ARK NEWSLETTER SPRING 2017 WHATS INSIDE?

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1 ARK NEWSLETTER SPRING 2017 WHATS INSIDE? Universal Credit 2 Timetable for UC 3 ARKs Good Neighbour Charter 4 Dealing with Neighbour Disputes 5 Is it a Neighbour dispute? 6 Complaints Update 7 Tenant Consultation 8 Maintenance Advice 9 Welfare Advice Project 10 The rent change for will take place from 1st April Rent charges have been increased Page 1 by 2%. If you are entitled to Housing Benefit, we will have notified the Housing Benefit Department on your behalf. If you are receiving Universal Credit you will need to contact the Department of Work and Pensions, or update it in the relevant part of your journal. If you pay by direct debit, we will have updated the changes for you. However if you pay by standing order, YOU must contact your bank to get them to make the change. If you change to Direct Debit we will do all the work for you... Direct Debits are convenient, quick and easy to set up. Best of all they save money. The more tenants who pay by Direct Debit instead of Pay point, the more ARK has time to spend on things that really matter to tenants. More and more tenants across Scotland are switching to Direct Debit because they save time, they are safe and they re guaranteed. All you need is a debit card If you would like to switch to direct debit, or you want to find out more, please call to speak to a member of the housing team. With the introduction of Universal Credit the way in which you receive your housing benefit may be changing, and you could be responsible for paying your rent direct to your housing provider. Switching to Direct Debit can help you manage these payments, meaning you can relax knowing that your rent will be paid automatically, so you never have to worry about forgetting to pay. It s the convenient way for you to keep on top of your budget.

2 What is Universal Credit? Universal Credit (UC) is a new social security benefit for people of working age. It combines means tested support for adults, children and housing costs into one benefit, paid and administered by the Department of Work and Pensions. It is being introduced in a phased programme which started in April A small number of our tenants are currently in receipt of UC but with full service coming into in a number of areas within the next year we want to make all tenants aware that they may be effected by the change. How will it affect you? When your local authority is in full service this will mean that all working age claimants will no longer be able to make a NEW claim for any of the benefits listed below: Income Support (IS) Income-Based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Income Related Employment Support Allowance (ESA) Housing Benefit (HB) Child Tax Credit (CTC) Working Tax Credit (WTC) Social Fund TENANTS WHO WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY UC - If you live in specified supported accommodation. If you live in a care home If you live in exempt accommodation If you live in general support accommodation Page 2

3 TIMETABLE FOR UNIVERSAL CREDIT ROLL MONTH/YEAR LOCAL AUTHORITY JOB CENTRE AREA JUNE 2016 HIGHLAND COUNCIL INVERNESS JCP MARCH 2017 MIDLOTHIAN COUNCIL PENICUIK JCP DALKEITH JCP JUNE 2017 CLACKMANANSHIRE COUNCIL ALLOA JCP NOVEMBER 2017 ANGUS COUNCIL ARBROATH JCP FORFAR DECEMBER 2017 FIFE COUNCIL DUNFERMLINE JCP GLENROTHES JCP KIRKCALDY JCP FEBRUARY 2018 WEST LOTHIAN COUNCIL BROXBURN JCP LIVINGSTON JCP MARCH 2018 ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL FRASERBURGH JCP PETERHEAD JCP FALKIRK COUNCIL SCOTTISH BORDERS COUNCIL GRANGEMOUTH JCP GALASHEILS JCP HAWICK JCP APRIL 2018 PERTH & KINROSS BLAIRGOWRIE JCP PERTH JCP THE MORAY COUNCIL BUCKIE JCP ELGIN JCP FORRES JCP JUNE 2018 ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL ABERDEEN JCP CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL HIGH RIGGS JCP ***EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL IS ALREADY IN FULL SERVICE UNIVERSAL CREDIT*** Page 3

4 ARK s Good Neighbour Charter Have Good Neighbours be a Good Neighbour When you signed your tenancy agreement at ARK you also would have signed the Good Neighbour Charter which details your rights and responsibilities as an ARK tenant. On behalf of your neighbours we expect you to make sure that: You, and anyone staying with you, keep the property and common areas, clean, tidy and in good repair. This means taking your turn to clean the stairs or cut the grass, take out and bring in your bin, etc. You have some thought for your neighbours and do nothing to cause a complaint of nuisance or anti-social behaviour. Accept responsibility for the behaviour of your children and visitors. We will take action against tenants if their children and visitors cause nuisance to the other residents in the locality. Do not use your home, or the locality for illegal activities. Take responsibility for your pets and keep them under control. Let us know of any instances of harassment or anti-social behaviour in the locality. We hope that all of our tenants are able to respect each other but we are aware that incidents may occur. ARK wants to ensure that all tenants know how to deal with neighbour complaints. We have provided information on the next couple of pages detailing what constitutes a neighbour complaint, and the process of how tenants should deal with them. Page 4

5 Dealing with Neighbour Disputes Anti- Social Behaviour Incidents Anti- Social Behaviour Incidents The following is how ARK tenants should deal with noise/anti-social behaviour incidents:- Any behaviour that tenants believes is anti-social must be reported directly to the police. The law says that someone is behaving in an anti-social manner if: they are acting in a manner that is causing, or is likely to cause, alarm or distress directly to ARK tenants, or they are doing several things over a period of time that cause, or are likely to cause, alarm or distress to at least one person living in another household. Whatever the problem is, it has to have happened more than once to at least one person. If it's an isolated incident, it won't count as anti-social behavior. This is why it is important that ALL incidents are reported. Here are some examples of things that could be classed as anti-social behavior under the law: noisy neighbours graffiti drinking or drug use which leads to people being rowdy and causing trouble large groups hanging about in the street (if they are causing, or likely to cause, alarm and distress) litter problems Racism FOR ALL NON- EMERGENCIES CALL 101 IN ANY EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WHERE YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE IS IMMEDIATE DANGER CONTACT 999 Any anti-social behavior that you experience /witness should also be reported to your housing officer and you should be able to provide them with a police reference number which you will have obtained when you report the incident to the police. Page 5

6 Below you will find a flowchart of the things that you should consider when an incident occurs to help you identify whether it is anti-social complaint or not. It details the actions that you should take and who the best person to contact is. YES Did the incident cause direct alarm or distress to you or others in your house? NO Is the incident anti-social as defined overleaf No Further Action Required YES Do you feel that there is an immediate threat to yourself or others in your house? YES NO NO Report incident to Housing Officer who will then determine if further action required Dial 101 and report the incident to the police. Ensure that you receive a police incident number to give to your housing officer Dial 999 to report the emergency incident. Ensure that you receive a police incident number to give to your housing officer. Page 6

7 COMPLAINTS UPDATE OCT-DEC 2016 Here is our update on what has been happening with complaints in ARK between October and December During this period ARK received and dealt with 21 complaints, which can be summarised as follows: JOHN RANKIN HEAD OF QUALITY AND COMPLIANCE Department Total Number Upheld Partially Not Upheld of Complaints Upheld Care and Support Maintenance Housing Total All of these complaints were investigated and responded to within the timescales set by our policy. Breakdown of complaints by staff attitude/ service issues Type of Complaint Total Number Upheld Partially Up- Not Upheld Attitude or Behaviour ARK Service Issue Attitude/Behaviour Total In this quarter, 11 of the complaints received were made by family members of service users/ tenants, whilst 10 came directly from service users/tenants. Using Complaints to Improve Service Delivery There were 2 complaints during this quarter, both of which we partially upheld, where the complaints were partly caused by problems with induction for new members of staff. We are currently reviewing our induction systems, and the learning from these complaints will support that review. As always, we welcome all feedback, including feedback which encourages us to review, and where necessary improve our service. Please remember that if you are not happy with any aspect of ARK s service, you can let any member of ARK staff know. Page 7

8 REVEIEW OF LETTING STANDARDS What is a letting standard? When a property becomes empty ARK staff inspect it and decide what repair work needs done to it before it is re-let to a new tenant. Why does ARK have a letting standard? We aim to ensure that all empty properties are brought to the same standard before a new tenant moves in. In setting out the standards we aim to make sure that it is safe, secure, clean, habitable, wind and watertight and in a condition suitable for a new tenant to move into straight away. This is the standard in which we will expect the property to be returned to us when the tenant ends their tenancy (subject to normal wear and tear ). Who is the letting standard shared with? This is shared with each new tenant at the time that they get the keys to the property. Why is the letting standard being reviewed? ARK last reviewed these standards in March 2015 and we want to make sure that we are addressing areas that are important to tenants. What can I do to be involved in this review? As a tenant, your views are important to us. If you would like to become involved, please contact us by: ing housing@arkha.org.uk or by telephoning We will send you a copy of the current letting standard, along with a questionnaire and a pre-paid envelope. The deadline date for returns will be the 22 nd April Page 8

9 SMOKE ALARMS: WHEN DID YOU LAST CHECK YOURS? Do you know you are meant to check your smoke alarm once a month? This is one of way to keep you, your family and home safe from fires. The hard wired smoke alarms fitted in our properties also have batteries fitted as a backup in case of a power failure. It is therefore still important to check the batteries. It is easy, straight forward and takes no time at all to maintain and make sure that your smoke alarms are still working. All you have to do is follow these easy steps: Press the test button on your alarm to check if the battery in your smoke alarm is still charged and find out if your alarm is ready and working; Clean it every 3 months using the soft brush of your vacuum to ensure you get rid of dust and insects. Replace the battery in a timely manner, ideally once a year, or when a beeping sound occurs. If you are unable to check your smoke alarm yourself ask a friend, relative, carer or support worker to help. ADVICE ON BLOCKAGES This is a reminder that blocked Toilets, Sinks and Plugholes are Tenants Responsibility to repair. If you request that ARK arrange for a Plumber to clear, we have to recharge the cost of this visit. Here are some tips for clearing blockages: Boil the kettle and pour down the toilet/plughole (this may take a few goes); Use a plunger; Use a Specialist Drain Unblocking Product (or bleach). Blockages can be avoided by: Using a Catcher to prevent food from entering the drains Not flushing anything that is not human waste or toilet paper (i.e. no sanitary products, baby wipes or paper towels No allowing cooking oil or food waste to enter the kitchen drain Page 9

10 It is with great sorrow that I have to inform everyone that the Managing Change project will be ending on March 31 st The project has been funded by Scottish Legal Aid Board [SLAB] and was a working partnership between SLAB, ARK HA and The Action Group [who provided the Advice Workers]. The project started on January 7 th 2014 and was originally funded until September 2015, however the Scottish Government did provide SLAB with additional funds and the project was extended for another 18 months. Unfortunately SLAB have received no more funds and therefore the project will have to close on March 31 st. This is particularly disappointing because the project was originally set up to deal with problems that ARK HA tenants or Service Users might encounter as a result of Welfare Reform. One of the main benefit changes announced under welfare reform was the replacement of all means-tested benefits with a new, single benefit called Universal Credit. However it is only over the next 2 years that we are going to see Universal Credit being rolled out fully. Page 10

11 So just at the point that people will require advice the most, a lot of the advice projects will no longer be around including Managing Change. I have been here, with Managing Change, since day one. I can honestly say that it has been a real pleasure to have been given the opportunity to provide advice and assistance to ARK tenants and ARK Service Users, also to have worked closely with all the Housing Officers and Support teams. Over the last 3 years Managing Change we have taken on 210 new clients and helped them to deal with 404 matters. This resulted in renegotiating 43, 293 of debt and assisted clients to get over 794, 575 extra money. We are very satisfied with this and our only regret is having to leave before we could get this up to the 1 million mark. As for the staff Jane and Saher have already secured new jobs and have already moved on. We wish them all the best for the future. I will be moving to another position with The Action Group, so will be in post here right up until the final day. I will spend the next couple of weeks making sure all the case files are in order and closing off where appropriate. Anyone who cannot be closed at this point will be helped to find another, suitable, agency to carry on helping them. If anyone has a concern about the closure of the project and you would like to talk it over then please feel free to make contact with me and we will chat it over. Goodbye and good luck Drew McLellan [Advice Project Manager] Page 11

12 Aberdeenshire Council Housing Benefit: Bulk Uplift Perth & Kinross Council Housing Benefit : hccinfo@pkc.gov.uk Bulk Uplift Falkirk Council Housing Benefit : revenues4@falkirk.gov.uk Fife Council Housing Benefit : BenCtax@fife.gov.uk Bulk Uplift West Lothian Council Housing Benefit : benefits@westlothian.gov.uk Bulk Uplift The Western Isles Council Contact Number: enquiries@cne-siar.gov.uk Bulk Uplift Clackmannanshire Council Housing Benefit: cs@clacks.gov.uk Bulk Uplift East Lothian Council Housing Benefit: benefits@eastlothian.gov.uk Bulk Uplift The Moray Council Housing Benefit: revenues@moray.gov.uk Bulk Uplift Scottish Borders Contact Number : customerservices@scotborders.gov.uk Midlothian Council Housing Benefit : revenues.enquiries@midlothian.gov.uk Bulk Uplift The City of Edinburgh Council Housing Benefit: Bulk Uplift: Good Condition Damaged Angus Council Contact Number: Revenquiry@angus.gov.uk Aberdeen City Council Housing Benefit: counciltax@aberdeencity.gov.uk Bulk Uplift Page 12