www.warwickdc.gov.uk/homenews

KEEPING YOUINFORMED

ISSUE 70 – SPRING 2012YOUR WDC HOUSING MAGAZINE

www.warwickdc.gov.uk

Wood Fuel HeatingHome Swapping Scheme

Good Neighbours

Take ourCondensationQuiz

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Contents

Where possible, information can be made available in other formats, including large print, CD and other languages if required. To obtain one of these alternatives, please contact 01926 456447Designed by The Media Room, WDC Managing Editor (WDC) Fiona Walsh 01926 456 447. Editor Nicki Hughes 01926 456 120.Photography Some Photographs by: www.siobhanelizabethphotography.com

The virgin fibre used in the paper for this product has been derived from sustainably managed forests. This product is fully recyclable.

Welcome to the Spring issue of our Home News and you will find it is packed full of useful information – please keep this copy somewhere safe so that you can look back over it! You will see that even in the current economic climate, with budgets being cut, we are still planning to build new homes so that we can offer more affordable housing for our tenants. Also the funding has changed from the Government so that we are in a better position to invest in our housing.

Find out about a new heating scheme for houses in rural areas ,“Biomass Boilers” have been installed and very well received by our tenants.

There’s also information to help you keep your homes safe, the importance of gas safety, testing your smoke alarms and also when to dial 999 and 101.

You can take a look at one of our customer service centre advisors and how they spend their day, and also learn some handy tips to help you reduce your call waiting times when you report repairs.

There are now more ways than before to pay your rent, including by bar code or by Direct Debit which we hope will make life easier for you.

And after all that, you can try out a couple of healthy recipes, whilst doing the Right Royal Wordsearch!

Welcome to the Spring Edition of Home News

Do keep in touch with us and if you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact: housingsuggestions@warwickdc.gov.uk

2 Welcome3 Building homes again4 Wood fuelled heating5 PV panel programme6 A day in the life of a Contact Centre Advisor8 Good Neighbour Awards 20129 Gas Safety Repairs10 Helpful tips... How are we doing?11 Your feedback12 Letters to Lisa 14 Home Swap Scheme15 Sub-letting homes16 Tenant Participation17 Tenant Panel update18 Leaseholders News19 Services at Shire Hall Repair Card Winner Tell us your news!20 Condensation Quiz22 A Right Royal thank you! Keeping the community clean23 Making your payments easier! Paying your rent24 Stay safe from gas25 Does your smoke alarm work?26 A man’s best friend28 Latest Scams29 Dial 999 or 101? Wordsearch winners30 Healthier Recipes31 A Right Royal Wordsearch Gardening News

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Council to start building homes againNew measures within the Localism Act, which come into effect this month, will change the way that the Government funds council housing, passing more power to a local level.

The new proposals, known as 'self-financing', mean that councils will be able to keep the money they receive from council housing rents and use it to help maintain and manage their housing, increase investment to improve standards, reduce fuel poverty and even start building new homes. It will not affect your individual tenancy agreement or the level of rent you pay.

This change has come about in recognition that no two councils are the same which has meant that some councils and their tenants, have been losing out under the current system.

Currently Warwick District Council (WDC) has to pay a proportion of the rent it receives from tenants into the Government’s central fund, rather than keep it and invest it locally. The Government then redistributes this money to fund council housing but it means that many tenants do not directly benefit from the money they pay as rent. Last year WDC paid £7.3m of tenants’ rent into the central ‘pot’ and this figure would have been expected to rise each year if the system remained unchanged.

Cllr Norman Vincett, Portfolio Holder for Housing said, "This legislation by Central Government, whilst requiring Councils to take on large scale debt, does provide the advantage through the retention of rents receipts of freeing up our opportunity to increase the investment in existing homes and for the Council to start building again."

"Good quality housing is more essential than ever. Good homes play a key role in health, education and life chances. We shall embrace this opportunity of housing finance change for the betterment of our present and future tenants."

With this system, councils will need to make a one off payment to Government and WDC will have to make a one off payment of about £137m. This can be accommodated within its self-financing arrangements without affecting tenants’ rents or the amount of investment into housing in the future.

The scheme will reduce carbon emissions, energy bills and fuel poverty. The award represents 50% of the total cost of the proposed installations and will benefit up to 25 tenants currently living in rural properties which are still heated by solid-fuel and with no availability of natural gas. Their existing heating systems are inefficient, environmentally unfriendly and result in high energy bills, they are now being replaced with high efficiency biomass boilers and radiators.

Cllr Norman Vincett Portfolio Holder for Housing and Property Services said; “These renewable energy systems burn wood pellets and can reduce annual fuel bills by up to 50% compared to the coal reliant burning systems they will replace.

“I am delighted that my team have won this funding opportunity for tenants to reduce fuel poverty and to heat their homes through environmentally sustainable renewable heat technology.”

‘state of the art’ wood fuelled heating systems in council homesWarwick District Council has won national funding of £118,000 to install wood-fuelled heating (biomass) systems in the homes of our tenants.

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Our PV panel programme promises lower electricity bills170 PV (Photovoltaic – energy from sunlight) systems have been installed this year despite a large reduction in government support.Installation of the panels, which still produce energy if the sky is overcast, will help the issue of fuel poverty from the high cost of electricity, combined with low incomes.

The council has pushed ahead with the programme despite the Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) unexpectedly reducing the Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT) rates. A recent announcement confirmed that schemes installed and commissioned after 12 December 2011 would now receive a reduced rate.

The PV panels will be fitted to council owned properties situated mainly in the wards of Crown, Brunswick and Warwick West.

Cllr Norman Vincett, Portfolio for Housing and Property Services says:

“This programme enables Warwick District Council to demonstrate effective community leadership in reducing the impact on the environment from non-renewable energy sources, as well as assisting tenants by contributing to the reduction of fuel poverty.”

The majority of the new systems have now been installed and tenants are extremely pleased with the results. One of them, said; “We are absolutely over the moon with the new Biomass System, our house is so much warmer and we no longer dread going into a cold bathroom. Our system was installed two days before Christmas. In the first month we made a £60 saving in our energy bill. I’ve been recommending it to all my friends!”

“I am delighted that my team have won this funding opportunity for tenants to reduce fuel poverty and to heat their homes through environmentally sustainable renewable heat technology.”

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My shift today is 8am - 4pm. After dragging myself out of a nice warm bed and a half an hour drive, I get to the office for 7.50am so that I’m ready for the first call and have logged onto my computer.

When I arrive my team leader has spotted me walking across Warwick Market Square and kindly put a very strong hot coffee on my desk for me, knowing this will help to wake me up!

I take a call from a tenant who says she has had a leak under her sink over the weekend. First of all I ask her name and address and log into the system - we report repairs straight through to the contractor.I find her property then ask her questions about how bad the leak is, where she thinks it’s coming from and if it is able to be caught in a bowl.She thinks it is from the U bend but isn’t certain and although she’s catching it in a bowl, it now

needs emptying every 2 hours, whereas over the weekend it was only being emptied every 8 hours. I ask her if she is going to be at home for next 4 hours and also her contact details. She says she needs to pop out, but I explain that as our turnaround time for emergencies is 4 hours and this leak is getting worse she really needs to stay in. If the contractor attends and no-one is there it would need to be re-reported and as filling every two hours water would be all over the floor if left overnight. We agree she will stay in and I report the leak.

A lady calls with a complaint about a noisy neighbour who had kept her and her child awake all night with a loud party. She had called the police during the night, so I take all the details asking questions about the time and the detail of the disturbance, as well as her name address and contact details. I also give her the number for the environmental health officer who deals with noise pollution.

I then send her details through to the Housing Officers to investigate and call her back regarding what will happen next.

A young man who is on our housing list calls to place a bid on Homechoice. He hasn’t got his user number so I find him by name and check his date of birth and his current address for data protection purposes. I log into the bidding system and tell him he can bid on up to five properties in his banding or above. He is actually in band 1 so can only bid in band 1. I place 3 bids for him and try a 4th but this is a house, so I explain that as he is single with no children he cannot place a bid on a house, we then have a discussion about this rule and why it is there. There are no other relevant properties for him to place a bid on. He asks to speak to a Housing Advice concerning how much longer he has on band 1 to bid, so I call the number introduce the caller and transfer him.

8:00 am

A day in the life of a Contact Centre Advisor taking housing callsIn the Contact Centre we receive many housing related enquiries and deal with most of them directly. A typical day is summarised below, of course we do take calls for all the other areas of the council, such as council tax and benefits, so the gaps in time are related to the other calls we take.

8:02 am

8:30 am

8:45 am

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In between these calls and after there are other calls I take about bins, council tax and planning.

During this time other people are arriving for their shifts, so the office is getting louder. I need another coffee so signal to a colleague hoping they’ll take pity on me and make one before they log on!

It often gets busier at this time, as callers think we’ve just opened, when in fact I have been here for an hour already.

I take lots of calls from tenants on a wide range of issues such as reporting a leaking tap, asking what to do about fence panels that have blown down in the wind, reporting a leaky roof, asking to pass information to their Housing Officer, a few queries about application forms for Homechoice, as well as an enquiry about whether they are on the waiting list for a new kitchen.

I take a short break, and leave my computer for 15 minutes.

I take a call from a tenant whose television aerial has blown off the roof. I have a look on our computer system and as it is not a

communal aerial, I advise him that it will be his responsibility. The gentleman is surprised by this and says it was there when he moved in so it must be the council’s responsibility. I point out the last tenant probably installed it and he would need to have it put back up. Just to make sure he is clear about the guidelines, I read from the Tenancy Agreement where it says it is part of the tenants’ responsibility.

I answer a call from a tenant who wants to speak to one of our officers in property. I am unable to get an answer on the phone and explain that this is probably because they are out on site. I send an e mail to the relevant member of staff for a call-back request.

I help a colleague who I have trained recently who is looking for a solution to an ongoing repair on a property.

I take a half hour lunch break at 11.30, which is early, because I started early, but I'm not hungry so I decide to go for short walk to get some fresh air.

I take a short break and by now I am really hungry, because I didn’t

eat my lunch earlier, so I rush it down during my 20 minute break and get indigestion!

Back to my desk for the last 1 hour and 40 minutes.

I take a call which involved me speaking to the contractor, a Property Maintenance Officer and also sending an e mail to the Head of Department for a call back. This was quite a lengthy call.

An old lady calls to thank us for the prompt service given for her lack of heating; she refers to the “nice man who came to fix it”. It is always nice to hear some praise and it makes my day as she is such a lovely lady. I always pass this on to the relevant service area.

With just over hour to go I continue taking calls until 4pm. The last call comes in at 3.59 just as I’m getting ready to finish and lasts for 8 minutes but I don’t mind, I like to finish off a call properly!

On the way to the car I decide to pick up some food and a bottle of wine to enjoy with Eastenders. But I have to say, real life is even more exciting as my day proved!

10:00 am

9:00 am

10:15 am

10:30 am

10:45 am

2:00 Pm

2:20 pm

2:30 pm

2:45 pm

Some of the team who answer your calls.

Do you know someone in your community who deserves a special thank you. A person who goes that extra mile to make your neighbourhood a better place? Perhaps there’s someone who has helped you with the garden, or done the shopping when you couldn't? Perhaps they have looked after your children so you can have a break or even go to work? Maybe they've just been there when you needed someone to talk to?

The Good Neighbours Awards are a chance to pay tribute to someone special whose kindness has made a real difference to your life or that of your community. We are seeking nominations from tenants and leaseholders in Warwick District.

All you have to do is tell us;• Your name, address, email and telephone number.• Age group of the neighbour you are nominating

and which area they live in.• Why you are nominating them for this award.

Please send your nominations to Fiona Walsh, PO Box 2175, Warwick District Council, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Leamington Spa CV32 5QE or email fiona.walsh@warwickdc.gov.uk before 11 May 2012.

Winners will be announced in the Autumn Issue of Home News.

Good Neighbour Awards 2012

Do you know your neighbours?Are they good neighbours?

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Your chance to say

thank you to the people

who make a difference.

Remember this is only for tenants and leaseholders.

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The Tenant Panel have spent a lot of time monitoring repairs; calls are monitored on a daily basis to find out how long you have to wait on the phone to report a repair, whether you are in when the contractor comes to carry out the work, and whether you are satisfied with the repair work carried out.

The Tenant Panel recommended additional members of staff at the Customer Service Centre to deal with repairs, two additional staff have now been appointed to focus on repairs calls and to cut down the waiting times for reporting a repair. They are due to start during this month.

If you call the repairs line, then you must be available for

the contractor, Ian Williams to come to your home and carry out the work. In January this year, 1204 repairs were reported, but 20 (0.16%) of those were not carried out because the tenant was unavailable to let Ian Williams in. You might not realise but the council still has to pay for the call out and this will now be re-charged to the tenant.

EmergenciesIf there is a very real threat or danger to the building or the tenants, then of course you must report an emergency and use the emergency helpline. You will then need to be available for the following 4 hours to let Ian Williams carry out the repair as quickly as possible.

Gas SafetyAt Heateam, we are not just in the business of servicing boilers, but putting warmth back into people's lives. It is essential that your gas appliances are inspected each year by a registered gas operative. Heateam will contact you just before the anniversary of your last service and make an appointment to carry out the work to ensure that together we achieve the following benefits:

• Peace of mind regarding gas safety in your home. • An inspection and test all of the key parts of your appliances. • Your appliances working at their maximum efficiency and this can

also reduce gas consumption and potentially save you money! • Minimise the risk of future breakdowns.

For your safety all Heateam engineers are registered with Gas Safe the official register for gas safety, so please ask to see their Gas Safe ID cards at the time of the visit. Thank you in advance for your help in providing access as this will assist us greatly and allow Warwick District Council and heateam to keep you and your homes safe.

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Repairs...Repairs...Repairs...Most tenants will need some repair work doing at some point, which is why the subject of repairs comes up time and time again!

Please do not use the out of hours emergency line for routine repairs – you could be preventing an emergency call from getting through.

24 Hour Repairs Reporting01926 412828

Remember this is only for tenants and leaseholders.

When you call you will be prompted to choose options. Option 1 takes you directly to Baxi Heateam to report gas repairs, option 2 takes you directly to EM&I to report an electrical repair. There is a Severn Trent number (for drain issues) and National Grid (for gas leaks) on that introduction, so please have a pen and paper to hand.

Try and report non emergencies during quieter times. Monday morning and first thing every morning is always busier and wait times longer.

Ensure when calling in an emergency there will be someone present at the property for at least 4 hours after reporting to allow access to the contractors.

If you are calling concerning a visit

from our general contractor Ian

Williams or an update on ongoing

work, then you should call them

direct on 0121 326 1936 quoting your

address and job number if that was

given to you when the job was booked.

Only call us when they are unable to

update you.

If you have had a letter from us

concerning a visit, for example, for

insulation, or safety checks please

ensure you check your letter as there

is usually a contact name and direct

dial number on that letter.

Please read your Home News to check

for any updates on procedures.

When calling your Housing Officer,

please be aware that they are often out

on visits and you will be asked to leave

your details for a call back.

When calling about a new Homechoice

application you have submitted there

will be a 2-3 week time delay to allow

processing but after that if you have

received no correspondence please

contact Housing Advice who receive

the new application forms and issue

bidding numbers 01926 456431.

The general housing line is

01926 412828 which covers repairs,

homechoice and housing officer

enquiries

Helpful tips ...

to help you cut call waiting times!

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The general housing line is

01926 412828 which covers repairs,

homechoice and housing officer

enquiries

How are we doing?

Gas ServicingOur target is to have 100% of your homes serviced and in January 2012 we reached 99.84%

Please help by giving access to heateam for gas servicing. It’s really important for you and your family’s safety

As a result of an unscrupulous business partner some 12 years earlier, they were left homeless and moved into council housing. Mr Bull recently contacted the Customer Service Centre to share his thoughts on our service as their landlords and the Customer Service Centre.

“We are 110% satisfied with the service we have received! The council has supported and helped us at a low point in our lives, when we needed it most, but also has continued to do so over the years. Whenever we’ve asked for repairs or maintenance work, it has been delivered quickly and by friendly staff. “

Mr Bull told us of a call he made to the Customer Service Centre to report a repair;

“five minutes after I’d put the phone down, I’d got them knocking at my door to carry out the repair, I couldn’t believe it!”

“I’m really happy with the council and the service they provide for their tenants.”

Your FeedbackWe like to share good news with you and we recently heard from Mr & Mrs Bull of Kenilworth.

If you are reporting a routine repair we can offer appointments for general work so check your diary to see when you will be available, as access to your home will normally be required between 8am-5pm, unless it is an external job where free access is available.

If you want to make any alterations to your property you need to request permission in writing and address it to Property Maintenance Officer, email hsgrep@warwickdc.gov.uk

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Letters to Lisa

I have fallen behind with my Gas

and Electricity payments, I am very

worried they will cut my supply off,

what should I do?” I am too scared

to phone them in case they make me

feel bad for getting into arrears, please

help?

If you get into financial trouble then the last

thing that you need is the threat of being cut

off from any utilities. The main thing to bear in

mind is that all utility companies will only do

this as a last resort, after all, if you’re cut off

then you won’t be paying them any money at

all. So generally speaking they’d rather have

someone who’s paying even a little off their

arrears than no money coming in at all.

If you contact the utility company yourself to

discuss non-payment they are likely to want

to arrange a regular payment that will put the

situation right over a period of time. This is

easier than trying to pay the arrears off in one

go, but do make sure that you can keep up the

agreed payment as they are not as likely to be

so lenient if you have to go and ask them to do

this for a second time.

Some groups of people can be protected

from disconnection from gas or electricity

services, such as the elderly, disabled, people

with mental health problems and those

suffering long-term ill health. If you fall into that

category then seek advice from the Citizens

Advice Bureau or a charity that supports your

particular condition.

Both gas and electricity companies have the

power to insist that you go on a pre-payment

meter if you cannot keep to an agreed

payment plan. This means you then have to

pay for services before you use them, another

option is applying for a grant from your

supplier to pay off your arrears, this would

allow you to start again and maintain regular

payments, and you would not have to pay this

money back.

I am a pensioner and when I was at my local library last week, I saw a poster which talked about a “Social Tariff”, I was a bit confused to what this means, but if it could reduce my Gas & Electricity bills, I would definitely be interested, can you give me any more information?

Social tariffs are available for people receiving a pension, on a low income or means-tested benefits, and are designed to protect vulnerable customers from high energy bills. These are provided on a voluntary basis by the majority of suppliers, although they will soon be compulsory under the Warm Home Discount scheme. In fact, most of the suppliers have already closed their social tariff schemes to new customers and are in the process of moving them onto the Warm Home Discount scheme. Of the Big Six suppliers, only EDF and E.ON still offer social tariffs to new customers. According to its website, EDF’s Energy Assist offers £75 per year off Direct Debit prices to customers on pension credits or income support, or those defined as in fuel poverty. E.ON’s Warm Assist offers up to 15% discount off its standard prices for those on pension credits or income support, or those with a high energy consumption due to a medical condition (at its discretion).

If you are not already on a social tariff or the Warm Home Discount but feel you may qualify, you should contact your current energy supplier to ask.

Our Income Recovery Officer, Lisa Crossland, takes us through some of the letters and emails she has received from tenants. Her answers might help you if you have any similar concerns. Please get in touch if you have any other questions or concerns you would like answering, by email at lisa.crossland@warwickdc.gov.uk or by calling 01926 456454.

I have been trying to stop smoking since the New Year,

partly so I can have some extra cash, but I am finding it

really hard. What can I do?

It’s great to hear that you are trying to quit – smokers who stop feel

the benefits straight away – they feel healthier, have more energy

and the average smoker will have around £40 per week (£171 per

month) to spend on other things. Contact the NHS Stop Smoking

Service who will be able to give you a range of options to help you

become smoke free – all FREE (except if you pay for prescriptions).

The Service will be able to help you even if you have tried to quit

before. Contact them on 0800 085 2917, text free “LIFE” to 80800

or go to www.smokefreewarwickshire.org.

I have been watching the news lately and they keep talking about this “Universal Credit”, I really am concerned of how this will affect me and my family, and I don’t even understand why the government feel the need to change everything?Universal Credit will simplify the current benefits system by bringing together a range of working-age benefits into a single streamlined payment. The new Universal Credit system aims to:• simplify the system, making it easier for people to understand, and easier and cheaper for staff to administer • improve work incentives • smooth the transitions into and out of work • reduce in-work poverty • cut back on fraud and errorThere are more than 50 different benefits and other payments that people can claim. The plans are to bring in a single Universal

Credit to replace six income-related work-based benefits.The Government state that millions of people have become trapped on benefits. At present, in nearly 1.1 million workless households, a person will currently lose more than 70% of their earnings if they move into work of 10 hours a week, the Government claims. It wants to see a system where people are always better off in work than they would be on benefits.

People claiming benefits will be automatically moved on to Universal Credit from 2013.

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If you live in a council house or housing association property you can swap, using the HomeSwapper scheme. Tenants in rented social housing who want a house swap, flat swap or to exchange their council house can do so! It is also called mutual exchange.

Finding a mutual exchange through HomeSwapper means you can choose the home you want for yourself and you won't have to wait for months (even years) on a housing transfer list.

A mutual exchange through HomeSwapper doesn't just mean you have to swap like for like, you could: • Downsize • Upsize • Swap across the country…or down the road • Swap a flat for a house...a house for a maisonette • Get somewhere with a garden • Find a property without stairs or adapted for the

disabled…your choices are endless

How does it work?• Tenants join HomeSwapper to find other tenants

who may be interested in their home. It is the UK's largest database of people looking to swap, 9/10 people get a match within 24 hours of joining.

• Once you've registered your property potential new swaps will be checked out for you; they are called "matches". Tenants whose requirements match the property you want to swap are matched to you.

• When a match has been found, you will be alerted by SMS text or email. You can then log onto HomeSwapper, look at the home you have been matched with and if you like the look of it you can arrange to visit it by contacting the current tenant.

• Once you have found the property you wish to swap with you must always obtain written permission from both landlords. Your landlords will then complete all the paperwork with you to make your move happen.

• If you don't have any restrictions on your tenancy agreement, and are not in rent arrears, your landlord cannot refuse your swap.

• If you want to progress with the potential swap, arrange a time to view each other's property. Do not call at the address unless you have arranged to do so. If you like each other's properties, you both need to contact your landlords to get their permission to swap.

• If you swap without permission from both landlords, you could be liable to eviction. If you give or receive money or goods to secure an exchange you could be liable to eviction and/or receive a fine. If your tenancy has recently started it may be that you are not entitled to carry out a mutual exchange. If you are not sure if you have the right to exchange check with your landlord first.

Home Swapping Scheme

• Remember when arranging to view one another's homes you are dealing with a stranger. Neither HomeSwapper itself nor landlords using HomeSwapper do character references or health and safety assessments on members.

• Check out the type of tenancy you will be given - there are differences that affect the rent you pay and other things like the Right to Buy. Your landlord should be able to advise you on this. Before you agree to exchange, check what the new rent and any other costs (such as service charges) will be and what the tenancy conditions are.

• If repairs are needed, check if they will be carried out and check whether redecoration will be carried out by the landlord. If you are interested in eventually buying the property check that you will be able to do so; most Housing Association homes cannot be bought by tenants.

• Make sure you can afford the moving expenses. If you are claiming Income Support, Income Based Jobseekers Allowance or Pension Credit, you might qualify for a loan from the Social Fund. You will need to contact your local Jobcentre Plus office, Jobcentre or Social Security office.

Try to keep your expenses to an absolute minimum before moving - there is no legal comeback if your swap partner withdraws from an exchange at any time.

• Remember landlords can refuse to give you permission to move for a limited number of reasons.

If you think permission has been unreasonably refused get advice from your local Councillor, your Citizen's Advice Bureau or other housing advice centre.

Tenancy cheats, those tenants who sub-let their homes, or don’t use their council home as their main property, are taking advantage of a vital support system for some of the most vulnerable people in society, while waiting lists continue to grow. About 1.8 million families in England and Wales are currently on waiting lists for social housing.

Sub-letting a council property is not currently a criminal offence but council tenants in England who sub-let their homes will face up to two years in prison under new government proposals. The plans would see a new criminal offence of tenancy fraud, with a fine of up to £50,000 also possible.

It is estimated that 160,000 tenants sub-let their homes to other people at a cost of £5billion a year to the taxpayer. It also stops others on the waiting lists having access to these homes. Local councils would receive more powers to investigate fraud, including better access to information from banks and utility companies.Tenancy cheats can earn thousands of pounds letting out their property, which could instead be offering a stable home to a family in need.

Council tenants who sub-let homes

could face

prison or fine!

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TENANT PARTICIPATIONHOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

Tenant Panel visit Ian Williams

Come along and join us for a coffee and a chat at one of our drop in sessions. You can report repairs, or other housing issues, find our what’s going on in your area and also bring along your old clothes for recycling!

AprilThu 12 Packmores Drop In 10am - 12noon

Tue 17 Cubbington Village Hall Drop In 10am - 12noon

Tue 17 Tenant Panel meeting Town Hall 7pm - 9pm

Wed 18 Beauchamp Court Community Room Drop In 10am - 12noon

Thu 19 Gap Drop In 2pm - 4pm

MayThu 10 Packmores Drop In 10am - 12noon

Tue 15 Cubbington Village Hall Drop In 10am - 12noon

Tue 15 Tenant Panel meeting Town Hall 7pm - 9pm

Wed 16 Beauchamp Court Community Room Drop In 10am - 12noon

Thu 17 Gap Drop In 2pm - 4pm

JuneThu 14 Packmores Drop In 10am - 12noon

Tue 19 Cubbington Village Hall Drop In 10am - 12noon

Tue 19 Tenant Panel meeting Town Hall 7pm - 9pm

Wed 20 Beauchamp Court Community Room Drop In 10am - 12noon

Thu 21 Gap Drop In 2pm - 4pm

The visit was arranged to give the repair service improvement group an insight into how Ian Williams work, how they allocate their repairs and how they keep track of their workforce. They have trackers on the vans so that the office can see exactly where the vans are at any given time.

It was also useful to see how they record customer feedback. The repairs satisfaction forms are so important in helping them to understand what you need.

Tenant Panel Members and Warwick District Staff all went on the visit.

Rob Harris, Chairman of the Tenant Panel said, “The panel found it really useful to meet the team. It is important to forge good links with our main repairs contractor and we are all committed to achieving high standards of service”.

Craig Jones, Response Maintenance Manager for Ian Williams, said: “We were delighted to show the tenant panel around our offices. This allowed them to meet the people behind the work that we deliver to help maintain their homes, and experience the culture and working environment at Ian Williams.”

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TENANT HOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

PANEL

What we have done Four Service Improvement Groups have been formed and the Champions have been busy attending meetings, making site visits as well as holding regular monthly management meetings for their area of operation and monitoring work.

This has set a good foundation for our monitoring and scrutiny work and some of the areas we are currently looking at include:• The voids system and standard of work• The call centre• An examination of the emergency repair system• The review of the Tenant Handbook.

Our initial examination shows the voids section is well organised and committed to good service. We are also pleased to report a successful outcome following our work with the call centre and you can read about this on page 9.

Concerning the repairs system and job satisfaction forms which are left with the tenant after work has been done. The Council, Contractor and the Tenant Panel all require the information provided to assist in the monitoring function. We would like to remind you to fill in and return the form, or hand held device.

What is planned for this year?Over the next few months, we need to step up our monitoring function and move to the greater detail required by the more intense scrutiny function. You will hear a lot about scrutiny in the future and to help our work we need to include all tenants, not just the volunteers on the tenant panel.

We intend to;• Undertake mystery shopping – tenants will make

phone calls to test the systems against the standard required.

• Tenant champions might contact you if you have had work done and discuss the service provided and your satisfaction level.

• The tenant panel will hold a survey to ask questions about your satisfaction of the service you receive and enquire about any issues or problems you might have.

• The tenant panel will hold a regular “office surgery” for a couple of hours a week where tenants can phone the panel with their questions and concerns and we will use this information to help with our scrutiny function. The surgery will be run by tenant volunteers, not council employees, so you can be assured that your call will remain private. This also means that we are not able to influence repairs or query a repair on the system, you will still need to go through the usual channels resolve your issue. What we are looking at is the nature of the problems you have and the volume of that type of problem, so that we can identify areas that need to be looked into further. We will not be able to follow up repairs on your behalf. Look out for more information about this in the next issue of the Home News.

The FutureThe tenant panel is empowered by the Government to undertake monitoring and scrutiny, which means we are not “playing at being policemen!” We have a serious intent of a closer scrutiny of council services and ensuring standards remain as high as possible for our future benefit.

It is in your best interests to support and assist the panel in our work and we invite you to help us as we move forward. It is a partnership with the council who also want this to be a success and are supporting our work to our mutual benefit.

Rob Harris, ChairmanTim Eden, Vice ChairmanEmma Baylis, Secretary

The Tenant Panel have been busy during the last year, setting the procedures and systems to undertake monitoring and scrutiny of the Housing Service and at last we are starting to see good returns on our hard work. Thanks to all the Panel members and Champions!

HOUSING AND PROPERTY SERVICES

LEASEHOLDERS NEWS

This time we had a response from 70 leasehold properties, last time it was 105. This time we also gave the opportunity to reply by Internet and we had 21 emailed replies.

As before, the most interesting issues were Repairs and Cleaning, however we also asked many more questions about Maintenance Costs, Recycling and about the Leaseholder Action Group.

RepairsLess than 50% of respondents had requested or reported the need for repairs. The response about the quality of the repairs undertaken was 5.2 out of a scale of 0 to 10, and for being on time it was 3.4. When asked about the Repairs Booking System, 42% regarded it as good. These responses are very similar to those from 2009.

CleaningOf the responses only 48% said they knew that cleaning was undertaken by a WDC contractor and knew this was included in their Maintenance Costs. This time we did not ask about the quality of the cleaning, however most were getting cleaning on a weekly basis.

Maintenance Costs55% understood their annual maintenance costs, but only 14% raised questions about them, and 2% were happy with the responses. WDC is looking at options for a new Leasehold Management system which should provide an automatic breakdown of elements included in the service charge. It is hoped that this will be available in 2013.

RecyclingToday 63% of properties receive Communal Recycling and 37% other types of Recycling.

Leasholders Action GroupLeaseholders reading “The Leaseholder” sent out 4 times a year say that 74% always read it, 16% sometimes read it, and 10% never read it. Some 48% say they have seen information about Leaseholders in the HOMENEWS or on the LAG Website. 25% of respondents knew who to contact about leaseholder issues and this is something which needs further action.

All % calculations are based upon the number who answered particular questions.Further analysis will be undertaken from the details of these responses and we will be publishing this in the near future.

Many thanks to those who responded.

Action Group Survey 2011Leaseholder Action Group prepared and undertook a new survey at the end of 2011. The last time we undertook such a survey was in January 2009. Below we give you a summary of the latest results and some comparisons with the previous survey.

18

Services at Shire HallWarwick Library has now moved to its new home at Shire Hall. The library move is part of a refurbishment programme at Shire Hall which will see a number of changes to the building to maximise the space available for their services. In addition to the new library, the refurbishment will also mean the availability of a wider range of registration services.

The Leamington Registration Office, for the registration of births and deaths, has moved to Shire Hall, Warwick where customers will continue to be provided with the birth and death registration service.

There is still an appointments service and these can be booked by calling; 0300 555 0255.

These services are located alongside other public services already provided by Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire County and Warwick District Councils under the Warwickshire Direct brand, and the Post Office.

The opening hours of the new library will mirror those of the other services available from Shire Hall:Monday to Thursday: 8am – 5.30pmFriday: 8am - 5pmSaturday: 9am - 4pm

Repair Card WinnersCongratulations to Mr & Mrs Maskill who have won £100 in our quarterly prize draw.

How did they win? They simply filled in the card left by their contractor after they had carried out repair work in their home.

These cards provide us with valuable feedback which we use to improve our repairs service, So far this year we are pleased to report that 96% of you are satisfied with your repairs.

Ian Williams also donate £1 to the charity Shelter, for every card that is returned.

Tell us your news!We are always looking for news and interesting stories.If you have a story that you think would interest other tenants or leaseholders, please send it to fiona.walsh@warwickdc.gov.uk or write to Fiona Walsh, Housing and Property Services, PO Box 2175, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Leamington Spa CV32 5QE.

19

Try our quick quiz to see:

20

1. When I come home I generally finda. A nice welcoming warm homeb. Water, wetness and a damp feeling about the placec. That no-one has done the washing up

2. When I’m doing the cookinga. I always put lids on the pansb. I don’t know where the lids are for my pansc. I don’t cook

3. When I’m doing the cookinga. I leave the kitchen window slightly openb. I keep the windows closed to keep the heat inc. I always make sure someone else cooks

4. When I’m in the showera. I open the bathroom window slightlyb. I keep the window closed so it’s nice and steamyc. I sing really loudly

5. If I have a bath, I generallya. put cold water in first and then add the hot waterb. keep the hot tap running until its scorching hotc. fall asleep

6. My central heatinga. Is kept on at a low temperature most of the timeb. Is so warm, it’s like sitting on a Caribbean beachc. Is expensive

Do you have condensation in your home?

Are you doing anything to improve the situation,

or could you be making it worse?

Condensation Quiz

21

Try our quick quiz to see:7. When I have washed my clothesa. I try to hang washing outside, or tumble dry with a window openb. I cover every radiator in the house with clothes, there’s so muchc. I usually leave them in the machine for 3 days

8. When my clothes are dryinga. I try to keep a window or two openb. I have a nice sauna, there’s so much steam in the housec. I have to wait in my pyjamas to get dressed

9. If I see any signs of black mould on the wallsa. I try to wipe it off with a diluted bleach solutionb. I ignore it and hope it goes awayc. I phone the Emergency Repairs Helpline

10. I always try to keep my trickle vents (the small vents at the top of your double glazing windows)a. Openb. Closed so it’s not draftyc. Locked away in a cupboard

Now all you need to do is count up your answers and find out if they are mostly a’s, b’s or c’s......

Take our quick quiz to find out

what habits you have and what steps you can

take to improve condensation

Mostly a’sWell done! The “a” answers are the right answers. You are doing everything you possibly can to avoid condensation. You should have very little, or no condensation in your home, as you have a good, sensible approach to keeping it well ventilated and allowing the moist air to circulate.

Mostly b’sYou have developed a few habits which are causing condensation in your home and preventing the situation from improving. The “b” answers are the things you do that can make condensation worse. All you need to do is read each of the questions again and look at the “a” answers which will show you how to avoid condensation and help you to improve the ventilation in your home. A few simple changes should make a big difference!

Mostly c’sIt is likely that you don’t know what condensation is, or you are living in this household without a care in the world! Condensation is moist air that when it comes into contact with a cool surface like your doors and windows, ends up as water running down and resulting in black mould if it is not prevented. If you would like to find out what to do about condensation, then please read each of the questions again and look at the “a” answers to find out what you need to do! I would like to draw your attention to Question 9, and remind you not to call the emergency repairs line for anything other than an incident which is threatening the safety of your household or the people living in it and although black mould is unsightly, it is definitely not life threatening!

Do you have condensation in your home?

Are you doing anything to improve the situation,

or could you be making it worse?

Condensation Quiz

Keeping the community cleanIn the last issue, we told you about our new rapid response cleaning team, set up to keep the communities clean and to respond to your requests promptly. They have been really busy since their launch as the photos show. They have cleared up some eye-sores and started to improve our environment. Just to remind you of their tasks;They clear up council owned flat complexes, footpaths and alleyways. Generally, they will pick up litter and remove rubbish and debris that has built up. They will clear overgrowth which is blocking pathways, using strimmers, hedge trimmers and weed spraying. Grass cutting is not included.

The team also take into consideration any hibernating animals that might have set up home in the undergrowth and will attempt not to disturb them. They also try to recycle as much as possible.

Some projects will obviously take longer than others, and some jobs may be interrupted if the team get called away on an emergency; however they will usually work between 8am – 6pm, Monday to Friday.

A Right Royal Thank you! Lilian Brocklehurst of Sydenham wanted to say “Congratulations” to the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee, in her own unique way.

She hand-stitched a card, using metallic pinpoint embroidery and sent it off to Buckingham Palace on behalf of the Sydni Centre and local residents.

It would appear that Her Majesty was very impressed with the card and asked her Lady in Waiting to send a thank you card back to Lilian.

Lilian with her message from the QueenAfter

Before

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If you pay by Standing Order you will need to inform your bank to change Standing Order payments from April 2012, otherwise you will be paying an incorrect amount for rent.

Do you intend to change your payment method to Direct Debit? Paying by Direct Debit is the easiest way to pay your rent and is safe and reliable. It also has the following advantages;

• The payments are made automatically from your account, so you don’t need to remember to pay each month

• You don’t need to worry about missing a payment

• Payment by Direct Debit is secure• The council will update your Direct Debit every

year and inform you of any changes so you don’t need to inform your bank or take any other action

• There is an immediate money back guarantee if an error is made

• You won’t fall behind with the rent payments• You will no longer receive reminders to pay• No more queuing to pay• No more writing cheques

Just make sure you have the funds in your bank account on the date of the Direct Debit, or your bank will charge you.

Make Your Rent Payments Easier!

Paying your rent from April 2012Your rent will be revised this month and you will need to amend the amount you pay from this time onwards.

If this sounds like a good idea then why not call 01926 456409 for an easy to complete application form?

For some time now Council Tax bills have included a barcode on them, which means residents have been able to pay Council Tax by taking the bill to a Post Office or Pay Point outlet where the barcode can be read.Warwick District Council is pleased to announce that this facility has been extended to tenants renting homes or garages from them. We will be rolling this out and you might have noticed that we are printing a barcode on rent statements and on most of the letters that we send out to people who owe rent.

The new barcode on your statements and letters contains exactly the same information as your Allpay swipe card. If you have both a swipe card and a

statement or letter with a barcode then you can choose either method to pay your rent. If you have mislaid your Allpay card then you can still pay using your rent statement or letter. Rent statements can be sent to tenants on request and these can be sent out immediately if a tenant loses their Allpay card.

To make a payment using the barcode , all you need to do is take your statement or letter to any Post Office or Pay Point outlet, along with your cash payment. Hand it to the assistant for them to scan the barcode and then give them your payment, stating how much you wish to pay. Once your payment has been processed they will give your statement or letter back, along with a receipt, which you should keep in a safe place to help you to keep track of your payments.

As well as being open Monday to Friday many Post Offices are open on Saturday mornings and many of the Pay Point shops are also open in the evenings and at weekends, so you will be able to pay at a time and place that suits you.

23

Stay safe from gasAs your landlord, Warwick District Council is bound by law to carry out an annual safety check on our gas fittings in your home. But as a tenant, you too have responsibilities...

Landlord duty We are committed to your safety and we take our responsibilities on gas safety very seriously. We will ensure:

üGas fittings (appliances and pipework) and flues are maintained in a safe condition

üA Gas Safe Registered installer carries out all installation, maintenance, safety checks and annual gas servicing

üA gas safety check and service is carried out on each relevant gas fitting/flue in your home every year

üWhen you take up a new tenancy all gas appliances/flues will be checked as soon as you move in

üWe keep a record of each annual safety check and service

Tenant duty As a tenant you have responsibilities:

üAllow us prompt access to your home to carry out maintenance or safety checks on our gas fittings/flues

üEnsure any gas fittings which you own, including gas cookers, are installed correctly and checked annually for safety

x Never try DIY with gas such as removing radiators for decorating or painting your gas fire

x Never block up air ventilation grilles and ensure that flue terminals are kept clear at all times

x Never use a gas appliance if you think it’s not working properly

x Never cover gas appliances

Please note that failure to give reasonable access to your home to allow us to complete the annual safety check is dangerous for you, your family and your neighbours. It’s also a breach of your tenancy conditions, which could result in action to enforce access or end your tenancy.

Spot the danger signs - Contact Heateam immediately on 01926 412828 if you notice:• Sooting or staining on or around the appliance.

• A yellow or orange lazy flame – not crisp and blue

• More condensation than usual in the room where the appliance is installed.

• Anyone in your household suffering from drowsiness, headaches, nausea or chest pains when using a gas appliance.

Gas leaks - If you think you can smell gas or fumes:

• Turn off the gas at the meter• Open windows• Put out naked flames• Don’t use electrical switches

24

Call the National Gas EmergencyCentre on 0800 111 999

Keeping your smoke alarms in good working order protects you and your family against fire. By pressing the test button on your alarm you can check if the battery is still charged and find out if your alarm is ready and working. However, it is just too easy to forget this simple test. Batteries should ideally be changed before the alarm starts to give a low battery warning. Standard alkaline batteries should be changed yearly, while lithium batteries usually require replacement after 5 years. The smoke alarm unit itself needs to be replaced after 10 years.

Does your smoke alarm work?

25

“I forgot to replace the batteries in my smoke alarm.....”

Our local dog warden, Vicky Timms dropped in to tell us what’s happening out on the

streets. She had just picked up a Jack Russell that had been abandoned by his owners. He

will be put in our holding kennels for 7 days, so that the owners have the chance to collect him.

After that time the warden will set about re-homing him. If the dog is not sociable or has behaviour

problems, he may even end up having to be put down. And this is not the only dog she has dealt with, “there are lots of Staffies (Staffordshire Bull Terriers) being abandoned at the moment, because owners can’t look after them as well as they thought. I just wish people would think really carefully before they decide to own a dog and then I wouldn’t be picking up so many strays.” says Vicky, “So many people decide to have a cute little puppy and as soon as it’s grown up a bit, they don’t want it any more.”

Do some research It’s exciting to pick a cute little puppy, but do you know what it will look like and how big it will be when it’s fully grown? Do you know much about the breed? Is it a working dog? What type of personality will it have? Some breeds are super energetic, they need to run and dig all day! Do you know how your dog will turn out?

A man’s best friend...

26

Owning a dog is a big commitment and our dog warden, Vicky has a few things for you to think about if you are planning on getting a dog. The first thing to do is check with your Housing Officer that you are allowed a dog in your home.

27

Think about your lifestyleWhere will the dog stay during the day and at night? Do you go away a lot at the weekends? Do you have the time during the day to walk the dog, play with it and keep it entertained? Work out your finances Do you know how much it costs to keep a dog? What with food, a bed, collar and lead, you will also need to think about vaccinations, grooming, vet’s bills and neutering your dog – make sure you can afford all this. A dog is a big commitment. The RSPCA have identified five freedoms that any dog owner should aim to give their pet and these are: 1. Freedom from hunger and thirst Provide water and the right type and quantity of food. 2. Freedom from discomfort Make sure they have the right environment, including shelter and somewhere comfortable to rest.

3. Freedom from pain, injury and disease Prevent them from getting ill or injured by getting them diagnosed and treated rapidly if they do. 4. Freedom to behave normally Make sure they have enough space, proper facilities and the company of other dogs. 5. Freedom from fear and distress Making sure their conditions and treatment avoid any suffering.

A dog is a loyal friend and an enjoyable family pet, but just make sure it is the right pet for your home and family life.

If you would like help with any dog-related issues you can contact Vicky on 01926 456735 or email victoria.timms@warwickdc.gov.ukFor general enquiries about dogs, visit www.rspca.org.uk

A man’s best friend...

28

Trading Standards update

Beauty and

Health Products Help!

I’m Stuck in Madrid!

Beware of ‘free’ sample offers for face creams, detox pills and other beauty and health products advertised on social networking and other Internet sites. Trading Standards Officers are particularly concerned that social media users are sharing these offers and people are signing up without thinking because they trust recommendations from ‘friends’ when they might be more wary otherwise.

The offers are also often mixed in with genuine promotions from well established businesses, making it harder for you to distinguish the good from the bad and down right ugly! Consumers are registering their debit or credit cards with these beauty product businesses, believing that the only cost to them is a few pounds for postage and packing.

However, many people are not reading the offer small print and do not realise that they have in fact signed up to an expensive monthly subscription! This only becomes apparent to them when they receive more of the product and are charged over £70 a month.

Be extremely wary of signing up to any ‘free’ offers on the Internet, especially when you are asked to share bank account or credit card details.

Make sure you trust the company fully before going ahead – and always read the small print.

Warwickshire Trading Standards has recently been made aware of some scams which seek to exploit people’s good nature to steal money. The latest is an email which claims to be from the ‘Rev. David Lacy’. He claims to be stuck in Madrid having had his wallet stolen and only needs you to lend him 2000 EUR in order that he can get home safely!

Such emails prey on the vulnerable and should be deleted immediately on receipt.

Dial 999 or 101?Available 24/7, 101 is the new number to callwhen you want to speak to the Police, but it’sless urgent than a 999 call.

When should you dial 101?• Your car has been stolen• Your property has been damaged• You suspect drug dealing close by• To report a minor traffic collision• To give the Police information about a crime in your area• To speak to the Police about a general enquiry.

Does it cost?Yes it costs 15pence per call – no matter what time you call or how long the call is. This goes to the providers to cover the cost of carrying the call – no money goes to the Police or the Council from 101 calls.

Who answers the calls?Police officers and staff from the local control room of your nearest police force.

What if I’m deaf or hard of hearing?Just dial textphone 18001 101

When do I use 999?For an emergency• When a crime is in progress• When there is danger to life• When there is a threat of violence

How urgent is it?

29

Winter Wordsearch WinnersCongratulations to Mrs D Powell. She was the winner of our Winter Wordsearch Competition; she wins a £40 Asda Gift Card.

Our four runners up prizes of £5 Asda Gift Card go toMrs L Alexander Mrs H StalkerMrs M Crabtree Mrs J Moore

The missing word was LENTIL

30

This issue’s recipes are just what you need if you’ve survived the cold winter months hidden in big jumpers and baggy, warm clothes and are starting to look ahead to the summer months and searching out your swimsuit or bikini! You might want to shed a few pounds or just need a few ideas for healthier meals.

Chicken & Bacon Hotpot

A Slimming World recipe that is a real family favourite

and filling too! And if you know anything about slimming

world, there are no syns in this recipe – which, to the

rest of us means that you can eat loads!

Serves 4. Ready in just under 2 hours

Ingredients4 chicken thighs on the bone, (remove skin)

Fry light1 medium onion, chopped

4 back bacon rashers, chopped (remove fat)

200g mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

450ml chicken stock

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

salt and pepper

550g potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

broccoli, or other vegetables to serve

To makePre-heat the oven to 180c/Gas 4. Spray a frying pan

with fry light and brown the chicken for a few minutes on

both sides and place in a casserole dish.

Add the onion and bacon to the frying pan, stir fry for a

few minutes. Then add the mushrooms, carrots, stock

and half of the mixed herbs. Season with salt and

pepper and bring to the boil.

Pour the bacon mixture over the chicken and arrange

the potato pieces over the top, overlapping them

slightly. Sprinkle on the remaining herbs.

Spray the top with fry light, cover the pot and bake in

the oven for 11/2 hours. After this time, remove from the

oven and spray the top again with fry light, then place

under a hot grill for 5 minutes to brown.

Serve with vegetables.

Blue Cheese and Brocolli

Pasta BakeA Weight Watchers Recipe, which is a quick and

easy vegetarian meal and has a 9 pro-point value.

Serves 4

Ingredients150g wholewheat pasta spirals or tubes

1 tsp olive oil1 head broccoli separated into florets

1 small onion, finely diced

½ vegetable stock cube

100g half fat crème fraiche

100g vegetarian blue cheese

125 ml skimmed milk

½ pack fresh chives

black pepper

Crunchy topping2 tsp low fat spread40g wholemeal breadcrumbs

1 tbs pine nuts

To makePre-heat the oven gas mark 5/190c/ 170c fan

oven.Bring pan of water to the boil and cook the pasta

for half the time it says on the packet. Add the

broccoli and cook for 3 minutes more. Drain and

keep 4fl oz of the liquid, tip this into a medium

sized baking dish with the brocolli.

Add oil to a pan and cook the onion until soft.

Crumble in the stock and stir in the reserved

liquid and then add the crème fraiche, blue

cheese and milk. Add half the chives and pepper.

To make the topping melt the low fat spread in a

small saucepan and stir in the breadcrumbs, pine

nuts and the remaining chives.

Pour the blue cheese mixture over the pasta and

broccoli and then top with the breadcrumbs. Put

in the oven for 30 minutes until the cheese sauce

is bubbling and

the breadcrumbs are crisp

and golden brown.Serve with a mixed salad.

Healthier Recipes

31

Healthier RecipesFrom tenant and Home News editorial panel member, Helen Scott.

With the rising cost of food, I feel that however small our gardens many things may be grown, if only in tubs, to help us save a little money and they taste so nice! You can grow tomatoes, chillies, peppers, potatoes, salad ingredients as well as herbs, the list seems endless. Tomatoes may be grown in hanging baskets and are very decorative. Why not join with your family & friends and swap your produce? I will be growing more herbaceous plants this year between my shrubs; they are less vulnerable in our uncertain climate. The clematis have not let me down, but I shall have to find a more sheltered sunny spot for my “ Morning Glories” they did not like the wind we have had so much of.

Nature continues to play tricks on us, but there is still much to enjoy, the snowdrops & crocus were wonderful this year, I fed them when they finished flowering and parted some of the larger clumps ( in the green ) and moved small clumps to other places in the garden. The Pyracanthus were a picture, the blackbirds do not seem to like the orange berries and leave them for us to enjoy. “My garden lifts my spirit, soothes my eyes and fills my heart with joy” a quote from the late Geoff Hamilton. The deciduous trees have grandeur of their own and there are many to see, as you travel around the country roads and lanes.

A Right RoyalWordsearchm o n a r c h y n p c je e o o o n a e m e n ue s t u e h e a l r o bn l o s f u j e p o i ih s i o q e b r u y s lo f p z s r i o i d s en o i t a n o r o c e eo s y t c b o n b t c hn y i e p y e t w r c ha o s m a f s t r o a sn s f l o t u t h f r iy t x i s m e e i y o c

WO

RD

BA

NK celebration

coronation elizabethdiamondaccession

monarchyprincessjubileemajestyqueen

royalsixtycrown

Gardening News

WIN a £40 TESCO Gift card or one of the four runners-up prizes of a £5 TESCO Gift Card!

One word from the word bank is not in the puzzle. If you can find it, complete the form below and post it to us before 30 April 2012. In the event of a tie, first out of the hat wins.

Name .................................................................................................................

Address ...........................................................................................................

Tel ..........................................................................................................................

The missing word is .........................................................................

SEND YOUR ENTRIES TO: Fiona Walsh, Housing & Property Services, PO Box 2175, Warwick District Council, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 5QE

32

HOUSING REPAIRS 01926 412 828HomeChoice and Housing Officer enquiries 01926 412828Council Housing Estates Supervisors Eileen McKeoghChristine Ledger Square .........07866 609 655John Lamb - Fallow Hill/Stamford Gardens/Binswood Street (grounds maintenance only) ...................................................07866 609 674Andy Smith - Kennedy/St Paul’s Square ...................................................07866 609 657Ant Collins - New Brook Street/Radcliffe Gardens/Westbrook House/Dell House/44 Clarendon Square (grounds maintenance only) .........................................07866 609 656James Baker - Senior Estates Supervisor .........................07979 486 617/01926 456 444

Disabled Adaptations.........(01926) 456 405

GaragesApplying for a garage – Mrs Darlison/Mrs Leech ..................................(01926) 456 424/5Garage Repairs .....................(01926) 412 828

Housing Advice, HomeChoice and Homelessness ......(01926) 456 427/428/359

Home News Fiona Walsh ...........................(01926) 456 447

Overdue Gas Servicing.......(01926) 456 035Sue Sweeney ........................ (01926) 456 434

Tenancy Enforcement ...........(01926) 456 419Corporate ComplaintsFiona Walsh ...........................(01926) 456 447

Leaseholder Enquiries ................................................(01926) 456 420

Refuse & Recycling ............(01926) 412 464

RentsProblems with paying your home rent. Guy Greenland/Yusaf Ramzan/Mark Herbert ..................................(01926) 456 438/457/435Problems with paying your garage rent Kathy Lewis ............................(01926)456 239Rent Direct Debit, Eva Nicholls ................................................(01926) 456 409Rent Allpay CardsSatnam Sangha ......................(01926) 456 408Pay your rent by phone............................FREEPHONE 0800 028 3377Managing Your financesLisa Crossland ......................(01926) 456 454

Tenant Involvement(Area Panels & Residents Groups) Margaret Allen .......................(01926) 456 451

Tenants’ Contents Insurance SchemeSatnam Sangha .....................(01926) 456 408

Warwick Response (Lifeline Service)24 hour number .....................(01926) 339 577Supporting People Services Manager Joan Hicks .............................(01926) 456 405

If you prefer to write, our address is: Housing and Property Services, Warwick District Council, P.O. Box 2175, Riverside House, Milverton Hill, Royal Leamington Spa, CV32 5QEIf you prefer to email:Housing Register & Homelessnesshadvice@warwickdc.gov.ukReporting Repairscontactus@warwickdc.gov.ukRepairs Queries – not for reporting repairshsgrep@warwickdc.gov.uk Housing Officers & Estate Managementhsgem@warwickdc.gov.ukRent Arrears Teamhsgra@warwickdc.gov.ukLettings & Moving Homehsglet@warwickdc.gov.ukHousing Complaintshsgcr@warwickdc.gov.ukLifeline Control Centreccms@warwickdc.gov.ukLeaseholderssandra.clarke@warwickdc.gov.uk

Visit www.orbithomebuyagents.co.uk or call 03458 50 20 50 (select option 2)Terms and conditions apply – ask for details. Orbit HomeBuy Agents is managed by Orbit Homes (2020) Limited, a member

of Orbit Group Limited which is an exempt charity registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965.

Open the door to your new home with Orbit HomeBuy Agents

We are the HomeBuy Agent for Coventry and Warwickshire, and we help peopleof all ages in all sorts of circumstances to find their dream home. In this role, we act as the first point of contact for all those seeking a home through one of the range

of HomeBuy low-cost home ownership and discounted market rent products.

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