Autumn 2019 Pat Cahill, Director – Sanctuary Scotland, Catherine Donnelly and Vicky Campbell in the now wheelchair-friendly grounds at the Disability Resource Centre in Paisley’s Love Street. Read more about the transformation at the centre on page 3. www.sanctuary-scotland.co.uk Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Limited, a charity registered in Scotland No. SC024549 and a Registered Society No. 2508RS, is a subsidiary of Sanctuary Housing Association, an exempt charity Contacting Freedom of the Customer Service Centre Information Act From 11 November every registered social landlord in Scotland will be Our Customer Service Centre is open 24 subject to the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays for all your repairs and general housing enquiries. This legislation will give Sanctuary Scotland: You can call us on 0800 131 3348 or • A duty to publish 0300 123 3511. Other ways to get in touch are: Email: contactus@sanctuary-housing. • A duty to respond to information requests co.uk Text: 07795 265 843 • A duty to provide advice and assistance Typetalk/minicom: 01482 580 576 When you contact us to report a repair, The winter edition of Voice will tell you what we have done to comply please tell us: with the Act and tell you how this legislation affects you. If you would • Your name, address, postcode, like to learn more about Freedom of Information in the meantime, contact phone number and email please visit the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website at address. www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/YourRights.aspx • Details of the repair or fault. • If you are hard of hearing or need time to get to your door. Call charges The 0800 numbers shown above are Factored Owner? Have you free. Calls to 0300 numbers are charged at the normal national rate (the same as 01 and 02 numbers) by all providers, considered switching to including mobile. Callers to 03 numbers could benefit from their own inclusive Direct Debit? minutes package with their landline/ mobile provider. For the exact call and The easiest way to pay your factoring charges is by Direct Debit. Once set text charges from your mobile phone or up you don’t have to do a thing, your regular payment is automatically sent landline, please check with your provider. by your bank. Why choose Direct Debit? • It is easy to set up – you don’t need to fill out a form • Your current factoring invoice can be spread out to weekly or monthly payments which lets you pay this up over a period of up to six months • If your payment needs to change for any reason, you don’t need to do anything – we will write to tell you we are adjusting the Direct Debit for you • Direct Debit is safe and secure – your payments are protected • You can cancel your Direct Debit at any time. Direct Debit’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 1. Have your bank account details to hand 2. Phone us on 0800 131 3348 and ask to speak to a member of the Factoring Team* 3. We will do the rest. DEBIT CARD * The Factoring Team are available between 9am to 5pm, CALL Monday to Friday. 2 Centre users gladly led COVER up wheelchair-friendly STORY garden path Green-fingered visitors to the Disability Resource Centre in Paisley’s Love Street, a centre for disabled residents in Renfrewshire, are now able to access its gardens thanks to A short film on the project can be viewed below or recent work at the centre. on our YouTube channel at: https://youtu.be/PAdAXV4OHlc Uneven ground made it hard for service users to enjoy the outside space, so Sanctuary Homes replaced the red blaize and whinstone paths with an asphalt surface, enabling visitors to go outdoors. The work is a community benefit of the 132 affordable homes Sanctuary is building on the site of St Mirren FC’s old Love Street stadium. Gordon Dickson, the Centre’s gardening co-ordinator, said: “It’s a completely universal set up now and the work’s opened the garden to everyone. No more is it a case of ‘wheelchair users round the front, more able-bodied round the back’. That’s a big thing and makes our wheelchair users feel more involved. The Disability Resource Centre in Paisley “There is also much less chance of those with general mobility issues falling or tripping in the garden. The work by Sanctuary has made a massive difference and the whole place generally looks much better. We’ve even got an area for functions now which we’ll use for barbecues and social events through the summer.” Paul Roderickson, 39, is one of dozens of Renfrewshire residents who visit the centre each week. Paul, of Renfrew, said: “I’m really unsteady on my feet and I used to be quite apprehensive about coming out. It was all uneven with boulders and bits of glass. It was really, really treacherous. The asphalt paths now make it much easier for wheelchair users to get around the garden “I’m not so apprehensive anymore and I really feel safe DEBIT CARD here. It’s just amazing and has really helped us out.” CALL 3 New homes first step in Paisley West End’s regeneration A “magnificent” £6.2 million housing lease of life. I love everything about my All 39 Wellmeadow Street homes project is set to spark the regeneration flat, even the kitchen sink.” are managed by Sanctuary Scotland of Paisley’s west end. Sanctuary Housing Association. The project’s Homes has transformed the site of Michelle Calderwood and children completion enables Sanctuary to Wellmeadow Street’s former Co- Ellie, 6, Corey, 4, and Layla, 2, moved press ahead with plans for around 44 Op supermarket with 39 affordable into a semi-detached house from a 1st affordable homes in Sutherland Street properties, 24 flats and 15 houses for floor flat in Gallowhill. and Underwood Lane. Later phases social rent. will see more new homes built in Well Michelle, 28, said: “The kids are never Street, Clavering Street and further James Hayes is one of 11 people to out of the garden, they absolutely love properties in Underwood Lane. move into Wellmeadow Street as part it. It’s made a massive difference to our of the west end regeneration initiative. lives.” James is thrilled to have a ground-floor flat after 44 years having to struggle Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local with stairs. Government, Housing and Planning, and Councillor Iain Nicolson, Leader A short film on the project can be James, 81, said: “It’s magnificent. I can of Renfrewshire Council, visited the viewed below or on our YouTube take my mobility scooter into my flat development in July. A £3.4 million channel at: and no longer need to leave it outside. grant from the Scottish Government https://youtu.be/nkQUd67tTFU “Moving here has given me a new made the project possible. Caption: Resident James Hayes with Kevin Stewart, Wellmeadow Street development in Paisley Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning 4 Fire and smoke alarm upgrade Sanctuary Maintenance is carrying out a programme • At least one smoke alarm is in every circulation of works to upgrade fire and smoke alarms in all our space on each story, such as hallways and landings properties in Scotland. These upgrades are to meet • At least one heat alarm is installed in every kitchen regulatory changes to The Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 • Carbon monoxide detectors are fitted where there is and are compulsory in all our homes. a carbon-fuelled appliance or flue. • These requirements have called for Sanctuary These new fire standards came into force in February Scotland Housing Association to ensure that for 2019. Sanctuary Group has two years (until February every home; 2021) to meet the new standard. We are following a • At least one smoke alarm is installed in the room planned programme of works and tenants are being most frequently used for general daytime living sent letters and leaflets to advise of the new standards purposes and to organise appointments. National Residents Review Panel We want residents to get involved and have your say. The support and training we provide to our panel helps Your feedback helps us: members perform their roles well. No experience is required, and we wouldn’t take up much of your time. • Understand what you expect from us • Shape our services to suit your needs We are also recruiting for our local Focus Groups in We value the opinions of all our customers. Glasgow/Renfrewshire, Cumbernauld, Dundee and Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire. These groups meet a couple of By getting involved you can: times a year to discuss topics affecting tenants such as the • Meet new people rent increase consultation, lettings policies or local issues • Learn new skills which are affecting the community. • Boost your career options • Improve our services and your community If you would like to get involved, please phone 0800 131 • Ensure you receive value for money 3348 or email GetInvolved.Scotland@sanctuary-housing. • Influence our work, locally and nationally co.uk. We are looking for people for our National Resident Review Panel. Our Review Panel helps improve our performance, influence our services and hold us to account. The panel includes residents from all over Scotland who: • Ensure we address tenant needs • Help us achieve better outcomes • Check our performance against the outcomes set out in the Scottish Social Housing Charter. 25 On site with our first homes in Inverclyde We have started building 96 homes in Inverclyde, all of which will be managed by Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association.