issue 07-customer_news_winter2006

Stockportat home formally ‘NEWS and views’ Issue 7: Winter 2006

Warning fromTrading Standardspage 9

ChristmasSafetypage 4

Anti-socialbehaviour updatepage 22

2 Stockport at home – Winter 2006 Issue 7 www.stockporthomes.org

Helen McHaleChief Executive, Stockport Homes

Contents

Roger PhilipsChair of Stockport Homes Board

Hi everyone,

We are now entering the next phase of our journey. Many ofyou will now have had letters to say that you are having newkitchens or bathrooms, or both. There is a lot of work to bedone to deliver these quickly, to a high standard and allowingyou significant choice. I am sure you will be happy with thefinished product, but hope you will bear with us as theprogramme becomes established and grows.

We are trying to build on our inspection result, both to continueto implement some of our proposals such as improving thegrounds maintenance service, and to improve in line with theInspectors’ suggestions.

We hope that Stockport Homes can use both its success andits funding to improve your home, the management of it and itssurrounding environment. A big part of our ability to do this isthrough your involvement and feedback. Many of you haverecently completed a Customer Survey, thank you! We will beassessing these findings in order to identify the ways we needto improve.

I look forward to next year, seeing much more of theimplementation of improvements, not just planning and hoping!

So, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.

Helen

PageChristmas crime prevention advice 3

Out of hours contact numbers 5

York Street Residents’ Association 15

Gas Safety 17

How to pay your rent by Direct Debit 18

ASB news 22

Assisted gardening scheme 27

Useful phone numbers 28

Dates for your diary (please see enclosed booklet)

At our first Annual GeneralMeeting held in September wereflected on all that StockportHomes have achieved in itsshort life since being formedlast September.It was very rewarding to celebrate theachievement of all involved and thatincludes the many residents whohave helped in giving time andcommitment to ensure we structurethe services and systems in the bestway possible.It has been a rollercoaster ride for allinvolved when I look at the amount oftime spent in writing policies,procedures, reports, re-structuringservices, training staff and holdingmeetings. It is to everyone's creditthat in the meantime the serviceshave improved and stayed on track.We are now excited to be movingonwards to deliver the lastingimprovements that the money fromthe Government will enable us tocarry out, and to further raise thestandard of the services we deliver.We are a listening organisation, and Itrust you feel there is evidence toshow that this is a reality not just apromise. Only by you playing yourpart to tell us what you feel will itenable us to improve day by day, soplease keep feeding back yourcomments, views and opinions.This is an exciting time for StockportHomes and all our residents and mythanks go especially to everyoneinvolved in making Stockport Homesone of the foremost housingorganisations in the country - andthat's official!Roger

West District• Adswood and Bridgehall

Advice Centre• Cheadle Hulme Advice Centre• Cheadle Library• Heald Green Advice Centre

East District• Bramhall Advice Centre• Bredbury Advice and Information

Centre• Brinnington Advice Centre• Marple Library• Hazel Grove Advice Centre (Now

in Hazel Grove Library)

Central District• Reddish Advice Centre• Heaton Library• Offerton Advice Centre, Dialstone

Centre• Stopford House, South End

Customer ReceptionThere is also a freephone in theHousing Information Centre at StPeter's Square. You can use thisto telephone Repairs, CustomerFinance (Rents) and to report anti-social behaviour.Freephones are also available in allthe District Housing Offices.

At the moment we are looking athow we can make access eveneasier by installing moretelephones for you.If you prefer you can contact therepairs service by:l Calling the contact centre

0845 644 4304l Text message - 07797 806626

l Fax - 0161 217 6032

l Email - [email protected]

l On our website atwww.stockporthomes.org

3Stockport at home – Winter 2006 Issue 7www.stockporthomes.org

Christmas crimeprevention advice

Free phones for reporting repairs

There are lots ofthings you can do tohelp prevent crimes

and also to identify your property ifit is recovered.

Top security tips

l Always secure and lock yourdoors and windows, even if youare just popping out or you arein the back garden.

l Don't store keys near the door,particularly where they can beseen and never hang a sparekey inside the letter box orhidden in a convenient hidingplace such as under the mat orbeneath a flower pot.

l Don't leave Christmas presentsunder the tree in full view ofburglars who may be peeringthrough windows.

l Postcode your goods with apermanent or ultra-violet markerpen. The police can thenidentify the true owner if theyare recovered.

l Note down the serial numbersof all electrical goods such asTVs, videos, computers andcamera equipment and keepthe list out of sight in a secureplace. It is also a good idea tophotograph valuable items suchas jewellery and pictures as this

will help with identification if theitems are recovered.

l Spread your possessionsaround your body - keep yourmobile phone separate fromyour purse or wallet and yourcheque book separate fromyour credit card. Keep bagszipped.

l Don't leave your shopping ondisplay in your car - keep it outof sight in the boot and makesure your car is secure.

Don't let your Christmas be ruined by burglars.This is the time of year when people havevaluable Christmas gifts stored in their homesand temptation increases for burglars.

Did you know? Free phones are available throughout theborough for Stockport Homes' customers to report repairs.

These locations are:


Christmas Safety

During the 12 days of Christmas in2005/6 Greater Manchester Fireand Rescue Service attended 145accidental fires in homes acrossGreater Manchester.

As a result of the fires 31 peopleeither received treatment at thescene or had to attend hospital.

Stockport Borough CommanderSteve Fisher said, “A fire in yourhome is a terrible experience butto have one during the Christmasperiod is particularly distressing.There is far more potential for a fireduring this period due to candlesbeing lit, fairy lights being used andextra cooking in the home.Planning for Christmas is a busytime but people still need to take a

few precautions around the homein order to ensure they have a safeand happy festive period”

These few simple precautions candramatically reduce the risk of fire,particularly during the Christmasperiod.

l Always turn Christmas treelights off and withdraw the plugat night, and when the room isgoing to be unoccupied for alengthy period of time.

l Do not overload plug sockets.

l Ensure candles are in properholders so they can't fall over,and do not leave lit candlesunattended.

l As always, make sure open

fires are well guarded and thatwrapping paper, Christmasdecorations etc., are kept wellaway.

l Make sure smokers put theircigarettes right out.

l Take extra care after drinkingalcohol.

l Push the button, not your luck -check your smoke alarms areworking and don't be temptedto use the batteries to powerany Christmas presents.

l Make your plan. Get out alive -will everyone (including guests)know where your door andwindow keys are kept?

l Don't be distracted whencooking - fire starts when yourattention stops.

Christmas, as well as being a joyous occasion, can

also be a time of tragedy. Most of us increase the

chance of fire occurring in our homes by introducing

such items as paper decorations, Christmas trees,

temporary lighting and large amounts of wrapping

paper and boxes. Fire does not respect Christmas and

it is a certainty that a family somewhere in Britain will

have a serious fire over the festive season.


Out of hours contact numbersl Emergency Housing: 0161 477 2626

l Emergency Repairs: 0845 644 4304

l Anti-social behaviour: 0845 644 4309

l Social Services – out of hours service: 0161 718 2118

Christmas opening times – reception servicesFriday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

22 Dec 23 Dec 24 Dec 25 Dec 26 Dec 27 Dec

Central District Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed 8.30am Office – 1.00pmWest District Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed 9.00am Office – 1.00pmEast District Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed 9.00am Office – 1.00pmLancashire Hill Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed ClosedReceptionHousing Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed 8.30am Information Centre – 4.30pm

Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday28 Dec 29 Dec 30 Dec 31 Dec 1 Jan 2 Jan

Central District 8.30am 8.30am Closed Closed Closed 8.30am Office – 5.00pm – 3.30pm – 5.00pmWest District 9.00am 9.00am Closed Closed Closed 9.00am Office – 4.00pm – 3.30pm – 4.00pmEast District 9.00am 9.00am Closed Closed Closed 9.00am Office – 4.00pm – 3.30pm – 4.00pmLancashire Hill Closed Closed Closed Closed Closed 8.30amReception – 10.00amHousing 8.30am 9.30am Closed Closed Closed 9.30am Information Centre – 4.30pm – 3.30pm – 4.30pm

Please note the Customer Finance Team will not be providing a Saturday morning service on 23 Decemberor 30 December. Phone lines at the District Housing Offices are open from 8.30am - 5.00pm on 28 and 29December and 2 January.


Do you know whatstandard of serviceyou can expect fromStockport Homes?

We have service standards for the following StockportHomes services:

l Customer care

l Sheltered housing

l Carecall

l Housing options

l Temporary accommodation

l Homechoice

l Concierge

l Resettlement

l Anti-social behaviour

l Customer Finance (income management)

l Your neighbourhood

l Customer involvement

l Repairs and investment

If you would like to see the content of any of thesestandards or feel we are not meeting them, please donot hesitate to contact the Service ImprovementTeam on 0161 474 2887 or text to 07891 949399 oremail us at [email protected]

One of our standards is about customer care. Belowyou can see what we found when we measuredperformance against customer care standards acrossStockport Homes during September 2006.

These have been written with ourcustomers and our performance is checkedby both our customers and ourselves on aregular basis to see how we are doing. For example, if you write a letter to us youshould get a reply within 10 working days.All of our services have 'service standards'which are a list of what you can expectfrom us.

service improvement news

l All staff knew how to arrange for an interpreter to assist customers.

l All reception areas in the offices were accessible, clean, tidy and provided toys for children.

l All areas displayed a sign offering a home visit if someone was unable to come to the office.

l The feedback procedure was publicised in all of the offices with the housing information centre displayingthe feedback forms on the desk.

l All of the offices publicised the racial harassment helpline number in eight different languages.

l The adverts for translation and interpretation services were displayed in all of the offices, as well as offering information in other formats, such as Braille, large print and audio tape.

l There were clear contact details on the letters sent out to customers.

Positive things we found


Younger customers do not tend toget involved with many StockportHomes events. This questionnaireaimed to see if younger peoplewould like to get involved and whatwith, what they care about on theirestate, and how they would like totell Stockport Homes their views.

A response was received from justunder 90 customers which isapproximately 12%. A positiveresponse was received from nearlyall of the customers. The things ofmost interest to young people were'a clean and safe neighbourhood'and 'facilities for children and young

people'. Repairs, anti-socialbehaviour and Homechoice were thethree things under 25s would like todiscuss with Stockport Homes anda third of respondents would like toattend an under 25s group.

From this a young person's drop-ingroup was held at the LapwingCentre in Brinnington. Thecustomers who attended told usthey liked the idea of a drop-insession. The children who camealong enjoyed the activities whichincluded: face painting, a bouncycastle, refreshments and a goodiebag for all children.

The repairs team were on hand totalk to customers as was ourSustainability Manager - JoanneCole. She asked customers theirviews on children's play facilities, sothat Stockport Homes can seek toobtain funding to invest in newfacilities for the Brinnington area.Staff from the Customer InvolvementTeam discussed what trainingcourses would be of interest to

young people and to identify anytraining needs. Ideas from thisdiscussion included an interest indeveloping computer skills andconfidence building to help with jobhunting, such as how to write a CV.It was important to the youngercustomers that they attend a coursethat has a recognised qualificationthat they can use.

If you have any questions or youwould like to attend a future drop-ingroup, please contact Julie Nelsonon 474 2862 or [email protected]

During September a questionnaire was sent to all customersof Stockport Homes who were under 25, around 750 tenants.

l Not all staff knew how to use the hearing loop for deaf customers - we are going to train all staff on thisagain to make sure they can operate the loop.

l We didn't manage to answer all our phone calls from customers within 15 seconds - a new telephonesystem is being installed which should reduce the number of calls which are waiting to be answered.

l There was no bell at West District Housing Office (Adswood) for customers to ring if there were no staffon reception - a new bell has been installed.

Areas we found which need some improvement

Young Person (18-25)Questionnaire


service improvement news (continued)

l You said you weren't getting value formoney when it came to the charge forgrounds maintenance.

l We are asking new companies whetherthey wish to undertake the groundsmaintenance for Stockport Homes. This iscalled a tendering exercise and the winnerwill be chosen on a mix of cost and quality.

An apologyIn the last edition of news and views it wasincorrectly stated that weekly surgeries havebeen established at Brereton Court shelteredhousing scheme. The surgeries will actuallybe held fortnightly.

You said, we did...We value your feedback on our services, whether you wish to make a complaint, complimentor comment. We try to learn from our mistakes and some of the things we have done as aresult of your feedback are listed below. As you can see there are a lot of improvements inplace and we are continually trying to improve our service to our customers.

l You said the District Housing Office gaveincorrect information about how we recoverrent arrears.

l We have arranged for all District HousingTeams to receive training on this area.

l You said that you weren't informed when acontractor had visited your property.

l Contractors now leave a card when theydo jobs outside properties where they donot require access so that customers knowthey have attended.

l You said you were the victim of anti-socialbehaviour and children playing football.

l A range of measures were undertakenincluding erecting fencing (whereappropriate) in order to combat the problemand give you peace of mind.

l You said some hedges were overgrown. l We have decided these will be included inthe new grounds maintenance contract.

What you said.. What we did.


Warning from TradingStandards (working with Housing Options)

If you decide you want to buy yourCouncil home, before signing anypaperwork or making any payment,you should first contact the Council'sRight to Buy Section on: 0161 474 3221 [email protected]. Theywill give you advice on how to applyto buy your home and they will sendyou all the necessary forms. Theadvice is free.

Stockport Trading Standards hasreceived complaints that somecompanies have charged tenants forthe advice and paperwork, and thenpersuaded them to sign up for amortgage with a high interest rate.The firms will also get you to agreeto let them arrange the legal workand surveys - they will get you tosign a credit agreement to cover thecosts. This is how they make theirmoney.

Don't get talked into taking out a

mortgage until you've compared itwith other lenders' offers. Many highstreet banks and building societieswill offer you a mortgage. Don't bepersuaded to sign up for onewithout first shopping around for thebest deal.

When looking for a mortgage, thinkabout how much you can afford toborrow and whether you can affordto pay it back if your circumstanceschange. If you get into difficultiesmaking the payments and get intoarrears, the lender can go to courtand repossess you home.

You can take advice from anIndependent Financial Advisor oryour bank. You can also contact the Financial Services Authority on 0845 6061234 or access theirwebsite on www.fsa.gov.uk forfurther information.

Trading Standards are keen to hearfrom tenants who have received a

visit from anyone claiming their rightto buy is ending or who has signedany agreements they are nowconcerned about. You can contactConsumer Direct on 0845 4040506- Consumer Direct can give youadvice and then pass the details toStockport Trading Standards.

Geoff Binns, Housing OptionsManager said “We have dealt with anumber of cases where ex-tenantshave bought their homes and thenhad their home repossessed. Whentenants are thinking about buyingtheir home it is important that theyplan their finances well and ensurethey can manage mortgagerepayments to prevent futurehomelessness.”

If you do have a mortgage or otherdebts and are struggling to keepyour home, then the HousingOptions Team can also provideadvice and refer you to specialisthelp where needed. The Team canbe contacted on 0161 474 4237and are based at the HousingInformation Centre, 1 St Peter’sSquare, Stockport.

Stockport Council's Trading Standards service is warningCouncil tenants considering purchasing their home to bewary of firms offering to help them with their right to buy.Some firms are visiting tenants and telling them the right tobuy scheme is ending. This is not the case.


There are a range of issues throughout the districtsthat have been picked up on the recent estateinspections.

Key issues for all three districts have been:

l Grounds maintenance – grass not cut or shrubsovergrown

l Litter particularly on roads and open areas

l Untidy gardens

l Condition of private land and properties withinCouncil owned estates.

Key issues

l Enforcing contract conditions such as groundsmaintenance and cleaning of communal areas in flats.

l Working with customers to develop schemes toimprove sites and bid for funding through the EstateImprovement Budget. This has assisted in attractingadditional resources through sponsorship or matchedfunding for schemes.

l Liaison and partnership working with otherdepartments and agencies. Setting up structures toensure specific issues can be quickly referred andactioned such as monthly liaison meetings with theHead of Environmental Cleansing. Also inviting otheragencies and partners on estate walkabouts.

Outcomes

Estate Walkabout Actions


Congratulations tothe Newly Weds

Dee Ellis, Senior Housing Officer, presented Mrs Wrightwith a beautiful bouquet of flowers on behalf ofStockport Homes.

Both in their 80s, this was an event to celebrate, withthe Stockport Express and Granada Reports alsofeaturing the wedding celebrations.

Mrs Wright joked with housing staff saying that shewould be keeping the top tier of the wedding cake forthe christening!

On 31 October the East District HousingForum congratulated Mr and Mrs Wrightof Romiley on their recent wedding.

The event was held for allStockport Homes staff at TheCounty Hotel in Bramhall and wasonly possible due the generosity ofour suppliers who kindly sponsoredthe event.

Acorn Environmental Services, The Casey Group, Dodds, HughesBrothers, Mears, Seddons andWrekin Windows all played theirpart in making the event a hugesuccess.

Roger Phillips, Chair of StockportHomes Board is seen here withBoard and Council members.

Stockport Homescelebrated its 1st birthdayand the achievement of the3 star award on Friday 29September.

Stockport Homes Party

Performance Update

The information is provided from April 2006 toSeptember 2006 and is compared against theprevious year's performance and against our targetsfor this year. Targets are our desired levels ofperformance that we aim to achieve by the end of theyear’s performance. Our targets are based on the top

performing housing organisations. Where we alreadyreach this, a further improvement is always aimed for.

To show you how we are doing compared to ourtargets and the year end, 'smiley face' symbols havebeen used. These symbols are shown below.

This indicator is improving and is better thanthe target of 19 days

Performance last year: 23 days(Improvement of 6.5 days)

Average time taken (working days) to completenon-urgent repairs

Where we are performing well and have achieved our target

Where we are performing well but are just under our target

Where we are not performing as well as we would like to and are not achieving our target

We want to tell you how Stockport Homes is performing against itsperformance indicators (known as 'PIs') up to and including September2006. PIs will help you to see what we are doing well or where we need tofocus more time and effort to improve.

Repairs

Performance is improving and is on thetarget of 94%

Performance last year: 94%(Sustained satisfaction from last year)

Customer satisfaction with repairs service

2006/7Target

Apr 06

May 06

Jun 06

Jul 06

Aug 06

Sep 06

19

11.3

14.4 15.216.7 16.3 16.516.5

Year todate

2006/7Target

Apr 06

May 06

Jun 06

Jul 06

Aug 06

Sep 06

94

94.8

94

93.5

93.9

94.2 94.194.0

Year todate



AGM Report Stockport Homes' first Annual GeneralMeeting was held on Monday 25thSeptember 2006.

The meeting received the audited accounts for theyear ending 31 March 2006 and determined theretirement rota of independent and tenant BoardMembers.

The West District tenant seat will be the first one to be re-elected in Summer 2007. For moreinformation about the recruitment of BoardMembers, please contact Jenni Viitanen,Governance Manager on 0161 474 2850 or [email protected]

On or better than target

Under target

Target

Year to date: this figure is the combinedperformance for April to September 2006

% of anti-social behaviour cases dealt with to the satisfaction of the customer

2006/7Target

Apr 06 May 06 Jun 06 Jul 06 Aug 06 Sep 06

50

63

These are only three of the many indicators that we collect on a regular basis. If you would likefurther information, please contact Gemma Edghill on 0161 474 2856 or [email protected]

Anti-social behaviour

Key:

This indicator is new for this year, as anti-social behaviour surveys are now carried out onall closed anti-social behaviour cases.

Although performance has varied between April and September and was at its highest inMay, June and July, customer satisfaction is ahead of the target of 50%.

71 72 71

6461

Year to date

61

Whilst the Housing OptionsTeam focuses on alternativeoptions for people who arehomeless and homelessnessprevention, there are timeswhen there is a need toprovide temporaryaccommodation. This ismanaged by the TemporaryAccommodation Team at:

l Brindale House, for families,

l The Buxton Road Centre, formen, and

l Strathclyde House for singlewomen or new mothers.

These supported accommodationschemes emphasise empoweringand enabling residents to go on tobecome successful future tenants.

Support within the schemes isdelivered through individualassessments and tailor-madesupport plans aimed at addressing arange of needs that are often linkedto homelessness.

The range of support is broad andmuch is provided by our partneragencies. Current services providedare in the table below:

Please contact Kate Behan,Temporary Accommodation Manager,Stockport Homes, 1 St Peter’s Square, Stockport SK1 1NZ or email:[email protected]


Partner AgencyArts DevelopmentService and/or Support ProvidedWeekly Arts & Related ActivitiesGroup for Children both from theschemes and from the widercommunity

Partner AgencyLibrary ServicesService and/or Support ProvidedReading & Library Club for adults &children

Partner AgencyAdult LearningService and/or Support ProvidedVarious Education and Adult InterestCourses

Partner AgencyPCT (Primary Care Trust) Service and/or Support ProvidedRegular Women's Sexual HealthScreening & Advice Surgery

Partner AgencyPCT (Primary Care Trust) Service and/or Support ProvidedGeneral Health drop-in Surgery alsoa Referral & Appointment Surgerywith Health Worker

Partner AgencyCDT (Community Drugs Team)Service and/or Support ProvidedReferral and drop-in Surgery withawareness, prevention, alternativetherapies and intervention servicesavailable

Partner AgencyParenting Skills Co-ordinatorService and/or Support ProvidedPositive Parenting Skills, promotinginteraction and positivemanagement of children's behaviour

Partner AgencyResettlement Service and/or Support Provided

Drop-in and appointment Surgeryfor advice on resettlement andmoving on from temporaryaccommodation

In addition, by the end of 2006 weare to introduce:

Partner AgencyCitizens Advice BureauService and/or Support ProvidedBi-weekly debt advice drop-insurgery

Partner AgencyChildren & Families DevelopmentWorker Service and/or Support ProvidedBaby massage group

Partner AgencyChildren & Families DevelopmentWorkerService and/or Support ProvidedWeekly stay & play parent & toddleractivity group (Crawlers & Explorers)

In the longer term we hope toresearch and/or develop thefollowing in the future:l After School / Homework Club

l Specialist midwife drop-insurgery

l Men's health promotion advicesurgery.

As part of our continualdevelopment we would welcomeideas or suggestions from you, ourcustomers about any other servicesyou think would be beneficial.

Developments at TemporaryAccommodation Schemes


Members of the committee mayhave changed in the past 11 yearsbut the association has continued tothrive, providing a range of socialactivities for local residents,fundraising for charities, and workingwith the local District Housing Teamto improve the quality of life forresidents on the estate.

The association holds an openmeeting every month, on the secondWednesday starting at 10am whenanyone from the estate is welcometo discuss their issues or problems.

Recycling has been high on theassociation's agenda for quite a fewyears. They have an ongoing tabletop sale, giving residents anopportunity to 'recycle' unwantedclothing and bric-a- brac, whichhelps the association to raise funds.They also campaigned for the moreconventional recycling facilities forglass, paper and cans and, as aresult, a small room off the foyer inBowdon House is now theRecycling Room for the estate and isvery well used. Additional recyclingcontainers have also since beensituated at the front of DurhamHouse.

Keeping the estate clean, tidy andwell maintained is also high on theiragenda so the committee memberstake part in regular Estate

Walkabouts with their HousingOfficer. This has led to someenvironmental improvements beingmade through the EstateImprovement Budget and someimproved monitoring of groundsmaintenance.

Individual members of theassociation have regularly taken partin District Forums, Training &Information sessions, Customer

Action Groups, and Hot Topicmeetings and have influencedimprovements in the servicesprovided by Stockport Homes bysharing their ideas and experiences.

York Street Tenants and Residents'Association is a shining example ofhow local people get together toachieve extraordinary things andmake a difference to the communityin which they live.

We look forward to their continuedsuccess and involvement. Thisarticle was written by Jane Clayton,Customer Involvement Officer. Forfurther information, please contactJane on 0161 474 2959 or [email protected]

Approximately 11 years ago, the pram sheds, situatedbetween Palatine House and Pembroke House, wereconverted into a 'community centre' for the then residentsof the York Street Estate. A management committee wasset up to run the centre and that committee became theYork Street Residents Association.

Customer Involvement news

York Street Residents’ Association

l Kitchen & bathroomreplacement

l Window & door replacement

l Roof replacement

l Painting to communal areas. We also carry out customerliaison for specialist externallymanaged contracts for example:

l Tower block over cladding

l Rewiring projects

l Central heating replacement

Our Customer Liaison Officers,along with the relevant Building

Surveyor, also carry out CustomerChoice events for kitchen,bathroom and windowreplacement. These events allowcustomers to choose the colouror style of their newimprovements based on sampleswhich are made available at theevent.


Meet our new Investmentand Procurement ManagerJon Blackwell Kitchens &

Bathrooms

Jon is looking forward toworking alongsidecustomers in developingour future programmesof investment work.

These surveys are being carriedout to determine the need fornew kitchens and bathrooms. If itis decided that you need a newkitchen and/or bathroom you willbe contacted in due course.

Jon has worked in socialhousing for 15 years. Duringthis time he has worked insimilar positions at HarvestHousing Group, New ProspectHousing & MacclesfieldBorough Council.

We arrange, monitor andadminister the majorimprovement works to ourhousing. This includeswork such as:

For further information, pleasecontact the Investment Hotlineon 0161 474 4407.

You may have already had asurvey on your property.

Repairs & Investment news

What does the Investment Team do?


The team are responsible for:

Emergency Repairs - Anythingwhich is dangerous or a health riskwill be completed or made safe infour hours. Any repair which wouldcause serious inconvenience if notfixed quickly will be completed in24 hours.

Emergency Repairs (out ofhours) - The Contact Centreoperates from 8am -6pm, outsidethese hours calls are directed tothe contractors call centre.

Urgent Repairs - These arerepairs which would not cause a

great deal of inconvenience, butcould cause disruption and will becompleted within five days.

Routine Repairs - Otherrepairs which will becompleted in a maximum of 20working days, but will beappointed earlier if possible.

Voids - Managing the repairs inempty properties and bringingthem up to the Stockport HomesLettable Standard, givingcustomers a high quality, wellappointed home they can beproud of.

Aids & Adaptations - TheSurveyor who works with SocialServices to develop a qualityservice for all of our customerswith special requirements.

Disrepair - Surveyors whomanage legal claims withStockport Legal Service andoutside agencies.

Stockport Homes Repairs team... ...aims to provide all its customers with a highquality, efficient and comprehensive repairs service.

Urgent notice: Gas Safety

The Council, through Stockport Homes, must gainaccess to your home and service all Councilowned gas appliances in it every year.

Where we have not been able to gain access, afterleaving the relevant calling cards and sendingreminder letters, Stockport Homes will then gainlegal access to properties to ensure that gas

service work is undertaken (under Section 54 ofthe Housing Act 1985).

If you have had reminders but not yet arrangedaccess to your property you MUST now contactthe Repairs Contact Team on the number belowIMMEDIATELY so that we can provide a date foryour appliance to be serviced. Please do notignore this advice as it could save your life!

As part of our legal duty to you, theCouncil must comply with Gas SafetyRegulations.

Contact the Repairs Contact Team on: 0845 644 4304

Contact the Repairs Contact Team on: 0845 644 4304


Finance news

Direct Debit was launched in April 2006 and sincethen 1,629 customers have signed up to pay by thisconvenient method of payment.

You can pay weekly on a Monday or on the 1st, 8th,15th or 22nd of each month.

The advantages of paying by Direct Debit are:

l No need to write cheques or post letters.

l No need to queue to pay.

l You can cancel the Direct Debit at anytime andpay by a different method.

l You can obtain an immediate refund in the unlikelyevent of an error being made.

l Your Bank or Building Society does all the work.

l You do not need to complete new forms andsend them to your bank if your rent changes.

l £5 annual discount.

If you wish to pay by this method and make it easierfor yourself, please ring the appropriate phonenumber and ask us to send you a Direct DebitMandate or alternatively you can download one fromwww.stockporthomes.org on the ‘Rent’ page.

Contact us at:

Central – including allReddish and Heatonsareas, Lancashire Hill, Offerton, Hillgate and SpringGardens. Tel: 0161 474 2676

East – including Brinnington, Marple, High Lane,Romiley, Hazel Grove, Compstall, Woodley andBredbury. Tel: 0161 474 2677

West – including Adswood, Cheadle Hulme, ShawHeath, Davenport, Bramhall, Cheadle Heath,Cheadle, Gatley and Heald Green. Tel: 0161 474 2268

Stockport Homes holds a quarterlyprize draw for all customers whoensure that their rent account is clear.

Congratulations to the October 2006 winnerswho are:

Mrs Maskell, Reddish £250

Mr Armstead, Offerton £100

Mr & Mrs Garner, North Reddish £50

Did you know that you can receive an annualdiscount for paying your rent by Direct Debit?

Pay your rent by Direct Debit andsave money!

Prize draw winners:


As you may be aware weeks 38 and 39 (weeks commencing18 and 25 December 2006) are non-payment weeks.This means that providing your rent account is clear, there is no need tomake a payment on these weeks. If however your account is in arrears,you should make your normal weekly payment on both weeks in order toreduce the amount outstanding. Failure to do so could result in legalaction being taken.

What to do if you require debt advice

If you owe more than one debt to StockportCouncil, contact the Corporate Debt Officer on0161 474 5832.

If you owe debts to organisations other thanStockport Council, contact Stockport LawCentre Debtline Service on 0161 476 2882.

(Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1.30 pm and4.30 pm)

If you have debts and are struggling to sort outyour benefits, contact the Welfare Rights Unit,Ponsonby House, Stockport on 0161 474 3091(advice line) or 0161 474 3093 (to book anappointment).

Other Useful telephone numbers:

The National Debtline (free andconfidential advice) 08088 084000

Citizens Advice Bureau Money Advice Service (Marple) 08701 204040

You can also contact the StockportCouncil Advice Service offices onthe following telephone numbers:

Adswood/Bridgehall 0161 474 1406Bramhall 0161 440 8400Bredbury 0161 474 3325Brinnington 0161 474 3315Cheadle Hulme 0161 474 3317Hazel Grove 0161 474 3319Offerton 0161 474 2210Reddish 0161 474 3355

It is important you contact the Customer Finance Team at once if youhave difficulty paying your rent. In many cases we will be able to helpyou, and by making an early arrangement you may be able to avoid courtproceedings and extra costs.

Payment difficulties

Christmas /New Year Non-Payment Weeks


The Homechoice Service hasgone from strength to strengthsince it was first launched. In2002, it was rated as a one starservice, but now it is a modern,forward thinking three star service.

There have been manydevelopments to the service over

the last five years including:

l Developing the Homechoice advert.

l Opening the HousingInformation Centre to the public.

l Introducing estate agent styleproperty sheets in the HousingInformation Centre.

l Producing an easy to useHomechoice application pack.

l Increasing the number of staffto improve the service.

l Working in partnership withHousing Associations toadvertise their propertiesthrough Homechoice.

l Launching a text biddingservice.

l Developing a separateHomechoice website, thatallows customers to view andbid for properties on-line.

l Appointing a part-time SupportAssistant to assist people whoneed help with bidding.

If you would like more informationabout Homechoice, pleasecontact a member of theHomechoice Team on 474 4567or visit www.stockporthomes.org/homechoice

Homechoice, StockportHomes' choice-based

lettings scheme,celebrated its 5th

birthday on 5th December.

Homechoice news

Happy 5th birthday

Allocations policy review under way

This policy details how StockportCouncil properties are allocatedthrough the Homechoice choice-based lettings scheme.

The purpose of the review is toensure that properties continue tobe allocated through a transparent,open and fair system and to thosein most housing need.

A Project Working Group has beenset up and is currently looking intowhat exactly will be included in thereview.

Several mapping and auditexercises have been completed onthe lettings between 1 April 2005and 31 March 2006 to inform theWorking Group on what type of

applicant is being rehousedthrough the Homechoice scheme.

The review will include issues raisedby customers and stakeholderssince the last review in November2004. Further consultation will takeplace during January and February2007. If you would like to getinvolved please contact MartynShaw on 0161 474 3769 or [email protected]

Stockport Homes and Stockport Council have started ajoint review of the Housing Allocations Policy, which shouldbe completed in April 2007.


Resettlement Success Story

Donna was subsequently offered a one bedroomproperty but did not have the basics to set uphome. She was also somewhat nervous as shewas about to set up home on her own for thefirst time.

The initial phase of resettlement supportconcentrated on ensuring the practicalities ofmoving into a new home were dealt with,including accessing a grant from the Social Fund,claiming Housing Benefit, connecting utilities andarranging payment plans and obtaining somebasic furnishings from the Furniture Station.

Donna also benefited from support the teamgave to develop finance management andbudgeting skills, including dealing with previousdebts, arranging payment plans and compilingand adhering to a budget plan.

As resettlement support continued Donnaestablished a good rapport with herResettlement Officer and it became clear thatDonna's mental health problems required morespecialist support. The Resettlement Officerworked with Donna to ensure that she accessedappropriate support to deal with her mentalhealth problems, and with the benefit of multi-agency working in this area her mental healthimproved. The Resettlement Officer alsosupported Donna to access college.

Donna is sustaining her tenancy, her mentalhealth has improved, she is adhering to herbudget plan (difficult though this has been) and isworking towards a formal qualification at college.

*This is not her real name

*Donna was made homeless following a breakdown in her relationship with her familyand consequently her mental health suffered. She presented as homeless and wasprovided with temporary accommodation. Donna immediately started to accessResettlement support via the weekly advice surgeries held at the TemporaryAccommodation Scheme.


Anti-Social Behaviour news

If you wish toreport anti-socialbehaviour -which can include:

Coming soon...

Please contact us on our anti-social behaviour Hotline0845 644 4309 from 8.00am to 10.00pm seven days a week

l Noise nuisance

l Threatening /abusive behaviour

l Animal nuisance, including dog fouling/barking

l Vehicle related nuisance - such as mini bikes

l Youth nuisance

l Property condition including gardens

l Others such as fly tipping or graffiti

We know that anti-socialbehaviour is something that is

really important to you.

We are continually looking toimprove the service we provide in

this area of our work and one ofthose improvements will be for usto provide you with access to a 24

hour anti-social behaviourreporting line. We will let you

know the details about thisexciting move in the near future.

Firm but FairStockport Homes take a firm but fairapproach to dealing with anti-socialbehaviour. Clearly it is a balancewhich we strive to get right…

Fair l We listen and look at both sides

l We offer support to ourcustomers and victims.

Firml We take the appropriate legal

action at the appropriate time

l We are clear about what isrequired of our customers andwhat they can expect from us

l As a last resort this can meanthat we evict people form theirhome.


One very recent example of this waswhen one of our customers wassigned up as an introductory tenant fora multi storey property. He was given acopy of his agreement and advised ofhis obligations as an introductory tenantby the Resident Caretaker and SeniorHousing Officer.

Within two months of moving into theproperty, complaints were received fromneighbours about noise nuisance andvisitors to the property causing anti-social behaviour. This clearly breachedthe terms of his agreement, whichprompted a series of events over thenext couple of months including visitsby both the Senior Housing Officer anda number of support services. Visitswere also made to those suffering from

the anti-social behaviour.

Initially residents were reluctant toprovide evidence for fear of anyreprisals. However following anumber of visits and offers ofsupport, the residents took thebrave decision to proceed with theircomplaints by providing evidence tosupport the planned legal action.

Due to the quality and amount ofevidence provided by residents,Stockport Homes were able toserve a legal notice to terminate thistenancy. The customer was thengiven the opportunity to appeal,which he chose not to do. The casewas then presented to County Courtin November 2006 and the propertywas repossessed.

How does it work?Highly trained, independentmediators will visit all tenantsinvolved to learn more aboutwhat's happening and listen toeach neighbour without takingsides. They'll work with everyoneto help find a solution and draw upan agreement, so that neighbourscan live together peacefully in thefuture.

Did you know?That 89% of suitable mediationcases in Stockport were resolvedlast year?

There was a positive outcome fortwo Stockport neighbours who fellout over their children playing ballin the street. They spoke to theirHousing Officer and decided that

they would like to mediate to sortit out. The mediators visited themin their homes separately and thentogether they reached anagreement about the future andare now living in peace.

If you feel you would benefit fromthis free service or would like toknow more please contact yourlocal Housing Office.

Mediation, what can it do?Mediation can helptenants who areinvolved in a disputewith their neighboursover issues like noise,children's behaviour,pets, parking andboundaries.


Anti-Social Behaviour news

Working Togetherat Lancashire HillOne recent example of this hasbeen the 'beat sweep' which hastaken place on Lancashire Hill…

Monday 30 October saw theweeks of planning involved in the'Stockport Intensive PartnershipSweep'(Operation Atlas) come tofruition.

All the activities which have takenplace around the Lancashire Hill

district have been co-ordinatedand implemented by the 'SaferStockport Partnership' of whichStockport Homes is a keypartner. Lancashire Hill wasidentified by the various agenciesinvolved as having higher thanaverage levels of:

l Deliberate vehicle, refuse anddwelling fires.

l Incidents of vehicle crime.

l Anti-social behaviour.

In addition, the project aims todeliver an environment free oflitter, dog fouling and graffiti.

The action stage on this sweepbegan on the morning of Monday30 October and included:

l Greater Manchester Policeoperating Automatic NumberPlate Recognition (ANPR)systems - to identify and stopvehicles that they wish toinvestigate. Specialist officersfrom the force's traffic unit alsopatrolled the area combating 'off road biking' nuisance aswell as providing PoliceConstables and PoliceCommunity Support Officers,in support of partner agencies.

l Greater Manchester Fire andRescue Service offeringresidents free Home Fire RiskAssessments to reduce therisk of fire.

l DVLA personnel, whereappropriate, impounding and

Stockport Homes is committed to working together with key partners tomake our estates better and safer places to live.


removing vehicles which havebeen abandoned or are nottaxed.

l Inspectors from GreaterManchester bus operatorStagecoach, taking part in'Gateway checks' on busservices- ensuring thatappropriate fares have beenpaid and that any fraudulenttravel passes are identified andconfiscated.

l Stockport Councilenvironmental servicesoperating in the area looking atthe issue of street littering, dogfouling and graffiti.

l Trading Standards Officerscarrying out test purchases of

restricted items includingalcohol, spray paints andfireworks.

l Department for Works andPensions staff working withother agencies on action daysto investigate and identify anypotential illegal benefit claims.

l Stockport Homes havecontinued to identify andtackle breaches of tenancyconditions. Caretakers havecontinued to ensure thatcommunal areas have beenkept clean and tidy in thoseareas managed by StockportHomes.

Councillor Mark Weldon,Executive Member for

Communities at StockportCouncil said: “The 'Sweep' hashelped people from agenciesacross Stockport come togetherto create a cleaner, greener, saferand stronger environment forlocal residents. By securingproperties, removing litter andgraffiti and carrying out regularpatrols we have been able tomake a positive difference to thepeople of Stockport.”

Helen McHale, Chief Executive ofStockport Homes said “We areproud to be part of this initiative.This type of effective partnershipworking ensures that ourcustomers receive an effective,co-ordinated service.”


Sustainability news

Did you know?l 83 km2 of wrapping paper is

thrown away every Christmas inthe UK, enough to cover350,000 London buses.

l Between 1990 and 2003, theaverage distance people walkhas fallen by 19% from 237 to192 miles per person per year.

l Christmas shopping accountsfor a large amount of the UK'sannual 10 billion plastic bags,most of them end up in landfilltips.

What can you do to make it a greener festive season?

l Use your local collection servicefor glass, cans and paper.

l Replant or recycle yourChristmas tree.

l Look out in your local storeswhere to recycle your Christmascards.

l Check your local charity shopfor card and stamp collections.

l If you use wrapping paper makesure to recycle it again.

l Use string rather than tape towrap up your gifts.

l Have a few car free days overthe festive period.

l Walking or cycling helps toreduce carbon monoxidepollution and is a good form ofphysical activity.

l Buy presents with lesspackaging.

l Use the 'Bags for Life' and'Penny Back' schemes in yourlocal shops.

Millbrook EstateFruit & Vegetable Club

The stall is run by volunteers fromthe estate and is supported by acommunity worker from theHealthy Living Scheme. You canpop in for a chat and a free cup oftea or coffee.

The Millbrook fruit andvegetable club is open everyThursday morning at11.00am until 12 noon atthe Millbrook Centre andsells fresh produce atcompetitive prices.

Nearly three million tonnes of waste and one billion Christmascards are dumped during Christmas each year in the UK


Assisted gardening scheme

If you are physically unable tomaintain your own garden andyou are either disabled or aged 70and over and meet the followingcriteria you may qualify for ourAssisted Gardening Scheme.

Your property must be aCouncil dwelling and managedby Stockport Homes

Customers with no ablebodied family members withintwo miles radius will be givenpriority.

How does the scheme work? There are 75 places for each ofthe District Areas. You will receive

help with your garden twice a year.The help will comprise of twogardeners working for one houreach visit. The work may includepruning, weeding, planting,strimming or hedge cutting butdoes not include any treemaintenance work. All of the work will be agreed with youbeforehand. There is no charge for the scheme.

Please contact your DistrictHousing Office for furtherinformation.

East: 0161 474 4372 West: 0161 474 4371 Central: 0161 474 4373

Do you need help withyour garden?

Leaseholder news

Tracy will spend some of her time dealing with leaseholdmanagement properties and will be the first point of contact forleaseholders at Stockport Homes. Tracy has 16 years housingexperience working for a Carlisle based housing association and hasrecently relocated from Kendal with her husband and three children.

Tracy will work with leaseholders to further improve the services that Stockport Homes provide. Tracy can be contacted on 0161 218 1364 or email [email protected]

Stockport Homes have recently appointed Tracy Nieldas an additional Debt Recovery Officer.

Debt RecoveryOfficer


Diversity and accessibilityA free interpreting service is available if you need help with this

newsletter. Please telephone Stockport Interpreting Unit on 0161 477 9000. Email: [email protected]

If you would like a

copy of this

newsletter in large

print, Braille, or on

CD, please contact

Phil Rhodes

(Diversity Policy

Officer) on:

0161 474 2860

or email:

phil.rhodes@stockport

homes.org

Useful PhoneNumbers Repairs 0845 644 4304

Customer Finance Automated Payment Line 0845 129 7010

West District Housing Office 0161 474 2668 Customer Finance Team 0161 474 4371

East District Housing Office 0161 474 2677 Customer Finance Team 0161 474 4372

Central District Housing Office 0161 474 2676 Customer Finance Team 0161 474 4373

Customer Feedback 0161 474 2600

Anti-social behaviour 0845 644 4309

We hope you have enjoyed reading this new stylenewsletter.

In the next issue you will have the opportunity to send usyour feedback.

issue 07-customer_news_winter2006

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