The magazine for residents of Watford Community Housing Trust

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How we are improving our Repairs service

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Our guide to a happy, healthy new year

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2 Young photographers shine in exhibition Amazing photos put on display in Watford Museum

Welcometo Gateway Magazine

Please save the date for our Special General Meeting: Tuesday 27 January I hope you all had a wonderful break and are making a great start to the new year. For many, the turn of the year is a chance to take stock of things and make changes, and the Trust is no different. As we enter 2015 we have looked at the way we are governed and the way we involve you, our residents, in our work – and we want to make some changes.First of all we want to strengthen the role of your Gateway Leadership Team (GLT), the group of residents who have been elected by you to help improve our services.Since September 2012 the GLT has made sure that your voice has been represented in our decision making process. Now we want to have an even stronger link between the GLT and our Board of Management – while making sure

the GLT keeps its independent voice. We are proposing a change in our Rules, giving the GLT the enhanced power to monitor and scrutinise our services.Secondly, we want to make some changes to our Board, to make sure it is fit for the future. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), our regulator, has recommended that smaller, more efficient Boards should be considered. We have therefore reviewed the composition of our board and are proposing a reduction in members.We can only make these changes to our Rules if you, our members, agree to them. So I hope you can join us at a Special General Meeting we are holding at Gateway House at 6pm on Tuesday 27 January - look out for details in the post. I look forward to seeing you there.

Tina Barnard, Chief Executive

A group of eight aspiring young photographers had their work displayed in Watford Museum in November and December after taking lessons from a professional photographer.Working with photographic tutor and curator Sue Lacey, the young adults received twenty hours of learning and were encouraged to capture images that reflected their lives in 2014.

The project was funded by our Better Communities Fund and carried out with the support of Signpost, YMCA Watford, Watford Museum and Hertfordshire County Council’s ‘Locality’ grant.Our cover star Sammie Price said: “There’s often a negative image of young people so I hope this shows we are not all the same and we are capable of great things.”

WatfordCommunityHousingTrust watfordgateway

Our cover story

We are making some changes to improve the repairs service you receive. This is the progress we’ve made so far… with more improvements still to come.Keeping you in the pictureWhen reviewing our service, we found that we did not always let you know about the next stage to complete your repair. This meant we were receiving a large number of phone calls about repairs that we had already attended to and partially completed.To address this, we have introduced a ‘follow on’ card for our Gateway Repairs Team (GRT) operatives. When a repair requires a further visit to complete the work the GRT operative will confirm the appointment with you and leave the follow on card so you have a reminder. Hopefully it’s much more convenient for you – and it has already reduced follow-up calls by nearly 15%. Saving your time on the phoneWhen you call our Customer Service Centre you will now experience a reduced waiting time as we have simplified how the

A better repairs serviceinitial repair order is raised on the system. We have also made other changes to our phone system, using something called IVR, or ‘interactive voice recognition’. It means you can get through to the person you need to speak to much more quickly.New appointments We have a new appointments system so we can get to your repair more quickly. We used to categorise repairs as ‘emergency’, ‘urgent’ (attended to within seven days) or ‘routine’ (attended to within 31 days). Most jobs were classed as routine. Now we have just two categories. Emergency issues will be attended to within four hours and all other repairs will be booked via appointments. We currently have an average wait time of 14 days for an appointment, but we are looking to reduce this to around 11 days. Property MOTs The Trust carries out a very high number of repairs every year, given the number of properties

A room looks wonderful with a fresh coat of paint. If you have a ‘love-hate’ relationship with painting, you’ll want to read our tips on getting a great finished product.

We’ve got some great decorating advice on our new website, just log on to: www.wcht.org.uk/decoratingtips

Decorating your home and don’t know where to start?

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that we are responsible for. Recently we have identified the highest users of our service and are visiting these properties to complete an MOT-like inspection. This will ensure that all repairs issues have been dealt with and we can manage that particular property for the next 12 months.For any queries on our new and improved repairs service, contact us on 01923 209000

Coming soonWe are pleased to confirm that the estate Fix it Days we held last year had positive feedback so we’ll be holding them again this year – and we’ll expand them to include even more of our services and partner organisations. Look out for dates shortly.

performance

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It is very important to us you are satisfied with your neighbourhood, so here is an update on the progress we have made and what we are planning for the year ahead.

Keeping your areas well maintained

Glendale is our grounds maintenance contractor and has now been looking after our estates since early April 2014. While it’s always difficult changing such a large contractor, we’re pleased 91% of you are now happy with their services. Watch out for customer satisfaction surveys that Glendale post through doors on different estates every month – fill it in and you could win a £25 gardening voucher.Re-tendering this contract has saved the Trust over £70,000 per year which will mean a reduction in your service charges, as well as savings to the Trust which we can spend on other services. All the winter flower planting has been completed and new roses have been put into the shrub beds to replace old, diseased or stolen plants. Winter activities include completing a hard prune to shrubs, roses and hedges, edging and mulching of beds and collection of leaf fall where necessary. In the spring, a weed application and scarifying of grassed areas will happen followed by the first grass cut scheduled for mid March (depending on weather conditions).

Increasing your satisfaction

CCTV Evidence provided by our CCTV cameras helped to bring about the conviction of a serious flytipper who had dumped waste on our land. Lee Taylor was sentenced to 13 months’ imprisonment and had his tipper truck crushed, after pleading guilty to nine counts of flytipping at St Albans Crown Court in November.We are now planning to install CCTV cameras at other flytipping hotspots, and are carrying out a survey of our existing cameras with a view to upgrading them.

Estate servicesThe 2015 calendar for estate inspections is now on our website at: www.wcht.org.uk/estate-services These are great opportunities for you to walk the estates with Trust staff, spot repairs and make suggestions for improvements. We have also made more funds available for estate improvements so we can deliver on the views you give us in the area surveys.

Warmer homes on the Harebreaks Twenty-nine households in Harebreaks are benefiting from warmer homes and cheaper energy bills now we have completed an insulation programme. The programme, which will lower energy bills by around £270 per year for each household, was funded by the Government’s ‘ECO’ initiative. We previously used this funding to carry out a similar project at Boundary Way, in partnership with Watford Borough Council and Three Rivers District Council. We are also devising a second phase of the Harebreaks programme, starting this year, so watch this space.

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Communal repairsThe Gateway Repairs Team have recently undergone training so they can work at height, whether it’s from ladders, fixed towers or elevated platforms. This has enabled the Trust to be proactive with gutter clearances on the low rise blocks on the Meriden and Croxley View, which have traditionally resulted in numerous calls to the Trust after the first sustained period of rainfall in the autumn. At the same time, we replaced faulty communal lights in preparation for the clocks going back at the end of October. Previously this would have resulted in two external contractors being called out to isolated areas rather than attending to complete blocks.

Communal cleaningNewGreen, our communal cleaning contractors have been in place since November 2013 and we are pleased that 96% of you are satisfied with the services they provide. You should be able to see in your noticeboard details of the last clean made in your block, who your regular cleaner is and the supervisor’s last visit. NewGreen have managed to keep to over 99% of their scheduled visits and have addressed issues within one day.

Dealing with problem behaviourOur Safer Communities Officers are working hard to make sure our neighbourhoods are safe and friendly places to live. In the past six months they have completed the following:

f 10 Acceptable Behaviour Agreements

f 1 Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Notice

f 2 Notices of Seeking Possession for ASB

f 5 court injunctions for tenants in serious breach of their tenancy, in order to protect our tenants

f 25 tenancy warning interviews

f 1 court undertaking (a voluntary agreement through the court)

f 2 referrals to mediation

f 1 suspended Possession Order for a tenant who was using their property to grow cannabis

f 8 referrals in to support agencies including Thriving Families, intensive family support

You can report any problems in your neighbourhood online at www.wcht.org.uk by calling 01923 209222 or by emailing us at asb@wcht.org.uk

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resolutions

Get healthyMaking a change to live a healthier lifestyle isn’t as hard as it might sound – here are five simple steps to set you in the right direction.

f Get enough sleep: most adults need between six and nine hours each night.

f Smile more and worry less: smiling and laughing makes your face look younger – and it is scientifically proven to keep you healthier.

f 10 minutes of nothing: sitting down in a quiet, dark place without any stressful thoughts can make a world of difference.

f Eat right and exercise: try to eat at least 5-9 helpings of fruit and vegetables every day, drink plenty of water and do 30 minutes of exercise three times a week (don’t forget to stretch).

f Love yourself: be comfortable with who you are and present yourself with confidence. Get on your bike

Let’s face it – it doesn’t look like ideal cycling weather at the moment. But if you follow these simple tips, riding your bike can be just as fun as it is the rest of the year, plus it’s a great way to burn off those Christmas calories.

f Get your bike serviced to make sure it is safe and comfortable to ride.

f Fit mudguards to help you and your bike stay clean.

f Make sure your lights are up to the job.

f Upgrade to tough, puncture resistant winter tyres.Watford Cycle Hub offer cycling gear, bike repair and maintenance services, and courses to help you look after your bike – all at affordable prices. Go to: www.watfordcyclehub.org.uk for more information.

New year... new you

Get back to workStruggling to find your way back to work? Here are some tips to get you moving:

f Get your CV up to scratch – a good CV is no more than two sides of A4 and has a clear layout. Ask your local Job Centre for help on content.

f Recognise your own skills – even if you have taken time out of work you might have many skills that would be valued by an employer, such as taking initiative, managing a household budget and being highly organised. Ask friends what you’ve got to offer if you’re not sure.

f Get back into working habits – voluntary work is a great way to get used to working with other people and at someone else’s pace.

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Get gardening – feel better outside, feel better insideGardening has been proven to be very therapeutic, and being outside with nature can improve your mental health and well-being. It is great if you want to escape the stresses of daily life.The Green Canteen has plenty of volunteering opportunities in gardening, woodwork and craft activities. It is located on the Meriden between 24-26 Garsmouth Way, Watford WD25 9DR. For more information contact Caron Brennan on 020 3727 3605

Get involved in your communityMaking a difference in your community can be very rewarding. If you are unhappy with the way things are run, the best thing to do is get involved and make a positive change.

f Join your local residents’ association

f Volunteer at community events and centres

f You can also become a member at the Trust, which gives you the right to influence our policies, services and take part in key decision making.

Our Communities team are happy to help if you’re not sure where to start – call them on 01923 209183 or email communities@wcht.org.uk

money

Direct debit – for peace of mindPaying your rent by direct debit is a great way to manage your own finances and have peace of mind that your rent is paid on time. If you wish to pay monthly, you can pay on any day of the month. You can also pay weekly, fortnightly, four-weekly or quarterly. You can set up a direct debit by calling the Rent Team on 01923 209111 and we will agree an amount to collect to ensure your account remains up to date. Alternatively go to: www.wcht.org.uk/ making-a-paymentHow to get the best deal on energyTips for comparing and switching:

f There is no one cheapest tariff or supplier. It depends on your region and usage. That’s why your postcode is always requested when using comparison websites.

f A supplier might say they can save you money, but don’t just take their word for it. Make sure you check and compare the unit rate and standing charge of tariffs as this is what determines how much you can save.

Money Matters

f If you feel you are not getting the services you were promised make sure you write a letter of complaint using your supplier’s complaint procedure. If you still feel you have not been listened to you can always take it further by contacting Consumer Direct or the Energy Ombudsman.

There are different ways to pay for you energy bills, make sure you are happy with the option you’ve chosen and don’t let anyone try and sell you another method of payment.For more information, read our energy booklet Every Penny Counts or speak to the Trust’s Energy Surveyor, Jason Ademola 01923 209016.A good time to start saving…Did you struggle to afford Christmas? Now is a good time to start putting a little aside to make next Christmas a little easier. Watford Credit Union is a non-profit financial services cooperative that helps local people to save and borrow money. You can start saving with a deposit of just £1. If you save a little each month you will soon see your nest egg start to grow.

And once you have saved regularly for at least 13 weeks, you can apply for a loan of up to three times your savings, at an interest rate of 12.7% APR.To learn more visit: www.watfordcreditunion.co.uk or call 01923 236401.Stop yourself getting overdrawnWatford Credit Union offers the ‘CredEcard’, a pre-paid Visa card which allows you to isolate your essential payments such as gas, electricity or rent so that you don’t go over budget. It can be used as a normal Visa card but will not allow you to spend more than you have got loaded. It also gives cashback at a number of shops such as Asda (3%) and M&S (3.5%). As a tenant the Trust will pay your first year’s management fee of £24.00. More information is available at: www.watfordcreditunion.co.ukThank youAnd finally we would like to say a big Thank you to the 3,216 tenants that paid their rent and kept their accounts in credit throughout last year. Well done.If you do fall behind, you could be liable for an extra £250 – as this is the court fee for possession proceedings. All the more reason to stay in credit.

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New homes, new opportunities

Over 50 tenants into workWe are really proud that we’ve helped more than 50 of our tenants to find paid work or an apprenticeship since 2013. We have done this in a number of ways. First there’s the training scheme we set up with Thrive Homes, Jobs at Home: Three Rivers and Watford, which recruits local tenants to provide adaptations and a handyperson service in our properties. This scheme won a national award for ‘Best Training Scheme’ from 24 Housing magazine in November.We have also created jobs by supporting social enterprises such as Watford Cycle Hub and the Green Canteen. And we have invested our Community Development Fund in projects such as Careers for Mums which helped nine women to find a job.Finally there’s the Community Maintenance Team, where young tenants work on our home improvement programme while studying for an apprenticeship in construction skills. The Community Maintenance Team will be recruiting again soon. If you are interested in finding out more contact Dawn Walton on 07809 351219 or at dawn@cmg.gb.net

Rembrandt HouseThe Trust is in contract with Shanly Homes to deliver affordable homes at Rembrandt House, Whippendell Road.The Edwardian building, Rembrandt House (around 1921-39), is to be retained and refurbished as part of the planning permission. The new development will provide 107 new homes, of which 31 are designated for affordable housing. The Trust is set to take ownership of six houses and 25 flats in early 2017. For further information, please contact Euan Barr, Head of New Business on 01923 209294Swannells Walk We have just completed the exciting development of 27 homes at Mill End – our first new homes in Three Rivers. MeridenOur programme of Placemaker meetings continues at the Meriden, as we explore the potential for redevelopment on the estate. We have conducted design workshops and a study visit to look at good practice in other areas, following which we hope to work up some plans for a pre-application discussion with Watford Borough Council. Keep up to date on our plans by going to: www.ilovemeriden.wordpress.comBoundary WayWe have held our pre-start meeting with the successful contractor, Lifespace Developments, as we plan for the commencement of works on the 56 new homes and community facilities. The first stage will be to arrange for the garages to be vacated and off-site decant garages are being offered to those tenants who still wish to rent one. There will be a priority system for the 28 garages on site.

Court injunction for aggressive behaviour towards Trust staffIn November 2014 a Trust Leaseholder was served with a court injunction issued by Watford County Court following an incident where the leaseholder was verbally abusive and aggressive towards members of our staff. The court order is in place for 12 months and if there are any further incidents of this nature the leaseholder will be in contempt of court and could be sent to prison.

We have an excellent relationship with the majority of our tenants and leaseholders. However, on the rare occasions that tenants or leaseholders do not treat staff with respect we will take action to ensure that staff are protected and safe to do their jobs.

new

sChecking the condition of your homeThe Trust will be carrying out stock condition surveys of all of our properties over the next five years. This is where we look at all parts of your home to plan for future works like replacement kitchens and bathrooms.

We will typically note the condition of roofs, gutters, windows, doors, kitchen, bathroom, heating system, electrics and external items such as fencing and paths.

During the survey we will need to gain access to all rooms including the loft and outside areas. At this time all surveys are being carried out by Trust staff, so anyone wishing to enter your home will be carrying identification. Our Development Manager from 2012-14, Robert

Reed, tragically passed away in October while travelling in South East Asia.

Rob made a huge contribution to the Trust in his time here, delivering such projects as Harebreaks and Leavesden Green Community Hubs as well as new homes at Croxley View, One Clarendon Road and Swannells Walk. As a truly positive, collaborative and determined member of our team, Rob was respected by all who came into contact with him.

In memory of Rob and his work, we have agreement to name our new development at Tolpits Lane ‘Robert Court’. We look forward to welcoming Rob’s family to open the development on completion in late 2015.

Remembering Rob Reed

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Option StudiesLast month we encouraged residents in four of our community areas to share views about their neighbourhood by using a mobile video diary.

Our ‘Comments Campervan’ visited Harebreaks, Hillside, Meriden and Vicarage as part of a survey to find out what residents think of their community.

You can also take part online by going to http://snurl.com/optionstudies

The chances are that your first contact with the Trust will be through one of our Customer Service Officers. We respond to a vast range of enquiries from tenants, leaseholders and others every day. We aim to resolve each call as effectively and efficiently as we can, and to treat each caller as we would like to be treated ourselves. Sometimes we may not be able to address all of your concerns. In these cases we will have a brief conversation with you to help identify the best person to help you, and will do our best to advise you on the next steps before putting you through.It’s not just about answering calls. We also provide assistance in person, via telephone, email, standard mail and increasingly via social media such as

Facebook and Twitter. If your issue is not urgent, often the quickest and easiest way for us to deal with your query is via email and you can also use our website for things like checking your rent balance and reporting repairs.Since our Customer Service Officers are on the front line of the business, we are often the first people to face unhappy or irate customers. Thankfully it happens very rarely and we will always respond in a professional and courteous manner, but please remember we are human too. We work hard to deliver your services right first time and we welcome your feedback, whether it is a comment, a compliment or a complaint – you can provide this online at: www.wcht.org.uk/feedback

by email to feedback@wcht.org.uk or over the phone.Our contact details and opening times are below. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you.Email: enquiries@wcht.org.ukTelephone: 01923 209000Opening times: 8.30am-5.30pm, Monday to FridayDon’t forget you can use our website to check your rent balance, report non-urgent repairs and much more. Go to: www.wcht.org.uk/do-it-online Ven Harris Customer Services Team Leader

f Assistance

f Caring

f Dedication

f Empathy

f Friendly

f Gesture

f Helpful

f Information

f Informative

f Learn

f Listen

f Professional

f Questions

f Share

f Smile

f Supportive

f Talk

f Understanding

f Workplace

Just for fun - Have a go at this customer service themed word search

D N E M T S U P P O R T I V ES

LEARNHRRERUTSEGS

SZSDOASSISTANCES

NIHUUI

OHAHILUPMD

ONANONWEFBRKOIEP

IFRDUFOLUTGAILRL

TOEEAORPELI

MSOLT

SRERYRKFAMUDFACA

EMMSLMPUEXDENGFO

UAPTDALLLISTENLT

QTAANTAUOSNHBECO

HITNEICAIBFAUADL

HOHDIVEOGTALKREO

GNYIRENBEDBNAYEI

EKGNFAPEACARINGD

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This is Customer Services... how may we help you?

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Don’t forget you can check your account online. Simply go to: www.wcht.org.uk and click ‘My account’.

get in touch

Go digital and win a prize

We recently awarded Mrs Najma Alam (from Riverside Road) a £100 intu Watford giftcard – just for sending us her email address.

Next quarter you could be in with a chance to win your very own TABLET.

Simply go to: www.wcht.org.uk/godigital and fill in our online form to be entered into the prize draw.

Make sure you state your full name, address and telephone number so we can find you on our system.

Email us:

enquiries@wcht.org.uk

Postal address:

Gateway House, 59 Clarendon Road, Watford WD17 1LA

Useful contacts – the Trust

General enquiries 01923 209 000 Repairs (free from a landline) 0800 218 2247 or 01923 209 247 Rent enquiry 01923 209 111 Anti-social behaviour 01923 209 222

The Trust cannot answer questions about the following:

Please call the numbers below...

For questions about:

• Housing Benefit • Applications for housing • Pest control • Council tax

...call Watford Borough Council 01923 226 400 or Three Rivers District Council 01923 776 611

For questions about:

• Refuse collection / recycling

...call Veolia/Watford Borough Council 020 3567 6900 or Three Rivers District Council 01923 776 611

For questions about:

• Water supply

For issues with the clean water supply to the whole house/street/area call Affinity 0845 782 3333

For issues with blocked drains and sewage please call Thames Water 0845 9200 800

For questions about:

• Disabled parking badges

...call Hertfordshire County Council 0300 1234 050

For questions about:

• Lost energy top-up card

...check with your supplier.

Your Feedback is important to us. You can let us know what you think in many ways:

• Via our website: www.wcht.org.uk/feedback • By email at: feedback@wcht.org.uk • By telephone on: 01923 209000 • In person to any member of staff • In writing to Gateway House, 59 Clarendon Road,

Watford, Hertfordshire WD17 1LA• And by completing satisfaction surveys