Featured Inside Pages \01 Tenant Satisfaction Survey 2018 3-7 \02 Royal visit 8-9 \03 Investing in our homes 11 \04 Round the houses 12-16 \05 What’s happening? 20-21 ISSUE 09\ SUMMER 19 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
01698 268855 www.cvha.co.uk Welcome to Issue 9, CVHA’s summer newsletter
We hope you find it interesting and informative and enjoy reading updates on the work of the Association. Lynn Wassell Chief Executive
Clyde Valley Housing Association is a growing business and this year and as one of the largest provider of new homes in Scotland, we will welcome over 350 new tenants. As we grow, it’s even more important for us to keep focused on offering better and modern services to our customers and support the most vulnerable people that need our help.
During 2019 we will be very much In last year’s survey we saw the Throughout this edition, you’ll also thinking about the future at CVHA. following results: see tips and “info points” on helping We are in the last year of delivering to improve your neighbourhood. / Satisfaction with the standard our “2020 Vision” and are putting CVHA has a responsibility to work when moving into your new together our plans for the next 5 with our partners and influence what home was 86% -down 11% years. That’s why it’s so important happens in neighbourhoods but from 3 years ago to be engaging with our customers much of this is not our direct role more than ever. Our Customer Panel / Satisfaction with the quality of and should not be - so it’s also about is a key part of this. The Panel is not your home was 84% -down 7% helping you to understand and be the only way you can get involved from 3 years’ ago honest about what we can and can’t with us – through membership, as a do for you. / Satisfaction with CVHA’s Board Member, or by simply giving management of your I want to end again on a personal us feedback. We want to do as much neighbourhood was 82% note. You’ll see on page 21 our as we can so that you can help -down 10% from 3 years ago Christina. Over recent years she has shape our future. Our new Customer brought you Connect and a whole Services Director, Fin Smith (see We’ve been working to understand lot more. She will be greatly missed page 20) will lead that work for us. this better and you’ll read about the and CVHA wishes her well for her new investment we’re putting in this In our last edition of Connect we retirement. year and the more detailed repairs promised you’d see more about survey we did and what high quality what we have done about our 2018 means to you. During this year we tenant survey. As well as what will be planning to retender our day we’ve highlighted in this Summer to day repairs service. We know 60% Newsletter, I want to highlight the of our customers think this should importance we place on home and be our biggest priority. If you want neighbourhood. to get directly involved in the work to plan for our future repairs service please let us know.
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association Tenant Satisfaction 01 Survey 2018 3 yearly results
You may remember in our Winter edition of CONNECT we gave you the headline results from the largest tenants’ satisfaction survey we have carried out in three years. We promised to give you more details of what you said and what we intend to do and invest in. In this newsletter we are doing just that. Your opinions, reflected in the results, do influence our activities, so to help us to explore and further understand some of the results, we will be carrying out more surveys over the coming year.
Overall satisfaction Digital inclusion
CVHA Website 39% of you with access to the includes our website and app, so internet have said you would find it they will give recommendations for useful if there were more services further improvements. If this is an and information on our website so area you are interested in and would over the next year we are going like to take part, please contact to make it more interactive. Our Lisa Hughes on 01698 328263 or 89% of you confirmed that you were receive an immediate call back Customer Panel will be scrutinising [email protected]. satisfied with the services provided from us to check: our Customer Service, which by CVHA, a great result for us, but / how satisfied you were with that means that we can still do more the outcome of your call; to increase your overall satisfaction. We will begin by carrying out our / where there are any areas of future surveys in a different way, dissatisfaction for investigation; that will tell us specifically what you and liked or didn’t like about the last time / where required, change our you dealt with us. These are called process and/or our service, “transactional surveys”. provide staff training, etc. We want to better understand As a direct result of these surveys, the feedback you were giving us where we find a need for change about our Repairs service, so by or improvement, we will report this implementing our new transactional back to you through our newsletter. survey method, after you have telephoned our office you will
Satisfaction with CVHA staff
Our staff and how they deal with you, our customers, ranks highly on our list of priorities, so we were very happy to see that overall 90% of you were satisfied with our staff. Digging deeper into the results we found that 97% of you agreed that you were treated fairly and with respect. Respect is one of our Values at CVHA and as our aim is to reach 100% customer satisfaction, we will continue to develop and support our teams.
www.cvha.co.uk 2-3 Tenant Satisfaction Survey 2018
Digital inclusion (cont)
Barriers to Internet access We asked customers who had local communities that will give Lack of knowledge or skills, confidence 76% no internet access what were the you the knowledge you need to get Equipment costs are too high 14% barriers that you faced. 76% of online. From the feedback you gave Access costs are too high 5% you said that it was due to lack us we can see that the age group (broadband subscriptions etc.) of knowledge or skills. To help 55-74 (83%) has the greatest need Physical or sensorial disability 4% overcome this, CVHA has teamed for this type of project. Privacy or security concerns 3% up with Barclays Bank (our lender) More information on how to Broadband Internet is not available 2% to run their Digital Wings* project join will follow – check out our in our area - they hold free workshops within website for updates. Other 9%
* Digital Wings In 2019 we will be focusing on / 90% of jobs require essential In 2019 at CVHA we will be focusing how we can help our customers digital skills. on how we can help our customers improve their digital skills. improve their digital skills and will be / People are required to access encouraging our customers to work Do you know? ‘digital first’ public services with our partners at Barclays’ Bank, particularly for work and / 11% of adults have never used Digital Wings. benefits. the internet. Here is what they can offer: / Access to the internet helps to / One in five adults do not have make average net savings of / Get the skills you need for the essential digital skills. £200 per year. digital age. 72% of our CVHA / Digital exclusion exacerbates customers are already online. / 50% of individuals that don’t other forms of exclusion and have skills want to acquire them. / Open to everyone – you don’t leads to people being doubly have to bank with them. disadvantaged. / Learn in a time that suits you with bite-size modules.
digital.wings.uk.barclays/for-everyone
“I joined the Panel back in 2015 Want to get involved because I had a strong interest in housing issues, due to working with people trying to find a home and wanting to have a safe roof over their heads. I found that other members had come to the Panel through different routes, e.g. homelessness or finding themselves in difficult housing circumstances, so sparking their curiosity. We are keen to have our customers get involved in a dialogue about I would say that the work of the our service to them. The most effective way of doing this is through Panel and its recommendations are our Customer Panel. extremely effective in helping the Totally independent of the Association, it is made up of people who are our Association focus on areas where customers, who give up their time to help improve the everyday operation improvements are required, and of CVHA. They scrutinise, analyse and recommend where we can make creating better service for customers. improvements. The Panel findings are presented to the CVHA Board and I not only feel valued for my committees, where they are discussed, approved and implemented. contribution, but I have also One of the Customer Panel members, Sharon Kerrigan, benefitted through membership. shared her reasons for wanting to get involved. It’s an education and I have learned so much – I would definitely Contact Lisa Hughes for information on how you can join recommend it to others”. Sharon Kerrigan on 01698 328263 or email [email protected]. News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Tenant Satisfaction Survey 2018
Repairs
Not surprisingly, Repairs and Subgroup results are shown below Maintenance and Customer and illustrate clearly the difference Satisfaction are some of the in satisfaction levels between each. key drivers for the Association’s customers. We carried out 500 Percentage of customers extra surveys following the 3-year satisfied with the: survey as its results prompted last repair that they 88% us to investigate some of your received responses further. service received from 97% 500 extra surveys CVHA staff Through BMG Research, we spoke professionalism of the 93% to 500 customers to gain a sense contractor who carried of their perceptions of our staff and out the repairs contractors’ performance and to overall quality of the 90% gauge how we are doing and where work carried out by we can improve performance. our contractors The benefit of this research is that we being kept informed 86% will be can analyse in greater detail throughout the customers’ comments on some key repairs process subgroups, such as by contractor, by trade, etc., so that what we learn will time taken to carry out 91% help us improve service delivery for the repair our customers.
Pilot SMS text messaging service We will be introducing a pilot SMS text messaging service in early June, which will help us assess how satisfied customers are for gas servicing, appointments and repairs calls. The message will appear like the image to the right. To help you recognise our texts, please save the number shown on the text image to your phone. We would ask you to reply to the message by rating our service – it will really help us consider your responses and then improve our service.
www.cvha.co.uk 4-5 Tenant Satisfaction
Survey 2018 Win an iPad Mini!
Communication
75% of you told us that you preferred speak to us on the telephone. To ensure that this is the best experience for you, Going forward – Annual Pulse Survey we have held tailored training sessions for the staff dealing The 3-yearly Tenant Satisfaction Survey has yielded with your enquiries. a great deal of information that is enabling us to put in place improvements to all of our services. However, although we still contact customers regularly, we don’t want to wait three years for the next large survey.
Telephone 75% So, to keep your feedback to us as current as possible, Letter 11% we are introducing Annual Pulse Surveys. A sample Email 7% number of customers, around 500, will be asked to Face to face at CVHA office 3% participate in a short face-to-face survey, and their comments used to address areas for improvement. Text (SMS) 2% 500 participants is a big enough number to give us a Face to face at your home 1% good sense of whether or not we are getting it right Via an app 0% and really listening and acting upon what you’ve None of these 2% told us. These surveys will start this month (June), carried out again by BMG Research. The outcomes from pulse surveys and transactional surveys will supplement the information we already have from you and ensure that we Improve and design services to suit you and in ‘real time’. All participants will be entered into a free draw to win an iPad mini.
Difficulty in paying household bills
There were particular locations where people said they were having difficulty in paying household bills. Our partners, Barclays Bank, have their Lifeskills project, which can help people take practical steps to employment and also help with money and budgeting. We will use the survey information that we gather to target the areas that would benefit most from this project.
% Very often/ % Occasionally % Never quite often Rent 7 15 78 % Very often/ quite often Service charges 6 13 81 % Occasionally Gas/electricity/other 7 15 78 % Never Food 5 11 84 Council tax 8 15 77
% Very often/ % Occasionally % Never Rent Service Gas/ Food Council Tax Quite often charges electricity/ other
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Tenant Satisfaction Survey 2018
Compliments – have we done well?
Have you had a particularly good service from any of our staff members? Did someone go the Employment opportunity
‘extra mile’ to help you? Our Research Partner, BMG, is opening an office in Bellshill, and as such, is bringing employment If you have, please tell us about it. opportunities that may interest our customers. It inspires staff to do even better Call Centre Research Interviewer and confirms we are ‘doing the (Bellshill, Scotland) right thing’. Salary - £17,000 per annum + Performance related bonus BMG Research is one of the leading independent research agencies in the country. Our clients include central and local government departments, government agencies, housing associations, police forces, health sector and utilities companies to name a few. We are currently expending with a new call centre located in Bellshill, Scotland. It’s an exciting time to work for BMG, are you ready to be part of it? Summary of role The successful candidate will be part of a team of call centre interviewers in our new Scottish offices. Working with the Call Centre management team you will help ensure projects are delivered on time and to the high standards that BMG are recognised for. So if you fit the description below, and would like to apply, check out the link to BMG’s website to find out more. • Confident and enjoy talking to people. • Can deliver information clearly and is a good listener. • Thrive on delivering a great customer experience. • Understand the importance of recording information correctly and accurately. • Want to be part of a successful team that gets rewarded for their efforts. Thank you! • Would relish the opportunity to be part of this new Scottish venture. The input we gather from you through our Customer Satisfaction survey and complaints process is vital for enabling CVHA to improve and learn. Without it, we would Please send an up to date CV to: be assuming what our customers want and perhaps getting [email protected] it wrong. or visit www.bmgresearch.co.uk That is why we want to thank you for taking the time to for further information about the company. share your thoughts with us, to help us provide you with a Please note only successful applicants will be contacted. great service. We encourage all our customers to speak to us, no matter what the issue is, good or bad.
www.cvha.co.uk 6-7 02 The Princess Royal opens CVHA’s award winning Carnegie Library (left-right) CVHA Investment Director John Turnbull, Chairperson Allan Murray and development Matthew Holloway from Mast Architects
A new chapter has started for The Association manages 4,000 Work to complete the transformation Unveiling the plaque, the royal guest Coatbridge’s historic Carnegie homes across North and South has included the demolition of part told dozens of assembled guests Library after a £2.5 million Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire. of the rear of the building and new representing contractors Project Chairperson Allan Murray said: landscaping, the addition of new Management & Construction, transformation into 12 social access decks, stair towers and floors Mast Architects, CVHA and North ‘This category B listed building housing flats. to accommodate the new flats. Lanarkshire Council, “Buildings like occupies a prominent place within this are such an important part of the The project to bring the 114-year the centre of Coatbridge and I’m The project won a Scottish Award community. To find another use is old, former derelict building back delighted we have been able to work for Quality in Planning last year for challenging and you’ve found a very into use again was driven by Clyde with partners to bring it back into architectural innovation and was a good way of doing that which is very Valley Housing Association and was productive use and provide some runner-up with a commendation in different and will be very valuable. I officially unveiled by The Princess much needed social housing in this the Homes for Scotland Awards 2019 hope you all feel you achieved what Royal, on March 06, 2019. part of the town, The library is an in the Affordable Housing category. you set out to achieve.” The library, which opened in 1905 important part of the architectural, All 12 properties have now been let thanks to a £15,000 donation by social and cultural heritage of to tenants. The Princess Royal saw inside the Coatbridge and helping to preserve new homes, visiting tenants Jennifer Andrew Carnegie, has lain empty The Princess Royal’s visit completed it while adding to the number of high Scanlan and Ellen Adam in their flats. since 2010. After various feasibility the story of Coatbridge library’s quality homes for rent in the town is studies North Lanarkshire Council transformation as she carried out Jennifer said, “She was very nice a great result.’ decided conversion to social housing the official opening of the converted and really easy to speak to; I had was the only viable option to secure The project is part of Clyde Valley’s historic building. been a bit nervous but she was very the building’s future, and it was commitment to build 700 new homes friendly and it was nice to talk with Her Royal Highness unveiled a transferred over to CVHA. in North and South Lanarkshire and her. I showed her round and she was commemorative plaque, hearing how East Dunbartonshire by 2021. really interested to see the house and the former library was converted in was asking if I was originally from Funding for the redevelopment was a two-year project, meeting tenants Coatbridge – and she even met my provided by Clyde Valley, Scottish in their homes and received flowers wee dog, Gracie!” Government, North Lanarkshire from seven-year-old Carnbroe Council and Historic Environment Primary school pupil, Jessica Walker. Scotland. 01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Former derelict building Completed renovation
Jennifer Scanlan (right) shows The Princess Royal round her new home Tenant Ellen Adam welcomes The Princess Royal to her home accompanied by CVHA Chief Executive Lynn Wassell
When asked how she had settled Princess Anne spent time speaking in to her new home, she said, to each group of guests before a “It’s amazing – throughout my life speech from Mr Murray, who said, I have had a connection with this “The Carnegie library is a project building - my grandparents took we’re particularly proud to have me here and I visited when I was been involved in. at school; it has such memories”. Andrew Carnegie was born into very Neighbour Ellen, who became one humble circumstances and went on of the library’s first residents when to become one of the world’s richest she moved in five months ago, said, men. He donated libraries for the “Princess Anne commented on the education of others and came here great views and we spoke about in 1906 to personally open this one what we looked out at. She asked in Coatbridge. if I like living here and commented on the really high ceilings from the We hope he would old library; she was lovely and very be pleased to see easy to talk to”. this renovation and The tenants have already started to build a community within the its purpose of social It has proved to be a very memorable occasion for Jessica, building. Ellen, who has created a housing – it means the who subsequently appeared in some media photographs with the residents’ library in the foyer area building will be used Princess Royal, and has asked her mum, “Am I famous now, mummy?” in a nod to their homes’ heritage, Presenting the royal visitor with flowers has obviously had a big said, “As neighbours we’re starting for well over another impression on Jessica, who was also very much the centre of to get to know each other, and it’s a 100 years”. attention at school and Brownies! beautiful building”.
www.cvha.co.uk 8-9 Keep you and your loved ones safe from fire - get your free home fire safety visit from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. They will help you sort out a fire escape plan and provide information about smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.
Smoke and heat alarms New fire safety legislation was introduced in Scotland on 01 February 2019, extending the already high standard of protection from fire and carbon monoxide.
Following the fire at Grenfell After we have carried out the Not all of our homes will require the Tower, a Ministerial working group upgrade, your home will have: upgrade, as some of our existing on building and fire safety was housing stock has had this work done, established to review Scotland’s / At least one smoke alarm so already meet the standard. Work to building and fire safety. As part installed in the room most upgrade remaining properties is planned of this work, the working group frequently used for general for completion by December 2020. agreed that consultation on fire daytime living purposes (which In a shared property such as a block and smoke alarm standards would generally be the lounge). of flats, there is no requirement for should be prioritised. / At least one smoke alarm in different properties to be linked to The outcome is that there will be an every circulation space on each each other. increase in the provision of smoke storey, such as hallways and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are and heat detection in properties landings. happy to provide Home Fire Safety belonging to Registered Social / At least one heat alarm installed Visits to any home across Scotland. Landlords (RSLs). Because of in every kitchen. As part of the visit, staff can provide this, CVHA is currently upgrading fire safety advice and guidance on existing smoke alarm installations All alarms will be ceiling mounted what to do in an emergency. to comply with the new legislation, and interlinked. There is also a ensuring that all our homes will have requirement for carbon monoxide To organise a Home Safety visit, the highest level of protection from detectors to be fitted where there is contact the Scottish Fire and Rescue smoke and fire. a carbon-fuelled appliance, such as service by any of the means below. boilers, fires (including open fires), heaters and stoves or a flue.
1 2 3 Complete an online form Call 0800 0731 999 Text “FIRE” to 80800 from your mobile phone
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
The Association has a busy programme of investment in new homes and maintenance of our existing stock where we aim to exceed, not just meet, regulatory standards. How we have/will invest in our homes 03
Following on from an investment The assessment of deciding if a These have included: The results of the survey mean of over £2.8m in our stock in property passes the EESSH standard that this year we will focus on a financial year 2018/2019, there is determined by the classification / the introduction of air source continuance of: heat pumps in Douglas; will be a further £3m spent through the Energy property / boiler renewals; between April 2019 and March certificate, and the EPC document / installing internal and external / kitchen replacement and 2020. This spend will be focused also highlights what improvement wall insulation; on two main areas. works could be delivered to achieve electrical rewiring programmes; a higher rating. Over the past few / inserting cavity wall insulation; and The first is continuing our years we have undertaken a variety and / re-roofing. programme of ensuring that as of works to meet this standard across many properties as possible meet A third area of cyclical works, our stock. / topping up loft insulation. the Energy Efficiency Standard a constant in our investment for Social Housing (EESSH) by The second large area of investment programme, is ongoing gutter December 2020. EESSH is a relates to our component upgrade cleaning and cyclical painting standard that has been set by the programme. To assess what needs works in all of our areas. Scottish Government, which aims done and where, we have had to improve the energy efficiency of independent surveyors carry out a social housing in Scotland. It will Stock Condition Survey. help to reduce energy consumption, fuel poverty and the emission of greenhouse gases.
Would you like to become a member of Clyde Valley Housing Association? We are always seeking tenant members to ensure that we are representative of the people and areas we serve. Tenant membership generates greater participation in the work of the organisation.
Membership also provides the opportunity to stand for election at the AGM and vote for members of the Board. To join, you simply have to complete a membership application form and pay £1. If approved by the Board, you will receive lifetime share in Clyde Valley Housing Association. If you would like more information about becoming a member, please contact our office to speak to a member of staff.
www.cvha.co.uk 10-11 Our programme of house building continues. Also, supplemental to this investment, major improvement projects are progressing. Current projects and future plans are shown on the following pages. 04 Round the houses
Here’s a breakdown of our extensive building programme bringing further sustainable social housing to the areas we cover.…
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Airdrie New homes / Millgate Crescent, Caldercruix A total of 16 properties – 13 flats and 3 houses are in the final stages of the build.
Millgate Crescent, Caldercruix
Carluke New Homes / Stanistone Road 49 homes – 34 flats and 15 houses – were recently completed and allocated.
Stanistone Road, Carluke
Info Coatbridge Looking after those point precious pooches! New homes A growing number of households now / Similarly, in fairness to your neighbours, / Craigend Drive have a four-legged member of the family don’t allow your dog to bark non-stop. – a dog! In return for the unconditional It can be very frustrating for people near you Development of 8 flats and 6 houses has love dogs give their owners, owners have to tolerate. If the dog belongs to a neighbour just started, with an expected completion to play their part in looking after their and the owner is out, you should contact date of the end of this year. pets. That means the not-so-nice things the local authority dog warden for advice. like picking up poo and making sure their If the dog barks consistently for more than / Wilton Street dog doesn’t bark continuously, disturbing 15 minutes, it may be that it is in distress. Build of 6 flats has just started. the neighbours. It is easy to maintain Please contact the SSPCA on 03000 999 the harmony of the neighbourhood by 999. If the noise nuisance occurs late at night following the tips below. please report to:- / No-one wants to tramp through dirt South Lanarkshire Council 0800 242 024 that a dog owner has neglected to lift North Lanarkshire Council 0300 123 1382 and dispose of. Simply carrying dog East Dunbartonshire Council 0300 123 4510 fouling bags when you are out walking makes it easy to get rid of it immediately – you can get these free from local libraries and council offices. It also helps if you Both of these actions are not only easy to Cumbernauld take your dog on regular walks to areas do but are effective in eliminating behaviour where it can relieve itself. Your garden that is a source of complaint for others - should not be used as a doggy toilet, and keeps everyone happy! New homes except in an emergency and not on a regular basis. / Mossgiel Road This site of 18 flats has just got underway The Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act states that it is an offence not to clean up after your dog. The Dog Warden/Community Wardens can issue a fixed penalty, which could increase if not paid within 28 and is due for completion at the end of days. You can also be reported to Procurator Fiscal and may be fined if convicted. If you witness a this year. person failing to pick up their dog’s mess, please report this online to the local council.
www.cvha.co.uk 12-13 East Kilbride New homes / Mavor Avenue, Phase 3 A total of 43 homes – 27 flats and 16 houses – are halfway through the build, expected completion date of March 2020. Mavor Avenue, East Kilbride
Hamilton Kilsyth New homes New homes / Main Street / Carlisle Road, Ferniegair Half way through the build, these 9 flats will be allocated towards 27 flats for social rent is just on the end of the summer. site and at ground work stage. / Register Road This site of 19 flats and 6 houses is at early stages of the build, with an expected completion date of the end of this year. Kirkintilloch
New homes / High Street Almost complete, this development has 41 flats. 22 will be for social rent, 19 for mid-market rent.
High Street, Kirkintilloch Main Street, Kilsyth
Info point
Pest control Summer always brings a resurgence in the number of calls If the problem is a public health issue, such as rats, the local authority we receive concerning pests such as ants or other insects, environmental health departments will attend, but all councils in CVHA’s and more seriously, rats. areas will charge you a fee to carry out an inspection. (See back page for council contact numbers). If there are open or damaged areas of the building you live in that enable the pests to enter, the Association has a duty to carry out a repair to stop However, if you are dealing with ants or wasps (which the environmental them coming inside, but we do not carry out pest control. health department do not class as public health issues) it is much cheaper to buy pest control products from your local DIY store. They stock a wide range of effective solutions that, as a first course of action, will be a much cheaper option.
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Info point Special uplifts
North Lanarkshire Council South Lanarkshire Council East Dunbartonshire Council
From 01 April 2019 North / Larger uplifts are subject to South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) / East Dunbartonshire Council Lanarkshire Council (NLC) no a charge of £100. provide one free uplift per year April (EDC) charges start at £23.29 longer provides a free uplift service. 2019 – March 2020. for an uplift of standard items. / Special uplift - please / There is now a £25 charge for telephone NLC on 01698 / Additional uplifts cost £30.90 / Special uplift - please telephone up to 10 household items or 20 403110 or apply on-line. each. EDC on 0300 123 4510 or apply bags of rubbish. Examples of on-line. household items include sofas, / Special uplift - please telephone / Reusable items can be donated to armchairs, bed base, laminate SLC on 0303 123 1015 or apply charities please telephone the Zero flooring, fridges or other on-line. Waste Scotland helpline on 0800 electrical items. 0665 820. Give them a call to see if your item can be re-used.
Larkhall
New homes / Former Daks factory location This site of 48 properties, comprising of 12 flats and 36 houses, is almost complete and allocations started. / Glengowan Primary School site 34 flats, due for completion by the end of this year, will have allocations started in early Autumn. Daks location, Larkhall
Glengowan Site, Larkhall
Here are the ‘Option Numbers’ to get Telephone options you through on our main number, Info To keep in touch with our growing number of customers, 01698 268855. point we recognise that we have to make it as easy as possible They are: for you to contact us. We are always looking at ways to #1 Make a rent or factoring payment enhance our communication with you, so to aid you in #2 CVHA tenants or to speak about an application getting through to the right member of staff quickly, our #3 Owners telephone options have been revised. #4 Any other enquiry #5 Repeat the above options
Report a repair – we have a dedicated Freephone number for all repairs – 0800 073 0703. www.cvha.co.uk 14-15 Motherwell Help us to help you Info New homes In many previous issues of Connect we have point raised the problem of anti-social behaviour and / Frood Street what you can do about it. CVHA operates a Near completion, 10 flats and 30 houses are zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour. currently being allocated to the new tenants. If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour it is important that you report the problem, both at the time to the local authority’s Anti-social Behaviour Team and to your CVHA Housing Officer. Reporting it at the time to the local authority or Police will enable us to pursue action against those responsible. Having a third party report gives you, and CVHA, evidence of the incident. It is important to note that CVHA can only take action when the complaint concerns one of our own tenants. If your anti-social complaint is about an owner, private tenant or council tenant, then this should be reported directly to the local authority Anti-social Behaviour Team. All complaints will be treated in confidence. Listed below are numbers to call at the time of the incident, if these agencies witness the problem and/or take action we can then obtain reports to support an anti-social behaviour case.
/ Police Scotland 101 (non-emergency) 999 (emergency) / Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 Out of Hours noise teams / South Lanarkshire Council 0800 24 20 24 / North Lanarkshire Council 0300 123 1382 / East Dunbartonshire Council 0300 123 5410
Frood Street, Motherwell
Queenzieburn Looking forward... New homes CVHA has acquired the following sites for its pipeline / Beacon Inn programme. Plans for these sites have not been finalised yet, updated information will be shown in 16 flats are near completion and currently future issues of our newsletter and on our website. being allocated to new tenants.
/ North Lanarkshire area / South Lanarkshire area Mill Loan, Airdrie Bothwell Road, Hamilton Hamilton Road, Bellshill Low Waters Road, Hamilton 449 Main Street, Bellshill Gallowhill Road, Lanark Airdrie Road, Condorrat Holytown Road, Holytown / East Dunbartonshire area Parkfoot Street, Kilsyth High Street, Kirkintilloch, Newarthill Road, Newarthill Phase 3 Overtown Primary, Overtown Old Edinburgh Road, Viewpark Please call us or Beacon Inn, Queenzieburn check our website for more information.
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
The summer months are Info upon us so it is time to point get the lawnmower and gardening tools out. Tidy gardens keep our estates looking good and are much more pleasurable to live in.
Gardening time again
Getting rid of rubbish also They should be placed in grey/black helps, by complying with local general waste bins only. arrangements for waste collection Remember NO PLASTIC BAGS and putting the correct bins out IN RECYCLE BINS. each week. If you are unable to take your bins out for collection, you may be able to apply Much of our garden waste can be recycled for a bin pull-out service. Further details – if you are not sure of what, please contact can be provided by contacting your our office or visit the council webpage for local council. details. It is important to note that plastic bags cannot be recycled.
www.cvha.co.uk 16-17 Did you know? You have an allocated Rent Officer that you can speak to and who can work out an affordable and reasonable re-payment plan with you if you are experiencing difficulty in paying your rent.
To do this, they can arrange an We also have two Income At CVHA we will do everything we can Remember, it is never too late to office appointment, or if you Maximisation Officers (IMOs) in the to help our customers deal with rent ask for help. The most important are unable to call at the office, team. Your Rent Officer can refer you debt. However, if you don’t engage thing you can do is deal with the a home visit. to them. The IMOs will check that you with us and the debt continues to issue and ask for help. At CVHA, are receiving the Benefits you are due increase, sadly, we may need to take our job is to help you sustain Rent Officers are part of a dedicated and/or help you claim for Benefits you legal action. your tenancy, ensuring you keep Revenue Team. If you are experiencing may be entitled to. your home, and help you through difficulty, your Rent Officer will work We endeavour to avoid this, but if a difficult patch. We will do this through an Income and Expenditure You may also be entitled to other help. legal action is being considered, you by offering supportive, clear and assessment with you to help agree a We can signpost you to Money Advice will receive a Notice of Proceedings, confidential advice. re-payment arrangement with you to services, food banks, help with school which means we are starting legal deal with your rent debt. lunches, the Scottish Welfare Fund proceedings if you do not deal with and Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABs). rent arrears. This will be issued to the tenant and everyone in the household over the age of 16 years.
Pay your rent The number to call is - number – which will keep your Rent payment dates 0800 158 3298 account secure – to get it, contact Financial year 2019-20 on the new Please have your card details your Housing Officer or email us. Payment line! ready when you call. Period 1 18 March 2019 If you need help and support, Period 2 15 April 2019 Remember, you can also pay by please call our dedicated Revenue Period 3 13 May 2019 Freephone Direct Debit, Standing Order or and Income Advice Team. We will 0800 158 3298 payment card (Allpay) – we want to be happy to help. Period 4 10 June 2019 Did you know you can pay your make it easy for you to keep on top Period 5 08 July 2019 rent or factoring account quickly of your bills. Period 6 05 August 2019 and easily on our new Freephone Period 7 02 September 2019 payment line? Period 8 30 September 2019 The service is available from Period 9 28 October 2019 07.00 am to 10.00 pm, 7 days Have you downloaded the CVG App Period 10 25 November 2019 a week, accepting debit card - our App can be downloaded to your Period 11 23 December 2019 phone or tablet. There you can report payments. Period 12 20 January 2020 a repair, view your account and click through to make payment. For this Period 13 17 February 2020 you will need your unique reference
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
The CVHA Customer Panel In April the Customer Panel said farewell to one of continues to support the work our longest standing members, Sheena McVicar. Sheena has been a key member of the Customer of the business by carrying out Panel for many years, bringing her knowledge and keen insight into the needs of our customers to the their own investigations into our work of the group. Her participation and contribution processes and providing us with will be missed, however we wish her well in her new useful feedback on their findings. home. Thanks, Sheena! Customer
They recently submitted a / Rent arrears, which informs Go to cvha.co.uk/services/ If you are keen to join our Panel panel and would like find out Scrutiny Report on rent arrears, tenants of: and click on the ‘Services’ drop- presenting it to our Board last down menu at the top of the page. what’s happening inside CVHA, • who to contact when a payment December, and finally was There you can access: please contact Corporate is missed; Services Officer, Lisa, approved by our Audit and Risk / Rent Debt – help and advice Committee in March. This report • how our arrears recovery [email protected] for can be viewed on our website at procedure operates; / Universal Credit – information more information. We want to cvha.co.uk/services/join-our- and updates engage our customers in ways • the risk of losing their tenancy customer-panel/ and at times that suit you. through having rent arrears; and / Income Maximisation – Because of the Scrutiny Report’s useful links to other agencies The main purpose of our • support available to tenants, such recommendations, these outcomes Customer Panel is to: as CVHA’s Income Maximisation The Scrutiny Report recommendation have been put in place: Officers and Citizens Advice list above indicates that we should be / act as a “critical friend”; better at telling customers what they CVHA’s new Tenant Information Bureaux. / act as a voice for customers; Pack has been revised to include should expect and how our whole If you have a look on the information on: rent process operates. In addition to / hold Clyde Valley to account; CVHA website, we have made having this information on our website / Paying your rent, which focuses some updates to action the / focus and influence on (see above) a guide to rent is shown improving services; and on the rent payments, how rent recommendations from the report. on the opposite page. can be paid, etc. / focus on service quality, performance and value for money. Your ideas and views on how we can work closely with you, and so that you can shape and influence our decision-making, are always welcome.
Are your tenancy records up to date?
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 From 1 November 2019, if you apply If you need to make a change to introduced new criteria which must for any of the above, the person your household, please notify us be met prior to an application being applying to become a tenant must and we will send you a change in made for the following: have been living in the house as their household form to complete. only or principal home for at least Please note that the household / Joint tenancy 12 months before the date of your details will only be updated when / Assignation written request. written confirmation is received In our office. / Succession
www.cvha.co.uk 18-19 Update 05 What’s happening at CVHA? Over the last six New staff member months we have Fin Smith seen some changes Customer Services Director Fin Smith has joined CVHA as Customer for CVHA staff. Services Director, responsible for leading housing and factoring service teams. Fin worked as Head of Business Services for Here is a rundown. Cairn Housing Association for the last six years and took up his new position in early June. Lynn Wassell, Chief Executive at CVHA said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Fin. He is clearly passionate Fin Smith about making a difference for each and every customer and driving excellence. Fin will also play a key role in shaping our new Corporate Strategy beyond 2020”.
CVHA’s Asset Management Manager, Mark Quigley, was recently married in the Trades’ Hall in Glasgow. Congratulations to Mark and Stephanie from everyone at Clyde Valley Group.
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Jamie, Graham and Craig
CVHA Apprentices – training for the future
Our current intake of Jamie said, “The benefit of my Departures apprentices is well and truly apprenticeship is being able to work into their year of learning and towards a qualification whilst getting work experience at the same time. experience with CVHA. I have also worked within different Saying Craig Crossan, 20, Jamie Wilkinson, departments, allowing me to get an 19, and Graham Harper, 20, are overview and see how they operate. apprentices who will be with us ‘Goodbye’... After my apprenticeship, I plan on until December of this year. They using my qualification to get a job are working towards an SVQ in within the housing sector.” Digital Applications Support through on-the-job training, submission of Graham echoed the comments of his Christina MacCallum assignments for each module and fellow apprentices, saying, “I have external training. picked up so much knowledge since Corporate Services Christina MacCallum I joined and have learned so much Each of them has approached their Officer about housing through my work in apprenticeship with great enthusiasm Corporate Services and the Repairs and have settled well with the rest of departments. It is great to be paid to Christina has worked at Clyde Christina works with all departments the staff. Here the boys share their learn. Valley for over thirteen years in our in Clyde Valley, helping support them thoughts on working at CVHA. Corporate Services Department communicate with our customers I have also gained so much Craig said, “I can earn and learn at in Communications. Her role is to and ensuring all our print work and confidence so am able to converse the same time, whilst getting used to keep communication at the heart media is current and relevant. with customers, all of the staff of CVHA, and is responsible for our the working environment and gaining We wish Christina a long and and work on my own. Hopefully I Newsletters and Value for Money experience. happy retirement with her husband will get a job in housing when my Statement, and looking after our Malcolm and hope she gets to travel “The role at CVG is varied, as I apprenticeship comes to an end”. social media accounts. work between the Corporate and and tick off all the items on her to Look out for an update on the Repairs departments, giving me do/see list. boys’ progress in the next issue a broad overview of housing. This of Connect. experience will stand me in good stead for the job market, alongside my qualification. After the apprenticeship, I plan on using the experience gained at CVG to gain a full-time job.”
www.cvha.co.uk 20-21 CVHA staff continue to hold events Giving to support our chosen charity, something Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust. back Keeping fit and healthy – body and mind
SSPCA Tartan Tea Party
Annual Health Walk Coffee and Cake morning
/ Healthy Working Lives / Mindfulness sessions / Other charitable events We retained our Bronze Award and Several staff members attended SSPCA Tartan Tea Party in January are now working towards a Silver, a five-week course after work, raised £165 for the SSPCA followed with the ultimate aim of gaining a A Practical Guide to a Mindful Life. by a Coffee and Cake morning Gold Award. Feedback has been very positive. in February to raise funds for / Feed a family of 4 for / Dementia Awareness Week Lanarkshire Cancer care Trust. under £5 recipes Staff had the opportunity to Our Annual Health Walk round Staff members held a healthy lunch attend interactive and informative Strathclyde Park took place last event, providing cooked dishes to training courses that gave them an Thursday. Walkers completed the colleagues for a charity donation. It understanding of how to interact circuit, managing to dodge the all went down very well and recipes with people who have dementia. showers on a blustery afternoon. were made available. There was also a ‘Soup’ lunch – see opposite for a recipe that you can try yourself.
01698 268855 News from Clyde Valley Housing Association
Life-saving defibrillator training for CVHA staff
A number of our team undertook vital training on the use of a defibrillator and Walk how to do CPR. all over The trainer, George Wylie from First Aid Focus, delivered the coaching sessions as part of our Health and Safety training requirements. Cancer 2019 Staff found it to be interesting and informative as they were advised of ways to get a rapid response in an emergency, both at work and personally. CVHA staff participated in the There is a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD) which is registered with the annual ‘Walk All Over Cancer’ event, Scottish Ambulance Service sited in our offices at Scott Street and One walking to reach seven million steps Wellwynd. and gaining a donation of £700 to Enthusiastic role play featured when engaging in mock-up situations, in the our nominated charity for this year, hands-on use of the defibrillator and administering compressions. Most of Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust. the participants enjoyed learning a new skill that is a potential life-saver.
They reached the staggering total of 7,127,850 steps – approximately 3,000 miles - a huge achievement!
www.cvha.co.uk 22-23 Have you enjoyed this Other Formats Please call 01698 268855 or e-mail issue of our newsletter? [email protected] if you would like to receive any of our information by e-mail or in another format such as a different As well as keeping you informed of the work we are doing and language, large print, Braille or audio. highlighting issues that may affect you, we are happy to consider any items that you think are important. Please let us know if there is The Association is a member of anything you would like us to feature or if you would like to comment Happy to Translate, an organisation that on our activities, send us your comments by contacting us by any of can provide help and information for any the methods below. We would love to hear from you. visitors/tenants with little or no English. They can provide interpreters to attend meetings at our premises or translation of our documents. Useful info Cut out and keep!
Contact numbers
General enquiries, rent payment, 01698 268855 Useful numbers debt advice, housing issues Anti-Social Behaviour Income Maximisation Officers 01698 328266 East Dunbartonshire Council (24 hours) 0300 123 4510 01698 244694 North Lanarkshire Council (24 hours) 0300 123 1382 Allpay 0844 557 8321 South Lanarkshire Council 0303 123 1015 www.allpay.net SLC Out-of-hours Noise Team 0800 24 20 24 Emergency Cleansing Services contact (refuse collection, wheelie bins, special uplifts) numbers East Dunbartonshire Council 0300 123 4510 North Lanarkshire Council 01698 403 110 CVHA Repairs Freephone 0800 073 0703 South Lanarkshire Council 0303 123 1020 CVHA Payment Line Freephone – NEW! 0800 158 3298 Scottish Gas – 0800 111 999 smell of gas Environmental Services (pests, vermin, dog fouling, roads, etc) Scottish Power – 0800 092 9290 East Dunbartonshire Council no electricity 0300 123 4510 North Lanarkshire Council Scottish Water – 0800 077 8778 01698 403 110 no water supply/burst pipes South Lanarkshire Council 0303 123 1015 Gas heating repairs – 0844 579 6493 City Technical Services Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and 0800 027 1234 All other emergency repairs 0845 877 0411 Forced Marriage Helpline
www.cvha.co.uk www.clydevalleypropertyservices.co.uk Registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 www.onewellwynd.co.uk Registered Scottish Charity, Number SC037244