building better services

In April this year Homes for Haringey will be four years old. In the four years since we launched we've done a lot of work to improve what we do and the service we offer you. And we couldn't have done it without your help. Take a look at some of the highlights below.

• Repairs service
• Customers first
• Building skills
• A little bit of extra support
• More than building works
• Better estates
• Resident Involvement - we couldn't do it without you
• Award winning films
• Community spirit
• High standards
• Communicating with you

Download our Annual Report 2008/09

Repairs service

We do over 60,000 repairs a year. Our Repairs Service has been improving and it seems you think so too. Our tenants' survey in 2008 showed that 68% of you feel we provide a good repairs service. That's a 9% increase on a similar survey in 2006.

In April 2008 we launched our Repairs Control Centre. Here specially trained staff answer your calls and discuss the problem with you to find out exactly what repair is needed. This helps to make sure that the tradesperson has enough information to fix it at the first visit.

Our new fleet of repairs vehicles has saved us £900K and are more environmentally friendly. Some carry a range of spare parts so we can fix more jobs right away without having to go back to the depots.

You said, we did

You told us that you wanted to be able to report your repairs at a time that suits you. That's why our repairs control centre is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you report a non-emergency repair after 6pm or at weekends, we will take details of the repairs issue and one of our officers will get in touch with you the next working day.

You also told us that freephone numbers aren't always free from a mobile, so we introduced an alternative landline number. Call 0800 195 3404 or 020 8489 5611 (cheaper from a mobile). And now, to provide an even more convenient service, repairs appointments have been extended to include weekday evenings until 8pm and Saturday mornings.

Back to the top

---

Customers first

We've been awarded the government's Customer Service Excellence Standard. The assessor said he was impressed with our commitment to customer involvement and empowerment, our communications to residents and the way our staff interact with you, our customers.

This accreditation means a lot to us. Putting customers first is at the heart of everything we do.

You said, we did

We value all your feedback and that's why we went out and knocked on 21,000 doors to ask you what you thought of our services. We used what you told us to create a detailed action plan so we can focus our resources on the areas that are important to you.

Back to the top

---

Building skills

In April 2009 we hosted our first Construction Jobs Fair for residents to find out more about working, studying or training in the building and maintenance trades. Attendees could pick up tips on training, careers, searching for jobs and preparing their CVs as well as speaking to some of our current apprentices to find out first hand what it's like to work in the industry.

In 2009 we trained 44 Silver Surfers to use the web either in their supported housing schemes or at our special event for National Silver Surfers Day. Our Resident Involvement team also offer a range of training opportunities.

You said, we did

You told us you wanted us to build on our success to date in providing job and training opportunities for local people through our apprenticeship scheme and events such as our Jobs Fair. In 2009 we took on ten apprentices, double the number from the year before. We've also offered work experience to local schools and our Decent Homes contractor partners are all offering work experience placements.

Back to the top

---

A little bit of extra support

We understand that people's circumstances change over time and so do their needs. That's why we do what we can to offer a bit of extra support.

We've been helping you through the credit crunch by running poster campaigns and regular articles in Homes Zone magazine about managing your money. We've reminded you that if your financial circumstances change, you should contact us straight away as you may be entitled to benefits. Our Income Collection Officers can give you advice or refer you to an independent Citizens Advice Bureau. Find out more on our having trouble paying your bills page.

You said, we did

You told us that it was frustrating to have to explain your personal circumstances every time you contact us. We adapted our system to flag up any individual needs that you've told us about and, wherever possible, tailor our services to meet these needs. For example, if you tell us that you have a mobility problem, we'll ask our repairs operatives to give you longer to answer the door. If you have an individual need that we should know about, please contact your Tenancy Management Officer.

Back to the top

---

More than building works

Together with our constructor partners we have completed nearly two years of our five-year Decent Homes programme. All over the borough residents are feeling the benefit of a range of improvements to their homes including new doors, windows, roofs, kitchens and bathrooms and cavity wall and roof insulation.

We are working with our constructor partners to see the Decent Homes programme bring extra benefits to residents that will be firmly in place after the builders are gone. Two community centres have already been refurbished, with a third due early in 2010. All our constructor partners have also agreed to offer local apprenticeships and work experience to provide a long term future for young people in the borough. They also regularly hold fun days and events to help bring the community together.

You said, we did

We listened to leaseholders' concerns and allowed them to install their own windows and doors ahead of Decent Homes work. We also introduced a new range of payment options for major works, and a booklet explaining them.

Back to the top

---

Better estates

If you live on an estate you're set to benefit from our new mobile working system. The hand-held devices allow Estate Services Managers to report on the standards of cleanliness on estates and log communal repairs and other estate issues onto our main IT system while they're out and about. This means there is no delay getting the problems logged on to the system so that they are dealt with sooner. This way of working is also more environmentally friendly: we'll use less paper and CO2 emissions will be reduced as there will be less driving back and forth from the estate to the office

You said, we did

You told us that rubbish dumping and nuisance such as noise and dangerous dogs were major concerns where you live. We have been working closely with Haringey Council's enforcement service to deal with these issues. Estate Services staff have been trained to issue fixed penalty notices for dumping and litter. Film evidence from CCTV cameras is also helping us catch those responsible.

Back to the top

---

Resident Involvement - we couldn't do it without you

Your involvement is key in all aspects of our work. We work with groups of residents, regardless of age, to improve housing services and bring other benefits to the community. You have helped us select the contractors for the Decent Homes programme, carry out Value for Money reviews of our services and organise community events such as our Open Day and Rewarding Resident Volunteer Awards.

You said, we did

Members of our Tenant Participation Panel suggested we run an awards scheme for those who put so much of their own time and energy into community involvement. As a result eight individuals who had done great work in their own neighbourhood were awarded a trophy and £300 to spend on their community. We're so pleased with the results that we're running the awards again this year.

Back to the top

---

Award winning films

Young people from four estates - Coldfall, Edgecot Grove, Northumberland Park and The Sandlings - made ten-minute films depicting everyday life in their neighbourhoods. Each of the films was planned and shot in a single weekend. The 44 young people learned a range of video-making skills and earned qualifications for their efforts.

The project was entered for a national award and beat off stiff competition to win in the Best Practice in the Community category in the TPAS Connecting People Awards.

You said, we did

The films identified several problems as seen by young people about the areas where they live. So we worked with a range of partners to provide solutions. The outcomes include two multi-use games areas, changes in police patrols and additional facilities for young people.

Back to the top

---

Community spirit

We actively support community activities that bring people together, such as the increasingly popular annual International Day at Commerce Road in Wood Green. At the same time, we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour. We have worked closely with Haringey Council's Antisocial Behaviour Action Team (ASBAT) and residents to deal with people whose selfish or unreasonable behaviour causes distress to others.

We've also tried some new approaches for nipping antisocial behaviour in the bud. The ASBAT Family Support Service works with children and parents to help combat antisocial behaviour problems. At Mountview Court estate, we worked with residents to produce a Good Neighbour Agreement. Residents decided what they should expect from each other to create a strong, friendly community. Simple things like keeping music at a reasonable volume, cleaning up after their dogs, and keeping communal areas clean and safe were all listed in the Agreement.

You said, we did

You told us we needed to find better ways to engage with residents who live in street properties, not on estates. We've since set up regular borough-wide meetings for tenants in street properties and agreed new ways for them to be kept informed about important information such as the Decent Homes programme. If you live in a street property and want to get involved contact the Resident Involvement team on 020 8489 4463 or email resident.involvement@homesforharingey.org.

Back to top

---

High standards

Since we launched in April 2006, we’ve taken giant strides towards making sure you get good quality services.

We currently have a two star rating from the Audit Commission, meaning we provide a good service. They'll be inspecting us again in June this year to check that's still the case.

We want you to be happy with the service we offer you. That's why we always value your feedback so that we can use it to improve the things we get wrong and keep doing the things we get right.

To check our services are up to scratch we also make sure we are accredited by a range of organisations including:

• Investors in People
• Britain's Top Employer
• The British Standards Institute
• Two Ticks Postive About Disabled People
• Considerate Constructors
• The Customer Service Excellence Standard

Our Tenancy Management team won a National WOW award for Best Team of 2009.

Back to top

---

Communicating with you

We’ve worked hard to make sure we keep residents up to date and in the know about our services. We’ve updated many of our leaflets, all of which are available on Homes for Haringey notice boards inside Customer Services Centres.

Our magazine, Homes Zone, was developed with the help of residents and regularly features contributions from our readers.

This website contains a substantial amount of information for residents and many services are available at the click of a button. For example, residents can request repairs online, pay their rent online , find out what works are planned for where they live or find out about getting involved online.

Back to the top

---