Chatter Box
Scrutiny panel
Page.2
New homes
Page.3
East Lodge
Page.4
Meet the team
Page.5
Communal area
facelift Page.7
Renovation
programme Page.10
Debt help service
Page.11
Spring 2015
A personal story
We’d like to share a story with you
about how the Association was able
to help one of our new residents. He
doesn’t wish to be named but is happy
for us to tell his story.
In November 2014, the Association had a
vacancy at a small bedsit in Petersfield.
We were passed the details by East
Hampshire District Council of a gentleman
who was currently homeless and sleeping
rough in Petersfield; he had lost his
accommodation in Portsmouth as he was
unable to afford the rent when he had
been made redundant from his job a year
earlier. He had walked from Portsmouth
to Petersfield with his belongings and had
been sleeping rough ever since, visiting
the Salvation Army to wash his clothes,
use their facilities and receiving support
from them in applying for a place on the
Housing Register at the Council.
We arranged for him to view the property
on the same afternoon that we had
received his details, and mindful that he
was currently sleeping rough, prepared
all the documentation and tenancy
agreement to take with us should he
accept the property. He was delighted with
the accommodation and accepted the flat
immediately. He said:
“I was very pleased I was able to move
into the property that day, and very
grateful that the Association were so
quick to respond once they learned
about my situation. I’m thankful to them
and also the Salvation Army for all their
support, and I’m very happy to have a
place of my own to go back to now”.
Home contents insurance
Petersfield Housing Association does not
insure your furniture, belongs or internal
decorations. It is therefore important for
each resident to arrange independent cover
in the unlikely event of fire, burst pipes, theft
or vandalism to your property.
The National Housing Federation, in partnership with
Thistle Tenant Risks, offers a special insurance service
for tenants of Housing Associations.
To arrange immediate cover you can contact Thistle
directly on 0845 337 2463. Alternatively please contact
Zoe Cosens, Housing Officer, on 01730 263589 to
request a booklet, which contains all the relevant
information, including an application form.
Petersfield Housing Association strongly urge all our
residents to take out home insurance either through
this scheme or by making your own arrangements
Did you know?
During 2014 PHA re-housed 19 families!
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
1.
Electrical safety testing
Mould growth
During the course of this year, the Association
will carry out routine 10 year electrical safety
testing in those properties due testing. The
Electrical contractor will telephone to make a
convenient appointment.
The recent winter weather has created unusually
high levels of condensation in properties. Warm,
moist air in a property during cold weather will
find any cool area and condense. This creates an
environment in which mould growth occurs.
It would be beneficial if tenants could ensure
that they inform the Association of all current
contact telephone numbers so that appropriate
appointments can be made.
The most common areas are around windows and
at the top of walls where they meet the ceiling. The
effects can be minimised by ensuring fairly constant
warmth (not hot) in the property which will maintain
heat in the fabric of the building. This way of heating
is also, surprisingly, more cost effective than allowing
the property to become very cold and then applying a
burst of high heat which causes condensation.
Scrutiny Panel
PHA set up a Resident Scrutiny Panel in
2012 with the purpose of ensuring that our
strict procedures and high standards are what
tenant want and are being adhered to.
When a property becomes vacant, the panel
inspects the property. The first time the panel visits is
immediately after the keys are returned to the office
and before any works have been carried out. The
panel returns to the property once any identified works
have been completed prior to the property being re-let.
This is to ensure that PHA has adhered to the agreed
standards for a vacant property before it is re-let. The
resident panel has proved to be a great success, and
their input has been invaluable. Moving forward into
2015, it is hoped that the panel will become involved in
other areas of our work, such as planned maintenance
and refurbishment, and also with the scrutiny of
grounds maintenance work.
Spring is a good time to make use of warmer weather
and open windows wide to blow fresh air throughout
the property. Clean off any areas of mould with a
weak solution of bleach in warm water. Try to arrange
furniture clear of walls so that air can circulate easily.
Check that the windows open easily and that the
handles are secure.
It is worth cleaning
the glass, the frame
and seals of any
accumulation of moisture
to reduce the possibility
of further mould growth
caused by condensation.
Did you know?
Current tenant
arrears at the end of
the year were 1.69%
of the rent due. This
was a slight increase
from 1.58% at the
end of 2013
‘Buffer strip’ at Ramshill
The ‘buffer strip’ at Ramshill in Petersfield
was created when the estate was built and
was part of the original planning permission.
A section of the buffer strip at Ramshill had become
overgrown and unsightly due to the planning requirement
to allow it to be a “natural habitat” for flora and fauna.
Residents adjacent to the strip had requested that the
land be incorporated into their gardens so that it could
be more attractive. However, plans to effect this change
were thwarted by an objection from a private resident
supported by EHDC planning department.
Accordingly, the Association decided to replant the area
with low maintenance plants and shrubs to enhance
the area. A variety of ground cover ivy has been
planted together with a number of cherry trees. These
will be maintained as necessary by our new grounds
maintenance team from R Grace Ltd.
before
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
after
Email: [email protected]
2.
Artist Impression
of Silcox Court,
Mill Lane, Alton
New homes for local people
During 2014 we completed 24 much needed new homes for local people. These included:
Silcox Court, Mill Lane, Alton
This is a development of 9 two bed flats.
Silcox Court is named after Peter Silcox, who was an active member of the
Association’s board from 1995 to 2009 and who died in 2012. After school and
university in the West Country, Peter arrived in Petersfield with his wife Pauline
and family to work at IBM. The Association benefited greatly from his extensive
computing and IT skills and is still using the rent restructuring system he
devised! Peter was always happy and keen to pop into the PHA offices to
sort out glitches and offer general support, as Denise Rajchel recalls:
“Peter would always appear with a smile on his face and a willingness
to support the staff and the Association. He was a kind and generous
man with a wry sense of humour!”
Early retirement from IBM led Peter on a different path: a ceramics course at
Southampton Institute and many happy years in his garage tending a kiln; the
beautiful products made Peter a well-known and respected local artist.
Old Acre Road, Alton
This is a development of 7 houses and 5 flats within walking distance of the
town centre and was also completed at the end of November 2014.
This site proved to be extremely challenging and a number of issues meant
that the development took far longer than originally anticipated. However the
homes have provided much needed accommodation for local people and have
significantly enhanced the area which was previously a vacant warehouse.
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
3.
Did you know?
Former tenant arrears at the end of the year
were £4,178. This was down from £16,972 at
the end of 2013.
Bursary Award Scheme
We are delighted to introduce a Bursary Awards
Scheme in 2015. The bursary awards scheme
provides grants of up to £350 to help young people
between the ages of 18-35 to help with education,
training and employment plans.
It is simple to apply and some examples if what
can be funded by a bursary award include:• Tools or equipment for a job or qualification
such as carpentry or hairdressing
Welcome to
East Lodge
Since January 2009 PHA has managed
8 homes in Rogate on behalf of Rogate
& Terwick Housing Association. We’re
delighted to be able to announce that
from January 2015 we are also managing
East Lodge on behalf of Rogate & Terwick
Housing Association.
East Lodge is a sheltered scheme in the heart
of Rogate village which offers 16 self-contained
flats; the majority of which are suitable for
couples. The scheme is designed for older
people who are capable of independent living.
East Lodge has a scheme manager Sarah Hye,
who provides support to residents.
• Travel costs for work experience
• Course or training fees
• Clothes for an interview
• Childcare costs to help single parents to
complete short term education courses
• Transport to and from a new job until the first
pay day
• IT equipment
• Course material such as stationary & books
This list is not exhaustive.
You should all have received an
information leaflet about the scheme but
if you would like to know more or want to
request an application form please contact
the Housing Manager, Sarah Clawson on
01730 263589 or by emailing
[email protected]
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
During 2013 and 2014
PHA worked with
Community First East
Hants to set up a ‘Back
to Work’ project to help
people back into work.
Unfortunately due to lack
of funding the project has
now closed
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
4.
Meet the team
There have been several
changes in the staff team
recently and so we thought
we should introduce ourselves
again.
Niamh Wakefield
Accountant
Niamh has worked in
social housing for over 16
years having joined PHA
in 1998. She previously
worked in various finance
roles in banking, media
and industry having
trained with accountancy
firm Price Waterhouse
Coopers in Dublin; thus bringing an extensive range
of experience to PHA. She has an MA in Business
Studies from Trinity College Dublin and a Professional
Diploma in Accounting.
Barry Charles
Property Manager
After retiring from a career
in engineering project
management, Barry joined
the Association in 2005.
In the role of Property
Manager, his 40 years of
practical experience in
building, renovation and
maintenance benefits both
tenants and the Association. Quality of outcome and
efficiency are his driving forces.
Did you know?
100% of gas safety and electric safety
checks were carried out during 2014.
Denise Rajchel
Chief Executive
Denise has worked in
social housing for more
than 25 years and is a
qualified member of the
Chartered Institute of
Housing. Denise has wide
experience in the field of
social housing and is a
highly experienced senior
manager with extensive experience in both Housing
Association and Local Government sectors. Denise
joined PHA in 2008.
Sarah Clawson
Housing Manager
Sarah has been working
in social housing for over
20 years. During this time
she has been employed
in many roles and worked
for both local authorities
and housing associations.
Sarah joined Petersfield
HA in 2008. She holds a
Professional Diploma in Housing Studies and lives in
Petersfield with her husband and 2 children.
Zoe Cosens
Housing Officer
Zoe has worked in social
housing for 3 years having
taken her first role after
graduating with a BSc
in Psychology from the
University of Portsmouth
in 2011. She previously
worked in the Customer
Services Team for a larger
housing association before joining Petersfield HA in
2014. She is passionate about charity work, and is
the ambassador for a small organisation that provides
housing and support for orphaned children and single
parent families in Ghana.
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
5.
Lauren Parrett
Claire Corney
Lauren is a fully qualified
Beauty Therapist and has
run her own business for
the past 3 years. Lauren
lives in Petersfield and
joined PHA in August 2014
on a part time basis which
enables her to continue to
run her business when not
in the office. Lauren is also a keen horse woman and
rides her own horse every morning before work!
Claire joined the finance
department in 2012 after
spending 16 years working
in finance roles within the
Ministry of Defence. She
has had many varied roles
working alongside Army
and Naval personnel and
has dealt with everything
from Fixed Assets and Estate Management to
Aircraft, her last role was at the Navy Command Head
Quarters in Portsmouth where she managed the
budgets for the Navy.
Administrative Assistant
Sarah Hye
Accounts Officer
Scheme Manager at East Lodge
Sarah joined East Lodge
in 2013. Previously she
worked in the community
for 20 years delivering
personal care and different
kinds of support where
required. Sarah has a
diploma in Health and
Social care and when not
at East Lodge, she works with palliative care patients.
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
6.
Communal areas
get a facelift!
Before
During 2014 we developed an enhanced
specification for the decoration of
communal areas of blocks of flats to
improve the living environment. This will be
rolled out in the coming years.
We have trialled this in one block. The
results are shown here and feedback has
been very positive.
After
Are you prepared for Universal Credit?
Universal Credit is not just for people who are out of
work. If you’re getting tax credits or help with your
rent, then you’ll be moved onto Universal Credit at
some point between now and 2017.
insight into how best to help our residents cope with
the changes, and we would like to invite residents to
participate.
At the moment Universal Credit only affects people living
in certain areas of the country but it will eventually be
brought in to affect everyone who is claiming benefits.
We aim to work together and look at ways in which
residents can easily pay their rent and keep up to date
with their rent accounts. We want to help avoid getting
into difficulties.
If you currently receive help with your rent, one way
in which Universal credit will affect you is that housing
benefit will start being paid to you directly and you’ll
need to pay your rent to your landlord yourself.
If you feel you would like to be part of this trial or would
like more information regarding future payments, please
contact your Housing Officer, Zoe Cosens on
01730 263589.
See Page 9
for ways to pay
your rent.
We intend to carry out some trials to try to get an
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
7.
Seven ways to keep
your skin looking fresh
this spring!
Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables:
A must in order to get beautiful skin for spring!
They naturally contain all the vitamins, minerals
and antioxidants your skin needs to stay
hydrated and fresh.
Drink More Water:
Never forget to drink as much water as possible.
A very important tip!
Moisturise:
Important no matter what season! However,
your skin needs a little extra TLC during the
summer months. If your skin is hydrated and
healthy, it can better defend itself against sun
damage and heat.
Exfoliate:
Exfoliating buffs away the dead skin cells that
cover up your skin’s natural glow. Use a light
exfoliator to freshen your face daily.
Office opening
hours:
Please note that from
Friday 10th April 2015 the office
will be closed to the public from
4pm every Friday.
Office opening hours are therefore:
Monday to Thursday:
9am to 5pm
Friday:
9am to 4pm
Dry out Pimples:
Dabbing toothpaste onto a pimple is a quick and
easy way to dry it out.
Layer Up With Sunscreen:
The beauty rule is, “as long as there’s daylight,
you need sunscreen”.
Use Protective Lip Balm:
Our lips also go through changes from winter
to spring. If you’re experiencing dry or chapped
lips use protective lip balms with hydrating
components.
Text
messages
Office
opening
The use of text messages to contact
hours:
residents continues to be a very
effective way of communication. Staff
therefore will continue to contact you
in this way, as it’s proving to be a really useful tool not
only to remind you of appointments or events, but also
as a quick contact to advise of missed rent payments
or requests to visit you at home. If you do not wish to
be contacted via text message, then please contact
the office on 01730 263589.
Please note that
from Friday 27th March 2015
the office will be closed to
the public from 4 p.m every
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
8.
Different ways to pay
your rent
We like to make it as easy as possible for our residents
to pay their rent and there are a number of methods
readily available.
You should, by now all have received
an Allpay payment card, which can
be used at any post office or store
displaying the PayPoint logo.
Did you know?
Empty properties were re-let within
1.83 weeks or 12.84 days on average
You can also make payment via a
free app.which you can download
onto your mobile. The Allpay App is
a mobile application (App) available
to download from the Apple App
Store or Windows Phone store and
Google Play enabling you to pay
from your Apple, Windows or Android
smartphone.
If you prefer, you can choose the
convenience of setting up a Direct
Debit or Standing Order to make
payments directly from your bank
account. Forms can be down
loaded from our Website at www.
petersfieldhsg.co.uk
You can of course still make payments using cash or
cheques at our offices at 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield.
If you are experiencing difficulty with paying your rent,
please get in touch with your Housing Officer,
Zoe Cosens, on 01730 263589, who may be able to
offer help and advice
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Annual
Report
Please note that the Annual
Report which is due to be sent to you
in May will contain more details about our
performance in 2014.
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
9.
Annual Estate
Walkabout Programme
Continuing with the success of our annual
Walkabout Programme, we would like to invite
you to join us in our walkabouts for the coming
year.
We will be visiting your estates on the
following dates and as always we invite you to
join us and we welcome your feedback.
May 6th 2015
June 9th 2015
June 9th 2015
June 30th 2015
july 7th 2015
10am
10am
10.45am
10am
10am
Paddock Way
Deans Dell
Duncombe Road
Ramshill Estate
Fern Close
2015
Renovation
Programme
Having completed a large programme
of renovation work in 2014, the
Association has planned another
significant amount of renovation work
in 2015.
The Stock Condition Survey has identified
that the following should be considered for
renovation:
• 15 kitchens
• 30 bathrooms
• 30 replacement boilers
The specifications for renovation work
agreed by the Residents Working Group
during 2014 will be incorporated into the
programme. During the year, the Property
Manager will inspect the properties due to
be considered for renovation and arrange
for the necessary work.
The winner of our
Autumn competition is
Mr Turnbull, who lives
in Petersfield.
Repairs orders raised in 2014
Emergency
42
100% completed on time
Urgent
279 100% completed on time
Routine
392 99.5% completed on time
Total
713 99.8% completed on time
Annual General Meeting
The Annual general meeting will be held on
Wednesday 10th June at 6.30 p.m
This year the AGM will be held at the
Association’s office - 32, Lavant Street, Petersfield.
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
10.
Debt help service
available to
tenants
CAP (Christians
Against Poverty)
www.capuk.org is
a national charity
helping over 27,000
people in need.
It focuses on top quality debt
counselling services, using a
network of 271 teams linked to
local churches. The service brings
help to debt-burdened people by
CAP representatives visiting them
in their homes, befriending and
supporting them in a journey of
getting their finances under control
and debt-free. Expert advisors at
the national CAP centre formulate
a budget and debt repayment
plan. The charity then acts as
an intermediary with creditors –
receiving regular client payments
and paying out to creditors –
including rent and rent arrears
payments to Housing Associations.
CAP offers a free service,
helping anyone regardless of
circumstances, background,
gender, age or beliefs. Each
year CAP sees over 2500 clients
become debt-free. If you know
anyone with severe debt problems,
ask them to ring the CAP national
helpline: 0800 328 0006. They will
then get an appointment for the
local CAP team to visit them.
In Hampshire there are CAP
centres based at Aldershot, Alton,
Gosport, Hedge End, Lymington,
Marchwood, Portswood, Sandown
(IOW), Southampton, Southsea,
and Winchester.
Spring Word Search
Competition
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directions. Words may overlap but do not share letters.
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LA CAGE AUX FOLLES
For your chance to win a £25 Gift Token of your choice, send your
completed puzzle to Sarah Clawson at:
Petersfield Housing Association
32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire GU32 3EF
Closing date for entries is Friday 10th April 2015.
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]
11.
Petersfield Housing Association, 32 Lavant
Street, Petersfield, Hampshire, GU32 3EF
Tel: 01730 263 589
Email: [email protected]