HOMEWORKS TO PROVIDE REPAIRS FOR ALL. take a look inside: SPRING ONE NUMBER! Contact us

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1 SPRING 2016 HOMEWORKS TO PROVIDE REPAIRS FOR ALL take a look inside: 6 million home improvements Benmore estate refurbishments Solihull partnership ONE NUMBER! Contact us

2 Paying your rent on time PAYING CHARGES, SUCH AS RENT AND SERVICE CHARGES, ON THE DATE THEY ARE DUE I.E. ON TIME, IS ESSENTIAL FOR EVERY CUSTOMER. All payments are due at the beginning of a rent or service charge period; most of our rents are charged weekly, but other customers may have monthly, quarterly or even annual charges. For example, if you have a weekly tenancy, the rent will also be charged weekly with payments due every Monday and this will cover the following seven days. Rent will again then be due on the following Monday and so on. If you pay monthly, at the end of each month, for instance when you get paid, this will be for the month coming and not the month that has just passed. You can of course pay early if that suits you and we would be happy to set up direct debit payments for you to make the process easier. You can access your rent account on line at any time, under MyAccount at This will allow you to keep track of when rent is due and ensure your account is clear. Building up a rent debt will create stress and anxiety for you and does not provide us with the income we need to maintain and manage your home. If you would like money advice, support with benefit applications, clarification of your contract terms or any other information about your tenancy, please contact us on or info@wmhousing.co.uk We will always be happy to help. 6 MILLION FOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS If you rent your home from us, we have a planned programme of works for the long-term maintenance of your home, such as installing double glazing, central heating, re-wiring, and replacing kitchens and bathrooms. We also decorate the outside of your home and any communal areas as part of our cyclical painting programme. Over the next two years we will be spending 6 million to improve our Family and Optima properties. This money will be used for a range of improvements, with those properties we have identified as being more in need a higher priority. Improvements include: replacing kitchens, bathrooms, windows and door entry systems fire safety improvements painting and decorating of external and communal areas roof replacements and repairs paving and fencing repairs heating and boiler upgrades We will contact you when improvements are due to your home. More details on the maintenance of your home and the repairs you are responsible for, can be found at www. wmhousing.co.uk or call us on If you are a leaseholder and would like details on our improvement programme, contact us on

3 Homeworks to provide repairs for all WE ARE VERY PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT FROM 1 APRIL 2016, OUR FAMILY OPTIMA HOMEWORKS TEAM IS PROVIDING THE REACTIVE REPAIRS SERVICE TO ALL OUR FAMILY AND OPTIMA MANAGED CUSTOMERS. For those living in Optima-owned properties in Attwood Green and surrounding areas the repairs service will not change. Gail Newbold, Assistant Director, explains: The decision to review arrangements for our repairs service was triggered by the end of our contract with G Purchase, part of Wates Group. After consideration of the proposal our Board and involved customers supported the change. So what does this mean to you? If you are a customer whose home is managed, but not owned, by Optima, our Homeworks team will now be responding to your repair requests. If you are a Family customer or live in an Optima-owned home, your repairs service remains unchanged. Who are Homeworks? Homeworks is the name given to our internal team of multi-skilled engineers who deliver the repairs service for customers across WM Housing Group. Family Homeworks has been providing the repairs service to Family customers for many years and this continued when Family joined the WM Housing Group in In addition, the team has repairs contracts with two small local organisations Witton Lodge Community Association and Stockfield Community Association and the service to them will also remain unchanged. Improvements to the service We anticipate that with Homeworks delivering services, there will be a number of service improvements, including: Higher customer satisfaction Our customer satisfaction survey last year showed that overall satisfaction with our external contractor was 79%. Customer satisfaction with Homeworks on the other hand was higher at 82%. Better value for money There are a number of advantages of bringing the service in-house which support NEW TENANT BOARD DIRECTORS At Optima s Board meeting on the 14 March 2016 two Tenant Board Directors were appointed following their election. The elections were undertaken by Electoral Reform Services with existing Tenant Board Director Colin Williams re-appointed for a further three-year term. Colin is a tenant of Optima. Colin received 163 votes with a turnout of 10.1% Angela Evans, a tenant of an Optima-managed property, was also elected for her first three-year term. Angela received 417 votes with a turnout of 15.7% Both were welcomed to the Board by Chair Rebecca Bennett Casserly and existing Board directors. Colin Williams Angela Evans improved value for money, such as savings in VAT (there will be no VAT on the labour element of works costs if the service is in-house), and with more properties receiving the service, our overall cost of repairs will be reduced as we achieve greater economies of scale. Improved efficiency We will have more control over our services. Delivering services in-house will also promote collaborative working across all members of the WM Housing Group, making us more efficient and further improving value for money. Improved performance Performance is monitored closely. Last year Family Homeworks achieved or exceeded their target in all key areas. We therefore anticipate that this will continue as we bring the service to more customers. Service delivery will be monitored by the Board and the resident Property Panel. For further details please contact us on or info@wmhousing.co.uk Family Optima Homeworks Team will now provide repairs to all our properties. Fillingham Court opens for over-55s From left: Alex Lacey, site manager Bellway West Midlands, Denise Shuker, executive director WM Housing Group, Ben Wright, managing director Bellway West Midlands, Martyn Hale, managing director Family Optima, and Sheila Hawkins, Bellway. WM WORLD HURRY! TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE WM WORLD CHALLENGE Improve your job prospects and finances. WM World is an online challenge where you need to complete some simple tasks to help you budget your money or find work. As you complete each task, you ll earn points. Collect all 140 points and we will automatically enter you into our prize draw to win 500 in shopping vouchers or credit to your account. Visit to register. All tasks need to be completed by 31 May A new 40-home scheme for the over-55s was officially opened in January. Fillingham Court is a new development of one and twobedroom apartments and was built on a former residential site off Fillingham Close. Built by Bellway Homes with the North Solihull Partnership, the new apartments all feature flexible living space, including suitable storage for wheelchairs and mobility scooters. There is also a social communal area for residents to enjoy. Sales and marketing director for Bellway s West Midlands division, Stephen Rose, said: It was fantastic to see the apartments at Fillingham Court officially launched, and we re proud to have played a part in the construction of the development. We ve been a part of the North Solihull Partnership for 10 years now, and since then the area has changed dramatically. Fillingham Court is the latest example of how the partnership has created quality new homes which cater for the needs of the local community. Bellway is the commercial housing partner in the North Solihull Partnership, the group which has spearheaded the regeneration of the area and has built hundreds of private and social homes since work began in 2005.

4 OTTAWA AND BENMORE REFURBISHMENTS Ottawa 728,000 refurbishment Ottawa Tower is a 16-storey building which was built in It was refurbished in 2001 with new double glazing, improved balconies, new communal entrances, porches and repairs to the external structure. There was also an upgrade to the heating system in Following this, we gained planning permission from Birmingham City Council to improve the external insulation of the building and Lovell started work in April last year. The improvements also included a new bin store, landscaping, new signage and external lighting. A total of 728,000 was spent on the refurbishment with eco funding of 90,000 from E.ON energy. All of the works were finished in March and the tower block has been completely transformed from a typical 1960s concrete and brick looking structure into a modern sleek building. We will now use the same design on our tower blocks on the Benmore estate. Ottawa Tower improvements completed Benmore Preparations are in place to start consulting customers about the refurbishment to our four tower blocks at Benmore, which includes Edmonton House, Halifax House, Montreal House and Vancouver House. With work due to start in the summer, we are replacing the rendering of the buildings which will improve their insulation, appearance and waterproofing. The design will link it to the appearance of Ottawa Tower and is due to be completed during Spring We will contacting customers on the Benmore estate to keep them fully involved in the process. For further details call us on Wake your garden up Enter our garden competition! Does your garden make you feel proud? If so, why not enter our garden competition? Open to everyone, whether you have a large garden, a small plot or a container display.to enter, register with us by at info@wmhousing.co.uk Judging will take place in August 2016 by our Places Customer Panel. Prizes GOLD 75 vouchers SILVER 50 vouchers BRONZE 25 vouchers Use our top tips to wake your garden up and prepare for the summer. 1.Spring clean your garden! Clear the garden of debris, twigs, leaves and rubbish. 2.Garden tools Give your tools a clean and ensure your lawn mower is in working order. 3.Kill the weeds Weeds are every gardener s worst nightmare. Small handled tools like trowels will deal with most common weeds but you may need a hoe to dig up large weeds with deeper roots. Only use weedkillers in areas with dense weed growth as you may jeopardise the growth of the other plants that you actually want to grow. 4.Use fertiliser Once your garden has been cleared you will be ready to start planting. Manure and fertiliser will provide the nutrients to help bring your garden back to life. 5.Compost Consider buying a home compost bin to save waste and money. Recycling kitchen and garden waste into a rich compost will keep your garden blooming year after year. Remember, gardening is a labour of love and maintenance needs to be ongoing throughout the year. Most importantly, make sure you enjoy your garden and all that it has to offer you. SOLIHULL PARTNERSHIP CUSTOMERS ACROSS SOLIHULL ARE TO BENEFIT FROM A NEW PARTNERSHIP WHICH WILL SEE IMPROVEMENTS TO LOCAL SERVICES. We have joined forces with members of the Solihull Integration Project, which currently consists of the West Midlands Police, Solihull Council and Solihull Community Housing. The project, which has been running for the last year as a pilot, has been so successful it has now been expanded to cover the whole borough. By working in partnership, the project aims to build a stronger community, cut down on crime and anti-social behaviour and improve health and well being. As members of the integration project, our Neighbourhood Officers for the Solihull area, Faye Tuite and Rebecca Lancaster, will now work closely with our key partners and be on hand to deal with local issues and tackle any concerns within the community. If you live in the Solihull area and would like to raise any concerns, contact us on or info@wmhousing.co.uk

5 HAVE YOU GOT MOULD? YOU WILL NOTICE THE RESULTS OF CREATING CONDENSATION IN YOUR HOME IF BLACK MOULD APPEARS ON WALLS, SOFT FURNISHINGS, FURNITURE OR EVEN YOUR BELONGINGS This mould can damage your home, your health and your possessions, so it is essential to keep it to a minimum and remove it if it appears. How to control condensation Less moisture Put lids on saucepans. Don t dry clothes in front of a fire or over radiators. Vent your tumble dryer to the outside. Don t use portable gas and paraffin heaters. When running a bath, put cold water in first as this reduces the amount of steam. Better ventilation After bathing or showering, open the window to let the steam out. Open a window when cooking and washing. Keep doors shut when cooking. Ventilate cupboards and wardrobes. Use extractor fans. Don t block air vents in walls or floors. Better heating Keep a constant temperature throughout your home. Ensure your gas appliances are serviced annually. For more advice visit Managing my home at COMMUNITY TREASURE CHEST Now open for applications! Do you have an idea which will improve the area where you live or make a difference to people living in your local area? We are inviting residents and local organisations to apply for funding for activities which will be of benefit to the community. There are two types of grants available: Small grants up to 500 available for a one-off event or activity. Medium grants up to 2,000 for larger community projects such as programmes aimed at youth work and tackling anti-social behaviour, helping local residents gain skills or looking at improvements to empty open spaces. For further details or to request an application form contact Selena Ellis or Asha Sendawula on or info@wmhousing.co.uk Closing date is 29 April DO YOU HAVE A SMART METER? Join SMART-UP and enter our prize draw to win a 200 shopping voucher. SMART-UP is an exciting new European research project led in the UK by National Energy Action. To join, call us on or info@wmhousing.co.uk to arrange a convenient time for us to visit you at home to discuss how your smart meter can control your energy use and cut down on your bills. Once completed, you will automatically enter our prize draw, with a number of prizes to be won, including a 200 shopping voucher. This project is open to households with a smart meter only. If you are not sure if you have a smart meter, contact your energy supplier. To register your interest or for more information call us on or info@wmhousing.co.uk Keep your neighbourhood clean WITH THE SUMMER MONTHS APPROACHING, MANY OF US WANT TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS. It is now more important than ever to keep our streets, parks and communal areas clean and free from rubbish, dumped furniture and dog mess, which are an eyesore and a health hazard. Dog fouling Remember to keep dogs under control, keep them on a lead in communal gardens and clean up any fouling immediately. Dispose of dog bags in bins provided. If a dog bin is not available, double wrap the dog bag and place it in a normal litter bin. Bulky waste removal It can be difficult to dispose of large bulky items or additional waste when our bins are full, but we are all responsible for our rubbish. Contact your local authority who will normally collect up to three large items for a small charge. Contact local charities to see if they can collect furniture or electrical items. Use local household recycling centres and waste management sites. Why you should manage your waste: If your bin is full and you put out additional bin bags, they can be torn open and scatter rubbish. It is also likely that the council will not remove them. If we have to clean the rubbish up, costs are recharged to residents through their service charge or the individual household concerned. Similarly if you leave out furniture or electrical items. FLY-TIPPING IS AN OFFENCE AND A POTENTIAL BREACH OF TENANCY WHICH CAN LEAD TO A FINE OF UP TO 50,000 ALONG WITH IMPRISONMENT. THINK SAFETY By law, we must keep all internal communal areas clear from rubbish and personal items, such as bikes and pushchairs, as they can be a hazard in the event of a fire. William Carter, Neighbourhoods Manager, explains: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that shared areas must be kept clear to ensure that everyone on the premises can escape easily and safely if there is a fire and visibility is poor due to smoke. To make sure we comply with the law, we regularly carry out inspections. If you have left items in a communal area, our neighbourhood officers will ask you to remove them. We ask that you co-operate with these requests to make sure where you live is safe for everyone.

6 CONTACT US ONE NUMBER AM-8PM MONDAY TO FRIDAY EMERGENCY OUT OF OFFICE HOURS Customer Reception Open Monday to Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4pm. St Thomas House, 80 Bell Barn Road, Lee Bank, Birmingham B15 2AF By post: WM Housing Group 4040 Lakeside, Solihull Parkway, Birmingham, B37 7YN facebook.com/familyoptima twitter.com/familyoptima YOUR RENT STATEMENT Your rent statements are now available to view online under MyAccount at If you would like to discuss your rent, or you are having difficulty viewing your rent statement online, contact us on We are also happy to set up direct debit payments for you over the telephone too.to pay by payment card, call our 24-hour payment line , or online at Family and Optima are proud to be part of