Over 1000 attend Haringey’s Decent Homes Show

Monday 10 March 2008

“Brilliant, a really good idea – and I won a prize!” one of many plaudits from a Haringey tenant who attended the Decent Homes Show held at Alexandra Palace last Saturday.

The event has been hailed a huge success with over 1000 local tenants and visitors turning up to see the full range of kitchen and bathroom packages to be used in the £198 million decent homes programme.

Visitors at the decent homes show

A queue formed before the show, hosted by Homes for Haringey, officially opened. Visitors were also able to see samples of doors, windows, tiles and taps from 18 suppliers working with the four main contractors for the borough – Wates, Lovells, Mulalleys and Apollo.

Entertainment was provided throughout the day with dance and karate performances from the YMCA Haringey Club. A Harry Potter look-alike was also on hand, mingling amongst the crowd entertaining children along with a balloonist and face painter. Over 20 raffle prizes ranging from toasters and blenders to lamps and a DVD player were also presented by Cllr Isidoros Diakides, cabinet member for Housing Services and the Mayor of Haringey, Cllr Sheik Thompson.

Childrens entertainers at the decent homes show

Tenants were able to speak to contractors and staff at information stands to find out when their property is included in the programme, which starts next month.

Helen Cox from Tottenham, said: “We’ve heard so much about this decent homes programme but I wanted to come down to actually see first hand the products that could transform my home. I’m really excited.”

A resident talking to staff at the decent homes show

A treasure trail prize of a high definition TV went to Leonie Kerr-Armstrong of Tottenham, N17.

Cllr Isidoros Diakides, cabinet member for Housing Services, said:

“This is the biggest investment programme in the history of our council housing service and we want to make sure that as many tenants as possible know what is involved and how they will be affected. The show was part of this process, enabling tenants to meet face-to-face the contractors and staff who will deliver it and to find out more about the programme and the choices available to them.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

Haringey has been awarded £198.5m for its decent homes programme. The money will be used over the next five years to improve council homes by installing new roofs, rewiring, double glazing and insulating to make homes more energy efficient. Some outdated kitchens and bathrooms will also be replaced as part of the programme.

Over 7,000 of the 16,500 tenants’ homes that Homes for Haringey manage will need decent home improvement work done. The others already meet the government’s decent homes standard but will also benefit from general repairs and replacements.

Homes for Haringey is the Arms Length Management Organisation managing Haringey Council’s housing stock since April 2006.

It is responsible for:

  • Meeting the Decent Home Standard
  • Services to approx 21,000 council owned properties: 16,700 tenanted and 4,500 leasehold
  • Tenancy and estate management
  • Housing management of supported housing
  • Rent collection and arrears management
  • Repairs and maintenance
  • Leasehold management
  • Resident involvement

Contractors Wates, Mulalley & Company, Lovell Partnership and Apollo Housing will carry out the programme in the following areas; Wates (Hornsey), Mulalley (Wood Green), Apollo (South Tottenham) and Lovell (North Tottenham).

To talk to someone about this news item, please contact us:

Email:communications@homesforharingey.org

Tel: 020 8489 2998

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