The Gateshead Housing Company. Leasehold. news. Bringing you housing news June 2009

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1 The Gateshead Housing Company news Leasehold Bringing you housing news June 2009

2 Language Line Information is also available in large print, audio or Braille on request. Call or for more information. You can also fax to , use a minicom to or text to (start text with ENQ ).

3 Top marks for The Gateshead Housing Company The Gateshead Housing Company s services are excellent with excellent prospects for improvement, according to an independent report released by the Audit Commission. The three star rating was awarded due to the company s strong commitment to customer care, estate management and major improvement works. Strengths in the report include: Accessible offices and customer friendly services and information More than 7,000 home improvements to a standard above that required by the government Effective working with partners to address anti-social behaviour Customer involvement and support for vulnerable people. Leasehold services were recognised as being of a high standard, in particular for the issue of schedules of repairs and asking for comments on their quality to see if leaseholders are eligible for a recharge. Yvonne Davies, Audit Commission Head of Housing (North), said: The services provided by The Gateshead Housing Company excel in a number of areas. Homes are being improved to a high standard, extra help is provided for vulnerable people, customers are involved in developing services and offices provide excellent facilities for local people. Bill Fullen, Chief Executive of the housing company, said: I am delighted the Audit Commission has recognised the excellent quality of services our employees provide to thousands of people every day. Our message to customers is that we will carry on making even more improvements to ensure that local people have the standard of services and homes they truly deserve. To help the service improve, inspectors made a number of recommendations. For full details of the report visit 3

4 First Warne to receive Decent Homes work The first leaseholder to take advantage of the housing company s Decent Homes programme is delighted with the results. Tina Warne, 42, of Keats Walk, Teams has had internal refurbishments to her home through the company s improvements scheme. Decent Homes was previously only available to Gateshead Council tenants, but was offered to leaseholders early in Tina was the first to have her kitchen refurbished through the scheme, which was carried out by the housing company s partner Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) North East. She said: "The team worked on my home just before Christmas, and I couldn't fault their work - I'm really pleased with it. "They did a fantastic job, consulting me over everything that was done, and accommodating everything I asked for." Leaseholders can still apply for the scheme and choose from: Kitchen improvements Bathroom improvements Central heating installation Rewiring Any other internal property enhancements. (Left to right) FHM s Juliette Carruthers, leaseholder Tina Warne, the housing company s Steve Kehoe and FHM s Barry Wild. For further information about the costs of having internal works carried out, please contact the Leasehold Services Team on or Money, money, money... The Gateshead Housing Company is asking customers to help it save money and still make housing services even better. Its Value for Money 'Service Improvement Group' (VFM SIG) has so far saved over 1million to be reinvested into services. The group meets regularly to look at ways to keep costs down, but still ensures customers receive efficient and effective services. The VFM group, which is recruiting more members, is just one of several making things better for thousands of customers. Groups include customer service, Decent Homes, antisocial behaviour, HomeChoice, getting involved, leaseholders, HomeRepairs, estates and rent. If you want to join any of the groups and make a real difference then get in touch. To find out more call Helen or Louise in our Involvement Team on or , or involve@gatesheadhousing.co.uk 4

5 Housing company on new Gas Safe Register The Gateshead Housing Company and its contractors are now listed on the new Gas Safe Register, which has replaced CORGI as the gas safety body. From 1 April, CORGI gas registration is no longer valid, and residents must always use a Gas Safe registered engineer for all gas work at home. All Gas Safe registered engineers carry a Gas Safe Register ID card with their own unique licence number. The housing company always recommends residents check identity cards of anyone visiting their home. To arrange a gas service for the competitive rate of 40 per appliance, call the Leasehold Services Team on We want your views The Leasehold Services Team is still looking for customers to help monitor its review of repairs work. Following concerns from leaseholders about the standard of repairs to communal areas, a specific group was set up to scrutinise works prior to the issue of quarterly repairs and maintenance statements. The pilot scheme has been in force for the last year but the housing company would like to roll it out further to help make repairs services even better. For further information on influencing how repairs are carried out in your block, call DIY with decoration discounts Leaseholders having major works to their home now have access to an exclusive discount scheme from one of the country s largest DIY and decoration experts. The Gateshead Housing Company has teamed up with Dulux Decorator Centres to offer a comprehensive range of paints, wallcoverings, tools and accessories. Previously only available to tenants, the housing company has now negotiated some attractive discounts for leaseholders on a range of products: Up to 27 per cent off Glidden paint Up to 24 per cent off accessories Up to 18 per cent off Dulux paint. By using a discount card, leaseholders can take advantage at centres across Tyne and Wear. For further information contact the Leasehold Services Team on

6 want to... Report a repair? Tell us what you think? Make a payment? Get involved? Find a job? Get a home? See what s happening on your estate? You can - and it s all in one place

7 How satisfied are you? In January 2009, leaseholders were sent their own version of the housing company s annual survey for the first time. The results are in and of those whose responded, the outcomes were encouraging: How satisfied are you with the overall service from the Leasehold Services Team? Do you consider services to be good value for money? 5% 1% 6% 33% Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Don t know 6% 19% 6% 49% Very good value Good value Don t know 55% Fairly dissatisfied 20% Bad value Very dissatisfied Very bad value How satisfied are you with the options to pay your service charges? 5% 1% 1% 36% 57% Very satisfied Fairly satisfied Don t know Fairly dissatisfied Very dissatisfied For further information on the Leasehold Service Improvement Group, see page 13. Leaseholders were also given the opportunity to state their priorities for the housing company for the year ahead, which are: Value for money for service charges Making Gateshead a greener, more sustainable place to live Ensuring the HomeRepairs service is efficient Dealing with anti-social behaviour effectively Dealing with enquiries at point of contact. And the most popular customer service issues to be addressed are: Ease of accessing help and information Ensuring employees are helpful and well informed Keeping company promises. The Leasehold Services Team will use this information to continue to build upon areas of satisfaction and improve response rates for Janice Adams, Leasehold Services Manager, said: We are pleased with this year s results, however there is still work to be done. By working with the Leasehold Service Improvement Group, we will investigate areas for improvement and implement new strategies to better services for customers. 7

8 Available online: How you can get involved Free Moving Forward courses Prize draws The Gateshead Housing Company s blog Moving Forward Free customer training courses May 2009 to March 2010 to: VISIT SEARCH for The Gateshead Housing Company CLICK on Become a fan SEND us your thoughts on getting involved You can also get involved by contacting us by: Tel: : involve@gatesheadhousing.co.uk Involve to Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

9 Major works major help The housing company s Leasehold Service Improvement Group (SIG) and Gateshead Council have developed a range of financial packages to support major works bills. It can be difficult to pay for improvements all at once therefore leaseholders now have access to various options to make paying for work easier. Interest free payments If the invoice is under 1,000, payment should be made over 12 monthly instalments by Direct Debit. However, if charges are more than 1,000 then up to 60 monthly instalments are available at a collection rate of 1,000 per year. For example, an invoice of 3,000 would be repayable over 36 monthly instalments of All payments must be made by Direct Debit any default of payment under this arrangement will incur interest. Extended interest free payments If you are unable to pay the full charge within the agreed repayment time, you can ask to extend your payment programme beyond the 60 month period. Please note, this option will only be offered to leaseholders facing extreme hardship. One-off discounted payment If you pay your invoice in full within 21 days of receipt you will receive a 2.5% discount. Alternative help and support There are other considerations that could help with your payments. Department for Work and Pensions (DWP): Income Support/Income-based Job Seekers Allowance Leaseholders who receive either of the above benefits may be entitled to additional support from the DWP. The DWP will not usually pay for major works on leasehold properties but may be able to help with any interest incurred on a loan or mortgage taken to pay for these costs. Call for further information. Pension Credit If you are of a pensionable age, aged 60 or over, you may be entitled to Pension Credit. For further information: Call Call for the application line Text Visit Write to Pensions Services, Pension Credit Department, PO Box 40, Seaham, SR7 7AQ. IMPORTANT you should seek independent financial and legal advice before entering into any agreement to secure a mortgage or loan on your home. 9

10 Leaseholders right to a statutory council loan If you are having difficulty paying your major works bill in full straight away or by interest free monthly instalments, you may be entitled to a statutory loan from Gateshead Council. The right to a loan is governed by the Housing (Service Charge Loan) Regulation To qualify you must: Extend your mortgage If you have a mortgage secured on your home, you may be able to apply for an additional loan from your lender and re-mortgage your property. If agreed, this means you may be able to extend the term of your mortgage and make the same monthly payments; or increase your monthly payments to cover the additional loan costs. Contact your mortgage lender directly to discuss this option. Alternatively you can pay what you can afford by monthly instalments and apply for a loan from your mortgage lender for the outstanding amount. Have purchased your home under the Right to Buy scheme Have held your lease for less than 10 years Apply for a loan of 500 or more. For further information or an application form call the Leasehold Services Team on or A savings account You can save towards the cost of major works by setting up a bank or building society account, or a National Savings&Investments account. It can then be easier to make regular savings, and gain interest on your money at the same time. Alternatively, you can make regular extra monthly instalments into your service charge account by Direct Debit, but this would not incur any interest. 10

11 Private loans You could apply to your bank or building society for a personal unsecured loan to cover the cost of your bill. An unsecured loan does not impact upon your mortgage, so your home is not directly at risk if you do not make regular payments. Interest charges do tend to be higher on these loans so you should check: What level of interest and other costs you will be charged If you can realistically afford the repayment plan What other costs or penalties may apply if you cannot afford the repayments. Legal charge If you are unable to pay your major works bill within the 60 month repayment period, or are unsuccessful in applying for the above options, you can speak to Gateshead Council to place a voluntary charge on your home. You may qualify to put a charge on your home if: You are the original Right to Buy purchaser You are over 60 years of age, vulnerable or in severe financial difficulty The property is the only property you own and you are not renting another home The property is your only place of residence. If you meet the above criteria, the charge will be secured on your home with the Land Registry. There is no fee for putting a charge on your home but you will incur interest set at local rates. If your home is sold, assigned or passed on through inheritance the charge will be immediately repayable to Gateshead Council. The charge must be fully repaid if your home is sold. In the event of the death of the eligible leaseholder, the remaining leaseholders, assignees or inheritors will be liable to pay the outstanding charge. For more information For further information on any of these plans do not hesitate to contact the Leasehold Services Team on IMPORTANT - you should seek independent financial and legal advice before taking any payment options. 11

12 ! For further information on help with major works bills please complete the form below. We will then contact you to discuss your options in more detail. Your details Name: Address: Postcode: Contact telephone number: address: To provide support and assistance to enable payment of your future major works bill please indicate below your preferred method. (Tick) Interest free repayments Extended interest free repayments One-off discounted payment Help from Department for Work and Pensions Extending your mortgage Statutory council loan Savings account Private loan Legal charge Financial assistance through Gateshead Private Sector Housing Renewal Strategy Please return your completed form to the Leasehold Services Team, Freepost Plus RRZG-CLYL-XKRU, The Gateshead Housing Company, Keelman House, Fifth Avenue Business Park, Fifth Avenue, Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead, NE11 0XA no stamp is needed. IMPORTANT these repayment methods are only available to leaseholders undergoing major works to their home. 12

13 Moving on up Gateshead Council has agreed to consider the sale of loft space above leasehold flats. The decision comes following requests from leaseholders who would like access to more space in their home. The converted flat must remain as one dwelling and only be occupied by a single family or individual - it cannot be sub-divided or let to other groups, like students. The Gateshead Housing Company and Gateshead Council will decide whether lofts are suitable for sale: 1 Lofts will firstly be inspected by the housing company to ensure that it is not needed for communal purposes and will not obstruct access for maintenance. 2 Gateshead Council will then decide a price for the sale and will finalise the process overall. Leaseholders taking advantage of the scheme will then receive a lease for the roof space, which will run alongside the lease for their flat. The housing company will continue to have Leasehold responsibility for the exterior of the building and internal beams. If any work is required to the internal beams you will have to allow access to the loft area and you will be responsible for the removal and reinstatement of any coverings to the floors, walls and ceilings, which restrict access to the required area. For an application form or for further information please contact the Leasehold Services Team on or Gateshead Council s Home Ownership Section on Please note, loft spaces in multi-storey blocks and those that require access through communal entrances in hallways are not eligible. Want to make a difference? The Gateshead Housing Company has a Leasehold Service Improvement Group to make things better for you and other leaseholders. If you want to see improvements in the service then get in touch. Call our Involvement Team on for an informal chat. You can also: involve@gatesheadhousing.co.uk Text: (keyword INVOLVE ) Minicom:

14 Happy birthday to us! The Leasehold Service Improvement Group (SIG) celebrated its first birthday recently by reflecting on the work it has done during 2008/09. The group marked the changes they have made as the Leaseholders Forum, held at The Gateshead Housing Company s headquarters at Team Valley. During 2008/09, 221 disputes were raised; 43 were regarding costs; and 178 asked for investigations to be carried out on the repairs work done to communal areas. As a result a number of improvements have been made, including: A review of the management fee and new charging procedure specific to each block New financial assistance packages with Gateshead Council see pages 9-12 A review of the grounds maintenance contract Access to low cost home insurance, previously only available to council tenants A new training programme for the HomeRepairs Team to ensure leaseholders receive a high quality service A pilot scheme was introduced so leaseholders could monitor the quality of repairs before statements are issued A leasehold policy has been developed to clarify the procedures associated with leasehold management Other areas that have been raised to be implemented over the coming year include a revised leaseholder handbook; a survey report for leaseholders affected by Decent Homes work; a rebrand of leasehold forums; a review of the charging process for Decent Homes; a review of the monitoring of concierge and caretaker services; a review of the process for coordinating work between Decent Homes and responsive repairs; and monitoring cleaning in low-rise blocks. Service standards were devised and performance indicators set The annual satisfaction survey was redesigned, which resulted in increased participation in early 2009 Information provided to leaseholders on Decent Homes was reviewed and publicised A new mystery shopping programme was established Any dissatisfaction has been noted and will be improved through the annual service plan Standard information sent to leaseholders was reviewed and new wording incorporated Comments were made on the procedure for collecting service charges and have been included in a new set of standards. Vivian Poole, of Winlaton, said: I find the forum very useful, as we make decisions about things that affect us personally - I like to know how my money s spent! Pauline Bedford, of Dunston, found the meeting extremely useful. She said: It s the second year that I ve taken part in the forum and it s good to see what we ve done in the last year to improve services. There s still time to join the group and have your say on your service see page 13 for more information. 14

15 Drop-in and have your say The Leasehold Services Team are giving you the chance to drop-in and have your say about the services provided to hundreds of leaseholders across the borough. Free sessions will be held across Gateshead to update you on changes to the services that affect you and also give you the opportunity to raise any issues you have. Janice Adams, Leasehold Services Manager, thinks these sessions are a great way for customers to get involved in shaping services with minimal effort. She said: Drop-in sessions give leaseholders the chance to meet the team and find out more about the services that affect their home. Drop-in sessions for 2009 Wrekenton housing office, Wrekenton Thursday, 23 July pm to 4pm Leam Lane Sure Start, Leam Lane Thursday, 24 September pm to 7pm Dunston Activity Centre, Dunston Wednesday, 28 October pm to 6pm Blaydon housing office, Blaydon Tuesday, 17 November pm to 4pm For further information contact the Leasehold Services Team on Another way to get involved is to go on an estate tour see page 16 for more information. New Chair and Vice Chair appointed The Leasehold Service Improvement Group (SIG) has appointed two new posts to help it improve services for hundreds of leaseholders. Betty Forster, of Teams, has been elected as Chair of the group, and Tom Hornsby, of Harlow Green, will act as Vice Chair. Both Betty and Tom have been members of the SIG since its launch and will now lead the group to better leasehold services across the borough. Betty said: I am delighted to have been appointed as Chair and am looking forward to leading the SIG towards even more improvements. Vice Chair, Tom Hornsby Chair, Betty Forster It s great to see real changes being made to the services that leaseholders want. You can still get involved with the group contact the Leasehold Services Team on for more information. Contents insurance made easy for leaseholders As a leaseholder, did you know that you have access to Gateshead Council s exclusive insurance scheme through Royal & Sun Alliance plc? The scheme, through one of the UK s leading insurers, is managed jointly between the council and housing company. Leaseholders now have access to a home contents policy that offers competitive rates with premiums payable with monthly service charges. For further information contact the Leasehold Services Team on

16 Estate Tours The Gateshead Housing Company regularly holds Estate Tours so tenants and leaseholders can highlight aspects in and around their local environment that they would like to improve. By coming along you can have your say and make a real difference to where you live. Estate Tours South East Acomb Court Tuesday 14 July 9.30am Allerdene Thursday 30 July 9.30am Barford Court Thursday 6 August 10am Beacon Court Tuesday 21 July 10am Beacon Lough Lower Thursday 16 July 10am Beacon Lough Upper Tuesday 11 August 9am Bedale Court Tuesday 14 July 10.30am Lyndhurst Lower Tuesday 26 August 10am Lyndhurst Upper Thursday 13 August 10am Northside Thursday 6 August 10am Portmeads Wednesday 11 August 2pm Stretford Court Thursday 6 August 11am Wrekenton Monday 17 August 10am Central Abbey Court Thursday 23 July 10am Abbot Court Wednesday 19 August 11am Acquired Property Tuesday 18 August 2pm (Shipcote) Adelaide Court Tuesday 18 August 10am Blue Quarries Tuesday 14 July 10am Centurion Way Tuesday 14 July 10am Claremont Wednesday 12 August 2pm Coatsworth Tuesday 11 August 10am Deckham Thursday 16 July 11am Fieldhouse Thursday 6 August 2pm Marian Court Thursday 13 August 2pm Melbourne Court Tuesday 18 August 10.30am Mount Pleasant Wednesday 5 August 11am Park Court Tuesday 18 August 10am Regent Court Thursday 20 August 11am St James Village Tuesday 30 July 10am Sunderland Road Thursday 6 August 10am Tennyson Court Wednesday 29 July 10.15am Warwick Court Thursday 13 August 11am Bill Quay Thursday 6 August 10am Ellen Wilkinson Monday 13 July 10am Falla Park Tuesday 28 July 10am Millford/Ridgeway East Thursday 23 July 10.30am Millford/Ridgeway West Thursday 16 July 10am Rickgarth Tuesday 14 July 10am Windy Nook Tuesday 14 July 2pm Wellington Thursday 16 July 10am Inner West Coach Road Tuesday 21 July 10am Derwentwater Tuesday 25 August 10am Dunston Hill Thursday 23 July 10am Dunston Road Tuesday 14 July 10am Holmeside Thursday 20 August 10am Lobley Hill Thursday 30 July 10am Racecourse Thursday 16 July 10am Rectory Glebe Monday 20 July 10am Rose Milling Tuesday 14 July 10am St Mary s Green Thursday 3 September 10am Sunniside Tuesday 21 July 10am Victoria Tuesday 25 August 10am Whickham North Thursday 16 July 10am West Bagnall Grange Tuesday 14 July 10am Daffodil Close Monday 27 July 10.30am Highfield Wednesday 26 August 10am Hole in the Wall Tuesday 14 July 10am Lower Rowlands Gill Monday 20 July 10am Runhead Estate Wednesday 5 August 10am Runhead Estate Wednesday 5 August 10am Snoo khill/st Paul s Thursday 6 August 10am Join your Estate Tour For further information on any of the tours, contact the Leasehold Services Team on or visit 16

17 Wee-k can all get involved A massive week-long event to get every one of the housing company's 22,000 customers is being planned for this October. 'Opportunity knocks', from Monday, 19 to Friday, 23 October, will see all of housing company's employees getting 'out there' to talk to customers. It is hoped to raise the profile of the many ways that customers can get involved in making their estates, homes and housing services better. The company offers a variety of ways to get involved in influencing the company's future, from simply filling in a questionnaire, right through to joining the Board. On each of the five days, events will be held across the borough, including: Estate clean ups Estate Tours An involvement roadshow School activities Drop-ins at multi-storey and sheltered accommodation. Peter building up to more housing A new manager at The Gateshead Housing Company will lead the way in the development of new affordable housing across the borough. Peter Smith, 39, the housing company's New Build and Regeneration Manager, will be working in partnership with Gateshead Council to identify potential local sites for regeneration. Previously, the company was limited to managing the borough's existing stock of social housing for Gateshead Council. Peter Smith (right) with the housing company s Acting Director of Property and Technical Services, Paul Proud. Mark Johns, Involvement Manager for the company said: "We have literally thousands of customers getting involved each year in making the services everyone receives better. "But we want more and more people to work with us, make a difference and have that satisfaction that what they are doing is making over 22,000 peoples' home lives better." A full programme of events will be included with the October issue of The Gateshead Housing Company News and online at Condensation guide will help at home The housing company has produced a guide to help reduce condensation in homes. If your home is damp or you find patches of mould on walls, furnishings or clothes, condensation may be the cause. The company wants to highlight that condensation is not a 'HomeRepair', and hopes the guide will help customers reduce the problem themselves. The free guide shows that you can limit its effects by reducing the moisture at source and then heating and ventilating your home sensibly. Free copies of the guide are available at any housing office or online at 17

18 Moving Forward Free customer training courses May 2009 to March 2010 For information on FREE home improvement courses see our Moving Forward guide or contact Louise Taylor, Helen Watson and Lisa Wilkinson on: Please note: places are available on a first come, first served basis.

19 Goulden opportunity The Leasehold Services Team has welcomed a new member recently to oversee the standard of contractors works. Michelle Goulden joins the team as a surveyor to monitor the quality and performance of works carried out to leasehold properties. Her work will complement the leaseholder group set up to scrutinise repairs see page 5. Michelle will split her time between the Leasehold Services Team and Responsive Repairs Team. She said: I am looking forward to joining the team and working with leaseholders to help make services even better. Review of hour' services With the involvement of customers, the housing company has reviewed its repair reporting and general enquiries telephone services in the evening and on Saturday mornings. The review found that customers value being able to contact the company during these out of hours times, and would like to see more HomeRepairs calls being answered at peak times. Services were previously contactable until 8pm weekdays, however the exercise showed that most calls were made before 7pm. In order to maximise efficiency and value for money the opening hours have been revised and will be available until 7pm from Monday, 13 July. For further information contact Sam Shanks on or samanthashanks@gatesheadhousing.co.uk Lucky leaseholders win shopping vouchers Eight households have won 25 shopping vouchers by simply paying their service charges by Direct Debit. Congratulations to: Mr Paul Lovett of Dundas Way, Felling Mr Christopher Paul Emptage of Stephenson Way, Winlaton Mrs S McLoughlin of Gosforth Terrace, Pelaw Miss Salma Elahi and Mr Tufayei Elahi of Rodsley Avenue, Shipcote Ms Elainn Clark of Havelock Close, town centre Ms Elsie Budd of Seaham Gardens, Springwell Mrs Janice Little of Braeside, Dunston Ms Elaine Allan of Mardale Gardens, Low Fell Who were all entered into a free prize draw and won the vouchers by signing up to Direct Debit arguably one of the easiest way to pay for services. For further information on signing up to the scheme, contact the Leasehold Services Team on

20 The Gateshead Housing Company Heart of the Community AWards 2009 Has someone brightened up your day, your week, or even your year? Is there a group or organisation that have helped you to enjoy life more, or made a difference to the lives of people you know? The Heart of the Community Awards are your chance to nominate a person or organisation you believe has made a difference to the lives of those around them. Nominations will be open throughout the year, with residents across the whole borough then deciding the overall winners. As well as receiving the award, each category winner will also win a top prize. The categories are: Good neighbour award Young person s award Gateshead goes green award Organisation of the year award Lifetime contribution award Making a difference award To find out more call: or involve@gatesheadhousing.co.uk