YORKSHIRE & HUMBERSIDE
ENTGROUP.O W.ACC RG WW
Survey of Tenants and Residents 2016 (STAR)
Of the 21 questions in total, seven were ‘core’ questions. These are the main questions most housing associations ask so they can compare results with each other. Of these, four had higher results than last year, two had the same and one had lower results.
Customer Services Director @accentgroupltd
WHAT’S INSIDE
Earlier in the year, we invited over 9,000 residents to take part in the annual survey of tenants of residents (STAR). We received 3,163 responses. Getting such a good response means we can be reasonably sure we have results which generally represent your views.
Andrew Williams
Save money on your energy bills page 2
These are our main results: Just over 8 out of 10 residents are satisfied with the overall services we provide. 8 out of 10 residents are happy with the quality of their home. A similar number are happy with their area as a place to live.
Help with fuel costs this winter page 3
Over 8 out of 10 residents think our service has either improved, or remained the same, over the last 12 months. Nearly 9 out of 10 residents are happy with the service they receive when they contact us.
Introducing ‘The Hub’ page 6
We asked residents to tell us which three things were most important to them. Over half said repairs and maintenance. 4 out of 10 said the overall quality of their home. We also asked residents if they would like to buy their home under the Government’s right to buy scheme. 26% said yes, 63% said no and 11% were unsure. We will be closely focussing on those areas which you told us were important so we can further improve them and your satisfaction as a result. Thank you to everyone who took part.
Stay safe this Christmas page 8
Save money on your energy bills Andrew Williams Customer Services Director @accentgroupltd
There are now more competitive energy deals than ever before, so it could be a good time to switch to a new provider. Figures from Energy UK show that 1.3 million customers moved from a large to a small supplier during the past 12 months – 41% of all switches. So many new small suppliers coming into the market has led to more competitive deals which you can take advantage of to lower your energy costs.
We are working with a charitable agency to help you find out about the possible savings you could make. This year 183 households swapped to better deals, saving an average of £210 per household. Talk to your housing officer for more information. For a quote, call 01733 646 253 or visit the website www.greenenergyswitch.co.uk. You’ll receive free advice and guidance on where you may be able to make savings.
My Home Contents Insurance Accent does not insure the furniture and personal items you have in your home, that is your responsibility. However, we have teamed up with the National Housing Federation to bring you the ‘My Home’ contents insurance scheme to make it as easy and affordable as possible. Some of the benefits include: No yearly commitment, pay-as-you-go. Fortnightly, monthly or annual payments. No excess on any claims. No minimum home security requirements. Ask us for your free application pack or contact ‘My Home’ on: T: E: W:
0345 450 7288 myhome@thistleinsurance.co.uk www.thistlemyhome.co.uk
The National Housing Federation My Home Contents Insurance Scheme is a product name arranged and administered on behalf of the National Housing Federation by Thistle Tenant Risks. A trading style of Thistle Insurance Services Limited. Lloyd’s Broker. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. A JLT Group Company. Registered Office: The St Botolph Building, 138 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7AW. Registered in England No 00338645. VAT No. 244 2321 96. The National Housing Federation is an Appointed Representative of Thistle Insurance Services Limited.
2
ACCENT NEWS
Help with fuel costs this winter If you are over pension credit age (born before 6 May 1953) you can claim the Government’s winter fuel payment. You will receive between £100 and £300 if you qualify, depending on your age and circumstances. Payments are based on households not individuals, so, if you live with someone else who can also claim it, the payment will be split between you. If you get a state pension, pension credit or certain other benefits, you should get the payment automatically. If you haven’t had a payment and think you’re entitled to one, contact the Winter Fuel Payment Helpline on 0345 915 1515. Cold weather payments are made when the temperature falls below 0°C for seven days in a row. They are meant to help people on a low income with their fuel costs. You could qualify if you receive pension credit or certain other benefits, but not if you live in a care home). £25 would be paid each time the average temperature falls below 0°C for seven days in a row. If you’re entitled to the payments, you should receive them automatically. Find out more about cold weather and winter fuel payments by visiting: www.gov.uk Source: www.independentage.org
Talking to ‘you’ about what matters
In our last survey 84% of you thought Accent News was either ‘very or fairly informative’. Despite this high figure we often get asked to include features which are more ‘local’ or ‘relevant’. This can be difficult when we are producing a newsletter for all our residents across the whole country, but we are looking at ways to help us achieve this. We don’t have any definite plans just yet, but in future, we might not produce a newsletter for everyone, we might choose to send you letters, notices or leaflets or in some cases an email instead. We’ll keep you updated and ask for your views on any new ideas on The Hub, see page 6.
@ CONTACT US SEE PAGE 8
3
Survey of Tenants and Residents STAR regional results You may already have read the national results of our STAR survey which are featured on page 1. Across the Yorkshire region we received 580 responses in total, so thank you if you took part. 81.3% of customers are satisfied with us, which is good to hear. You feel you get a good service when you contact us and that your rent is good value for money. You are also pleased with the quality of your home and the neighbourhood you live in. You would also recommend us to your friends and family if they were looking for a home. That is music to our ears so thanks again. What you feel to be the most important parts of our service are the overall quality of your home, how we deal with anti social behaviour and repairs and maintenance. We are a social business. We don’t make a profit, we exist to provide affordable homes and we need to keep our existing customers as well as attract new ones. We want you to be happy living with us, so you stay and you recommend us. This means we are working hard to provide better services and better homes for you. When we look at the things you are not so happy about, a third of you don’t think we are good enough at listening to your views and a similar number don’t think service charges are value for money. Our CSC (Compliance and Scrutiny Committee), which is made up of residents and non-residents (called independents), is going to do a detailed piece of work in two geographic areas to try to get a better insight into the concerns of residents who live there. We have set up Facebook groups to help you to stay in touch with your neighbours and talk to us, and for us to talk to you. We are trying to reduce service charges where possible, and to provide value for money services. We have reduced charges for grounds maintenance and cleaning in some areas, and we are agreeing new services for next year to try to reduce cost even further. We’ll keep you updated on what we are doing.
4
ACCENT NEWS
Overcrowded? Fancy a change
If the answer is ‘yes’, we may be able to help. We sized homes available in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Mi and the surrounding areas.
For more details, please contact us, or view the home on our website: www.accentgroup.org/find-a-home We will help you with relocation costs and with settling into your new area. Have a look today and see where you could move to…
Tell your family and friends! We have opened up our waiting lists… Great news! We’ve opened our housing waiting lists in the region. Now your family and friends can apply to us directly for a home. Unlike private renters, we do not ask for bonds, but our tenancy agreement does ask for rent to be paid in advance so accounts do not go into arrears. Like some others, we don’t charge a fee for processing housing applications To ask for a housing application form or for more information on any of our services, contact us on 0345 678 0555 or email customerservices@accentgroup.org Or visit the ‘Find a Home’ section on our website www.accentgroup.org/find-ahome. We also advertise on Gumtree and your local council’s website.
hange of scene?
help. We have different shire, Middlesbrough
the homes -a-home
New s propertie added daily
Grounds maintenance and Cleaning Update We are looking at a new grounds maintenance, cleaning and window cleaning contract which we hope to have up and running by August 2017. As part of this service, we will meet your needs by providing not only a good standard of upkeep to the areas you live in, but better value for money too. We will be looking for your feedback in the near future so watch this space.
Debt and Evictions We want to help and support customers who find they are in debt. Lowering the debt residents owe us means we can invest more money in your homes, in the form of new kitchens and bathrooms for instance. As a not-for-profit organisation, without the money we make from rent, we could not keep providing the same level of support and standards we currently provide. We pride ourselves on helping residents who find themselves in financial difficulties by providing support and helping them to make the most of their income. This year, we have helped 190 households. We have applied for, and received, have If you oney over £15,500 in extra income for residents any m ease es pl through backdated benefit claims. We have worri o us also spent £370 on carpets and furniture etc. talk t for people who are struggling to set up home. If you have any money worries, please talk to us If you have difficulty managing, it really is worth about them. Your housing officer can make a referral getting in touch and allowing us to help. to the tenancy sustainability team to help you manage Sadly, we can’t help everyone and if people just can’t your tenancy and stay in your home. or won’t pay their rent, or refuse to talk to us, we Together we can avoid further court action and have to take the hard line of evicting them. This year, tenancies being lost. We are here to support we secured 34 court orders and made 16 evictions. and help you wherever possible. Every eviction could be avoidable if our customers worked with us to reduce the debt they owe. @ CONTACT US SEE PAGE 8
5
We’re getting engaged with you…
1
Do you agree there should be one lettings standard across Accent so that, no matter where you live, your property will be let in the same condition as everyone else’s? 95% Yes 5% No
In a recent survey, we asked a sample of residents’ three questions about our new repairs and maintenance service, which will launch in September 2017. We received over 1,000 replies and they showed firm support for our new service standards.
2
Thank you to everyone who took part. We will be in touch before our new repairs and maintenance service launches to let you know how it will improve your repairs service.
3
Do you agree there should be two repair priorities – emergency and all other repairs? 89% Yes 11% No
We won’t arrange times for emergency repairs, but aim to respond to them within four hours. We’ll aim to complete all other repairs within an average of six working days, agreeing an appointment with you first. We are proposing a simple AM/PM repairs appointment system each day, Monday to Friday. Do you agree and do you have any suggestions? 89% Yes 11% No Comments around operatives calling ahead of repair visits have also been added into the new service offer.
Introducing The Hub The Hub is a new and exciting way in which you can work with us to improve services locally and nationally. With The Hub, you can give us your views on your home and neighbourhood and the services we provide. Your views will help us to better understand your needs and priorities and will influence our decisions. The Hub will host regular surveys, polls and questionnaires. You will be able to view comments as they are made, and we will be able to show how your opinions have improved your services. We also want to use The Hub to ‘recruit’ 500 residents from all walks of life across Accent who we can regularly consult with about a number of things. You do not need to have any experience in ‘resident engagement’ to join the Accent 500, and you do not have to take part in every survey or consultation – but we need you to be able to represent the interests of all Accent residents. For more information, please visit www.accentgroup.org 6
ACCENT NEWS
Can you smell gas? Do you think you’ve got a leak?
Here’s what you need to do‌ Act fast but stay safe. Don’t smoke, light matches or cigarette lighters, or turn light switches or anything electrical on or off. Put out any naked flames such as candles, open all doors and windows and turn off your gas supply at the meter. (There is usually a large lever to turn off your gas, but check with us if you can’t see one or you’re not sure). Leave your supply turned off. Our contractor will turn it back on once a full check of the system has been done. Call us on 0345 678 0555 and we will contact the National Gas Service Emergency line on your behalf and arrange for a gas engineer to attend. National Gas Service Emergency Line:
0800 111 999
Carbon Monoxide We fit a carbon monoxide detector in all our homes which burn any carbon based fuels. Carbon monoxide (CO) is made when carbon based fuels, (like gas, oil, wood and coal) don’t burn properly. It is a highly poisonous gas that you can’t see, taste or smell. It’s really important to make sure your appliances are fitted properly and checked regularly. The detector will let you know straight away if there’s a carbon monoxide leak. It’s a good extra precaution, but it shouldn’t replace having your appliance(s) fitted and checked by a Gas Safe engineer. Never move your detector. If the alarm sounds, it is trying to tell you something (even if it’s only to replace the batteries). If you think you might have a carbon monoxide leak, or your detector goes off, switch off your gas appliances and don’t use them again until an approved engineer has checked them. Open all your doors and windows and get some fresh air. Call us and we will arrange for a gas engineer to attend and check the gas appliances. We will repair any appliances we own, but we are not responsible for equipment we do not own.
Power companies across the UK have joined forces to launch a direct, free, nationwide emergency number for your local electricity network operator. By calling 105, you can report a power cut, get information on one and report damage to power lines and substations. The new number should mean problems are fixed more quickly and calls do not go to the wrong place. Keep a note of ‘105’ just in case you ever need to call. www.powercut105.com @ CONTACT US SEE PAGE 8
7
Are your bills mounting up? Do you struggle to make it through to pay day? Are you struggling to pay your rent? We can help… Our tenancy sustainability officers can help you budget, make sure you are getting the right benefits, or direct you to other organisations which can help. This year, our support has helped nearly 1,000 residents stay in their homes, pay their bills and pay their rent. We have also generated over £220,000 for those residents in extra income – around £200 per person. One family were at risk of losing their home because of serious rent arrears of over £1,500. With our help, they reduced the debt, appealed against their cancelled Housing Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance, and opened a basic bank account. We also helped them with a new budget to cover their household bills. The family is still in their home and the debt is reducing. It’s a great result. If you are struggling, or thinking about leaving us, please get in touch. We want to help people keep their home.
Stay safe this Christmas We want you to have a great festive season, but the facts show that we are more likely to be involved in house fires at this time of year than at any other. Following these tips could help you stay safe:
• Make sure your Christmas tree lights are safe and always switched off when you leave the house or go to bed. Don’t overload electric sockets or extensions. • Never have candles near your Christmas tree or furnishings and never leave burning candles unattended. • Have a fire escape plan and make sure everyone knows what to do. • Never leave cooking unattended. • Make sure your cigarettes and cigars have completely gone out, and never smoke in bed. • Don’t store anything that can catch fire near a heat source.
Finally, one last thing to remember… It may seem a strange thing to ask you, but please make sure that paying your rent is on your Christmas to-do list this year. We know money can be tight around Christmas with extra pressures on household budgets, but, making sure you have paid your rent will give you peace of mind and you can relax and enjoy the festive season! If you are struggling to pay your rent now, or at any time of year, please call us on 0345 678 0555. We’re here to help,
STAY IN TOUCH! Address: Jeremy Downs House Senior Way Bradford BD5 0QB
Social media: Telephone: @accentbd 0345 678 0555 /accentbd Email: customerservices@accentgroup.org
www.accentgroup.org
Our contact centre is open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am – 12pm on Saturday