Annual Report 2017/18

Annual report 2017/18 Foreword During the year, EastendHomes has continued Earlier this year EastendHomes worked It’s a pleasure to welcome to explore ways to provide new, desperately closely with our regulator, the Regulator of you to the Annual Report for needed, genuinely affordable homes for local Social Housing, who conducted an ‘In Depth people. This year we have added a small Assessment’ (IDA), which looked in detail at 2017/18. I hope that you number of new homes to our housing stock, how we are run, with a particular focus on will find it to be an interesting the first properties we have acquired in Bow governance and financial viability. All housing (though close to our existing Mile End estates). associations are required to undergo an IDA Contents and informative read. The Board is currently working on ambitious approximately every three years, and I am plans to introduce many more new homes in pleased to report that following the review, Introduction 4 It has been a busy year, understandably the borough. A priority of the Board is that there was no change to our rating and we overshadowed by the horrors of the tragic fire wherever possible these new homes should be were found to be compliant with both our Community events 6 at Grenfell Tower. Subsequently Government let at genuinely affordable social rents. governance and our financial viability. Performance 8 and all housing providers have been reviewing 2017 also saw the start of our new repairs and Finally, I would like to thank all my fellow everything they do to make sure that all maintenance contract, led by Morgan Sindall Board Members for their hard work during this Repairs 12 tenants’ homes and buildings are as safe as Property Services. This contract covers the day year, and all of the residents who volunteer Keeping estates clean 14 possible. For EastendHomes, this has meant to day repairs you receive in your homes and to get involved with EastendHomes, in a particular focus on Denning Point on the can also be expanded to cover bigger schemes whatever way. It was an honour this year to Regeneration 15 Holland estate, and I am grateful both to the of planned maintenance and major works. be elected as the Chair of EastendHomes, the staff for their quick response, and in particular Governance and viability 16 We know that this new contract didn’t hit the first Tenant Board Member to be Chair in our to the residents (myself included) who have ground running in the way that we would have history. I believe that there is an opportunity Local offers 18 reacted calmly and responsibly to the measures liked and staff have been working very hard to for all residents to become involved in how taken to ensure their safety. If any resident make sure we return to the excellent service their homes and estates are managed, Value for money 20 reading this has any questions about fire safety that both you and we expect. I’d encourage all in a way which suits your lifestyles, and if in their home, I would strongly encourage you Summary accounts 22 residents to complete the satisfaction survey you have something to contribute I would to speak to your Housing Officer or read the after a repair has been finished, normally a wholeheartedly encourage you to contact information on the EastendHomes website. phone call from your local office. We hope that EastendHomes and have your say. you will be happy with the service you receive, but we will also follow up on any problems Les Eldon which you report. Chair - EastendHomes

2 3 Introduction EastendHomes has been managing properties in Tower Hamlets since 2005, with all of our staff working in local offices based on our estates. In that time we have invested almost £160 million in £160 million refurbishing homes, improving estates, and building new homes spent on refurbishing homes, for local residents. improving estates, and building new homes for local residents

Our Vision is: “To achieve the comprehensive regeneration of our estates and to bring about a sustained improvement in the homes and quality of life for residents”. Area Social Rented Leasehold Intermediate Private Rent Rented Our Mission is: Glamis 194 152 0 1 “To provide a local housing Holland 209 218 0 0 service which is efficient, gives Island Gardens 520 300 0 2 value for money and meets the needs, priorities and aspirations Mile End 986 614 3 48 of all residents”. St George’s 339 199 0 0 Total 2248 1483 3 51

We also have five Values setting out what On 31st March 2018, EastendHomes managed we stand for and what we aim to achieve. a total of 3,785 homes across the borough, Did You Know? These are: including 2,248 homes let at social rents, The oldest properties managed by 1,483 homes owned by leaseholders, 3 homes • We value and support resident involvement EastendHomes are some houses in let at intermediate rents, and 51 homes let to Brokesley Street in E3 - believed • We recognise and value the commitment private tenants. to date back to 1848! and hard work by our staff • We will always strive to provide the best possible service • We welcome and support diversity and we are committed to equality • We want to improve and succeed in all aspects of our work.

4 5 Citizenship Day Community events October 2017 Images from some of the many events held 100th Birthday with and for residents Celebration in 2017/18: Cahir Street Residents January 2018 Fun Day August 2017

Gordon House Fire Safety Action Day August 2017 Hallowe’en Party October 2017

Southern Grove Christmas Party Wager Street December 2017 Residents Fun Day August 2017

Did You Know? 8th October 2017 was the tenth anniversary of the London in Bloom Awards stock transfer of Glamis estate to EastendHomes - September 2017 Christmas Panto December 2017 the latest estate to transfer to EEH so far Volunteering on Eric estate April 2017

6 7 Performance of properties held a valid gas In 2017/18 we surveyed our leaseholders and 54.0% were safety certificate at 31st March satisfied with EastendHomes overall (60.7% in 2015). 100% 2018 (100% at 31st March 2017). The last time we surveyed our tenants was in 2016, and 84.4% told us in our STAR survey that they were satisfied with EastendHomes’ services overall. Properties with a valid gas safety certificate at 31st March 2018 (%) 101.2% of rent due collected as at last Housing EastendHomes completed 662 phone calls to EEH 100 Benefit week (103.4% in 2016/17). the members of our Safe & Well scheme. Clarion 99.62 2.91% rent arrears for current tenants at last 180 complaints responded to in full in the year Gateway 100 Housing Benefit week (2.65% in 2016/17). (134 in 2016/17); of which 22 were Stage 2 Notting Hill Genesis 100 complaints and 7 were Stage 3 complaints. 6 evictions in 2017/18 (up from 3 in 2016/17), One Housing 100 all of which were for rent arrears. 159 complaints were responded to in target – Peabody 100 88.3% (94.9% in 2016/17). Poplar HARCA 100 179 residents met with our welfare and Providence Row 100 benefits advisor at582 appointments. Southern Housing 99.21 Spitalfields 100 Complaints responded to in target (%) Swan 100 EEH 88.3 THCH 100 Clarion 70.2 Tower Hamlets Homes 100 Gateway 100 0 20 40 60 80 100 Notting Hill Genesis 70 One Housing 93.7 11 major adaptations carried out to EastendHomes properties allowing tenants Poplar HARCA 95.2 Did You Know? to stay in their homes, and 35 minor Providence Row 100 If you live in one of EastendHomes’ tower blocks adaptations to make life more comfortable ’ Southern Housing 40.8 for EastendHomes tenants. you can view the Fire Risk Assessment for your Spitalfields 100 block at www.eastendhomes.net/fire-risk-assessments. Swan 100 87% of adaptations were completed in target. We hope to introduce a system for residents of our THCH 86 113 fire risk assessments were completed for other blocks to also view assessments online. Tower Hamlets Homes 85.8 blocks and areas managed by EastendHomes. 0 20 40 60 80 100 Did You Know? EastendHomes tenants can now ‘Do It Online’ by registering for our portal on the EastendHomes website - this allows you to check your rent balance print statements look up repairs you’ve requested and more. We’ hope to have a similar’ service in place for our leaseholders’ in the near future. 8 9 Performance continued 85 incidents of anti-social behaviour Types of anti-social behaviour investigated Right to Buy / Acquire Sales investigated by EastendHomes in 2017/18 (also 85 in 2016/17) Noise 22 25 22 74 properties let (64 in 2016/17) Verbal harassment / intimidation 22 20 Drug / substance misuse or dealing 21 18 4 EastendHomes tenants were rehoused 17 17 17 through our Overcrowding Reduction Initiative Litter, rubbish, fly tipping 2 – making a total of 121 since it started in 2008 15 Misuse of communal areas / loitering 6 36.3 days on average to re-let an empty Physical violence 2 10 property which didn’t require major 8 refurbishment (19 days in 2016/17) Domestic abuse 3 5 4 4 87.5% of new tenants were satisfied with the Alcohol related 0 3 2 condition of their property (81% in 2016/17) 1 0 Graffiti 0 Listening and Acting Nuisance from vehicles 3 07/08 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18 Following many reports from residents, 2 EastendHomes was recently successful Criminal behaviour / crime in arranging for additional patrols by the Garden nuisance 0 Did You Know? Police on the St George’s, Holland and 4 of our tenants ‘mutually exchanged’ to swap homes with a tenant from Hate crime 0 Island Gardens estates. another housing provider during 2017/18. Please keep reporting any anti-social Nuisance from pets and animals 1 If you would like more information on looking for a swap including registering ’ behaviour to the 101 phone service – it 1 for a free online service contact our Lettings Team on 020 7517 0407. helps us to ask for Police support where it Prostitution, sex acts, kerb crawling ’ is needed most. Vandalism / damage to property 0

Did You Know? EastendHomes spent over £105 000 in 2017/18 on collecting and disposing of large’ items of rubbish left on our estates even though all Tower Hamlets residents qualify for two’ free collections per year. Call 020 7364 5004 to arrange a collection. Better still if you have furniture which is still in good condition ’call Homestore on 020 8519 6264 who will collect it for free’ and recycle it.

10 11 Repairs EastendHomes’ responsive repairs service is managed by our local housing offices and carried out by our contractors. Did You Know? EastendHomes has a legal obligation to inspect all gas appliances in our tenanted homes at least once per year and we will take you to court if you do not allow For more information on how our repairs 14,570 repairs or servicing appointments ’ service works, including which priorities will completed in 2017/18 (13,839 in 2016/17). us access to carry out these inspections. Please help us to keep you and your be allocated to different types of repairs, neighbours safe by allowing our contractors in to carry out their work. 87.7% of repairs completed in target in contact your local housing office or visit 2017/18 (93.7% in 2016/17). www.eastendhomes.net/repairs. 86.5% of emergency repairs completed in Every time a repair is completed, we will try Satisfaction with last completed repair (%) target in 2017/18 (96.3% in 2016/17). to contact you to ask how satisfied you were with the job. We use this information to follow 97.3% of repairs appointments kept in EEH 90.5 up with our contractors and staff on anything 2017/18 (98.2% in 2016/17). Clarion 81.4 which might have gone wrong. Gateway 83.8 94.7% satisfaction with the repairs service L&Q 50.9 In 2017/18 EastendHomes spent over £4 when asked at the completion of a repair Notting Hill Genesis 81.9 million on repairs and maintenance, which (98.8% in 2016/17). One Housing 98 works out as £1,809 for each of our tenanted 90.5% satisfaction with the last completed Peabody 82 properties – and this doesn’t include the money repair (96.6% in 2016/17). Poplar HARCA 93 we spent on Major Works schemes. Providence Row 84 Southern Housing 75 Appointments kept (%) Spitalfields 98 EEH 97.3 THCH 89 Clarion 84.3 Tower Hamlets Homes 91.7 Gateway 83 0 20 40 60 80 100 Notting Hill Genesis 97.5 One Housing 96.5 Peabody 92 Poplar HARCA 96.6 Providence Row 99 Spitalfields 100 THCH 98 0 20 40 60 80 100

12 13 Keeping estates clean Regeneration Of the 275 times our blocks were inspected in 2017/18, Since we started in 2005, EastendHomes has invested 15.6% were at the top ‘A’ grade. £159.5 million into our properties and communal areas, with £111.4 million spent on refurbishing existing homes and £48.1 million invested in building new homes for social rent.

We are now planning to invest around We’re continuing to look for ways to provide £38 million more over the next five years more new homes for local residents. In to continue refurbishing or improving our 2017/18 we let 5 new homes for rent properties – and we also plan to invest in (including 3 at intermediate rents), and we’re building new affordable homes. working on plans to introduce many more in the future. New social rented homes 80 78 71 This means that the inspectors could find 275 estate inspections were completed in 70 67 no more than 2 minor things which needed 2017/18, and 56.7% of inspections had a improvement during the inspection. Most resident inspector in attendance (52.9% in 60 (82.6%) were graded as a ‘B’ – this means 2016/17). 50 there may have been some things requiring improvement but the blocks were in generally 40 37 good condition. On only 4 occasions was a Did You Know? block graded as a ‘C’ – and for each of these In September 2017 EastendHomes was praised 30 at the London In Bloom’ awards for 7 spaces in blocks, the next time it was inspected it had 19 improved. the Mile End neighbourhoods recognising our work 20 in conjunction with residents ’and The Friends 12 12 12 10 of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park who provided ’ 0 2 advice training and support. 0 ’ ’ 08/09 09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13 13/14 14/15 15/16 16/17 17/18

Did You Know? EastendHomes plants thousands of bulbs each year to bring colourful flowers to our green areas including around 3 000 snowdrops planted’ on the St George’s’ estate.

14 15 Governance and Viability The EastendHomes Board in 2017/18 Audits completed

Resident Members The Audit Committee of EastendHomes Board agrees each year a strategy for areas to be reviewed by our internal auditors, Mazars. They then receive the auditors’ reports and have a Colin Antoine Leaseholder Mile End Estates resigned 21 September 2017 chance to ask them questions about what they have found. Onjona Begum Tenant St George’s Estate resigned 6 April 2017 Susan Blunden Tenant Island Gardens Estates appointed 21 September 2017 The table below shows the internal auditors’ conclusions from audit completed during 2017/18. Les Eldon Tenant (Chair) Holland Estate Chair from 7 December 2017 The auditors also carry out regular checks on the data we hold, and on our compliance with legal Helen Goody Tenant Mile End Estates obligations. Margaret Higgins Leaseholder Island Gardens Estates Kevin Moore Leaseholder Holland Estate appointed 21 September 2017 Audit When Findings Independent Members Anti-Social Behaviour July 2017 Adequate Assurance Janet Seward Chair resigned 21 September 2017 Safeguarding July 2017 Substantial Assurance Carol Hinvest appointed 21 September 2017 Gas Servicing July 2017 Adequate Assurance John Kettlewell Governance October 2017 Substantial Assurance Emdadul Haque Jahangir Mannan appointed 21 September 2017 Maureen McEleney Vice Chair appointed Vice Chair 7 December 2017 Strategic Value for Money January 2018 Substantial Assurance Amjad Rahi resigned 21 September 2017 Kevin Whittle appointed 21 September 2017 The external audits of our accounts were completed in February and May 2018 by Beever & Struthers. They found that our accounts gave a true and fair view of our income and expenditure Council Members for the year, and had met accounting standards and legal requirements. Councillor Andrew Cregan resigned 7 September 2017 Councillor John Pierce appointed 7 December 2017 Councillor Motin Uz Zaman appointed 7 December 2017

You can read profiles of current Board members on the EastendHomes website.

16 17 Local Offers Our ‘local offers’ are a list of promises we make to tenants, and we tell you each year in our Annual Report how we are doing in Our offer How we are doing delivering them. The current list was first agreed by the Resident If you get into arrears, we will Referral to an independent specialist welfare advisor Scrutiny Panel in late 2014, following a consultation exercise, and offer you financial support to has been built into our rent arrears procedure. Our we are planning to draw up a new list of offers while we consult resolve your problems before Rents Team arranged 103 appointments for 83 we serve a notice of seeking different tenants during 2017/18. on all our service standards during 2018/19. possession We will let you know in our Annual This Annual Report includes a ‘pound chart’ showing The table below shows how we think we got on during the year: Report where our money comes where each £1 of our money comes from, and how we from and how we spend it spend it Our offer How we are doing We will introduce a wide range On average there are 12 activities per week in our We will open up the opportunity Any resident can be nominated to fill Resident Board of activities across our new and directly managed community centres. In the facilities for any resident to put themselves Member places, and can be nominated by an individual existing community centres we don’t directly manage ourselves, we have partnered forward to serve as a Resident or by an Estate Management Board. The first tenant with LBTH and Toynbee Hall who organise a wide range Member of the EastendHomes was appointed under this system in November 2015. of activities. Board We will make it easier for you to Direct Debits for rent (or leaseholder service charges) We will seek to ensure that 70% In 2017/18, 81.3% of repairs were completed on the make rent payments online or by can be set up with a single phone call – you will receive of repairs are completed on the first visit. We only count a job as being completed ‘Right Direct Debit a written confirmation so you have a record of what first and only visit to your home First Time’ if it is completed on the first visit and within has been agreed. You can also use the allpay mobile our target timescales. Most of the jobs which didn’t app to make payments at any time using your phone. achieve Right First Time required further visits to the You can also sign up to our online portal to view your property – in some cases this can’t be helped which is rent account, request a new payment card, or make why we don’t set this target at 100%. payments (via our payment partner). We will provide leaseholders with Leaseholders receive an annual estimate for their We will hold at least one lettings We have been holding several lettings events, jointly an annual estimate of all of the service charge contribution for the year each March, open day in each area over with other social landlords in Tower Hamlets and at a service charges they are expected including (where applicable) any anticipated charges the year to discuss rehousing range of locations across the borough. to be liable to pay in a year; and for Major Works. In addition to this, quarterly account opportunities for tenants provide quarterly service charge statements are provided. statements Want to comment on our local offers? You can email us at [email protected]. We will make sure that you know While each scheme is on site, newsletters will be written the name of the person within to the residents affected including their contact details. EastendHomes who you can We have also re-introduced satisfaction surveys on contact to discuss works in your the completion of any Major Works scheme to get home or on your estate feedback on the works which have been completed.

18 19 Value for Money Achieving good value for money is very important to Where each £1 comes from How each £1 is spent EastendHomes. For more detail on how we manage VFM, you can access the Directors’ Report in our Financial Statements for 2017/18 via our website.

For 2017/18 EastendHomes set a target to EastendHomes is a non-profit organisation achieve Value for Money gains (a combination which means that any ‘surplus’ we make of new income and cost savings) of £591,000. is reinvested into more and better homes £ £ These gains help us to control the costs of and services. We don’t make any profit on delivering services and to reinvest savings in managing our leasehold properties. Our important projects. The total gains achieved performance and our costs are compared to at the end of the year were £631,152. You can other local providers and you can read some read more below about how we used some of of these comparisons in the Financial the savings made. Statements. ▪ Tenant rents and service charges 76p ▪ Major repairs & new social ▪ Leaseholder service charges 9p housing units 35p ▪ Miscellaneous Lets 1p ▪ Depreciation of housing properties 10p Did You Know? ▪ Private rented properties 4p ▪ Other costs 4p Some of the gains from 2017/18 were reinvested in projects ▪ Commercial properties 6p ▪ Net Interest Payable 7p identified by our Service Review Committee - who chose to ▪ Other income 4p ▪ Management 12p support tree planting on the St George’s and Glamis estates; ▪ Services 18p and expanding our employability classes in 2018 to help more ▪ Routine maintenance 12p people who are looking for work. ▪ Planned maintenance 2p

20 21 Summary Accounts to 31st March 2018 During 2017/18 EastendHomes invested a To ensure that sufficient funds are always All figures in £’000 2017/18 2016/17 2015/16 further £4.6 million in refurbishing our existing available to support investment in our Turnover 21,299 22,920 34,623 homes and £1.4 million in new build properties. properties and deliver high quality services to Operating costs (15,630) (14,933) (14,540) To date as part of our comprehensive estate local residents, EastendHomes will continue Operating surplus 5,669 7,987 20,083 regeneration programme EastendHomes has to apply its policy to collect rents and service invested £111.4 million in refurbishment of our charges as they fall due, and to minimise Surplus on housing property sales 1,113 1,357 1,720 existing homes, and £48.1 million on creating arrears. Net interest payable (1,932) (1,928) (2,049) new homes for social rent. Change in value of investment properties (358) 1,782 545 In the year to 31st March 2018, the group Gain in respect of pension schemes 452 1,487 1,449 achieved a surplus of £5.0 million. All of this Surplus for the year 4,961 10,693 21,748 surplus is reinvested into our business of providing more and better homes. 2018 2017 £’000 £’000 Tangible fixed assets Housing properties 158,230 152,426 Depreciation (19,283) (16,626) 138,947 135,800 Investment properties 12,989 13,347 Other tangible fixed assets 1,370 1,467 153,306 150,614 Current assets Debtors - due within one year 6,844 6,874 - due after one year 945 900 Cash at bank and in hand 7,366 7,327 15,155 15,101 Creditors Amounts falling due within one year (6,706) (6,912) Net current assets 8,449 8,189 Total assets less current liabilities 161,755 158,803 Amounts falling due after more than one year (91,458) (93,062) Provision for liabilities and charges (626) (1,031) Capital and reserves Non equity share capital - - Revaluation reserve 2,880 3,238 Income and expenditure reserve 66,791 61,472 Total reserves 69,671 64,710 22 23

3 Resolution Plaza Spitalfields London E1 6PS 020 7517 4700 [email protected]