homesforlife.co.uk

News Items

MSP letter to all Council, Housing Association and Housing Co-operative tenants in Scotland


Kevin Stewart MSP - Minster for Local Government, Housing and Planning has wrote an open letter to all council, housing association and housing co-operative tenants in Scotland in response to the COVID-19 pandemic providing information and advice on Scotland's Route Map for moving out of the coronavirus crisis. To read the letter please click here.

Rate Your Estate 2020 Survey

Feedback

We want your feedback. This is an opportunity for you to Rate Your Estate and let us know your suggestions for improvement in your area.

You can complete the survey online by clicking HERE or you can call us on 01620 829300 to complete the survey over the phone.

Change of Repairs Contractor


Service Update - Change of Repairs and Maintenance Contractor from 4th May 2020.


Please report new general emergency repairs directly to T B MacKay on 0131 552 6103 from Monday 4th May 2020. T B MacKay staff will offer you an appointment for emergency repairs only. Until this date please continue to contact Novus.


Further information on this change to service provision will follow in the coming newsletter or should you prefer please call us.


Coronavirus/COVID-19

Office Closure

Our office will be closed to members of the public from 18th March 2020 until further notice due to the ongoing Coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak.

We aim to continue to provide as many of our normal services as possible. However, non-essential home visits will stop.

All contact will now be by phone and email in an effort to minimise the spread of the virus. Our team are available by phone on 01620 829300 or email at info@homesforlife.co.uk during business hours to take rent payments and to deal with any queries or issues you have.

We ask that you restrict repair requests to essential items only. Contractors may in any case need to restrict their attendance to only statutory emergencies.

If you contact us or our contractor please let us know if you or any member of your household is self-isolating or if you have been in close contact with someone who is self-isolating or has suspected or confirmed coronavirus so that contractors or staff are not sent to your home until after the isolation period has ended.

Homes for Life thank you for your cooperation. We will continue to keep the situation under review and will keep you updated.

Information

Please find below a link to the NHS Inform Scotland site which provides up to date information - this link will give you an overview and advice, the link has a guide to enable you to find out what to do next if you have developed any of these symptoms and are worried about coronavirus. Homes for Life request that if you do display any of the symptoms or if you answer YES to any of the below questions that you please advise the office as soon as possible.

https://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus

  • Does anyone within the property have a confirmed case of coronavirus?
  • Has anyone within the property travelled to any of the category 1 areas in the last 14 days, even if you do not have symptoms? For details of countries included in the category area please seehttps://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus
  • Has anyone within the property travelled to any of the category 2 areas in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath (even if it is mild)? For details of countries included in the category area please see https://www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus
  • Have you been in close contact with someone who has confirmed Coronavirus?
  • Have you been asked to self-isolate?

If you have answered YES to any of the above, then it is recommended that you follow the NHS advice or call NHS 111.

Homes for Life will display the following posters in the office - Building Entrance and General Public Information

Free Coronavirus Messaging Service launched by Government

The Government has launched a new WhatsApp information service on 25th March 20 to inform the public on the most recent coronavirus developments.

Launched by the Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England, the free service aims to dispel the spreading of 'fake news" and give information and advice on the best way to tackle the virus as a population.

It is hoped that this new service will reduce NHS stress by restricting the spread, through clear information and ensuring people stay home and protect the NHS.

Part of the service will be an GOV.UK Coronavirus Information Service 'chatbot', giving immediate answers to the public on their most common questions directly from government.

Clarity around symptoms and prevention will be given as well as up to date information on UK cases, travel advice and staying at home.

Prof Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director, Public Health England, said:

"This service will help us ensure the public has a trusted source for the right information about coronavirus, updated with the latest public health guidance and providing assurance that they are not misled by any of the false information circulating."

To use the service, people are being encouraged to add 07860064422 and message the word 'hi" within WhatsApp.


Latest Newsletter

Your rent is changing!

The annual review of your rental charge has commenced. This means your rent is changing in April 2020 and we want to hear from you!.

We're consulting on your annual rent increase proposal for 2020/21 and need your survey response by 13th January 2020 for you to be in the Prize Draw!

For more information please check the current Consultations .

Enter to Win image

Performance

Scottish Housing Regulator's Landlord Performance Report 2019

This years Rate My Estate Results

Annual General Meeting

Homes for Life held its 21st AGM on Wednesday 11th September 2019 at The Maitlandfield House Hotel. There was a great turnout from tenants and other agencies, there were presentations from our Finance Agent Chient & Tait and from Haddington citizens Advice Bureau. Please click on papers available to all members and those attending the meeting: Minute of Special General Meeting held 12th September 2018; Minute of Annual General Meeting held 12th September 2018; SHR Landlord Report; HFLHP Limited Annual Accounts;HFLHD Annual Accounts.

Engagement Plan

In February 2019 the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) published a new Regulatory Framework outlining how it regulates Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and the housing and homelessness services provided by local authorities. Under that new framework it also published Engagement Plans for all RSLs, including Homes for Life. We have complied with the SHR's request to submit our current Business Plan and supporting documents to SHR by the end of May 2019.

Changes to Tenant's Rights

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 made significant changes to tenant's rights and the way landlords allocate their housing. The changes started to take effect from May 2019. Read about these changes HERE

Freedom of Information

Extends to all Registered Social Landlords from 11th November 2019

Access to Information

We are committed to ensuring openness and transparency and being accountable in carrying out our activities as a Registered Social Landlord in Scotland.

From 11th November2019, The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) gives you the right to ask us for information about the housing services that we deliver and for information that we have provided to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR)about our financial well being and governance. You can also ask us for the environmental information that we hold under the Environmental Information(Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EISRs).

We already publish a large amount of information on our website and the SHR also publishes information about our performance.

Before requesting information from us, please browse our website and the SHR's website to find out if the information you are looking for has already been published. You can save yourself time by checking what has already been published, as we will normally direct you to that source when you make a request to us. More INFO HERE

Homehunt

Since 1st September 2018 adverts for Homes for Life's vacancies have been hosted by our new Homehunt partner Castle Rock Edinvar . Any vacancies will continue be advertised on Homehunt . New applicants should select Castle Rock Edinvar as their lead landlord.

Additional Specialist Directors Wanted

We are looking to co-opt or appoint additional Directors - with specialist financial, audit, legal, governance or business management expertise and experience. These are voluntary unpaid positions. Directors are expected to prepare for and regularly attend meetings - generally held on the last Wednesday evening of each month. Induction and follow-up training will be provided.

If interested, please contact us. Application form



New Repairs Contractor

Please note, from Monday 15th May 2017, our new reactive repairs contractor is NOVUS Property Solutions.

The number to call is 01506 242 120

Planned Maintenance 2017-18 Here

More Information