Providing Quality Homes & Neighbourhoods

Safe as houses A1 Housing tenant Shelley McVay lays one of the first bricks on Smith Square. Page 5

A letter from South Africa In Touch goes global and reunites long-lost friends. Page 9

Money Matters More money advice and budget busting.

Pages 12 and 13

Inside this issue

www.a1housing.co.ukIssue 37 Spring 2015

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Planting the question

2

Involving you & Community News

Farewell from Bernard IT is with great sadness that, after 10 very enjoyable years as Managing Director of A1 Housing, I have to inform you that this is my final column.Some of you may already know that at the end of January 2015, I was forced to retire on health grounds. While I am sorry to be leaving, I am happy that it will continue to be a valued organisation and I leave it in more than capable hands. I joined Bassetlaw District Council in 1996 to head up the housing department, before successfully overseeing its transformation to A1 Housing in 2004.After so many years there have been many achievements, but I have taken a lot of pride from the hard work that many of my colleagues have put in during the creation of A1 Housing and having seen it become a successful organisation.Just some of the highlights include obtaining and retaining a two-star status from the Audit Commission, the completion of the Decent Homes Programme to more than 90% of our houses, and numerous awards and accolades along the way.There are also lots of new challenges on the horizon and I was especially pleased to be around to see A1 Housing secure its future for the next 15 years with a new management agreement with the Council.

It has been a great pleasure to work with, what I believe is the best workforce in the country, a great Board and more importantly the best tenants. Without the help and friendship of all these people, my time at A1 Housing, and previously with the Council, would not have been as enjoyable.I hope that as A1 Housing moves forward, officers, tenants, Councillors and external contractors all continue to work together to ensure that Bassetlaw continues to receive the best possible housing services.You may also like to know that Don Spittlehouse has been appointed as the new Managing Director of A1 Housing.Don has been A1 Housing’s Director of Technical and Housing Services since the organisation was created and has more than 30 years of experience in the housing and local government sector.I wish Don, and all his colleagues, the best of luck as they lead A1 Housing into a new era.

OVER the last 18 months, A1 Housing has supplied Bassetlaw District Council with a large selection of bedding plants and flowers for its displays on some of the district’s roundabouts and planters across the district.Thanks to the success of this partnership and the complements we have received, we are exploring the possibility of producing additional plants each year, as well as providing additional services to sell privately to A1 Housing tenants. As such, we are asking tenants if they would consider buying their bedding plants from A1 Housing at a discounted rate? You can register your interest by calling our contact centre and completing a very short questionnaire, by doing so you could even win a selection of bedding plants.Should there be enough demand following the results of the survey, we will be producing plants for the 2016 summer season. To register your interest please call 0800 590542.

A message from A1 Housing’s former Managing Director, Bernard Coleman

Welcome from DavidA message from In Touch’s Tenant Editor, David Smith

Hello and welcome to our Spring/Summer edition of ‘In Touch’. As always there’s some good stuff in here, but one story has particularly caught my eye. Stories that highlight certain elements of tenant’s lives are always interesting, especially when they become global. On page 9 you can read about how an A1 Housing tenant was reunited with a childhood friend who had moved to South Africa, all with the help of the internet and In Touch!I’m overwhelmed that this magazine is being read in South Africa, albeit online, which highlights what a wonderful thing the internet can be.Unfortunately using the internet also has its pitfalls and I touch on some of them on page 18 with a few examples of how scammers are targeting unsuspecting users. However, to bring it back to a positive, A1 Housing is also running some internet sessions, more details are on page 6.With summer fast approaching, that means it’s also our Garden

Competition time again so I’ve planted my pansies, preened my primulas and propagated my petunias. Make sure you get your entry in this year!Finally, I end this column by wishing our former Managing Director, Bernard Coleman a fond farewell and all the best for the future following his retirement.A1 Housing has been very lucky to have someone like Bernard at the helm and there is no question that he has been at the forefront of many positive changes and improvements. Bernard had the quality of leadership that gained respect and, coupled with a self-effacing sense of humour, a believable vision for the future. His career steeped in social housing means that his knowledge and expertise will be sadly missed. He will certainly be a hard act to follow.See you next time... David

Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk3Our Call Centre is open from 8am to 5pm - to beat the rush, call after 2pm

SPRING has officially sprung and it’s the time of year that all ‘green fingered’ A1 Housing tenants have been waiting for – our annual Garden Competition!Any tenant who has a passion for planting can enter; regardless of whether you have a window box or a large plot. We’re now accepting entries in the following categories: Under 30s | 30 to 55-year-olds | 55 to 70-year-olds | Over 70s | Community GardenNo matter what type of garden you have, whether it’s typically traditional, modern and minimalist or a practical fruit and veg plot, or even a mixture of all three, why not show off the fruits of your labours.As well as our individual categories, our Community Garden prize is for people who have created a colourful communal space or gone the extra mile to make sure

their neighbours enjoy their environment.All our individual champions will win £50, while the runners-up will each receive £25. The winner of the Community Garden Category will win the much coveted A1 Housing Community Garden Trophy. Please note; there is no cash prize for this category.The judges will be looking for originality, colour, effort and inventiveness when they begin their tour around the district at the end of June and the winners will be announced on 13th July at a prize-giving ceremony at Retford Town Hall.There are some great prizes to win and you can enter by filling in the entry card inside this issue of In Touch. The closing date for all entries is 12th June 2015 and, if you have any questions, please call Customer Services on 0800 590542.

Garden Competition 2015

Issue 34 Autumn/Winter 2013 www.a1housing.co.uk5

A1 HOUSING tenant Shelley McVay recently had the chance to lay one of the first bricks of a brand new home as Smith Square starts to take shape.The development in Harworth will see 71 new homes built to replace outdated ‘Airey Houses’ on Smith Square and Thompson Avenue; and Shelley helped to ‘ceremoniously’ lay a brick to mark the start of construction on the first tranche of properties.

She was also shown the plot where her own home will be built and said: “You wouldn’t normally get the chance to be shown round your new home before it’s even been built, so it’s great to be able to come onto site and see the progress being made, and to be able to stand on the plot where our house will be in a few months time.”

A1 Housing’s Managing Director, Don Spittlehouse, added: “We’re delighted that Shelley could be involved in the process and lay a brick in one of the first properties on site. This is a real community project and I hope that Shelley is looking forward not only to moving into her new home, but being part of a new community in the village.”

The first phase of the project, which will see 19 properties built and tenants living on Smith Square move into their new homes,

is expected to be completed by late summer 2015.

David Armiger, Interim Director of Neighbourhoods and Regeneration at

Bassetlaw District Council, said: “This is a fantastic project that will replace the outdated Airey

Houses and, as an authority, allow us to build new homes for a new generation. This project is something we should all be very proud of and it’s exciting to see how quickly the site is starting to take shape. I look forward to seeing tenants move into their new homes later in the year.”

Local construction company, Woodhead, is responsible for building the properties and Glenn Slater, Business Development Director said: “Working on a project like Smith Square where we are building a range of modern, energy efficient flats, family houses and bungalows, gives us the opportunity to have a wider community impact.

“It’s very important to us at Woodhead that we involve local communities in the sites we work on and this is particularly important when we are working right in the heart of a community like Harworth.

“We have already been able to provide employment to local residents and contractors who know the neighbourhood well and want to deliver the best possible project for local residents.”

44 Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk5To report incidents of Anti-Social Behaviourout of office hours call 0800 590 542

There’s no place like home

Craig Milns on site in Harworth

WHEN A1 Housing embarked on a project to build 71 new houses in Harworth, part of the vision was to provide opportunities for ‘local’ trades people – what they didn’t envisage was just how ‘local’ the workforce would become.The £5.7m project will replace the current non-traditional ‘Airey’ houses - a pre-fabricated house built in the 1950/60s - on Smith Square and Thompson Avenue with modern homes. Just days after the site hoardings had been erected by the building contractor Woodhead, the site manager had a visit from Smith Square resident Craig Millns, who lives just five doors down.As a single parent, Craig was looking for full-time work after spending the last 10 years working part-time as a body piercer as well as working in a Chinese Cultural Exchange in Sheffield. But Craig also had experience of the building industry and said: “I worked in construction many years ago, including work on the Channel Tunnel.“I saw everything going up at the end of my road and after a couple of days I approached the Site Manager, Paul Martin.”

However, with 42 years of working in the industry Paul saw something in Craig and offered him an opportunity he couldn’t refuse. He said: “From the start I was really impressed with Craig. He took the initiative to come and see me and made a good first impression. “I told him that if he could come back in three weeks with his CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) Card, I would give him a trial. He didn’t let me down and turned up with his card three weeks later having scored 100% on his test.“Since then he’s been fantastic and he’s become an integral part of the business. I fully expect him to do well with Woodhead.”In addition to his work ethic, one of Craig’s biggest assets is his locality. He added: “I’ve lived in Harworth most of my life so it helps when neighbours have questions and I’ve been able to sit down with them, talk them through the plans and help them understand it more.” “It’s great to be able to help my neighbours and give them an insight into a fantastic project. It’s an exciting time.”

Shelley gets hands on with new home

A RAFT of students from North Nottinghamshire College will be given invaluable work experience over the next three years thanks to a partnership with local construction company Woodhead and A1 Housing.A total of 84 construction students from the college will get the chance to spend a week working on the Smith Square site in Harworth over the next three years. Don Spittlehouse, Managing Director

for A1 Housing, said: “From the planning stages of this project it was our intention for local people and local communities to get much more out of this than simply new Council homes.“As well as employing local tradesmen and contractors, this element of the project will give local construction students the invaluable opportunity to gain vital work experience and enhance their work-based learning alongside their studies.”

No substitute for work experience

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Roll out of Universal Credit in BassetlawTHE roll out of Universal Credit to Job Centres in Bassetlaw started in February and has so far only affected a small group of Bassetlaw residents. Universal Credit is a single monthly payment that replaces certain benefits, including Housing Benefit, for people aged 18 to 60+6 months who are on a low income or out of work. This first roll-out only affects single people who are making new claims for Jobseekers Allowance and no other benefits will be rolled out yet. However, this means that anyone who receives Universal Credit will be required to pay their rent themselves, including A1 Housing tenants.Steve Brown, Head of Corporate Services at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “This will initially affect a small number of new claimants and if you are already in receipt of benefits, you won’t be affected just yet.“We appreciate that some people may experience difficulties with the new system and in the first instance these people should call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for advice.”If you have any questions about Universal Credit, please call the DWP on 0345 600 0723.

Get online with our ‘T’internet buddies’A SERIES of community ‘internet café’ style events have been arranged across Bassetlaw to help residents get online and improve their digital skills.The sessions are aimed at a broad range of abilities; from complete technophobes to those wishing to take their ‘surfing skills’ to a higher level. A1 Housing staff and the ‘T’Internet Buddies’ – A1 Housing tenants who can provide support and advice – will be on hand to guide you through the art of the internet.Residents can bring their own devices, for example; iPads, tablets, smartphones or laptops or use the limited number of devices that will be available on the day.Tenant Engagement Officer, Nicola Perkins, who will be running the events said: “If you have a spare hour, you can drop into any of the sessions and we’ll be on hand to show you how getting online could save you time, hassle and even money.“The internet isn’t something to be afraid of and it doesn’t matter if you’ve never used a computer before. The sessions are fun, free and could change your life. So why not give it a go?”All the sessions will be held between 2pm and 4pm on the following dates:Thursday 16th April – Mattersey Thorpe Community HouseMonday 22nd June – The Beeches Community Centre, TuxfordThursday 23rd July – Balmoral Community Centre, WorksopWednesday 23rd September – Buttermarket, Retford Town HallWednesday 21st October – Ceres Suite, Worksop Town Hall

Carlton Youth Centre

Valley Social Club

Dragons donate money to community causesCOMMUNITY groups in Bassetlaw have again benefitted from the generous donations of BATRA’s ‘Dragons’ Den and its four fire-breathing members.This year’s recipients include a Social Club for adults with learning difficulties, a boxing club and a youth club, which highlights the wide range of groups that BATRA continue to support.Joan Linacre, Chair of BATRA, and one of the ‘Dragons’ said: “While the number of this year’s successful groups were slightly smaller due to the reduced number of eligible applications we received, it’s still fantastic to support projects that we feel will make a difference to our local communities.”The successful groups that were able to impress the BATRA Dragons include:Carlton Youth Centre is open to all young people who live in Carlton, Langold and Costhorpe and, after building a pizza oven in the gardens surrounding the Youth Centre, they are planning another grand design in their garden.The £3,000 they received will help the youth club - who will be doing the majority of the work themselves - add a barbeque area, build raised flower beds, create a vegetable patch and build a storage, all under the expert supervision of A1 Housing’s Branching Out staff.Valley Social Club hosts more than 40 adults with a learning disability each week and gives them the opportunity to learn new craft orientated skills, make new friends and break down social isolation. It also provides respite for the family members who care for these people. They received £462 to buy craft materials that will last a full year. Finally, Harworth and Bircotes Boxing Club is helping to give aspiring young boxers in the town a focus on fitness, but also respect for other members of the community and the general public.Since the club has been set up it is already producing some talented amateur boxers, and anti-social behaviour in the area has dropped.The club is open to all ages and genders and will use the £2,920 they received to buy equipment such as gloves and protective guards.Sam Roberts, Customer Services Manager at A1 Housing said: “We are delighted to support BATRA’s Den and I’m certain this funding will make a real difference to the people who attend these local groups.” Harworth and Bircoates Boxing Club

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Bridging the gap of time

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Independent Living Open Days A1 HOUSING recently held a series of open days to raise awareness of its Independent Living Centres across Bassetlaw.Our Independent Living Centres provide a warm, safe and comfortable environment where residents can enjoy independent living in a community setting.They can be found in Worksop, Retford, Bircotes and Misterton and provide a range of services including regular support and contact with our Supported Housing Team, access to a 24-hour contact centre in emergencies and Extra Care facilities at two centres for those who need additional support to live independent lives.Joice Rennie, Director for Strategy and Change at A1 Housing, said: “Quite simply our Independent Living Centres are designed to give you and your family peace of mind.

“By hosting a series of open days we hoped to dispel a few myths about supported housing and helped to answer any questions that potential residents may have had. If you couldn’t make any of the open days but are considering downsizing or moving into any of our Independent Living Centres, please come and speak to us.”You can learn more about Independent Living Centres by visiting one of our property shops in Worksop or Retford, speaking to one of our advisors on 0800 590 542 or visiting the Supported Housing pages of A1 Housing’s website www.a1housing.co.uk. IN the summer of 2014, I received an email

from someone in South Africa asking me if I would help to track an old friend down after they had seen a picture of them in this very newsletter…..writes In Touch Editor, Will Spence.The initial surprise of In Touch being read on another continent, let alone in another country, gave way to intrigue and after helping ex-pat Keith Sanderson (pictured right), who penned the email, reignite his friendship with A1 Housing tenant Wendy Lavin (below right), I was curious as to what had led Keith to send that original message. The story begins in the 1960s when Keith had spotted an attractive young lady (Wendy) who worked at the dentist’s in Carlton and, after taking a bit of time to pluck up the courage, finally wrote a letter asking her out on a date. Initially he was knocked-back because of Wendy’s recent engagement but she swiftly set up a double-date with Keith and her twin sister Suzanne.Over the summer this relationship blossomed, thanks in no small part to trips around the countryside in Keith’s Austin-Healey Sprite, but things eventually came to an end because of Keith’s studies at university and then a move overseas to Zimbabwe in 1964.Fast forward over 40 years and Keith began to write the story of his early life in England before he emigrated to Zimbabwe and then South Africa. His book, entitled Far Away and Long Ago, has recently been published but it was during this period of research that he surfed many websites looking to contact old school, university and family friends.Although his book is now finished, Keith continued to have a nostalgic look around the internet and came across the Worksop Guardian, which led to Bassetlaw Council and then A1 Housing and its tenant newsletter. And it was there in the pages of a copy of ‘In Touch’ that Keith spotted Wendy. “Was it really THE Wendy Lavin, with a twin

sister from Carlton in 1960?” said Keith. “It was difficult to recognise her after more than 50 years, but I had a gut feeling.”After a bit of toing and froing Keith was eventually put in contact with Wendy and said: “All my searching had been worthwhile and thanks to Will, it didn’t take long before I was corresponding with Wendy. To complete the story, Wendy put me in touch with her sister Suzanne and husband Andrew who, believe it or not, live in Rwanda.”The two pen pals are now in regular contact and Wendy said: “A long time has passed since Keith and my sister went out, so it was a bit of a shock when he got in touch and told me that he’d seen a copy of the newsletter online and recognised me.”“I’m not a great user of technology but, with the help of my daughter Kate, we’ve been able to correspond by email and Keith has even been able to track down my sister in Rwanda. “It’s great that something like this has got us all together again and we’ve been able to reminisce about the old days and catch up on what’s happened in between.”Sometimes life can throw up the most unusual of circumstances, but perhaps this one is best summed up by Keith who said: “50 years and more is a huge time-gap to span.”“From our beginnings in Worksop, we have all gone our separate ways and have had vastly different life experiences. But with modern communication and the help of people like Will and Kate - and ‘In Touch’ - we have managed to bridge that huge time gap of friendship.”

Microchipping breaks 500 markMORE than 500 dogs in Bassetlaw have been microchipped over the last 18-months thanks to a partnership between Dogs Trust and Bassetlaw District Council.Since September 2013, a series of free chipping sessions have taken place ahead of the changes in law which mean that it will be compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped by April 2016.At the latest event held at Hallcroft Community Centre in Retford, Megan the Golden Retriever became the 500th dog to be microchipped through the partnership.Liz Prime, Head of Neighbourhoods at Bassetlaw District Council said: “It’s fantastic that we have been able to get more than 500 dogs from across the district microchipped, which is the single most effective way to have a dog returned to its owner.“We have many more events like this planned over the course of the year and dog owners will be able to find information in the local press and on the council’s website when the events are confirmed.”

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Community Groups celebrate windfall in

A1 Housing and Bassetlaw District Council’s Joint ASB Team secured possession of a property on Goldsmith Road, Worksop after the tenant had subjected his neighbours to frequent periods of Anti-Social Behaviour.Back in January, Chesterfield County Court heard how Sheldon Price’s behaviour and that of other visitors to the property, caused nuisance to the other residents. Just some of the activities included drug taking and storing stolen goods at the property.Don Spittlehouse, Managing Director of A1 Housing said: “We will not tolerate the lives of our tenants being blighted by the inconsiderate behaviour of a selfish minority. “We have a dedicated joint ASB team in place to tackle exactly these sorts of issues and I am delighted the Court saw fit to grant an outright possession order. Tenants and residents should rest assured that we will do everything we can to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour in our neighbourhoods.”

The Court also heard that A1 Housing and Bassetlaw District Council had previously attempted to help Price, including obtaining an Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction against a visitor to his home, but that ultimately he had failed to improve the situation. Head of Neighbourhoods at Bassetlaw District Council, Liz Prime, said: “Nuisance neighbours can ruin tenants and resident’s quality of life and it is simply not acceptable. What is disappointing in this case is that Mr Price did not take advantage of the support and assistance that was available to him to end the anti-social behaviour taking place in his property.“We will use all the powers available to us to tackle ASB, but we will also work with people and support them if they are willing to engage with us.” An outright possession order was granted and A1 Housing Officers took repossession of the property on January 12th, 2015.

A1 Housing and Bassetlaw District Council’s Joint Anti-Social Behaviour Team have been given new powers to tackle ASB in the form of Community Protection Notices (CPN).A CPN can be served on anyone over the age of 16 who is causing ASB such as frequently disturbing neighbours with loud music, drug use at a property or abusive behaviour by a tenant or their visitors.When a CPN is issued, it forces that person to change their actions and stop the ASB that is disturbing their fellow residents. If they don’t change their actions the Council or the Police can issue a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 or take them to court where a larger fine of up to £2,500 may be imposed.

Anthony Protano, from the Joint ASB Team said: “The CPNs that we have issued in conjunction with Notts Police so far appear to be working and have had an extremely positive effect.“Just one example is where a tenant had frequent visitors to their home who would take drugs, be abusive to neighbours, make excessive noise and leave used needles lying around.“The CPN, which was also issued alongside a notice that would allow us to take possession of the property, forced the tenant to take responsibility for their visitors’ behaviour. Since then the situation has dramatically improved.”“This is an ideal interim measure before escalating to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders and Injunctions.”

Worksop Man Loses Home Over Anti-Social BehaviourNew powers to tackle ASB

A1 Housing was also praised for its social enterprise work through Branching Out and the horticultural centre.Notts Police and Crime Commissioner, Paddy Tipping said: “A1 Housing takes its social responsibilities extremely seriously and is committed to instigating long-term change.“The organisation’s localised solutions and its emphasis on partnership working is helping to motivate people to achieve better outcomes for themselves and their families, as well as increase the support available to vulnerable members of the community who are facing very real and exceptional difficulties.” Don Spittlehouse, Managing Director, said: “A1 Housing prides itself on its work with partners and shares this award with them. Proactive and effective partnership working is essential when it comes to tackling problems such as ASB, domestic abuse and when making a difference in our communities by way of social enterprises.”

A1 HOUSING has won a Partnership Award at the recent Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Awards.The award highlighted A1 Housing’s partnership work with Bassetlaw District Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Notts Police and other partners in its proactive approach to tackling community safety, anti-social behaviour, domestic abuse, victim support and other issues.

Notts PCC Partnership Award for A1 Housing

Pictured: A1 Housing’s ASB Officer Debbie Savage with PC Bev Drabble

Issue 34 Autumn/Winter 2013 www.a1housing.co.uk1312 Issue 25 Autumn 2010 www.a1housing.co.uk12 Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.ukSend a text to A1 Housing on -

07860 021511

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£MILLS’ MONEY MATTERS££££

PAYING by Direct Debit is now the quickest and easiest way to pay your rent - and it’s as safe as houses.When you switch to Direct Debit it means no more going out to pay your rent or reminder letters if you don’t pay on time. Your bank does all the hard work for you as it’s all done automatically, and when you’ve switched we’ll also give you a £10 Love2shop voucher. Almost 70 per cent of UK households now pay their bills by Direct Debit and you can set one up easily by phone or online on the A1 Housing website. You also have a variety of options for paying your rent.With A1 Housing you can choose to pay monthly on any day of the month, fortnightly and four-weekly on a Friday or pay weekly on a Monday or Friday. Teresa Rodgers, Senior Rents Officer, said: “It’s a low-hassle way of paying bills, but some people are still wary. However, there is no need to worry about whether it’s a safe way to

pay your bills as all payments are covered by the Direct Debit Guarantee, which is provided by all UK banks.”The three important safeguards of the Guarantee are: immediate refunds for any errors that will be taken care of by your bank, advance notice of 10 working days before the payment, and instant cancellations if needed, putting you totally in control. Teresa is there to help you through the switch and to answer any questions you may have. To make the switch to Direct Debit, call 01777 713201 and quote DDSWITCH to receive your voucher. Terms and conditions apply.

WHEN tenants get into financial difficulties due to loss of work, ill health or a life changing accident, A1 Housing’s Money Advisors can help them to get back on track and face their money worries head on. This is just one of the key roles of our Money Advisors and helping those people with a genuine need apply for benefits, which will ease their financial situation, can be a lifesaver. A1 Housing tenant Jeanette Broadbent had never previously had a problem paying her bills, but after suffering a serious accident that meant she had to give up her job, she got into serious difficulties with her rent account.

To compound the problem Jeanette became eligible for Housing Benefit at the same time as the Bedroom Tax was introduced. However, A1 Housing’s Money Advisor Darrell Berridge was alerted to Jeanette’s circumstances and was able to step in and help.As well as applying for a Discretionary Housing Award to help with the Bedroom Tax payments, Darrell helped Jeanette to apply for the new Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which has replaced Disability Living Allowance. He said: “Some of the forms associated with benefits are not only complicated but very lengthy, particularly the PIP forms. So, if a tenant is eligible and

they feel daunted by the forms, we are always willing to help them complete the application correctly and provide the right supporting information.”Thanks to Darrell’s support, Jeanette’s application was successful and meant that she could cover her bills and be in a position where she has a clear rent account. Jeanette told In Touch: “The help I get from Darrell, particularly with the forms and phone calls is invaluable as I would not be able to do any of this on my own. With the additional help I get from my family, I feel relaxed and confident that I will not have to worry about money issues as I have support available if I need it.”

Pay on time and win...!

DURING the summer months of 2014, tenants were encouraged to make the switch and pay their rent by Direct Debit.Those tenants who switched were entered into a £150 prize draw and the lucky winner was Catherine Bishop of Sturton-le-Steeple.We also run a ‘Pay on Time and Win’ competition every other month where we select two winners who are up to date with their rent account and win £150 or £175 if they pay it into a 2Shires account. These are...

SeptemberPeter Cheetham, Worksop

Brian and Joyce Malcolm, North Leverton

NovemberMichael Norman, Worksop

Cecil and June Leeson, Langold

JanuaryRichard and Cynthia Clough, Retford

Anon, RetfordGetting back on track

Going back to his roots IN a former life, Nigel Adams was a gardener to the stars and had the likes of Freddie Mercury, Cliff Richard and a member of the Royal Family of Brunei as his customers.Nowadays he enjoys a quieter life in Beckingham, but when the Bedroom Tax was introduced in 2013 Nigel found that the extra burden on his pocket meant that he had to consider going back to work.This additional expense had meant that Nigel had gotten a little bit behind on his rent payments, so A1 Housing Money Advisor Darrell Berridge was able to pay Nigel a visit and help with the transition from being reliant on benefits, to stepping out into the working world again. “I had been considering going back to landscape gardening for a while,” said Nigel, who has over 30 years of experience. “And after speaking with Darrell and my local Job centre, I decided to take the plunge.”“Darrell ensured that my rent payments were sorted out and that I applied for additional support available to me via tax credits to help me to move from being on full benefits and into the potentially precarious route of self-employment again.”The good news is that so far, things are going well and Nigel is slowly building up a regular customer base for himself through his business NRA Landscape Gardening and Design (07542 706882), and he’s hopeful that by the summer he will have a full order book of work.In the meantime he can rely on Darrell to be available to make sure he is on top of his rent and assist him with forms as and when needed. Darrell said: “This is another aspect of the support we are able to give to our tenants as we know that moving from being on benefits into work, whether as an employee or self-employed in Nigel’s case, can be a very stressful and financially difficult time. We are here for anyone wanting to make that change and can try and to make it a little easier for them.”

Switch to

Pictured: A1 Housing’s Money Advisor Darrell Berridge with Nigel

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A1 HOUSING’S Repairs Service has picked up a national award for the second time in two years at a glittering ceremony hosted by actress and presenter Gaynor Faye.The team picked up the ‘Best Performer for Building Maintenance of council properties’ award at the 2014 Association of Public Service Excellence’s (APSE) Performance Networks awards.A1 Housing’s Building Repairs Service has been nominated as a finalist in this category for the seventh year running and added this award to their 2012 success.Don Spittlehouse, Managing Director, said; “This award is a significant achievement for a small district and it is a credit to the employees working within this service area. “The award recognises the hard work and commitment of all staff concerned in their continued drive and determination to be one of the best building maintenance providers in the country.”

As the UK’s largest voluntary data benchmarking service for UK local councils, the APSE Performance Networks awards are based on benchmarking data looking at cost, quality and productivity across frontline local government services. Just some of A1 Housing’s award-winning statistics include:

• Customer satisfaction with responsive repairs (90%)• Appointments made and kept for repairs (99.67%)• First time repairs (99.71%)Debbie Johns, Head of APSE Performance Networks said: “Measuring how well council services perform is a vital part of the jigsaw in ensuring we deliver value for money to local people. The winning councils are to be congratulated for their efforts in securing continuous improvement in frontline services.”

IF you don’t currently have Home Contents Insurance what would you do if something went wrong?Home Contents Insurance ensures that your household property such as furniture, decorations and personal belongings are covered against theft, fire, vandalism, burst pipes and other household risks.We advise all tenants to take out insurance cover as A1

Housing or Bassetlaw District Council cannot be held responsible should the worst happen.You can shop around for Home Contents Insurance, but A1 Housing has its own easy to pay policy especially for tenants with cover starting at around £1 a week. If you would like more information contact A1 Housing’s Money Advisors on 0800 590 542.

ONE of the biggest signs of having too much moisture in your home is condensation on windows and doors, which is also the biggest cause of mould and mildew.Everyday activities such as cooking, washing, drying clothes, using portable gas heaters, and even having fish tanks add to the moisture already present in the air and if you are not ventilating your home enough, things can get unsightly.If you’ve already reported a bad case of mould and mildew to us, we’ve carried out an inspection and agreed to treat the mould with a special product, here are some simple guidelines you can follow to ensure it doesn’t grow back.Even if you haven’t reported anything to us, this is good advice to follow as, unless we identify a structural defect, preventing mould and mildew is a tenant’s responsibility.

Mould do’s and don’ts

Contents Insurance: Don’t get caught out!Award for outstanding apprentice

Do Don’tIncrease ventilation by:Opening a window after bathing, showering or cookingUse Trickle vents on windowsMove furniture away from external walls where possible to allow air to circulateUse fans at all times Leave cupboards and doors open regularly to let air circulateRaise the temperature by having background heating on, warmer air can hold more moisture so helps to stop condensation formingTumble dryers must be vented, even condenser ones Only use paint and wallpaper that is suitable for bathrooms and kitchens as these normally contain anti-mould treatment

Dry clothes on radiatorsBlock up air ventsLeave condensation on windows or surfaces - Clean windows and surfaces that are affected by condensation dailyUse bleach to clean mould - use a product specially designed for mould and mildew cleaningUse portable gas or paraffin heaters as they can produce a gallon of water for each gallon of fuel usedPaint or wallpaper any rooms for six months after having mould treatment carried out – this will help us to identifying any further issues

How much moisture can be produced in your home in a day

2 People active for 1 day 3 pints

Cooking and boiling a kettle 6 pints

Having a bath or shower 2 pints

Washing clothes 1 pints

Drying clothes 9 pints

Paraffin or portable gas heater 3 pints

Total Amount of moisture produced in your home for 1 day = 24 pints

APSE Award for Repairs Team

AN outstanding A1 Housing apprentice has been singled out for his brilliant brickwork by North Nottinghamshire College.Matthew Mills was awarded the ‘Most Outstanding Achievement for 2014 in Brickwork’ at the College’s annual ‘Star Awards’ thanks to his successful progression through his apprenticeship programme.Martin Lane, lecturer in construction at North Notts College, said: “Matthew has demonstrated a high level of skill in both his knowledge and practical skills, and is a credit to himself, the College and A1 Housing. It was a great pleasure that this year’s award was able to recognise his achievements.”

Tenants turn out in force

Issue 29 Autumn 2011 www.a1housing.co.uk171616 Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk17

BACK in March, tenants from across the district turned out in force to ‘Meet the Team’ and be part of this year’s ‘Tenants’ Conference’.Thanks to the success of the last two years, tenants were again able to attend either morning or afternoon sessions at Retford Town Hall to meet the team behind A1 Housing’s services and learn more about what A1 Housing has in store for 2015.Those who attended the Tenant Conference heard about our achievements in the first 10 years of A1 Housing’s existence and what we hope to achieve over the next 15 years thanks to a new management agreement with Bassetlaw District Council.Presentations were also made by A1 Housing’s Directors, Don Spittlehouse and Joice Rennie on the level of service that the organisation will provide over the next five years, and how improvements to A1 Housing properties are helping to benefit

the health and wellbeing of tenants through better heating and insulation, greater security, our lifeline service and tackling damp and condensation.Tenants also had the chance to meet some of our team and speak face to face with officers about any issues and learn more about the services we provide. We were also pleased to welcome some of our key partners including, Bassetlaw District Council, Bullock Construction, Liberty Gas and Notts Fire and Rescue Service. There was also the opportunity to get information about our tenant groups, including our ‘T’internet Buddies’ who are helping tenants across the district to get online.If you don’t want to miss next year’s event, look out for your invite in your January 2016 Rent Statement.

Make yourself ‘Be Heard from Home’

WOULD you like to go undercover and put some of A1 Housing’s services to the test as a Mystery Shopper?If you are an A1 Housing tenant and have an hour or so each month to spare, you could help us to improve our services by becoming a Mystery Shopper.If you would like to know more about the role or would like to take part, please call our Tenant Engagement Officer, Nicola Perkins for an informal chat on 01909 533203.

WOULD you like to make a difference to how A1 Housing offer some of its services and the way certain things are decided, all without having to leave the comfort of your sofa?

You can do this by joining our ‘Be Heard From Home’ Digital Group as each month we ask a different series of questions that will help to shape the way we offer certain services in the future.

By joining our digital group you will be able to access the survey via Facebook or email and complete the monthly survey online. What’s more, you can also win some Love2Shop vouchers in the process.If you would like to know more call 0800 590542, like us on Facebook at A1housingcustomerservices or email nicola.perkins@a1housing.co.uk

IF you’re new to one of our areas, looking to make some new friends or get more involved with your community and A1 Housing, then why not get in touch with your local Tenant and Resident Association?You’ll find there’s plenty going on and all the TRAs are ready to welcome new members. They also regularly speak with A1 Housing and may be able to resolve any issues you have.All the numbers and locations are below, so why not give them a ring and find out when their next meeting is?

IN the places where there is no TRA, we still want to make sure that the voice of tenants is still getting through to us. That’s why we have volunteers in many areas who represent their community. These ‘Tenant Voices’ speak with A1 Housing and other tenant representatives on a regular basis and can help you with any tenancy or estate-related issues and put you in touch with the right people.If you would like to become a Tenant Voice, please contact Nicola Perkins on 01909 533203.

Find your nearest TRA Find your Tenant VoiceBe part of your community

WORKSOP AREASManton - The Mews Helen Woodhead 01909 282496Prospect Barbara Hopkinson 01909 532192

WORKSOP AREASBalmoral 01909 730893Worksop East 01909 485680

RETFORD AREASOrdsall 01777 706369Hallcroft 01777 708288Tuxford 01777 871792Mattersey Thorpe 07850 291732Harworth & Bircotes 01302 746393

Issue 34 Autumn/Winter 2013 www.a1housing.co.uk1918

DID you know that our Neighbourhood Housing Officers hold regular surgeries where you can talk to them about your tenancy or any issues you may have in your neighbourhood?A Housing Officer is available at the One-Stop-Shop in Retford Town Hall on Mondays and Thursdays between 9am and 1pm, and at Queens Buildings in Worksop on Mondays and Fridays between 9am and 1pm.If you have any urgent issues, you can also contact your Housing Officer via our Freephone 0800 590 542 or find useful information on our website www.a1housing.co.uk in the Housing Officer pages of the ‘Your Tenancy and Estate’ section.

OVER the last two years we have been answering the majority of your enquiries and service requests through our contact centre when you ring our Freephone number.By calling just the one number we can help with all your A1 Housing enquiries, from reporting a repair to booking a community centre and everything in between.We aim to deal with as many enquiries as we can without having to pass your details on to another team and currently answer more than 1,000 calls a week, which deal with around 70% of your enquires.On average we answer your calls in less than a minute. However, if you avoid busy times such as Mondays and Friday afternoons, your call could be answered much quicker.Even if we have a queue and your call is not an emergency, you can leave us a voice message and we’ll call you back the same day.We also know that many of you ring us from a mobile phone and, while 0800 numbers may become free of charge on all networks later this year, you can also text us on 07860 021511 and we’ll ring you back. Alternatively email us at customer.services@a1housing.co.uk with your enquiry.

It’s good to talk

Do you need to talk to our Housing Officers?

Issue 25 Autumn 2010 www.a1housing.co.uk18

Involving you & Community News

Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk19For gardening and handyperson services, call Branching Out on 0800 590 542

SPAM, SCAM and SHAMI CAN remember when Spam was something you had for tea mid-week. I loved it, especially fried, but for some it was unwanted, says In Touch Tenant Editor, David Smith.Today it also means unwanted e-mails and phone calls and I’m hearing more and more horror stories each month where friends, neighbours and fellow tenants have been scammed either by email or over the phone.Like a lot of people nowadays, I use internet banking and my wife watches e-bay more than the soaps. So, to be extra safe we have installed anti-virus protection software on our laptop as well as the additional security measures that our banks insist on.Despite this, you always need to be on your guard and one trick the scammers will use is to send an email that looks very much like it has come from your bank and asks you to click on an attachment

or supply some personal details. Banks will never contact you via email out of the blue and I cannot

stress this enough but, NEVER give out any personal details to anyone unless you are 100 per cent certain it is genuine. Also be aware of emails that you are unfamiliar with and ask you to click on a link. This can give hackers access to some or all of your accounts and one tenant recently told me of his

daughter and friend having their Amazon accounts hacked.Nuisance calls are exactly that, some are merely surveys

but a lot of them have a more sinister agenda. Just some that I have experienced include someone saying they are from MSN and are calling to help with a fictitious computer problem and need to access your computer.Another common one is from a bogus Sky warranty

service who tells you that it’s time to upgrade. Both are scams and you should hang up the phone straight away, if

you don’t it could prove to be a costly and unnecessary experience.

There are devices that can help and BT has a phone that eliminates spam calls as well as ‘call blocker’

equipment that is widely available.

Scams such as these are happening more than ever and are targeting vulnerable people,

don’t be the next victim of spam or scam.

Helps us inspect YOUR estateEVERY year we carry out at least one Estate Inspection in all our communities and we’d like you to join us!Estate Inspections help to spot things like broken walls and fences, graffiti, overgrown gardens and illegal parking so that we can improve your neighbourhood.They are always led by the Neighbourhood Housing Officer for that area who is accompanied by officers from Bassetlaw District Council, Nottinghamshire Police and other agencies. This means that we have specific

people on hand who can address any specific problems. But we also need A1 Housing tenants, after all it is your estate and nobody knows it better than you.If you would like to know when your Estate Inspection is taking place, visit www.a1housing.co.uk and the diary can be found in the ‘Your Tenancy and Estate section’.All Estate Inspections start at 10am and involve a walk around your estate, which normally takes about two hours. If you would like to join us, please contact your Neighbourhood Housing Officer.

Issue 34 Autumn/Winter 2013 www.a1housing.co.uk212020

Involving you & Community News

Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk21

EACH year the A1 Housing Board, which is made up of tenants, Bassetlaw residents and representatives of Bassetlaw District Council, sets targets for us to work towards.These are spread across all areas of A1 Housing, such as Housing Management, Customer Services and Repairs and make sure that we are giving you a good level of service and continue to meet high standards.There are more than 120 targets that we have to work towards

and, so that you can see how we are doing, we have shown just a few of these in the table below.The information tells you how we performed in a selection of areas last year, how we are currently performing, and our targets for 2014/15. The colour coded faces tell you whether we are on target, slightly below or doing better than we expected.

Area What we measureHow we

performed in 2013/14

Latest performance

Our target for 2014/15

How are we doing?

CustomerContact

Average time taken to respond to complaints (working days) 7.78 4.38 5.00

CustomerContact

Average Year To Date response time to telephone calls (call centre) (seconds) 26.50 38.38 23.00

HousingManagement

Average time taken to relet properties (calendar days) 30.87 33.38 27.78

HousingManagement

% ASB closed cases in the current reporting period which have been resolved 98.80 97.92 98.00

HousingManagement

The average Assessment Score across all completed Estate Inspections 3.57 3.56 3.60

HousingFinance Current rent arrears (£’s) 265,179 272,357 295,043

HousingFinance Proportion of rent collected exc b/f arrears 99.58 99.74 99.89

Repairs % emergency repairs completed in timescale 99.67 99.62 99.75

Repairs Non emergency repairs - % of appointments made that are kept 99.59 99.91 99.75

Repairs % repairs completed “Right First Time” (based on recalls within 28 days of completion) 99.66 99.67 99.75

Adaptations Average time taken to complete adaptations for all works (calendar days) 43.80 44.04 38.00

DecentHomes

Customer Satisfaction with Major Improvements 96.00 94.81 95.00

SupportedHousing

Response rate to warden intercom calls received at the Tunstall Contact Centre. % in 60 seconds

97.43 98.29 98.00

How are we doing?KE

Y

Just Below Target

Above / On Target

Below Target

If you do not understand any of the information or would like to know more about the information we have provided, please call our Customer Services team on 0800 590542.

Some figures measure our progress as we work towards the financial year end target for 2014/15 (April 2014 – March 2015).

Presentations to the A1

Housing Board have

included:

September 2014- Board Governance Handbook

- Scheme of Delegation

- Value for Money Self-Assessment

- Annual Supported Housing Report

- Annual Income Management Report

- Annual Ombudsman Report

- Annual Equality and Diversity Report

- Shared Services Update

November 2014- Performance Management

- Quarter 2 Performance Report 2014/15

- Quarter 2 Customer Living Standards

Report 2014/15

- Directors’ Reports

- Risk Management 2014/15

- Board Changes

- Housemark Benchmarking Report

- Draft Objectives

- Health and Safety Update

January 2015- Performance Management

- Quarter 3 Performance Report 2014/15

- Quarter 3 Customer Living Standards

Report 2014/15

- Directors’ Reports

- Risk Management 2014/15

- Board Reporting and Meeting Schedule

- Health and Safety Update

Key Board Decisions

SublettingSubletting is allowed under the terms of your lease but to help us deal with any emergency situations or problems with your property as soon as possible, please provide us with the following information:• Who will be living in the property and contact details• The details of any managing agent that you are using• A separate correspondence address for you• Contact telephone numbers for emergencies

As the leaseholder you will also be responsible for ensuring an annual gas safety check and service takes place on any gas appliances before subletting your property. You must also supply A1 Housing with a copy of the Landlords Gas Safety Record.You are also responsible for ensuring your tenants behave in an appropriate way and do not cause a nuisance to other neighbours. Any action that we may need to take will be against you as the leaseholder.

Selling your flat As a leaseholder you have the right to sell your lease, leave your lease to someone in your will or give it away as a gift.However, please remember that if you bought the flat under the Right to Buy scheme in the last five years, you will have to repay some of the discount back to Bassetlaw District Council when you sell it. When selling your flat, we also advise that you employ a solicitor to act on your behalf.

Leaseholder Consultation EventThis year’s Leaseholder Consultation Event was held at Retford Town Hall back in February and covered a wide range of issues.These included a news update, information on fire prevention works, Annual Gas Servicing and the Service Charges for 2014-15.Leaseholders also took part in a question and answer forum and a presentation that asked: ‘What do you really know about being a leaseholder?’ If you would like to know more about the outcome of this meeting or the Leaseholder Service Level Agreement for 2015-16, you can find the minutes in the Leaseholder section of www.a1housing.co.uk

Leaseholder News

Day Date Venue Time

Tuesday 23 June 2015 Retford Town Hall, Council Chamber 4pm - 7pm

Tuesday 15 September 2015 (inc. AGM) Worksop Town Hall, Ceres Suite 4pm - 7pm

Tuesday 24 November 2015 Retford Town Hall, Council Chamber 4pm - 7pm

Tuesday 29 March 2016 Worksop Town Hall, Ceres Suite 4pm - 7pm

Board meeting datesA1 HOUSING is managed by a Board of non-executive directors who meet nine times a year to discuss and review everything that happens within the organisation.The first 15 minutes of each meeting are set aside for tenants to ask questions on relevant issues. Individual or personal issues cannot be discussed and these should be taken up with the appropriate officer.

Issue 34 Autumn/Winter 2013 www.a1housing.co.uk2322 Issue 25 Autumn 2010 www.a1housing.co.uk22 Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk23For the latest information on A1 Housing visit www.a1housing.co.uk

SUDOKUwinner

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN £20 OF HIGH STREET SHOPPING VOUCHERS!Each coloured block needs to make 45

Cut out your completed Sudoku puzzle and entry form and send it to: A1 Housing, Customer Services, Carlton Forest House, Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, Notts S81 0TS.

The deadline for all entries is 31st August, 2015 and the first correct entry drawn will receive £20 worth of High Street Shopping Vouchers.

3

3 1 5 9

1 9 2

1 8 6 3

9 7 1 6

2 9 8 1

1 9 6

6 8 5 2

4

Sudoku - Competition Entry FormName . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Address . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Postcode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Telephone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Email . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

competition winners

Congratulations to Eliana Helliwell from Tuxford who spotted me on Page 16 of the Spring/Summer issue and wins £15 of High Street Shopping Vouchers and a goodie bag!!

And the winner is...

Congratulations go to Christine Hewitt of Retford, who submitted a correct puzzle and was first out of the hat. Christine wins £15 of High Street Shopping Vouchers.

Sudoku ENTERNOW!

I’m hiding again somewhere in this issue and if you can find me, you can win some Love2Shop vouchers.When you have found me, write down the page number together with your name, address and a contact telephone number and send it to:

A1 Housing Customer Services TeamCarlton Forest House, Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, S81 0TSOr email your entry to: customer.services@a1housing.co.uk

Closing date for all entries is 31st August, 2015

Bassetlaw District Council has voted to change its election system and will move to whole council elections from May 2015.This means that on May 7, 2015, and every four years after, all of Bassetlaw’s 48 District Councillors will be up for election, as opposed to the previous system of electing a third of the council each year over three consecutive years.The decision was made at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council on Thursday March 5, 2015, where of the 41 councillors present, 40 voted in favour of whole elections.This followed two public consultations that asked Bassetlaw residents if they were in favour of whole elections and if they would like these implemented in 2015 or 2016.Stephen Brown, Head of Corporate Services at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “Prior to this decision, Bassetlaw was the only district council in Nottinghamshire to still elect by

thirds. This decision has allowed the council to modernise its election process and bring it in-line with the rest of the County. It also means that we will be able to start implementing savings immediately. “While adopting a whole council elections process will bring with it significant savings – an estimated £150k over five years – this change also has a number of benefits for both the electorate and the council.“By giving electors the opportunity to vote for their District Councillor once every four years we hope it will encourage more people to turn out to the ballot box and make the process easier to understand.”In addition to District Councillors being elected every four years, all Parish Elections will now take place at the same time to generate additional savings and provide consistency with ward elections.

Bassetlaw moves to whole council elections in 2015 Where’s Alfie?

For repairs, rent payments and all general enquiries call:

0800 590542

How to contact usThere are a number of ways you can contact us.

All of our offices are open Monday to Fridaybetween 8.40am to 5pm

We can arrange for a copy of this document in large print, audiotape, Braille or for a Language Line interpreter or translator to help you. Our contact details:

0800 590542

e-mail: customer.services@a1housing.co.uk

Mandarin

Urdu

Punjabi

Polish

If you need any help communicating with us or understanding any of our documents, please contact us on 01909 534519.

Foreign language versions

Issue 37 Spring 2015 www.a1housing.co.uk

You can pay your rent by direct debit or credit card, by phoning Automated payment line 01777 713864 Contact Centre 0800 590542 Online at www.a1housing.co.uk

£

On-line Visit our website at www.a1housing.co.ukEmail us at customer.services@a1housing.co.uk

Text message 07860 021511TxT

By visiting us If you want to talk directly to a member of staff, you can visit us at our property shops. We can also arrange to visit you at your home or meet you at one of the council’s community houses if you prefer.You can call into our property shops without making an appointment. However, you may need to make an appointment if you want to see a particular member of staff.Head Office Carlton Forest House, Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, Notts S81 0TSRetford Property Shop Town Hall, 17B The Square, Retford, Notts DN22 6DBWorksop Property Shop Queens Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop, Notts S80 2AH

By writing to us A1 Housing Bassetlaw LimitedCarlton Forest House, Hundred Acre Lane, Worksop, Notts S81 0TS