The home ownership team works with both leaseholders and shared ownership customers to keep our homes and communities safe and well looked after, such as considering our communal areas, fire risks, gas safety and grounds maintenance. We ensure leaseholders are aware of both your and our responsibilities and work hard to ensure value for money for any repairs or upgrades that are needed.
This year, we’ve taken on a dedicated customer accounts officer to support anyone who may be struggling to pay their rent. This includes putting affordable agreements in place, referring customers to agencies who can help maximise their income and helping build up a good credit score. Since they joined, we have seen the number of customers who are in debt decrease.
Led by our major works liaison officer, we’re working closely with you on a new process, so everyone who needs to be aware of any large projects will be kept informed from the earliest opportunity. The officer will then keep you up to date with the progress of a project if there is likely to be delays or issues and how we intend to fix them.
Our special projects officer works to make sure annual gas servicing is completed in our homeowners’ properties. In 22/23 we sent letters to over 4,000 customers as a reminder to have gas boilers checked and a certificate sent to us. We are offering to install new rated fire doors for our leaseholders in blocks of flats at a reduced rate, to keep homes as safe as possible.
Case study: supporting a customer after a fire
The team has supported one of our shared owners in Somerset following a fire at his home. We supported him with an emergency housing application and helped with referrals to agencies and charities that could support him. We’ve also helped him to liaise with his insurance claims whilst he had no fixed address. We speak to him regularly to get updates on the works to his home and his own welfare. He’s been placed in temporary accommodation until he can return home.
Experian rental exchange opt-out function
You’ve told us that being part of Experian’s rental exchange scheme where regular rent payments contribute towards your personal credit score, is a good thing for your overall credit rating. However, you’ve also told us this can cause problems.
This is because sometimes, during a major project, we may be required to issue a demand for money to pay for the works towards the start of a new account year in April. As we allow for flexible payment arrangements, you don’t have to pay us that money all in one go. However, the money you owe us might appear as a debt on the rental exchange scheme, as it unfairly remains on your account for a longer period of time then your lease allows. This may cause a negative credit score. We’ve now introduced a process where you can opt out of this exchange, and you’re provided information to self-serve on how to do this.
Right to buy
With information in the press about right to buy trials and the right to shared ownership, we started to receive more applications from customers who believed they might be able buy their home. We’ve listened and introduced a self-service application pack which can tell you if you’re eligible. We’ve also changed the process to mean that before a home is sold through right to buy, inspections and surveys are completed to make sure the property is as it should be.
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