Southway Tenant Stories approved Your home, safe in our hands February 2017 Newsletter Thanks to all who came out to dress our Community tree! For more outdoor events see Pages 12 & 14 What’s inside... Easier online Attention! STAR survey Free training & Changes to What you volunteering your benefits said Page 5. Page 6. Pages 8-11. 1 Welcome to the Spring edition of Southway Stories! Back in November you gave us feedback on all of our services in the STAR Survey and over Pages 8-11 of this issue you can find the results, as well as some of the ways we’ve started to look at how we can address the things you’ve told us. You may notice a few differences in the way we look this year – starting with our new logo! With all the changes taking place at Southway we felt it was time to update our brand with a more modern, slicker style – we hope you like it. There are also some important messages about Rent in the opening pages of this issue, so make sure you don’t miss these! Big changes to rent from April 3rd To help us deal with your calls more effectively, from April 3rd you will no longer be able to telephone us to pay your rent. The main reason for this is to There are lots of ways to pay Now is also an ideal time to set up reduce the number of calls to our your rent that are both easier a Direct Debit as everyone paying Customer Hub so that we can deal and more cost-effective to you rent by DD will be entered into the more quickly with other enquiries, and to Southway, and we will March Rewards Draw and could such as requests for essential happily guide everyone on how win some great electronic gadgets repairs and appeals for support. to use them. including tablets, televisions and In the STAR survey you told us that We recommend Direct Debit xbox ones! the speed of answer time was your The best way to pay rent is by Rent payment line main issue with communicating Direct Debit (DD) as it’s free, with us. We have limited resources The automated rent payment convenient, automatic and safe. in the Hub and demand on this line is still available to use. Virtually all basic bank accounts service is extremely high. Without The most cost-effective way to now offer Direct Debits and since taking rent payments, we can do this is by dialling the Customer January 2016, contrary to what you improve on this. Hub number and selecting the may think, none of them carry a RENT option, and then you will It also costs a lot of money to take fee if the Direct Debit fails. be prompted to PRESS 1 to make rent payments over the phone According to Martin Lewis’ money a payment. This way you will and we believe we could put this saving expert website, some of pay is the local call rate for money to better use. As a non- the best basic bank accounts are profit organisation, any ‘profit’ phoning Southway. currently: made above our basic running If you phone the rent payment costs is used to build new homes • Barclays Basic Account, number directly it can cost as (to address the housing crisis • Co-op Cashminder and much as 50p per minute from across Manchester) as well as to mobiles and 30p per minute make our communities even better • Virgin Money’s Essential from landlines. places to live. Current Account Please refer to Rent area of our website www.southwayhousing.co.uk/payingrent for more advice and ways to pay to suit every need. 2 www.southwayhousing.co.uk Shaping up your rent account Rent free week All Southway tenants receive two rent free weeks per We understand the pressure that the on- year, one at Christmas and the other at the beginning of going effects of the Government’s Welfare April. If you’re a weekly, fortnightly or four weekly Direct Reforms puts on household budgets, and Debit payer* this means two ‘payment breaks’ over these want you to know we’re here to help. weeks where we will reduce or won’t take your Direct If you are struggling to pay your rent, or Debit payment. perhaps you have already fallen behind with payments, the first step to getting things To receive these payment breaks, in accordance with back on an even keel is to talk to us – we your tenancy agreement, your rent account should be don’t bite. (at least) a full payment ahead – i.e. a week, two weeks, We can help you with claiming the Benefits four weeks in credit depending on how you pay. If it you may be entitled to, and with money isn’t, your Direct Debit payment will be taken as usual in advice and managing debts. The hardest part order to pay off any arrears or to move your account into might just be starting an email or picking up the above position of being in credit. the phone to speak to one of the team here. So clear any arrears and get ahead and you too will Please do not hesitate to benefit from future payment breaks. contact us via connect2 southway@southway *Please note monthly Direct Debit payers will not be housing.co.uk or on affected as their 50 weeks payments are split across the 0161 448 4200 to 12 months. get support. Lord Mayor visits tenants at Oasis Close This month Lord Mayor Carl Austin Behan, Both the Mayor, who was councillor for who chose the name ‘Oasis Close’ for the Burnage in his previous role, and Jeff Smith development, and local MP Jeff Smith paid who is MP for Withington, said it was a a visit to the new tenants. pleasure meeting tenants and to see Oasis They were given a tour by Elsie Beadow, Close first hand, as they are both invested in who at 83 has downsized from a 3 bedroom supporting homes that meet the needs of property five minutes from the Close. their constituents. T:0161016144844842004200 3 · Annual community events like the Easter Egg Hunt will still take place in the Arrowfield Road Buckthorn House area and local residents will receive information about these. We have recently made the very difficult decision · Our newly-launched Quids In food club will to close Buckthorn House. continue to be delivered from Buckthorn House Unfortunately there were just not enough people until another local venue is found. regularly using the centre to justify the costs of · A dedicated staff member will remain available continuing to run it. in Chorlton Park making sure that opportunities This is not a decision that has been taken lightly, are in place for people to get involved and and we are already working with regular users to attend events. look at other ways to support local tenants and If you would like to get involved or have any residents in ways that will reach more people and queries please contact Diane Roege or Maureen be a better use of our resources: Ward via the Customer Hub. · Discussions are taking place to relocate regular Don’t forget Chorlton residents can also access hobby groups such as cooking and knitting to many services from BMCA Learning Hub. You can other community centres across the area. call or pop in to book an appointment: CHORLTON BMCA Learning Hub, 23 Mersey Bank Avenue, Chorlton M21 7NT 0161 446 4806 option 2 BMCALtd www.barlowmoorca.co.uk @BMCALtd Local support services The St Vincent de Paul Society Chorlton and Whalley Range (SVP), an organisation of people Dementia Action Group are Tuesday 21st March who volunteer to support holding public information Dementia Research others, offer befriending for meetings throughout March. All people who have no family or are welcome including Professor Nigel Hooper, Director have become isolated through of Dementia Research at the · People living with dementia ill health or unexpected University of Manchester circumstances. · Carers including family Tuesday 28th March members They also offer other types of Legal Issues support services including debt · People working with Charlotte Pisuto, Hugh Jones advice and counselling. dementia Solicitors. A discussion on future The SVP can be found at the · People simply wishing to planning and the importance Community Shop at 15 Copson know more of Lasting Powers of Attorney and Wills. Street in Withington every Tuesday 14th March Monday 11am - 12 noon, or you Services for People with All taking place at 7.15pm at can telephone: Dementia Chorlton Central Church, 07851 618871 (Withington) Sally Ferris, Together Dementia Corner of Barlow Moor Road Support and Joy Watson, and Sandy Lane, Chorlton 07405 767653 (Didsbury) Dementia Activist M21 8BF - just drop in. 4 www.southwayhousing.co.uk To find out Make life easier online information more on how become a to contact DigiChamp We can help you get ‘Internet Savvy’ and learn how to navigate Joe Sandwick your way through the world wide web. Over 8 weeks of 2.5 hr 0161 448 on 4200 or email sessions we’ll teach you the basics to get you started, including: connect2southway@ southwayhousing.co.uk. • “Being Social” online; Skype, FaceTime & There’s no need YouTube to be a computer whizz – full training • Saving money online plus checking benefit is provided, you entitlement and making claims just need to know • Budgeting and shopping online your way around • Employment skills - job searches, online job the internet. We can applications, practising interview skills.