Our services for you Welcome to your service guide
All of us at Thirteen are looking You might remember that we sent you forward to another busy year some information last year to get your working for you. opinions about planned changes to the way your landlord and Thirteen are This guide brings you details of services structured. We’re aiming to simplify how that are available and improvements we we’re organised and to bring all are making. landlords in the group together to form one organisation called Thirteen. You’ll find information about our Our original aim was to do this by April self-service website, customer services, this year but we’re now working to repairs, home improvements, building complete this process between July new homes, services that are available and September. This means that your for you, your neighbourhood officer, landlord will stay the same for a little and some useful contact details. while longer but we’ll let you know more about this process later in the year. We have also been listening to feedback from tenants, leaseholders and If you have any thoughts about how we customers and as a result, many can improve what we do for you, please improvements to our services are get in touch. underway, with more planned throughout the year. Best wishes
Ian Wardle Group Chief Executive On behalf of everyone at Thirteen
2 3 Making things easier for you - Contacting customer services Thirteen self-service 24/7
You can log onto Thirteen’s We’re working on the next phase of Contacting Thirteen couldn’t Improving customer services self-service website to carry our self-service website which will have be easier. During 2017, we’ll be working to improve out a range of tasks. even more functions and is expected to our customer services. As part of this, launch within a year. We all know that it can sometimes be we’re increasing the number of staff in In 2016, we launched the self-service difficult to decide which number to our Customer Service Team to help us website for tenants to go alongside Thirteen’s website also has lots of phone if you need to contact respond to your queries more quickly. our landlord websites which we useful information to help you get the departments in a large organisation. re-designed earlier in the year. most from your time as a Thirteen Contact us customer and can help you to: That’s why in 2016, we introduced a To get more information or to tell us The self-service site gives you 24/7 single telephone number that all our about anything to do with your home, access to: • find a new home to rent or buy customers can use to request or find you can contact: • report a home repair • get help to pay your rent out about any service within Thirteen. • view rent accounts • get advice about benefits and money www.thirteengroup.co.uk • pay rent online management By calling 0300 111 1000, you can customerservices@ • update personal details • find out about home ownership speak to customer service staff who thirteengroup.co.uk • contact us for anything to do with options will help you access the service you 0300 111 1000 your home or tenancy. • find a job with Thirteen. need. Our Customer Service Team aims to If you haven’t used the site already, For details about all Thirteen’s services, answer calls within 30 seconds. you need to log on at the visit: www.thirteengroup.co.uk address below. We also use social media to let people Alternatively, use your know about a range of issues and help smartphone to scan you to get in touch with us. Follow us or the QR code. like us at: Thirteen_Group You can register to view your rent account online, print a rent statement, order ThirteenGroup an Allpay card and much more. You will need your tenant number (from your rent letter) and an email address to register. Visit www.thirteengroup.co.uk/ SelfService
4 5 You said, we did Looking after your home - repairs We carried out 160,000 repairs Examples of repairs that customers on tenants’ homes last year. are responsible for include:
All customers of Thirteen receive the • renewing carpets and other flooring you have fitted same level of service for repairs, which • repairing blinds, curtains and rails Many tenants, leaseholders and Last year, we undertook two in-depth includes the length of time it takes to • fixing door bells customers made suggestions independent tenant satisfaction carry out a repair. • smoke alarm batteries during 2016 about what we do surveys as well as ongoing discussions • light fittings and bulbs with our customer panels and a series There are different responsibilities for • repairing minor cracks in plaster and how it could be improved. of customer consultations. Since the type of repair that we carry out, and • bath plug and chain November, we have also been carrying the type of repair that you’re • fixing damage caused by a visitor Thank you if you have been involved as responsible for. Visit the website for or a member of your household. out weekly satisfaction surveys for this information is vital to improve what more details and information about help repairs and gas services. we do for you. for disabled customers. Reporting repairs As a result of this, we’re making some We’re making improvements to our changes: Examples of repairs that we are repairs appointment system during responsible for include: 2017. If you need to report a repair to your home, please get in touch using the details below. You said... We did... • foundations, roofs, walls and external finishings It’s difficult to contact the right We have employed more colleagues in You can also call us to report • outside doors, window frames, emergency repairs outside office hours. member of staff our contact centre. You will also find drains, gutters, external pipes, Emergencies include repairs to blocked the names of your neighbourhood fencing, lighting, doors and stairways or leaking drains, loss of gas or water, or officers in the back of this booklet. • gas and electric services from dangerous and insecure structures. To your meter and water services to, and report repairs and find out repair You need to complete repairs when We’re introducing a new repairs IT inside, your home response times, please use the details you say you will complete them system to improve our repairs • baths, basins, sinks and toilets below. • communal areas within our timescales further. You can report repairs to properties. You need to put things right when We’ve created a new Customer your home at: they go wrong Relations Team to ensure that any You’re responsible for fixing any https://selfservice. problems you have are resolved damage that has not been caused thirteengroup.co.uk or quickly and we learn from any by fair wear and tear. www.thirteengroup.co.uk/repairs mistakes. customerservices@ thirteengroup.co.uk 0300 111 1000
6 7 Gas safety in your home Improving homes
We work closely with tenants to Customers receive a letter with a gas We work on a range of projects 39 homes have been switched to an air make sure their homes are gas safety appointment around 10 months to improve our customers’ source heat pump that draws heat from safe. after their previous check. When you homes. the outside air, which will lead to an receive an appointment, please make average saving of around £250 a year Every year, customers who rent a home sure that someone is at home to let the The type of maintenance we carry out on fuel bills. receive an appointment for a Gas Safe engineer in. Alternatively, contact us to - and when we do it - depends on a Registered gas safety engineer to visit rearrange your appointment if what we range of issues like the age of the Alongside these projects, we’re and carry out essential safety checks offer isn’t convenient. property’s fittings, and regulations for working on environmental schemes on their gas appliances such as boilers things like heating systems and wiring. worth around £500,000 to improve the and fires. quality of neighbourhoods for our During 2016-17, we’re working on £37m tenants. Sometimes it’s difficult to gain access to of improvement work to 4,476 homes. customers’ homes and during 2016 we We are also responsible for making sure worked successfully to reduce a Between April 2016 and March this that many of the public and communal backlog of gas servicing appointments. year, we will have worked to replace areas on our estates are well major fixtures and fittings in our maintained. You can find out about The checks help to keep the appliances homes including: planned maintenance at running smoothly and efficiently, www.thirteengroup.co.uk/ keeping the household safe and • 553 kitchens FindOutAbout potentially saving customers money on • 2,474 heating systems fuel bills. • 1,010 door replacements • 1,583 window replacements • 675 bathrooms.
We have also arranged for 255 You can get more details on customers to be switched from our gas servicing web page: inefficient electric heating systems. www.thirteengroup.co.uk/ More than 200 homes have been GasServicing moved to mains gas heating with a new efficient combi boiler installed. Another
8 9 Investment in 2017 Services for you Money advice Anti-social behaviour
Last year over 2,000 Thirteen It’s important that our tenants feel safe customers received help from our in their homes and that issues of Money Advice Team. anti-social behaviour (ASB) can be Looking ahead to 2017-18, we We will spend over £5m on tackled. plan to carry out £27m of environmental improvements over Our team can give you details about improvements to our homes. the next year, including boundary things like bank accounts, savings and Our Anti-Social Behaviour Team can schemes and work to improve loans and credit unions, and help you to: help you to deal with a range of issues This will include replacing 638 kitchens, neighbourhoods for our customers, and provide advice and support if you 565 bathrooms and 2,797 boilers. More together with a further £3m on some • claim the benefits you’re entitled to experience ASB. than 800 properties will receive new of our high-rise buildings. • deal with benefit problems windows and doors. • deal with debt problems You can get more details from: • manage your money and budget for www.thirteengroup.co.uk In 2017-18 we’ll be working in towns across our area to install: the things you need. customerservices@ Heating thirteengroup.co.uk Area Kitchens Bathrooms Boilers Windows distribution For more information or to make an 0300 111 1000 West View 190 appointment with a specially-trained Greatham 2 52 money advisor, please get in touch Supporting young people using the details below: Hart Lane 46 into work Seaton Lane & Ask for the Money Advice Team at: Last year, we set up a new scheme to Newholm Court 46 0300 111 1000 help young people get into work, Richard Court 4 27 customerservices@ training or education. Oxford Road 3 1 thirteengroup.co.uk www.thirteengroup.co.uk/ Seaton Carew 38 Called New Directions, the scheme is FindOutAbout Tweed Walk 3 3 open to unemployed people aged 15 to 29 and offers support to get into work Rossmere 23 or training. Ardrossan Court 25 35 For more details about If your home is being updated this year, work, giving you the chance to let us New Directions, we’ll send you a letter to tell you about know about any issues you’d like us to visit www.thirteengroup.co.uk/ the plans. We’ll then contact you to be aware of. newdirections discuss details of the improvement
10 11 Buying as well as renting
If you or anyone you know is looking for website which has information about all a new home to rent or buy, it couldn’t the homes we have for sale. be easier to find out about the homes that Thirteen has available. The site will also give you details about the support available to buy a home, The easiest way to find out about our such as shared ownership, Help to Buy, quality homes is to visit the Find A Rent to Buy and Right to Buy. Home section on the Thirteen website. www.thirteengroup.co.uk/ Here, you can find details of all the FindAHome properties we have available for rent, and link to our dedicated home sales
12 13 Know your The areas that neighbourhood officers cover can change, so please get in neighbourhood officer touch or visit our website for the most up-to-date information. The neighbourhood officers in your area are: Helen Ivison, Andy Elvidge, Angie Crawford, Area Manager Neighbourhood Team Leader Neighbourhood Officer Our neighbourhood officers work in your neighbourhood to help you deal with a whole range of issues.
They can help you with problems around your home or tenancy; dealing with bills or your rent account; working with other organisations such as the council or police to improve your neighbourhood; or giving Angie Covers: advice on all sorts of things including how to report West View Estate anti-social behaviour.
If they can’t deal with your issue straight away, neighbourhood officers will help you to find a solution by working with other teams in Thirteen. Jo Larkin, Carol Gage, Lisa Newton, Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood officers also carry out regular walkabouts on your estate which you can join. You can get in touch with your officer at:
0300 111 1000 [email protected]
You can also visit the website for more: Jo covers: Carol covers: Lisa covers: www.thirteengroup.co.uk/FindOutAbout Headland and Central Headland and Central Rossmere and Owton Estate (patch shared with Estate (patch shared with Manor Estate Carol Gage. Jo works Jo Larkin. Carol works Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and Friday) Wednesday)
14 15 The neighbourhood officers in your area are: The neighbourhood officers in your area are: Joy Bishop, Angela Jesney, Joanne Gaffney, Louise Smith, Tim Fuller, Helen Wainwright, Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer
Joy covers: Angela covers: Joanne covers: Louise covers: Tim covers: Helen covers: Owton Manor Estate Rift House and Oxford Burbank, Dyke House, Belle Vue, Jutland Road, Owton Manor Estate, County Durham, Road (top) and Titan House Seaton Carew and Greatham Gateshead, Hart, Oxford Road (bottom) Newcastle, Shiremoor, Sunderland, Washington, Fencehouses, Dalton Lynn Evans, Ellie Liston, Stephen Bushnall, Piercy, Elwick and Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Neighbourhood Officer Newton Bewley
Lynn covers: Ellie covers: Stephen covers: Dyke House and Throston Grange Estate Clavering and Hart Lane and Oval Grange King Oswy Estates
16 17 What do you think?
To help us provide you with information that is useful for you, we’d be grateful if you could complete this short questionnaire and return it to: Communications Team, Thirteen Group, North Shore Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 2NB.
Alternatively, you can complete the questionnaire online at: www.thirteengroup.co.uk/CustomerVoice or by scanning the QR code with your smartphone.
How useful was this service guide for you? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (not useful at all) (very useful)
Which were the most useful articles for you? Please tick all that apply. Making things easier for you Customer service contacts You said, we did Looking after your home-repairs Gas safety in your home Improving homes Investment in 2017 Services for you Buying and renting Know your neighbourhood officer Is there anything else you’d have liked us to include in this guide?
Please give us any other comments about this guide:
Please tell us your name and address (optional).
18 19 www.thirteengroup.co.uk [email protected] 0300 111 1000 https://selfservice.thirteengroup.co.uk