1519 street by street winter 2013

East Thames residents’ magazine

involved

THAMES

LUcky RESIDENT MEETS THE QUEEN

Issue 82 | WINTER 2013

by

street street

residents

Read abo ut our 201 2/1 performan ce in the a 3 nnual repo to residen rt ts pgs. 16 -19

See pg. 4

Important updates on welfare reform in Money Matters on pgs 6-7 Find out about homes for sale & other moving options in On Mentoring scheme huge the Move on pg. 12

success! Check out pg. 8

www.east-thames.co.uk www.east-thames.co.uk

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Contents & welcome

Contents 2

Contents & welcome

3

East Thames catch up

4-5

East Thames community

6-7

Money matters

8-9

Jobs & training

e m o c l e w Rachel, ts’ e residen th f o r e memb nel ations pa ic n u m m co

Welcome to the winter 2013 issue of Street by Street - a special bumper issue that includes the annual report to residents for 2012/2013 (see pages 16-19).

9

Online buzz

10-11

Your home

12

On the move

13

How we’re doing

14-15

Out & about

16-19

Annual report to residents

20

Contacts

I recently joined the East Thames residents’ communications panel, getting involved in Street by Street and seeing how our new Facebook page is taking shape. The panel is just one of the opportunities I’ve taken advantage of at East Thames.

I also completed a work placement with the marketing and sales department through the Routes to Work programme (see page 8). While there I was able to get a behind the scenes look at how they help people whether it is encouraging them to buy a share of their home or finding them the right rental property. Everyone was very friendly and made me feel welcome and part of the team. You can read updates from the team in ‘On the Move’ on page 12.

I am also part of the new mentoring scheme with Barclays (see page 8). It consists of a number of workshops that give you helpful tips while looking for work because the process of looking for a job can be daunting. With this scheme you have a mentor who you can speak to and who can offer you advice when you need it.

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You can read more about these programmes plus much more news and updates in the magazine. Happy reading!

Street by Street keeps you informed about our services and community initiatives. If you have a story, any questions, feedback or want to shape the next issue of the magazine by joining the residents’ communications panel, email marcoms@eastthames.co.uk or call Falon Paris, communications officer on 020 8522 3204. The deadline for the next issue is Fri 31 Jan 2014.

Street by Street is produced by the Marketing and Communications team, East Thames Group, 29-35 West Ham Lane, Stratford E15 4PH Editor: Falon Paris Designer: Rably Malik Photography: Marcoms Tel: 020 8522 3204 Email: marcoms@east-thames.co.uk

East Thames catch up

One to One with Sophie Le Calve Business Improvement and Communications Welcome to this bumper issue of Street by Street, including our annual report to residents on pages 16 to 19.

Performance information shows what we are doing well and where we need to improve, so it is very important that we are open and honest about whether we are meeting our targets.

We collect this information regularly, in lots of different ways. Our customer service team, for example, has a target of answering all calls within 20 seconds, so they use our

telephone system to monitor how long it takes them to answer each call.

We also gather feedback from residents for example by phoning you after a repair; giving you paper surveys after you take part in a community programme or talking face-to-face.

Deciding what our targets should be and how we measure whether we are meeting them is a complex process. For example, we aim for 88% of our customers to be satisfied with our repairs work. We also

East Thames Snippets Bite sized updates to keep you in the know

t Shop

Pop Up Talen

rk in oking for wo lo le p eo p g n You a Pop me along to Harlow can co n Thurs 21 Nov, op o Up Talent Sh , Little Hawks Radio at m p 4 – am low 10 20 1HY. Har M C w lo ar H Walk, out with ts are helping Foyer residen the Foyer hich is run by w , ct je ro p e th ll Kellie r more info ca o F . n io at er Fed 5700. on 0127 962

And the win

ner is...

New Union Wharf has won best schem planning a e in t the Natio nal Housin Awards! R g esidents h ave worke really close d ly with Eas t Thames o this project n and it’s gre at to have this hard work and commitmen recognised. t Congrats to all!

try to keep these targets simple: ‘satisfied’ includes people who said they were satisfied and very satisfied. At the moment only 67% of you are satisfied with our repairs work after it’s completed, which means we have work to do to improve our performance.

Your feedback is vital to us so please use opportunities to express your views. You can also speak to your neighbourhood manager, call our customer contact centre or drop into our office at West Ham Lane.

Christmas h

ours

Over the p hone: Open: Tues 24 Dec, 8.3 0am – 5pm Closed: We d 25 Dec & T hurs 26 Dec Open: Fri 2 7 Dec, 8.30 am – 5pm Open: Mo n 3 8.30am - 5p 0 & Tues 31 Dec, m Closed: We d 1 Jan The custom er contact centre will re-open on Thurs 2 Ja n normal offic operating e hours.

For any ou t of hours emergencie you can co s ntinue to c a ll 0845 600 0830 throu ghout the fe stive seaso n.

s cont.

our Christmas h

est In person: ervice at W s e s u o h f 12pm The front o closed from e b ill w e n a ain on Ham L opening ag , c e D 4 2 on Tues 2014.

Thurs 2 Jan repair Repairs: r limited e ff o ill w available Interserve slots t n e tm in o od. Call app festive peri e th t u o h throug 830.

0845 600 0

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East Thames community

“

delighted and honoured

”

Involving residents in our decision making

Reside comin

The East Thames board provides direction for the future of the Group and we have a number of committees which support its work.

the Customer Experience Committee to ensure it champions the voice and needs of the customer.

It’s important to us that residents are involved in this process and in addition to having resident representation on our East Homes board we launched a Customer Experience Committee in 2012. Currently there are three residents on the East Homes board and one resident on the Customer Experience Committee.

Although we are proposing to remove two of the reserved resident member spaces on the board, all of our board positions will continue to be open to anyone, including residents, to apply for if they have the skills and/or experience required for the role.

The Group’s overall board count now stands at 17.

We feel that this is too large to be effective in making the best decisions so are proposing to reduce it to 10.

This means that instead of having three board member places for residents, there will be only one. This resident board member will also be the deputy chair of the Customer Experience Committee and will be joined on the committee by two other resident members.

We hope these changes will strengthen the role of

We would really like to know whether or not you agree with these proposals. Any feedback received by 31 Dec 2013 will be considered before a final decision on changes is made. Please get in touch with Henry Potter to let us know your thoughts by emailing henry. potter@east-thames.co.uk or writing to East Thames, 29-35 West Ham Lane, Stratford, London E15 4PH.

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In spring 20 It’s a great we offer. K the residen residentin

East Thames community

Lucy meets the Queen!

Janson and Gurney Road sheltered scheme resident, Lucy had an exciting opportunity during the summer to meet Queen Elizabeth II. As part of her work with Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and the charity’s Retired Senior Volunteer Programme, Lucy was invited to St. James Palace along with other volunteers to commemorate CSV’s 50th anniversary with the Queen. Lucy said she was “delighted and honoured” to meet the Queen.

Running a social enterprise Six Barking and Dagenham Foyer residents have set up a social enterprise which made a fantastic £200 on its first day. The business is called Not Just Fair Traders and sells fair trade products including rice, chocolate and coffee. They’ve started selling to all of East Thames’ foyers and hope to sell to local companies soon.

Social enterprises are businesses with a mission that benefits society or the environment. The residents are running the business from our Starting Point centre in Barking, for community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations. To find out more go to www.starting-point.org.uk or call 020 3288 2100.

Second from left: Lucy

ents’ conference ng soon!

ce. a residents conferen g in ld ho be ll e’ w 014, es ore about the servic m n ar le to ity un rt oppo act more details or cont r fo t ou e ey an p Kee or on 020 8536 3957 am te t en em lv vo in nt . east-thames.co.uk @ m ea tt en m ve ol nv

Community Training Have you thought about setting up a community group, or getting involved in one? We’re working with Tower Hamlets Homes to offer free training courses to help you get involved in your community. Topics include setting up and running a community group, chairing meetings and treasurer & secretary skills. Find out more at www.east-thames.co.uk/improve-yourneighbourhood or call Tower Hamlets Homes on 0207 364 0718.

My Home Energy Switch With energy bills on the rise and winter nearly here, many residents will be feeling the pinch. My Home Energy Switch is a free energy switching service especially for social housing tenants. It offers impartial comparison advice and help with switching providers and could save you money on your energy bills.

All you have to do is visit www. myhomeenergyswitch.org.uk or call 0800 0014 706 to speak to a member of the My Home Energy Switch team who will help ensure you’re getting the best price for your energy.

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Money matters

Discretionary

housing payments If your housing benefit or other benefit payments have reduced because of the under occupation tax or the benefit cap, you may need to pay something towards your rent.

If you are having difficulty paying the shortfall, you may be entitled to a discretionary housing payment (DHP). These are awarded by local

councils to help people who qualify for housing benefit and are having trouble paying their rent.

You can find out whether you are eligible by contacting your local council. If you need help applying for DHP, you can speak to our welfare benefit advisers using the contact details on the next page.

If you are not sure what you should be paying towards your rent, please contact your customer account manager on 0845 600 0830.

Council tax changes Council tax benefits have recently changed. In all boroughs except Tower Hamlets, you now have to pay something towards your council tax even if you are on a low income or in receipt of benefits.

However, you can apply for a council tax reduction which could give you money off your bill, depending on where you live and your circumstances. Most councils also have a list of people who don’t need to pay council tax; for example, some councils don’t expect students or apprentices to

pay. It is worth checking with your council to see if you or members of your household are on this list.

If you don’t pay your bill, councils will take this very seriously and in some circumstances they may take people who don’t pay to court.

Please speak to one of our welfare benefit advisers if you’d like to know more about applying for a council tax reduction, if you want to see if you or a member of your family can be taken off the council’s list, or if you have any other concerns.

Paying the difference

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If your housing benefit no longer covers the full cost of your rent, you can pay the difference over the phone with a credit or debit card, by direct debit or using a swipe card. Simply call us on 0845 600 0830.

www.east-thames.co.uk

Money matters

We can help - contact us

o.uk/benefits. changes, visit www.east-thames.c efit ben fare wel for e par pre to 020 8536 8797.

For info on how on 020 8536 8803 and Arlene on Uyi s iser adv efit ben fare wel our ’re getting Alternatively, speak to ing your money and making sure you nag ma t, oun acc k ban a up ing You can talk to us about sett t-thames.co.uk. email us on welfare.benefits@eas also can You to. itled ent ’re you the benefits

Do you need to move to a smaller home?

If you would like to move to a smaller home to reduce your rent, you can do so by registering on our Choice Based Lettings scheme, moving through mutual exchange or registering with your local authority.

You can also move into the private sector. For more information contact our lettings team on 020 8522 2260 or lettingsteam@eastthames.co.uk.

Between July and September 2013 we helped 32 people downsize to smaller homes. Residents who have downsized into an East Thames home will save an average of ÂŁ716 per year in rent.

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Jobs & training

Building Bridges into Work with Barclays We’re excited to announce that we have received funding from Barclays to create apprenticeship opportunities for young people in east London.

If you’re 16-24 and not in employment, education or training, whether you’re an East Thames resident or not, we can help you find an apprenticeship, give you

pre-apprenticeship training and help you build your skills.

Anyone who takes part will also be offered one-to-one support and guidance including CV writing and interview tips, and mentoring opportunities. If you’d like to get involved, contact the employment and training team using the details on page 9.

Working futures If you’re aged over 20 and have a history of mental health needs, we can help you find a job through Working Futures.

The programme is open to anyone who lives in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets or Waltham Forest – whether you are an East Thames resident or not.

We can offer: • Career planning • Help to develop your CV writing and interview skills • One-to-one job search sessions • Work placements in local companies • Mentoring opportunities

We’re working in partnership with Peter Bedford Housing Association, the European Social Fund and London Councils. To find out more contact the employment and training team using the details on page 9.

r o f e m m a r g o r p Finding the right free East Thames offers a number of

courses to help you find a job or

benefit from training.

e ring programme giving you valuabl nto me ss ine bus and nce erie exp ROUTES TO WORK is a work get full time work. on-the-job experience to help you a job. The you improve your chances of getting p hel to ns sio ses up gro y ndl frie WORKWISE is a series of a job. sessions include help to search for t will improve your mme centred around projects tha gra pro ing eer unt vol a is NS PIO work situations.

COMMUNITY CHAM skills and increases confidence in new rn lea you ps hel e mm gra pro local area. The , matching skills and vides support to Newham residents pro ich wh tre cen in p dro a is B WORKPLACE HU irations with local vacancies. job aspsbs www.east-thames.co.uk 8

Claire’s dreams come true

Claire is 20 years old and has been living at Barking & Dagenham Foyer for 18 months. Before joining the Community Champions course at the foyer she had never been in paid employment and left school with no qualifications.

Although she had applied for many jobs over the last few years, she was never able to secure employment.

During the course, she soon began to build confidence. “I began making lots of new friends and feeling more positive about the futu re,” she said. “Now, I’ve never felt so good abo ut myself”.

Throughout the four week course, Cla ire made outstanding progress, gained units tow ards the Level One progression award and lear ned lots of new skills.

Online buzz

online buzz

ue Every iss a we’ll take hat’s look at w g online happenin

Facebook page

As we shared in the last issue of Street by Street, we’ve now launched our Facebook page. Why not join in the conversation online and get regular updates on what’s happening across your community? The page is at: www. facebook.co.uk/EastThames. If you visit the Facebook page today, you’ll find photos of the New Union Wharf demolition and Black History Month celebrations in Harlow and Newham.

Come and take a look.

After finishing the course she finally felt ready to take the plunge and applied for a job as a Housekeeper’s Assistant at the Holiday Inn in Brentwood. With increased confidence , and with plenty of examples to give of what she ’d learned during the Community Champions cou rse, she was offered the position. Claire told us her life has now changed beyond her wildest drea ms.

you FIND OUT MORE : visit www.east-thame s.co.uk/ employment-train ing or talk to our emplo yment and training team tod ay about how they can help . Call 020 8522 2221 or em ail ete@ east-thames.co.u k

To talk to us and share your views visit us on Facebook at www.facebook .com/ EastThames What’s the word on Twitter

East Thames’ Starting Point promotes new business started by young entrepreneurs from Barking Foyer

Starting Point: “@EastThamesGroup YP from Barking & Dagenham Foyer start own business!

For all the #fairtrade #inspiring latest news and #youngentrepreneurs information visit: pic.twitter.com/ www.east-thames.co.uk MaORFMhsqJ” www.east-thames.co.uk

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Your home

Preparing for Pointers

Checking your boiler Winter is now upon us, which means many of us are reaching for the heating to try to keep warm at home. If your boiler breaks down, we will send out a gas engineer as quickly as possible. We classify a broken boiler as an emergency repair and will aim to repair it in 24 hours. But before you call us, please take a few minutes to check the following pointers; the problem might be caused by something you can fix quickly and easily at home.

• Check that your gas or ele ctric meter is in credit, it mig ht simply need topping up.

• Check that the thermostat hasn’t been set too low, when you turn the thermostat up thi s will trigger the boiler to tur n on.

• Check that the batteries in digital thermostats have eno ugh power, you may need to replac e the batteries to get the heating going.

• Check that your radiators don’t have air bubbles in the m. If they have air bubbles, you ma y need to bleed your radiators.

You can buy a radiator key to bleed your radiators in most hardware stores.

• Check that the thermostatic radiator valves are in the ope n position. These valves contro l the heat transfer to your radiators, if they are closed you r radiators won’t heat up. [see picture 1]

Picture 1

• If you have a combination or sealed boiler, check that the boiler’s pressure gauge is showing the correct pressure.

The correct pressure is usually 1 bar but please check the manufacturer’s instructions. [see picture 2]

Pict

ure

2

Winter wonderland As it gets colder, the work we carry out on your estate will change as we roll out our winter grounds maintenance programme. The winter programme means we will be spending time planting bulbs, ready for the spring; checking the condition of trees and pruning them where necessary; applying mulch to flower beds, so that plants have the necessary nutrients during winter; and making sure paths and walkways are safe, carrying our repairs if needed and gritting them when the weather turns icy.

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Your home

Staying warm at home Heating your home is becoming more and more expensive, so here are a few tips to stay warm at home without turning up the heat and your bills.

• Turning down your thermostat by 1°C could save up to 10% on your heating bill.

• Make sure curtains don’t cover the radiators as this will stop heat circulating.

• Some energy providers have cheaper electricity rates at off peak times. Using your washing machine and tumble dryer at these times could save you money. Talk to your supplier to find out if these cheaper rates apply to your home.

• As it gets colder, try closing your curtains earlier in the evening to keep the heat in.

• Turn down individual radiator thermostats in unused rooms to save money and energy.

• Thick curtains keep out the cold and stop heat escaping through the windows.

• Fit draft excluders around your doors, windows and letterboxes. They take only a few minutes to install and could save you up to £20 a year.

• Reflector panels can be attached to the wall behind your radiator to prevent heat loss and increase the temperature in a room.

• Towel radiators can be expensive to run, so where possible keep them turned off when not needed.

Getting in touch In the last issue of Street by Street, we told you about some of the improvements we’re making in the Interserve contact centre, such as additional staff and new software that helps diagnose repairs.

We are pleased to report that the changes have already made a difference. We are now answering 54% of calls within 20 seconds and hope to reach our target of answering 85% of calls with 20 seconds

by December. We will let you know how we get on.

If you want to report a repair over the phone, you may want to avoid our busiest period which is a Monday morning. Alternatively you can report your repair by email, text or by dropping into the West Ham Lane office. All the details are opposite.

To report a repair: Call 0845 600 0830 from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

You can use this number to report emergency repairs 24 hours a day.

Drop into our office at 29-35 West Ham Lane, Stratford, London E15 4PH 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Email EastThames.Repairs@interserve.com Text 07917 212 724 We will need your full name, address and the nature of the repair.

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On the move

Stylish new homes in Havering We’ve recently launched Kings Park, a stylish selection of one and two bedroom apartments and three bedroom houses in a picturesque setting in Harold Wood, Havering. Kings Park will offer landscaped communal space including a children’s play area, parking and bicycle storage. If you’re interested in finding out more about the homes for sale at Kings Park, you can visit the development’s exhibition stand at the Liberty Shopping Centre in Romford. Book an appointment online at: www.east-thames.co.uk/property/kings-park or contact the East Thames sales team on 0845 600 0830. Homes will also be available at Kings Park for rent. Contact our lettings team on 0845 600 0830 for more information.

Home sweet home Are you rea dy to buy a home?

Unsure ab out buying without se your home eing first? Prefe r to move into a com munity tha t is already established ? One of o ur previous owned one ly or two bed room apartments in Newham and Tower Hamlets m ight be for you. They available n are ow for sha red owners Visit www.e h ip. ast-thame s.co.uk/bu or-rent-a-h yome or ca ll 0845 600 0830 toda y to book y our viewing .

Homefinder UK Homefinder UK is a scheme that helps residents move – perhaps to take a new job or to be nearer family. East Thames has joined the scheme in order to give our residents greater choice and more opportunity to find homes the right size, in the right location and at the right rent. Homes are available across the UK at www. homefinderuk.org and Homefinder UK is working to make as many properties available as possible. If you register on the Homefinder website you will also be able to see all of their mutual exchange opportunities through House Exchange who are one of the companies supporting Homefinder UK. To find out more and to register visit: www.homefinderuk.org, email: homefinderuk@homeconnections.org.uk or call: 020 7619 9705.

Insurance provider update If you’re a shared owner or leaseholder and need to contact our insurance provider, FARR Insurance Brokers, you may notice that when calling you are welcomed with a greeting from Arthur J Gallagher. This is because FARR Insurance Brokers has merged with Acumus and is now known

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as Arthur J Gallagher. Everything in relation to your policy will continue to operate as normal. If you have any questions about the change, please contact the insurance team at East Thames on 0845 600 0830 or email insurance@east-thames.co.uk.

a

et Contact d

.east-tham Visit: www ome or ww or-rent-a-h -home. ving co.uk/mo Call: 0845

600 0830

perties@e Email: pro or letting (for sales) .uk (for l thames.co

How we’re doing

Quarterly performance Jul - Sept 2013

Repairs and maintenance 67% of customers were satisfied with repairs work once complete (638 out of 949 surveyed).

Target: 80% Result: 67% Breakdown: 638 out of 949 residents surveyed.

P

We’ve met our target

~

We’re close to meeting our target

X

We’ve missed our target

X

Customer service standards (*this does not incude repairs performance)

87% of telephone calls into our customer contact centre were dealt with on the first enquiry.

Target: 80% Result: 87% Breakdown: 8,300 out of 9,595 calls

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89.7% of calls to the customer contact centre were answered within 20 seconds.

Target: 90% Result: 89.7% Breakdown: 8,976 out of 9,595 calls

~

67% of repairs were completed on the first visit (629 out of 935 surveyed).

Target: 82% Result: 67% Breakdown: 629 out of 935 residents surveyed.

X

Development and property Between July and September we finished work on 198 new homes Target: Yearly target is 462 Result: 198 Breakdown: with a total of 209 properties completed so far, we are on target to deliver 462 homes this financial year. Homes so far have been completed in boroughs including Tower Hamlets and Havering.

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Community programmes Between July and September we delivered 277 employment and training sessions Target: Yearly target is 150 Result: 277 Breakdown: with a total of 474 delivered so far this year, we have exceeded our yearly target

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Antisocial behaviour (ASB) We recently got feedback from a resident focus group that antisocial behaviour(ASB) is an area residents want us to report on this page. We are currently working to improve how we monitor and report ASB to residents and will have more information on this and resident satisfaction for future issues of Street by Street.

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/buymes.co.uk ames. ww.eastth . m)

0 (9am-5p

es.co.uk east-tham astgsteam@e lettings)

Note: All figures have been rounded to nearest whole number.

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Out & about

BARKING Barking & Dagenham council teams up with East Thames to mark the start of the Gascoigne Estate regeneration programme.

Harlow Harlow Foyer residents celebrate Black History Month

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TOWER HAMLETS Residents celebrate New Union Wharf being named Best Scheme in Planning at the National Housing Awards.

NEWHAM Residents at Helena Road celebrate their art exhibition with Cllr Joy Laguda MBE.

NEWHAM Residents the Stay W Network.

Out & about

NEWHAM Green fingered friends at Katherine Road community centre enjoy our community food growing programme.

REDBRIDGE East Thames staff members create an oasis for residents at Beehive Lane.

M s celebrate with Well Healthy Living

NEWHAM MP Stephen Timms talks with local residents at the Workplace Hub in Beckton.

Want to see your community, scheme or development represented? Send your photos to marcoms@eastthames.co.uk. You could be featured in the next issue!

TOWER HAMLETS Mayor Lutfur Rahman joins Ocean Estate residents at a family fun day to mark completion of the estate’s regeneration.

For further details on these stories visit the news section of our website on www.eastthames.co.uk/news

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Report to residents

Report to

We’ve met our target

P

~

We’re close to meeting our target

X

We’ve missed our target

Residents 2012-13

This report is an overview of our performance during 2012/13 (1 April 2012 until 31 March Value for money symbol 2013). It shows what we did well, what we need to improve and how that compares with our previous year’s performance and the performance of the *G15. Value for money is important to us as it’s about making limited resources stretch further to ensure customers receive quality services at an affordable price. Throughout this report we have highlighted where we have demonstrated value for money. Keep an eye out for the symbol on the right as you read through. We hope you find your 2012/13 report to residents informative.

£

*G15 represents London’s 15 largest housing associations

Tenant involvement & empowerment Residents satisfied that their views are taken into account

X

100 80 60 40

58%

72%

100 80

70%

98%

90%

96%

P

40 20

2012/13

Target

residents joined the newly launched Strategic Maintenance Panel to help inform how we improve our repairs service

60

20 0

9

Queries resolved first time by our front of house team

0

2011/12

2012/13

Satisfaction with support services provided in schemes and foyers

~

Target

2011/12

was saved by redesigning residents’ magazine Street by Street

£1,025

per issue

£

100 80 60

83%

85%

81%

2012/13

Target

2011/12

40 20 0

Resident satisfaction with our services is very important to us. One area we need to improve on is our complaints handling. When things go wrong we want to do everything we can to correct it – and we don’t always get this right. We have introduced a new complaints system and policy to make it quicker for us to resolve issues residents may have.

per is a great “Being a mystery shop k on East way for me to feedbac om call centre Thames’ standards. Fr s procedures, handling to complaint services are I help to monitor how the part I play delivered. I’m proud of ews are heard.” to ensure residents’ vi mystery shopper East Thames resident

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How we compare to the G15 benchm ark: Percentage

of residents satis fied with the way their complaint w as handled East Thames performance

25% 49%

G15 average performance G15 top 25%

0

20

62% 40

60

80

100

Report to residents

Homes & maintenance

654 7,966 £23.6m

In 2012/13 we’ve delivered 653 new homes

Homes that meet the decent homes standard

Resident satisfaction with the quality of newly built homes

100

gas safety inspections carried out

100 60

60

total spend (gross) on repair and maintenance including: responsive repairs, statutory compliance, estate services, void maintenance, planned maintenance, major repairs

40

40

20

20

Over

£

£24,500

121 homes were upgraded to be more energy efficient through the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). This resulted in a combined annual householder cost savings of over £24,500.

80

0

99.8% 100%

2012/13

ic maintenance

Target

99%

80

0

2011/12

Repairs completed on first visit (based on customer surveys)

100

80

80

60 40

67%

70%

60

65%

40

2012/13

95%

95%

Target

2011/12

X 63%

75%

76%

Target

2011/12

20

20 0

83%

Residents satisfied with repairs and maintenance

100

2012/13

Target

0

2011/12

2012/13

The standard of the homes we build and how well we maintain them is always a priority. During 2012/2013, we expected a drop in performance on repairs towards the end of our previous repairs contract, and unfortunately this is what some residents experienced.

Now that the new provider, Interserve is in place we’re still having some issues but are monitoring the service and doing all we can to ensure that in time, the repairs service is improved.

“Being a membe r of the Strategic Mainten ance Panel has been really en joyable for me and given me the opportunity to ha ve a real say in our repairs serv ice. It was so interesting to see what the different repairs providers planne d to include in their bids and to share views on w hat residents would want from the new service.

East Thames was great at keep ing panel membe rs up to date with the selectio n process.”

Jennifer, strateg

X

~

How we compare to the G15 benchm ark: How we co

mpare to the G15 benchmark: Percentage of reac tive repairs compl eted within target time East Thames performance

91%

G15 average performance

95%

G15 top 25%

0

20

40

60

97% 80

100

panel member www.east-thames.co.uk

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17

Report to residents

Tenancy services Average time it takes to re-let our properties (includes foyers and supported accommodation)

X

40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

37 days

2012/13

Target

1.5

30 days

1.0

0.0

2011/12

P

100

91%

90%

86%

2012/13

Target

2011/12

60 40 20 0

1.53%

1.32% 1.22%

2,014

We helped 17 people downsize to smaller properties more suited to their needs tenancy verifications carried out

£

0.5

New tenants to whom we paid a welcome visit within 8 weeks

80

~ 2.0

26.5 days

17

Rental income lost due to homes standing empty

2012/13

Target

2011/12

Planned tenancy verifications carried out

120 100 80 60 40 20 0

P 102.5% 100%

101%

2012/13

2011/12

Target

Over

£152,000 Our welfare and benefit advisors helped residents to claim over £152,000 in extra housing and other benefits

It’s important to us to ensure our tenancy services provide a positive experience for residents. It’s also vital that we minimise the amount of days that homes stand empty between tenancies. This will mean that money saved can go back into providing services for residents. We’ve now restructured our lettings team so that we can be better at re-housing our residents. We also have a new maintenance contract with new targets for works on empty properties so that they are ready for new residents sooner.

How we compare to the G15 benchm ark: Current te

“East Thames welfare benefits advisor, Uyi was a great help in getting my housing benefit re-introduced after it was stopped in error. I have every confidence in the advice I continue to get from her. This coupled with a friendly service was much appreciated especially in the run up to welfare reform changes.”

Rita, East Thames resident

18

sbs

www.east-thames.co.uk

nant rent arrears – percentage of owed rent not pa id in our general needs homes and housing for ol der people East Thames performance

3.58%

G15 average performance

3.96%

G15 top 25%

0

3.83% 1

2

3

4

Report to residents

Neighbourhood & community

223

people on our employment programmes gained employment

% of customers engaging in community programmes who are residents

X

100 80 60

£

40

Saved over

£10,000

57% 2012/13

60

38% Target

We supported 20 residents to enable them to reduce their rent arrears, take control of their finances and move closer to the labour market. Of these, 13 residents reduced their arrears and in total their debt was cut by over £10,000.

P

100 80

70%

20 0

Estates rated as silver or gold during their estate inspections

83%

80%

2012/13

Target

89%

40 20 0

2011/12

2011/12

Estate inspections in which residents were involved

P

100 80 60

70%

65%

64.7%

2012/13

Target

2011/12

40 20 0

Our philosophy has always been to do more than just housing and to help people improve their neighbourhood and lives. We’re always working to ensure our community programmes benefit as many residents as possible which is why we’ve added a dedicated jobs & training section to Street by Street.

To address ASB performance, we’ve introduced a case management system which lets us manage each case of anti-social behaviour in greater detail, meaning we can take the right action more quickly.

es’ Workplace Hub “The team at East Tham ort I needed to find really gave me the supp d service last year, I’ve ha work. Since using the d w helping people to fin a few roles and am no at t an ult ployment cons work myself as an em am. I love my role and The Skills Place, Newh le to help people in the am happy I’m now ab helped me.” same way East Thames

Deedar, East Thames

resident

want more?

How we compare to the G15 benchm ark:

Percentage of resid ents satisfied with the way their ASB complain t was handled East Thames performance

41% 62%

G15 average performance

68%

G15 top 25%

0

20

40

60

80

100

We hope you found the 2012/2013 report to residents useful. For the Jul-Sept 2013 quarterly results see page 13 of this issue of Street by Street. For more performance information visit our website at www.east-thames.co.uk/our-performance.

www.east-thames.co.uk

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Contacts Local Councils:

East Thames Address: 29-35 West Ham Lane, Stratford, London E15 4PH (open Mon-Fri, 8.30am-6pm)

Barking & Dagenham: E: 3000direct@lbbd.gov.uk T: 020 8215 3000 W: www.lbbd.gov.uk

Newham: T: 020 8430 2000 W: www.newham.gov.uk

Customer contact centre: Customer Contact Centre: 0845 600 0830 020 8522 2000 (lower rate from mobiles) (Mon-Fri 8.30am-8.30pm)

Essex: W: www.essex.gov.uk

includes links to all

district councils

Redbridge: E: customer.cc@ redbridge.gov.uk T: 020 8554 5000 W: www.redbridge.gov.uk

Email: info@east-thames.co.uk Repairs email: EastThames.Repairs@ interserve.com Web: www.east-thames.co.uk

Harlow: E: contact@harlow.gov.uk T: 01279 446655 W: www.harlow.gov.uk Havering: E: info@havering.gov.uk T: 01708 434343 W: www.havering.gov.uk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EastThames

Tower Hamlets: E: generalenquiries@ towerhamlets.gov.uk T: 020 7364 5020 W: www.towerhamlets.gov.uk Waltham Forest: E: wfdirect@walthamforest.gov.uk T: 020 8496 3000 W: www.walthamforest.gov.uk

about us East Thames is a registered social landlord and social regeneration charity with over 30 years experience of providing affordable homes.

Our mission is to make a positive and lasting contribution to the neighbourhoods in which we work which we do through different parts of our business.

We manage and/ or own more than 13,500 affordable homes.

We give people a chance to succeed through community programmes that include: employment and training, art and culture, sustainable living, and health and wellbeing.

We provide support and accommodation in over 80 schemes for people with a wide range of needs, including: older people, younger people at risk of becoming homeless, people with a learning disability or mental health needs, and women escaping violence.

Resident conference coming soon

For free translation of this magazine for East Thames residents, call:

Don’t forget that in spring 2014, we’ll be holding a residents conference and you’re invited!

It’s your chance to find out about the range of services we offer, including advice about your housing options, welfare benefits and employment and training opportunities Keep an eye out for more details or contact the resident involvement team on 020 8536 3957 THAMES or residentinvolvementteam@east-thames. co.uk to register your interest in attending.

THAMES

www.east-thames.co.uk

THAMES

0800 952 0119

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