A S S O C I A T I O N    N E W S 

Date Details
01/09/2010 Wirral Council is working with the Councils in Halton, Liverpool , Knowsley and Sefton to introduce a new sub-regional choice based lettings scheme. The Council and RSL partners intend to adopt a common application form, a common housing register, a common allocations policy and a shared computer system. The scheme is intended to replace Wirralhomes.  A consultation exercise has been launched that ends on 15th November 2010.  To find out more about the proposals visit www.wirral.gov.uk/lettingsconsultation or call into any One Stop Shop or our office.
01/07/2010 The Association has Resident Involvement at the heart of its business.  Recent guidance issued by the Tenant Services Authority requires the Association to demonstrate it has engaged residents in specific areas of the Associations work.  We would like as many residents as possible to be involved in this process.  If you are interested in becoming involved, please view the Listening to Tenants page. 
23/06/2010 Many of our residents may be concerned regarding the proposed cuts to Housing Benefit outlined in yesterdays budget, that are expected to be introduced from April 2011.  For our tenants, the majority will not see a reduction in their Housing Benefit.  However, if you are of working age and fit to work, you may only receive Housing Benefit for a limited length of time and if your home is larger than necessary for your family, your benefit could be reduced.  We will cover this issue in more detail in our Newsletters once more information has been released by the Government.
21/06/2010 The Association has recently introduced a Pet Policy.  The Pet Policy reflects the guidance recently issued by the Pet Advisory Committee.  The main reason for introducing the Policy is to ensure that our residents can keep pets appropriate to their accommodation and that their pets do not become a nuisance to their neighbours.  Our Pet Policy requires all residents to ask permission before keeping a pet.  The Association will not withhold permission without good reason.  For more information, our Pet Policy can be found on the Publications page. 
27/04/2010 Our Spring Newsletter has recently been sent out to all our tenants, along with their quarterly rent statements.  If you are an Association tenant and you have not received your newsletter and statement, please contact the office.
31/03/2010 The Association has a 2 bedroom property becoming available to let in Craven Street in the next couple of weeks.  The property will be advertised through Wirralhomes after Easter.
17/03/2010 The Association is now developing its spring newsletter.  If there are any matters you would like to see covered in the newsletter please get in touch with the office.  The newsletter will be sent out to all Association properties during April. 
02/02/2010 There are a growing number of break-ins where thieves are targeting properties with PVC doors that have not been properly locked.  If you have a PVC door, always lift the handle and turn the key, otherwise your door will not be properly secure. 
21/01/2010 The Association has now managed to obtain a limited supply of grit.  This has been distributed around those properties with communal areas. 
06/01/2010 The prolonged spell of cold weather has caused a nationwide shortage of grit and the Association has been unable to purchase grit to help clear some of our communal areas of snow and ice.  Please take extra care as pathways are untreated and may be very slippery.    
23/12/2009 Our office will close on 24th December at 12 noon and will remain closed until Monday 4th January.  On Tuesday 29th December, Wednesday 30th December and Thursday 31st December there will be 'skeleton staffing' so if you have a problem that cannot wait until 4th January, please leave a message and we will contact you.  For emergency repairs when the office is closed, please contact Orbis on 0845 345 7808 who will arrange for one of our contractors to call.  The Staff & Board at Family Housing wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy 2010.
17/12/2009 The Association has recently lost four homes in Birkenhead to Compulsory Purchase Orders.  These properties will soon be demolished as part of the plans to regenerate the area.
17/11/2009 All of our tenants should have received a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire from Kwest over the last month or so.  If you have not yet returned your questionnaire time is running out!  The final reminders will be sent out this week.  Please take the time to complete the questionnaire as we want to know your views.  All questionnaires returned are also entered into a prize draw, so fill yours in for your chance to win!
03/11/2009 On the 23rd October, the Association began holding a Housing Surgery in the Neighbourhood Resource Centre on Church Road in Tranmere.  If you have any queries regarding Housing you can talk to a Family Housing staff member by visiting the surgery.  We will hold further surgeries between 10am and 12noon on Friday 27th November and Friday 29th January 2010.  To find out what services the Neighbourhood Resource Centre offers, visit their website: www.churchroadnrc.webs.com
08/09/2009 The Association is in the final stages of producing its Autumn newsletter.  This will be sent out to all of our tenants before the end of September.  During October all our tenants will receive a Questionnaire from Kwest Research.  This survey is carried out every three years to obtain our tenants views on all aspects of the service we provide.  Results of the survey will be published on this website, in our newsletter and in next years Annual Report.
31/07/2009 On Monday 3rd August, the management of our Birkenhead homes will transfer from Smith & Sons.  From Monday, all our tenants must pay their rent direct to the Association and not to Smith & Sons.  Over the last two months our staff have been contacting our residents in Birkenhead and have been making arrangements for them to pay direct.  If you have any concerns regarding the transfer please contact the office.
02/07/2009 The Association's 2008/09 Annual Report has just been completed and has now being printed.  The Annual Report will be sent out in the next couple of weeks.  We will also enclose a Rent Account Statement for those tenants whose accounts have been transferred from Smith & Sons.  
11/06/2009 The Association has now brought in house the management of our Wallasey tenants' rent accounts from Smith & Sons.  The final transfer of work will be our properties in Birkenhead on 1st August 2009.  Our staff are now contacting all of our Birkenhead residents to discuss the transfer with them and to make the necessary arrangements to pay the Association direct.

19/05/2009

 The Association attended a meeting yesterday held by Wirral Borough Council regarding the future of Resident Involvement in the Borough.  A brief report on the content of the meeting from our perspective can be viewed by clicking here.  
03/04/2009 This week the Association brought in house the management of our Port Sunlight tenants' rent accounts.  The transfer of work from Smith & Sons went smoothly but if any of our Port Sunlight residents have any concerns please contact the office.  The next transfer of work will be our properties in Wallasey on 1st June 2009.  Our staff will be contacting our residents in Wallasey in the coming weeks to discuss the transfer with them.
02/03/2009 The Association today welcomes two new administrative staff, Pam Fewtrell and Dawn Keenan.  Pam & Dawn will be working on our new Rent Accounting Team helping to look after our tenants rent accounts as they are transferred from Smith & Sons.
23/02/2009 The tenants of our eight new homes in Leighton Road in Tranmere moved in today.  This marks the end of a five year development project with Venture Housing Association in the Tranmere Regeneration Area where the Association developed four new bungalows, two three bedroom and two four bedroom houses.  It was the first major development project the Association has undertaken in the last few years.  The project was entirely self funded, costing over £800,000.
12/02/2009 The Association has recently introduced a Starter Tenancies Policy.  New tenants will be given a Starter Tenancy and their conduct as tenants will be monitored over the 1st twelve months.  The main reason for introducing Starter Tenancies is to help prevent anti-social behaviour.  Provided a new tenants conduct is acceptable they will be given a full Assured Tenancy after 12 months.
20/01/2009 The Association learnt today that one of our Board Members, Alan Jones, has passed away. Alan's contribution in Board and Committee meetings was extremely valuable and his knowledge, experience and warm personality will be sadly missed.
14/01/2009 For over a year now, the Association has been considering joining the Wirralhomes Choice Based Lettings Scheme.  It has been a lengthy process, looking in depth at the scheme, considering the risks and consulting our residents.  At the Board meeting last night it was agreed that the Association should join Wirralhomes.  All of the Association's Waiting Lists have been closed to new applications.  Over the coming weeks the Association will consider the timescale for joining Wirralhomes and will contact those already on our Waiting Lists to explain how it will affect them.
02/01/2009 The successor to The Housing Corporation, The Tenant Services Authority, is launching 'the National Conversation' during January.  More details soon.... 
11/12/2008 The Operational Services Committee today decided that all but the Elderly Persons waiting list should remain closed.  The status of the waiting lists will be reviewed at the next meeting on 13th January 2008.
08/12/2008 The Association is advertising for 2 Administrative Assistant Posts.  The closing date for applications is 6th January 2008.  Interviews will be held on 20th January 2008.  See the Jobs page for more information.
17/11/2008 The Association has teamed up with EDF Energy, EAGA and The Housing Corporation to provide four free energy efficient light bulbs to all of our tenants.  The light bulbs are being sent out during November.  Each bulb uses up to 80% less energy than a standard bulb.  The Association is one of the first to take part in the scheme which eventually aims to save 1.14 million tonnes of CO2 over a ten year period.  
13/11/2008 The Operational Services Committee today decided to close the waiting list for 2 bedroom homes in Birkenhead and Wallasey.  The only waiting list remaining open is the Elderly Persons waiting list.  The status of the waiting lists will be reviewed at the next meeting on 11th December 2008.
16/10/2008 The Operational Services Committee today decided to open the waiting lists for 2 bedroom homes and Elderly Persons homes in Birkenhead and Wallasey.  Any person wishing to apply should contact the office to arrange to complete an application form.  Ideally, forms should be submitted at least a week before the next Committee meeting on 13th November 2008 to ensure that they are considered. 
07/10/2008 The Association has recently published its Autumn Newsletter.  The Newsletter contained the Announcement that the Association has decided to bring in the rent accounting work that has been carried out by Smith & Sons for many years.  The work will be brought in on a phased basis starting during Spring 2009.  The Association will contact all residents before their account is transferred to explain how it will affect them.  For the time being all residents should continue to pay their rent to Smith & Sons in the normal way. 
07/10/2008 The Association has been undertaking a feasibility study that considers joining the Wirralhomes Choice Based Lettings Scheme.  It has been a lengthy process and the operation of the scheme has been considered in detail.  The risks of joining the scheme have also been assessed and the advantages and disadvantages considered.  The Association is interested in hearing from anyone who has an opinion regarding its potential membership of Wirralhomes.  A decision as to whether to join Wirralhomes is expected to be taken before the end of 2008.

 

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