Spring 2011
Southwark Housing News
Tenants’ champion awarded MBE, p2
Inside this issue: Cracking down on tenancy fraud p5 All you need to know about the census p6 The magazine for Southwark Council tenants and leaseholders
www.southwark.gov.uk/shn
2
Interview
With a stock of 55,000 properties and a waiting list of 17,000, managing Southwark Council’s housing is no mean feat. In January, Gerri Scott took up the challenge in her new role as director of housing services. We met with Gerri and cabinet member for housing, Ian Wingfield, to speak about the challenges ahead, and their plans for the housing service. What are you most looking forward to? This is a challenging role but I’m driven by wanting to deliver improvements to the quality of service that residents can see. It is daunting but it will ultimately be a satisfying job. In particular, I want residents to be able to quickly recognise improvements to the quality of repairs and the look and feel of where they live. Councillor Ian Wingfield, cabinet member for housing, said: “I have no doubt that Gerri’s expertise in managing authorities’ complex housing issues will see the aspirations we have for the borough come to fruition; to focus on what residents want to see happen in the future.” What do you want to do first? Things will not stay the same; customer service is my priority and I know that answering complaints, improving repairs, turning around empty properties, collecting rent, supporting vulnerable residents and keeping estates clean are very important for residents. For most residents, their priority is to see a helpful, interactive, polite and listening approach to their needs. I want to instigate great performance management to achieve this over the coming years.
What will you do to transform the repairs service? With so many homes to look after, maintaining high standards of work is essential. The council is committed to driving up standards and improving how it monitors its performance. I want to give more power to front line staff, enabling
them to answer stage one complaints as well as day-to-day repairs. I have a close eye on this, as I know how important getting repairs right is for tenants. I intend to ensure robust processes are in place and every effort is made to invest in a first class service for residents.
Interview
3
Ian said: “The repairs line is a lifeline for residents, they need to be able to get in touch quickly and easily, especially in an emergency situation. I’d like to see fewer complaints and missed appointments, and I want to ensure that tenants are never left without heating, water, or other emergency repairs for any longer that absolutely necessary.”
I hope to support staff so they can see the same big picture that I have for residents and to keep up the motivation and enthusiasm we all need to drive up the experience customers have when they approach Southwark Council with their housing needs. What’s your plan for investing in Southwark’s housing?
ampion MBE for tenants’ ch
What will the new housing structure mean for residents?
There will be some tough decisions which have to be made as part of my job, but in order to achieve a better quality of housing for everyone, decisions about redeveloping the most costly estates will have to happen. We will be seeking the opinions of residents all the way and nothing will happen without first hearing the views of those who will be most affected.
Jean Bartlett, a woman with real passion for people living on the Aylesbury estate has been made an MBE in the New Year's honours list. Jean campaigns on behalf of residents, for improvements to the estate, chairs the estate’s tenants and residents' association, and has fought for local people for years. She has been a leading voice in the call for the estate to be regenerated to improve the quality of life for residents.
There are some important and positive changes taking place which will alter current practice.
Ian said: “There are thousands of people in the borough who all need warm, dry and safe homes. There is a limited amount of money to spend on ensuring that everyone has the quality of home that should be expected in this day and age. In order to provide this, a balance must be struck between what it best for a few residents, and what is best for the majority of people in the borough.” What drives your interest in housing? I’m passionate about working in housing, because it’s a very creative place to be, and a great opportunity to find out more about the people who make the place what it is. The customer’s perspective is very important to me and I find satisfaction in turning around a problem into a good experience for someone.
Jean was recognised for services to the Aylesbury estate. She said: “I’m really honoured. We have all worked so hard for the Aylesbury and I hope this keeps it on the map. I’m looking forward to going to St James’ Palace to receive the MBE, which could be any time in the next six months. In the meantime, we’re still hopeful the government will reverse its decision regarding funding.” Councillor Fiona Colley, cabinet member for regeneration said: “Jean has worked tirelessly on behalf of Aylesbury residents over the years. During the highs and lows of getting the estate’s regeneration off the ground, she has kept people’s spirits high and understands the bigger picture for the area. She thoroughly deserves the recognition and I hope to continue to work with her and seek her advice, in her capacity as both a campaigner and a voice for residents.”
4
As the council looks to make big savings on the housing budget, we want to involve you in important decisions about the services we offer and how we deliver them. But what might this mean for you? Why do we need to save money? The council has less money coming in to its housing budget, called the housing revenue account. This budget can only be spent on housing services, and despite increasing rents in April we still have less income, so we need to save money. There are number reasons why we have to save money including • a reduction in the amount of money (subsidy) we receive from central government • rising costs in the price we pay for goods and services, due to inflation • commitments such as fire reduction work and falling income levels
We’re working through your feedback with a group of residents who are helping us make the right decisions about where we make savings, and we’ll update you in future issues of Southwark Housing News.
“It looks like there are tough times ahead for all” Mary Wood, Walworth
Why is my rent going up? Tenants will receive a rent increase from April this year. Rents are increasing by an average of just over 7% or £5.71 per week in line with the national increase levels set by the government, which is linked to inflation. You should have now received a letter confirming your new rent level. If you’ve not received this letter please call us on 020 7525 5000.
Decent homes What will this mean for services? Although we’re making savings, we want to maintain or improve service standards in the most important areas, like as repairs and out on the estates. But we have to think about delivering some services in different ways, and this might mean that services will look different in the future.
How are we involving residents in decisions about the savings we need to make? You have been giving us your suggestions about how we make savings and the services you want to protect. We’ve been asking tenant and resident forums for their priorities as well as other tenant groups.
In the tough financial climate, it’s more important than ever that we spend the money we have to improve our homes wisely. We’ll be surveying residents to find out what’s most important to you and consulting with our formal resident bodies to decide how best we can make sure your homes are warm, safe and dry. This is just the beginning of a conversation that will go on for years to come, and there will be many more opportunities to talk to us about what your services look like, and how well they are performing. Keep an eye out for updates in Southwark Housing News, or search for “resident involvement” at www.southwark.gov.uk.
Updat
5
using wait their turn to be ho cil un co r fo ing ply ap le op pe Most n’t wait, they jump the do ts ea ch ing us ho t Bu . me ho a allocated g enough is enough, and cracking queue. It’s not fair. We’re sayin using fraud. down on people committing ho Some people might think that giving false information when they register for a council home, or letting out their property if they’ve found somewhere to live doesn’t hurt anyone, but housing fraud is not a victimless crime. They’re taking homes that they don’t need, while people in need are forced to stay on the waiting list. They’re guilty of housing fraud, which costs the council thousands of poundsevery year.
What is housing fraud? There are different types of housing fraud, but the most common are: Unlawful subletting, when a tenant moves out of their home and rents it out without the council’s permission. They often charge the tenant a much higher rate, unfairly making a profit. It’s not fair for them to sublet and make a profit if they no longer need to live in the property. Obtaining housing by deception, when a person gets a council home by giving false information in their application, like not telling the landlord they are renting another council or housing association property. Wrongly claimed succession when someone, who is not entitled, tries to take over the tenancy from the original tenant after their death. For example, they might say they lived with the tenant before they died, when in fact they were living elsewhere.
“It’s only a tw bedroom flat, buo seems like there t it at least six peopare le living there.”
“My landlord’s said I don’t need to register for council tax – it’s easier if he keeps all the bills in his name.”
“It seems like someone new moves in next door every few weeks!”
“We don’t much since he msee Mike o his girlfriend, bu ved in with by every couple t he stops of w pick up the rent.eeks to ”
What are we doing? The council takes housing fraud seriously, which is why we’ll be doing tenancy checks to make sure the people living in council homes are authorised tenants, and cracking down on suspected housing cheats. If we find that someone is committing housing fraud, we will take steps to recover the property, including eviction, and we will pursue the cost of lost rent and council tax. We have recovered nearly 200 properties this year - which puts us in the top five in the country for tackling housing cheats.
If you suspect someone is a housing cheat, let us know. It could make a real difference. Contact us on 020 7525 2000 or email us at tenancychecks@southwark.gov.uk Anything you tell us will be completely confidential and you can remain anonymous if you prefer.
6
Everything you need to know In March, every household in England and Wales will be sent a census questionnaire, to find out more about the people living here, and help the government and the council plan the services that you need. We rely on the census to understand how many school places, hospitals and homes we need, and it helps to determine how much money we get, which is why it’s so important that everyone completes their questionnaire when it’s delivered on or before the 27 March. For many people living in Southwark, this year will be the first time they’ve been asked to complete a census, so we’ve got the answers to the most common questions you might have.
What is a census? Why should I complete it? The census is a count of all the people living in England and Wales, which is run by the Office of National Statistics (ONS). It helps determine how much funding the council gets to provide services like education, healthcare and other public services. If you don’t complete it, the council will get less money for the services you rely on. Can anyone see my personal data? The ONS is independent of the government and the council, and census records are kept secret for 100 years. All your personal information will be confidential, so you can’t be identified from your census form. Can I be identified from what I write on my census form? The law makes sure that your personal information will not be shared with other government departments, like immigration services or the tax office, and it will not be passed on to anyone else, like debt collection agencies. Your personal data will be kept secret for 100 years. What happens if I don’t complete my form? Census collectors will be visiting households who haven’t returned their form after 27 March, to see if they need any help
completing their forms. If you’re having trouble completing your form, just get in touch with the Office for National Statistics on 0300 0201 101. If you don’t complete your census, you could face prosecution or a fine of up to £1,000.
Focus on...
7
w about the Census
How do I complete my census? You’ll receive your census in the post by 27 March, and you can either fill in the paper form and post it back, or complete it online. Completing your form online is easy and fast. Just log onto the web address on the front of your census form, enter your unique reference code from the cover of your paper form and follow the instructions. What happens if I don’t understand the questions I am being asked? Guides to completing the census are available in over 50 languages, and for people with disabilities at www.census.gov.uk.
What if I have a disability that means I can’t complete my form? You can call the Office for National Statistics and arrange for someone to help you with your form. The telephone number and web address for help with the census will be written on the front of your census form. If you can’t complete your census on paper or online and need help, please come to one of our completion events. Call Ambrose Omoma on 020 7525 3982 or email ambrose.omoma@southwark.gov.uk to book your place.
More information To find out more about how Southwark is preparing for the census, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/census. For help and support completing your census, visit www.census.gov.uk.
8 Aylesbury
Borough and Bankside
A lively debate on the estate
Against antisocial behaviour at Tabard Gardens
In February the Aylesbury housing team took part in a dinner and debate evening hosted by the Creation Trust on the estate. The evening offered a chance for residents to meet the teams involved in the regeneration of the estate, and enjoy a three course meal with a different topic of debate for each course. Shaun Holdcroft, Aylesbury area manager (pictured), said: “This is a great opportunity for residents to talk to us about their priorities for the coming year. We all enjoy a good discussion over a meal and the people here tonight are clearly passionate about where they live. Our job is to meet the challenges they set us.”
Bermondsey
New activities for young people Bermondsey west area forum and Downside Fisher Youth Club have been working together to provide activities for young people living on the Arnold and Dickens estates. Thanks to the partnership and funding from the joint security initiative, the youth club is now open on Friday evenings and new activities have been introduced by the young people themselves. The youth club offers training for qualifications as a lifeguard or fitness trainer, giving young people an opportunity to learn and have fun, and boost their chances to get a job. For more details or to come along, call Claudia Webbe on 020 7407 0093 or go to www.downside-fisher.org.
Community safety wardens, the police, repairs staff, housing officers and the antisocial behaviour unit recently came together for an area action day on the Tabard Gardens estate. Residents were asked for their views on safety on the estate, and 83% said they felt safe in the day, with 41% feeling safe or fairly safe at night. Some of the issues residents were concerned about were teenagers hanging around, bike theft, nuisance dogs, drugs and street drinking. A big thank you to everyone who took part. We managed to get some minor repairs done and have identified some areas in need of improvement. Camberwell
Acting up in Camberwell In December last year residents of the Wyndham and Comber estates got together at the Blue Elephant Theatre in Camberwell for the theatre’s first ever community play. Residents chose to perform a modern version of “A Christmas Carol”, adding a dramatic twist by moving the action to the local area, and featuring the local post office and the Jessie Duffett Hall bingo evenings! They were encouraged to take part in every aspect of the play from writing and acting to building sets and were helped along by staff at the theatre. Local resident Steven Ball said: “I’ve never acted before, but I started doing set design and was offered an acting part which I surprisingly loved doing. I enjoyed showing my kids that you can do what you want to in life.”
9 Dulwich
My favourite things
Rotherhithe
As part of Silver, Southwark’s festival for older people, come along to Dulwich Library, take a stroll down memory lane and talk about your favourite things. Bring along a photo of your treasured household item and share your memories. Perhaps it's your trusty wireless, your grandchild’s rattle or your comfy chair. We’ll be creating a memory trail of words and pictures and share our stories online. Come along on Thursday 14 April from 2pm to 4pm to Dulwich Library, 368 Lordship Lane, SE22 8NB.
New TRA for Osprey estate
Nunhead and Peckham Rye
Tell us what’s on your mind Do you live in a street property in Nunhead or Peckham Rye? If so, the area partnership board needs you! The board brings together tenants, leaseholders, and council staff to improve housing services. Chair of the board, Lorraine Beck says: “We want to encourage a sense of ownership of the area and give honest feedback to contractors and the council, both good and bad. We’re looking for more people who live in street properties to get involved and become members of the board.” The board meets on the last Tuesday of the month at 27 Bournemouth Road, SE15 4UJ between 9.30am and 12pm. You don’t need any special experience, as training is available. The next meeting is on 29 March 2011. If you’d like to come along, please contact Lorraine at lorrainebeck976@hotmail.com.
Osprey estates residents have a voice once again at the Rotherhithe area housing forum. Forum chair, Kiri Pieri, welcomed four new representatives from the estate, who have been elected by members of the new Osprey estate tenants and residents’ association. After the previous TRA had disbanded, residents felt they had lost their collective voice, but residents, together with housing officers and the resident involvement team have now got a new TRA off the ground. Housing officer Mark Williamson praised the hard work of residents in getting involved and welcomed the chance to work together to improve things on the estate. Walworth
Peckham
Tackling crime Following feedback from residents at a family fun day last summer, the Peckham community wardens have been working with residents and housing officers to set up a neighbourhood watch scheme on the Gloucester Grove estate. Members of the scheme look out for signs of crime on the estate and report it to community wardens and the police. It also means that neighbours get to know each other better and can look out for each other. If you would like to know more about the Gloucester Grove estate neighbourhood watch scheme, call the community wardens on 020 7525 6202.
Get your groove on with Silver Sounds Inspire, The Crypt at St Peter’s, Liverpool Grove, London, SE17 2HH. Silver, Southwark’s festival for older people is back, so why not come along to St Peter’s church on 16 April from 6.30pm to 9.30pm and show off your best moves? Dance to your favourite soca, ska, rocksteady and reggae tunes. Drinks and light refreshments available. Sorry, no children! Tickets are available from Southwark pensioners’ centre, 305 to 307 Camberwell Road, SE5 OHQ. For more information, please contact Julia on 07960 318 055 or email juliahoness@hotmail.com.
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News
New area housing office for Aylesbury residents
Rechargeable repairs
People living on the Aylesbury estate can now get help and advice with a range of issues on their doorstep, as the new Aylesbury area office opens.
Following consultation with the tenant council and area forums, from April the council will be charging for repairs that are not the landlord’s responsibility, such as changing the locks, unblocking sinks and toilets, or replacing broken doors.
As the estate is home to over 2,500 residents, it needs a more flexible approach to management. The council, together with residents and local people have been working together to develop local support services that suit the needs of people living on the estate, and launch a new neighbourhood housing service for Aylesbury. The team will offer a dedicated service for the estate, including all the usual area housing services like advice with tenancy and rent issues, but also
It’s very important that you look after your home, and take out household insurance to cover the cost of accidental damage around the home. We know that accidents happen, and we understand that money can be tight, which is why we’ll be offering a range of ways to pay, and extra support for vulnerable, elderly and disabled tenants.
You can find a full list of what repairs will be rechargeable and typical costs by going to www.southwark.gov.uk and searching for “rechargeable repairs” or you can speak to your housing officer for more advice. The Crystal Insurance Scheme covers accidental damage from as little as £1.50 per week. For more information please call 0845 601 7007 or speak to your insurer to see if accidental damage is covered under your existing policy.
• Community safety advice and antisocial behaviour prevention • Support for tenants who are being rehoused • Homelessness prevention and tackling rough sleepers Shaun Holdcroft, Aylesbury area manager, said:“The Aylesbury needs a dedicated service and I hope that residents will quickly feel the benefit of a flexible, local service. The regeneration process makes for a very exciting future, but it is essential we also focus on providing the services residents need while it’s happening.” The Aylesbury team are based in Taplow house, and will be contacting residents living on the estate to let them know how they can speak to the team. If you have any questions, or for more information, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/aylesbury or call 020 7525 4774.
Do you want to help us get things right first time, and earn great rewards? If so, why not join our mystery shopping group? As a mystery shopper, you’ll be visiting area offices, and contacting us by email and telephone, to test the service you receive, and give us feedback on how we’re doing. Your feedback will help us improve the services we provide, and you’ll be rewarded with gift vouchers and travel expenses for every successful visit.
?
We’d like to hear from tenants and home owners, and no previous experience is necessary, as full training will be provided. If you’d like to apply, please call Anthony Shaw on 020 7525 1474.
Parking services to suit you Residents and visitors parking permits can now be applied for online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you can apply for your permit when it’s convenient for you, without having to visit the parking shop. The parking shop on the Old Kent Road is now closed, so for all your parking needs, including permits and ticket appeals, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/parking or call 0800 138 9081 or local rate 0844 800 2736.
News
Could your ideas make a difference to the way we deliver services? We want to hear from residents who can share their experiences to improve housing services. As a service group volunteer, you'll work with senior managers to improve services, and you can choose to get involved in areas that matter to you, like repairs, antisocial behaviour, and estate services. For more information, contact the resident involvement team on 020 7525 3326.
Waste energy from Lewisham plant could heat nearly 3,000 homes in Southwark The council is considering plans to heat nearly 3,000 homes across five estates using energy created from household waste. The council is working with Veolia Environmental Services, who will play a key role in managing the project. The contract would mean both a cheap and much more energy efficient method of heating nearly 3,000 homes, and could offer substantial environmental benefits by reducing carbon emissions by 70% and emissions of
nitrous oxides by 90%. The council is looking into the possibility of heating homes on the Pedworth, Tissington, Maydew, New Place and Silwood estates using this renewable energy and will be discussing the proposals with residents in the coming months. The South East London Combined Heat and Power facility (SELCHP) is one of London’s first facilities to convert waste into energy and the first energy recovery facility in the UK to exceed new European directives.
Celebrate with Silver Silver – Southwark’s celebrated festival for older people is back. From 8 to 24 April Southwark will be bursting with events and activities. The annual Silver Views Southwark’ s festival for older people exhibition will launch the festival at the stunning Cafe Gallery in Southwark Park and this will be the venue for several other creative events and talks. Whether your interest is local history, art, gardening, theatre, or simply having a knees up there will be something for everyone during the festival. Friday 8 Apr il to Sunday 24 April 201 1
www.southwar k.gov.uk/silver
Brochures are available from your local library and one stop shop at www.southwark.gov.uk/silver. For more information email events@southwark.gov.uk or call 020 7525 2000, selecting option 3.
11
THE AYLESBURY ESTATE REGENERATION FINAL DEMOLITION NOTICE Under Schedule 5 of the Housing Act 1985 as inserted by clause 182 of the Housing Act 2004 This notice is given by The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Southwark, Town Hall, Peckham Road, London, SE5 8UB (“Southwark Council”) It is the intention of Southwark Council to demolish premises in or in the vicinity of the Aylesbury Estate, London, in order to regenerate the area. The Council is required by Schedule 5 of the Housing Act 1985 to publish the following information: • Southwark Council intends to demolish the following premises (“the Premises”) known as: 1-28 Arklow, Keesey Street SE17 1-41 and 42-256 Bradenham, Boyson Road SE17, 1-68, 69-76, 77-105, 106-119 and 120-149 Chartridge, Westmoreland Road SE17 1-172 Chiltern, Portland Street SE17 1-12 Red Lion Close, Westmoreland Road SE17 • The demolition of the Premises is necessary for the regeneration of the Aylesbury Estate and is integral to the scheme. • Southwark Council intends to demolish the Premises by 29 March 2013. • Southwark Council shall serve Final Demolition Notices upon the occupiers of all dwellinghouses contained within the Premises on or before 30 March 2011. These notices will come into force on 30 March 2011 and will cease to be in force on 30 March 2013 unless revoked, otherwise terminated or extended under or by virtue of paragraph 15 of Schedule 5 of the Housing Act 1985. • The Final Demolition Notice shall replace the Initial Demolition Notice served on the Premises on 31 March 2006. • Whilst the Final Demolition Notice is in force, the right to buy shall not arise in respect of any dwelling-house contained within the Premises. • There may be a right to compensation under section 138C of the Housing Act 1985 in respect of certain expenditure incurred in relation to any existing right to buy claim. Dated: 1 March 2011 Name: Gerri Scott Title: Strategic Director of Housing Services On behalf of the Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Southwark
12
Service update
Transforming your repairs service While council performance information has shown the housing repairs service to be of a good standard, councillors and residents from across the borough have been reporting that this is not the case. As a result, in July 2010, the housing and community safety scrutiny sub-committee decided to investigate how the council measured the performance of its housing repairs service. The sub-committee, made up of councillors, wanted to carry out an investigation which would help the council to improve the quality of the repairs service for residents. The sub-committee looked at evidence from contractors, housing officers and survey results, as well as listening to 100 calls to the customer service centre. They found evidence that the statistics did not accurately represent the service’s performance, and presented a much better performance than residents were actually receiving. Following these findings, they made a number of recommendations to improve the monitoring of the repairs service, including giving each case a single reference number which should be used until the repair has been completed, to make reporting repairs simpler and easier. The sub-committee has also recommended a new system which allows customers to confirm whether a repair is complete. When a contractor completes a job, the customer will be sent a text
message requesting confirmation that the repair is complete. If the customer responds by saying the repair is not complete, a call centre operative should then phone the customer, check the situation and, if necessary, re-open the repair. Cllr Gavin Edwards, chair of the scrutiny sub-committee said: “Ultimately we want to see a repairs service in which missed appointments and unnecessary delays are a thing of the past. I hope this report will help the council develop a performance management system that accurately identifies the problems in the repairs service, and supports officers and contractors to fix them."
Gerri Scott, director of housing services, said “I welcome the report and share the committee's desire to improve the quality of the repairs service for residents. Developing a responsive and customer focused repairs service is a top priority for the new housing department. The committee's recommendations and emphasis on developing performance indicators that truly measure resident satisfaction will help us to achieve this goal. I see the need to improve the quality of contract management and I am looking for more meaningful consultation and involvement with residents, staff and contractors to deliver a repairs service that puts residents first.”
Leaseholder news
13
ement organisations ag an m nt na te r fo ts en em re New ag Three tenant management organisations (TMOs) have just signed new management agreements with the council. After several years successfully managing their estates, representatives of Brenchley Gardens TMO, Two Towers Co-op and Willowbrook TMO attended a signing ceremony with Cllr Ian Wingfield, Cabinet member for housing, and Gerri Scott, strategic director of housing services. Gerri Scott said: “There’s a long history in Southwark of residents successfully providing housing services and I’m delighted to sign these agreements as one of my first acts as strategic director of housing services.” Phil Curtis, chair of Two Towers Co-op said “We’re thrilled to be signing this agreement to build on the committee and office work over the years. We believe this continued recognition and support will clarify and strengthen the relationship between the council and Two Towers, enabling our TMO to provide an even better service to residents.”
Did you know?
st of 25 If your block or estate has at lea p a TMO secure tenancies you can develo can guide using the right to manage. We happy to you through the process and are this means meet with you to explain what 1 or email in more detail. Call 020 7525 125 ov.uk tenantmanagement@southwark.g to find out more.
New support staff for homeowners The council has just appointed two new home owners involvement officers, Olubunmi Adedeji and Louis Rotsos, who’ll be working to increase the opportunities for home owners to get involved with the council. Reporting to the home owners council, they will develop a strategy for representing the interests of home owners. They’re also planning to increase the number of recognised tenants and residents' associations and developing ways to make it easier for home owners to influence the services they receive.
Over the coming months they will also be looking to establish a resource centre for council homeowners to access information, assistance and support. John Nosworthy, chair of the home owners council, said: ‘I’m delighted that home owners can now get the support that they need to help them to take part in the service they receive from the council.” Any homeowner who’d like to establish a recognised tenants and residents association should contact the tenant management initiatives team on 020 7525 1251 or email tenantmanagement@southwark.gov.uk.
Your right to buy Under the terms of the Housing Act 2004, the council is required to tell you about your right to buy the property you live in. A new version of our leaflet 'Steps to owning your own home' is available from the Home ownership office, 376 Walworth Road, London SE17 2NG, your local one stop shop or area housing office. You can also request a copy by calling 020 7525 1400, or visit www.southwark.gov.uk and search for 'right to buy'.
14
Survey
Since we last wrote we have taken a good long look at how we report performance. Since November we have adopted a new approach, using customer satisfaction surveys, to calculate appointments made and kept and repairs completed right first time. As a result the performance has declined on previous months but we are much more confident that this figure provides a true account of our repairs and maintenance service. Over the coming months we’ll be working to improve the performance of our repairs and maintenance service,
Performance indicators
and you can read all about the recommendations from the scrutiny sub-committee on page 12. We know we have to work harder than ever to improve our repairs performance and to increase satisfaction in key areas that are most important to you. If you have any comments on the performance below, please feedback to Antoinette Stasaitis on 020 7525 7713 or email antoinette.stasaitis@southwark.gov.uk.
How we did in 2009/102
How are we doing now?
Target 2010/112
Are we improving?
(April 2010 - 31 Dec 2011)
Customer care Tenants stage 1 complaints answered within 15 working days
67%
88%
80%
Neighbour nuisance cases responded to on time
new in 10/11
89%
80%
Overall satisfaction with landlord services
62% (2008/09)
70%
65%
Overall satisfaction with the way landlord generally deals with repair and maintenance
62% (2008/09)
64%
65%
new in 10/11
46%
New survey
Overall satisfaction with home owner services
n/a
n/a
(target to be set next year)
Estate services Six weekly estate inspections completed on time
98.3%
98.9%
100%
85.5%
90%
Repairs Repair appointments kept
Not available
(December only)
Repairs completed right first time
Not available
64%
(target to be set next year)
(new methodology from Nov 2010 )
Properties with a valid gas safety certificate
98.7%
99.4%
100%
Lift availability
95.8%
96.2%
96%
99.1%
101%
Collecting rent Rent collected (current tenants)
99.66%
(projected to reach 99.75% by 31 March 2011)
Tenancy management Average time to re-let empty properties Performance between April 2009 and March 2010 Target for period between April 2010 and March 2011
1 2
36.4 days
26.7 days
25 days
n/a
15 You wanted to know how you can get involved in decisions about housing. There are a number of ways you can get involved to improve services. You can give feedback through our satisfaction surveys, join your local TRA or join a service improvement group. For more information or to join, contact resident involvement on 020 7525 3326, or email resident.involvement@southwark.gov.uk. You would like completed repairs and maintenance work inspected. We check a sample of work completed every month to make sure it meets our standards, and we would like to know when things don’t go right. If you are unhappy with a repair please let us know by calling 0800 952 4444 or email csc@southwark.gov.uk. You can also make a complaint by visiting www.southwark.gov.uk/complaints, or in person at your one stop shops or housing office. You told us again that you wish to be kept informed about the housing officers through the website. To find your housing officer, contact your local housing office. You can find the contact details for your local office by going to www.southwark.gov.uk/housing and selecting
“area housing offices”. We hope to have housing officers’ contact information online in the near future. You said that parking facilities are an issue on your estate. We are modernising the way in which we issue estate parking permits. We are currently piloting estate parking permit applications online and will keep you updated. We have also made it easier to apply to rent a garage. You can now apply online: www.southwark.gov.uk/garages In the last survey you said that you want us to improve the cleanliness of the estate including lifts, stairwells, and areas where bins are kept. Since then we have piloted a new way to carry out estate inspections to ensure they pick up on all issues. Residents and housing officers were trained to mark the standard of cleaning in detail. The feedback from residents has been very positive. The pilot will be rolled out to all estates over the coming months. Will keep you updated on progress.
If you require information in your language, or in other formats such as audio or large print, please call 020 7525 5000. A big thank you to everyone who took part in our quarterly satisfaction surveys. Congratulations to the prize draw winners Kathryn Matyszewska, E. Paule-Drysdale, and the others who wished to remain anonymous. We’re pleased that a lot more tenants returned the survey to us this time. Your views are very important to us and help us to improve our performance. If you receive a survey over the coming months please complete it to let us know your thoughts, and you’ll be in with a chance of winning prizes worth £25 or £100.
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And finally...
Thanks to Veoli a Environmenta l Services, who kin dly donated 10 family tickets for last is su e 's p ri ze . Congratulations to all the winne rs!
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Useful housing contacts Rent Pay by direct debit: 020 7525 2600 Pay by debit/credit card: 0845 6000 611 (24hrs) Pay online: www.southwark.gov.uk/onlinepayments To pay in person: Peckham cash office: 19-23 Bournemouth Road, SE15; Walworth cash office: 177-179 Walworth Road SE17; Opening hours: Mon to Fri 8.30am to 4.45pm, Sat 8.30am to 2.45pm To pay by post: The London Borough of Southwark cashiers, 19 Spa Road, PO Box 11767, London SE16 3QN Repairs Tel: 0800 952 4444 (24hrs) Utilities (emergencies): Electricity: 0800 096 9000; Gas: 0800 111 999; Water: 0845 200 800 Publication date December 2010. This magazine is printed on recycled paper.
Housing services for council tenants Tel: 020 7525 2600 – Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm Leaseholders/freeholders Home ownership unit – Mon to Fri, 9am to 5pm Tel: 020 7525 1400 Email: hsg.homeownership@southwark.gov.uk Southwark antisocial behaviour unit Tel: 020 7525 5777 (24 hours) Email: sasbu@southwark.gov.uk Web: www.safersouthwark.gov.uk Southwark Homesearch Bidding hotline: 0845 270 0655 Bidding text line: 07781 486 526 Advice line: 020 7525 4140 Web: www.southwarkhomesearch.org.uk Write to Southwark Housing News The editor, Southwark Housing News, Communications Team PO BOX 64529, London SE1P 5LX or email liz.almond@southwark.gov.uk