freephone 0800 011 3447 lo-call 0845 606 3447 tenants … · chicken & broccoli bake serves 4-6...

open door Spring 2014 1

After the worst flooding in a generation, tenants living at St Conal’s Square in Kirkconnel saw their lives turned upside down.

evacuations by boat, decants from their well-loved homes and the tragic loss of many of their possessions meant that normality was only a memory.

But four months after the unprecedented change in the weather and chaos wreaked havoc through Upper nithsdale, normality is slowly returning to the lives of many tenants.

Back in January, around 30 dgHp tenants were affected by the floods as the river nith burst its banks in Kirkconnel.

A total of 14 properties were deemed uninhabitable and life changed dramatically for the families of these homes who packed up what they could and moved into temporary accommodation.

A speedy turnaround of repairs by dgHp’s contractor Lovell followed and work began to repair damage almost immediately after the water levels subsided and the clean-up began.The properties worst affected required extensive works, including renewal of all floors, partitions, facings and kitchens and bathrooms also needed replaced.

A full scale street clear-up has also been carried out and St Conal’s Square is unrecognisable as the place that was deep under water just several months ago.

director of Housing Services, Jayne Moore, said: “After a lengthy clean-up process, i am delighted that some of our tenants are moving back to their homes. it has been a horrible time for all concerned, but they can now enjoy settling back into their homes.”

Local councillor, John Syme, added: “The speedy response of dgHp must be praised - i know the tenants affected are very grateful for the help and support they have received.”

TenanTs move back home afTer flooding

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open doorThe newsletter for tenants and customers of dgHp

spring 2014

INSIDE THIS EDITION

Common Housing register launchWelfare benefits newsnew build site news

Spotlight on dgHp Support ServicesLovell apprentices praised

A day with dgHp at Kirkconnel

IngredIents

4 chicken fillets 1 teaspoon curry powder1 tablespoon mayonnaise Squirt of lemon juice1 tin Campbell’s condensed chicken soup 50g cheddar cheese (grated)Enough broccoli to feed 4 (depends on how much you like it)Grated fresh breadcrumbs/plain crisps

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grill chicken until cooked then dice into cubes and place in ovenproof dish. Cook broccoli, then put into dish with the chicken. Put condensed chicken soup, curry powder, mayonnaise and lemon juice into a bowl and mix well. Pour evenly over top of the chicken and broccoli.

Sprinkle grated cheese and fresh breadcrumbs (or plain crisps if you like it really crunchy) over the top.

Place in the oven at 180˚C for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Serve with a baked potato. Enjoy!

Recipe Chicken & Broccoli Bake serves 4-6 people

open door Spring 20142


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in the last open door we told you some facts and figures about dgHp’s website and we encouraged you to sign up to the tenant portal - the self-service section.

Well we are delighted to see that many more of you signed up to the self-service portal - the tenant only section of the website where you can track your own repairs, check your list positions and even pay your rent.

We have chosen one lucky tenant, who signed up during the period to the end of february, to win some vouchers. The lucky winner is Lauren Kempsell, of dumfries. Well done Lauren - your vouchers are on their way to you.

Visit dgHp’s at website at www.dghp.org.uk and click on ‘My Account’ to sign up to the self-service portal today - you too could win some vouchers.

if you sign up to the portal before the end of May we will put your name into a draw for a voucher. We will tell you the name of the winner in the next edition of open door. good luck!

if you’d like any more information or need help signing up, let us know. You can contact our service centre on 0800 011 3447.

sign Up and Win

dumfries and galloway’s Common Housing register - Homes4d&g - will be launched in June.

This will be a major change for the letting of social housing in dumfries and galloway.

dumfries and galloway Council - along with partner agencies dumfries and galloway Housing partnership (dgHp), Loreburn Housing Association, irvine Housing Association and Home Scotland - have been working on Homes4d&g for some time. Very soon it will mean applicants will only have to complete one single application form to apply for housing with all four landlords in dumfries and galloway.

Applicant details will then be shared among the four partner landlords and included on a single housing list. (However, if you don’t wish to be included on the list for a certain landlord, you can opt out.) This will make the process of applying for social housing much simpler, and quicker.

Also, following the launch, all partners will use the same allocations policy. Because all partners will be using it, it is called a Common Allocations policy.

This means that everyone applying for housing will have their circumstances assessed in exactly the same way.

Because there’s not enough social housing to meet the needs of every applicant in dumfries and galloway, we must have a policy that sets out a clear framework giving priority to those in the greatest need of housing.

Homes4d&g operates a ‘group plus points’ system to allocate houses, meaning that points are awarded to applicants who show they are in housing need - e.g. if they are overcrowded or living in a private rented house with damp.

once points have been awarded, an application will be placed in one of four groups, best reflecting circumstances.

Most applicants will be placed on either the waiting list or transfer list, with at least 50% of all lets going to these two categories.Applicants on the waiting list could be from the private rented sector, they may be owner occupiers or they could still be living in the family home.

Transfer applicants will be from all partner

landlords with Homes4d&g, living in dumfries and galloway, who are looking to move to another property.

The remaining lets will go to people, recognised as homeless by the local council. They will go through an assessment and if they are deemed unintentionally homeless, or have been threatened with homelessness, they will be placed in this category.

Some lets will also go to those in the strategic needs category (including applicants discharged from long-term hospital care, domestic abuse, armed forces etc.)

We look forward to telling you more about Homes4d&g when it is launched but, in brief, it will make the process simpler, quicker and more straightforward. There will be one form, one single access route for applicants, one housing list of all applicants and a shared provision of housing information and advice.

homes4d&g laUnch

dgHp’s Business plan for 2014/15 onwards has been approved by the Board of Management.

The Business plan was drawn up via a consultative process involving the Board, district Management Committees, voluntary tenant movement, staff and

tenant focus groups. We would especially like to thank all the tenants who attended these groups - your input was vital in identifying our priorities for 2014/15.

it is available to view on dgHp’s website at www.dghp.org.uk or by calling us on freephone 0800 011 3447.


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looking for a change?if you are looking for a new home, have you thought about a mutual exchange? dgHp signed up to a nationwide exchange service called HomeSwapper three years ago and more than 340 dgHp tenants have already signed up.

once signed up, tenants can browse other available properties from across the region - and the UK. The service means that tenants who are looking for a swap can go online and add their home as well as stating what they would like in exchange.

Homeswapper takes their information and searches through their own system to see if there are any matches to the criteria set out. our Housing Services Manager, Jacky power, says that there are small things that you can do to make the most of your advert.

She said: “You need to make sure your advert is as complete as possible. Think of your advert like your spot in an estate agents window. What would make someone want to live in your home? Make sure you have all the details entered about your property.

“Add some photos as well - show people how nice your home is. You want to make them live there remember!” She added: “it’s not just the details about your own property that are important. You must complete your application about what you want to exchange with too.”

All that’s left to do is browse the properties yourself! The service is free for dgHp tenants. You can sign up at www.homeswapper.co.uk or if you would like more information please call us on freephone 0800 011 3447.

following their recent Annual general Meeting, the dumfries and galloway federation of Tenants and residents has a new face joining its executive team.

dorothy grant, from Troqueer Tenants and residents Association (TArA) takes over as the federation Secretary from Lochmaben TArA’s ronald ritchie.

dorothy, who has been Chair of Troqueer TArA for a number of years is an active

member in her community and was awarded ‘Tenant of the Year for nithsdale’ at dgHp’s 2013 awards.

Mary Muir, from gretna, was re-elected as Chair, with her Vice-Chair remaining as Mary McCartney, also from gretna.

The group’s Treasurer remains as diane Currie from Annan. diane also sits on dgHp’s Annandale and eskdale district Management Committee.

Left to right; Mary Muir, Mary McCartney, dorothy grant, diane Currie

Are you looking for a new home? from time to time, dgHp has a number of properties that are available to let immediately.

The list is updated regularly and you can even subscribe to the weekly list and have it sent straight to your email inbox.

You can browse the latest list now at www.dghp.org.uk/available-properties

federaTion office bearers

available properTies

The former THiS tenants contents insurance provider will now be known as THiSTLe Tenant risks.

The insurance company, which offers a special affordable rate for dgHp tenants, has changed its name following a restructure in 2013.

But you don’t need to worry if you are a customer of the insurers, as you will experience no interruption in your service and claims are dealt with in exactly the same manner as before.

recent flooding and bad weather across the region means that looking after your possessions is more important than ever before. Cover from Thistle Tenant risks has been designed to help you insure most of your belongings as easily as possible.

policies from Thistle also cover you against theft, vandalism, fire and water damage. fortnightly premiums start from £1.53 a fortnight for under 60s and just £1.11 for anyone over the age of 60.

premiums vary depending on the sum of your items insured and your postcode, but the team at Thistle will guide you through the process.You can call dgHp’s Customer Service Centre on 0800 011 3447 (freephone) or 0845 606 3447 (lo-call) to find out more.

** in the last edition of open door we ran a “spot the difference” competition and the lucky winner of the vouchers is Mrs J Callander, of Lochmaben. Well done to all who entered. Vouchers will be sent soon.

home conTenTs insUrance UpdaTe

Thank yoU for yoUr inpUT inTo dghp's bUsiness plan

4 open door Spring 2014


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Who shoUld yoU call?

DGHP’s Customer Service Centre (CSC) is open from 8am until 7pm, Monday to Friday, to take your calls relating to your tenancy and property.

We want to make sure that you receive a first-class service every time you call us so we thought it might be useful to explain here who you should call in certain circumstances.

Most of the calls we receive relate to dgHp matters, but there are times when we do receive calls that we can’t help you with. Some examples are listed here.

As you will have been notified, dgHp’s Board of Management has agreed to increase rents by 4.35% from April 2014 (3.6% for tenants in new-build properties as previously agreed due to these houses already meeting Scottish Housing Quality Standards).

You will already have received a letter telling you of the new rent you will pay and if you need to speak to us about it you can do so by calling the Customer Service Centre on freephone 0800 011 3447. in addition, if you do not currently claim housing benefit and you now wish to do so, contact housing benefit staff at the council on 030 33 33 3000.

if you already receive housing benefit, you will also be notified of your new entitlement. if your income or circumstances have changed you must inform your local housing benefit office.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for your feedback and comments following the consultation period for the rent increase. The majority of those who responded were from Annandale and eskdale, but there was a good spread of responses from across the region. in addition, we received a high number of responses from tenants with some very useful comments.

for example, several tenants suggested we should make further savings by using second class postage instead of first where possible - this is something we have been doing for a couple of years now at dgHp and it is really good to hear such suggestions and to hear that we are thinking in the same way as you.

As explained in the consultation newsletter we have made a number of efficiency savings, of which almost 80% of you agreed with, including - • ReducingthenumberofDGHPstaffwho

receive an essential Car Users allowance for business travel

• ReducingtheannualTenantCommunityfund budget by £10,000 to £40,000 - this is our fund aimed at helping community projects etc

• ReducingthenumberofOpenDoornewsletter editions from 4 to 3 each year

• Movingto‘Board’committeesonlywithin dgHp and cutting out committees specifically on customer services and regeneration etc. The monthly Board meetings will cover everything the individual committees would, but all in the

one day, saving on costs and resources.

• TobeabsolutelyclearDGHPstillhasitsfour district Management Committees and continues to support the many active Tenants and residents Associations (TArAs) and the dumfries and galloway federation of Tenants and residents in exactly the same way as before. The only change is to the committee structure within dgHp.

REMINDER - aN END TO ‘RENT FREE’ wEEkS

in addition, as explained in the rent increase consultation newsletter issued in January, there will no longer be any ‘rent free’ weeks (from this month - April 2014).

This does not mean you are going to be paying four weeks extra rent. in previous years, we have spread rent payments over 48 weeks giving four ‘rent free’ or ‘non-collection’ weeks. However, following approval from dgHp’s Board of Management, these ‘rent free’ weeks will be stopped from now. Your annual rent will simply be spread over four extra weeks.

renT increase feedback

• AnythingtodowithyourdgHp property

• Toreportarepair/tocheckonthe progress of works

• Tospeaktousaboutyourrentaccount

• Tomakegeneralenquiries

• Toreportantisocialbehaviouraffecting you or your property

• Tospeaktousaboutyourhousing application/transfer application or to make a new application for housing with dgHp

• Tospeaktousaboutanyestate or neighbourhood management issues

• Moneymattersandhelpwithbudgeting

• Housingbenefit-althoughwemay have to refer you to the council on this one, depending on the circumstances

• Anyqueriesregardingtheupliftof white goods

• Anyquestionsrelatingtoyourwheelie bins

• Counciltaxqueries

• Streetlightingenquiriesortoreport a fault

• Disabledparkingbadges

• Environmentalhealthissues

• Homelessenquiries-thisneeds to go direct to the council in the first instance

wHaT SHOulD I Call DGHP abOuT? ON 0800 011 3447

wHaT SHOulD I CONTaCT DuMFRIES aND GallOway COuNCIl abOuT? ON 030 33 33 3000


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dgHp’s development team are hard at work on projects across the region, with more than ten sites on their books at the moment.

in the West, work continues to progress on the regeneration site in Stranraer. our contractor is on site in newton Stewart at the former Woodlands school which will be home to 36 new properties of mixed tenure on completion.

At Kirkcudbright, the site at the old Creamery will be a three phase handover with the first anticipated for the month of May this year.

This first handover of 12 properties will be followed by a further 12 being returned by the end of July and the last street of 12 properties coming back to dgHp in the early autumn.

The project at the Creamery accounts for a significant proportion of Scottish government funding that dgHp received last year to provide new homes in the region.

in Castle douglas, dgHp is rebuilding dunmuir park in partnership with dumfries and galloway Council. This project is a scheme of supported accommodation units for a vulnerable client group.

So far, the first eight properties have been handed back to the council’s social services team. The old house that was the former care facility is in demolition stages, with the final four properties now under construction.

over in the east of the region, our project at Townhead Street in Lockerbie is nearing completion. regeneration works are almost finished on the block, transforming it into modern, spacious accommodation in the town centre.

A planning application has been submitted for 26 properties in Lochmaben. if approved, the application covered a number of homes to be sold through the Scottish government’s new Supply Shared equity Scheme, with a handful of properties to be managed by dgHp’s subsidiary novantie.

neWs from The siTes in d&g

old Creamery site Kirkcudbright

dunmuir park, Castle douglas

Townhead Street, Lockerbie

available soon in lockerbieA block of refurbished flats will soon be available to rent in Lockerbie as work gears up for completion on a dgHp project.

The dilapidated building at Townhead Street in the town has been given a new lease of life as extensive regeneration works were carried out to the existing property.

A new addition to the block at the rear of the existing building will provide a number of new affordable homes as well as mid-market rent units for the town. novantie, a subsidiary of dgHp will manage six of the new properties, with the other seven managed by dgHp and available for social rent.

You can register your interest for the novantie properties by visiting our website at www.dghp.org.uk/lockerbie where you can find out more about the criteria to have a successful application.

if you wish to be considered for these stunning apartments, please contact us for an application form on 0800 011 3447.



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dgHp, along with a number of partner agencies held a one-day event in Kirkconnel focussing on money, energy awareness and housing advice.

‘A day with dgHp’ took place on february 28 and saw agencies such as Citizens Advice, dumfries and galloway Council, Age Scotland and Home energy Scotland come together to offer support to tenants in Upper nithsdale.

More than 80 people from Kirkconnel and Kelloholm came along to the event in the Miners Hall and met staff from many agencies, including independent Living Support, The food Train and Thistle Tenant risks home contents insurance.

dgHp’s team from Upper nithsdale were available on the day to take queries and gave updates on repair works following the severe flooding that affected the area in the new year.

Help and advice was given on filling in forms, accessing funds, gas and electricity energy advice, housing benefit, applying for the Warms Homes discount and saving money and budgeting.

A washing machine worth £300, kindly donated by dumfries-based Kevin farish euronics Centre, was up for grabs as well as vouchers from the local Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Village pride furniture project, Homebase and also a local carpet store on top of food hampers from the local Co-op and eco-kettles from British gas.

Blaine Mitchell, from Kelloholm, was the lucky winner of the washing machine. Blaine, a renowned baker in the nith Valley, wasn’t around when his winning ticket was drawn from the raffle but was over the moon at the news of his win.

“it was excellent to win this, it was a brilliant surprise,” said Blaine.

a day WiTh dghp in kirkconnel

William Waddell, left, pictured with dgHP’s Head of repairs and Maintenance rab Wight, collecting his £50 Homebase voucher

Margaret Burnie won an eco-kettle at the event

Johnann Marr picking up her £50 voucher for the Kirkconnel and Kelloholm Village Pride Furniture Project

7

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Paul thomson and mum Agnes collecting their prize of a new carpet for a room in their home, from Head of repairs and Maintenance with dgHP, rab Wight

sTeWarTry dmc visiT

The aftermath of recent flooding was felt across the whole of dumfries and galloway - dgHp tenants were worst affected in Kirkconnel where the river nith burst its banks and tenants were evacuated from their homes.

dgHp’s Stewartry district Management Committee (dMC) took one step further than most to help the tenants who were decanted from their homes.

The committee visited Kirkconnel for the ‘day with dgHp’ event and met with some of the tenants who were worst affected by the weather.

The group presented tenants from St Conal’s Square with some essentials to get settled back into the homes on the completion of repair works.

The packs included tea towels, cloths and sponges as well as a couple of cleaning products to help them get back to normal once they move back home.

frank McTaggart, Chair of the Stewartry dMC said: “We just felt as a committee that we had to do something to help this community.

“We all made the trip up to Kirkconnel from the Stewartry to show our support to this community. it was good to see that work is quickly progressing to get people back into their own homes and that the community is slowing returning to normality.”

following the success of our ‘day with dgHp’ in Kirkconnel, we are rolling the events out across the region.

The next in the series will take place in dalbeattie in May, featuring a whole host of partner agencies and organisations who will be on

hand to offer help and advice to you about everything from housing applications to heating your home.

We also have events planned for Whithorn in the Machars and Langholm. invites will be sent to tenants in the areas.

a day WiTh dghp: dalbeaTTie

Our children’s colouring competition winner was naomh Flynn, aged 8

one tenant came along to our ‘day with dgHp’ to congratulate our teams for the work they do to make her community a great place to live.

gretta McKeon, from St Conal’s Square in Kirkconnel, said: “dgHp is a wonderful housing association. i appreciate everything dgHp has done for me, especially my insulation - it’s changed my life.

“i used to leave out a bottle of lemonade in the kitchen overnight and in the morning it would have icicles on it, that’s how cold my kitchen was before dgHp invested in my home.

“it’s wonderful to feel so warm in your home all of the time. i’ve been in my property for 11 years and i love it. Thank you dgHp.”

congraTUlaTions dghp

stewartry dMC members handing over their gift



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A passion for helping the people around them brought the members of Locharbriggs Tenants and residents Association (TArA) together.

Whether you’re grateful for grit bins, proud of your pavements or quite simply happy with the state of your neighbourhood, if you live in Locharbriggs, there’s a good chance it’s down to the hard work of this group.

robert Kerr is the chair of the group and firmly believes that a TArA is at the heart of the community.

robert said: “We’re not a group who fundraise or have massive projects - what we do is spot problems in the community and work together to make Locharbriggs a better place to live.

“As soon as we see a problem, we work with our partner agencies and make a positive change. it’s the little things that make a huge difference to people.”

The group has excellent links with local police officers, councillors and organisations like dgHp.

Margaret Johnston who is the secretary of the group said: “The majority of our members come from Catherinefield Court sheltered housing scheme.

“The residents at Catherinefield are no strangers to campaigning for their community either. Just a few months ago, the residents and

ourselves made national media in a bid to find volunteers to assist with street gritting in the winter.”

The group’s treasurer, community stalwart Hugh Wilson fraser MBe spearheaded that particular campaign and the group were delighted with the result.

Margaret added: “it’s more than just empty words with our group though - we successfully recruited five volunteers to assist with snow clearance and street gritting through that campaign.”

robert said: “We have regular meetings and we get a decent turnout at each, but we could always do with more people coming down to see what we’re about.

“Joining the TArA doesn’t take up a lot of time and you can help make Locharbriggs a great place to live. We would love to welcome more people to our group.”

The group meet on the last Monday of each month, with their next meeting scheduled for Monday April 28. The meetings are at 7pm in the lounge at Catherinefield Court and all tenants and residents are more than welcome.

for more information and advice on setting up a TArA in your area, please call dgHp’s Customer Service Centre on 0800 011 3447 and ask for our Community participation Team.

These groups are not run by dgHp, but we can offer support and advice in the starting stages.

spoTlighT on locharbriggs TenanTs and residenTs associaTion (Tara)

Margaret Johnston

ARE YOU A TENANT? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN THIS NEWSLETTER?

from the next edition of open door we are looking to include adverts

Get in touch with us on 0800 011 3447 for more

A clipping from the national media highlighting the work of the tArA



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dumfries and galloway Mp russell Brown has praised dgHp’s repairs contractor Lovell, as a local employer who backs the fight against youth unemployment.

The Mp made his comments following a visit to dgHp properties at Syme road in dumfries where he met local apprentices at work.

The visit took place as part of national Apprenticeship Week which was set up by the Labour government back in 2008.

on his visit to Syme road, russell met 17 year old owen Macgregor,

from Annan, a trainee plasterer with Lovell in the first year of his apprenticeship.

owen started with Lovell in September 2013 after a one year plastering course at dumfries and galloway College.

director of Housing Services for dgHp, Jayne Moore, said: “it’s great that dgHp’s repairs and maintenance contract with Lovell can help young people like owen benefit from skills and experience he will learn on the job from his apprenticeship.”

owen now spends two days a week in class at college and his other three days on the job with Lovell, gaining invaluable practical experience and learning from his experienced colleagues. owen is one of five apprentices working with Lovell and is the only young person working in plastering.

Allister duff, project Manager at Lovell said: “We’ve got a few young tradesmen coming through at the moment. for young people like owen, an apprenticeship is the best of both worlds, combining training in college and on the job experience.”

Speaking after the visit, russell Brown Mp said: “Having spent time with the apprentices like owen, i know what a great opportunity this is for an apprentice.

“i hope others follow the lead of companies such as Lovell and offer apprenticeships. We can get our young people working again.”

lovell apprenTiceships praised

It only needs one of you to be of Pension Credit age to get Pension Credit!

Cathy and John get over £20.00 a week Pension Credit on top of their other income.

Over £2 billion unclaimed every year! Could you be one of the 1.5 million

people missing out?

Are you missing out?

Don’t delay - claim today.Pension Credit helpline: 0800 99 1234

About 4 million older people are entitled to

Pension Credit, yet about 1 in 3 of those eligible are still not claiming it. If you’re one of them, you could be

missing out on hundreds or thousands of pounds a year.

Pension Credit

It's worth claiming Pension Credit even if you are

only entitled to a small amount, as it can helpyou qualify for other benefits.

It may help you with the benefit changes ahead:

Cathy is 58 years old, John is 69. Cathy workspart time and brings home £100 a week.

John gets roughly £110 a week state pension and also a small works pension

of about £20 a week.

They also have £9,500 in savings.

They get over £20.00 a week Pension Credit.

Contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Welfare Rights Adviser for more information

Produced by www.ucnotes.co.uk. A Welfare Reform information website for housing professionals.

People already on Pension Credit when Universal Credit starts, will not be moved on to it, and their Pension Credit award will continue for as long as they are entitled.

But ‘mixed age’ couples (one Pension Credit age, one not) who are not already on Pension Credit, and who need some extra financial help after Universal Credit starts may have to claim Universal Credit instead which is less generous.

Cathy and John are a mixed age couple, due to their income they would not be entitled to any Universal Credit! But as they have claimed Pension Credit now, their £20.00 award is safe.

Allister duff, Project Manager at Lovell; Owen Macgregor, plasterer apprentice at Lovell; russell Brown MP and Craig Hughes, Plasterer at Lovell



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This service is available to young single people living in dgHp’s ten self-contained units in Troqueer. The accommodation and support is available to young people who are ‘looked after’ and/or care leavers aged 16-21 years.

referrals are made only by the council’s social work services. referrals will only be made for those young people who are deemed suitable for the supported accommodation i.e. only when it is considered the young person needs support; when it is considered their needs can be met within the supported accommodation and the young person is deemed able to engage with support. day-to-day support is provided by project development staff. The

service is supported by an on-site security service outwith support staff hours.

The aim is to provide young care leavers with high quality accommodation in an environment where they feel safe and secure. They are provided with day-to-day support to help them learn to live independently as well as showing them how to maintain their property and integrate into the community. The overall aim is for them to move on to longer term accommodation.

There is a rent and service charge for the accommodation and security which is housing benefit eligible. There is no support charge to

the service user as this is funded by the Big Lottery.

Some quotes from people who have used the service:

“I find when you need help with stuff they take the time to help and find ways to help you”;

“I can come anytime and tell them how I am feeling or if I am upset”;

“They have helped me start work and gave me the confidence to do the interview”.

yoUng persons sUpporTed hoUsing service

spoTlighT on dghp sUpporT servicesdgHp’s Housing Support teams help various groups of vulnerable people across dumfries and galloway. dgHp’s support services aim to help people sustain and manage their tenancies as well as helping them live independently for as long as possible. in addition they help people prepare for their own tenancy, in turn preventing homelessness.

CAre InsPeCtOrAte The support services are registered with the Care inspectorate, who carry out an annual inspection to ensure high quality services, in

line with the national Care Standards. The last inspection was carried out in the summer of 2013 and the outcome was very positive.

The results included - a grade 5 (very good) being awarded for the ‘quality of care and support’; a grade 5 (very good) was awarded for ‘quality of staffing’ and a grade 6 (excellent) was awarded for ‘quality of management and leadership. This is a significant achievement for dgHp and the supporting people team. The Care inspector highlighted in their report how well the

organisation has continued to develop the service and said that very good support was provided to the different sections of tenants using the service.

dgHp receives funding for the support services from dumfries and galloway Council and the Big Lottery and they continually monitor and review our services to ensure we are providing high quality services.

This service is available to older people and those with a disability or support need who live in dgHp’s sheltered housing developments.

There are a total of 264 self-contained sheltered properties across the region where residents have access to day-to-day support, provided by dgHp sheltered staff. All properties are fitted with care-call equipment

including smoke detectors and inactivity sensors. The service is also supported by a 24-hour care-call response service. The aim is to provide older people with a place to live where they feel safe. our sheltered housing service also provides our residents with day-to-day assistance allowing them to sustain a good quality of life while still living independently within the community. There is a weekly rental charge for the accommodation but this

is housing benefit eligible. There is a weekly charge to the service user of £4.74 for the support and care call service, but a financial assessment can be done to assess ability to pay. To access the accommodation, contact dgHp’s Customer Services Centre for an application form.

Some of the comments from tenants who use this service include -

“The housing is well suited for the elderly and infirm”;

“I am so glad to have a great lady, our co-ordinator”;

“I couldn’t live in a better place, there is always help at hand and always something going on. I am very happy here. I just love it. I join in all I can, make people welcome for a cup of tea and a chat. I am a very busy woman with my own things in the home. I respect it. Thank you.”

WhaT services are available?shelTered hoUsing sUpporT service

regular events held for the sheltered housing residents



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

We will always strive to give you the best service possible, but we also acknowledge that you might not always be happy with the service and you may wish to make a formal complaint through our Complaints policy. You can do this by phone either to the Service Manager or via dgHP’s Customer service Centre on 0800 011 3447.

You can also write to us at our headquarters office. You can also complain to the Care inspectorate or dumfries and galloway Council about our service, however, they will normally ask you to go through dgHp’s Complaints policy first.

Advocacy servicesYou may wish to use an advocacy service to help you express your views or to help you make a complaint about the support service. An advocate is a person who is independent of any aspect of the service or of any of the statutory agencies involved.

COntACts

dgHP Customer service Centre: Tel: freephone 0800 011 3447 from a landline or 0845 606 3447 low rate from a mobile phone. Website - www.dghp.org.uk

Write to - dgHp, grierson House, The Crichton, Bankend road, dumfries, dg1 4ZS.

Care Inspectorate: Solway House, dumfries enterprise park, Tinwald downs road, dumfries dg1 3SJ - Tel: 01387 734980. www.careinspectorate.com

dumfries & galloway Council, Housing support team: Municipal Chambers, Buccleuch Street, dumfries, dg1 2Ad. Tel: 01387 273158. Website www.dumgal.gov.uk

dumfries & galloway Advocacy service: 107 english Street, dumfries, dg1 2dA. Tel: 01387 247237

hoW To make a complainT in relaTion To sUpporT services

A group of sixth year pupils from a local high school visited dgHp’s temporary supported accommodation in dumfries recently.

The group, who have been working on their Young enterprise project this year, handed over some starter packs to tenants staying in the accommodation and they spent some time chatting with them.

The pupils, from dumfries High School, created Monopolize as their Young enterprise project - but instead of the usual aim to make a profit, they decided to do something a bit different and to help others.

They spent a lot of time researching and producing starter packs for people who are homeless to allow them to have some basics.

To finish off their project the pupils felt it was important to hand over some packs themselves and meet some people who have been through the homeless service.

one of the pupils, Blaise, said: “We found it very insightful and enjoyed meeting the staff and residents. it was a great way for us to see how our packs, and other homeless organisations, can help others in the community.

“Before-hand we didn’t know a lot about dgHp’s temporary accommodation but afterwards we can see that the work they do is truly beneficial to those in need, providing them with not only a roof over their heads but with the support they need to live.”

enTerprising pUpils visiT accommodaTion

This service is provided to single homeless people and couples living in dgHp’s temporary supported accommodation in dumfries, Annan and Castle douglas. referrals are made by the council’s homeless department. day-to-day support is provided by project staff.

The service is supported by an on-site security service outwith staff hours. The aim is to provide support to help them gain the skills needed to sustain their accommodation independently, while also helping them move on to longer-term accommodation.

There is a weekly rental charge for the accommodation but there is no support charge to the service user as this is funded by dumfries and galloway Council.

Some quotes from people who have used the service:

“It rebuilt my ability to be on my own in my own property after many years of being homeless”;

“The project is very helpful and accommodating and I am happy to spend time there”;

“I have made a lot of changes for the better in my time here”

Temporary sUpporTed accommodaTion service

Claire gates, Temporary Accommodation Co-ordinator

Some of the staff and residents with the pupils from the Young enterprise group

This service is available to people living in dgHp’s mainstream properties. The support is provided by dgHp housing support workers and the service is available across dumfries and galloway. Vulnerable groups include people suffering from mental health; people who misuse drugs/alcohol; people vulnerable due to being of a young age; people with poor social skills and people vulnerable because of their culture or ethnicity.

The aim is to provide outreach support to people from these groups to help them sustain their tenancy, live independently and help prevent them from becoming homeless. This is a short-term service and there is no support charge to the service user as it is funded by dumfries and galloway Council. referrals for this service can be made by dgHp staff, external agencies and dgHp also accepts self-referrals.

Some comments from people who have used the service:

“It has been great at helping me getting things moving with my benefits”;

“If I didn’t accept the help I would probably be homeless or in jail”;

“If I didn’t have the support I would have lost my flat.”

floaTing hoUsing sUpporT service

Helping provide support to people in their homes



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

TenanTs moniTor dghp Tenants have continued to closely monitor dgHp’s performance in the last quarter as part of ongoing work linked to the Scottish Social Housing Charter.

Members of dgHp’s district Management Committees (dMC) have been getting involved with monitoring how the organisation has been doing, as part of their remit.

during their January meetings, they raised several questions and asked for further information and clarification on a number of points.

To give you some idea of the kind of work they have been undertaking, here is a snapshot of their work -

• MembersaskediftenancyfailuresinDGHPproperties could be broken down by age, to see if this highlights a specific vulnerable age group?

• Theycommentedonthefactthatthereseemed to be an increase in the number of tenants moving to private rented accommodation and they wondered if dgHp could look into this further

• Theyalsonotedthattherehadbeenanincrease in the void turnaround figure for quarter 3, and although it was still well below the target figure, they requested more information

• Finally,theyfelttherehadbeenanincreasein the number of tenants transferring from 2-bed properties and they wanted to know why this was and where the tenants were going.

Tenants are proving that they really do have an important role to play within dgHp and by monitoring the performance data, they really are at the heart of the organisation.

in previous instances, dMC members have asked for further verification of performance figures where they have felt that the service on the ground didn’t match the figure reported. When this has happened, additional survey telephone calls have been carried out to clarify the figures are correct.

Through the work being carried out by our tenants, a number of very important points have been raised and fed back for service improvement.

The Chair of the Annandale and eskdale dMC, david Wilson, said: “it is early days for this new process and we are all on a learning curve, however, we can see that our input can create actions.”

As regular readers of open door know, the dMCs becoming involved in analysing performance information is a new process for dgHp. By having our tenants at the heart of this process, it is providing us with excellent information and improved services for everyone.

There are many ways you can get involved with dgHp, including becoming a member of a focus groups, taking part in a telephone surveys, attending events and if you would like more information on this please contact our Community participation team on 0800 011 3447.

if you would like more information on the Scottish Social Housing Charter please contact doreen Kirkland on the same number above.

dghp needs yoU!!Here at dgHp we firmly believe that our tenants are what the organisation is all about.

We are always looking for tenant members to become board members, and become a really important part of the organisation.

Being a board member of dgHp is both exciting and hugely important - dgHp

wouldn’t be what it is today if it had not been for the active role our tenants have played.

As an organisation, tenants are at the heart of everything we do and we really want you to be part of that in as many ways as possible.

Being a board member brings with it many benefits - you will be involved in shaping the future of the organisation and you will be a real part of the decision making process.

if you are interested in finding out more about this exciting role, or to express an interest in becoming a board member, please get in touch with us – by calling freephone 0800 011 3447 and asking for Brian Scott.

We will provide you with all the help you need and will support you every step of the way to become part of dgHp as an organisation. Your expenses will be paid and we can also help with childcare costs if required during your attendance at meetings.

garagesdgHp has a number of vacant lock-up garages available to rent across the region. There are currently vacancies in the following areas:

Bloomfield, dumfries; Lincluden, dumfries; Locharbriggs, dumfries, Lochside, dumfries; Summerville Avenue, dumfries; Troqueer, dumfries; Lockerbie and Castle douglas.

Current rent for our garages is £7.16 per week for dgHp tenants and £8.59 per week for non-dgHp tenants.

if you are interested in renting a garage or would like any further information, please contact our Customer Service Centre on 0800 011 3447 (freephone) or 0845 606 3447 (lo-call).

Alternatively, you can apply online at www.dghp.org.uk/garages

Annandale and eskdale district Management Committee (dMC) members



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

benefiTs neWs

You may be eligible for Working Tax Credit in the following circumstances:-

LOne PArentsYou are a lone parent with at least one dependant child, and you are working 16 hours or more a week.

COuPLes WItH CHILdren: Couples with at least one dependant child, and • Oneofyouisworking24hoursormorea

week, or • Bothofyouareworkingatotalof24hours

or more a week, so long as one of you is working 16 hours or more a week, or

• Oneofyouisworking16hoursormoreaweek, and the other is ‘incapacitated’*, in hospital or in prison, or

• Atleastoneofyouisworking16hoursormore a week, and either of you are entitled to Carers Allowance.

*incapacitated means in receipt of - • IncapacityBenefit(orona‘creditsonly’

claim); or• ContributoryEmploymentandSupport

Allowance for 26 weeks or more (or on a ‘credits only’ claim); or

• DisabilityLivingAllowance;or• PersonalIndependencePayment;or• ArmedForcesIndependencePayment;or

• AttendanceAllowance;or• SevereDisablementAllowance;or• HousingBenefitorCouncilTaxSupportwith

a disability premium.

dIsABLed WOrKers• Couples,whereaworkerisclassedasa

‘disabled worker’ and they work 16 hours or more a week; or

• Singlepeoplewhoareclassedasa‘disabledworker’, who work 16 hours or more a week.

Age 60 PLus • Couples,whereoneisaged60orover

working 16 hours or more a week; or • Asinglepersonaged60orover,working16

hours or more a week.

OtHers• Singlepeopleaged25orover,whoare

working 30 hours or more a week; or • Coupleswhereatleastoneisaged25or

over, and working 30 hours or more a week.

Who can qualify for childcare costs through tax credits?

Lone parents must work 16 hours or more a week to claim help with childcare costs.

Couples can only get help with childcare costs if the claimant and their partner both work 16

hours or more a week.

But only one of a couple has to work 16 hours or more if the other is:• Incapacitated*-meaninginreceiptof

incapacity Benefit (or on a ‘credits only’ claim) or Contributory employment and Support Allowance for 26 weeks or more (or on a ‘credits only’ claim); or disability Living Allowance or personal independence payment or Armed forces independence payment or Attendance Allowance; or Severe disablement Allowance; or, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support with a disability premium.

• Inhospital• Inprison-servingacustodialsentence

or remanded in custody awaiting trial or sentence

• EntitledtoCarer’sAllowance-evenifthey don’t get any payments because they receive other benefits instead

Further details on working tax credit can be found on the HMrC website:www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits

to claim tax Credits phone 0345 300 3900Lines are open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 4pm saturday

HAVe yOu Been HIt By A CrIsIs Out OF tHe BLue?

if so, then the Scottish Welfare fund may be able to help.

This fund is operated by dumfries and galloway Council and they can offer two forms of assistance - Crisis grants (which can provide you with a safety net in the event of a disaster or emergency) and a Community Care grant (which helps you to leave care and live independently, or to continue living independently).

CrIsIs grAnts

A Crisis grant may help if you are in a crisis because of a disaster like a fire or flood, or an emergency such as being robbed or burgled. it may help with costs that have arisen as a

result of the disaster or emergency, to keep you and your family safe from harm. Usually, you will be on benefits before you can get a Crisis grant.

if you qualify for a Crisis grant, then the help you receive will depend on the particular difficulties you face. You may be given money or another form of support. for example, a voucher, fuel card, travel ticket or furniture.

COMMunIty CAre grAnts

A Community Care grant may help if you are about to leave care to live on your own in the community or face going into care because you don’t have the support you need to continue living at home.

A Community Care grant may also be able to help if you are a family facing exceptional

pressures and need an essential item like a cooker or washing machine but don’t have the money to buy it. Usually, you will be on benefits before you can get a Community Care grant.

As with the Crisis grant, if you qualify for a Community Care grant the help you receive will depend on your circumstances. You may be given money or you may receive support another way. for example, a voucher, fuel card, travel ticket or furniture.

if the above applies to you then you can make an application to the Scottish Welfare fund by completing an online application at www.dumgal.gov.uk/ScottishWelfarefund or by phoning 030 33 33 3007.

Working Tax crediT neWs

scoTTish Welfare fUnd

applying for help online did you know that you can now apply for housing benefit online? This will save you time. online, you can do the following -

• Claimhousingbenefitandcounciltaxreduction• Reportachangeofcircumstancesthatwillaffect

your housing benefit or council tax reduction claim• Reportachangetoyouraddressinordertoget

housing benefit or council tax reduction at your new address

• ApplyforaDiscretionaryHousingPayment(DHP)tohelp you with paying your rent.

one of the great benefits of this is you can apply in the comfort of your own home and at a time that is convenient to you. However, if you do not have access

to the internet at home, or know anyone with internet access, then you can - • Contactustoseeifwecanarrangeanappointment

in one of our offices• GotoyournearestlibraryandusethePC’sthere

(you will have to become a member of the library. it is free to join but you will have to provide proof of your id showing your name, address and signature.)

• UseDumfriesandGallowayCouncil’sself-servicearea. This is only available in their dumfries office at present.

Claiming online is an easy process.

details on how to claim online can be found at www.dumgal.gov.uk/benefits



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

are yoU missing oUT?Billions of pounds go unclaimed every year in benefits. it is possible that you may be missing out on additional income that you are eligible to receive.

over £2 billion goes unclaimed in pension Credits alone each year and £2.7 billion goes unclaimed in Working Tax Credit. if you think you are eligible for one of these benefits then don’t delay and claim today.

PensIOn CredIt

About 4 million older people are entitled to pension Credit, yet 1 in 3 of those eligible is still not claiming pension Credit. if you are

one of these people, you could be missing out on hundreds or thousands of pounds a year.it is worth you claiming pension Credit even if you are only entitled to a small amount, as it can help you qualify for other benefits also.

Being in receipt of pension Credit may also help you with the benefit changes ahead, namely Universal Credit.

people already in receipt of pension Credit when Universal Credit starts will not be moved on to Universal Credit. Your pension Credit award will continue for as long as you are entitled.

Couples, where one person is of pension Credit age and one is not but are already on

pension Credit will also remain on pension Credit following the start of Universal Credit. However, if you are not on pension Credit prior to the start of Universal Credit and then seek extra financial assistance you may have to claim Universal Credit instead, which is less generous.

Could you be one of the 1.5 million people missing out?

Phone the Pension Credit Helpline today on 0800 99 1234

employabiliTy and skills serviceAre yOu uneMPLOyed And In need sOMe suPPOrt? eMPLOyABILIty And sKILLs serVICe MAy Be ABLe tO HeLP!

The employability and Skills team work with a range of partners to provide a range of

employability services across the whole of dumfries and galloway. The team of link workers are on hand to provide support and advice to help people remove barriers by helping people get back into education, training and employment.

The team have detailed knowledge of the local opportunities available, to help support people to improve their employability. Support may include help with access to training,

job searching techniques, work experience, volunteering and much more.

Advice and support is tailored to the need of the individual and can be in the form of one-to-one support or group work. The team offer work club sessions on a weekly basis across the region. for more information call 030 33 33 3000 and ask to speak to a link worker in your area.

benefiT Take Up

CUT OUT AND TAKE THIS VOUCHER ALONG TO KEVIN FARISH EURONICS CENTRE IN DUmFRIES FOR A 5% DISCOUNT.

5% DISCOUNT WITH THIS VOUCHER



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

Millions of pounds go unclaimed each year in housing benefit and council tax reduction (previously council tax benefit).

Housing benefit and council tax reduction are means-tested benefits, which help people on low incomes pay their rent and council tax.

You can claim if you are:•working•unemployed•receivingbenefits•self-employed•apensioner

HOW MuCH WILL I get?

There are a number of things that affect entitlement including - •themoneyyouandyourpartner(ifany)have coming in•yoursavingsandyourpartner’ssavings•howmanybedroomsyouhave•circumstancessuchasyourage,agesandsizeof your family, any disabled members of the family, whether anyone who lives with you who can help with living costs etc

if you have savings of over £16,000 then you won’t be able to claim housing benefit or council tax support, unless you are in receipt of guaranteed pension credit.

You can contact us for further details, speak to dumfries and galloway Council’s revenues and benefits office or speak to your local Citizen’s Advice or Welfare rights office.

dgHp 0800 011 3447d&g Council 030 33 33 3006Citizens Advice 0300 303 4321Welfare rights 01387 266888

HOusIng And COunCIL tAx reduCtIOn CHILd CAre dIsregArd

if you are receiving housing benefit or council tax reduction and pay for someone to look after your children you may be able to get the amount you pay in childcare disregarded from your income.

seCOnd AduLt reBAte

Second Adult rebate is a type of council tax benefit that is available to council tax payers who share their home with someone, who is on a low income and is not a partner or a paying lodger. There are various criteria around this and for more information on these discounts or exemptions contact dumfries and galloway Council on 030 33 33 3000.

did you receive a discretionary Housing payment last year as a result of the under occupancy charge?

if you did, dumfries and galloway Council have confirmed that discretionary Housing payments will be awarded for under occupancy for a further year. housing benefit will contact everyone who received a discretionary Housing payment over the last year in order to review and renew your claim.

if you have not applied for a discretionary Housing payment and you are affected by the under occupancy charge you need to either contact us or the housing benefit office to request your discretionary Housing payment.

CAn I APPLy FOr dIsCretIOnAry HOusIng PAyMent FOr AnytHIng eLse?

Yes you can, so long as you are in receipt of housing benefit. discretionary Housing payments may be awarded to assist with the following:-

• Reductionsinhousingbenefitwherethebenefit cap has been applied;

• Non-dependantdeductionsinhousingbenefit

• Arentshortfall• Arentdepositorrentinadvancefora

property that you are yet to move into if you are already entitled to housing benefit on your current home.

• Separatedcouples(parentswhorequireanextra room because of ‘regular’ overnight contact with their children)

• Propertieswhichhavebeensignificantlyadapted for your needs

There is no guarantee that you will be awarded a discretionary Housing payment. it is at the discretion of dumfries and galloway Council. When applying they will also require details of who is in your household, your household income and your expenditure.

you can apply for a discretionary Housing Payment online at www.dumgal.gov.uk/benefits. you can also contact the housing benefit department on 030 33 33 3006 to enquire further.

hoUsing benefiT and coUncil Tax redUcTion

discreTionary hoUsing paymenTs

Thank yoUHere at dgHp we would just like to say thank you to all of our tenants – across dumfries and galloway.

dgHp Chairman, david McMillan, said: “We know there are some of our tenants who we see quite regularly, whether it be at community events, or when we carry out repair work. But equally, we know there are some of you who we don’t see very much.

“But no matter how often we see you, we want you to know that we appreciate all of you, your feedback, your comments and we just want to say a little thank you for being a tenant of dgHp.

“We are here to talk with you, Monday to friday, 8am to 7pm if you would like to talk to us – just call freephone 0800 011 3447.”



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

oUT and aboUT in The commUniTiesThe federation of Tenants and residents, along with dgHp staff, will be spending some time in and around your area during June.

You might recall that we had a similar project last year when the federation took their minibus to more than 30 rural locations. Almost 150 people visited the federation bus to talk to members and dgHp staff during the course of its travels.

While we’re out and about, we’ll be pleased to talk to you about repairs, tenancy issues, garden maintenance and address any concerns you might have about your rent or housing benefit.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

aNNaNDalE & ESkDalE TIMES buS lOCaTION

Canonbie 2 June - 11am to12.30pm in your area

gretna 2 June - 1.30pm to 3pm richard greenhow centre

Springfield 2 June - 3.15pm to 4pm outside village shop

Lochmaben 3 June - 10am to 12noon At community centre

Lockerbie 3 June - 1.30pm to 3.30pm Tesco’s car park

Beattock 4 June - 10am to 11.30am evan Court

ecclefechan 4 June - 1pm to 2.30pm outside day centre

Hightae 4 June - 3.15pm to 4pm At community centre

eaglesfield 5 June - 10am to 12noon outside post office

Kirkpatrick fleming 5 June - 1pm to 2pm opposite school

eastriggs 5 June - 2.30pm to 4pm outside spar shop

Langholm 9 June - 10.30am to 12.30pm Car park Townfoot

eskdalemuir 9 June - 1.30pm to 2.30pm in your area

STEwaRTRy TIMES buS lOCaTION

Kirkcudbright 6 June -10am to 12noon Harbour Square

Bridge of dee 6 June - 1.30 pm to 2.30pm in your area

Haugh of Urr 6 June - 3pm to 4pm in your area

Castle douglas 10 June - 10am to 12noon Main car park

dalbeattie 10 June - 1.30pm to 3.30pm Town hall car park

Springholm 12 June - 10am to 11am in your area

Crocketford 12 June -11.30am to 12.30pm in your area

Kirkgunzeon 12 June - 1pm to 2pm in your area

wIGTOwN TIMES buS lOCaTION

Whithorn 11 June - 10.30am to12noon opposite post office

Wigtown 11 June - 1pm to 2.30pm Main square

Kirkcowan 11 June - 3pm to 4pm outside village hall

NITHSDalE TIMES buS lOCaTION

Kelloholm 13 June - 10.30am to12.30pm front library/Co-op

Locharbriggs 13 June - 2pm to 3.30pm Lochthorn library car park

Moniaive 16 June - 10.30am to 12noon in your area

Thornhill 16 June - 2pm to 3.30pm opposite fire station

Lochside 17 June - 10am to 12noon outside church

Lochside 17 June - 1.30pm to 3.30pm outside community centre

the hub - a community action centre based in dumfries, has introduced a new service to help people who do not have computers or internet access at home and who now have to apply for welfare benefits and universal jobmatch searches online.

free internet access drop-in sessions are now available on Tuesdays from 10am to 12noon and on Wednesdays from 2pm to 4.30pm - every week - with volunteers available to assist and support people to complete online applications.

Claire ross, from the hub, based on the friars Vennel in dumfries, said: “not everyone will have used a computer before and not everyone is familiar with filling in the new e-forms and submitting them. our volunteers provide a friendly, accessible and confidential service to help people with this. no need to book, just turn up.”

Anyone who is also interested in becoming a volunteer can contact Claire ross on 01387 269161 or email [email protected]

free service To help people affecTedby Welfare reform

dmcs neWs



Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447


freepHone 0800 011 3447

Lo-CALL 0845 606 3447

www.dghp.org.uk

our district Management Committees came together with the dumfries and galloway federation of Tenants and residents to take on the British red Cross Service first Aid Awareness training.

The training for members in the east of the region took place at the easterbrook Hall in dumfries, while their colleagues in the West met at the Creebridge Hotel in newton Stewart.

John Bell, david Murray and derek Caldwell from the British red Cross delivered the training to a total of 28 members across the region.

The training covered awareness of heart attacks and strokes, diabetic emergencies, dealing with unconscious people, strains, sprains, broken bones, burns and choking.

following their busy day, david Wilson, Chair of the Annandale and eskdale dMC said: “i thought that today’s training was perfect and very much a necessity for our members. it was an excellent way to raise awareness of health emergencies that can happen at any time.”

dgHp has launched the 2014/15 Tenant Community fund - aimed at helping our tenants.

if you are involved with a voluntary, community or charitable group that helps tenants of dgHp and the group is currently looking for funding, they might be able to apply.

A total of £40,000 is available to groups across dumfries and galloway if they meet certain criteria.

priority will be given to projects and groups who can demonstrate they actively help dgHp tenants, in particular relation to sustaining their tenancies.

The money will be allocated by tenant volunteers, who sit on dgHp’s four district Management Committees (dMCs). The closing date for applications to the fund is Wednesday April 30, 2014.

Willie Kirsopp, Chair of Wigtown dMC, said: “it is hugely important to us that dgHp tenants are able to live in their homes for as long as possible, and we want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to make that happen.

“Through our Tenant Community fund we are able to support local voluntary and community

groups who are working hard on innovative projects that really make a difference to the lives of our tenants.

“We know how difficult it is nowadays to get on the housing ladder, and once you’ve got the keys to your first property, there is a lot to do before your house really becomes a home. not everyone finds this a simple step, and through our Tenant Community fund we are able to help groups such as furniture projects, starter packs and welfare projects - who ultimately are helping dgHp tenants.”

Consideration will also be given to wider community projects, such as community clean-ups, providing it can be demonstrated that the project will benefit or involve at least 70% of local dgHp tenants.

To apply for a grant from this year’s fund, of up to £5,000, you can either call dgHp on freephone 0800 011 3447 and ask for Margaret McKeand to request a hard copy of the Tenant Community fund form or you can go to our website at www.dghp.org.uk and fill it in online.

TenanT commUniTy fUnd laUnched

Training is incredibly important to the development of dgHp’s district Management Committees (dMCs) and 2014 has brought with it some new courses for our members.

A total of 26 dMC members took part in recent equality and

diversity training. our Annandale and eskdale and nithsdale committees met at grierson House to train with dgHp’s in-house solicitor Christopher Watt.

The Stewartry and Wigtown members met at the Creebridge Hotel for their training with Christopher the following day.

eqUaliTy and diversiTy Training

firsT aid aWareness Training



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Working WiTh oUr TenanTsWe have continued to work closely with a number of tenants in the last quarter - reinforcing how important your opinion is to us.

in the last quarter we have engaged with 800 tenants, right across the region.

putting our tenants at the centre of everything we do is very important to dgHp and as an organisation it is vital to us that we listen and engage with you on anything possible.

Below is a brief breakdown of some of the events we have been involved with in the last three months, from January to the end of March 2014.

in January, we met with a total of 128 tenants through various events including ipad sessions in newton Stewart, drop-in sessions in dumfries, dMC meetings involving updates on dgHp’s performance and also looking at the Tenant Community fund, a federation meeting, various TArA meetings and presentations to high schools across the region. We also consulted with tenants on the business plan for 2014/15.

Through february, we engaged with a total of 451 tenants through school presentations, TArA meetings, a meeting with Young enterprise pupils at dumfries High School who produced starter packs for the homeless as well as a public meeting to look at setting up a new TArA group. There were also some sessions on diversity and equality training as well as another federation meeting where tenants and residents heard about issues around evictions.

in addition, dgHp held the first ever “day with dgHp and others” in Kirkconnel, which was attended by around 80 people. dgHp and other support agencies spent the day in Kirkconnel meeting with tenants and answering their questions and resolving any issues they might have.

Then in March, we met with around 221 tenants through various events, which included TArA meetings, more schools presentations, an open door editorial panel meeting as well as tenants taking part in first aid awareness training. Some tenants also met with the Scottish Housing regulator.

if you would like to find out more about any of our community participation events, please get in touch with us on freephone 0800 011 3447. Ask for the Community participation team.

dgHp aims to provide an excellent service - at all times - to all of our customers. However, we are also realistic in knowing that sometimes things can go wrong.

We value your complaints and comments and look at them as a way of helping us to improve our services. We need to know where, and when, we are going wrong in order to put things right. if you wish to raise a complaint you can do so by speaking to any member of dgHp staff who will take details of your complaint and the outcome that you hope to achieve.

A complaint - as defined by the Scottish public Services ombudsman - is an expression of dissatisfaction.

To ensure that we capture all expressions of dissatisfaction we review all calls received to the organisation and log these as complaints to

allow us to learn from these.

if you use the self-service portal online, you may have noticed comments logged against your address. That is because these will be linked to any calls that you have made to dgHp in relation to an issue highlighted by you, and resolved by the operator during the call.

dgHp monitors these and recommend service improvements to prevent or reduce the number of complaints received.

if you have any questions in relation to this process please contact the Service improvement Team on 0800 011 3447.

The table below shows the complaints received by dgHp between January 8 and March 30 2014

area of service

Resolved stage 1

Resolved stage 2

Open upheldNot

upheldTotal

repairs and Maintenance

121 5 3 99 27 129

Housing Management

27 3 16 14 30

investment & regeneration

17 3 13 4 20

Customer Service Centre

3 2 1 3

Corporate 1 1 1

Total 169 8 6 130 47 183

aiming To provide yoU WiTh The besT service - aT all Times

A number of improvements have been made within services, as a direct result of complaints received by our tenants.

Listed below are some examples from the last quarter.

Complaint action taken

A complaint was received in relation to a housing application not being reinstated after a tenant had adhered to a repayment plan

introduced a regular review process of all suspended cases and new guidance has been rolled out to all the teams

A complaint was received in relation to the time taken to have aids and adaptions work carried out at a new property

A new procedure is being devised by the Head of Housing Management to streamline the process

A complaint was received in relation to the time taken to have insulation installed at a property

regular reviews are now in place with the contractor to ensure missed properties are addressed and works have commenced



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dgHP is committed to dealing with antisocial behaviour to make sure all our tenants enjoy their right to peace, quiet and security in their homes.

But what exactly is antisocial behaviour? And what isn’t antisocial behaviour? it’s a commonly-asked question and one we hope to answer in more detail for you here.

WHAt Is AntIsOCIAL BeHAVIOur?

Antisocial behaviour can be a number of things, but the law defines it as -

• Whensomeoneactsinawaythatcauses,or is likely to cause, alarm or distress

• Ifsomeonefollowsapathofbehaviourthat causes, or is likely to cause, alarm or distress to at least one other person who is not in the same household

The most common examples of antisocial behaviour include -

• Someonehavingapartywithloudmusicblaring late into the night or early hours of the morning

• Peopleshouting,screamingorfightingwithin communal entry ways - or if it is so loud that it can be heard outwith the property

• Someonehavingalargenumberofpeoplewithin their property, which in turn causes an unreasonable level of noise, which can be heard outside the property

And WHAt Is nOt AntIsOCIAL BeHAVIOur?

Some examples of issues which are not classed as antisocial behaviour include - • Normaldomesticlivingnoisesuchas

people opening and closing internal doors or kitchen cupboards

• Runningthewashingmachineorvacuumcleaner

• Normallevelsofdogbarking• Peopleparkinginthewrongplace• Someoneleavingtheirwheeliebinsoutin

the street

it is very important that people who live in flats or semi-detached houses must be aware of their neighbours and remember that noise can travel through walls and floors. please be courteous towards your neighbours in order to prevent disputes from arising.

WHAt tO dO IF yOu tHInK yOu Are suFFerIng FrOM AntIsOCIAL BeHAVIOur?

firstly take responsibility for the situation and go and speak to the person in question. discuss the situation and see if an amicable solution can be reached between you, rather than escalating the problem. if that fails, then you should report the matter to the Customer Service Centre, on 0800 011 3447, who will refer you to the Antisocial Behaviour Team or a neighbourhood Manager. it may be that your complaint relates more to an estate management issue that can be better addressed by a neighbourhood Manager. They can then investigate the case and advise you as to the potential options to resolve the matter.

if the behaviour doesn’t stop, the important thing to do is record all incidents clearly and in detail. dgHp can provide you with a diary which you should complete to allow our ASB officers to investigate your complaints fully. if there is an incident ongoing then you should call the police as they can act as corroborating witnesses to a particular incident if they attend when it is still ongoing. The police also have a number of powers to tackle antisocial behaviour and can take action to end a particular incident such as seizing stereo equipment.

so, in brief -

steP 1 - Take responsibility and speak to the person in questionsteP 2 - discuss the situation and see if you can reach an amicable solution steP 3 - if that fails, report the matter to our Customer Service Centre on freephone 0800 011 3447 and we will discuss the options with you steP 4 - dgHp can issue you with a diary to record incidents to allow us to investigate the matter fully steP 5 - Also, please remember, if an incident is on-going you should call the police so they can take direct action to deal with the incident and corroborate the incident for future court proceedings

WHAt CAn dgHP dO IF I AM suFFerIng FrOM AntIsOCIAL BeHAVIOur?

dgHp can take a number of legal measures to help people suffering from antisocial

behaviour. However, the law states that we must use these on a proportionate basis - and try lesser measures first. These include measures such as warning letters and interviews with the perpetrator.

The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 allows dgHp to apply to the court for an Antisocial Behaviour order (ASBo) - in situations where certain criteria are met.

These are - if the person is over 12; they have engaged in antisocial behaviour and if the order is necessary for protecting people from further behaviour by that person.

The order asks the court to grant an order banning the person from doing certain actions, and if they breach the order then they can be sent to prison.

if the antisocial behaviour continues dgHp can raise an action to have someone evicted from their home. The court process to have someone evicted from their home can take a considerable period of time as it involves a number of factors which are outwith our control. in the event that you are involved in a case the Antisocial Behaviour Team will keep you updated of the progress of the case.

When applying to court dgHp needs to have the fullest information possible to present to the Sheriff so it is very important that you complete our diary sheets detailing exactly what is happening. We may also ask you to be a witness in a court case and to give a written statement describing the effect that the antisocial behaviour is having upon you. The Antisocial Behaviour Team can support you to do this.

WHAt OtHer sOLutIOns Are AVAILABLe?

dumfries and galloway Council’s Community Safety Team can offer mediation in cases of neighbour disputes. This can be useful to allow all parties to reach an agreement where they can continue living next to each other in a civil manner. The council also have noise monitoring equipment available which they can install within your home to determine the extent of the problem and help officers identify solutions to the problem.

to speak to someone at dgHP about antisocial behaviour please call us on Freephone 0800 011 3447.

focUs on anTisocial behavioUr

alTernaTive formaTs This publication is also available on tape, in Braille, large print and community languages.

For information contact DGHP’s Customer Service Centre on:

neTWorK rATe 0845 606 3447

freepHone 0800 011 3447

eMAiL [email protected]

for fUrTher informaTion, please conTacT:dgHP Customer service Centre Grierson House, The Crichton, Bankend Road, Dumfries DG1 4ZS 0800 011 3447 (freephone) 0845 606 3447 (charged at network rate) email us: [email protected] or visit our website: www.dghp.org.uk

This material is environmentally friendly from FSC sources A registered Scottish Charity - SC039896


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please send us your answers on this form in an envelope, or on the back of a postcard, to: open door Competition, dumfries and galloway Housing partnership, freepoST nAT3109, dumfries, dg1 4Br. return your form to us by Friday May 30th. We will contact the winners after this date to arrange to hand over the vouchers. The overall winner may be required to have a photograph taken for a future edition of Open Door.

➊

➋

➌

➍

➎

name

Address

Postcode

telephone

ENTRY FORm

it’s competition time again.

Answer the following 5 simple questions and send your entries to us by friday May 30th to be in with the chance to win a voucher worth up to £40. first prize will win £40, second prize will win £25 and third prize will win £10.

All the answers are within articles in this edition of open door.

compeTiTion - Win some voUchers QUESTIONS -

➊ in this edition of open door we tell you about the important launch of a new Common Housing register for dumfries and galloway. Can you tell us what name has been given to this?

➋ There is an article in here about dgHp and members of the federation of Tenants and residents being “out and about in the communities”. Can you tell us the name of one of the communities we will be visiting throughout June?

➌ There is an article in here advising you what type of things you should contact dgHp’s Customer Service Centre about, and what type of things you should contact the council about. Can you tell us one thing that you really should call the council about, rather than dgHp? (you will find the list on page 4)

➍ in this edition there is a spotlight on the Support Services of dgHp. Can you please tell us the name of one of the services they offer?

➎ There is an article in here called “dgHp needs you”. Can you tell us what we are looking for?

Win!

compeTiTion Winner

our winter competition winners have been announced.

Ashley Campbell, from Locharbriggs, won first prize in the competition from our last edition of open door, picking up £40 worth of shopping vouchers to spend.

Ashley said: “This is great! i never win anything, i was really surprised to hear i’d won!”

Second prize of £25 went to robina Caven, of Lockerbie, with third prize going to Alistair Boyd, of dunragit who picked up a £10 voucher.

The correct answers to our competition were:

1. 4.35%2. david McMillan is the new Chairman and pat McTaggart is the new

Vice-Chair.3. Solway Credit Union is one, and Stranraer Credit Union is the other 4. THiS insurance5. There were many answers to this question - anything from our

CLoSed off tips would be taken as a correct answer: Using energy saving light bulbs, closing your curtains when it’s dark etc

Ashley Campbell from Locharbriggs, and daughter Kaitlin, who picked up first place

freephone 0800 011 3447 lo-call 0845 606 3447 tenants … · chicken & broccoli bake serves 4-6...

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