CONNSWATER CHRONICLE

Connswater Homes Newsletter Spring 2014

Page 5

Saving electricity

Page 4

Book your

annual boiler

service

Page 7

Asbestos

surveying

Page 6

Tenancy Fraud

This document is available in other languages, larger text

and other formats on request from the office

Welcome to the Spring 2014 edition of the

Connswater Chronicle

Thankfully the winter is now behind us and we can look forward to some

better weather. The weather hasn’t been too bad this past winter, but it

is nice to see the days getting brighter and longer making us all a little

happier and looking forward to some nice summer weather to come.

As you are aware we moved offices in December and we have settled in

really well. The new office premises based in Belfast city centre

(behind RBAI and the Black Man Tech) mean that we are fully

accessible to all of our tenants and only round the corner from the NIHE

District Office at Great Victoria Street, very convenient for tenants when

lodging housing benefit claims and documents.

The advent of good weather and the school holidays is looming again which means that

there will be more activity out and about in the streets with children & young people

spending time around home.

This time of year leads to increased incidents of anti-social behaviour and complaints

about young people creating nuisance for local residents. It is important for everyone at

this time to be mindful of other peoples right to peace and enjoyment of their homes,

however it is also vitally important that our young people

have the chance to enjoy the holiday time without being

confined to their own back gardens & bedrooms.

We would ask that everyone tries hard to accommodate

each other and make sure that the holidays pass by

peacefully for all of us.

Please take note of the office

closures on the back page, with

Easter holidays and Spring Bank

holidays the office will be closed on

certain days although emergency

repair cover will, as always, be

available.

Connswater Homes is recognised for its contribution to housing in

Northern Ireland

Connswater Homes have had a very successful year. We have been

recognised for pushing the boundaries and going the extra mile to

ensure our tenants receive the best service.

The aim of the CIH Housing Awards is to recognise

innovation, commitment and achievement across the

housing sector.

Connswater Homes were thrilled to be shortlisted for

the Raising Standards Award for providing excellent training facilities and opportunities for staff.

EFQM's Committed to Excellence is an assessment and recognition scheme that helps introduce excellence initiatives into organisations to deliver improved results. Connswater Homes were delighted to be awarded the Gold Star Service Excellence award, for excellence in customer services.

Staff were recently presented with certificates of appreciation from PACT (police, partners and community together) Victoria Neighbourhood Area, at their AGM in March.

The certificate was in recognition of outstanding commitment to the values and development of PACT during the recent flood alleviation work in East Belfast.

Book your annual boiler service

HOW WILL IT BE ARRANGED?

Our designated contractor will contact you directly to arrange a suitable

date and time to complete the boiler service. We realise that for our

tenants who are working, it is not always possible for

us to complete the service when we would like to. We

try to be as flexible as possible to suit the needs of

our tenants. If you require a particular date or time,

please contact the office directly to arrange an

appointment suitable for you.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

The survey will normally take less than one hour to

complete and access to the kitchen or boiler house

will be necessary. If your home is scheduled to have

a boiler service, we would ask you to allow our

surveyors to carry out their checks. If any issues are

highlighted during the service we will contact you.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

It is vital that you are present at the property in good time for this

service to take place and you will need to have 15 – 20 units of gas in

your meter or some oil in your tank to allow the engineer to complete the

service.

All our contractors are registered with Gas Safe.

When they visit your home they will show you their photographic ID cards, if you have any concerns you should contact the office on 02890 656155.

It is a legal requirement that we carry out an annual gas safety inspection

in your home, and oil boiler servicing. Without it, your appliances could

become unsafe, putting you and your family’s lives at risk. It is part of

your tenancy agreement to have these necessary checks carried out. If

you refuse to let the engineer in, we will have no choice but to apply for a

court order to gain access to your house.

Are you getting the best price for your

electricity? You can now choose who supplies your electricity or gas. You

could save money by switching your supplier. Below is a list of common

questions that would be useful to know before switching suppliers.

1. What is the best tariff they can offer?

2. How long this tariff is guaranteed for?

3. Do you have to use a particular method of payment?

4. Who should you contact if you have any problems with your keypad meter if it was supplied before you switched?

5. Who should you contact if you have problems with your electricity supply?

If you decide to switch check that your new supplier will contact your current supplier to advise you are switching, and that they will give your meter reading

to your current supplier in order for them to calculate your final bill.

For more information please

contact the Consumer

Council on 0300 123 6262

or visit

www.consumercouncil.org.uk

Northern Ireland Electricity and NI Water operate a Critical Care Register where they keep details of customers who rely on electrical equipment or a water supply for their day to day care. In the case of electricity customers this includes medical equipment such as oxygen concentrators, patient vital signs monitoring systems and home dialysis.

With NI Water their Critical Care Register is for customers with serious medical conditions.

Adding your details to this register will allow NIE and NI Water to prioritise your contact details if your supply goes off. To sign up free to NIE and NI Water’s ‘Critical Care Registers’ visit http://www.consumercouncil.org.uk/energy or call 0800 121 6022

Do you rely on electricity or water because of a health condition?

Do you know of a tenant letting someone live in a property whilst they live elsewhere?

Or tenants who have moved out and let their adult

children continue to live in the property?

Are you aware of any properties left empty by tenants?

Or where a tenant has moved out & is subletting a dwelling to other people without the permission of Connswater Homes?

It is in everyone's interest to stop this happening.

This could be stopping you or someone you know from getting a home

FRAUD

Connswater Homes are blowing

the whistle on tenancy fraud

If you know of any address where this is happening please

contact the office on 028 90656155

Empty properties which are vacant for a long period of time are detrimental socially, environmentally and economically.

They can become a nuisance for those living in the neighbourhood, can be the cause of blight to adjoining properties and lead to anti-social behaviour in the area. If you know of an empty property in your neighbourhood please contact NI Housing Executive’s Empty Homes Unit which has recently been set up and they will attempt to contact the owner to find out if it is possible to bring the property back into use.

Connswater Homes would encourage you to report any empty properties that you become aware of, which are not in Connswater’s ownership, to the NI Housing Executive.

The website address for the NIHE Empty Homes Unit is www.emptyhomesni.com or alternatively, the contact telephone number is 03448 920 900

It’s usually condensation

Damp ? Damp ? Damp ?

Condensation can cause mould, mildew and

fungal growth on walls and ceilings. If not dealt with, condensation can

damage your health. Condensation is caused by a lot of moisture in the air

that cannot escape from a building. It appears mainly in the cold weather,

whether it’s raining or dry. You can find it on cold surfaces and in places with little airflow, for example, in corners, behind furniture, in cupboards, or around windows. Dealing with ventilation is key to reducing condensation in your home.

Make sure there is good ventilation while cooking When drying clothes, open a window slightly or turn on extractor fan Properties left unoccupied during the day become cold. Whenever

possible, keep heating on at a low level Its always better to have a small amount of heat for a long period

rather than a lot of heat for a short period

The effects of condensation are unpleasant, but follow some or all of the above suggestions and it can be avoided.

Asbestos Surveys

During the past few months you may have had a surveyor at your home to check for

any Asbestos Containing Materials. There is a legal requirement for the Association to

survey any properties built before 2000. All our properties older than this, have now

been checked and we are pleased to report that any asbestos found is very low level

and safe. There is no danger to anyone.

Asbestos when properly managed does not pose a risk to health.

The Association holds an asbestos register of properties with asbestos containing

materials and these properties will have the condition of the asbestos monitored on

an annual basis.

What if I want to buy my home?

If a survey has been carried out to your property the Association will provide you with a

copy of the survey and the relevant information.

What if I want to carry out works to my home?

Contact the maintenance department in line with your tenancy agreement and they will

advise accordingly.

Keeping it Tidy

You don’t have to spend money on shrubs, pots and plants. Just

keeping your grass cut and free of litter makes a huge difference.

A clean and tidy garden is an added space for you and your family to enjoy. Well

maintained gardens also improve the appearance of your home and local

area. It’s that time of the year to start tiding up your garden in preparation for summer.

Follow our Top Ten Tips for a neat and attractive garden.

Top Ten Tips

Get prepared for Connswater Homes’ Garden

Competition which will run during July and August!

Keep your garden in fabulous condition for your chance to win!

Protect new spring shoots from slugs

Plant summer-flowering bulbs

Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials

Top dress containers with fresh compost

Mow the lawn on dry days

Deal with weeds before they get out of hand

Tie in climbing and rambling roses

Sow hardy annuals and herb seeds

Feed hungry shrubs and roses

Protect fruit blossom from late frosts

There will be a community clean up event in the Mersey St area of East

Belfast.

Volunteers will be in the area from 10.00am until 3.00pm on Wednesday 23rd April 2014. Connswater Homes will be providing two skips on the day which will be situated at either end of Mersey Street.

Wednesday 23rd April

10.00am – 3.00pm

Youth Initiatives (based in St Christopher’s Church) young people have volunteered to help tidy up the surrounding area, they will call at residents doors (wearing red t-shirts) to see if there is anything that they need help with such as dumping items or getting around the area tidied up. All under supervision of their leaders. A community clean up provides some of the

most tangible rewards of any volunteering programme. The results are immediately visible.

Improves the appearance of an area that was previously neglected,

abandoned, vandalised or misused.

Allows community members to use and enjoy the improved area more

than they did before the clean up.

Strengthens the community ties of those involved in the clean up.

Grass cutting Dumping Tidy up

Heavy lifting

The Big Lunch 2014 - join the party!

Sunday 1 June 2014 is the sixth annual Big

Lunch – the UK’s annual get together for

neighbours. The Eden Project, supported by

The Big Lottery Fund are encouraging us all to

turn off the TV and come together with our

friends, neighbours and local communities for

food, friendship and fun. It’s very easy to take part, simply order

your FREE Big Lunch pack and bring the fun to your neck of the woods. The

Big Lunch is the perfect way to get people together, to share an idea, to

encourage action or simply to start conversations and create stronger

community spirit, and it’s a great way to bring all ages together in a low cost

way. Post event research shows having a simple Big Lunch can reduce

isolation and loneliness and give people an opportunity to become more

involved locally.

This year groups and volunteers who host a Big Lunch and want to do more

locally will be eligible to apply for Big Lunch Extras, an all expenses paid

weekend Community Boot-Camp at the world famous environmental and

educational charity, the Eden

Project in Cornwall. The camp is

designed to inspire and create

positive change within UK

communities.

If you want to make good things happen where you live, join The Big Lunch by ordering your own FREE Big Lunch pack today. Contact 07703 189 048 or email Grainne.mccloskey@thebiglunch.com to find out more.

G S D E R T P O L E

I K C G V S A Z N W

G R T G V M B E F Y

Y U I Z S D G H L Z

R A B B I T R Y O L

R S N A M G E H W L

C L M R E A S T E R

G A F R T M I S R Y

R P W E G R L D S I

A R B U D S N A W E

S O M E C N S A T E

S H O M S P R I N G

BUDS

FLOWERS

RABBIT

GRASS

EGG

EASTER

SPRING

HORSE

FISH

DOG

CAT

Match picture to word

FUN PAGE Find the following words in

the grid - good luck!

Tenants are reminded that the out-of-hours telephone number we

have provided is to be used for emergencies outside office hours only

Any repairs other than emergencies or those that are not the

Association’s responsibility will be charged directly to the tenant.

Please check your list of Repairs, Rights and Responsibilities

before making that call or you will be charged!

TELECARE

0800 731 3081

Office Closures

Easter

The office will be closed Easter Monday 21st &

Tuesday 22nd April 2014 and will re-open on

Wednesday 23rd April 2014 at 9.00am

Spring Bank Holidays

The office will be closed

on Monday 5th May 2014 & Monday 26th May 2014