Merlin HS Increases Housing Stock With a Second Acquisition
6th August 2012
Merlin Housing Society has completed a £7.6 million deal to buy 121 properties from Home Group.
It's the second multi-million pound acquisition in just over two months for Merlin following the purchase of 33 properties from Magna Housing Association at the end of May.
As well as adding to the 8,000 properties the Association owns in South Gloucestershire, these acquisitions see it working for the first time in neighbouring Bristol and Bath.
Merlin Chief Executive Ian Matthews said:
"Acquiring these properties is the first step in our ambitious growth plans. Over the next three years we aim to build or buy 300 new homes.
"This is on top of the regeneration of our non-traditional home stock and supported housing schemes, which will see us redevelop up to 450 new homes."
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Bromford 'Looking Local' TV Launches
7th August 2012
Bromford Group customers are now able to get help and information on Bromford services from the comfort of their armchairs by pressing the red button on their TV remote control.
Bromford's 'Looking Local' TV is accessible via Sky and Virgin Media. Customers can find information on home improvements, repairs and maintenance and report incidents such as anti-social behaviour and request aids and adaptations.
'Looking Local' TV also links to national services such as the job centre and transport, GP and disability services.
Kim Avery, head of customer services said:
"We want to make sure that all our customers can access the latest information and contact us easily and we know that not everyone uses the internet.
"We have recently relaunched our website to help customers to help themselves and we wanted to extend that service with Bromford TV."
Use this link for an example of what customers will see via their remote control.
'Looking Local' can also be accessed via mobile phones, smartphones and other platforms such as ipads.
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Jam jar Accounts to Avoid Sticky Finances
14th August 2012
Walsall Housing Group (WHG) has teamed up with local credit union Walsave to offer cash-strapped customers support to cope with upcoming changes to benefits.
From April 2013, more than 2,800 whg tenants will be affected by new rules cutting Housing Benefit support for those deemed to have a spare bedroom.
With a host of other change on the cards, including direct payment of Housing Benefit to customers, WHG is offering incentives to customers to open accounts with the credit union now.
The so called 'Jam Jar' accounts enable customers to split their money into separate 'pots' - one for ongoing savings and the other for household bills.
For those WHG customers signing up, the Association has pledged to cover the £18 administration fee for setting up the innovative financial product.
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Free Home Contents Insurance for Paradigm Residents
16th August 2012
Paradigm Housing Group has launched a new initiative to offer free home contents insurance to 10,000 of its residents, giving them peace of mind should they lose belongings through theft, fire, or accidental damage.
The introduction of the insurance, provided by Groupama, will go a long way towards increasing the number of residents who have home contents insurance. The Association of British Insurers revealed that just 30% of all residents living in social housing were covered.
Stuart Bishop, Head of Asset Manager at Paradigm Housing Group, said:
"We have recognised that insurance is an extra cost for our residents, particularly in difficult times, and therefore it may not necessarily be considered as a high priority. This is why we have decided to offer insurance for all our residents, the cost of which is funded by Paradigm.
"The home contents insurance policy will cover the cost of the personal possessions in residents' homes should they be damaged or destroyed by an insured event."
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Sheffield Apprentices Transforming Homes On Their Doorstep
31st August 2012
Three young residents from Sheffield's Shiregreen Estate have been recruited as apprentices by Sanctuary Maintenance to help transform nearly 40 homes in their neighbourhood, allowing them to gain valuable on-the-job training and learn new skills while getting paid.
Shiregreen has successfully undergone a £99 million regeneration by Sanctuary following the transfer of the 2,300 home estate to the Group in 2006, which has included refurbishing homes and major landscaping works.
The 37 properties being improved by the apprentices are in addition to the original programme after some homes on the estate became void and Sanctuary received requests for further works from residents.
Improvements include re-plastering, electrical rewiring, full central heating installation, kitchen and bathroom replacements and decoration throughout, allowing the apprentices to acquire new skills in some of the key areas of maintenance.
Sanctuary employs around 200 apprentices either directly or through its partners in a number of business areas, including finance, IT, business administration, health, social care, housing, maintenance operations and horticulture.
