ●● W e will communicate with you in such a way that is most suitable to your needs. ●● We will treat all customers fairly. ●● W e always welcome your views and comments about improving our service.

NEW Evening Surgery in Sherwood Sherwood Neighbourhood Housing Manager John Sinclair is launching a NEW evening housing surgery on the evening of the first Wednesday of each month from 5-6pm at TN2.

24 Spotlight l Spring 2015

This is in addition to his normal surgery held on Wednesdays from 9.30am to 10.30am at TN2.