Issue 23 - Ashfield Homes

Tenants Magazine
Issue 23
Autumn/Winter 2015
New Tenants
Charter
Approved
page 3
Money
Management
Advice
page 5
Tenants
Garden
Competition
Page 12
Help with
Clearing
Rubbish
Page 15
Keeping your
home safe
in winter
page 24
2
CONTENTS
2
3
FOREWORD / NEW TENANTS CHARTER APPROVED
4-5
NEW SERVICES AT HEAD OFFICE/ OPENING HOURS /
MONEY MANAGEMENT ADVICE
6-7
GOVERNMENT BACKED BANK ACCOUNTS/ ESOL CLASSES
8-9
GATEWAY MEMBER PASSES ACTIVE LEARNING FOR RESIDENTS QUALIFICATION/
SHERWOOD COURT IMPROVEMENTS
10-11
ASHFIELD HOMES FUN DAYS
12-13
TENANTS GARDEN COMPETITION
14-15
GARDEN MAINTENANCE/ HELP WITH CLEARING RUBBISH
16-17
LOOKING AFTER YOUR HOME/ TENANT HOME IMPROVEMENT SERVICE
18-19
THE IMPORTANCE OF PAYING RENT/ AND THE WINNERS ARE
20-21
INTRODUCTORY TENANCY
22-23
KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE AT HOME/ GAS SAFETY
24-25
KEEPING YOUR HOME SAFE IN WINTER/ HOME CONTENTS INSURANCE
26-27
ESTATE INSPECTIONS / COMMUNITY GROUP MEETINGS
Foreword
Welcome to the Autumn edition of your Homes
4 Rent magazine. This issue is packed full of
information and advice about living in your home
and our local community.
You can also read about the results of our Tenants
Garden Competition and look back over the
Summer Fun Days we organised during August.
In this issue we are pleased to announce that one
of our Tenant Gateway Members has achieved the
Chartered Insitutue of Housing Active Learning
for Residents Qualification.
We hope you enjoy this Magazine, please
let us know what you think! If you have any
queries, suggestions or comments, Please call
Ashfield Homes on Tel – 01623 608915
New Tenants Charter Approved
In our last magazine we explained how our tenants are continuing to become more and more involved
with the services we provide. Our commitment to this engagement is underpinned through our new
Tenants Charter. Our new Tenants Charter explains our commitment to involvement, engagement and
empowerment and assists us to ensure that we gather a wide range of views from our Tenants.
We will be announcing more details of how this will work and ways you may become involved in the
coming months.
Included with this edition of Homes 4 Rent is the second supplement of our series on our
commemoration of World War 1. The booklet is just one example of how you can become involved with
us. Involvement can range from promoting local services, providing us with your veiws on services,
promoting schemes that all tenants may benefit from or help us to communicate your knowledge about
local history, heritage and the contributions that local people make.
If you would like to know more about the options to get involved with us then call our Tenant
Participation officer on Tel - 01623 608915
3
4
New Services at Head Office
& Opening Hours
Over the past few months our Head Office on Broadway, Brook Street in Sutton-in-Ashfield has been
significantly changed. Building and re-modelling works are now complete and we are open for you to
visit us. Our Sutton Property Shop along with Ashfield District Council’s Revenue Services and Cash Office
have now relocated into our Head Office building.
Ashfield Homes Head Office &
Sutton Property Shop
Opening Hours
8.30 am - 5.00 pm Monday to Thursday,
8.30 am - 4.30 pm Friday
Reception Only
9.30am - 12.00pm Saturday
Please note our reception employees will
only take messages for relevant officers to
action during the following week.
If you have an emergency repair please
contact our out of Hours Line
Tel - 01623 457999 / 0800 4794999
Ashfield District Council Revenue Services
& Cash Office
Revenue and Benefits
Opening hours:
8.30 am - 5.00 pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
8.30 am - 4.00 pm Wednesday (last appointment
3.30pm)
8.30 am - 4.30pm on Friday
Cash Office
Opening hours
8.30am - 4.30 pm Monday to Friday
9.30 am - 12.00pm Saturday
Councillors Surgery
10 am - 11 am Saturday
(except for Bank Holiday weekends)
4
Money Management Advice
Millions of pounds of Government benefits are
left unclaimed in the UK each year. In fact, in
one year alone almost 17 billion pounds in UK
Government benefits went unclaimed. Disability
Benefits, Pension Credits and Housing and
Council Tax benefits are only a few of the many
Government benefits that are left unclaimed.
There are a number of reasons why people do
not claim the Government benefits they are
entitled to. Many people simply refuse, they view
Government benefits as handouts and prefer to
get by using personal savings or survive on a low
income. Another reason is because people do not
actually have a bank account making it difficult
for their benefits to be paid to them. A lot of
people are also unaware of the benefits that exist
and are losing out on the money, assistance and
help that they are entitled to.
Many people are put off from claiming benefits
because the forms can often be perceived as
complicated. Our Money Management Advisor
has now assisted Tenants to access approximately
£47,000 in backdated Housing Benefits,
Discretionary Housing Payments, additional state
benefits and charitable donations.
If you would like assistance please contact our
Money Management Advisor on
Tel – 01623 608911
Preparing for Universal Credit
During the Summer, We held a number of
workshops to help our tenants prepare for
Universal Credit, in conjunction with Ashfield
Citizens Advice Bureau.
The workshops gave an overview on how to
make a new claim for Universal Credit and what
information is required. Advice was also provided
on how to set up an email account and where
access is available to a computer to make a new
claim.
During the workshops priority and non priority
bills were discussed and how it is important to
keep money available from general spending
explaining how important it is to not get behind
with rent payments.
Universal Credit is impacting on some tenants
already. If you require any advice or information
on Universal Credit, please contact our Welfare
Reform Officer on Tel – 01623 608927.
As Universal Credit is paid monthly, it is important
to be able to manage your income appropriately.
This will ensure that there is sufficient money
to last you until the next payment of Universal
Credit. During the workshop advice was provided
on how to open a basic bank account and set
up Direct Debit payments. There was also a
group exercise which showed how to check a
bank statement to help manage incomings and
outgoings.
5
6
Government backed bank
accounts – have you got one?
Over a million people in the UK don’t have access
to a bank account. Yet having a ‘basic bank
account’ could help you to manage your money
so much easier.
It is a common myth that people with a poor
credit rating can’t get a basic bank account. As
long as you have identification, you should be
able to get a basic bank account with a debit card,
and the facility to pay by Direct Debit.
Apart from a couple of exceptions, anyone can
get a basic bank account. These types of accounts
are particularly designed for people with poor
credit scores, who won’t pass the credit check
for other standard bank accounts. Therefore,
past credit problems - such as County Court
Judgements (CCJ’s), defaults, or having been
declared bankrupt in the past year - aren’t usually
a barrier.
However, you don’t have to have credit problems
to open a basic bank account. If you want an
account to help you manage your money, which
won’t let you go overdrawn, you can also opt for
one of these.
Be specific, or the bank may persuade you into
a standard account.
The only people who can’t have a basic bank
account are people with criminal convictions
for fraud (people with other convictions can still
apply and be accepted, subject to fulfilling other
account-opening criteria).
You’ll need some form of identification to open
a basic bank account - if you don’t have any, you
may be rejected. This isn’t the bank being difficult;
it needs to see certain specific documents to
comply with regulations.
6
Most basic bank accounts will provide you with a
Direct Debit card, so you can make payments in
shops and online, and allow you to set up Direct
Debits which can make your bills cheaper than
paying by cash or cheque.
Claimants for the new benefit Universal Credit
are expected to have a bank or building society
account into which their benefit can be paid. The
Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will not
accept payments into a Post Office card account.
Listed below are the names of the basic bank
account products that are currently on offer to
customers.
Barclays ............................ Cash Card Account
Lloyds ................................ Cash account
Nat West ........................... Basic account
Santander ........................ Basic Current Account
Halifax ............................... Easycash
Yorkshire .......................... Readycash
HSBC .................................. Basic Bank account
Co-operative .................. Cashminder
Nationwide ..................... Cash Card Account
Other banks may offer this service. For more
details contact your local branch.
All of the above recognise that some customers
may have a problem providing two forms of
identification. One is to prove who you are and
the other to prove your address.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Classes
ESOL classes are to teach English to people whose first language is not English, but
who live in an English speaking country and need English to communicate in daily life.
Did you know that your local West Notts College can offer a range of ESOL classes.
Wanting to Improve your
English?
English courses starting soon!
ESOL- Exploring Language
Barriers, Next Steps
Starting Tuesday 12th January 2016 for 5 Weeks
Ashfield College, Huthwaite Road,
Sutton-in-Ashfield at 6.00 – 8.00
Phone our friendly Community Team on 01623
413602 to book your place.
Courses are for people aged 19 or over and are FREE for those in receipt of a means-tested benefit (proof
required at enrolment). For people not in receipt of a means-tested benefit the cost is £2.80 per hour.
7
8
Gateway member passes
Active Learning for Residents
Barry Gentry, tenant and Gateway Member is
celebrating passing the Active Learning for
Residents Qualification. Active Learning for
Residents is a unique programme of qualifications
specifically designed for tenants and residents.
It focuses on accrediting the skills that can be
gained as a person works towards changing their
local community for the better.
We spent some time with Barry to find out more
about what this means to him and how he will be
using it in his work with the Tenants Gateway.
Congratulations Barry on passing your course.
Can you tell us more about why you decided to
get involved with Ashfield Homes?
I got involved with Ashfield Homes, because I
had just become a tenant and wanted to find out
more. I saw an advert for the Tenants Gateway and
decided to apply. I feel so lucky to have my home,
I wanted to show my appreciation.
What made you apply for the course?
The course was mentioned in a Tenants Gateway
meeting. I put my name forward to take part.
How long did the course take?
The course takes around 6 months.
Can you give me some examples of the topics
that you covered?
The main topics were what the AHL departments
do looking at areas such as rents, repairs, tenancy
management. It asks how Ashfield Homes
interact with partner agencies, and my role in the
community.
What do you think you have got from taking
part in the Active Learning for Residents
Qualification?
A lot more insight into what Ashfield Homes does
and how they work. It has helped me with my role
on the Tenants Gateway, the wider understanding
helps me to be better at my job with them.
8
As part of the work I interviewed departmental
managers, and was amazed at how much was
involved and the services they provide. For
example the work that Alison Spencer does in
the Money Management section working with
food banks and helping people to get help from
charities. I also have a better understanding of the
work Ashfield Homes does with partner agencies
like charities and service providers (police, fire,
Ashfield District Council).
Have you been supported in your role?
Yes, lots. I have had support from a member
of the Senior Management Team and from
Managers across the organisation. They gave me a
considerable amount of support and time to help
me complete our course.
Would you recommend doing the course to
other tenants?
Oh yes! I would recommend it because I saw first
hand what was involved with running Ashfield
Homes. Anyone who has the opportunity should
do it.
What are your plans now the course has
finished?
I want to look at any other opportunities Ashfield
Homes can offer. I am particularly interested in
the Interpreting Data course.
Thank you Barry, have you any final
comments?
For me, the course made me realise that Ashfield
Homes is not just a Company it is part and parcel
of our community.
Ashfield Homes is currently looking for new
members to join the Tenants Gateway. If you
would like to know more about this or working
with us in other ways, please contact our Tenant
Participation officer on Tel – 01623 608915 or
email – ahlmail@ashfieldhomes.co.uk
Improvement Works to Sherwood
Court: Update!
Our major refurbishment makeover at Sherwood
Court, Kirkby-In-Ashfield is now complete. In
previous editions of our magazine we told you
how this large sheltered housing complex had
benefitted from the modernisation of 20 one
bedroom flats and converting 17 pairs of studio
flats into single homes with separate bedroom
and bathing arrangements.
In conjunction with our Construction Partner we
have also now finished a significant programme
of carbon friendly energy efficient measures to
the Court. This has included the installation of a
biomass (wood pellet) communal heating system,
and external wall insulation to the perimeter
of the building. This was a large refurbishment
project utilising Central Government and Energy
Company funding to help improve the overall
thermal efficiency of the building to significantly
reduce carbon emissions, and contribute to a
reduction in tenants fuel bills.
To celebrate the improvements, the Coxmoor
Tenants and Residents Association hosted a
celebration event, attended by those involved in
the project, along with tenants and residents.
Below are a selection of photographs from the
refurbishment of Sherwood Court.
Sherwood Court during improvement works
Sherwood Court before improvement works
Sherwood Court after improvement works
Sherwood Court after improvement works
Local tenants celebrate the improvement works
to Sherwood Court
9
10
Ashfield Homes Fun Days
During August, we hosted four Fun Days across Ashfield. These events saw hundreds of Ashfield Homes
tenants and residents join us in our local parks to learn more about the services we provide.
We used the events to talk to local people about the areas they lived in, promote our services and offer
support to local residents.
We were joined on the day by local service partners, including the Police, Fire Brigade and Ashfield District
Council.
We hope you enjoyed the events as much as we did.
10
Nicky Moss, Tenancy Services Manager, talks
to local resident about our Garden and Home
Maintenance Services.
A variety of information was available about
our services and the services provided by
some of our local partners.
Ashley the Lion joins in with the Summer
Fun Days
Our Fun Days attracted hundreds of local
tenants and their families.
Rose Eaton, Care Co-ordinator promotes our
Lifeline services to a local resident
Local tenants enjoyed the free activities in the
local parks
Ashfield Homes Board Member George Slack
with Nicky Moss and Leader of the Council
Councillor Mrs Cheryl Butler
Members of St John Ambulance chat to local
tenants at Selston Golf Course
Ashfield Homes employees ready to spend the day answering tenants questions.
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12
Tenants Garden Competition
This year’s garden competition has once again
been a great success. With everything from
traditional roses to recycled furniture being
included in the competition.
The gardens were of an exceptionally high
standard and the judges were more than
impressed with the work, creativity and
motivation of each gardener.
This year, the judging took place in July, with our
Board Members visiting the nominated gardens
with our Tenant Participation officer.
The judges marked the gardens out of 30, looking
at the general arrangement and design, variety
of flowers and shrubs, perennials and materials
along with the overall neatness and cleanliness of
the garden.
Alana & Wayne Thornley (Hucknall area winner)
Derek Bullimore (Sutton area winner)
Judith Butler (Kirkby area winner)
12
Tenants Garden Competition
After considerable deliberation the judges chose
the following winners:
• Mr & Mrs Thornley of Hucknall
• Mr Bullimore of Sutton
• Ms Butler of Kirkby-in-Ashfield
• Mr & Mrs Williams of Selston (and overall winner)
Steve Houlding, Managing Director of Ashfield
Homes expressed his thanks to all tenants who
participated in the Competition and said:
“Tenants who keep their gardens to these high
standards are an example to us all, this makes
such a big difference to the appearance of
our estates and our local community and it’s a
pleasure to witness the effort and commitment
that our tenants put in”.
The winners will all receive their prizes, which
includes an engraved trophy and an “Ashley
the Lion” Ashfield Homes mascot, at our Annual
Tenants Day in October.
If this has inspired you to grow some fantastic
flowers or plant some beautiful hanging baskets,
why not start planning now for next year’s
competition. Look out for more details next
spring.
For more information please contact our
Tenant Participation officer Tel – 01623 608915
or email – ahlmail@ashfieldhomes.co.uk
Mr & Mrs Williams (Rural and Overall winner)
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14
Garden Maintenance
Ashfield Homes now offer a Garden Maintenance Service to Tenants and Private Residents of the District.
The Garden Maintenance Service can offer a range of gardening services to your home. This comprises
a FREE, no obligation quote for the required services, which could entail a single, one-off grass cut,
trimming of hedges and shrubs, or a monthly visit to tend to all grassed areas and hedges surrounding
your home. We could also help to create a patio or hard standing to reduce your overall garden in size.
The key benefit of the new service is that it offers customers the assurance that any works completed will
be to a high standard and tailored to your requirements.
If you would like to express an interest in benefitting from this new service or alternatively learn more
about what works we could complete to your home, then please feel free to contact us on
Tel - 0800 4794999 or 01623 457999.
14
Help with clearing rubbish
You have a responsibility to ensure that you
maintain your garden and home to make sure
that they are both free of rubbish and clutter at all
times.
Ashfield Homes also operates a scheme where
tenants can receive the provision of a FREE skip to
help them keep their home and gardens tidy.
The scheme is subject to appropriate funding
being available, therefore if you would like the
opportunity to make use of a FREE skip, in the
first instance you will need to send a letter to
your Housing Management Advisor. A date will
be agreed to visit your home to assess if a skip
is required and to determine the size of the skip
required and where the skip could be located.
To qualify for a FREE skip you must meet the
following criteria;• There is sufficient rubbish at your home to
warrant a skip
• That no skips have been provided within the
previous 12 months to the same address
• If you are in rent arrears, a written repayment
agreement must be made and a number of
repayments must have been received before the
skip will be provided.
If you would like further information, please
contact our Tenancy Services team on
Tel – 01623 608999.
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16
Looking After Your Home
As part of your tenancy agreement, you have to
look after your home and your garden.
You tenancy agreement provides guidance and
direction and stipulates that:
Repairs and Maintenance
You must keep the inside of the property in a
clean and tidy condition, free from excessive
accumulation of belongings or rubbish that
could cause a health and safety or fire risk to you
or anyone else, including other properties. In
addition, all rooms must have clear access and
exit routes and you must decorate all internal
parts of the property as often as is necessary to
keep it in a good clean decorative order.
Gardens
You must keep the garden to the property well
maintained at all times. You are responsible
for the upkeep of all parts of the garden to the
property. This includes but is not limited to
decking, flower beds, grass, hedges, lawns, paved
yards, ponds, shrubs and trees.
• No waste or rubbish should be stored in the
garden or outbuildings.
• Occasional fires to dispose of garden waste
are permitted, provided they do not create a
nuisance or dark/toxic smoke.
If you are having problems maintaining your
home or garden, which is your responsibility,
we may be able to assist you in a number of
ways. If you would like to discuss this further
then please contact a member of our Tenancy
Services Team on Tel - 01623 608999
16
Examples of recent action:
When significant breaches of the tenancy
agreement are identified, these are taken very
seriously. Breaches of this type often cause a
nuisance and annoyance to neighbours and can
be costly and time consuming to resolve and
rectify. Our Tenancy Services Team always work
hard to thoroughly investigate and address any
enquiries or reports, which relate to issues with
the condition of gardens or property.
We recently took action against 3 tenants who
failed to maintain their home and/or garden to
the standards required by the tenancy agreement.
In each case the property and/or garden
condition had deteriorated and reports were
received from neighbours who were unhappy.
We always engage with our customers in the first
instance and advice and guidance is provided
to rectify the problems. Following extensive
investigations it was discovered that one tenant
had also bypassed their electricity meter, causing
a significant health and safety risk to themselves
and their neighbours.
Our Teams collected appropriate evidence
and applied to Court to take possession of the
properties. Possession orders were subsequently
granted and unfortunately we had to take back
the properties, which will now be made available
to new customers.
Tenant Home
Improvement Service
I am pleased to inform you that Ashfield
Homes can now offer you a service for
the installation of your requested Home
Improvement. This comprises a FREE, no
obligation quote for the required installation
works for your consideration. The quote
provided will not include any gimmicks, hard
selling or hidden costs.
Some of our most popular Home Improvements
include:
• Lighting
• Driveways
• Paving
• Patios
• Fencing
• Side Gates
• Interior & Exterior
Doors
• Outside water taps
And many more…
The key benefit of the new service is that it offers
customers the assurance that any works installed
will be completed by appropriately qualified trade
professionals, using materials which comply with
our own standards and specifications.
If you would like to learn more about this
service or receive a FREE no obligation
quote, then please feel free to contact our
Call Handling Centre on Tel - 0800 4794999
or Tel – 01623 608999.
Pictured below are examples of work we have
carried out as part of our Home Improvement
Service.
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18
The Importance of
paying rent
How to Decide which debts to pay
All money advice agencies and support services agree that there are Priority and Non-Priority Debts:
PRIORITY DEBTS
• Rent
NON-PRIORITY DEBTS
• Credit card, store card debts or payday loans
• Income Tax, National Insurance and VAT
• Catalogue, home credit or in-store credit debts
• Council Tax
• Overdrafts
• Gas and electricity bills
• Bank or building society loans
• Child maintenance
• Personal loans
• TV licence
• Money borrowed from friends or family
• Hire purchase agreements
• Court fines
If you’re unable to meet all your bills and debt
repayments, you should pay your priority debts
first (in the order above).
Why is Rent considered to be a priority debt?
It’s really important to try and pay back your
rent arrears. If you fail to pay back what you owe,
you could lose your home and have problems
finding somewhere else to live. Therefore if you
have fallen behind with your rent payments,
you should take action quickly to deal with the
situation.
What can you do?
Please Contact us. Do not bury your head
in the sand. We have a wide range of Officers
including a Money Management Advisor who are
here to help you. They have the skills, expertise
and experience to deal with all aspects of rent
collection and arrears prevention so please don’t
be afraid or embarrassed to contact us.
18
Make sure you are claiming what you are
entitled to.
If you’re not getting Housing Benefit, you should
look into whether you can make a claim. Housing
Benefit is a benefit which helps you pay your rent
if you’re on a low income. You may also be able
to get Housing Benefit if you are working, either
part-time or full-time, but on a low income.
Agree an arrears re-payment plan and
stick to it.
Normally we have weekly agreements but it
is possible to pay every 2 weeks or even every
month as long as this does not put you in rent
arrears.
What will we do?
We will help you as much as we can and guide
you to get the right support for your situation.
However, we will also expect you to take
responsibility for your rent account (e.g. making
sure that the rent is paid, agreements are kept to
and housing benefit is paid).
What happens if you do not pay?
Initially, we will contact you and give you the
opportunity to clear your rent arrears or for you
to make an arrangement to pay them off. If
we cannot get in touch with you and you do
not pay, we may then write to you or visit your
home. Failure to contact us could result in a
Notice Seeking Possession of your home being
served in the first instance. This gives you 4 weeks
to contact us or make an arrangement to pay.
Failure to take action at this stage could mean
that Court proceedings are taken to take outright
possession of your home.
What should I do if I have fallen behind with
my rent payments?
Take action quickly to make sure the rent arrears
don’t increase further.
See if you can reduce your expenses.........
Statistics
During 2014/15, 177 applications were made for
court action. Unfortunately, this resulted in 27
families being evicted from their homes. From
April to August 2015 there has already been 86
applications made for court action and 17 court
hearings have resulted in families being evicted.
• Are you spending too much on going out or on
new clothes? It’s far more important to be able
to pay your rent and have a secure home.
• Can you ditch any of your regular monthly
expenses or cut back on any luxuries?
• Are you on the cheapest tariffs for all your
monthly bills?
• If you have credit card debt, can you switch to a
0% credit card and save yourself some interest
payments?
If you are struggling to pay your rent, please
contact our Tenancy Services Team on
Tel – 01623 608999 and ask to speak to a
Housing Management Advisor.
And the winners are
Twice a year we hold a prize draw to say thank
you to those tenants who have had a clear rent
account following the rent ‘catch up’ weeks.
Ashfield Homes reward four tenants who have
paid their rent on time and have kept to all the
terms of their tenancy agreement.
Kirkby Mr and Mrs J Hill
Sutton - Mr Turner &
Mrs Rallings
Following the recent catch up weeks in March and
April, those tenants who returned their entry form
and had a clear rent account were entered into
the draw for a £250 reward.
The lucky winners are pictured below receiving
their £250 cheques from members of the rents
team.
Rural Mrs O Endersby
Hucknall Ms J Daley
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20
Introductory Tenancy
An Introductory Tenancy is a type of probationary
tenancy for new tenants before they can acquire
all the rights of a secure tenant.
In most cases an Introductory Tenancy will
automatically become a secure tenancy after
twelve months provided that:
• No legal action to repossess the tenants home
has started during this time; and,
• There has been no extension to the introductory
tenancy. (We may decide to extend an
introductory tenancy for a further six months, if
there are breaches of the tenancy).
Extending an Introductory Tenancy
If you are a new tenant and a decision is made to
extend the period of your Introductory Tenancy,
we will provide you with notice that this is what
we plan to do. This will be provided to you at least
8 weeks before the introductory period would
otherwise have expired. This notice will set out
the reasons why we have decided to extend the
introductory period. You will also be provided
with the opportunity to seek a review of this
decision, however, this must be done within 14
days.
These reviews are carried out internally and
you will receive the result of the review and the
reasons for it, before the original introductory
tenancy is due to end.
If you would like further information, please
contact our Tenancy Services team on
Tel – 01623 608999.
20
Repossession and Introductory Tenancies
If we have reason to evict you as an introductory
tenant, we will first provide you with formal,
written notice of our intentions. We will provide
you with four weeks’ warning of the possession.
and advise you that we intend to ask for a
possession order through Court.
The most common reasons for possession of the
property from an introductory tenant are:
• Non-payment of rent
• The tenant has been behaving anti-socially or
causing a nuisance to other tenants.
When we have followed the relevant procedures
in seeking possession against an introductory
tenant, a possession order in the vast majority of
cases will be granted to us.
Introductory Tenancy
Legal Rights of Tenants
Right to succession of spouse/civil partner
Right to succession of family members
Right to repair (Regulations)
Right to be consulted on housing management issues
Right Assign
Right to Buy
Right to take in lodgers
Right to sub let (part of your home)
Right to improve with written permission
Right to mutually exchange
Right to vote prior to transfer to new landlord
Right to be consulted on decision to delegate housing
Management
Right to participate in housing Management contract
monitoring
Secure Tenants
Yes
Yes in certain case
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes in certain case
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Introductory Tenants
Yes
Yes in certain case
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Limited to certain items
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
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22
Keeping Children Safe at Home
Statistics show that over one
million children under the
age of 15 have an accident
in and around their home
every year, which results in
the injured child requiring
hospital treatment. Many more
accidents occur where the
child is treated by a general
practitioner or simply by a
parent at home.
cooker and do not leave hot
/ boiling items near surface
edges;
• Choose toys appropriate to
the age of the child and which
show the CE mark – this means
the toy has been manufactured
to the required safety
standards;
• Fence off or cover garden
ponds and always empty
paddling pools after use;
The most vulnerable age group is
between 0 and 4 years involving • Keep medicines, cleaning
accidents such as trips and falls,
products and chemicals locked
burns and scalds, poisoning,
away or at the very least, out of
suffocating, drowning and
sight and reach;
injuries caused by fire.
• Fit fire guards and safety gates
on stairs to make the home
Accidents involving children may
environment safer for young
be caused by their inquisitive
children;
nature, lack of experience, lack of
supervision or simply their small • Keep stairs clear of obstructions
and other trip hazards such as
stature. Also, children are often
toys or clothes;
absorbed in their own interests
and can become oblivious to
• Always provide adequate levels
what is happening around them.
of supervision;
This obviously increases the risk
This is not a complete list and is
of a child having an accident.
intended as general advice to
keep children safe in the home.
However, there are many things
we can do to reduce the risk of a Further free advice can be found
child having an accident or being at www.rospa.co.uk or
www.safekids.co.uk
harmed in or around the home,
some of which are as follows:
Every year, around 18 children
• Keep matches and cigarette
aged 10 and under are killed
lighters out of sight and reach
and dispose of cigarettes safely; from falls from windows and
a further 4,700 children aged
• Test your smoke alarm weekly
14 and under require hospital
treatment due to window fall
• When cooking, use rear
related injuries.
hotplates, turn pan handles
away from the front of the
22
The following home safety
measures can greatly reduce
the risk of toddlers and young
children falling from a window
opening:
• Set rules about playing near
window openings with your
children.
• Remove furniture and other
items from beneath windows
to prevent children from
climbing up towards window
openings.
• Keep windows closed and
locked in un-supervised rooms.
Keep window lock keys out of
reach of children.
• Make sure your child cannot
reach the window openings.
• Fit window guards, similar to
stair guards can be purchased
and can be used to prevent
children from accessing and
falling from window openings.
Please report any faults to
Ashfield Homes Repair Call
Handling Centre on
Tel - 0800 457 999 or
Tel - 0800 479 999
Gas Safety
According to the Health and Safety Executive
around 20 people die each year from Carbon
Monoxide poisoning from heating appliances
and flues that have not been properly
installed, maintained or that are poorly
ventilated.
Early symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning
are similar to many common ailments including:-
Even levels of fumes that do not kill, can cause
serious health problems if inhaled over a long
period of time.
• Giddiness
The Dangers of Carbon Monoxide –
Beware of the silent killer
• Pains in the chest
Carbon Monoxide is a colourless, odourless,
tasteless, poisonous gas produced by the
incomplete burning of fuel, such as gas, oil,
wood and coal. Such fuels are generally safe
to use, however, we must complete an annual
Property Health and Safety Check/Service in order
to safeguard you (and your family) against the
dangers of Carbon Monoxide.
• Stomach pains
If you suspect your heating appliance is not
working correctly then you should contact us
immediately on Tel – 0800 4794999 or
Tel – 01623 457999 and we will arrange to have
your appliances checked as soon as possible.
• Have adequate ventilation in your home
• Tiredness
• Drowsiness
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Breathlessness
• Erratic breathing
To protect yourself from the silent killer,
you must:
• Allow us access to your home once a year to
undertake this essential safety check
• Do not cover or block air vents, as the vent
provides the air necessary for the gas or solid
fuel to burn properly
If you suspect you have Carbon Monoxide
poisoning, visit your GP urgently and tell
them that you believe your symptoms may
be related to Carbon Monoxide and request a
blood and or breath test.
If you suspect an appliance is giving out
Carbon Monoxide in your home you should
switch the appliance off immediately, do
not switch it back on, open windows and
doors to ventilate your home and ensure
that you contact us on Tel – 0800 479 4999
immediately.
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24
Keeping your home safe in
winter
As the cold is creeping in and we are all preparing
for winter, it is time to prepare for frosts and
protect your home. Freezing temperatures can
cause problems with burst pipes and the escape
of water leading to damage to your property. We
want to help you reduce the likelihood of this
damage happening.
Burst and frozen pipes
If pipes become frozen, water flow will be reduced
or will stop completely - this is the time when
pipes are most likely to burst. If so, turn off the
boiler.
Top tips to prevent burst pipes:
If homes are left empty in times of freezing
conditions there is a major risk of water pipes
freezing.
• If your home will be empty for long periods
make sure the central heating is left on 24 hours
a day at around 16 degrees with windows and
doors closed.
• If you think you may need more loft insulation
then please contact us.
What to do if a pipe freezes:
• Turn off the water supply at the main stopcock/
tap. Turn off the boiler.
What to do if a pipe bursts:
• Turn off the water supply at the mains stopcock/
tap.
• If the burst pipe is from a water storage tank,
if possible the tank stop valve should also be
turned off.
• Turn on the hot and cold taps in the bathrooms
and kitchen etc. as this will drain the tanks as
quickly as possible.
• Turn off the central heating, any water heaters
and remove or protect any items that may be
affected by a burst pipe.
• If water starts to seep through the ceiling, try
to collect it in buckets. If the ceiling begins to
bulge, pierce through the plaster with a screw
driver or something small.
24
In an emergency or for any further advice and
assistance, please contact our Repairs Call
Handling Centre on
Tel – 01623 457999 or 0800 479 4999
Home Contents Insurance
As a tenant, you should be aware that it is your
responsibility to arrange for home contents
insurance for your possessions. If you lost
everything in your home, would you be
covered? Having contents insurance is a must
for ensuring that you have peace of mind when
you leave your home.
Contents insurance typically covers everything in
your home which is not the fabric of the building.
In other words it deals with your furniture,
electrical products such as your TV, clothing,
jewellery etc. – in short, everything which matters
most to you. It tends to cover you against theft
and damage (for instance by fire), and can also
include cover for loss of your possessions too,
including high-value items.
Ashfield District Council has negotiated a home
contents insurance scheme specifically designed
for you, providing peace of mind against life’s
little accidents. Cover is provided from just £0.64 a
week and may depend upon age and your postal
code area.
You are entitled to make use of Ashfield District
Council’s policy or you can look around for more
suitable cover for your circumstances.
Ashfield District Council’s Policy
Below is a summary of the Tenants Contents
Insurance Policy. This is for information only and
does not form part of the policy.
What events are included in the cover
The insurer will cover the following perils that
may affect the Tenants Contents:
• Fire
• Theft
• Storm
• Flood
• Escape of Water
What are the benefits of the scheme
• Nil Excess
• No cancellation charges
• Can cover from £6,000 to £40,000 in blocks of
£1,000 and offers new for old
How to Apply
Contact the Insurance Section at Ashfield
District Council, Urban Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire, NG17 8DA or alternatively call
into your local property shop for an application
form.
How to make a claim
Have your policy number ready and call the
Claims Administrator. Their contact details are
included in the policy wording booklet which
you will receive once your application has been
accepted.
25
26
What are Estate Inspections
and how do they work?
We aim to ensure that residents are able to
benefit from the quiet enjoyment of their
home and their surroundings. To help ensure
this, we undertake annual Estate Inspections
of every area where we manage homes.
Our Housing Management Advisors visit each
area, along with other interested parties such as
local residents, Councillors, Police, Estate Officers
and Community Protection Officers.
The group look at issues on each of the estates
such as overgrown gardens, rubbish, vandalism,
abandoned vehicles, graffiti and the condition
of the area in general. The group also score and
decide on a rating for the area based on the
number and type of problems that have been
discovered during the inspection.
An Action Plan is drawn up to respond to the
issues that have been discovered during the
inspection.
For information on Estate Inspections please
contact our Tenancy Services Team on
Tel – 01623 608999
26
ESTATE
DATE
MEETING POINT
TIME
Wighway estate, Hucknall
10/11/2015
Outside of JJ shop on Barbara Square
2pm
Washdyke Lane
17/11/2015
Corner of Washdyke and Greenwood Lane
10am
Healdswood, Sutton-in-Ashfield
13/01/2016
Healdswood Community Centre
10am
Nabbs & Salterford
20/01/2016
Corner of Nabbs Lane and Salterford Road
2pm
Berry Avenue, Kirkby-in-Ashfield
03/02/2016
Rowan Drive Shops
10am
Underwood
09/02/2016
Rear of Desmond Court
2pm
Station Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield
03/03/2016
Outside Willow Woods Day Centre
2pm
Beauvale Estate
10/03/2016
Beauvale Court Car Park
10am
Community Group Meetings
DATE
COMMUNITY GROUP
VENUE
TIME
02/11/2015
Stanton Hill and Teversal CA
Brand Court
6.00pm
9/11/2015
Beauvale Community Association
Beauvale Court
6.30pm
10/11/2015
Reach Our Residents
Holgate School
6.30pm
11/11/2015
Butlers Hill & Goodall TRA
St John’s Church Hall
6.30pm
16/11/2015
George Street TRA
George Street Working Men’s Club
6.30pm
17/11/2015
Kirkby West TRA
The Homesteads
6.30pm
19/11/2015
Carsic TRA
Brierley House
6.30pm
23/11/2015
Welbeck Community Association
Sure Start
6.30pm
7/12/2015
Stanton Hill and Teversal CA
Brand Court
6.00pm
Ashfield Homes Annual Calendar
Ashfield Homes will be producing a 2016 Tenants Calendar, these will be available from your local
Property Shop from late November 2015. Stock is limited - don’t forget to pick up your copy!
27
28
Ashfield Homes can provide information in different formats or
alternatively can supply aids to enable you to view our standard
publications. Tel – 01623 608888 for more information.
If you have any comments about this magazine,
or if you would like to discuss any aspect of the
services that we deliver, please complete this form
and return it to any of our offices. Comments:
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
For the attention of:
Tenant Participation Officer:
Head Office, Broadway, Brook Street,
Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts, NG17 1AL.
Email – ahlmail@ashfieldhomes.co.uk
Tel – 01623 608915
Website – www.ashfieldhomes.co.uk
Did you find the information included in this
magazine
easy to understand? YES / NO
Name ___________________________________
Address __________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Ashfield Homes reserves the right to edit
or omit articles submitted for publication.
Ashfield Homes would like to make it clear that
some of the published articles represent the
views of our tenants and leaseholders, and are
not necessarily those of the Company.
Useful contacts
Ashfield Homes Head Office
Broadway, Brook Street, Sutton in Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire NG17 1AL
Tel - 01623 608888
Fax - 01623 608889
Website - www.ashfieldhomes.co.uk
Email - ahlmail@ashfieldhomes.co.uk
Ashfield District Council
Urban Road, Kirkby in Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire NG17 8DA
Tel - 01623 450000
Emergencies and Out of Hours
Tel - 01623 550077
Website - www.ashfield-dc.gov.uk
Email - info@ashfield-dc.gov.uk
Sutton Property Shop
Broadway, Brook Street,
Nottinghamshire NG17 1AL
Tel - 01623 608950
Kirkby Property Shop
Council Offices, Urban Road, Kirkby in
Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 8DA
Tel - 01623 457292
Hucknall Property Shop
Council Offices, Watnall Road, Hucknall,
Nottinghamshire NG15 7LA
Tel - 0115 956 8713
Ashfield Homes Repairs
Call Handling Centre
Tel - 0800 479 4999, 01623 457999
Ashfield Homes Support Centre
(24 hours)
Tel - 01623 608990
Housing Services Appointment Line
Tel - 01623 608999
Tenant Participation Line
Tel - 0800 952 0198, 01623 608915
National Debtline
Tel - 0808 808 4000
Website - www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau
Tel - 0844 499 4713
Website - www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Job Centre Plus
Tel - 0800 055 6688
Website - www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Pensions Service
State Pensions Claims
Tel - 0800 731 7898
Pension Credit Claims
Tel - 0800 99 1234
Website - www.thepensionservice.gov.uk
Direct Gov
Easy access to all public services delivered Age UK
Tel - 0115 8440011
by the government in one place
Website - www.ageuk.org.uk
Website - www.direct.gov.uk