leaseholder - Wolverhampton Homes

LEASEHOLDER
NEWS
May 2014
Your
voice
matters
p3
Welcome to Nikki
p5
Want to save energy and money?
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
p3
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Need help decorating?
WolvesHomes
01902 556789
Message
from Martin
Welcome to this edition of
Leaseholder News. There is a lot
of information in this issue that
impacts leaseholders, so I hope
you can find time to read through. Many of you
will have spoken to Ben Howley who has taken
up a new post within Wolverhampton Homes.
I’m sure you will join me in sending Ben our
best wishes for the future and to thank him for
his support. I would also like to welcome
Nikki Downing who will be joining the team.
This is a good time to ask you to provide up
to date contact details (phone number, email
address etc). This enables the team to send
up to date news by email and text. Leasehold
Officers are arranging the next Drop-ins that
let leaseholders raise issues causing concern.
Information can be found on page 3. There will
be elections to the Wolverhampton Homes
Board in July and it is our chance to vote for
leaseholder Board members, ensuring our
continued representation within the organisation.
Information can be found on page 3.
Finally, the Leasehold Team have introduced
a change to the billing system that allows the
collection of ground rent automatically if you
pay your service charges by Direct Debit. Can
I personally recommend using direct debit to
save you time.
Enjoy this issue of Leasehold News and I look
forward to meeting you at the Get Togethers.
Martin Cartwright
Chairman, Leaseholders’ Forum
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Message
from Lesley
I’ve been to many
Leaseholder Forum
meetings since the last
newsletter and one of the main things
that your forum members and I am
concerned about is how satisfied you
are with our services.
We really want to hear from you and
you have a great opportunity to speak
to us at the next “Your voice matters”
drop in sessions. You can find out the
dates and venues on page 3. We all have
busy lives, so if you can’t come along
please get in touch by phone, email or
any of the ways listed on the back page.
Another issue we’ve talked about at the
Forum meetings is safety – both yours
and your neighbours safety. Please
take time to read page 4 and find out
how we can help everyone be safe.
Thank you.
Lesley Roberts
Chief Executive of
Wolverhampton Homes
3 Got a worry about your home or lease?
3 Got a repair issue?
3 Want to find out how WE can save YOU money?
3 Want to give us feedback on our services?
YOUR
VOICE
MATTERS
Come and talk to the leasehold management team at our next drop-in session.
If you want to talk about a particular issue, let us know before the meeting and we’ll add it
to the agenda.
If you need help
with transport
to get there just
let us know on
01902 556789.
Wednesday 4th June
from 6.30pm
Tuesday 10th June
from 6.30pm
Wolverhampton Homes,
Alfred Squire Road,
Wednesfield,
WV11 1XU
Merry Hill Office,
Leasowes Drive,
Merry Hill,
WV4 4PZ
Board elections
Welcome to Nikki
coming soon
Meet Nikki
Downing,
the newest
member
of the
leasehold
management
team.
Who would you like to be your next board
member? Board members help decide on our
services, budgets and priorities and this year –
we have three vacancies for resident members.
In July you’ll receive your ballot paper and details
of the candidates. Just make your choice and
send it back by 7th August 2014.
Want to know more? Visit
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/
board-elections
Meet the candidates:
The candidates will be at
the Leasehold Forum
meeting on Wednesday
9th July, 7pm at Merry
Hill Meeting Room,
Leasowes Drive,
Merry Hill, WV4 4PZ.
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•
•
•
•
Working with
Chris Churm,
she can help
with queries on:
Service charges and invoices
Payment plans
Permission for alterations
Gas servicing
Major improvements
So give her a call on 01902 556789
or email nicola.downing@
wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
or come to the drop-in sessions
and meet her.
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IS YOUR
FLAT SAFE?
We want you and your neighbours to be safe.
So please think about two things – gas and
fire safety.
Gas
If gas appliances aren’t serviced they can be very
dangerous and can cause:
• gas leaks
• fires
• explosions
• carbon monoxide poisoning
These put you, your family and your neighbours
in danger.
The Health and Safety Executive
recommends that you have your
appliances checked every year. If you
sublet your flat, an annual check is
a statutory requirement.
Please make sure you get a Gas Safe
engineer to safety check or service
your appliances.
We can help – we offer:
• a range of annual servicing options from
£88 + vat to £180 + vat
• a one-off gas safety inspection – check all
your appliances for a one-off fee of £45
inc vat
FIRE!
Is your front door
fire safe?
Did you know that if you
live in a flat with communal
areas, you need to make
sure that your door is a fire
door and will resist fire for
at least 30 minutes?
We do carry out fire risk assessments
and if we find that your door isn’t fire
resistant we’ll contact you and let you
know that you may need to replace it.
The good news is that we can help.
We can supply and fit a fire-safe
door at your home and you can
pay in instalments over 12 months
– interest free!
Find out more at
www.wolverhamptonhomes.
org.uk/leaseholders/gas
or phone the leasehold
management team on
01902 556789.
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Interested?
Call Wayne in the leasehold
management team on
01902 556789 or email
wayne.jones@wolverhampton
homes.org.uk
Want to
save
energy
and
money?
Our climate change team
can help. They are on hand
to advise you how to keep
warm for less money, how
to be energy efficient and
advice on insulation and
energy saving products.
Want to know more – ask for a free home energy visit for:
•
•
•
•
•
Visit
A whole home energy survey
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/
Energy company switching
energy-management
Saving money through Social Tariff schemes
for more information or call
Reducing condensation
01902 556789.
Advice on how to use your heating system.
LETTING OUT YOUR FLAT
– let us do the work
We can let and manage your flat with:
•
•
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•
Guaranteed rent.
A generous free-repairs allowance for the duration of the lease.
Full tenancy and property management.
Management fees starting from just £15 per week.
Find out more at www.whomes.org.uk/city-homes
or phone Andy Hughes on 01902 553253.
Want to improve your neighbourhood?
Got a problem with:
• Untidy gardens • Abandoned vehicles • Litter • Vandalism
Join your local estate inspection and help spot the problems, your
estate manager will do the rest.
Find out the date of yours at
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/estate-inspections
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@
Are you queuing to pay?
WE NEED
YOUR
EMAIL
ADDRESS
Do you make a trip to one of our shops to pay your
service charge and council tax?
Help us save you money by letting
us contact you by email not post.
There’s an easier way! Visit
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/pay and
choose housing payments (for service charges and
insurance) or council tax.
We can send you Leaseholder News
and other mailings, straight to your
inbox. You’ll also get extra monthly
e-newsletters as a bonus.
COMING SOON
Check your service charge
account, update your details and more… using your
Do It Online account.
The all-new leaseholders’ Do It Online account will
be launching in 2015. Want your own account? Just
send us an email and we’ll let you know as soon as
it’s ready: christopher.churm@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
Send us an email to home.sales@
wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
or visit
www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
/leaseholder-feedback
and we’ll put you on the mailing list.
WANT TO GET ONLINE?
Did you know that using the internet for shopping and paying bills
could save you about £560 per year?
Perhaps you don’t know where to start, you may even be terrified of computers, or
perhaps you know the basics but want to know more.
Our Web Wizards can help you get the skills you need and help you make the most of all
the internet has to offer.
If you already know the basics - choose from lots of e-learning courses from:
• Online basics • Banking online • Shopping online • Facebook and socialising
Visit www.learnmyway.com to create your free account and add 3456107
in the centre code box.
Or if you don’t know where to start - come to our friendly drop-in sessions.
Call 01902 556789 and ask for the Web Wizards to find out more.
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making online learning easy
STOP!
Thinking of a loft conversion?
We’ve had a few cases lately where leaseholders
have converted lofts into rooms and we’ve had
to ask that they put the loft back to its original
condition.
When you bought your flat the loft space wasn’t
included as part of the sale. This is because we may
need to get into the loft to carry out repairs to the
roof or to the wiring which runs through the loft space.
If you are the only person who has access to the loft
space, you are welcome to use it for storage and you
can loosely board over the beams but you cannot
install a window or use it as a habitable room.
The council will sometimes give planning
permission for a loft conversion but they will not
check your lease, so this does not mean you can
go ahead with the work.
Please check your lease before you carry out any
improvements or contact the leasehold
management team for advice.
Find it difficult to decorate
or are you just too busy?
Let us do the work.
Wolverhampton Works can carry out
small painting and decorating jobs in
your home for a small fee.
Interested?
Call 01902 551981 and ask for
Wolverhampton Works.
Handy person
service
Need help with
decorating?
If you’re aged over 60 and are on income
related benefits or registered disabled,
you may be able to get help from the
handyperson service.
The handyperson service can help with
fixing leaking taps, broken windows and
fixing loose carpets to energy efficiency
measures to make your home warmer.
Get in touch with
whis@wolverhampton.gov.uk or phone
01902 551155 and ask about the
handyperson service.
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Quiz Time
Try our Sudoku puzzle and you could
win £20 in vouchers. Just send your
completed puzzle to the address
below by 1st August 2014
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www.wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk/leaseholders
@ christopher.churm@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
@ nicola.downing@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
@ home.sales@wolverhamptonhomes.org.uk
01902 556789
01902 552999 for out of hours emergencies
www.facebook.com/wolverhamptonleaseholders
@wolveshomes
Write to:
Leasehold Management Team,
Wolverhampton Homes, Leasowes Drive,
Merry Hill, Wolverhampton WV4 4PZ.
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Contact us
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The winner of our last puzzle was
Mr Corrigan of Pendeford.
Your Feedback and Sudoku entry
Tell us what you think about any of our services.
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Return to: Communications, Wolverhampton Homes, Chillington Fields Industrial Estate,
Off Hickman Avenue, Wolverhampton, WV1 2BY
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