Pillar — Issue one 2018

Pillar

A newsletter for Severnside customers

Issue One 2018

Nothing stops our marvellous Care Plus carers Find out how you can join the team on page 23

Residents on the move in Kinver pages 4–5

Are you ready for Universal Credit? pages 10–11

Construct your career page 20

Welcome

There is plenty of great news to brighten your day in this bumper edition of Pillar I’m particularly pleased to be able to share with you details about a whole range of improvements that are being made to our services, as a direct result of your feedback.

You can find out about our recent awards success and being shortlisted for no fewer than FIVE top business awards! Awards

that recognise our commitment to putting customers at the heart of everything we do.

We’ve got all the information you need to get ready for Universal Credit too, along with budgeting advice and the chance to win a prize for sharing your top money-saving tip.

Jan Goode Neighbourhoods director

2018-19 rent calendar Our handy 2018/19 rent calendar, which can be cut out and kept for future reference, sets out when your rent is due and highlights any rent free weeks.

It is your responsibility to make sure that your rent is paid on time, whether you pay your rent yourself or it is paid by someone else, including housing benefit.

The rent that you pay covers the cost of repairs and maintenance, helps us to provide new homes in local communities and means that we can invest in improvements such as new kitchens and bathrooms.

The easiest way to pay your rent is by direct debit. It’s convenient and gives you the peace of mind that your rent will be paid on time. You can choose a regular payment date each month. Please call our customer services team on 0300 300 0059 who will be able to set up the direct debit for you.

If you are struggling to pay your rent, please talk to us. We can work together to try to ensure that you don’t fall into rent arrears and risk losing your home.

*Weeks 38, 39, 51 and 52 are rent free weeks.

These weeks do NOT apply to tenants who transferred from Touchstone Housing Association in April 2005 or Midland Heart in April 2009.

Week

Date

Week

Date

1

2 Apr 18

27

1 Oct 18

2

9 Apr 18

28

8 Oct 18

3

16 Apr 18

29

15 Oct 18

4

23 Apr 18

30

22 Oct 18

5

30 Apr 18

31

29 Oct 18

6

7 May 18

32

5 Nov 18

7

14 May 18

33

12 Nov 18

8

21 May 18

34

19 Nov 18 26 Nov 18

9

28 May 18

35

10

4 June 18

36

3 Dec 18

11

11 June 18

37

10 Dec 18

12

18 June 18

38

17 Dec 18

13

25 June 18

39

24 Dec 18

14

2 July 18

40

31 Dec 18

15

9 July 18

41

7 Jan 19

16

16 July 18

42

14 Jan 19

17

23 July 18

43

21 Jan 19

18

30 July 18

44

28 Jan 19

19

6 Aug 18

45

4 Feb 19

20

13 Aug 18

46

11 Feb 19

21

20 Aug 18

47

18 Feb 19

22

27 Aug 18

48

25 Feb 19

23

3 Sept 18

49

4 Mar 19

24

10 Sept 18

50

11 Mar 19

25

17 Sept 18

51

18 Mar 19

26

24 Sept 18

52

25 Mar 19

*Rent free weeks only apply if your account is in credit.

2 Pillar | Issue one 2018

Let’s Talk: your voice counts We are committed to listening to the views of our customers and providing opportunities for you to have a real say in the services we provide.

}} Looking at how we clear and clean empty homes, prior to them being re-let and making service improvement recommendations.

If you would like to have your say, there are lots of ways in which we gather opinions and feedback. You can join one of the customer panels who regularly meet at our offices:

Customer panel

Scrutiny panel The customer-led scrutiny panel review areas of the business agreed in conjunction with our management team and Homes board. Recent projects carried out by the panel include: }} Reviewing the gas servicing and out-of-hours contracts and providing feedback to help shape the tender to appoint new contractors.

Chaired by Alyson Lanning, the customer panel has a rolling agenda covering key areas of our business. The newly formed panel recently met for the first time to discuss their future work and review a number of board papers.

Let’s Talk online You can also share your views by completing online surveys and giving your feedback via email and telephone. We are currently building a new Let’s Talk website portal so that involved customers can review documents and share their

feedback online. We will tell you more about this in the next edition of Pillar.

Get involved If you would like to join our Let’s Talk campaign and get involved please register your details on our website – www. severnsidehousing.co.uk or call 0300 300 0059.

s talk ’ t e L Your voice, your home, your future

New customer advocate Alyson Lanning has recently been appointed customer advocate and board liaison - a role she is thoroughly enjoying. “As a longstanding board member, I am passionate about supporting local people and communities and making sure that all customers have an opportunity to share their views.” said Alyson.

Within her new role, along with chairing the customer panel, Alyson has been tasked to encourage and support customers to become involved, so that their voice is heard and

act as an independent link between customers and the Homes Board.

“I strongly believe that the most successful organisations are those that listen carefully to their customers.” explains Alyson. “I would encourage anyone who wants to share their experiences to get in touch so that we can all work together to make a real difference.”

You can contact Alyson by emailing her at customeradvocate@ housingplusgroup.co.uk

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 3

On the move — new homes for residents of Mill House and The Burgesses As part of our commitment to provide high-quality accommodation for older people, we have ambitious plans to create new, purpose-built retirement accommodation for Mill House and The Burgesses in Kinver.

New homes to replace outdated bedsits and cramped bungalows will be designed for people who want to live independently, knowing that support is there if

they need it.

To minimise the disruption for residents we are proposing to develop the sites in two phases.

Subject to planning permission, we hope to begin work on The Burgesses at the end of this year and start to redevelop Mill House in 2020.

We know that it isn’t easy to move home. But by planning the project in two phases and giving

lots of notice and support, we can help people stay local, close to family, friends and familiar surroundings.

The first residents have already made their move, snapping-up alternative accommodation as it becomes available in Kinver. We caught-up with some of them, to share their moving stories.

Joan Allmark Former Mill House resident Joan Allmark believes it’s never too late to take a chance on romance. She has moved into a new home with Tom, who used to live next door to her at Mill House.

“When I moved into Mill House two years ago, the last thing I imagined was that I’d be moving out as part of a couple,” says Joan.

When Joan moved into Mill House, Tom popped round with a kindly welcome and the two soon became friends.

“My granddaughter said, “He likes you, Nan!” but I told her not to be daft.”

Soon, though, Joan and Tom went on their first date, a day trip to Bewdley. They have been together ever since.

“It’s lovely to have the companionship. We’ve been on holiday to Wales and Cornwall.

I used to go away before I met Tom but it’s much nicer to travel with someone special.”

4 Pillar | Issue one 2018

Although she hadn’t lived in Mill House long, Joan had settled into her flat and the greenfingered resident had even given a facelift to the communal gardens. Understandably, she was upset to learn of plans to redevelop the site.

“Once I’d had time to think about it, though, I realised that it’s a blessing. My flat is at the front of the building and I have breathing problems made worse by the traffic fumes and sandstone dust. I’ve suffered with asthma and even had pneumonia while I’ve lived here.

“We decided we might as well move in together and make it official!”

“Tom and I had thought about getting a bungalow together.

When we heard about the redevelopment we decided we might as well move in together and make it official!

“We are moving into a nice area with our own garden. Our families can stop worrying about us. My daughter Daniella lives in Kinver and she’s over the moon.

Tom’s family are happy that he’s got someone to organise him!”

John and Eileen Dearden John and Eileen Dearden have moved from The Burgesses into a newly-built bungalow in Kinver.

It was the desire to live near their daughter Susan that brought John and Eileen to Kinver five years ago. John admits that they hadn’t planned another move: “It was a shock to hear about the redevelopment proposal but it made a big difference that we were given as much information as possible and kept in the picture as we’ve gone along.”

Rehousing and support officer, Jackie Ilic, has been working closely with residents and their families to help people make the right move. She thought that a new bungalow would be perfect

for John and Eileen and took them to have a look around.

“We loved it straight away. It’s beautiful and we were excited to get moving. We have got more space and our own garden.

It’s good to be able to move into somewhere brand new, decorated just the way we like it.”

“We’re really excited to move.

We’ll have more space and our own garden.”

Mary Taylor Mary has moved into a bungalow opposite her daughter Polly, in Kinver.

“I had a wish list for my perfect home and I’ve ticked every box.

I’ve got a great location, plenty of space and best of all, an enclosed garden. There is even a greenhouse!

“I’ve been living in The Burgesses for five years and although it’s a lovely community my bungalow is small, cold and damp. Because it backs onto the woods there is very little natural light and I have my lights on, all day. I know that I am going to be very happy in my lovely sunny new home.

“I think the development is good news for the village, too.

We need more homes designed for older people, so we can live comfortably and safely near our friends and families.”

“I had a wish list for my perfect home and I’ve ticked every box.”

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 5

Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair La

Fair Landlord: spending carefully to deliver more Every year, we make a commitment to build more new homes and deliver more home improvements as customers tell us that these are the things that matter to them most.

That’s why from 1 April 2018, customers who continually breach the terms of their tenancy agreement may no longer be eligible to receive high value home improvements.

We want to make improvements to your home at the earliest possible opportunity.

Unfortunately, last year we spent over £1.2 million managing rent arrears, tackling anti-social behaviour and dealing with missed appointments for vital safety checks. This is a huge amount of money that could have been spent improving homes.

Under our Fair Landlord approach we are introducing a new policy to help us tackle significant tenancy breaches including:

By reducing the amount of money we spend on dealing with these tenancy issues we can do more for our customers who pay their rent on time and who look after their home and neighbourhood. We don’t think it’s fair that these customers should have to wait longer than necessary to benefit from improvements like new kitchens and bathrooms.

6 Pillar | Issue one 2018

Fair Landlord

What’s new?

}} Rent arrears. }} Anti-social behaviour/ property in poor condition. }} None access to a home for vital safety checks to be carried out.

If we contact a customer raising concerns about any of the above matters we will also let them know that if the outstanding issues are not resolved, within agreed timescales, they may be added to the Risk Register.

Customers on the Risk Register will not be eligible for new kitchens, bathrooms, exterior doors or windows to be fitted to

their home, until the problems are resolved.

However, there are lots of opportunities for customers to resolve any outstanding issues before it gets to this stage.

Our teams also offer help and advice to make sure customers get support to manage any difficulties they may be experiencing. We have created a step-by-step guide explaining how customers can be added to the Risk Register, which is available on our website – www.severnsidehousing. co.uk/my-home/fair-landlord Vulnerability and Decent Homes Standard checks will be carried out so that additional support is offered where needed and to ensure that our homes continue to meet regulatory standards.

andlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord • Fair Landlord

Why are we introducing this new policy?

Escalating court and legal fees, along with the on-going impact of Welfare Reform has meant that we are spending more to resolve tenancy breaches.

This is money that could be spent delivering more home improvements and extending our services.

The tenancy responsibilities covered under the new policy can have a long-term effect on all of our customers.

Paying rent is a key part of a tenancy agreement. Keeping rent arrears down will ensure that customers who pay their rent on time, every time, are not unfairly subsidising other customer’s rent arrears.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can be an extremely difficult experience and cause extensive neighbourhood problems.

By tackling and reducing ASB we will enable everyone to live peacefully in their neighbourhood.

on time benefit sooner from planned home improvements.

Help and advice If you are struggling to pay your rent, need support and advice regarding ASB or would like to speak to someone to make sure your gas and electricity safety checks are up-to-date we are here to help. Please call our customer services team on 0300 300 0059 or email enquiries@ severnsidehousing.co.uk

Customer safety is our priority and by law we must carry out gas and electrical testing in all of our homes to make sure they comply with regulatory standards. Allowing us access to undertake this work ensures customers are not putting at risk their own life or that of their Further information family and neighbours.

To find out more about our Fair Landlord approach, to view We believe that the new policy the property improvements will encourage customers policy or read our step-byto keep to the terms of their step guide please visit www. tenancy agreement and make sure that tenants who look after severnsidehousing.co.uk their home and pay their rent

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 7

Breaking the mould – building suc In 2016 there were so few female workers in the construction industry that for some individual trades, a government report on employment was unable to provide an estimate of how many there were. It is estimated that women account for around 13 per cent of people working at every level from building site to boardroom.

In Shropshire and Staffordshire, Property Plus is working hard to redress that balance.

“We are moving towards a workforce that better represents our customer groups,” explains director Stephen Collins. “We provide equal employment opportunities in our local communities, with rewarding careers and progression at every level from apprenticeship to management.”

Property Plus customers now expect to see women included in our repairs, electrical and maintenance teams. We spoke to some of the women breaking the mould in the local area.

Cathy Jones “Things have changed. Our male colleagues understand that women are ambitious, confident and every bit as good as them.”

Cathy Jones joined housing maintenance specialist Property Plus in February 2016. Having previously worked as a PA in accountancy and insurance firms, she had been enjoying the variety of temping.

Four weeks after starting work at Property Plus, Cathy applied for a permanent role with the company. She is now a health and safety and facilities management coordinator.

“I’m so glad I made the switch.

Things have changed. My male colleagues understand that women are ambitious, confident and every bit as good as them.

I look around me and I can see fantastic female role models and male managers who are encouraging me to progress. If I could go back in time and talk to the sixteen-year-old me, I’d say ‘open your mind; don’t let yourself be put into a box’.”

Samantha Manning “When I was at school I wanted to be a midwife. Now I’m fitting kitchens and I love it!”

Samantha Manning works with Property Plus in Shropshire, where she is a team leader responsible for refurbishing kitchens in some of the 6,000 homes managed by Housing Plus Group.

“I’m in what was traditionally seen as a male dominated environment but I was accepted 8 Pillar | Issue one 2018

from the start and got lots of encouragement from the men in the team. It was probably a bit more unusual when I started.

There was only one other woman working with me. Now there are women in all the trades and we are seeing a fantastic increase in the number of female apprentices.”

ccess for women in construction Amy Griffith “The brilliant thing about working in this business is that there is always another rung on the ladder.”

At 21 Amy Griffith started her career as an administrator with a housing association.

“They gave me the opportunity to develop my skills and even paid for me to study for a degree. In housing I discovered an environment where I could make a real, practical difference to the lives of people and communities. It felt good to be able to make that difference.”

Twenty years later, Amy is operations manager for Property

Plus in Shropshire, managing home improvements and repairs to 6,000 homes and retirement living schemes across the county.

“I’m already working towards the next step in my career. I have a development plan, access to coaching and training support to improve specialist knowledge required in the role. The brilliant thing about working in this business is that there is always another rung on the ladder.”

Sue Griffiths “I had a secondment in 2007 and I’ve never looked back.”

Sue Griffiths started work with her local council 21 years ago, continuing her employment when ownership of the council’s housing stock transferred to the newlycreated South Staffordshire Housing Association.

“I applied for a secondment, working with the operatives repairing properties. I was supposed to be there temporarily but I’ve never looked back.”

Sue is now a health and safety co-ordinator with Property Plus, working alongside operatives repairing 6,000 homes and retirement schemes managed

by Housing Plus Group in Staffordshire.

“As I’ve taken on more responsibility I’ve had coaching and training to help me succeed in my role,” she says.

“I’d encourage any woman to consider a career in construction.

It’s challenging, rewarding and every day is different.”

For up-to-date information about current vacancies in Property Plus and other parts of our Group visit www.housingplusgroup/careers Issue one 2018 | Pillar 9

Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform

Welfare Reform — Universal Credit Universal Credit currently only affects claimant who are single.

However, from May 2018 Universal Credit is being rolled-out across Shropshire for claimants who are single, in a partnership, married or have a family.

What is Universal Credit?

Universal Credit (UC) is a means-tested benefit for working age people, on low incomes, who are either in or out of work. It replaces the following benefits:

}} Have a bank account }} Have an email account }} Make your landlord aware of your UC claim

Contact us

}} Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Please tell us straight away if you are claiming UC so that we can offer you support and advice to help you avoid rent arrears. Call 0300 300 0059 or email universal.credit@severnsidehousing. co.uk

}} Income Support

Help and support

}} Housing Benefit }} Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance

}} Working Tax Credit }} Child Tax Credit If you are making a new benefits claim or changing your circumstances, there are some important facts you’ll need to know: }} UC is assessed and paid to you in arrears, in a single monthly payment.

Our employment and money advice team offer help and support on a range of topics, including Universal Credit. Why not call in for a chat at one of their weekly drop in sessions, listed below?

EMPLOYMENT AND MONEY ADVICE

}} You may have to wait between five and six weeks for your first payment. }} UC includes a Standard Allowance and Housing Costs element. }} It will be your responsibility to pay your rent directly to your landlord. }} You may have to top-up rent payments if your UC housing costs don’t cover all of your rent. }} Claimants can be single, in a partnership, married and have a family. }} UC helps working parents by providing financial help with eligible childcare costs, no matter how many hours you work.

Getting ready for Universal Credit There are some important steps you will need to take to successfully claim UC:

Drop in for a chat and see what support we can offer you

We can help with: • Maximising your income • Debt advice and negotiation with creditors • Welfare benefit checks and applying for eligible benefits • Reducing your household bills • Job searches, Job applications and writing CV’s • Housing advice

Where and when: Meole Brace Digital Den 25 Maesbrook Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 9NL

• Tuesdays, 11am–1pm

Castlefields Digital Den

69 New Park Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2LE

• Thursdays, 10.30am–12.30pm

}} Verify your ID }} Get online

10 Pillar | Issue one 2018

0300 300 0059

www.severnsidehousing.co.uk enquiries@severnsidehousing.co.uk

• Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform • Welfare Reform

Our Employment and Money Advice (EMA) team already provide help and support for Universal Credit claimants: Claimant one: This customer claimed Universal Credit on 25 January this year and a member of our employment and money advice team visited the following week. Our advisor went through the claim to let the customer know how much they would receive for both housing costs and personal allowance. The advisor agreed payments and let the customer know that further support was available.

Claimant two: These customers had a more complicated claim involving a number of different elements. Our advisor was able to help the customers understand how much they would receive for their personal allowance, housing costs and child elements, as well as explaining which other sources of income would not be included in the claim.

Claimant three: Our team was called in to advise a customer who had received less than expected in their first Universal Credit payment. We checked the payment and were able to help the customer understand the level of payment they would normally receive.

Further information To find out more and download a copy of our Universal Credit leaflet please visit our website — www.severnsidehousing.co.uk. You may also find the links below useful:

Universal Credit www.gov.uk/universal-credit Universal Credit and You online leaflet www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-and-you Watch the ‘how to make a claim’ YouTube link

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jVeWPsCzUI

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 11

Awards success for Housing Plus Group There has been more awards success for Housing Plus Group this year, with recognition for our drive to make a difference in local communities and to put our customers at the heart of what we do.

Harrison, who is pictured above.

Danielle and her young son were helped out of homelessness by the Group and she had shared her story with the judges during their interviews with award finalists.

Midlands Business Awards

The award recognised our support for people like Danielle as well as our drive to deliver new affordable housing in our communities, the care we provide to help older people live independently and the help that we give tenants to maximise their income, improve their qualifications and get into work.

We were delighted to be shortlisted for no fewer than THREE top prizes in the Midlands Business Awards in February and even more thrilled to be among the night’s big winners.

Housing Plus Group was shortlisted as the Service Provider of the Year and was presented with the Corporate Commitment to the Community award. Neighbourhoods director Jan Goode was also highly commended in the Business Person of the Year category.

Joining Housing Plus Group on stage to accept the Corporate Commitment to the Community prize was customer Danielle 12 Pillar | Issue one 2018

“The award really shows the Housing Plus Group’s commitment and passion for making a difference to the communities we work within and we’re so proud to be recognised in this way,” said Jan Goode.

TPAS Awards The Group has been shortlisted for an award by

tenant engagement experts TPAS, recognising the close involvement of customers in our annual report, which outlined the results of our work last year in terms of its impact on individual people and families.

The TPAS Awards will be presented in April.

EEM Building Communities Awards The Group was also recognised in the Building Communities Awards, where we were shortlisted in the Project of the Year category.

UK Housing Awards And as if all THAT wasn’t enough, we are looking forward to the UK Housing Awards – the biggest awards in the housing sector – where Property Plus has been shortlisted in the category of Outstanding Approach to Repairs & Maintenance.

Estate walkabouts Walkabouts are led by your local neighbourhood officer, along with representatives from the council, police and other partner agencies. The 2018 estate walkabout programme can be viewed on our website along with action plans which are drawn up following each walkabout.

Visit www.severnsidehousing.co.uk/my-home/estate-walkabouts Please come along and join us for a walk around the area you live in and point out any issues or concerns you may have.

Date

Area

Time

Meeting place

18 April

Broseley

10.30am

Dovehouse Court car park

9 May

Minsterley

10.30am

Longleat Close community centre

16 May

Harlescott Meadows 1

10.30am

The Lantern

13 June

Ford

2.00pm

West View community centre

4 July

Nesscliffe

2.00pm

Garage site at The Crescent

25 July

Meole Brace

10.30am

The Meet Place

8 August

Monkmoor

10.30am

Porchfield community centre

22 August

Castlefields

10.30am

Digital Den, Castlefields

5 September

Harlescott Grange 1

10.30am

Kynaston Road community centre

19 September

Monkmoor

10.30am

Armdale community centre

Caring for our environment As a leading local housing provider we have a responsibility for looking after the environment where we live and work. We have put sustainability at the heart of our business.

We are working hard to reduce carbon emissions, introducing effective waste management strategies, increasing awareness and promoting sustainable behaviour for both residents and staff.

Here are just some of the things that we are doing to support sustainability in local communities: }} We’re installing energy efficient boilers in our 13 Pillar | Issue one 2018

properties, conserving energy and reducing fuel poverty. }} We’re introducing electric cars and vans to reduce our carbon footprint and providing charging points in our offices and retirement living communities. }} We’re expanding the Home MOT scheme, providing a more efficient use of people and resources. }} We’re using HIPPO bags for efficient waste disposal during home improvement projects and recycling more of our materials.

}} We are introducing energy-saving lighting in our retirement living communities and communal areas. }} We are providing recycling points in our offices and cutting the use of paper, too. We are also encouraging customers to choose to receive information from us by email or other digital means, where possible. }} We are building fuelefficient homes to sustain rural communities and support thriving towns and villages.

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 13

Rents are falling Social housing rents are set by the government. As we told you in the rent review information you received in February, your rent has been reduced again this year. This is part of a fouryear programme of rent cuts announced in 2015.

All social housing rents have been reduced from April 2018, although certain service charges and our market rents have increased.

The cut to our income directly affects the work that we do and means that it is even more important that we spend carefully and fairly, to make sure that people and communities

14 Pillar | Issue one 2018

locally continue to benefit from affordable homes, property improvements and support services.

work support and offer help for customers experiencing antisocial behaviour and money advice too.

Severnside is a not-for-profit landlord. That means that rental income we receive is invested back into local communities through improving homes and neighbourhoods, supporting our customers and relieving homelessness.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support that you have given to key Fair Landlord initiatives helping us make our rental income do more, for more of our customers.

This year we are committed to investing in more new homes, refitting more kitchens and bathrooms, installing even more energy-efficient boilers and expanding our Home MOT service to improve whole neighbourhoods. We will also continue our crucial back-to-

Your backing for Fair Landlord has meant that - when many housing providers have been forced to halt new development and stop investing in home improvements - we can continue to provide new affordable housing and invest ÂŁmillions in home improvements.

Listening to our customers The key to improving homes and services This special pull-out report highlights the changes we are making as a result of your feedback.

We want to provide the best possible homes and services for local people and communities.

That is why your feedback and comments are so important.

Because by listening carefully to what you tell us and taking time to understand your experiences, we can make changes and deliver improvements that really count, for you.

April is the start of a new business year for us and that is a great time to make some

of those changes. We have been working hard to take into account your feedback, listen to your views and think about how we can improve.

On these pages you can read about some important changes you will start to see from April onwards.

You said, we listened – turning your feedback into action Thank you to everyone who took part in the STAR survey.

The independent research into our homes and services that was carried out last year.

There was a great response to the survey with 3,862 customers across the Group, taking part and sharing their views.

You told us Survey results Overall satisfaction

83%

Quality of home

82%

Neighbourhood as a place to live

82%

Rent provides value for money

85%

Service charge provides value for money

75%

Repairs and maintenance service

76%

Taking action You told us that you feel that our repairs service is falling short.

The Homes board and customer panels have been working together to develop action plans to improve the service for you.

In this special report you will see that some of those changes have already taken place. Look out for news about more improvements we are making later this year.

Your views are really important to us. You don’t have to wait until the next satisfaction survey to tell us how we are doing. See page three to find out more about the work of our involved customers and our Let’s Talk campaign.

st Let’ alk

STAR

New opening hours in our offices We’re introducing new opening hours in our offices and customer service centres. From 1 April 2018 you can call or visit our offices at these times:

Monday – Thursday 8.30am-5pm Friday 8.30am-4pm We have standardised our opening hours right across the new Group. So wherever you live, you will always know when you can contact us.

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 15

Listening to our customers • Listening to our customers • Listening to our customers

A new, ‘virtual’ customer service team Last year we explained that our customer service teams in Shropshire and Staffordshire would be taking part in weekly training to get a great understanding of our new operational areas, customers and communities.

The aim of that training was to create a new, ‘virtual’ customer service centre. Our advisors would still be based locally, at our offices in Shrewsbury and Stafford but new call management systems would mean that an advisor in either office could respond to

incoming calls from customers in both locations.

We said that the joined-up team would bring improvements to customers in terms of reduced call waiting times.

We’re delivering on that from April this year and you soon should start to see results in terms of a faster response to your call.

looking forward to receiving your feedback and to updating you on more changes in the future.

This is just the first part of a long-term project to improve the service we provide and to introduce new ways for you to get in touch with us. We are

Please note that there is no change to your local customer service centre number. For information, advice and to report a repair call 0300 300 0059.

Customer panel helps set the standard Customers are the best people to talk to about customer service. We’re listening, and from April, some of our customers will be listening, too!

The customer panel will be looking out for great calls and highlighting areas where we could do better.

Members of our customer panel will be listening to recordings of some of the calls to our customer service centres which have been edited of personal details. They will see how well we are delivering the service standards we want to provide.

We couldn’t make many of these improvements without input from our customer panels.

st Let’ alk

Naturally, we’ll be listening to what they say.

If you would like to help shape the services we provide in the future, go to the Let’s Talk page of our website

Your voice, your home, your future

www.severnsidehousing. co.uk/my-home/lets-talk to see how you can get involved.

This year, we are committed to answering

75% of calls within 30 seconds We’re also aiming to resolve

85% of calls at first point of contact — meaning fewer customers have to call back or wait to be contacted.

16 Pillar | Issue one 2018

• Listening to our customers • Listening to our customers • Listening to our customers

A new name in gas servicing and maintenance We know from your feedback that timely heating repairs are the most important part of our repair service for customers.

Reports from the scrutiny panel and information we obtained through the STAR survey made it clear that we needed to improve this service for you.

to properties with oil fuel appliances, solid fuel appliances and green renewable installations such as air source heating.

The service itself has been improved – with faster response times and penalties if that service falls short.

We have made some big changes.

This is the new gas repair service you can expect:

Previously, gas repairs were provided by PH Jones in Shropshire and by Robert Heath Heating in Staffordshire.

From April there will be a new contractor, providing a standardised service across both counties.

}} All emergency repairs irrespective of time of year, nature or customer vulnerability 6 hours

Following a rigorous tendering process, which prioritised the quality of the service provided to customers, Phoenix Gas Services will be your new name in gas servicing and repairs.

Their contract also includes service and repair provision

}} Urgent repairs to a gas combi boiler 5 days }} Urgent repairs to a fire and back boiler, solid or oil fuel appliance 10 days }} Routine repairs 15 days Please visit our website www.severnsidehousing. co.uk to find out more about heating repairs that fall within

these improved repair response targets.

That’s not the only change we are making.

From April, if you need to request a repair to your heating, you will call our customer service team. This change has been made following feedback from customers who told us that they wanted to deal directly with us to report a repair.

For heating repairs call the customer services team on 0300 300 0059.

Gas servicing will be arranged through Phoenix Gas Services on 01782 564448.

Changes to our out of hours service Outside our new opening hours, you can still call us on 0300 300 0059 if you have an emergency.

Out of hours calls are taken by external call handlers. Previously, different companies have responded to calls in Shropshire and Staffordshire. To ensure that all customers received the same standard of service, it was decided to appoint a single company for out of hours calls, across both counties.

We would like to thank the scrutiny panel for the excellent research they did into the service. The panel, made up of customers, reviewed the different service provided by each company, benchmarked our service against other landlords and made recommendations to the board.

performance standards and the way that they handle complaints.

We have now appointed Orbis Protect to provide an out of hours call centre for customers wherever you live.

A number of call centre providers were then asked to tender and were carefully assessed on factors such as their quality management,

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 17

Listening to our customers • Listening to our customers • Listening to our customers

New work for our scrutiny panel Customers on our scrutiny panel undertake two projects each year.

The panel looks at areas of biggest impact on customers, carrying out detailed research and reporting their findings to the board.

The next project for the panel will be a thorough assessment

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of how well our group is prepared for Universal Credit.

Panel members felt that this project has the potential to have considerable impact on the work of the Group as well as the lives of customers. They will report to the board in May.

Scrutiny Panel

You can read more about the roll-out of Universal Credit on pages 10–11.

Have you visited our new look website?

The quickest, easiest and most convenient way for you to get advice, updates and information from us, is online.

Our website is regularly updated with all the latest news and you are just a few clicks away from finding: • Our handy repairs checklist, which outlines the repairs we are responsible for.

• How you can have your say with our Let’s Talk campaign.

• Useful benefit support and advice to enable you to maximise your income.

• A local job club that can help you update your cv and find a new job.

• What to do if you are experiencing ASB.

• All the different ways you can pay your rent and the new 2018/19 rent calendar.

Why not visit us today at www.severnsidehousing.co.uk to find out more!

Safety checks Severnside has important legal duties and obligations to ensure you and your family are safe in your home.

If we book a safety check appointment with you, it is essential that you are at home to let our contractors in to undertake this vitally important work.

Our safety first checks include:

}} Gas servicing and repair }} Electrical installation checks and associated repairs }} Solid fuel and oil central heating servicing and repairs }} Solar PV roof panel inspections

Every year we spend over £40,000 on missed pre-booked appointments — money that could be spent on improving homes.

18 Pillar | Issue one 2018

}} Managing asbestos }} Un-vented cylinders checks }} Fire risk assessments (communal areas and sheltered schemes only) Failure to give access to your home to carry out these important inspections is a breach of your tenancy, which could result in the loss of your home.

If you need to change a safety check appointment please contact our customer services team on 0300 300 0059.

Housing Plus Group becomes one of the first to install life-saving gas safety technology in their homes As part of our commitment to providing safe homes for customers, we are currently installing life-saving gas safety technology in 12,000 homes across Shropshire and Staffordshire.

We have partnered with technology company - Gas Tag – to use ground-breaking technology that will help to keep families safe from the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Phoenix Gas Services Ltd has begun the project to install a ‘gas safety tag’ in all our homes.

The barcode tag is attached to the gas meter and the process of fitting the tag and collecting information about your boiler and appliances takes just 20 minutes.

Gas Tag has been described as “The most significant quantum leap in domestic gas safety compliance in 20 years” by Barry Sheerman MP— the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Carbon Monoxide.

Housing Plus Group customers will be some of the first tenants in the country to benefit from this new technology.

For the first time, life-saving safety checks will be captured using an app on a smartphone – allowing the work to be monitored in real-time.

Paul Durose, co-founder and chief executive for Gas Tag said: “We are excited to be working with such a forward-thinking company as Housing Plus Group that clearly puts tenant safety at the heart of what they do. Our technology is an industry first and gives Housing Plus Group real-time data to monitor lifesaving gas safety checks.”

Phoenix Gas Services will be contacting you when it is time to install the safety tag to your gas meter. There is no charge to you for this additional safety feature.

Kids competition If you are aged 15 or under you can enter our kids competition to win a £25 shopping voucher.

All you need to do is answer a question about this edition of Pillar and fill in your details.

You can also enter online at www.severnsidehousing.co.uk

WIN £25

What is the name of the new heating company Severnside has recently appointed?

Answer: Name: Address:

Please send entries to: Pillar Competitions Severnside Housing Brassey Road Old Potts Way Shrewsbury, SY3 7FA

Postcode:

Age:

Telephone:

Please send your entry by Friday 4 May 2018. The first correct entry drawn will win the prize.

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 19

Apprenticeships: be a part of our success National Apprenticeship Week took place in March. We were delighted to celebrate this showcase for vocational training, particularly in Property Plus, where apprentices now make up 12 per cent of our workforce.

Apprentices work within electrical, home improvement, facilities management and administrative functions in Property Plus, with opportunities now available for ambitious people wanting to become plumbers, electricians, carpenters and heating engineers.

and bathrooms and installing 700 energy efficient boilers.

Our apprenticeship programme was shortlisted for a national award this year, recognising the fantastic career opportunities available to apprentices, all of whom come from local communities.

By building a career with an apprenticeship at Property Plus, you will be joining one of the UK’s best teams.

Andy Wimlett is a great example of how our exceptional training and support leads to a rewarding career. The former apprentice has just been appointed facilities manager.

You’ll be busy, too - in 2017 this award-winning team delivered repairs and maintenance services worth around £20 million. This included nearly 26,000 repairs, fitting hundreds of new kitchens

He said: “The training and support helped me develop my skills so I could see a clear career path and stay working at a place I love. I feel very proud of all my achievements so far.”

Do you want to learn more about our apprenticeship opportunities?

Visit the Housing Plus Group website for more information and to register your interest or contact us today on 01785 312272. You can also email careers@housingplusgroup.co.uk or message us on social media. housingplusgroup

Construct your career Apprenticeships for 18-24 year olds now available in Shropshire and Staffordshire.

Opportunities in electrical, plumbing, carpentry and heating engineering.

Do you want to learn more?

Give us a call on 01785 312272 or register your interest by visiting our website www.housingplusgroup.co.uk/cyc

20 Pillar | Issue one 2018

@housingplusgrp

Important news if you want someone else to have access to information about your tenancy There are many reasons why you might want us to talk to someone else about your tenancy, or to provide certain information to a third party.

Although your name is on the tenancy, you might want your partner to be able to discuss rent payments with us. Your relative might live in one of our retirement living communities and prefer you to look after some aspects of their tenancy.

Sometimes young people ask us to share information about their tenancy so that their parents can contact us.

This is called ‘third party disclosure’. It is included in the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation which is being introduced in May. If you would like to request third party disclosure, you will need to complete a form setting out your agreement. You can obtain a form by contacting the customer services team on 0300 300 0059 or download one from our website www. severnsidehousing.co.uk This is designed to give you the peace of mind that we know which information we can share with your designated contacts and how we can be sure we are speaking to the right person.

You will need to renew this permission annually.

It is important for you to be aware that, if you have had any kind of third party disclosure with us in the past, this will no longer be valid.

As part of our responsibility to keep your information safe, we will not be able to share information about your tenancy with anyone else unless you have completed and returned a new agreement.

As an organisation providing homes, services and personal care to customers, we use information about your income and personal circumstances to ensure that homes are allocated to people most in need.

We might receive information from you which helps us support neighbourhoods experiencing

ASB, or provide you with an individual care and support plan.

We are committed to keeping your information safe, in compliance with GDPR legislation. We never share your personal details for commercial purposes and we give you the option to unsubscribe from emails that we send to you.

In future, you will have to opt in to receive communications from a wide range of businesses and other organisations. Things like this customer magazine or the e-bulletins you might receive from us are exempt from this requirement because they contain important advice and updates for you – although you always have the option to unsubscribe from receiving these messages at any time.

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 21

Delivering more homes

When we consulted with customers about the formation of our new Group in 2016, we said that by becoming part of a larger, stronger organisation we would be able to build more of the affordable homes so badly needed in our local communities.

We are delighted to tell you that we are delivering on that commitment.

In the coming year we aim to complete a fantastic 162 new homes.

Social rent

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Shared ownership

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The new homes that we are building will mean that families can stay local, living and working in the area and that older people can enjoy their retirement in safe, easily-managed homes. We can sustain villages and help communities to thrive.

One of the sites currently under construction is Badger Crescent, Whitchurch. We are inviting applications for a lovely two-bedroomed home, available to purchase through shared ownership.

Shares ranging from 25 to 75 per cent are available, bringing the security of home ownership within the reach of more local families.

For priority information about Badger Crescent, register your details now by calling 01743 361422 or visiting www.monks.co.uk.

22 Pillar | Issue one 2018

Huge demand for Care Plus at Home service The soaring demand for the Care Plus at Home service provided by the renowned care and support teams working for Care Plus has meant expansion of the service this year.

As well as recruiting new care and support workers to work in South Staffordshire, Care Plus has begun providing care and support to people in their own homes in Shropshire.

The first members of the busy Care Plus at Home team in

Shropshire popped in to see us at Pillar on their first day at work.

Co-ordinator Leanne Beddow, senior carer Gina Bright and care and support worker Justine Beamond are already busy providing the kind of support that has seen Care Plus staff recognised as being among the best carers in the country.

teams in Shropshire and South Staffordshire.

“One of the commitments we made to customers as we prepared to launch our new Group was that we would make the Care Plus at Home service available to people in Shropshire,” said chief executive Sarah Boden. “I’m delighted that we have been able to do that, so quickly.”

Care Plus is celebrating great feedback from Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors who assessed the At Home service provided to people in their own homes.

If you would like to become part of this rapidly growing service, looking after people starts with taking care of your own career.

Visit www.care-plus.org.uk/ work-with-us or call 01785 312102.

Inspectors graded Care Plus as Good in all areas, highlighting the dignity and respect shown by carers and saying: “Without exception people and their relatives told us that they were treated with care and kindness.”

Care Plus is currently looking for caring people to join its

Nothing stops a Care Plus carer!

When heavy snow brought transport to a halt in December and again in March, Black Forest gateau and a spade were all our carers needed to get through the snow to deliver care to some of our most isolated communities.

During the worst affected days the carers went to extraordinary lengths to complete their calls, with some sleeping in our retirement living communities in case colleagues couldn’t get in for their shifts. Carer Shani Dee even roped-in her brother to bring his JCB along to clear a path for medical staff and two

carers used the shovels that they were carrying to dig-out fellow motorists, too.

“We love our jobs and at a time like that it made us feel even

more worthwhile. We travelled prepared, with a spade to dig ourselves out and a chocolate cake in case we got stranded!” said carer Jenna Dubil.

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 23

Balancing your budget Creating a budget is the first step towards taking control of your money and getting your finances back on track.

normal monthly payments on your debts, you need to contact your creditors to see if you can work out payments at a level that you can afford.

Budgeting can help you:

Save for essentials – If you can, it is a good idea to try and save some money each month. This can help you plan ahead as it can be hard to stick to making debt repayments when other costs come up unexpectedly, such as car repairs.

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see what money you have coming in; see what money you have going out; pay your essential bills on time; work out payments to debts you may have; and plan your future spending.

Getting started One of the first and most important things you need to do is sit down and plan your monthly budget. To do this you will need to: Work out your income – add up the income for you and your household, including: }} wages after deductions; }} benefit payments; and }} contributions from other people who live in your home, such as grown-up children.

Work out your outgoings – add up your outgoings to see how much money you need to spend on basic living expenses, including: }} essential spending on household bills and regular payments; }} food, cleaning materials and clothes; }} phone/mobile costs; and }} travel costs.

Money left over – if you have any money left over after you have worked out your income and outgoings you need to deal with any debts. If you do not have sufficient money left over to pay

We offer support If you are struggling with your money, finding it hard to budget or have debts, it’s really important you don’t bury your head in the sand and get help and advice as soon as possible.

Our employment and money advice team offer budgeting advice, along with support on a range of matters on either a one-to-one basis or through weekly job clubs and drop-in sessions. To find out more visit www.severnsidehousing.co.uk/howwe-can-help or you can contact the team on 0300 300 0059, email ema@severnsidehousing.co.uk

Further help Many organisations also offer free, independent debt advice including: Citizens Advice Tel: 03444 111 444 www.citizensadvice.org.uk National Debtline Tel: 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.org Step Change Tel: 0800 138 1111 www.stepchange.org

Win a shopping voucher for your money-saving tip Do YOU have a top money-saving tip to share? To be in with the chance of winning a £25 shopping voucher, simply send us your best money-saving tip to the address below: Pillar Competitions Severnside Housing Brassey Road, Old Potts Way Shrewsbury SY3 7FA Closing date for entries: Friday 4 May 2018 The best money-saving tip will be published in the next edition of Pillar.

24 Pillar | Issue one 2018

WIN

Stay safe — keep balconies clear You might remember news and very frightening pictures of a large fire in an apartment block in Manchester which happened just after Christmas last year. Fire started on the ninth floor of the building and spread to other floors along the balconies.

could cause a fire to spread or provide an obstruction making it more difficult for you to be rescued if fire breaks out in your building.

Your safety is our number one priority and we have been looking closely at the causes of that fire to see if there are any lessons that we can learn.

“We appreciate that balconies can give you Photo: manctraffic/Twitter somewhere nice to sit but for your own safety and that of your neighbours, they mustn’t be used as additional storage space which can become a fire hazard,” said assistant director of neighbourhoods Neil Whittenbury.

Early indications are that the fire spread because of the materials used in the balconies themselves and because of highly flammable things stored on the balconies by residents.

We are carrying out checks on balconies in our properties across both Shropshire and Staffordshire. For your part, please make sure that you are not keeping things on your balcony which

WIN £25

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Issue one 2018 | Pillar 25

Justice Corner Help us to kick cuckooing out of the nest Cuckooing is when a gang of criminals target isolated and vulnerable people and take over their home, in the same way as a cuckoo bird takes over another birds nest, sometimes to use as a base for dealing drugs.

The gangs are then able to operate and deal drugs, out of sight and may also use the property to manufacture drugs.

Tenants of these properties sadly become prisoners in their own homes, are often terrified of the gang and too scared to approach the police for help.

They can also be fearful of reporting the problem to their landlord as they are worried they may get evicted.

This is a nationwide issue and over recent years has become an increasing problem in the Shrewsbury area. We are working with the police and other agencies to try and ensure that customers do not become a victim of cuckooing and if they

do, provide extensive help and support to prevent it continuing.

Whilst cuckooing can obviously cause distress to the tenants living at the home, activities at the property are likely to be causing nuisance to local neighbours too. Therefore, if our efforts to deter the criminal gangs are not effective, it may be necessary to take legal action.

Such action could include applying for an Order to exclude individuals from a property or permit the tenant to remain in the property as long as they do not allow certain things to happen.

“Some drug dealers may target the homes of vulnerable, lonely and isolated people which they then use for drug dealing, effectively taking over the home of that person. We know that this is happening in Shrewsbury.” explains Inspector Ed Hancox of West Mercia Police. “We work alongside Severnside and other agencies to help identify

addresses and put in a plan to keep the occupants safe and free from drug dealers. If you have concerns about one of your neighbours, or a friend or relative, please call Police on 101, or in an emergency dial 999.”

Report it!

If you have concerns that cuckooing may be happening in your neighbourhood please get in touch on 0300 300 0059.

Calls can be made anonymously and any information provided helps us to join forces with local agencies to prevent cuckooing happening in your community.

Phantom debt fraud alert Action Fraud, the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, has reported a big increase in the number of calls to members of the public by fraudsters requesting payment for what is called a ‘phantom debt’ – meaning that you don’t actually owe the money.

The fraud involves being cold-called by someone who tells you that they are a debt 26 Pillar | Issue one 2018

collector, bailiff or other type of enforcement agent. The fraudster may claim to be working under the instruction of a court or business and will try to recover funds for a non-existent debt.

The callers request payment, sometimes by bank transfer. If refused, they threaten to visit your home or workplace to recover the supposed debt.

Sadly, we know of at least one incidence of phantom debt in our area.

There are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself: 1. Make careful checks if you ever get a cold call. Bailiffs should be able to provide you with a case number and warrant number along with their name and the court they are calling from. Make a note of all these details.

Tackling the hidden cost of tenancy fraud In the last edition of Pillar we shared with you how important it is for us all to be vigilant to help stop tenancy fraud.

Tenancy fraud happens when a council or housing association property is occupied by someone who is not legally entitled to be there.

It’s estimated that tenancyrelated fraud costs the country billions of pounds every year.

Just as importantly, it means that affordable homes are not available for people in genuine need.

As a housing association we have a responsibility to make the best use of the homes that we own. In Staffordshire, we have been working in partnership with the fraud team at South Staffordshire Council to deliver an innovative pilot project tackling tenancy fraud.

The project has been working to identify people who give misleading information about their personal circumstances which could result in them being given priority over genuine

2. If you receive a visit from a bailiff ask to see their identity card, which will show their photograph and warrant number. They must also carry the physical warrant, showing the debt and endorsed with a court seal.

3. Double-check with the court, company or organisation that the call is genuine. If you use a landline, make sure you hear the dial tone before you dial as the

applicants on our waiting list. It is also investigating fraud taking place during a tenancy, when people sublet their home or move out and allow someone else to live in it, also known as ‘parting with possession’.

With the project now well underway, South Staffordshire fraud investigators are already achieving results that will make it easier for genuine applicants to access affordable homes in this area. }} In Essington, investigators discovered that a tenant had given up their home to someone else. That property has now been recovered and allocated to a family in need of a home. }} In Pattingham, investigators discovered that a resident had fraudulently obtained a tenancy with SSHA while owning a home and rented it out commercially.

down the missing tenant enabling SSHA to recover the rent debt.

“We are very pleased with the early results of this pilot project,” said neighbourhoods director Jan Goode. “It’s all about fairness, which is at the heart of our service. Our priority is to allocate affordable housing fairly and to maximise our income so that we can ensure that more tenants benefit from investment in homes and services.”

Following on from the success of this pilot project in Staffordshire, a similar project is planned to be launched in Shropshire.

Report it If you suspect tenancy fraud you can report this to us by calling our customer services team on 0300 300 0059. The information you give us will be dealt with in confidence.

}} In Codsall, a tenant thought they could abandon their home with rent arrears and move to another district. The fraud investigators tracked-

fraudster could still be on the line. Always carry out your own search for the telephone number, don’t use the number provided by the caller.

4. If you know you have a debt, keep in regular contact with your creditor and be sure to establish the debt type at the earliest opportunity. This will help you understand who might be in contact with you.

5. Don’t feel rushed or intimidated to make a decision based on a phone call. Take time out and listen to your instincts.

You can report suspicious calls to Action Fraud by visiting www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040

Issue one 2018 | Pillar 27

Stop press STAR – turning your feedback into action On pages 15-18, we have already shared with you exciting news about a whole range of improvements we have launched to our repairs service, including:-

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}} Extended office opening hours. }} New targets for answering calls and resolving queries at first point of contact. }} The launch of our ‘virtual’ customer services team. }} The appointment of a new gas services and maintenance contractor, who will deliver improved repair timescale targets.

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}} Improvements to our out of hours service.

More great news about further upgrades to our repairs and maintenance service, including improved repair response targets, are also coming soon. Look out for further details on our website www.severnsidehousing.co.uk and in the next edition of Pillar.

Useful contact numbers ll General property, heating and hot water repairs, rent payment, debt advice and fault reporting 0300 300 0059 (Severnside Customer Services) ll Gas servicing 01782 564448 (Phoenix Gas Services) ll Gas leaks 0800 111 999 (National Gas Emergency Service) ll Health and sickness help and advice 111 (NHS Direct) ll Police 101 (non-emergency)

ll ASB reporting line 0345 6789020 (Shropshire Council) ll Refuse collection 0345 678 9007 (Shropshire Council) ll Street lighting 0345 678 9006 (Shropshire Council) ll Street cleaning 0345 678 9000 (Shropshire Council) ll Personal concerns, worries and troubles 116 123 (Samaritans)

This newsletter is also available in:

Large print Audio Other languages Brassey Road, Old Potts Way, Shrewsbury SY3 7FA Customer Services 0300 300 0059 enquiries@severnsidehousing.co.uk www.severnsidehousing.co.uk SevernsideHousing @severnsideha CarePlusAllAboutYou @careplus_tweets