GEDLING www.gedlinghomes.co.uk
HOMES ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
You asked, we listened, we’re taking action Gedling Homes are pleased to announce our ‘local offers’ – a series of commitments to tenants of the standards you can expect from our services. They have been developed following a number of recent consultation events including a meeting at Bestwood Lodge Hotel, a community involvement day and through tenant involvement meetings where we asked tenants what matters most to them. These local offers for 2011-12 have been developed in areas where our tenants have told us we need to deliver services which go beyond the Tenant Services Authority’s new National Standards.
INSID
We have drawn up 20 local offers aimed at further improving the quality of service we deliver to tenants. All these offers are listed on a pull-out sheet in the centre spread of this newsletter. These offers will now be monitored by Gedling Homes to see how effective they are and how we measure up on them over time. If you would like additional information on this process, please phone 0115 905 1515 and ask to speak to the Gedling Homes Customer Experience Team.
Gedling Homes - Where People Matter - Pride in our Homes and Neighbourhoods
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Consultation with tenants told us that we needed to develop local offers regarding the way we communicate with tenants, how we involve tenants, and on our supported housing service. In addition, tenants wanted to see other commitments developed for tackling anti-social behaviour, our repairs and maintenance service and for investments.
Get your bids in for new Homesearch service Gedling Homes is changing the way we allocate our homes available for rent. From the start of April, all our properties are being let through a new ‘choice based lettings’ scheme called Homesearch. This is being run jointly by Gedling, Rushcliffe and Broxtowe Councils in partnership with Gedling Homes and Spirita. All vacant properties will be advertised every two weeks with Homesearch and anyone registered on the new waiting list will be able to express an interest or ‘bid’ for them. Homesearch will give people more choice about where they would like to live. All existing applicants on waiting lists for Gedling Homes and Gedling Borough Council have been written to, telling them about this change. Properties will now be advertised through the Homesearch system, in council offices, at our Customer Contact Centre and in other public places such as libraries. Applicants will be able to bid for a property using the Homesearch website at www.homesearch.org.uk or by phone, text, post and in person. When bidding for a property closes, the applicant with the highest banding (priority) will be offered the home. People will not be considered for properties unless they have made a bid. If you or someone you know needs help to participate in the scheme, or you want any further information, please phone Gedling Homes Re-lets Team on 0115 905 1515 or Gedling Borough Council’s Housing Needs Team on 0115 901 3651.
Change to diary date Our Tenants Community Involvement Day this year, originally planned and advertised in the tenants’ calendar for Saturday 2 July, has due to unforeseen circumstances had to be moved to Saturday 3 September. Make a new date in your diary for this exciting event. 2
TENA INVOLV NT EM CALEN ENT DAR
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
New panel seeks tenant members Gedling Homes is committed to putting tenants at the heart of the decisions we make and we want to ensure that our services are accountable to you. That is why we are setting up a new ‘scrutiny panel’ to enable tenants to make recommendations about the way services are delivered. What will the scrutiny panel do? It will: • Consider board reports, complaints, satisfaction measures and performance information • Make recommendations which feed into the Gedling Homes board • Carry out reviews of areas of our service. Steve Ward, Customer Experience Manager, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to get involved with influencing our services. The scrutiny panel will build on the ways we involve tenants, giving them information about how we are performing and providing a tenant focus to our services. We hope that tenants involved in this panel will develop skills they will be able to use in other areas of their lives.” Full training will be provided to successful candidates, who will get the opportunity to learn skills in relation to chairing meetings, negotiating, questioning, analysis and report writing.” Recruitment will be through an application process. If you would like to apply to be part of this new panel, please contact the Gedling Homes Tenant Involvement Team on 0115 905 1515.
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Chat and ‘chairobics’ fun for residents Residents at St Andrew’s House, our supported housing complex in Mapperley, are enjoying a range of fun activities as part of a new Moving More Often scheme. The sessions include playing carpet bowls, skittles and parachute games as well as craft activities and chair-based exercises, and, according to warden Janet Matthews, have contributed significantly to a happier atmosphere at St Andrew’s House. Janet says: “Our residents are socialising much more and enjoying Moving More Often and other activities. It has certainly given them confidence to do things that they were previously not doing. The residents have said it encourages them to get together for a chat more often, they feel more mobile and they always share a laugh and a joke.” Janet received training in implementing Moving More Often from Gedling Borough Council and launched the first sessions in February last year. Janet adds: “Approximately half of all the residents have taken part and this number is increasing all the time. I would certainly recommend the Moving More Often scheme to anyone who works with older people and wants to help them become more physically active.”
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ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Get planting for a colourful summer Gardening Competition Gedling Homes is once again running our successful gardening competition in 2011 – and this year we have a new category for schools. Whether you’re fabulous with flowers or grow your own fantastic veg, we’re looking to find the most green-fingered among you across a range of categories as shown on the entry form. Gedling Homes will also nominate gardens picked by our staff on estate inspections. The lucky winners will each receive a trophy and national garden centre vouchers. This summer we’re also expanding the competition into local schools, so if your local school has a large or small garden or planters for children to grow vegetables or learn about gardening, we’d love to hear from you. The competition is being sponsored by Morrison, the repairs and maintenance partner of Gedling Homes. To find out more about how to enter, please complete the form and send to the Tenant Involvement Team, Gedling Homes, Gedling House, Wood Lane, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 4AD. Entries need to be in by Friday 10 June. Judging will take place in the first week of July. The competition categories are (please tick): Best back garden Best front garden Best patio or yard Best young gardener under 16 Best individual planter/hanging baskets/window box Best communal garden Best sheltered housing scheme garden Best leaseholder garden Best school garden
Name Address
Tel number 5
Train in IT or the family tree and all for free! Tenants are being offered a range of great training courses to help them brush up on their knowledge and learn new skills. Thanks to support from New College Nottingham, Gedling Homes are offering you the chance to obtain free training in IT, employability skills and literacy as well as finding out about your family tree or developing skills in watercolour painting. Tenant Involvement Officer Beverley Mee said: “These courses have been a great success. All of them have been well attended and our tenants have enjoyed the opportunity to learn new skills and meet other tenants.� The courses have been so successful that they are currently being expanded to cope with demand. If you are interested in attending any of these courses or would like a full list of available courses, contact the Gedling Homes Tenant Involvement Team on 0115 905 1515.
Modern apprenticeship with Gedling Homes Gedling Homes are beginning the recruitment process for a modern apprentice in housing administration to join them. The role will be working on a 3 year fixed term contract, working across a variety of departments. Gedling Homes will support them with relevant NVQ training at a local college. Applicants must be 16 or over. To express an interest in this role please e mail us for an application form in the first instance on careers@gedlinghomes.co.uk. If you would like to speak to someone or receive an application form by post call 0115 9051515. We will be able to contact you to organise the first stage of the recruitment process which will be happening around the beginning of June. 6
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Makeover magic for bedsits An inspirational idea and a hard-working team helped produce a marvellous makeover for two Gedling Homes properties. Responsive Maintenance Manager Jane Buchanan won the support from colleagues for her idea of a one-day makeover for two difficult to let properties as part of a team ‘away day’. Contract partner Morrison generously agreed to provide their ‘void team’ for the day and pay for all the materials to refurbish the bedsits – saving Gedling Homes £2,000 and several days labour. TV show design stars would have been proud of the new-look accommodation in Westmoore Court in Mapperley, complete with a new kitchen and decorated throughout. One of the properties was accepted by a new resident the same afternoon. The team had a fantastic day, got to know each other much more and celebrated afterwards with a meal at a local restaurant. Congratulations to Jane and all involved.
Batman solves Calverton mystery
Biff! Bang! Pow!
Nabarro Court in Calverton needed the specialist help of a ‘batman’ when a bat was sighted flying around on the first floor. Warden Christine Baggaley picked up the batphone and called for the services of Darren Hopper from the Bat Conservation Trust who successfully netted our caped crusader. British law means that bats are a protected species so when one is discovered they have to be handled correctly and treated with great care. The pipistrelle was kept under assessment for a week before being released back outdoors. But one mystery remains... Do we think the Bat Conservation Trust is based in the local Nottinghamshire village of Gotham by any chance?! 7
Street Talk with Kay Croll For this newsletter, Colin Harrison, a tenant in Burton Joyce, met Kay Croll, a member of the Gedling Homes Service Co-ordinator Team, to find out about her job and accompany her on a ‘Lifeline’ fitting. service. There is a daily What kind of things do you Can you tell me what ‘Lifeline’ is, how it works and charge for the service which is like to do when you’re not at billed each quarter. work? who can apply to have one? A Lifeline is a telephone system that can be used to call for help in the event of an emergency. This helps people to retain their independence and stay in their own home. The telephone system is not confined to Gedling Homes tenants, and can be fitted for owner occupiers and those living in private rented homes anywhere within the borough. The Lifeline is linked to the Nottingham On Call Response Centre. All that is required is a telephone line and BT socket close to an electric plug socket. When an application is received, I will visit the applicant to carry out an assessment to make sure that the Lifeline can be fitted at their home and that the applicant is able to use this
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How long have you been a Service Co-ordinator and have you always worked for Gedling Homes? What does your job involve? I have been a Service Coordinator for about twenty years but originally I trained as a teacher. I did not pursue teaching as a career though, moving into a caring profession as a warden for Metropolitan Housing before coming to work for Gedling Borough Council in 1990, then transferring with other staff to Gedling Homes. My main role is to fit Lifelines but I also provide an out of hours response service and cover for other sheltered schemes when the warden is away.
I like crosswords, gardening and cruising especially around the Mediterranean. Kay and Colin went out that afternoon to visit Roy, who had applied for a Lifeline, and to carry out the assessment and advise him about how the system works. Roy thought Lifeline would be perfect for his needs and would enable him to stay living in his flat. Fitting was organised for the following week. If you are interested in the Lifeline service or know anyone who might benefit, please contact the team on 0115 969 2104 or email enquiries@gedlinghomes.co.uk
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Changes to rent payments You will have recently received a notice of increased rent from 4th April 2011. Rents are rising due to Government rules, introduced in 2002, aimed at creating a ‘target’ rent that we have to move towards and where possible, reach by 2012. A target rent is the amount that you should expect to pay for your home based on a nationally set formula. This is so that similar properties in the area will have a similar rent charge. The formula takes account of the number of bedrooms in the property, market value of the type of property as at 1999 and the income of tenants generally in the county (not your personal income). The formula does not apply to any service charges you have to pay. Each year, any change in your rent is limited. If your rent has to increase, the increase will firstly be limited to inflation plus 0.5%. Then, in order to move your rent towards the target rent, an additional amount is added. This is a maximum of £2.17 per week over 48 weeks or £2 per week over 52 weeks. This sounds complicated but these limits are there to make sure your target rent is reached in manageable steps. Gedling Homes rents are generally below the required target rent levels - and because of this most rents are increased by the maximum amount each year. As the inflation rate varies over time, this means that the total rent increase varies year to year. In April, the increase applied generally is 5.1% plus the movement to target rent. We know this can be confusing, so if you would like more information, please contact our Rents Team on 0161 331 2050. •
Did you know? Rents with Gedling Homes are still lower than the average rents charged by other registered providers in the Gedling area. For example, the average for a two bedroom property rent with Gedling Homes was £17.96 lower at £58.03 (as at April 2010) than the average for other local providers which was £75.99.
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Many ways to pay your rent Following a review to make sure we were making best use of our services, customers will no longer be able to use the cash office at the Civic Centre to pay rent. We looked at customer feedback and considered the fact that this was a relatively costly service to provide. The cash office will remain open for other payments to Gedling Borough Council. However, there are still many different and convenient ways to pay your rent: • • • • • • • • •
Post Office - cheque and cash Paypoint - cash only Payzone - cash only Direct Debit either monthly or weekly Standing Order at a time determined by you Debit or credit card over the telephone on 0161 331 2224 (a 24 hour service) Debit or credit card on the internet Rent collector for housebound or elderly tenants By cheque (made payable to Gedling Homes) at the Gedling Homes Customer Contact Centre in the Civic Centre or by post to Gedling Homes, Gedling House, off Wood Lane, Gedling NG4 4AD.
You will need a plastic payment card in order to pay at the Post Office, Paypoint or Payzone outlets. If you do not have a card or require any further details about paying rent, please contact Gedling Homes Revenues Team on 0115 905 1515 or call into our Customer Contact Centre, Arnot Hill Park, Arnold and speak to Gedling Homes staff who will be pleased to help you.
Check out the changes to Housing Benefit Do you receive Housing Benefit to help with your rent? Do you have others living with you such as grown-up children? From the 4th of April this year there are important changes to the payments associated with Housing Benefit and ‘non-dependants’. A ‘non-dependant’ is someone who lives with you who is aged 18 or over and who is not a joint tenant or boarder and not your partner. They could be a grown-up son or daughter, a friend, a parent or another relative. If you have a non-dependant living in your home, your Housing Benefit is usually reduced by a certain amount each week. This amount depends on the circumstances of the person living with you, for example if they are working or on benefits. 10
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Because your Housing Benefit is reduced, you have more rent to pay. The idea is that the person living with you (the non-dependant), should give you that part of the rent. The deduction is made whether they are giving you some money or not. A deduction can be made for each non-dependant living with you. The tenant needs to pay this amount and any other rent due to Gedling Homes so as not to fall into arrears. The new amounts payable from the 4th April of are shown here. If you are having difficulty paying your rent or other bills, please contact the revenues team on 0115 905 1515 or via our customer contact centre based at the civic centre in Arnold, we may be able to help.
Housing Benefit deduction rates for non-dependants living in your home (on a 48-week rent year) A non-dependant aged 18 or over who is not getting paid for working 16 hours or more a week (on benefits, a student, no income etc) Deduction Deduction Increase in the amount What is the income of the person prior from April your non-dependant living with you in your home? to April would have to pay you 2011 2011 Aged 18-24 and on: Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance (Income 0 0 0 Based) or in the assessment phase of Employment and Support Allowance (income related) On Pension Credit, a student, or on a 0 0 0 training allowance All other non-dependants aged 18 or over not working 16 hours or more a week
£8.02
£10.19
£2.17
A non-dependant aged 18 or over in paid work, of 16 hours or more a week - based on gross income (before paying tax or national insurance) Gross income: less than £122 per week
£8.02
£10.19
£2.17
Gross income: £122 to £179.99 per week
£18.42
£23.35
£4.93
Gross income: £180 to £233.99 per week
£25.30
£32.07
£6.77
Gross income: £234 to £309.99 per week
£41.39
£52.49
£11.10
Gross income: £310 to £386.99 per week
£47.13
£59.80
£12.67
Gross income: £387 and over per week
£51.73
£65.65
£13.92
Off work sick or on maternity
£8.02
£10.19
£2.17 11
We’ve established 20 ‘local offers’ or commitments about the standards tenants can expect from our services. Here they are in full: Offer 1
Offer 2 Offer 3
Offer 4 Offer 5
Offer 6
Offer 7
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Customer Service and Choice
If you raise a complaint with us we will: a. offer you a personal appointment within five working days b. give you one designated officer even if your complaint involves different departments c. contact you once a week whilst the complaint is open to us d. establish a tenant group to ensure we use your feedback to improve our complaints process We will ensure that there is always one member per team available to answer telephone calls. Tenant Involvement and Empowerment
We will improve our publicity around our tenant events by: a. giving at least one week’s notice for all events we run b. providing feedback to our tenants about what happened within two weeks of an event c. publicising all our events on our website, in our newsletter and in a monthly mailshot to tenants on Tenant Voices We will offer a range of ways to influence our services enabling you to be involved at a time and in a method which suits you, including taking our services out into our communities. We will provide training opportunities, through the Gedling Homes Customer Training Programme, to any customer who expresses an interest. Neighbourhood Management
We will improve the quality of the grounds maintenance services that we provide in your neighbourhoods through consultation with tenants.
Local Area Co-operation
We will establish strong relations with the police and other partner agencies that help us to deliver neighbourhood management and tackle anti social behaviour and publicise the work we do to raise awareness of our partnership working.
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Offer 8 Offer 9 Offer 10
Offer 11 Offer 12 Offer 13
Offer 14 Offer 15
Offer 16 Offer 17 Offer 18
Offer 19 Offer 20
Anti-Social Behaviour We will identify and inspect anti social behaviour hotspot areas on a monthly basis. We will carry out one annual inspection outside of normal office hours. We will give you weekly updates on any anti social behaviour complaint that you make to us. We will publicise actions that we have taken against perpetrators of serious anti social behaviour. Quality of Accommodation We will ensure all tenants whose properties are currently receiving work in our investment programme are visited on weekly basis to address any issues they may have. We will provide a range of decoration options for tenants at tenancy sign up. We will publicise our investment programme one year in advance. Repairs We will uncap your gas supply within 24 hours of you contacting us when you move into one of our properties. We will develop a handyperson service. We will improve the number of repairs we get right first time, using the definition of right first time agreed with tenants. We will use our Tenant Inspector scheme to ensure that our properties meet our Lettable Standard. We will ensure the priority of a repair reflects your need as well as the type of repair. Supported Housing We will provide additional support to tenants affected by changes in the welfare benefits system. We will ensure that all communication you receive from Gedling Homes is sent in a minimum of point 14 font size, making documents 13 easier to read.
Crooks have nowhere to hide A crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in the Bourne Mews area of Netherfield has been helped by local grounds maintenance work.
Before
We have teamed up with partners to remove overgrown foliage to reduce the number of hiding places for people involved in anti-social behaviour and to improve the look of the area. Richard Quinn, Neighbourhood Management Officer for Netherfield, said: “This shows how an area can be improved if we work well together with our partners and plan what we want to achieve.” Alongside this, Gedling Homes will also be upgrading the door entry system at Bourne Mews in spring 2011. If anyone has any ideas on how to improve their local area, contact us on 0115 905 1515.
Council cries foul on dog mess Dog owners in the Bourne Mews area of Netherfield are being asked by the local Council to clear up any dog mess left by their pets following local complaints. Gedling Borough Council is reminding dog owners who do not clean up their mess that they could face a maximum fine of £1,000. If you see anyone who is not cleaning up after their dog, you can call the local neighbourhood wardens on 0115 901 3668. 14
After
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Ensuring acceptable behaviour Gedling Homes, working closely with Gedling Borough Council through the Anti Social Behaviour Officers Group, has served an Acceptable Behaviour Contract on one of our tenant’s children in Colwick. This followed episodes of anti-social behaviour and aims to ensure behaviour is improved. If the conditions of the contract are not followed, it could result in further enforcement action being taken against both the child and parents. If anyone feels they need support with regards to improving the behaviour of their children, please call Gedling Homes Neighbourhoods Team on 0115 905 1515.
Burglary awareness Gedling Homes and the Police would like to remind all tenants of the need to keep your doors and windows locked at all times in order to help prevent burglaries. It is very important that even if you are in your home that you keep your front and back doors locked as burglars often just try the door in an attempt to steal car keys. Likewise remember to close all your windows if you are going out.
More rewards, more often Gedling Homes has improved its reward scheme for tenants – taking place more times in the year and with a variety of prizes up for grabs. In the ‘Just Rewards’ scheme, tenants who have a clear rent account and with no breaches to their tenancy agreement will be rewarded with entry into a prize draw. Draws will be held in April, August and December with chances to win gardening work (to the value of £200), high street vouchers (worth up to £200) or the use of handyman for half-a-day. In December the draw will be for two cash prizes of £100. For further information contact the Gedling Homes Neighbourhoods Team on 0115 905 1515 or email enquiries@gedlinghomes.co.uk 15 15
All set to go digital... Gedling Homes are ready for the digital TV switchover for all our properties with communal television aerials. Across the country the existing analogue TV signal is being replaced with a new, stronger digital TV signal. The switchover in the East Midlands will be happening between the end of March and September 2011. The Gedling borough is serviced by several transmitters in the Central region and you can check your local transmitter on websites such as www.ukfree.tv or www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters Depending which transmitter your TV aerial is facing it will switch from analogue to digital TV in two stages during this year, starting with BBC2. During this time you may need to re-tune your TV or take other measures to continue to receive pictures. The national Digital Switchover Help Scheme may be able to provide practical help if you are 75 or over, or get certain disability benefits, or are registered blind or partially sighted. You can find out more at www.helpscheme.co.uk or telephone 0800 40 85 900. Textphone users can call free on 0800 40 85 936. For information about the switchover and what you need to do, contact Digital UK on 08456 50 50 50 or visit www.digitaluk.co.uk Tenants and leaseholders who are not on a communal aerial will need to make their own arrangements for switchover. Everybody who wants to watch digital TV will need to make sure their TV equipment can receive digital - even if you have a communal aerial. If you have any queries regarding your communal TV aerial system please contact the Gedling Homes Investment Team 0115 905 1515.
Morrison offer community support Morrison, the company which provides a repair and maintenance service for Gedling Homes, is offering a new volunteer scheme to help community groups. A volunteer will be available once a month to help Gedling community organisations, whether for a few hours or a full day. To find out more, please contact Kelly Welch, Resident Liaison Officer for Morrison, on 07748 117 351. 16
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Learning the value of health and safety Following a number of building works in the borough involving scaffolding, Gedling Homes contractor Frank Haslam Milan has been getting involved in local schools, teaching children about health and safety. Representatives from Gedling Homes and Frank Haslam Milan attended Carlton Central Junior School’s awards assembly earlier this year to present the health and safety colouring competition prizes and posters to the winning children. ‘Frank’ the mascot pictured here presented prizes to Racheal Fewkes, Savannah Jeffery and Penny McCalman and the school thanked all involved for highlighting the importance of health and safety out on the estates.
Splash the cash to improve your community! Gedling Homes has a pot of money available for community projects to help improve the area you live in. Whether it is creating a community garden or funding to help assist a local group this is the pot of money for you. The funding is open to all tenants with a maximum of £5,000 available for successful applications. All applications will be considered by a panel of tenants and staff. So if you’ve got a GREAT idea which will improve your community then why not get in touch with us. Applications are available via our website or can be requested from the Gedling Homes Tenant Involvement Team on 0115 905 1515. 17
Sheltered scheme ‘walk and talk’ sessions We hold ‘walk and talk’ sessions at all of our sheltered schemes every three months. You can use these sessions to talk to your Neighbourhood Management Officer about any issues. While walking around your scheme, you can show us anything that you may wish to bring to our attention, for example, overgrown trees that are shading your flat. Please come along and meet your Neighbourhood Management Officer and share your thoughts on your home. Scheme
Date
Time
Neighbourhood Management Officer
Moyra House
5th April
10am
Malcolm Bullard
Rushcliffe Avenue
5th April
10.30am
Karen Wright
Moreland Court
13th April
1.30pm
Karen Wright
Seagrave Court
19th April
2pm
Malcolm Bullard
Westmoore Court
20th April
9.30am
Sabina Langley/ Naomi Davy
Britannia Court
20th April
10am
Richard Quinn
Carlton House
24th April
10.30am
Karen Wright
Ernehale Court
4th May
10am
Malcolm Bullard
Nabarro Court
4th May
10am
Sabina Langley/ Naomi Davy
Walton Court
5th May
10am
Richard Quinn
Cavendish Road
5th May
1pm
Karen Wright
Tavill Field
18th May
10am
Malcolm Bullard
Orchard Court
19th May
10am
Richard Quinn
Lendrum Court
19th May
10.30am
Sabina Langley/ Naomi Davy
Bramble Court
1st June
11am
Karen Wright
Foxhill Court
2nd June
10am
Richard Quinn
St Andrews House
8th June
10am
Sabina Langley/ Naomi Davy
Coronation Walk
9th June
10am
Malcolm Bullard
Bailey Court
15th June
10am
Richard Quinn
Roe Hill
22nd June
10am
Sabina Langley/ Naomi Davy
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ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Estate inspections Our Neighbourhood Management Officers would like you to join them on their estate inspections, which are used to look for overgrown gardens, graffiti and other issues of concern in your area. You will also be able to speak to local police officers or members of staff from partner agencies who often accompany us on our walkabouts. We are beginning to introduce evening estate inspections over the summer to allow for those people who work daytime office hours to accompany us. If you would like any further information about these inspections, please contact the relevant Neighbourhood Management Officer on their mobile number . Location
Date
Time
Neighbourhood Management Officer
Netherfield. 6th April 2011 10am Meet outside block 1-11 Bourne Mews
Richard Quinn - 07976 491 564
Newstead Village. 28th April 2011 Meet outside the Community Centre
Naomi Davy/Sabina Langley 07976 491598
11am
Carlton. 16th June 2011 6.00pm Karen Wright - 07976 491 578 Meet on the corner of Marwood Road and Cavendish Road Arnold. 21st June 2011 2.00pm Meet outside Killisick Community Centre
Malcolm Bullard - 07976 491 572
On tour with the leaseholders An estate inspection of the Princess Close area was held specifically for leaseholders earlier this year. Seven leaseholders went on the tour, arranged by Neighbourhood Management Officer Karen Wright, and comments were received from others. As a result, numerous repair jobs have been raised as well as suggestions put forward to improve crime prevention. The inspection was such a success that more are being planned for later in the year. Mark Vasey, Tenancy Services Manager, said: “It proved very successful in terms of raising our presence with leaseholders as well as being informative for ourselves with regards to tackling some long standing issues in this particular area.� Leaseholders can contact Gedling Homes Neighbourhoods Team on 0115 905 1515 about the inspections. 19
How are we performing? We want to let you know how Gedling Homes is performing - the areas in which we are doing well and the areas where we need to improve. The chart is colour coded as follows: Green - We are achieving over 95% of our target Amber - We are achieving between 80% and 95% of our target Red - We are achieving less than 80% of our target You asked us to measure
We We aim to achieve achieved
Customers satisfied with investment works
96.0%
98.7%
Investment works right first time
85.0%
98.0%
Customer satisfaction with responsive repairs
95.0%
96.7%
Responsive repairs works undertaken Right First Time
80.0%
96.9%
All responsive repairs completed on time
97.0%
82.8%
Customers satisfied with gas servicing
95.0%
100.0%
Rent collection rate – rolling 12 month (net of housing benefit estimated)
99.80%
100.19%
Income maximised for tenants by benefits advice
£82,500
£85.243
Housing benefit generated by Welfare Benefits Advisor £37,500
£47.407
Tenant Inspector checks achieving 'green' status (general needs housing)
75.0%
73.0%
Tenant Inspector checks achieving 'green' status (sheltered housing)
75.0%
55.0%
Customers reporting anti-social behaviour who were satisfied with how we responded to their complaint
50.0%
71.0%
Customers reporting anti-social behaviour who were 50.0% satisfied with how quickly we dealt with their complaint
71.0%
Re-let time for all properties (excluding low demand)
24 days
24.6 days
New tenants satisfied with condition of property
85.0%
80.0%
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How we are performing
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Have your say at our surgeries Regular surgeries are held at our Customer Contact Centre for you to discuss any concerns you may have on general tenancy issues, such as anti-social behaviour, repairs, improvements, rents or welfare benefit advice. Our Customer Contact Centre is located on the ground floor at the Civic Centre in Arnot Hill Park, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 6LU. Service
Dates
Time
Tenancy issues/anti-social behaviour
7th April, 5th May, 2nd June
2pm-5pm
Improvement works
14th April, 12th May, 9th June
2pm-5pm
Repairs
21st April, 19th May, 16th June
2pm-5pm
Rents/welfare benefit advice
28th April, 26th May, 23rd June
2pm-5pm
Our Neighbourhood Management Officers also hold monthly surgeries on your estates. You can pop along and meet us and raise any concerns at any of the following venues. Location
Date
Time
Neighbourhood Management Officer
Netherfield St Georges Centre
7th April 5th May 2nd June
10am-12pm 11am-1pm 10am-12pm
Richard Quinn
Gedling The Ark Wollaton Avenue
20th April 18th May 22nd June
11am-12.30pm 11am-12.30pm 11am-12.30pm
Karen Wright
Arnold Killisick Community Centre
6th April 4th May 1st June
11am-1pm 11am-1pm 11am-1pm
Karen Wright
Newstead Village Community Centre
7th April 5th May 2nd June
9.30am–11am 9.30am–11am 9.30am–11am
Sabina Langley / Naomi Davy
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Colouring page
To celebrate Easter, children are being encouraged to decorate an Easter egg outline and send their ‘eggs-cellent’ designs to the Tenant Involvement Team Easter egg competition at Gedling Homes, Gedling House, Wood Lane, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 4AD. The winning entry will receive a £25 Toy R Us voucher. Entries to be returned by Friday 6 May so get colouring! 22
ISSUE 9 | SPRING 2011
Spring time Wordsearch You can win £25 in vouchers in our Spring time wordsearch. BUNNIES BULBS CROCUS DAFFODILS EASTER
EGG FLOWERS LAMBS SPRINGTIME SUNSHINE
Send completed entries to us and a winner will be picked from the correct entries received by Friday 6th May 2011 Return to: Wordsearch Competition, Gedling Homes, Gedling House, Wood Lane, Gedling, Nottingham NG4 4AD
S O P T C F E U T R P B R E V
I P R A L U M S E N U A N O T
I O R A O O T A H L A I E S N
E U M I O O V A B B H A T O R
U B G S N R R S N S C O L A S
S E G T E G E A N R R N A T B
I F S M L M E O E T WO WE C N R E T S A U I C E I M O I N O C U R RM E N T O I E U N N
A T I A A L E N R E S N T R I
M R A T D A F F O D I L S R E
L N O I C E M E T T S A E I S
O T F M R R P H H M E T O D S
N N R T M P H O F S L C I T E
N L A I E A P M M S L A Y U E
Name: ................................................................... Address: ................................................................ ............................................................................... ............................................................................... Telephone: ............................................................
Competition winners
£20 eet High Str rs e h c u Vo
Mr P Longman of Netherfield won £20 of high street vouchers for completing a Customer Contact Centre questionnaire.
Michelle Brown of Arnold won £100 of high street vouchers in the quarterly Tenant Voices draw.
Eunice Alvey of Arnold won £25 of high street vouchers in the Christmas word search competition.
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This information is available in large print, audio and Braille. This information is from Gedling Homes. If you can tell us which language you speak, we will arrange for an interpreter. Or you can ask a friend or relative to phone us 0115 905 1515.
Chinese
Gujurati
Kurdish
Urdu
Polish
By phone: 24/7 Repairs line Anti Social Behaviour (24 hours) Rent Payments Lifeline Enquiries
0300 0300 400 0808 145 6555 0161 331 2224 0115 969 2104
For all other enquiries please ring 0115 9051515 and ask for the team you want to speak to. The following list of “who does what� should help you to get through to the right team first time.
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Neighbourhoods Team - Estate management, anti social behaviour, changes of tenancy, estate and sheltered schemes Walk and Talks, New Tenant Visits. Re-lets Team - Housing applications, offers of accommodation Supported Housing Team - Management of sheltered housing schemes Repairs Team - Responsive repairs, Gas servicing Investments Team - Kitchen, bathroom and central heating, adaptations Revenues Team - Rent collection and payments, arrears and possession orders, garages, welfare benefit advice, home content insurance. Finance Team - Accounts Customer Experience Team - Service improvement, tenant involvement
IPB - News & Views Newsletter Dec 09.indd 16
Contact Us By sending us an e-mail: General enquiries enquiries@gedlinghomes.co.uk Tenant Involvement tenantinvolvement@gedlinghomes.co.uk By writing to us at: Gedling Homes Gedling House Wood Lane Gedling Nottingham NG4 4AD In person: Please visit our Customer Contact Centre on the ground floor at The Civic Centre Arnot Hill Park Nottingham NG5 6LU The opening times are 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 9.00am to 4.30pm on Friday
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