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newsextraThe magazine for South Staffordshire Housing Association customers

Autumn 2017

Neighbours celebrate £20 million investment

Care Plus host visiting MP

Tenancy changes

Annual Report special • Annual Report special • Annual Report special • Annual Report special • Annual Report special • Annual Report special •

1st birthday celebrations

“It hardly seems possible that a year has passed since we launched the new Housing Plus Group serving customers in Staffordshire and Shropshire.

The time has passed so quickly and I am glad to have the opportunity to look back and reflect on some of the highlights of our first 12 months.

In many ways, for our customers, it has been business as usual. We told you that we would continue to provide local services delivered by people who know the area. That’s what we have done and although we will be opening a new head office in Telford during 2018, you will still be able to visit our offices in Stafford and Shrewsbury.

What you should have started to see, are improvements ensuring that customers receive the same quality of service from us, wherever you live. In Shropshire, that means the introduction of a Fair Landlord framework from 1 October. Fair Landlord policies are helping Property Plus to invest £14m annually in home improvements in Staffordshire, including fitting 400 new kitchens and 500 bathrooms and carrying out Home MOTs on every property, on a neighbourhood rotation.

A big highlight for me this year has been the time I’ve spent out on the road with our fantastic Property Plus teams. They

are making a huge difference to homes and neighbourhoods across both counties as we increase the amount we spend on home improvements.

I have also been thrilled to meet some of the residents moving into newly-built homes for rent and purchase. There is such a pressing need for new housing in our area and I’m pleased that we have already started to deliver on our promise to provide more new homes.

We set out to meet the pledges we made to customers before our merger. I’m pleased that we have been able to do that and delighted that our hard work has received national recognition in our first year as a new group. It has been fantastic to see colleagues step up to celebrate so many top awards and commendations. There can be no doubt that our services are becoming recognised as some of the best in Britain.

I’m really pleased to see the expansion of Care Plus into Shropshire – you can read more about that on page 13 of this magazine. You can also find our annual report on pages 10–11. We are reporting some great results as a stronger, larger group. Crucially, though, we are making a difference to people, families and communities.

We aren’t just handing over the keys to a new home, we are changing lives. “

“We aren’t just handing over the keys to a new home, we are changing lives.”

What an amazing year!

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Sarah Boden is pictured celebrating the first birthday

of our Group with one-year-olds William,

Dawson and Marley

Learn about some of the lives we’ve changed on pages 20–21 and in the Building Our Future area of the Housing Plus Group website.

by Sarah Boden, Chief Executive, Housing Plus Group

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Housing Plus Group is celebrating news of shortlisting in two categories in the prestigious 24Housing Awards.

Our group has been recognised in the categories of Care & Support Provider of the Year and Repairs & Maintenance Provider of the Year.

Hundreds of nominations were received for this year’s awards and the winners will be announced in October.

In the Care & Support category, the Care Plus domiciliary care team has been shortlisted. Last year the carers provided more than 1,000 hours of care and support each week, helping 120 people to live independently in their own homes as a result.

The team receives outstanding levels of customer satisfaction, with 100% of people saying that their carers treated them with dignity and the same percentage describing their carers as good or very good. One memorably added: “I’ve got my happiness back!”

In the Repairs & Maintenance category there is more recognition for the Property Plus team, the in-house repairs and maintenance service for Housing Plus Group.

Fair Landlord policies helped Property Plus to invest £14m annually in home improvements, including fitting 400 new kitchens, 500 bathrooms and carrying out Home MOTs on every property, on a neighbourhood rotation. Apprenticeship opportunities have also been created for young people in local communities.

Housing Plus Group chief executive Sarah Boden said: “I am delighted that both these customer-focused services have been shortlisted for the 24Housing Awards. Our teams have beaten stiff competition to reach this level and to be shortlisted nationally is a fantastic achievement.”

The winners of this year’s awards will be announced in October.

Awards at the double for Housing Plus Group

2 What an amazing year!3 Awards at the double for Housing Plus Group4 Open for you5 Neighbours celebrate £20 million investment in homes6 100 happy returns for Jack Review of Anti Social Behaviour management7 Board member made MBE at Buckingham Palace Super fan Nicola meets her hero8 Smart meters – the simple way to cut your energy bills A reminder about rent payment in advance9 Care Plus hosts visiting MP10 How are we doing?12 Keeping you safe in your home13 Expansion for successful care service14 Tenancy fraud — why it’s up to all of us to beat the fraudsters16 Fixed term tenancies — new from December17 New home is the key to freedom for Debbie18 More choice for you 19 Fair Landlord: Why I believe fairer is better Let’s talk: projects underway for customer panels20 Staffordshire residents star in billboard campaign21 News in brief22 Fly-tipping clean up costs increase24 Pupils top of the class for volunteering

What’sinside

Open for YOU Outstanding fitness and leisure facilities in PenkridgeAs well as providing luxurious retirement living opportunities for local people, Pencric offers facilities open to residents of all ages in the community.

The award-winning residential and leisure development in Tildesley Close, Penkridge includes these great amenities open to the public:

l A fitness suite with advanced equipment giving members unlimited access to public swimming sessions at Penkridge Leisure Centre

l Edgar’s restaurant with rooftop terrace, bar and coffee shop

l An exclusive snooker club

l A unisex hairdressing and beauty salon

l Flexible spaces for business meetings, presentations and events

Whether you want to indulge in a coffee and cake, catch-up with friends over lunch, kick-start a fitness plan, change your look or

boost your business, everything that you need is in one place.

Membership costs and benefits You don’t need to be a member to use Edgar’s or the hairdressing and beauty salon at Pencric.

There is a £10 joining fee for the snooker club and members pay-to-play at just £5 per hour.

Membership of the gym is £20 per month. Fitness classes are £3.50 or FREE to members. For super-convenience the fitness suite is open 9am-8pm seven days a week.

You can even collect your own Forward to Health passport to fitness, for incredible value:

l Unlimited access to the Pencric fitness suite for three months

l Unlimited access to public swimming sessions at Penkridge Leisure Centre for three months

l A fitness evaluation and tailored training plan

l A detailed fitness assessment mid-way through your plan and at the end of the programme

First class facilities Pencric is a £14 million retirement living community named the best in the country when it opened in 2014.

The development provides contemporary apartments to rent or buy, with care and support offered by the exceptional carers of Care Plus – shortlisted for a national Care & Support Team of the Year award.

Pencric is for the community and part of the community. Even its name is a nod to one of the earliest names for the market town.

“We want local people to enjoy Pencric. The building is easy to reach off the A449, making it really convenient for people living or working locally. It also benefits from ample car parking and easy access for people with restricted mobility. It’s an award-winning facility, of which Penkridge can be very proud.”Les Clarke, director of care and support, Housing Plus Group

Just£36

Pencric fitness and leisure facilitiesFor more information or membership enquiries, visit Pencric, call us on 01785 711720 or complete this form and return it to Care Plus, Acton Court, Acton Gate, Staffordshire, ST18 9AP

Name:

Address:

Phone:4

Neighbours celebrate £20 million investment in homesTasty celebrations marked the completion of Housing Plus Group’s latest development of new homes. That was because the project took our five-year investment in rural communities past £20 million.

The new residents of Brook Close, in Condover, Shropshire, marked the milestone with a special lunch for friends and neighbours.

Housing Plus Group chief executive Sarah Boden attended the lunch and explained why she believes that this kind of development is vital for local villages and rural communities:

“We work really closely with our partners to build affordable homes for people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to stay in villages like this,” explained Sarah. “An investment of £20 million represents significant support for rural communities.”

In the last five years SSHA and Severnside have provided 186 extra homes in rural settings across Staffordshire and

Shropshire. These homes are addressing the lack of affordable homes in the countryside and ensuring that villages can thrive.

In South Staffordshire rural projects have included developing 15 houses and seven bungalows in Gravel Lane, Huntington, building 14 new homes in Himley Lane, Swindon and completing three bungalows for people aged over 55 in Kinver – the first affordable homes to be built in the village for over 15 years.

“New homes are making a real difference by ensuring more people can afford to live in the countryside and improving the long term sustainability of these areas,” said Sarah Boden.

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100 Happy Returns for JackOld School Court resident Jack Bare celebrated his 100th birthday with a card from the Queen and a party attended by four generations of his family.

Joining Jack and his wife Joan at their Wheaton Aston home were daughter Gill, granddaughter Caroline and great grandchildren Isabelle and Reuben. Jack was able to talk to his other granddaughter, Jane, at her home in Hong Kong using Skype.

Exercise and adventure might be the secrets of Jack’s long life. A champion swimmer and water polo player in his teens, Jack met Joan when they joined a local cycling club on the same night. The couple thought nothing

of riding 100 miles at a time on their tandem and were frequent swimmers into their retirement.

Based in Italy during World War II, Jack and Joan became regular travellers, enjoying holidays in France, Spain and Portugal. In their early married life Jack and Joan used to drive to Italy, staying as guests in convents after Joan had taught English to Italian nuns.

His engineering skills meant that he was asked to work on Bluebird, the craft Donald Campbell would use to make his attempt on the water speed record. Jack was often at Coniston for the trials of Bluebird though he was not present at its crash.

Jack and Joan have spent 12 happy years at Old School Court, marking amazing milestones including their 77th wedding anniversary and 90th birthdays.

Review of Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) managementAs part of the harmonisation of services ensuring that customers of SSHA and Severnside receive the same quality of services wherever they live, the Neighbourhood team is currently developing a joint approach to managing nuisance and anti social behaviour in Staffordshire and Shropshire.

The review is an excellent opportunity for the team to take the best features of the management processes in both areas to design a brand new service, including the latest computerised ASB case management system, called ReACT.

The upgraded system will help us to provide an effective, timely response for victims of ASB and will also give a clear understanding of patterns of nuisance behaviour in particular areas, so that we can better target resources to help customers experiencing this distressing issue.

Helen Oakes, Neighbourhoods Manager is leading the review. She explained: “We want to provide better outcomes for

customers experiencing ASB and to support sustainable neighbourhoods. We would welcome input from customers in this process. If you would like to play a part in the review, email me on helen.oakes@housingplusgroup.co.uk We will contact you at key times during the review, so that your experiences and feedback can make a difference.”

We will keep you updated about the progress of the review and any changes taking place as a result, in future issues of News Extra.

“We want to provide better outcomes

for customers experiencing ASB”

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Super-fan Nicola meets her hero — with a little help from HazelCherry Tree Court resident Nicola Lees had a very special meeting with her favourite musician, thanks to carer Hazel Sheard.

Hazel knows that Nicola is one of Peter Andre’s biggest fans. So when word reached her that Peter was making a secret visit to Npower offices in nearby Oldbury, she pulled a few strings to set up a top treat for her.

Hazel’s daughter works for the power company and was able to arrange for Nicola – who has seen her idol five times in concert – to meet the singer.

“Everyone knows I’m a big fan of Peter,” said Nicola. “He’s a brilliant performer and very down to earth. I was very excited to meet him again and he definitely recognised me!”

Nicola had her picture taken with Peter and a framed photograph provides a lasting reminder of her amazing day.

Board member made MBE at Buckingham PalaceLongstanding board member Mike Roughan was appointed MBE for services to children and the community in the New Year honours list. In the summer, Mike went to Buckingham Palace to receive his honour from the Queen.

Formerly a member of the Severnside board, Mike now sits on the board of Care Plus. Championing adoption services and having been an adoptive parent himself, Mike chairs adoption panels in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Leicestershire & Rutland.

Mike said that he was hugely honoured to meet the Queen, adding that he had been taken

aback when he first learned of the award, late last year.

“It came as a huge surprise back in November but it is a real honour, I am very pleased,” he said. “I felt very privileged to meet the Queen. For me though, I could not have got this award without the work of all the people that make my job possible.”

Les Clarke, director of care and support, said that everyone at Care Plus was delighted with the recognition for their board member: “We are very pleased for Mike and were extremely proud to see the photographs of him receiving his honour from the Queen.”

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“It came as a huge surprise... but it is a real honour...”

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Smart meters – the simple way to cut your energy billsA new generation of smart gas and electricity meters is replacing traditional equipment across the country.

They send automatic readings directly and securely to your energy supplier. They have a display that shows exactly how much energy is being used and how much it costs, in near to real time.

By 2020 the Government wants every household in Britain to be offered a smart meter, and it’s estimated that 53 million of them will be fitted in the next three years.

How do smart meters work?By sending automatic readings directly to your energy supplier via a secure national network used solely for smart meters (similar to car key fobs or the TV remote), you only pay for the

energy you use. And because you can see how much energy you are using, it’s easy to see how you could become more energy efficient.

How could smart meters help you to save money?

l You can see exactly how much energy you use, in pounds and pence.

l You will receive accurate bills instead of estimates.

l You can say goodbye to meter readings!

l Smart meters can lead to lower energy bills by making it easier to see the times where you’re using a lot of energy.

l Smart meters can be installed at no extra cost to you, by your energy supplier.

What about customers who use prepay meters?As smart meter technology also works with prepay meters, it will make it easier to top-up your credit. Depending on the supplier, you will be able to top-up online or through a smartphone app with no need to hurry to your local shop!

Getting startedYou can start to get energy smart today by requesting more information from your energy supplier. Get the details you need to consider whether smart meters are right for you.

Our tenancies are changing: A reminder about rent payment in advanceIn the summer issue of News Extra we explained that we would be changing the way that we collect rent for customers starting new tenancies with SSHA. This change will take place in October.

Customers starting tenancies with us from that date will pay their rent in advance.

If you are already a customer with us then your rent will

continue to be collected in the same way — you will still pay at the end of each week or month.

Our customers in Shropshire pay their rent in advance. From 1 October we will be introducing changes for new tenants in Staffordshire as part of our commitment to ensure that our customers receive the same high quality service, wherever you live.

Care Plus hosts visiting MP Government chief whip Gavin Williamson visited Corsers Court in August to see how supported housing changes lives.

Corsers Court in Perton opened in 1992 and has since benefited from investment of around £2 million to improve facilities for residents. The MP for South Staffordshire toured the development which includes 62 apartments and bungalows.

Les Clarke, director of care and support, explained how supported housing such as Corsers Court provides vital help for residents in the wider communities. Schemes host lunch clubs targeting loneliness among older people and initiatives like the acclaimed Songs for You music workshops are attended by people with dementia and their carers living near to the schemes.

He told Mr Williamson about Adam and Krystina Lloyd,

the young couple starring in our #BuildingOurFutureHPG campaign. Adam has cerebral palsy and his wife Krystina has scoliosis. Adam has said that supported housing has made it possible for them to lead an independent life together. You can read more about Adam and Krystina and our #BuildingOurFutureHPG campaign on pages 20 and 21.

Proposed changes to funding for supported housing would place a significant burden on communities like Corsers Court. As the major supported housing provider in South Staffordshire, the Group is calling on the government to take a careful approach to any change in the current funding.

“In particular, I urged Mr Williamson to back the need to exclude sheltered housing from the

present proposals, to base future funding arrangements on the cost of delivering supported housing and to ensure long term sustainability for existing and new supported housing schemes,” said Les Clarke.

“We also discussed the fact that Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates used to calculate housing benefit do not reflect our housing market. Much of this area is covered by the LHA rate for the Black Country, where housing costs are significantly lower. The proposed cap will place South Staffordshire constituents at a considerable disadvantage.”

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Housing management 3,532,000

Service charges 2,200,000

Routine maintenance 1,843,000

Planned maintenance 4,627,000

Bad debts 70,000

Depreciation & impairment 4,968,000

Cost of sales 818,000

Support services 3,495,000

Developing new homes 239,000

Interest payable and similar charges 6,990,000

Other costs 21,000

How are we doing?

Rent & service charges 28,786,000

Sales 1,301,000

Rent for shops, garages, etc 461,000

Interest received 25,000

Amortised grant 811,000

Every year we tell you about our financial performance. We also report back to you on how we measure-up against the important service commitments we make to our customers.

Financial reports, along with detailed value for money statements can be found on the Housing Plus Group website. Here is an at-a-glance guide to our performance in key areas.

Income & expenditure

Income

Expenditure

Customer satisfaction

Number of complaints received:2015/16: 304 complaints

Complaints responded to within 10 day target:2015/16: 66%

Number of compliments received:2015/16: 332

2016/17: 186 complaints

2016/17: 69%

2016/17: 275

Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 •

As you can see, there has been a big fall in the number of complaints received this year

That is an even more impressive result when you remember that just two years ago, we received 672 complaints.

Did you know?of all complaints received were resolved at Stage 1 of our complaints process.

of complaints were acknowledged within two days.

95%90%

Total

Total

31,384,000

28,803,000

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.

Customer services

Your tenancy

Your neighbourhood

Your home

This year we answered 82,278 calls from you.We set out to resolve your queries and requests the first time you call.

We are committed to keeping rent arrears below 2.24%

We let 487 homes including general needs and supported housing. Of those applicants

l 33 were in the Gold Priority band

l 104 were in the Gold band

l 153 were in the Silver band

l 197 were in the Bronze band

We are committed to helping customers experiencing ASB.

We dealt with 196 cases of anti-social behaviour

We worked with Staffordshire police to obtain 7 injunction orders for ASB or other tenancy breaches, 2 committals and 8 possession orders, 5 of which were suspended terms.

We committed to achieving 95% of responsive repairs within 30 days.

Our target for customer satisfaction with responsive repairs was 85%.

We committed to attending all emergencies in four hours.

Result: 2016/17 88%

Result: 2016/17 1.34%

Result: 2016/17 97.34%

Result: 2016/17 98%

Result: 2016/17 98.44%

Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 • Annual Report 2016/17 •

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Keeping you safe in your homeAs your landlord we have important legal duties and obligations. Most of these responsibilities involve your safety and that of your home and family. Sometimes we need access to your home to carry out safety checks.

Our Safety First responsibilities:

l Electrical installation checks and associated repairs

l Ensuring all our schemes and communal areas have a Fire Risk Assessment and that any remedial work identified (such as fitting fire doors) is carried out

l Servicing and maintaining passenger lifts

l Managing asbestos

l Gas servicing and repairs

By law, we must carry out an annual gas safety check of your home.

If you don’t have a gas supply to your home, we may still need to carry out a periodic check. It is a regulatory requirement that we visit a sample of these properties each year.

We make sure that gas fittings (appliances, pipework and flues)

installed by us are maintained in a safe condition. All work is carried out by a Gas Safe registered installer and a gas service is carried out on each/appliance flue in your home every year. On new tenancies, all gas appliances and flues will be checked before you move in.

To help us provide an even better service for customers, we are installing brand new Gas Tag technology. The Gas Tag has a direct link to the Gas Safe Register to give you the reassurance that your home is being serviced by a qualified, Gas Safe registered engineer. The technology cuts unnecessary paperwork and helps engineers concentrate on looking after the appliances in your home. They simply tap the tag and get started. It also means that should you ever need to know about work done, with a few clicks you can have your gas safety record delivered via email.

As an SSHA customer it is an important condition of your tenancy that you allow access to your home for vital maintenance and safety checks.

If you need to change an appointment for a gas safety check you can contact Robert

Heath Heating on 0333 240 8803.

Failure to give reasonable access to your home to carry out safety checks is a breach of tenancy and could result in legal action. Even more importantly, though, you could be putting at risk your own life and those of your family and neighbours.

Gas safety checksSSHA has a legal responsibility to carry out an annual gas inspection at every one of our homes with a gas supply.

If we book a gas safety check appointment with you it is really important that you are in to let our contractors, Robert Heath Heating, undertake this essential work.

Unfortunately, if we cannot access your property to carry out these important gas safety checks, we will take legal action to gain entry.

Expansion for successful care serviceCare Plus, the successful service providing care and support to people in their own homes, is expanding into Shropshire. Care Plus is part of Housing Plus Group, together with SSHA, Severnside Housing, Severn Homes and Property Plus.

Care Plus already delivers this care to customers in Staffordshire, where last year the dedicated team provided more than 1,000 hours of care and support each week.

Often, this kind of service can make the difference between someone needing to move into residential care and

continuing to live independently in familiar surroundings close to family and friends. In Staffordshire, it is estimated that more than 120 people were able to live independently in their own homes as a direct result of the work of a team recognised as one of the best in the country.

This month Care Plus will begin offering the same service to people living in Shropshire.

“It is a very exciting time for Care Plus and I am delighted that people in Shropshire will have access to this service,” said Les Clarke, director of care and support. “We are incredibly proud of the difference we make to the lives of customers and their families. Our care and support teams do

remarkable work which results in outstanding levels of

customer satisfaction.

“This is something special for Shropshire

and I’m confident that our distinctive pink uniforms and the bright pink Care Plus car are going to become a very familiar sight in the county.”

Satisfied customers

100% of Care Plus customers describe

their carers as good or very good.

99% of Care Plus customers are very

happy with the service

100% of Care Plus customers say their carers treat them with dignity

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Tenancy fraud can take place when someone gives false information to apply for a home. That could mean that they are offered a home which should have gone to someone in greater need.

Fraud can happen during the tenancy, too, where a tenant sublets all or part of their home to someone else so that they can make extra money illegally.

What is the impact of tenancy fraud?Tenancy fraud has an impact on all of us. Crucially, it reduces the

number of affordable homes that are available for people who really need them. It could make it more difficult for your children to find affordable rented homes

enabling them to live and work in the local area.

There are other effects too. Anti-social behaviour may increase in areas where homes are sublet and this can mean that your neighbourhood isn’t a safe, enjoyable place to live.

For SSHA, there is an increased risk of damage to our properties and rent loss. This means we have to spend more money repairing homes and less on investing in home improvement and community projects – the very opposite of everything we strive to achieve as a Fair Landlord.

Nationally, it is estimated that at least 100,000 housing association homes are affected by some form of tenancy fraud. This has a direct impact on the thousands of people on waiting lists throughout the country, in temporary accommodation or looking to transfer to a more suitable home.

Tenancy fraud reduces the number of homes available for people who really need them. It’s not fair and it’s illegal. We are working hard to prevent tenancy fraud and you can help by reporting anything you might see as suspicious.

How can you help?Be awareDo you know your neighbours and who the tenant should be in their homes?

Has there been a change of occupants at a neighbouring property?

Do you notice any unusual activity in the neighbourhood?

Have you overheard any suggestion that a home is being sublet?

Does the neighbouring property appear to be empty?

Report itIf you suspect tenancy fraud you can report this to us by calling our customer services team on 01785 312000. The information you give us will be dealt with in confidence.

Tenancy fraud: why it’s up to all of us to beat the fraudsters

What is SSHA doing to target fraud?In September an ambitious pilot project in Staffordshire will aim to tackle fraudulent applications for social housing as well as combating fraud during tenancies. The project is being delivered by SSHA in partnership with the fraud team at South Staffordshire Council.

The aim of this project is to help us to understand how much fraudulent tenancy exists in the local area and to enable us to put into place policies and procedures that will prevent fraud before it happens.

By stopping fraud in its tracks, we can make more homes available to people and families in need of affordable housing. We can also make savings which will allow us to maintain our Fair Landlord investment in home improvements.

Tenancy fraud has a direct impact on people, families and communities. Tackling fraud is a priority we share with customers and partner organisations throughout south Staffordshire.

Did you know?Tenancy fraud costs £2 billion to taxpayers each year

Subletting is a criminal offence and those found guilty can face up to two years in prison and/or a £5,000 fine

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Our tenancies are changing: Fixed term tenancies — new from DecemberOur new tenancies are changing from 1 December 2017, when we introduce fixed term contracts.

If you are already a tenant of ours, this won’t change anything about your agreement with us. You will notice a difference, though, if you or a member of your family starts a new tenancy with us.

What’s new? New customers NOT in sheltered, Extra Care or other forms of sheltered housing, will be given a starter tenancy for one year. As long as there haven’t been any problems with the tenancy, at the end of that period it will convert to a fixed-term tenancy for five years.

We think that it is important to give people certainty and security. That’s the cornerstone of our role as a not-for-profit social landlord. Customers starting one of these new tenancies will have the peace of mind that – as long as there are not tenancy breaches – they have a secure home for as long as they want it, right through to the end of the contract.

At the end of the five year fixed term tenancy agreement, tenancies may be renewed, as long as there have been no tenancy breaches or significant changes in your circumstances.

Throughout the term of the tenancy and in the final year of the agreement, we will review the conduct of the tenancy as well as household circumstances, to help us understand whether a particular property is still suitable for the tenant.

Why are we making this change?Fixed term tenancies are supported by the government, which is encouraging the use of these tenancy agreements by social housing providers.

The tenancies recognise that people’s circumstances and requirements alter over time and we are now able to offer a much wider range of products and tenures to meet changing demand.

It is a flexible service and more responsive to customers. At the end of the fixed term tenancy, a review might suggest that a customer would benefit from a different kind of home – larger or smaller, as family sizes change. It could be that a customer would be looking to move into home ownership or one of the market rental properties offered through Severn Homes.

As well as being responsive to changing needs, fixed tenancies are also part of our Fair Landlord framework.

There can be long waiting lists of people in need of affordable homes in this area. It is our responsibility to make sure that general needs homes are available to those who need them most.

By taking a fresh look at the circumstances of our customers and helping some of our tenants to find a home that better suits their needs; we can ensure that we provide homes in the fairest possible way.

Do the new tenancies apply to everyone?Fixed term tenancies do not apply to people who are already a tenant of South Staffordshire Housing Association or Severnside Housing before 1 December 2017.

Some groups of customers will continue to be offered lifetime tenancies after that date. The Homes and Communities Agency recognises that people with particular vulnerabilities need greater housing stability. In line with the recommendation of the government office, anyone moving into supported housing including sheltered and Extra Care accommodation will continue to receive lifetime tenancies.

For more information about our tenancies, see our websites at www.ssha.co.uk and www.severnsidehousing.co.uk or call your local customer services team.

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South Staffordshire Housing Association (SSHA) has handed over the keys to a new home which Debbie Bryan says is changing her life.

The bungalow in Bilbrook has been specially designed for Debbie, who has spina bifida. Six years ago the mum of two became a full-time wheelchair user, restricting her to two rooms on the ground floor of her previous home.

“I needed to move into a more accessible home but I wanted to stay in the area because my parents and sister live nearby and I get a lot of support from my family. About a year ago I heard that SSHA were redeveloping a former garage site to provide new homes and that I had been allocated an adapted bungalow,” said Debbie.

The SSHA development team wanted to make certain that Debbie could access every part of her new home and their made-to-measure approach started with a visit to see how she used her wheelchair.

As a result, the new home features extra-wide doorways and plenty of turning space in every room. “My condition

means that my leg has to be extended. Obviously that means I need quite a lot of space to turn the chair around,” Debbie explained.

“I’ve got my independence back. The first time I washed a load of laundry, folded the clothes and put them in my daughter’s bedroom was very special because I’ve relied on my children to do so much to help. This is much more than a new home. It feels as though I can be a proper mum again.”

With a shortage of affordable housing in South Staffordshire, the average house price is now almost eight times the average household income. In a bid to provide new homes in village settings, SSHA researched its garage locations to identify sites

that might be suitable for low-impact development.

The association has worked with district and parish councils to ensure that these developments meet the particular needs of local communities. In Bilbrook, councillors Val Chapman and Paul Fieldhouse were aware of Debbie’s housing needs and stayed closely involved in the project to provide her with alternative accommodation.

Councillor Chapman, Chairman of South Staffordshire Council, said, “Providing new affordable housing to help local people of all ages continue living within their parish contributes in the long term to maintaining the community spirit. Debbie is from Bilbrook and has close family nearby and this new bungalow has given her the independence to live in her own home.

“When I first met Debbie I was struck by how, in spite of her disability, she just wanted to do what she described as ‘normal things’ for herself and her family. I am very pleased that by working in partnership, South Staffordshire Housing Association and South Staffordshire Council have made it possible for her to do that.”

“I’ve got my independence back.”

New home is the key to freedom for Debbie

Homes available for market rent, shared ownership and purchase Severn Homes is a specialist company within Housing Plus Group, offering more choice for house-hunters in Staffordshire and Shropshire. Severn Homes operates as a commercial company, providing homes for private rent, shared ownership or outright sale.

Exciting development sites are under construction throughout the area and more than 200 homes are privately rented.

Simon and Jess Quilter bought a shared ownership property through Severn Homes. Months after moving into their two-bedroom house, baby Shannon was born.

“This is just what we wanted, a new house on what feels like a family estate,” said the 33-year-old Simon. “It’s important that we’re in a nice home and there is a real sense of security through shared ownership.”

The couple pay a mortgage for 25 per cent of the property’s

value and rent the remaining 75 per cent share. They are now paying £100 a month less than it cost to rent their previous home.

“Buying a house does seem quite daunting but if we had any questions we knew we could always contact Severn Homes,” says Simon. “It was a lot easier than we were

expecting and the extra money really helps; especially now we have a baby.”

For more information about Severn Homes visit www.severnhomes.co.uk

More choice for you:

“It was a lot easier than we were expecting and the extra money really helps”

Penkridge

Contemporary retirement living for people aged 55+

For more information visit www.severnhomes.co.uk or

call 01785 312213

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Fair Landlord: why I believe fairer is betterBy scrutiny panel chair Jerry WilletsJerry Willets is chair of the Scrutiny panel. He told us why he believes Fair Landlord is so important:

“For most customers, value for money is a priority and they want to see that it is a priority for their housing association too. It is important to tenants that resources are spent carefully, so that they get the best possible standard of service when they pay their rent.

“Fair Landlord delivers that assurance because it means

that spending is planned so that the majority of customers benefit. It protects

important services and means that more people see the results of investment in things like new kitchens and bathrooms, energy-efficient boilers and Home MOT upgrades.

“I’m not sure that customers necessarily appreciated the impact of the annual rent reductions set by government. To someone paying their rent, that means a one per cent reduction each year. To the association, that adds up to a staggering £13m deficit in the budget!

“Fair Landlord is helping SSHA do more, with less. It’s about spending smarter, being clear about the responsibilities of the landlord and customer and

tackling issues like the cost of missed appointments, or the cost to put right empty homes which have been left in a poor condition.

“Many families will be doing exactly the same thing with household budgets. We might not call it Fair Landlord but we will be working to make our income stretch further.”

Let’s talk: projects underway for customer panelsThe first projects undertaken by the new customer panels are getting underway.

In the last issue of News Extra we told you about all the new ways to make your voice heard in Housing Plus Group and introduced the three customer panels: Communications, Scrutiny and Complaints and Compliments.

The panels have already been busy. They set out proposals for the first projects that they will undertake which received board approval in July.

Communications panelThis panel has been closely involved with the STAR survey and what are called ‘transactional’ surveys – research which takes place after you receive a particular service from us, to obtain your views and feedback.

Scrutiny panelThis panel is looking at the performance of our out-of-hours enquiry service. They are finding out how well we deal with your calls at times when our busy customer service centres are closed.

Complaints and Compliments Panel members are considering the policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms for SSHA and Severnside to find how they compare against each other and other leading organisations as well as checking the requirements of the Ombudsman and our Regulator. Their findings will support the creation of new, joint policies and reporting processes across the group.

Let’s talk

CommunicationsPanel

Let’s talk

ScrutinyPanel

Complaints &Compliments Panel

Let’s talk

You will be able to keep up to date with the work of the customer panels in future issues of the magazine. 19

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Staffordshire residents star in billboard campaignCUSTOMERS of SSHA are starring in a campaign aimed at getting to the heart of what a home means to all of us.

The soon-to-be celebrities had their first taste of fame with the unveiling of super-sized posters in the busy centre of Telford. The posters have appeared on hoardings around Reynolds House, being developed to provide a new head office for Housing Plus Group.

“As we prepare for our own move into a new ‘home’ we wanted to underline the power of a home to change lives,” explained chief executive Sarah Boden.

Featuring in the #BuildingOurFutureHPG campaign are Danielle Harrison and her son Eli. Danielle found herself homeless on Christmas Eve and her new baby spent his first Christmas in emergency bed and breakfast accommodation. With help from South Staffordshire Housing Association, they have settled into a home in Penkridge.

“I never saw myself as someone who could be homeless. I was working; I had a husband and family. Now I feel so lucky. I’ve got a secure home and stability for Eli. This isn’t just somewhere to stay, it’s our home.”

Adam and Krystina Lloyd live in an apartment in Pencric, the extra care development in Penkridge managed by Care Plus. The couple, both of whom

have disabilities, got married last year.

“Home gives me independence and a sense of responsibility I’ve never experienced before. I enjoy being in our own space. When we close our front door it’s just me and Krystina,” explains Adam. “For many people with disability, independent living is an impossible dream.”

Also taking part in the campaign is John Grosvenor who works for Property Plus, leading the award-winning Home MOT team providing facelifts for neighbourhoods across Staffordshire. He says: “It feels good to make a difference to a community.”

Reynolds House will be the site of a new head office, scheduled

More information about the stars of the campaign can be found at www.housingplusgroup.co.uk/building-our-future

to open during 2018. All of our local offices will remain in Staffordshire and Shropshire, as we committed to customers during the formation of the group.

“Since our merger in October 2016, Housing Plus Group has operated two head offices,” said Sarah Boden. “A new home for the Group will improve services for customers and reduce our operating costs, enabling us to create more homes for people like Danielle and Eli and Adam and Krystina.”

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News in briefA new film about the work of Housing Plus Group features our staff and customers. Find out more about some of the life-changing work we do and watch drone footage of our superb new developments. Watch the film at www.housingplusgroup.co.uk/ building-our-future

The film is part of our #BuildingOurFutureHPG campaign so please share it on social media too.

Fly-tipping clean-up costs increase Fly-tipping is on the rise. It’s a problem blighting neighbourhoods nationwide and clean-up costs in the UK are expected to top £50m in 2017.

At a time of funding cuts to public services, the country is spending a vast amount tackling fly-tipping, using money which could be spent on vital frontline support.

In Staffordshire and Shropshire, we are spending money which could be used on home improvements to remove

rubbish which is not only an eyesore for our customers but could also present a danger to health and a potential fire hazard.

In South Staffordshire, SSHA spent £32,000 dealing with fly-tipping last year. That’s a huge sum of money which could have paid for an extra 64 homes to benefit from the MOT service or allowed us to fit another 10 new bathrooms in customers’ homes.

“It’s an increasing problem,” said neighbourhoods director Jan Goode. “For instance we

are removing a lot of discarded fridges and freezers. For us to dispose of a single fridge costs £135. An individual can take a fridge to their nearest household waste and recycling centre free of charge. You can even ask your local council to collect bulky items for a small fee.”

Keeping internal communal areas in apartment buildings clear of objects and preventing fly-tipping there, plays a big part in improving the safety of residents, as well as creating a pleasant living environment.

Many of the items removed from stairways and communal areas in flats posed a significant danger to people living in the building. Cardboard boxes and bags of rubbish are highly flammable and discarded furniture as well as mats outside the doors of flats could make it more difficult to escape quickly and safely in the event of fire.

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In Shropshire, senior neighbourhood officer Mark Pragg said that safety was a huge concern for Severnside residents, too.

“Fly-tipping is having a big impact on our customers. They are quite rightly concerned about fire safety and worried that discarded waste in communal areas attracts pests. We completely understand, too, that it spoils their living environment.

“A big problem in this area is fly-tipping in the outside drying areas behind some blocks of flats. We’re asking residents to work with us to tackle this problem. Keep a look out for suspicious activity and if you think fly-tipping is taking place, let us know straight away. We have zero tolerance of fly-tipping. It is unfair that the actions of a small number of people can affect the safety and wellbeing of so many of our

customers at a cost that we all share.”

On Wednesday 6 September, members of the neighbourhood impact and facilities management teams spent a day removing rubbish from some of the areas where it is causing the biggest problem.

“We got these areas clear and provided a fresh start for residents,”

explained senior tenancy and estate management officer Teresa Smith. “Now we are focusing closely on those neighbourhoods and will take tenancy enforcement action or consider legal proceedings with repeat offenders. It is part of our Fair Landlord responsibility to reduce the cost of fly-tipping to the association and its impact on our customers. We take that responsibility very seriously.”

Cannock Recycling Centre Lichfield Road Cannock WS11 8NQ

Wombourne Recycling Centre Botterham Lane Wombourne DY3 4RA

Bilbrook Recycling Centre Pendeford Mill Lane Codsall WV8 1JJ

Useful contact details

South Staffordshire Council bulky waste collection service — 01902 696203

“It’s an increasing problem”

Useful telephone numbers: l General property repairs,

rent payment, debt advice and fault reporting 01785 312000 SSHA Customer Services

l Gas repairs and services 0333 240 8803 (Robert Heath Heating)

l Gas leaks 0800 111 999 (National Gas Emergency Service)

l Health and sickness help and advice 111 (NHS Direct)

l Police 101 (non-emergency)

l Refuse collection 01902 696203 (South Staffordshire Council)

l Street lighting 0300 111 8000 (South Staffordshire Council)

l Street cleaning 01902 696316 (South Staffordshire Council)

l Personal concerns, worries and troubles 08457 90 90 90 (Samaritans)

This newsletter is also available in:

Large print

Audio

Other languages

For more information call Customer Services

Acton Court, Acton Gate, Staffordshire ST18 9AP

Customer Services t: 01785 312000 e: enquiries@ssha.co.uk w: www.ssha.co.uk

Pupils top of the class for volunteeringPupils at Wolgarston High School got together to make a difference for older people in retirement living communities managed by Staffordshire not-for-profit organisation Care Plus.

The pupils spent a day on projects with Care Plus, including running IT drop-in advice sessions, sprucing-up communal gardens and hosting afternoon tea.

A group of students passed on their IT skills to residents of Pencric, in Penkridge, providing drop-in advice to help people use laptops, mobile phones and tablets.

“They sat patiently with the residents, helping them to overcome problems and get more out of IT” said Pencric

manager Nicola Smith, “One lady was thrilled to be able to place her first order for online groceries. She’s following a special diet and said that it was so much easier to find the right food once she knew how to shop online.”

Six teenagers visited Care Plus communities in Coven, Wheaton Aston and Brewood, where they got busy helping residents brighten communal gardens with planted containers and baskets.

“Everyone said how much they had enjoyed meeting the young people and how hard they had worked,” said Les Clarke, care and support director. “Gardeners of all ages interacted brilliantly and made a huge difference to the surroundings.”

Meanwhile other pupils were putting the finishing touches to an afternoon tea held at the school. They provided transport for the residents, who enjoyed refreshments prepared and served by the young people, followed by a lively game of bingo.

“The whole day was a great inter-generational experience,” said Les Clarke. “The pupils were a fantastic credit to their school which is taking a lead for community activities and volunteering in the area.”