Southampton City Council Housing Service report 16-17_tcm63... · Southampton City Council Housing...

Southampton City CouncilHousing ServiceReview of 2016/17

southampton.gov.uk/housingannualreport

Contents Page

Welcome 02

Rent reduction 03 / 04

What do you think of the Housing Service 05 / 06

Spending the rent 07

New homes 08

Discover a new world online? 09

Tenant Involvement 10

Improving local neighbourhoods 11 / 12

Fire Safety 13

Breaking news 14

Repairs news 15

Council housing waiting times 16

Housing law changes 17

Antisocial behaviour 19

Helping young people into work 20

Junior Neighbourhood Wardens 21

Welfare Rights 22

Tenant training 23

HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17

Paul Juan Service DirectorAdults, Housing and Communities

How good is our Housing Service?

In our 2017 Annual Report you can find out.

Last year we spent a whopping £76 million providing services and maintaining your properties. Most of this money comes from your rents. Find how we spent your rent on page 7.

Have a peek at page 12 to find out how we improved energy efficiency in our properties, and how we improved neighbourhoods under the Decent Neighbourhoods Programme.

Over the next two years we have to save £8 million due to rent reductions which have been imposed from central government. Have a look at how we propose to make some of these savings on pages 3 and 4.

There was some good news in our 2017 tenant survey. It showed an increase in tenant satisfaction. But you also told us where we needed to get better. Find out what you told us on pages 5 and 6.

There’s lots more information in the magazine. I hope you enjoy it.

Paul

HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/1701 02

Read the report online at southampton.gov.uk/housingannualreport

Welcome to our 2017 Annual Report.

GOOD NEWS: WE HAVE FROZEN COMMUNAL HEATING CHARGES FOR 2017/18.

COVER IMAGE:

TOWNHILL PARK, ARTISTS IMPRESSION

PHOTOGRAPHY BY:

DAN WILSON PHOTOGRAPHY

EMMA HARRIS

SAMIRA BACKHAUS AND DANIELLE EVANS FROM THE PHOTOROOMS

FREEMAGNETTO MAKE LIFE EASIER ONLINE

This is in line with the national picture and follows the introduction of Universal Credit in the city from February 2017. The council has secured funding from the Department of Work and Pensions to help tenants on Universal Credit with personal budgeting.

This is offered to those tenants who need it following a financial assessment by the Job Centre and is a partnership project with Citizens Advice Southampton.

03 HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17 HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17 04

“A £100 a week rent charge becomes £99

after a 1% reduction.”

Get ready for another rent cutHow will this rent cut affect you?

If you are a tenant, you may be pleased that your rent is being cut again by 1% for the next two years (unless the government changes these guidelines). This will make it four years in a row that rents have been reduced.

When you add up the impact of all those 1% reductions across 16,500 tenants, then for the next two years the Housing Service will have to make savings of nearly £8 million.

How will these rent reductions affect the service?

The rent reduction will mean:

• A restructure in staffing from your local housing office teams;

• We may stop delivering some services; and

• Some services will be carried out less frequently.

We are currently working out how we can make these savings and will be consulting with tenant representatives from the Tenants Resources Group.

The average rent of one of our

properties is £92.54

Leaseholders’ service charges

arrears are £58,943

We have 1,907 leaseholders

It takes 37 days to re-let our empty

properties, up from 32 days last year

Total rent arrears are £2.33 million up from £1.94 million last year.

Did you know?

What do our new tenants think of the Homebid service?

We have started to ask new tenants what they think of our online property bidding service, Homebid.

Our new tenants also said they liked being shown around properties before moving in. But a high number of new tenants, 31%, had also refused a property. Their reasons for this included dislike of the area, lack of local facilities and decoration standards.

We have also discovered that some of our housing applicants thought they would be removed from our waiting list, unless they made regular bids. This is not true. Our advice is: only bid for properties that you really want.

So… where do we need to improve?

This is what you told us we need to improve:

• The Repairs Service

• Updating / improving properties

• Increasing the housing stock / build new homes

• Improvements to grounds maintenance / communal areas

Thank you for the feedback. We’re on the case and will be talking to groups of tenants soon about your suggestions.

Check Tenants’ Link online to find out how we’re putting your ideas into practice: southampton.gov.uk/tenantslink

First, the good news: 86% of new tenants had a positive view of Homebid. However, we were told to improve the photos and property descriptions.

What do you really think of the Housing Service?

This is what you told us:

Tenants are now more satisfied with their Housing Service, compared to our last survey in 2014. (Although the 2014 survey was by post and 2017 was by telephone.)

During March and April, we carried out a survey of our tenants to gauge their satisfaction with the Housing Service.A telephone survey of 1,005 tenants from across the city

found that 79% of are satisfied with the Housing Service, an increase of 15% from 2014 (64%).

We’re pleased with the higher tenant satisfaction results, but we’re keen to learn how we can get even better. A number of focus groups of tenants that completed the survey have been arranged to discuss in more detail where and how improvements could be made.


Satisfaction with rent and providing value for money.

Satisfaction with repairs and maintenance.

83% 72%

05 HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17

Satisfaction with the quality of your home.

79%

79%Satisfaction with the Housing Service provided by Southampton City Council.

New homes?Yes, we’re building them.In our 2017 Tenants Survey you asked us to build new homes.

We have started building 56 new homes in Townhill Park, with a move-in date of March 2019. These properties will be let at “affordable rents” (this means the rent charge will be 80% of market rent).


Look out for new housing in Maybush with Extra Care facilities

Potters Court is the name of our new housing development at Maybush. We are building 83 new flats with Extra Care facilities. ‘Extra Care’ means we can provide residents with security and privacy alongside

a range of care facilities and support.

We will also be building a further 15 flats on this site for residents not requiring extra care facilities.

We plan to start building Potters Court in early 2018; ready for residents to move into by 2020.

And there are more new homes on the way…We intend to build a further 213 homes in Townhill Park. Around half of these properties will be at affordable rent with the remainder let at market rents. Learn more at southampton.gov.uk/townhillpark


How we spend every £1 of rent money

38pMajor

improvements

22pDay-to-day

maintenance

15pFinance cost of

borrowing money

12pTenant and

neighbourhood services

6pPayment for other council

services

3pRefuse collection and grounds maintenance

2pLettings and

homelessness

2pOther


We know that 35% of our tenants never use the Internet. We want to see how we can make our online services easier to use and provide more assistance to tenants wanting to develop their online skills.

Please contact the Tenant Involvement Team for more information: 023 8083 3185 or [email protected]


Tenant involvement newsThank you to our tenant volunteers

We have over 350 tenant volunteers who again have worked hard to improve their communities over the past year.

A brilliant story was how PRADOS Tenants Association managed to get £10,000 from the National Lottery to modernise their community lounge. It now looks amazing!

A big thanks also to our volunteer litter pickers who do a fantastic job of removing litter from their communities.

This year our tenant volunteers have campaigned for improvements on areas such as Action Line, the grass cutting service, block cleaning, and complaints. Their involvement has resulted in changes to the service, and they’re not finished yet!

41% of NHS Choices users say the website helps them manage their symptoms.

33% of people go online to communicate with friends and family.

25% of jobs are only advertised online.

On average, children with Internet access achieve one grade higher than children without Internet access.

If you’re interested in getting online we can help. We offer a range of help, from assisting you in the comfort of your home to small, informal groups. For older people, we run five Computer Friends session at Supported Housing community rooms across the city

HOW WE CAN HELP

We have over 350 tenant volunteers.

We would like to hear from more younger people. We know that younger people like to get involved in different ways, so we would loveto hear your ideas.

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE

Did you know the internet can save you £744* a year.

Discover a new world online

*Lloyds Bank Consumer Digital Index 2017.

Improving local neighbourhoodsThis year our Decent Neighbourhoods projects headed to Bitterne and Townhill Park. We talked to lots of tenants. And they asked for the following improvements.

At MacArthur Crescent, we have built a brand new road, created new footpaths to properties, and increased the greenery with new planted areas.

At Vanguard Road, we brightened up the area with a large colourful mosaic and created a new play area. Local children helped by painting 15 colourful bird boxes.

HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17 12HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/1711

Tenants tell us we need to listen to them more at the planning stage and during the build of any Decent Neighbourhood projects.

What is a Local Authority

Trading Company?

How will this affect you?

Cuts from central government mean in the current financial climate, the council needs to consider how it can generate extra income. One idea is to set up a Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo), a trading company that would be wholly owned by Southampton City Council.

By setting up a Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo) we can start to sell our services to other organisations. This should generate profits that can be put back into the Housing Service.

We recently consulted with residents about the idea of the council setting up a LATCo. And 63% of respondents told us they liked this idea.

We will consult again with tenants at the beginning of 2018. Following this, the council will make a final decision on a LATCo in May 2018.

Improving energy efficiency in our homes Southampton City Council have worked with British Gas to make 765 of our properties more energy efficient. We have done this by:

• Upgrading windows in 765 homes;

• Installing external wall insulation in 765 homes; and

• Refinishing the buildings with a silicon render; and

• Upgrading heating systems in Shirley Towers and Sturminster house.

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE

Tunstall Road flats.

Keeping your personal information safe

As a landlord we sometimes ask you for personal information and from May 2018, we will be required to meet new data protection regulations. We want to reassure you that the council remains committed to using your personal information fairly and keeping it safe. This will not change under the new regulation. We will only process your personal information when it is necessary for the council to perform the service signed up to, comply with a legal obligation, perform a public task, or exercise one of its official duties.

Further information about how the council uses your personal data can be found on: southampton.gov.uk/privacy

Stay safe in your home-fire safety

Please remember to:

• Check your smoke detectors regularly;

• Make sure any door-closers, work properly; and

• If you live in Albion Towers, Shirley Towers, or Sturminster House, never block your emergency escape door.

Important electrical advice:

• Report any damaged sockets or light switches.

• Don’t overload extension leads.

• Make sure any extension leads have fuses and/or individual switches for each outlet.

HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17 1413 HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17

Breaking newsCan our energy company save you £200?

We thought you might be interested in hearing about a new energy company Southampton City Council is considering. In a recent survey of tenants, 85% said that they would consider buying energy from the council. With Cabinet approval, we’ll soon be looking into suppliers with whom we can partner.

This energy company would provide an alternative energy supply to the Southern Region, and it is hoped that it will reduce energy costs by around £100 - £200 for the average consumer. Look out for more news about the council’s proposed energy company in Tenants’ Link online in the months ahead: southampton.gov.uk/tenantslink

If you would like to be kept up-to-date with our plans, please email: [email protected]

Fire safety in our all tower blocksFollowing the tragic fire at Grenfell Tower in London, we have checked the Exterior Wall Insulation (EWI) on all our tower blocks. We can confirm that Southampton City Council’s tower blocks do not contain the flammable material found at Grenfell Tower. Our EWI consists of Rockwool, which is non-combustible.

However, to provide an extra layer of safety, we have started fitting sprinkler systems in three of our tower blocks. We are also preparing to fit sprinklers to our remaining 17 tower blocks. Read more tenant FAQs about fire safety: southampton.gov.uk/firesafety

Good news for tenants with communal heating

If you’re on the landlord-controlled heating system you will be pleased to know that we have put a freeze on prices. This means you won’t pay any more for your heating this year.

Shirley Towers

Waiting times do vary, due to a number of factors. But we’re happy to give you some guidelines on waiting times and the rent charge for our properties.

Repairs: are we getting the job done?

Water qualityIf you haven’t used your taps or shower for more than two weeks, make sure you run the water for a few minutes before you use them.

Call Southern Water for water supply or wastewater emergencies, blocked outside drains or possible pollution: 0330 303 0368 (calls charged at local rate).


£98.70Average cost of repair

83.02%Appointments kept

99.37%Gas safety checks carried out

80.97%Repairs completed on 1st visit

95.49%Repairs completed on time

52,828 Number of repairs carried out

Gas safetyPoorly maintained gas appliances can cause gas leaks, explosions, fires, and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Please allow us into your home to carry out an annual gas safety check. If you smell gas, ring this free number immediately 0800 111 999.

If you are a leaseholder it is your responsibility to get appliances checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.


How long do you need to wait for a home?

STUDIO/1 BEDAverage weekly rent

£67.43

Applicants onwaiting list

4,984

Average waiting time18 months - 6 years

2 BEDAverage weekly rent

£78.62


1,676

Average waiting time2- 4 years


£90.09


1,233

Average waiting time4-7 years


£118.05


355

Average waiting time4-7 years

THERE ARE IMPORTANT CHANGES TO HOUSING LAW WHICH MAY AFFECT YOU

END OF ‘LIFETIME’ TENANCIES

This will only affect new tenancies. The Housing and Planning Act 2016 ends the use of ‘lifetime’ tenancies for most new council tenancies. In the future, local authorities must offer fixed length tenancies for a 2-10 year period.

The tenancy can last longer than this if a child under 9 lives in the property. (It can go up to their 19th birthday)

If you are an existing secure tenant then this will not apply to you. We are waiting for more government guidance before introducing this.

WILL WE HAVE TO SELL OFF VACANT

HOMES WITH HIGH VALUES?

There is a proposal in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 requiring councils to sell off some of their higher value housing stock when it becomes empty. Or, alternatively, councils can pay the government the equivalent amount, without selling them off. This is to fund the Right-to-Buy for Housing Associations.

This government proposal is on hold at the moment. We will let you know if it changes.

WHO CAN TAKE OVER A TENANCYAlso known as ‘succession,’ The Housing and Planning Act 2016 introduces a limit on who can take over a tenancy following the death of a secure tenant.

From now on, this will be limited to a husband or wife, common law partners, or those living together as if married.

‘PAY TO STAY’ HAS BEEN SCRAPPED

‘Pay to stay’ was a proposal requiring councils to charge higher rents to tenants on higher incomes. Compulsory ‘pay to stay’ has been scrapped.

There are no current plans to implement this in Southampton.

HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17 1817 HOUSING ANNUAL REVIEW 2016/17

Millner Court in Shirley

Antisocial behaviourAre we meeting your expectations?

76% of respondents said they were satisfied with the way their antisocial behaviour (ASB) complaint had been dealt with. This is up from 63% a year ago.

Customer complaintsOver the past year there were 113 complaints about the Housing Service.

Of these, 17 tenants asked for their complaints to go to the next stage. Our Tenants Scrutiny Panel investigated several complaints at tenants’ request.

You can file complaints online:southampton.gov.uk/complaints


Following your feedback, you told us you wanted to be kept regularly informed about the progress of your case. So, now we agree with each tenant how they would like to be updated.

Our tenants have told us we need to improve our advertising, so we have improved our posters and are promoting the work clubs better on our social media sites and in places like your local surgeries and libraries. Learn more: southampton.gov.uk/employmentsupport

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE

We are helping tenants into employment, training and volunteering through T.E.E.M work clubs. (Training, Education, Employment, and Motivation).

Helping people into work

This year, we have helped over 300 people develop their work skills.

We have helped 28 people find paid employment.

The Junior Neighborhood Warden scheme is designed to encourage children aged 7-12 to engage in community activities, projects and events across Southampton. There are also opportunities for older children and young people to get involved through becoming Junior Warden Leaders.

This year, the Junior Wardens have taken part in a wide range of activities including painting murals, building planters and rockery gardens and carrying out safety checks on play areas.

Parents have found some of the events too similar and so we are now looking to create a more varied programme of activities.

You can also find a calendar of events and contact information at: southampton.gov.uk/juniorwardens


Can our Welfare Rights Team save you £900?*This year our Welfare Rights Team have managed to save our tenants who have used their service a whopping £900 per person, on average. This is by helping tenants claim the benefits they were entitled to.

*In total, we have helped 525 tenants

claim £477,661.

Did you know?

In 2016/17 our Welfare Rights Team helped 186 tenants from becoming homeless by helping them with their benefits.

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE

We are training more staff in benefits and debt awareness so we can identify more tenants who are missing out on benefits

For more information and assistance from our Welfare Rights Team, please contact [email protected]

HOW WE CAN IMPROVE

Junior Neighbourhood Wardens Making better communities

In a recent survey, 90% of parents were very

complimentary about the Junior Wardens scheme.

Learn new skills, meet new friends.Have a go at our fun and friendly training sessions. View this online: southampton.gov.uk/tenantcalendar. To book a place or find out more information please email [email protected].

Upcycle your Clothes WorkshopChallis CourtFriday 10 November 2017 11am-3pm

Discover a New World with an iPadChallis Court, four week course from Thursday 1 February 2018, 2-4pm

Finding your way around the SCC WebsiteCivic CentreMonday 29 January 20182-4pm

Photo Fun with iPadsCivic CentreMonday 12 February 2018, 2-5pm

Blogging for beginners Location to be confirmedSaturday 2 December 201710am-1pm

Using and Managing EmailCivic CentreFriday 12 January 2018, Friday 19 January 2018, 10am-12noon

Smartphone Android Civic CentreFour week course fromWednesday 28 March 2017 to Wednesday 21 March, 2-4pm

Health and Safety in the HomeCivic CentreWednesday 24 January 2018, 2-4pm

Mystery ShoppingCivic CentreThursday 12 December 2017, 10am-1pm

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