East Thames residents’ magazine
Be gas safety smart Find out more on pg.8-9.
involved
THAMES
Issue 88 | SUMMER 2015
by
street street
residents
Find out w ho won £1 00 worth of vouche rs for com ple resident s urvey. See ting the pg 3.
£100
Cracking down on ASB. More detail on pg. 4 Find a Career in the NHS. More detail on pg. 5
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Contents & welcome
e m o c l e w
Contents 2
Contents & welcome
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East Thames catch up
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East Thames community
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Jobs & training
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Money matters
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Your home
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Out & about
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How we’re doing
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Contacts
f the Asiia, ember o m d n a t siden anel ames re ication p n u m East Th m ts’ co residen
Welcome to the summer edition of Street by Street. I work with the Resident Involvement team on a number of panels and services. I’m really excited to be able to share my personal experience with you and tell you how you can get involved too. As a resident, I have become a mystery shopper and helped to evaluate and improve the repairs service that we receive from Interserve. I’m confident that my participation is making a difference as in my most recent experience, they were able to set an appointment at a convenient time for me which meant I didn’t have to take time off work. Becoming a mystery shopper or getting involved is just one of the great ways of testing various services. At the Housing Scrutiny Panel we challenge East Thames on its performance by monitoring the results of various services and highlighting areas that we’re happy with, or that we think need to improve. You can find out how to join the Housing Scrutiny Panel on page 4. You may also be interested in the Communications Panel, where we discuss how East Thames can best get messages to residents, and help shape the Street by Street magazine.
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It’s great to see improvements happen, and see the performance indicators moving from red to amber or green in the “How we’re doing” pages or simply have a phone call answered in fewer rings. It’s a good feeling to know staff respect and appreciate your contribution. 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 jade.bradford@eastthames.co.uk or call Jade on 020 8522 3204. The deadline for the next issue is Fri 10 July 2015. Street by Street is produced by the Marketing and Communications team, East Thames Group, 29-35 West Ham Lane, Stratford E15 4PH Editor: Jade Bradford Designer: Rably Malik Tel: 020 8522 3204 Email: marcoms@east-thames.co.uk
East Thames catch up
One to One with Clive Green Area Manager – Newham South, Neighbourhood Management I’ve worked in the Housing Department’s Neighbourhood Management section for six years, and have managed the Newham South team for three of these. My team are the local representatives for East Thames in our patches. We’re here to give you information about the work we’re doing, but also to listen to your feedback and concerns and make sure that East Thames acts on this. We look after all of the different types of East Thames residents, so whether you live in one of our care schemes, rent or part-own your home, we’re here to help. We provide support such as dealing with individual changes
of a tenancy, leasehold advice, housing queries, complaints and mutual home exchanges, and we ensure that standards on our housing schemes are good through estate inspections and tenancy audits (where we check that only people entitled to live in our properties are doing so in order to prevent overcrowding and tenancy fraud). We also work with residents to establish community groups and residents associations as well as helping residents to access other East Thames or local services.
residents to deal with various types of cases. Finally we work with vulnerable residents by providing services to help them to stay in their homes such as welfare benefits advice or help with employment. My ultimate aim is to make sure that our residents are satisfied. whether I’m working on something as small as a tea afternoon or a complex case of nuisance behaviour; I’ll always put in as much effort as I can. You can find out more about our work on the next page. If you have any queries regarding your home or need information on your local area call us on 0300 303 7333.
Anti-social behaviour is also something that we can help with; we work in partnership with local stakeholders including the Police, local authorities, MPs, Councillors and of course
Keep in touch your way In the last edition of Street by Street we asked you to complete a questionnaire to tell us what you think of our magazine and website so that we can make sure that you get the information you want in a format that is convenient for you. Over 800 residents responded to our request and were entered into a prize draw to win £100 worth of Love2Shop vouchers. The lucky winner is Umair, who lives in one of our Tower Hamlets properties – congratulations Umair! Many of those who took part said that they would like to contribute to our resident communications panel. If this applies to you we’ll be in touch shortly with more information about how you can get involved. A lot of people also chose to receive Street by Street by email only. If you would like to receive Street by Street in this way please let us know by submitting your details at www.east-thames.co.uk/sbs
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East Thames community
We’re cracking down orn Anti-Social Behaviou cial Behaviour We’re coming down hard on Anti-So in a number of (ASB) in all of our neighbourhoods ways. ASB could be: • • • • • •
Noisy or nuisance neighbours Verbal or physical harassment Crime and disorder Abandoned vehicles Fly tipping Graffiti
ncils to make all We work with local police and cou . Recently, we of our estates better places to live
inst a resident have had an injunction served aga prevented several with an illegal dangerous dog and a way that was residents using their properties in have also been harmful to the local community. We that have been working to clean up areas of land misused, such as for flytipping. aviour call If you need to report anti-social beh 0 303 7333. 030 your neighbourhood manager on mitted or you Remember, if a crime is being com information on are in danger, call 999. For more k/asb o.u ASB visit: www.east-thames.c
Clean up your neighbourhood We’re hosting a Clean-Up Day between 10-3pm on Friday 24th July at Wallers Close and Horsebridges Close in Dagenham. Come along for advice and help from handy men and grounds maintenance services, a household goods swapping event and waste disposal
Housing Scrutiny Panel The Housing Scrutiny Panel helps us to improve our resident services by looking closely at our plans and services and challenging us to make them better. Members of the panel get to see behind the scenes of how East Thames operates, working with our board members. Our Housing Scrutiny Panel has been widely recognised as being good practise for resident involvement and you could be part of it!
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If you are able to: • Commit to helping East Thames review and improve our services over a period of at least 12 months • Receive emails and use the internet for research • Speak confidently in meetings • Participate in training then contact Deborah Lamb for more information on deborah. lamb@east-thames.co.uk or call 0208 536 8806.
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services. There will also be a variety of stalls including refreshments. If you would like to plan an event in your area, or want to know what’s going on contact your neighbourhood management team on 0300 303 7333 or email neighbourhoodmanagement@ east-thames.co.uk
Jobs & training
Calling all entrepreneurs!
Find a career in the NHS
Do you want a start a business, or have a small business that needs a boost? East Entrepreneurs is a social entrepreneur scheme set up to assist residents with funding of up to £1,500 to purchase essential materials needed to start or develop a business. Applicants will be invited to attend a presentation skills training session and will then go on to present their business idea and costings to a panel of judges. We’re looking for residents with experience in the healthcare sector, who would like to work as healthcare assistants or administrators for the Bart’s Health NHS Trust. If this applies to you we can give you the chance to attend Functional Skills Training and undertake the Skills for Health Level 2 Assessment. If you pass the assessment you will be offered a place on our two week training programme, run in conjunction with the NHS. Residents who successfully complete the training will be registered with the Trust’s recruitment team and invited to apply for ring-fenced positions within the six East London hospitals. There are also opportunities for further accreditation and apprenticeships. Candidates will be expected to undertake a six week work placement, following which they will be automatically registered with the Trust’s staff bank. Confederation_
For more information or to register for the next course, please contact the employment team at the East Thames Beckton Hub on 020 7511 5946.
For more information or an application form please email Nicola Brown at nicola.brown@east-thames. co.uk, call 020 3288 2100 or come along to Starting Point, our enterprise hub at 16 Pickering Road, Barking, IG11 8PG.
Building a career: Reubin is an East Thames resident who is now working as an apprentice on one of our building sites. “East Thames were a good help – what a lot of people don’t know is that you can go to them if you’re looking for work, not just if you’re looking for housing. I used to go to the Beckton every morning and do job Optionhub 1 searches,Slogan it was pretty cool and it’s all free.” Job specific usage See more about our apprentices on our Out and About page.
Finding the right programme for you East Thames offers a number of free courses to help you find a job or a training opportunity. Find out more: visit www.east-thames.co.uk/ete or talk to our employment and training team today about the service that’s right for you. Call 020 8522 2221 or email ete@east-thames.co.uk.
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Money matters
Are you paying the right
amount of rent?
In April, you may have received a rent review notice, which explained whether your rent or service charges will changing this year. Don’t worry if you have not yet received anything - some residents receive their rent review notice at a different time of the year. If you pay your rent by Direct Debit, your Direct Debit will automatically adjust to accommodate any changes. However, if you pay by cash, debit card or standing order, you will need to make sure you’re paying the correct rent amount.
Your rent should be paid in advance. If you pay weekly this means you are paying for the next seven days, or if monthly you are paying for the month ahead. If you’re not sure how much you should be paying, speak to our Customer Accounts Team on 0300 303 7333. If you didn’t receive a rent review notice and think you should have done, speak to our Rents and Service Charges team on 0300 303 7333. You can also speak to the team about paying your rent by Direct Debit, which is an easy and safe way of paying rent straight from your bank account.
Ways to get help Since April 2014 we have helped our residents access over half a million pounds in benefits. If you think you might be eligible for benefits, or are having problems keeping up with your rent payments, please get in touch. If you’re struggling with your finances and would also like to get advice from an independent, confidential source about your rent or housing, these services may be able to help:
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Citizen’s Advice Bureau - provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on a range of topics. In some cases they may be able to refer you to a specialist. www.citizensadvice.org.uk Shelter - Shelter gives practical housing advice and support online, in person and by phone 365 days a year. http://england.shelter.org.uk
Money matters
Changes to benefits for European Economic Area nationals The European Economic Area (EEA) is a group of countries that have welfare benefit arrangements with the UK, but these arrangements have recently changed. If you are an EEA national and your circumstances change, you may find that you are no longer eligible for housing benefit or jobseekers allowance. These changes depend on your individual circumstances. More information and a list of EEA countries is available on our website. If you think you might be affected and need help understanding these changes, contact us as soon as possible on using the details on this page.
Are you struggling to pay your rent? Need some advice on claiming benefits? Problems with managing your money? On a low income and not receiving any benefits? Contact East Thames’ Welfare Benefits team The Welfare Benefits team can support residents with: • Advice on benefits you may be entitled to • Support with housing benefit issues • Benefit checks and calculations • Debt, budgeting & managing your finances If you would like further information, you can speak with a welfare benefits adviser on 0208 522 2040 or email welfare.benefits@east-thames.co.uk and we will get back to you.
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Your home
Spotlight on Gas Safety We don’t just do gas checks in the winter, we’re working all year round to make sure every one of our homes is gas safe. Your safety is of utmost importance and we have a legal obligation to make sure your boiler is well maintained and checked for issues every year. We also check your gas appliances, such as fires or ovens, even if they are not maintained by us. Not only does this make sure you’re safe but it also means that your heating system is less likely to break down. Improperly installed or maintained gas appliances could emit dangerous Carbon Monoxide, which is poisonous and can be fatal. Your home should be fitted with Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors. If your CO detector sounds, or if you suspect there is a problem with it, you should call us right away on 0300 303 7300. If you suspect a gas leak, leave the property and call Transco on 0800 111 999.
Your repairs question: About accessing your property You asked us to explain what happens when an operative can’t get into your home for a repair. When an Interserve operative comes to carry out a repair, but you’re not available to answer the door, they will leave a ‘no access card’. They will make three attempts to
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contact you over the next three days. If they are unable to contact you to rearrange a new appointment they will report your repair as closed and it will be up to you to make another appointment.
Your home Take our gas safety quiz and make sure you are aware of your gas safety services and how to spot a problem with your gas: 1. Legally, how often should Interserve service a gas appliance on behalf of East Thames Group? A. Once every 2 years B. Once every year C. Twice a year D. Four times a year
4. What is the response time of the National Gas Emergency Service to a reported gas escape? A. Up to 2 hours B. between 2-4 hours C. Up to 8 hours D. Within 24 hours
7. Is it normal to smell a little bit of gas around the meter area? A. Yes B. No C. Yes if it is just first thing in the morning D. Yes if the property has been empty all day
2. Do all Gas engineers need to be gas safe registered? A. Yes B. No C. No, as long as they are CORGI registered
5. Where will you find their phone number? A. On the gas meter B. On your gas bill C. Gas Safe web site D. All of the above
8. What is the minimum amount of Carbon Monoxide that can kill? A. 20% volume of a room B. 10% volume of a room C. 4% volume of a room D. 0.4% volume of a room
3. What is the phone number of the National Gas Emergency a Services? A. 0800 111 999 B. 0800 999 111 C. Both numbers
6. Does gas smell? A. Yes B. No
East Thames currently advertises the properties we have available via choice based lettings on the East London Lettings website (ELLC) and in the weekly Choice Homes magazine.
Answers Q1: B, Q2: A, Q3: A, Q4: A, Q5: D, Q6: B, Q7: B, Q8: D
Choice Homes Magazine
From June 2015 the Choice Homes magazine will no longer be produced. The East London Lettings website will remain the same, and if you are registered to bid through the choice system you will be able to log on and bid as usual. If you are a registered customer and would like a paper copy of the properties available you can download and print a PDF list from www.ellcchoicehomes.org.uk
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Out & about ESSEX: Residents from Golden Jubilee Court scheme take part in sport activities for people with learning and physical disabilities at Central Park Leisure Centre.
tower hamlets: A team of volunteers came together to improve a stretch of canal running through East Thames’ estate at Grand Union place.
Barking and Dagenham: Barking Foyer residents’ win a Money For Life award for their project, “Christmas on a Shoestring”, which showed how to do Christmas on a budget.
Barking and Dagenham: Barking Foyer resident Keita Kaba recently celebrated after winning an award for “Triumph over adversity” at his college in Havering.
Waltham Forest: Apprentices Courtney, Xavier, D’arcy and Reubin work with construction company Durkan to help build Verdon Roe Court, a new East Thames care scheme for older people.
Want to see your community, scheme or estate represented? Send your photos to marcoms@eastthames.co.uk. You could be featured in the next issue!
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For further details on these stories visit the news section of our website on www.east-thames.co.uk/news
How we’re doing
Quarterly performance Jan - Mar 2015
Repairs and maintenance
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Customer service standards (*this does not include repairs performance)
96% of telephone calls into our customer contact centre were dealt with on the first enquiry. Target: 80% Result: 95% Breakdown: 32,796 out of 34,537calls.
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85% of calls to the customer contact centre were answered within 20 seconds. Target: 90% Result: 85% Breakdown: 29,163 out of 34,425 calls. What we’re doing: We are going to recruit more operatives to our contact centre team.
69% of customers were satisfied with works carried out to their property
Target: 91% Result: 69% Breakdown: 448 out of 645 residents surveyed. What we’re doing: We have maintained the higher levels of staffing that we put in place over winter so that we can deliver repairs more quickly, and are focussing our improvement works on better customer communications, faster followup works and better communal repairs. 60% of repairs were completed on the day of the first appointment. Target: 83% Result: 60% Breakdown: 331 out of 551 residents surveyed. What we’re doing: A number of jobs are carried out by subcontractors and recently some have been underperforming. Interserve are working to address this, and finding new subcontractors where needed.
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Community programmes
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Between January and March 2015, we delivered 149 employment and training sessions.
Target: 100 Result: 149 Breakdown: This quarter we helped 239 new customers, 145 of which were residents.
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We’ve met our target
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We’re close to meeting our target
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We’ve missed our target
Development and property
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Between January and March 2015 we finished work on 123 new homes.
Target: 199 Result: 123 Breakdown: 18 homes in Chelmsford (St John), 17 homes in Epping forest (Manor Road), 37 homes in Havering (Harold Wood Hospital), 51 homes in Waltham Forest (Flaxen Road and May Road) What we’re doing: Unfortunately, building delays meant that we were not able to complete all of the homes we had hoped. These will be finished over the coming months.
Antisocial behaviour handling 42% of residents were satisfied with the way their ASB complaint was handled. Target: 50% Result: 35% Breakdown: 7 out of 20 residents surveyed. What we’re doing: We are implementing an ASB improvement plan which will focus on customer service. All cases are now reviewed weekly and residents are contacted and receive a home visit were possible.
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Note: All figures have been rounded to nearest whole number.
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Contacts East Thames
Local Councils:
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: 0300 303 7333 (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 Facebook: www.facebook.com/EastThames
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
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 35 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 14,000 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.
For free translation of this magazine for East Thames residents, call:
East Plaza, Stratford This striking development offers a selection of one, two and three bedroom apartments, all available through Shared Ownership, a short walk away from Stratford station. Located next door to London’s Olympic Park and Westfield shopping centre, East Plaza offers the best of both worlds.
THAMES
Half of these apartments are already reserved! Register your interest today on 0300 303 7333 or at www.eastplaza.co.uk
THAMES
www.east-thames.co.uk
THAMES
0800 952 0119
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