TOLLCROSS NEWSLETTER TOLLCROSS HOUSING ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2019 or email: [email protected] See page 2 for office closure details TXHA AUTUMN 2019 Newsletter.indd 1 11/09/2019 11:52 TOLLCROSS HOUSING ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER • AUTUMN 2019 Office Closure Arrangements Our offices will be closed as follows: Friday, 27th September 2019 September weekend Monday, 30th September 2019} Friday, 25th October 2019 Staff Strategy Day Please refer to the emergency telephone numbers provided so that any emergency repair you may have can be dealt with while the office is closed. If you call the usual office number (0141 763 1317) during this period you will be put through to our emergency repairs service. You can also call them on 0345 6044686. If you need to report a repair to keep your house wind and watertight, or there is a fault with essential services such as water supply and gas, you should contact the relevant number provided. Emergency Repairs 0141 763 1317 and 0345 604 4686 • Gas Escapes 0800 111 999 • Scottish Power Emergencies (from landline) 0800 092 9290 (from mobile) 03301 010222) Handyman Service The Association’s Handyman is available to carry out a range of minor tasks around the home for all tenants over the age of 65 with no rent arrears. Examples of the range of services undertaken are: • Replacing high or awkward light bulbs • Fitting light shades • Hanging mirrors or pictures • Moving furniture (light weight) • Change electrical plugs or fuses • Assembling flatpack furniture (small scale) • Assist in clearing out property • Lift and relay carpets (pre and post works contracts) • Ease sticking doors • Minor plumbing (connect washing machines, choked sinks) • Securing trailing wires and flexes • Fitting bathroom accessories (small scale) • Replacing curtain rails, poles and blinds • Removing and refitting curtain rails, poles and blinds (to allow works to proceed) If you have any requirement for this service, • Minor joinery work please contact our Maintenance team on • Sealing around bath or sink 0141 763 1317 option 1 • Minor garden work to discuss your needs. TXHA AUTUMN 2019 Newsletter.indd 2 11/09/2019 11:52 DEVELOPMENT UPDATE Dunira Street Phase 2 The new build development on Braidfauld Street, referred to as Dunira Street Phase 2, is now almost complete. If you passed the site recently you might have noticed the contractor putting the finishing touches to the landscaping and other external works. Allocations for these new properties are now underway and the first lucky tenants will soon be getting word that they are being offered a new property. Hopefully the whole development will be completed and occupied by the middle of October. Canmore Street MMR Altyre Street. (Mid Market Rent) Scheme. The Association has now lodged a full Planning Application to build This development is progressing well and it is expected all 43 houses and flats on the vacant site on Altyre Street. The scheme twelve, two bedroom flats will be completed by the target date is a mix of terraced houses and flats, with provision for larger family of mid-February 2020. The Association is setting up a subsidiary homes and wheelchair users being a priority. company called Auchenshuggle Develops to manage these The ground conditions in this area are particularly bad. Old properties on behalf of the Association. underground mine workings and at least two old air shafts to these workings have been identified and further more detailed investigation The 12 flats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. A works are now underway to confirm just exactly what is under date will be selected in Mid January and the first people through the ground, where the problems are and what the likely cost of the the door on the selected date, who meet the required criteria, required remedial works will be. will be signed up for these new properties. The Grant Application for this project can’t be submitted until all of As noted above there are some conditions that prospective these extra costs have been confirmed. Hopefully, all of the required tenants must comply with to qualify for a Mid Market Rent ground investigation works will be completed over the next few property. The final conditions haven’t been completely agreed yet months. The Association apologises in advance for any disruption but at present the following would be required; these investigation works may cause. There is a chance that Altyre • Prospective tenants must have a family income of more than Street may be closed for short periods to allow work to be carried £18,000, but less than £40,000 per year. Clear proof of this out on the area under the road. income will be must be provided. If everything goes according to plan, we should be on site in the spring of next year with this project. • Housing Benefit or Universal Credit will not be paid to cover the rental charge for Mid Market Rent properties, so Association’s New Office. claimants of these benefits will not be eligible for MMR. We are delighted to say that the Association’s new office has • You can under occupy the property you rent, but the full won a number of architecture and design awards. rental charge will still be made. The building was awarded a prize by the Royal Incorporation • The Association will provide its normal high standard of of Architects in Scotland in their annual awards ceremony, and repairs, maintenance and management services to all of our a few weeks ago the building won a Scottish Design Award. MMR tenants. The Building has also been short listed for the Antony Dolan Prize, the biggest architecture Design prize awarded in Britain. Look out in the Christmas newsletter for notification of the big It’s up against some stiff competition, including the new V and date when reservations for these properties will be taken. A Museum in Dundee, but it would be great for the Association If you have any questions about Mid Market Rent please do not and the area if we scooped the award. hesitate to contact the Association on 1041 763 1317. We’ll let you know how we do! TXHA AUTUMN 2019 Newsletter.indd 3 11/09/2019 11:53 TOLLCROSSTOLLCROSS HOUSING HOUSING ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER • • AWINTERUTUMN 20192015 Boilers: Electrical Before you call for an Engineer If your heating or hot water breaks Faults in down, please try the following steps before you contact the Association for an engineer to call: your Home • Make yourself familiar with the operation and controls of On occasions you may have problems with your the boiler. electrics. This may be due to a fault with the supply • Is the gas coming through? (If you have another gas coming into your home, or a fault with an Association appliance try it). fitting or a fault with one of your own appliances. • If you have a card meter confirm there is credit in the meter and the Meter says ON. Please note that if an electrician attends and the • Is the electricity on? (Check the fuses and make sure the fault is found to be due to your appliance (or a isolation switch next to the boiler is in the “on” position). service provider) you may be charged for the Again if you have a credit meter ensure there is credit in tradesman’s time. the meter. • Is the time clock set to ON? • Is the time clock set to provide heating and hot water? • Is the room thermostat turned up to its highest? • Is the water pressure gauge reading between 1 and 2 bar? • Is the boiler set to winter mode? • Press or turn the reset control on the boiler If your boiler fails to operate after you have carried out these checks, then please contact us on 0141 763 1317 To prevent this charge, please check the following (option 1) before you call: or out of hours on No supply – are the lights off in the street / close? Do your neighbours have power? If not this is likely to 0345 604 4686 be an issue for the utility company. Either phone your own supplier or Scottish Power Emergencies on 0845 272 7999. Sockets or lights not working in your home Annual Gas – check your distribution board to ensure that all switches are at the ON position. If not, switch on. If the power still does not reset, switch off all lights or Safety Visit unplug all of your appliances and again reset the switch. If the switch resets and the power comes back on, switch your lights on one by one and/ or reconnect one Over the 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 period the appliance at a time. If the system trips off again, it is likely Association’s gas contractor City Technical have carried out 100% of gas safety inspections within that there is a fault at the last appliance to be connected. our legislative requirement of 365 days. This has Disconnect this appliance, reset the trip switch at the once again been challenging to achieve and we distribution board and do not use the appliance again wish to thank all tenants who provided access on until it has been checked by a qualified electrician. It may the first visit. be that the appliance needs to be replaced. We ask for your continued assistance in the coming If all appliances have been unplugged but the switch year to allow access, to ensure all appliances are will not stay on, switch an alternative appliance on first, tested and are safe. to ensure the first appliance was not at fault.