JOB OF THE WEEK: SENIOR COMPLAINTS OFFICER
03 July 2009

Senior Complaints Officer £30,090 - £32,283 pa inc. Are you committed to delivering high quality services to residents? If you are, get in touch. We have been dedicated to managing and maintaining over 15,000 homes since 2004. Come and help us be the best. This role is based in our Performance and Information Team. The team is responsible for collecting invaluable feedback on our services, while its broad remit also includes responsibility for customer complaints and VIP enquiries. Join us in this post to develop your management skills, through leading a small team which deals with complaints and VIP enquiries. Your goal will be to make the team more responsive then ever in resolving issues quickly and satisfactorily. We want you to play an active role in developing the service - you can make your mark by building on strong foundations with the support of committed colleagues. You will succeed by drawing on a track record in handling complaints and high profile enquiries. A proactive approach and the ability to take ownership of situations and see them through to completion is a must. You will also be a good communicator who empathises well with residents. For an application pack, please visit our website: www.barnethomes.org. Please quote reference: BH/258 Closing date: 10 July 2009. Barnet Homes is committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to the Investors in People Standard. Visit our website at www.barnethomes.org

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TODAY’S JOB: PERFORMANCE AND INFORMATION - TEAM ASSISTANT
03 July 2009

Performance and Information - Team Assistant £21,162 - £23,046 pa inc. Are you committed to delivering high quality services to residents? If you are, get in touch. We have been dedicated to managing and maintaining over 15,000 homes since 2004. Come and help us be the best. This role is based in our Performance and Information Team. The team is responsible for collecting invaluable feedback on our services, while its broad remit also includes responsibility for customer complaints and VIP enquiries. This role is great start to career in Social Housing - if you’re bright, committed and eager to learn. You will be providing administrative support to the whole Performance and Information team. The focus is performance monitoring and data analysis, but you will be ideally placed to learn about all the different functions of housing management. To take advantage of this opportunity, you need a good level of numeracy and literacy, complemented by good knowledge of MS Office packages, particularly Excel. You also need a proactive approach and the ability to take ownership of situations. For an application pack, please visit our website: www.barnethomes.org. Please quote reference: BH/259 Closing date: 10 July 2009. Barnet Homes is committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to the Investors in People Standard. Visit our website at www.barnethomes.org

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LONDON COUNCILS: REFORM OF COUNCIL HOUSING FINANCE WELCOMED
03 July 2009

The Government’s radical shake-up of the way boroughs receive funding to manage and maintain their housing stocks, alongside support for councils to build new affordable homes, has been welcomed by London Councils. Under new government proposals, boroughs would keep all of the money they collect in rents and through house sales and use it to meet the needs of their tenants, instead of giving a proportion to the government for national redistribution. These proposals follow a year-long review of council housing finance by the government, which has seen housing finance experts and local authorities united in their calls for enhanced local freedom and control. London Councils’ Executive Member for Housing, Councillor Steve Reed, said: “A fundamental overhaul of the way local authorities receive funding for managing and maintaining their housing is long overdue and it is something for which London Councils and the boroughs have been lobbying for many years. “I am delighted that the government has responded to our calls by promising to replace the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy System with a devolved system of responsibility and funding. “London boroughs have consistently been at the forefront of the devolution debate, ably demonstrating that increasing local financial freedom ensures better results for Londoners and a better deal for Britain. Being able to ensure locally raised rents deliver housing services for local people is an important first step, but just as important is a fair deal on housing debt. “We await further details on these proposals with interest and will continue to work with the government to ensure that this once in a generation opportunity has a positive impact on the lives of our residents.”

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HFI WINS IMPORTANT COURT JUDGEMENT OVER TENANCY RIGHTS
03 July 2009

Homes for Islington (HFI) have successfully obtained a possession order against Linda Freeman of Worthington House. Ms Freeman applied to succeed to the tenancy of her father at Worthington House, following his death in June 2005. HFI’s investigation revealed that Worthington House was not her only home. It was discovered that Ms Freeman had owned a flat in N16 since 1989 which she had been renting out since June 2005. She was asked to give up the tenancy as she was not eligible to take over her father’s tenancy. She refused and HFI applied for a possession order in the County Court in September 2008. Ms Freeman appealed against the decision. Her appeal failed following a hearing in late May with the Court of Appeal. The court found, for the purposes of section 87 of the Housing Act 1985 that, although she was living at her father’s flat by the time of his death, she had not lived with him for the necessary period of 12 months to be entitled to assume the tenancy. The judge commented that there was nothing to show that her father’s flat and not her flat in N16 was her home. Eamon McGoldrick, HFI’s Chief Executive said: “This result is good news for people in Islington. There is a high demand for Council housing with many people waiting for a property and the system must be fair. “This court case sets a very clear definition of how long someone must live in a property before they are entitled to inherit the tenancy. HFI always take action on tenancies that are gained illegally.”

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APOLLO NETS £9M AMICUSHORIZON DECENT HOMES CONTRACT
03 July 2009

The Apollo Group, has won a £9m Decent Homes contract for AmicusHorizon. The three-year agreement will see Apollo as the sole contractor on over 1,000 of AmicusHorizon’s homes in South London. The Decent Homes refurbishment will include kitchen and bathroom replacements, as well as rewiring and other works. Apollo won the business in a competitive tender process against four other suppliers. Dave Sheridan, Chief Operating Officer at the Apollo Group, said: “The award of this contract recognises Apollo’s expertise in providing cost-effective, high quality refurbishments for RSLs, and is further evidence of our continued growth.” Marian Burke, Head of Procurement at AmicusHorizon added: “Apollo’s approach and offering supports AmicusHorizon's vision of becoming an excellent, resident focused service provider – both efficient and effective. “We are now looking forward to working closely with the Group to continue to enhance the communities we serve across London.” Work will commence in September 2009.

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WEST LONDON PCHA SCHEME RECEIVES PRUDENTIAL UK MAKEOVER
03 July 2009

Residents at PCHA’s Grittleton Road sheltered housing scheme, part of Genesis Housing Group, have received an interior decoration and garden makeover when volunteers from Prudential UK came to help out. Fifteen volunteers arrived at the Westminster home and redecorated a flat occupied by Mrs Namit Chicole who recently suffered a stroke and is mostly confined indoors. A walled communal garden was weeded and cleaned, with a raised bed area planted up with fresh herbs for the residents to enjoy. Three garden benches were sanded and re-stained, and a guest room was repainted. Beatrice Boussard, Scheme Manager at Bartlett Court, said “I am very proud to see the young professionals give up their day at the office to make a difference in our community.” Mrs Chicole, resident, said “What a fantastic job! I am very, very happy – my flat looks much brighter”. Frank Davies, Prudential volunteer, said: “I would definitely do it again – I feel that I’ve really made a difference.”

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EC1 CONNECT SCHEME TO BE EXTENDED
03 July 2009

A service that offers a helping hand to residents in EC1 has now extended into the north of Islington and is operating in Finsbury Park and Canonbury. The service, EC1 Connect, was set up by EC1 New Deal for Communities (NDC) in 2005 to assist residents with issues affecting their quality of life such as housing conditions, access to benefits and employment and training opportunities. Its effectiveness stems from the technique of contacting people directly in their homes by knocking on doors on all social housing estates. Connect advisors identify the problems in each household and refer the residents to organisations that can help. They then follow up the referral with both the organisation and the client until a satisfactory outcome is achieved. The effectiveness of this approach has been recognised by Homes for Islington, charity Cripplegate Foundation and NHS Islington, who are funding the extension of the service. EC1 NDC has also confirmed that they will be funding EC1 Connect until the end of the programme in 2011. EC1 NDC Chief Executive, Kirby Swales said: “The Connect service provides that vital link between residents who are in need of help but don’t know how to get it, and service providers who simply don’t have the resources to seek those people out. It’s been proven to work in EC1 and I’m delighted more residents will benefit.” Since it started in 2005, EC1 Connect has made over 3000 referrals and works with 60 partner organisations. It won Neighbourhood Renewal Project of the Year in the Regeneration & Renewal Awards last year.

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HOUSING NEWS: JOBS AND TENDERS ROUND-UP
03 July 2009

Housing News is advertising the following jobs and tenders on its regional newsletters: JOBS Ochil View and Rural Stirling Housing Associations are seeking a Development Officer. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com/jobs. Closing Date: July 27. Barnet Homes is seeking a Senior Complaints Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/london. Closing date: July 10. Barnet Homes is seeking a Performance and Information - Team Assistant. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/london. Closing date: July 10. Trent & Dove Housing is seeking a Board Member. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/westmidlands. Closing date: July 20. Stafford & Rural Homes is seeking a Service Excellence Manager. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/westmidlands. Closing date: July 10. Stafford & Rural Homes is seeking a Service Improvement Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/westmidlands. Closing date: July 10. Villages Housing is seeking an Estate Management Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/northwest. Closing date: July 10. Gravesham Borough Council is seeking a Housing Strategy Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/southeast/jobs. Closing Date: July 6. Hillingdon Council is seeking a Low Cost Home Ownership Officer. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/london. Closing Date: July 8. London Rebuilding Society is seeking an Interim Housing Investment Services Manager. For more information, go to: www.housingnews.co.uk/london/jobs. Closing Date: June 29. Abbeyfield Scotland is seeking a Housing Officer (P/T). For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com/jobs. Closing date: July 10. TENDERS Argyll Community Housing Association Ltd is inviting tenders for a tenant satisfaction survey. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com . Closing date: July 24. East Lothian Housing Association is inviting tenders for a Customer Satisfaction Survey. For more information, go to: www.scottishhousingnews.com. Closing date: July 3. To reach the best candidates in the social housing sector, advertise your top jobs in one of our eight regional newsletters or go national to over 40,000 readers. For more information, call Amy or Angela at Hucksters on 01892 784804.