HOUSING
N WS
2013
BELFAST
Ian McCrickard,
Regional Manager
Welcome to this year’s
edition of Housing News
for Belfast Region.
You might be aware that
the Housing Executive has
recently undertaken an internal
restructuring programme. The
new organisation structure
consists of three Regional Offices,
including Belfast, and twelve Area
Offices across Northern Ireland.
Belfast Region
Following the retirement of
Stephen Graham, Ian McCrickard
has been appointed Regional
Manager with effect from 1st
November 2013. He is located
in the Regional Office at 32/36
Great Victoria Street and can be
contacted by telephone at 03448
920 900 or email belfastarea@nihe.
gov.uk
Area Offices
The five Belfast District Offices:
North Belfast, South Belfast, East
Belfast, West Belfast and Shankill
have now become three Area
Offices.
South and East Belfast Area
Office
Following the retirement of Richard
Williamson, the East Belfast District
Office and South Belfast District
Office amalgamated to become the
South and East Belfast Area Office.
Carole Johnston was appointed
Area Manager with effect from
1st January 2013. Gary Ballantyne
who previously worked in our
West Belfast District Office has now
been appointed as South and East
Belfast Housing Services Manager.
The new South and East Belfast
Area Office is located at Great
Victoria Street. The office is open
to the public on Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Friday from 9.00 am
until 5.00 pm and from 11.00 am
until 5.00 pm on a Wednesday. You
can contact staff by telephone on
03448 920 900 or can continue
to use any direct dial telephone
numbers you already have for
staff as these have not changed.
You can also email the office at
sandebelfast@nihe.gov.uk
North Belfast Area Office
From the 1st January 2013 the
North Belfast District Office was
renamed the North Belfast Area
Office. While Malachy McKinney is
still the manager of this office he
now has responsibility for work
previously undertaken by the
North Belfast Strategy Manager,
Sharon Beattie. Liam Gunn who
was previously Assistant District
Manager in Downpatrick has been
appointed as the North Belfast
Housing Services Manager.
also been appointed Housing
Services Manager.
The West Belfast Area Office
continues to be located at Great
Victoria Street. While the Shankill
Office now comes under the
umbrella of West Belfast it is being
retained as a local office and
staff have recently moved to the
Shankill Wellbeing Centre at 83
Shankill Road. Telephone numbers
for both offices have remained the
same and you can also email the
offices at belfastwest@nihe.gov.uk
or belfastshankill@nihe.gov.uk
The West Belfast Area Office is
open to the public on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
from 9.00 am until 5.00 pm and
from 11.00 am until 5.00 pm on
a Wednesday. The Shankill Office
is open to the public on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from
9.30 am until 4.00 pm and 9.30 am
until 1.00 pm on a Wednesday.
The North Belfast Area Office
is still located in Great Victoria
Street. Telephone numbers and
opening times remain the same
or you can contact the office by
email at belfastnorth@nihe.gov.
uk
West Belfast Area Office
With effect from 1st January 2013
Sharon Beattie was appointed
West Belfast Area Manager. In
this role she has responsibility
for the former West Belfast and
Shankill District Offices as well as
work previously undertaken as
part of the Greater West Belfast
and Greater Shankill Housing
and Regeneration Strategies. Our
former Shankill District Manager,
Gordon Reilly, has been appointed
Housing Services Manager and
former West Belfast Assistant
District Manager, Paddy Kelly, has
Carole Johnston, Malachy McKinney & Sharon Beattie
All queries relating to public
Housing Benefit, Rent Accounts or
Rent Arrears should continue to
be directed to:
The Public Housing Benefit and
Accounts Office
32/36 Great Victoria Street
Belfast BT2 7BA
Telephone: 03448 920 902
NETWORKING PAYS DIVIDENDS IN
north belfast
Over the past year
there has been
considerable progress
in North Belfast in
terms of housing.
‘The Housing Executive’s John Read pictured with Alex Crossley, Joanne Clokey,
Collette McCann and Marie Osborne at the Titanic Themed Tea Dance’
was delighted when I heard I was
getting a new kitchen as well as
new windows. Being able to pick
my own units and worktops was
just the icing on the cake.”
Tenants living in Mount Vernon
House and Ross House have also
benefited from the introduction of
a 24/7 concierge service, similar to
that already provided in the multi
storey flats at New Lodge.
Ann Brooks and Malachy McKinney
New social housing is currently
being built at a number of
locations across North Belfast,
including Parkside, Queen Victoria
Gardens and Torrens.
Almost 1,500 Housing Executive
tenants in areas like White City,
Fairyknowe, Silverstream and
New Lodge have benefited
from improvements such as the
provision of new heating systems,
windows and kitchens and
external improvements at a total
cost of over £5m.
New Lodge resident Ann Brooks,
pictured above, was one of those
residents and she said:
“I have lived in this house since
it was built and have put a lot of
effort into making it a home so I
But perhaps one of the biggest
success stories in North Belfast
during the last year is the
dividends being reaped through
networking.
Not only is the North Belfast
Housing Community Network
going from strength to strength
but residents living in high rise
flats in New Lodge and Mount
Vernon are now represented by
a cross community group called
Nine Towers North. This new
group was specifically set up to
concentrate on high rise living in
North Belfast.
Communities in Ardoyne and
Glenbryn have also come
together through the Ardoyne
Alliance Local Area Network. This
is made up of representatives
from The Wishing Well, North
Belfast Women’s Initiative and
Support Project, Grace Women’s
Development and the Upper
Ardoyne Community Partnership.
The aim of the Local Area Network
Programme, which is facilitated by
the Housing Executive and part
financed by the European Union’s
European Regional Development
Fund through the PEACE III
Programme, is to develop positive
relations at a local level, regardless
of religion or ethnic background,
as well as securing shared city
space. Belfast City Council’s Good
Relations Partnership administers
the funding available to Belfast.
That aim has certainly been
achieved in North Belfast. Through
the Ardoyne Alliance Local Area
Network 15 unemployed young
men from Ardoyne and Glenbryn
completed a Security Industry
Training Course designed to
increase employability. Around
15 young people and adults have
already undertaken a computer
skills programme and it is hoped
to roll this out further over the
coming months.
Quite a number of successful cross
community events have also been
organised. These included a ‘meet
the neighbours’ day, a day trip to
Bangor for young people, a Titanic
themed tea dance in Crumlin
Road Gaol and a VoiceFactor
Talent competition which was
won by Amy Jo Johnston.
All in all I think everyone is agreed
that networking in North Belfast
really is paying dividends.
While we weren’t able to
start as many improvement
schemes last year as we
would have liked over 1,300
homes in South and East
Belfast still benefited from
our planned maintenance
programme.
The work, which took place in areas
like Clarawood, Wandsworth and
the Village, had a contract value
of almost £5m and included the
replacement of outdated Economy
7 heating as well as the provision
of new kitchens and windows.
The improvement of individual
homes remains a priority, however,
we also work with communities
throughout South and East
Belfast to enhance the physical
environment of entire areas.
One such project took place at
Glenmachan Street, just at the
bottom of the Boucher Road. As
part of this a Housing Executive
owned site, roughly the size
of two tennis courts, has been
transformed with the help of
pupils from nearby Donegall
Road Primary School. Over 1,200
different shrubs and flowers were
planted and teacher Mr Loughlin
explains what projects like this
mean to the children involved:
“The shrubs and flowers have
certainly brightened up the area
and we very much look forward
to working on other such projects
in the future as the children really
enjoyed it. Indeed they haven’t
stopped talking about it!”
Communities in South and East
Belfast are also involved in the
Housing Executive’s Shared
Communities Programme.
As part of this programme, surveys
were carried out in Inner South
Belfast and Inner East Belfast to
measure levels of satisfaction with
local facilities and services. The
survey also assessed attitudes
to community relations and
‘BLOOMING MARVELLOUS: some of
the pupils who took part in the project’
at Glenmachan Street.
community safety, identified
activities/services that could
be provided at a local level and
identified areas of work needed in
order to develop and implement a
good relations action plan.
The East Belfast survey covered the
Short Strand, and Lower
Inner East Survey results were launched in June’
Improvements on a number of fronts in
Newtownards, Lower Castlereagh,
Lower Ravenhill and Lower
Woodstock Road areas. While
only 39% of those surveyed were
in favour of the area moving
towards a shared community,
almost three quarters (73%) were
in favour of local schools sharing
facilities such as after schools clubs,
school grounds or shared school
programmes. The vast majority
of respondents also agreed that
there was a need for vocational
skills training for young people in
the area; with over three quarters
(79%) in favour of developing such
programmes on a shared basis.
The South Belfast survey focused
on the interface where Donegall
Pass meets Cromac Street and
the surrounding communities of
Donegall Pass, Lower Ormeau and
the Markets. 47% of those surveyed
in South Belfast were in favour of
the area moving towards a more
mixed community and again almost
three quarters (73%) were in favour
of local schools sharing facilities.
The vast majority (82%) of
respondents in South Belfast were
also in favour of a new community
resource centre, with a similar number
(81%) seeing value in a recycling
centre closely followed by a new inner
city football pitch (77%).
Through the Shared Communities
Programme the groups involved
are continuing to work together
on cross community events and
projects such as community
newsletters, art programmes and
family fun days.
‘Mrs and Mrs Agnew with Gordon Reilly’
team being led by Belfast City
Council to bring about the
regeneration of the Lower Falls
area. As part of this there are
plans to provide a range of
services where they are most
needed. These include education,
health and wellbeing, physical
housing and environmental
improvements. ‘Area Manager Sharon Beattie (centre) pictured with the Housing Executive’s Declan McKeown,
Donna Wills and Martin Voyle and community representatives Mary Lavery and Chris Turley outside
the Ross Road Sub Office – photograph courtesy of Andersonstown News’
The improvement of
homes remains one of
the key priorities for
the Housing Executive’s
West Belfast Area Office.
To this end over 2,000 tenants’
homes were included in
improvement schemes last year at
a cost of over £6m. Work included
the replacement of outdated
Economy 7 Heating as well as the
provision of new double glazed
windows.
Mr and Mrs Agnew were one of
the first tenants to benefit from
a heating replacement scheme
in the Shankill area. They were
delighted with their new heating
system and said:
“We really can’t believe how
handy it is – you can turn the
water on at any time without
having to worry about it running
cold. The place is much warmer,
especially with the new fireplace,
which we love, and the new system
is so easy to use. The radiators are
also a great improvement on the
bulky old Economy 7 ones.”
Another way of ensuring that
tenants’ homes are able to cater
for all aspects of modern day
living is the provision of new
kitchens. In West Belfast over 800
tenants got brand new kitchens
last year.
Working together to
improve your community
As well as improving homes the
Housing Executive also works with
other agencies to improve the
physical environment of entire
areas. One such area is Lower
Falls and here West Belfast Area
Manager, Sharon Beattie, tells us
a little bit about the Lower Falls
Intervention Pilot. She said:
“Last November the Housing
Executive joined the inter-agency
“The West Belfast Area Office has
taken the lead on the following
environmental issues:
• The completion of the soft
landscaping scheme in
Ross Street. This scheme
complements recent
improvements to Housing
Executive homes in the area,
which included the provision
of new heating systems and
external improvements.
• Three successful community
clean ups in the area.
• Bringing forward proposals to
deal with anti social behaviour
in McDonnell Street.
• Bringing forward proposals to
provide enhanced security for
residents living in Ross Street
flats.
“In October the Minister for
Social Development, Nelson
McCausland, also announced that
the Albert Street/Divis area has
been selected for a pilot housing
led regeneration scheme; this will
build on work planned through
the Lower Falls Intervention Pilot.”
It has been a challenging year for housing as
we continue to deliver housing services fairly
and impartially to everyone in Northern Ireland.
Challenges included the ongoing
effects of the economic downturn
on housing, preparing for major
changes caused by the welfare
reform programme and the
delivery of services to our own
tenants.
Given the need for sustained
housing investment it was evident
that a new approach was required.
To that end the Minister for Social
Development set out proposals for
the reform of social housing at the
beginning of the year. We are now
at the beginning of a significant
process requiring patience and
professionalism and where the
input from staff, tenants and key
stakeholders will be crucial.
The scale of the Housing Executive
work should not be understated.
Last year, 353,000 people visited
our local offices, we managed
88,000 homes, assisted 166,000
tenants with Housing Benefit and
helped 24,000 people through our
Supporting People Programme.
It remains the Housing Executive’s
goal to ensure that everyone
has access to a good affordable
home in a safe and healthy
environment. It is important that
local neighbourhoods continue
to benefit from physical and
social regeneration. While the
fabric of our homes is important,
considerable time and effort is
also spent on encouraging good
community relationships and
improving community safety.
Much of what we achieve each
year would not be possible
without the support of local
communities and especially the
many people who give freely
of their time to actively work
for the betterment of their
neighbourhoods. We would
like to take this opportunity in
Housing News to thank you all.
Donald Hoodless
Chairman
John McPeake
Chief Executive
Reform of Social Housing – Business as usual
At the beginning of the year,
Housing Minister Nelson
McCausland published his
proposals on how social housing
in Northern Ireland will be
structured and managed in the
future.
These proposals are about:
• continuing to deliver well
maintained homes;
•
building upon the services
currently provided by the
Housing Executive;
•
ensuring value for money for
taxpayers in the future; and
•
investing in local communities.
Minister McCausland has stressed
that he will listen to tenants’
concerns. To date the Minister
and his officials have met with the
Housing Community Network to
discuss tenant issues.
The reform process will be taken
forward in three stages over the
coming months and years. The
first stage will focus on finding
a suitable model for Northern
Ireland and subsequent stages
willdeal with working out how to
deliver it.
Engagement with tenants and
the Housing Community Network
will continue as the programme
develops and you are encouraged
to offer your views on the
Programme through the network.
In the meantime you
will not see any changes
to the service you
currently receive from
the Housing Executive
and will continue to
remain a tenant of theirs.
All current services will
still be available and
planned schemes will
proceed as scheduled.
You will also still be
entitled to purchase
your home if you so wish.
housing executive
performance
The Housing Executive has published its annual report up to
March 2013. The full report is available on our website.
www.nihe.gov.uk
While there were difficulties during the year, we were able to record progress and achievements, managing
our stock of 88,638 homes.
Research confirmed that 87% of our tenants were satisfied with our overall service and 79% were also
satisfied with our repair service.
Listed below are some key statistics.
During 2012/13 the Housing Executive:
• Started planned maintenance schemes to 26,136 homes, including kitchen replacement, double
glazing and new heating systems;
•
Started schemes to install some 6,600 new fire doors in our flats and maisonettes;
•
Delivered a maintenance service responding to 472,990 repair requests;
•
Carried out adaptations to 1,848 homes to help tenants live independently;
•
Accepted 9,878 applicants as being statutorily homeless;
•
Managed a waiting list of 41,356 applicants;
•
Administered a total £635m in Housing Benefit;
•
Reduced the level of Housing Benefit fraud with 347 cases referred for
investigation;
•
Dealt with 70,063 new claims for Housing Benefit and 344,505 changes;
•
Provided advice and support, debt counselling and preventative
arrangements for those who had difficulty paying their rent, took
firm action against those who persisted in not paying their rent.
The level of rent arrears increased by £616,000;
•
Supported 18,000 households in 45 estates participating in
the Shared Neighbourhood Programme;
•
Sold 297 homes to sitting tenants;
•
Dealt with 237 complaints at first stage with
78 cases investigated at second stage by the
Chief Executive. 46 cases were taken to the
Ombudsman, but only one was upheld;
•
Provided a vital link with residents through
our 65 Neighbourhood Officers helping
to address local issues such as antisocial behaviour, litter and noise.
ARE YOU GETTING THE BEST PRICE FOR YOUR
electricity or gas?
You can now choose who supplies your
electricity or gas. You could save money
by switching your supplier.
There are four companies selling
electricity to the residential
market (PowerNI, Airtricity,
Budget Energy and Electric
Ireland), and two gas suppliers,
Airtricity Gas Supply (formerly
Phoenix Supply Ltd) and Firmus
Energy.
However, you should be aware
that the terms and conditions
that apply to each of these offers
will vary between companies.
For example, some companies
require security deposits for nondirect debit tariffs. It is up to you
to familiarise yourself with these
terms and conditions
before choosing a
tariff. Terms and
conditions are
subject to change
at any time.
For further
information
about the tariffs,
contact the relevant
supplier directly or visit
the Consumer Council
Northern Ireland’s website
www.consumercouncil.org.uk
Are you aware of any properties left empty by
the tenant?
Or where the tenant has moved out and rented a
dwelling to other people without the Housing
Executive’s permission?
This could be stopping you or someone you
know from getting a home.
It could also be evidence that benefit
fraud is being committed.
It is in everyone’s interest to stop
this happening.
If you know of any
address where this
has taken place
please contact
any Housing
Executive office.
Tel:
03448 920 900
is your smoke alarm
working?
Many lives have been saved
because of the use of smoke
alarms. Smoke alarms can
either be battery-operated
or “hard-wired” through the
mains electricity supply.
Buy a battery alarm if you
haven’t been provided with
a hard-wired alarm.
Test your smoke alarm weekly.
Keep the grill free from dust
so that it works properly.
Always keep your hard wired
smoke alarm turned on
at your meter box.
Smoke kills more often
than the fire itself.
A smoke alarm can save lives.
If you have elderly relatives,
test their smoke alarms for
them.
the digital champion initiative
Over 430 Digital
Champions have now
been trained to share
their IT knowledge in
their communities,
helping tenants to
be included in the
digital era and see the
opportunities open
up to them.
The Digital Champion Initiative
was rolled out by Supporting
Communities NI (SCNI) in
partnership with the NI Digital
Inclusion Unit to ensure a
province wide, co-ordinated
approach to digital inclusion.
The initiative encouraged
Digital Champions to share
their IT knowledge, provide
free accredited OCN Level 1
Computer Essentials training,
I.T. equipment including
laptops and mobile broadband
as a learning resource. It also
signposted members of the
Community to other partnership
projects including the Libraries
NI Got IT programme.
SCNI promoted the scheme
provincewide and identified
champions throughout
Northern Ireland to develop
training, information sessions
and events in their local
community. Over nine months,
40 formal training courses were
held and 432 Digital Champions
were trained. Feedback from
the courses was very good.
Speaking about the training
and the Digital Champion
Initiative, Clifford Wylie from the
Banbridge District commented:
“I think we had a good bunch of
folk turn up to the course and
they all enjoyed it, with most even
doing extra practice at home.
Participants went away wiser
and I am sure they appreciated
how friendly, helpful and
accommodating the tutors were.
I think it is important to have
done something once; then once
you know that you did it before,
you will be able to persevere and
do it again, now that you know it
is possible.”
Like many Champions,
Clifford provided assistance to
participants throughout the
course and delivered one to one
training to members of the local
community. Champions were
also involved in informal training
sessions and information events
throughout the province. Work
will be on-going in the future
with trained Champions to
develop further courses to
improve access to the Internet
and services available online
within the local community.
For further information on the Digital Champion Initiative visit: www.
supportingcommunitiesni.org
Or contact Digital Inclusion Officer Eleanor Coyle on (028) 2564 5676.
If an emergency arises, you may be
the first person to become aware
of the situation, so it’s important
to know what you can do to help.
Public service organisations will always work
together to deal with emergencies, but if
lots of people are affected it may take time.
Here are some important things you can do
to prepare for emergencies:
• Complete a Household Emergency LifeSaving Plan (you can download this at
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/emergency or
call Belfast City Council on 9027 0428 to
request a copy). It will show you:
• how to find out what is happening
in an emergency;
• who to contact for help;
• what to include in your Household
Emergency Lifesaving Pack (in case
you have to leave or stay in your
home due to an emergency).
• If your community has experienced a
number of emergencies in the past,
you may want to have a community
emergency plan. Several communities in
Belfast have already prepared one. Call
Belfast City Council on 9027 0428 and they
can help you with this.
• If you rely on electricity or water for health
reasons, join NI Electricity or NI Water’s
Critical Care Register.
• Make extra plans for specific risks that
could affect you or your family such as a
fire, flood or loss of utilities.
Remember - if you believe someone’s
life is at risk, always call 999 or 112.
For more information on emergency
planning go to
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/emergency
or call 9027 0428.
Engage With Age
are currently
working with
and supporting
older people
affected by
issues such as
‘one of the projects undertaken through Engage With Age’
bereavement,
disability or long term illness or who live on
their own or in sheltered housing.
Engage With Age has established six older people’s support hubs
across different areas of Belfast where they run activities aimed at
reducing isolation, improving health and confidence and increasing
the community involvement of older people. They also are working
with over 130 older people’s groups to provide a wide choice of
activities and events that older people have expressed an interest in.
While many older people have practical help, what they are missing
most is conversation, just being part of their community and having
someone with time to listen. This can lead to loneliness, depression,
physical and mental health issues. But with the right support this
isolation can be turned round and older people can gain a new
lease of life.
Engage With Age have walking groups, men’s groups, writing, art,
film shows, outings, history, healthy eating, reminiscence, internet
and email classes, games of all types, table quiz contests, dancing
etc and are always looking for new ideas.
If you feel like trying something new then give them a call.
For information contact
Engage With Age info@engagewithage.org.uk
Tel 028 9064 9649
MYSTERY SHOPPING
Colm McDaid, SCNI
During 2012/13 Supported
Communities NI (SCNI) carried
out the 10th Mystery Shopping
Exercise on behalf of the Housing
Executive. Although the Project
was managed and co-ordinated
by SCNI, this year’s Exercise,
very much depended on the
role played by 14 community
representatives from across N.I.
The Mystery Shopping Exercise
examined how the Housing
Executive’s organisational policies
and procedures are translated
into actual customer service
provision. After some training
from SCNI, members of the
Housing Community Network
(HCN) posed as customers and
tested a number of key areas of
service, using everyday scenarios
rent accounts, Housing Benefit,
housing, neighbour nuisance,
community involvement,
response maintenance and land
and property.
The mystery shoppers were
selected, in terms of age and
gender of participants as well as
several members with disabilities,
including one Mystery Shopper
with partial sight. The Housing
Executive detailed the desired
outcome for each scenario and
this was scored on reporting
templates.
However, the feedback from those
who participated was extremely
positive.
The exercise included:
• Each District Office had 3
personal visits, 3 telephone
calls, and observations of the
counter/reception area by HCN
members;
• Mystery shoppers made
96 personal visits and 105
telephone calls.
• 32 checks of the counter/
reception were undertaken by
District Housing Community
Network representatives.
• A total of 30 calls were made to
Customer Service Unit – i.e. a
Response Maintenance call.
• A total of 42 calls were made to
the Accounts Unit.
• A total of 42 calls were made to
the Housing Benefit Unit.
• 18 telephone calls were made to
Area Land & Property Offices.
The actual results were shared
with relevant Housing Executive
managers who in turn inform
their own respective customers
via their District/Area HCNs. An
Action Plan is drawn up whereby
customers at a local level identify
ways to improve for and then
monitor on a regular basis, thus
ensuring it is a partnership
approach.
The Mystery Shopping exercise
considered 365 separate service
interactions which, for any
organisation, is an extremely large
undertaking and in particular for
community volunteers to service.
In general terms, the results
of the 2012/13 Mystery
Shopping exercise were
largely very positive,
particularly given that this
year’s exercise was conducted
against a background
of transition within the
Housing Executive as well
as uncertainty about its
future. Staff at all service
point were generally found
to be delivering an excellent
service to its customers.
KEEPING
IT TIDY
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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.
Mayb
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i
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i
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fa
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Condensation can cause
mould, mildew and
fungal growth on walls
and ceilings. If not dealt
with, condensation can
damage your health.
Condensation is also
frequently mistaken
for damp.
Condensation occurs when
warm moist air meets a cold
surface. This is most apparent
on windows and tiles, but this
also happens on walls and
ceilings. Condensation tends to
occur in the corners of a room
or behind furniture where the
air has less circulation. The
moisture settles on the surface
and creates a damp blackened
area which can even penetrate
the surface.
Mould is normally formed in
spots and patches and tends
to have a blackish appearance.
This can cause damage to
decoration and furniture.
Condensation occurs usually
in winter, because the building
structure is cold and because
windows are opened less often
and moist air cannot escape.
Dealing with Condensation
Ventilation is the key to reducing
condensation. You must ensure
your home is adequately
ventilated.
• Good ventilation of kitchens
when cooking, washing or
drying clothes is essential.
If there is an extractor fan,
use it.
• When in use, keep the
bathroom window open and
shut the door for long enough
to dry off the room.
• Too much ventilation in cold
weather is uncomfortable and
wastes heat. All that is needed
is a slightly opened window.
• If washing is put to dry in a
bathroom or kitchen, open
the window or turn on the
extractor fan to ventilate the
room.
• Try to ensure that all rooms
are at least partially heated.
It is always better to have a
small amount of heat for a
long period than a lot of heat
for a short time.
• Houses and flats left unheated
during the day become cold.
Whenever possible, keep
some heating on, even if at a
low level.
The effects of condensation are
unpleasant, but follow some or
all of the above suggestions and
it can be avoided.
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 neighbourhood and tend
to discourage litter and vandalism.
Untidy and overgrown gardens will
have the opposite effect.
Don’t forget that a condition of
every tenancy agreement is that
all tenants must maintain their
dwelling, including the garden, in a
clean and tidy condition. Overgrown
gardens can blight neighbourhoods
and even become a health hazard,
attracting litter and even vermin. The
Housing Executive will be forced to
take effective action if you do not
keep your side of the bargain.
Some offices run ‘Best Kept Garden’
competitions to encourage and
reward households for looking
after their gardens and adding
to the attractiveness of their
neighbourhoods. Furthermore,
your estate can enter the ‘Best
Kept Housing Area Awards’ which
are organised by the NI Amenity
Council. The Housing Executive
encourages communities to enter
these competitions.
If you would like more information
on how to enter these competitions
please contact your local District
Office.
During spells of severely cold
weather it is possible for water
pipes in your home to freeze.
This may lead to a burst pipe
when the thaw sets in.
This can cause inconvenience
and damage to your home and
belongings. There are some simple
precautions you can take to reduce
the risk of frozen pipes or deal with
situations where pipes burst.
Help prevent your pipes from
freezing
• Keep your home as warm as
possible, even when you are out,
by setting the central heating to
come on for short periods;
• If you feel you are able to, lift
the trap door to the roof space
slightly to allow warmer air to
circulate around pipes and water
tanks; remember to close it again
afterwards.
• Open the doors to the sink unit to
allow warmer air round the pipes;
• Allow warm air to circulate round
the house by slightly opening
doors to all rooms and minimising
drafts from outside;
• If you are away from home, ensure
that the central heating comes on
for regular short intervals and ask
someone to check regularly for
frozen pipes.
• Thaw the ice in the pipe with a hot
water bottle or hairdryer (taking
care to keep it well away from any
water), beginning from the tap
end and working back towards the
cold water tank;
• Never use a heat gun or blow
torch;
• If you have a solid fuel room
heater, or an open fire with a back
boiler, you should let your fire go
out;
• If you have oil, gas or wood
pellet boilers you should reduce
your water usage, but you can
continue to run your heating at
a low setting.
Find your stopcock
The stopcock is used for turning off
and on the cold water system in your
home. When you turn the stopcock
in a clockwise direction the water
supply will be shut off. Stopcocks are
usually found in your kitchen, below
the sink unit. However, in some
houses the stopcock is found in a
front or back hall or in a larder unit.
It is important you know where the
stopcock is and that it is working.
What should I do if I have no
water?
If your water supply fails, the
problem may be a burst pipe in your
home or there may be a leak in the
mains system outside your home.
If there is cold water at the cold
tap in the kitchen then the mains
supply is working.
If you think it is a mains supply
problem, call NI Water on
08457 440 088
or email:waterline@niwater.com
If you have a burst pipe
• Turn off the water by turning the
stopcock clockwise;
• Turn on all the cold taps and
catch the water in the bath or
sink to use for flushing the toilet
later;
• Block the escaping water with
thick cloths like towels;
• If the water has come into
contact with electrical fittings
the electricity should be turned
off at the mains if it is safe to do
so. If water has come into
contact with the mains box,
do not touch and do not use
any electrical equipment in the
house;
• Turn off your gas or oil heating
systems;
• If you have a solid fuel
roomheater or an open fire,
let it go out.
Dealing with frozen pipes
• Turn the water supply off at the
stopcock;
• Protect everything around the
pipe that appears to be frozen to
avoid damage if it bursts;
• Open the tap nearest to the part
of the pipe you think is frozen so
the water can flow through when
it has thawed;
Contact us
Ring our 24 hour repair line 03448 920 901 for further advice or
Report your repair online at www.nihe.gov.uk or
Email our out of hours emergency services emergency.services@nihe.gov.uk or
Text to 07624805594 starting your message with the word Repair and
remembering to include your address.
Your House Contents… DISABILITY
are they insured?
GUIDE
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© Disa
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12
Flooding, a burst pipe, a house fire, a burglary
Any of these could happen to you.
Could you immediately afford to replace your carpets,
your furniture and electrical equipment? For most of us
the answer is NO.
The last 12 months have been marked by floods. The
previous winter saw frightening drops in temperature,
resulting in burst pipes and subsequent water damage.
The vast majority of our tenants had no insurance cover
and subsequently had to try to replace all the damaged
goods themselves. If you had no house contents
insurance and had to replace all the contents of your
home at your own expense, could you afford to do it?
Most of us could not. Yet for little more than £1.60 each
week, you can be protected.
The Housing Executive will maintain and repair your
property, but it is NOT responsible for the contents of
your home.
Further information on obtaining home insurance is
available from your local district office or just call into a
local insurance broker. Make sure you get several quotes
before making a decision. Many will arrange for you to
pay weekly or monthly.
A new guide to help people with a
disability looking for social housing
has been produced by the Housing
Executive Disability Forum.
A person with a disability may have extra
requirements when they are looking for a home
with many things to consider, to allow them to live
independently. For example, they may need an
accessible home which is close to family, shops,
transport or a doctor’s surgery.
This new guide will help people with disabilities
on their housing journey, from applying for
accommodation to getting a home. It covers
the steps in the process and where to get the
information needed and will benefit people with
different disabilities in obtaining the relevant
information they need.
It will be available from your local office
or online at www.nihe.gov.uk.
Don’t delay… insure your belongings now.
bogus callers!!
Reports of bogus callers tricking their way into people’s
homes are a regular occurrence.
Often the problem arises because people are very trusting
and are willing to accept strangers into their homes. It is
very important to be wary.
DOOR CHAIN - if you have one, use it
IDENTITY CARD - a forgotten card is no excuse
POLICE - call them if you are suspicious
ALWAYS ASK FOR IDENTIFICATION
ies
Anti-social behaviour can undermine
and damage neighbourhoods and
if left unchecked it can undermine
community confidence and mar the
lives of victims.
In order to effectively tackle it, we need
people to come forward and report
incidents. So if you have experienced
or witnessed anti-social behaviour
in your area, report it immediately to
your local district office.
The majority of reports we receive
are related to low level anti-social
behaviour that do not require legal
action, but we will take legal action if
required.
How can I report anti-social
behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour can range
from noise, nuisance neighbours to
racism, harassment and intimidation.
If you have experienced or witnessed
such a problem, you should report
it immediately to your local Housing
Executive office. A complaint can
be made by telephone, in writing
or in person. If you have concerns
about making such a report, you can
arrange for a public representative, a
police officer, social worker, neighbour
or friend to make the report on your
behalf. We will ensure that your identity
remains anonymous. When we make
arrangements with you to take a
statement, you can bring someone
along for support to a location of your
choosing.
What happens next?
We will gather evidence and agree an
action plan with you that will set out
how we will resolve the problem. We
will interview everyone necessary and,
if appropriate, get a police report.
We will then, with your input, agree the
most appropriate approach to resolving
your particular problem.
What is the most appropriate form
of action?
The majority of cases can be resolved
by using one or more of the following
remedies:
•Issue of warning letters.
• Mediation.
•A joint approach with other agencies.
•Agree an Acceptable Behaviour
Contract (ABC).
•Secure an Injunction to stop the antisocial behaviour.
•Take legal action to secure a decree
for possession.
Don’t suffer in silence.
If you are a Housing Executive tenant
and you have a specific complaint
about someone causing a nuisance
please contact us now.
Pets can be a source of companionship particularly for older people who live alone
Many people see their pets as an extension of their
family and treat them as such.
For children, pet ownership can encourage responsibility.
For older people pets can reduce the feelings of loneliness.
Keeping a Pet
However, owning a pet comes with responsibilities.
Pets require considerable attention and owners need to be aware of their responsibilities
towards other tenants who may or may not share their love of animals. Before acquiring
a pet, tenants should be aware of the conditions set down in their Tenancy
Agreement which everyone signs at the commencement of their tenancy
and which is legally enforceable.
Remember, if your home is a flat or maisonette, the tenancy
conditions require tenants not to keep one or more domestic pets
without the consent in writing of their local manager.
These tenancy conditions are there, not to restrict your enjoyment
of pets, but to ensure that all tenants can have the quiet enjoyment
of their homes. A dog that barks continually is not that different from
someone who plays loud music all the time.
Unfortunately, where responsible pet ownership is not evident the
Housing Executive will have no option but to take appropriate action.
If you would like to discuss any matter relating to pet
ownership please contact your local office.
don’t risk losing your home
It is important to keep paying your rent. If you don’t,
you may risk losing your home.
If you are worried about paying your rent, getting into
arrears or, are having money difficulties, contact us
immediately and we can help you;
• With initial advice
• Help you make an affordable agreement
• Refer you to Debt Action NI for advice.
Don’t ignore the problem. It is important that you
contact us at the earliest possible stage.
Contact your local accounts office on 03448 920900 who
will do all they can to help.
Each credit union is an independent,
‘not-for-profit’ organisation that exists
solely for the benefit of its members.
Debt Action NI Prevents Eviction
• Fill out a membership form. There’s a small entrance
fee - no more than £1.00.
In July, a tenant who faced repossession approached the
NIHE for help. She was a lone parent with one child and
worked part-time. The woman had debts other than rent
arrears including social fund, door step lender, catalogues
and payday loans. The debt totalled £8,000.
We referred her to Debt Action NI for face to face
money and debt advice. The debt adviser assessed her
circumstances and explained that she should start paying
her normal rent immediately. The adviser asked us to
agree to hold possession proceedings to allow time to
assess the case.
Debt Action NI evaluated the situation and completed a
financial statement, setting out comings and goings. As
rent is a priority debt, it was agreed that the tenant pay
£11 on top of her normal rent to clear arrears. To date, she
has maintained the payments. If these are maintained she
will keep her home. Once the adviser dealt with the rent
arrear, repayments to other creditors was arranged.
The tenant said, “I am very pleased and this service has
been a big help. The staff are very helpful and I now can
manage my situation so much better.”
The Debt Action NI adviser added, “I believe the above
case is a good example of the NIHE working with our
project. I found them easy to deal with and very open to
negotiation.”
RENT
FIRST PLEASE!0800 917 4607
Debt Action NI …..
Freephone
Keep the roof over your head
RENT FIRST PLEASE!
Keep the roof over your head
Decisions are therefore made at a local level. As a
member you are a shareholder, with one vote. Member
savings provide the money to lend to other members.
So everybody benefits because any surplus money
generated is returned to members as a dividend or as
a loan interest rebate.
How do I join?
• Find your local credit union at
www.creditunionni.co.uk
• Save regularly and build up your savings.
• You can now apply for a loan.
What do credit unions offer?
Savings
Saving at your credit union has a number of benefits.
Your saving is your shareholding, so the more you have
saved, the greater your share of any dividend declared
following the end of the financial year. All members’
savings are protected up to the value of £85,000 under
the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
Loans
Credit union loans are designed to be ethical and
flexible. Loans are based on what people can afford to
repay and repayments are planned around individual
circumstances.
Insurance
Credit unions are about steady growth and reasonable
precautions. Insurance products are designed to
protect members and their families.
Other services available through credit unions include:
• Easy Shares budgeting account
• Budgeting tips/Money management service
• Paypoint
• Receipt of Benefit payments
• Debit card payments
• Foreign Exchange
• Pre-paid debit cards
• Bursary schemes
For more information on credit unions, or to
locate your nearest credit union, log on to
www.creditunionni.co.uk.
‘Rent First’
Week
starts
‘Rent First’
27th February
In Great Britain the Coalition
Government is taking
forward the biggest changes
to the benefit and tax credit
system in over 60 years. The
Northern Ireland Assembly
is currently considering
the Northern Ireland
Welfare Reform Bill which
will determine how the
changes will be introduced
in Northern Ireland. No
changes will be introduced
until the Northern Ireland
Welfare Reform Bill has
completed the legislative
process.
How will it work?
Housing Benefit will only be based
on the size criteria. This means one
bedroom each for:
• A couple
Universal Credit will replace:
• Income-based Jobseeker’s
Allowance (JSA)
•
Income-related Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA)
•
A person who is not a child
(aged 16 or over)
•
Income Support
•
Housing Benefit
Two children of the same sex
who are under 10 years
•
Working Tax Credit
•
•
Any other child
•
A non resident carer providing
overnight care to the Housing
Benefit claimant or partner.
Where care of a child is shared
between partners it will be the
main place of residence that is
counted in the size criteria. If the
child’s time is evenly split between
• Child Tax Credit.
The calculation of an award of
Universal Credit will include
an amount towards the
accommodation you occupy as
your home. This will be known as
the Housing Element of Universal
Credit. The current proposal is that
the Housing Element which you
are entitled to will be paid directly
to the landlord.
Welfare Reforms Update
The details of the proposed
changes to Housing Benefit which
are currently being considered by
the Northern Ireland Assembly are
set out below.
Changes in Housing Benefit
Introduction of Social Sector Size
Criteria (Under Occupancy)
The Northern Ireland Welfare
Reform Bill proposes to introduce
a size criteria for social housing
that will change the way Housing
Benefit entitlement is calculated.
Basically, these changes may
mean the amount of Housing
Benefit will be reduced if there are
spare bedrooms (also known as
under occupancy) in a property.
Who will be affected?
These changes will apply to
anyone living in social housing
of working age who receives
Housing Benefit. It is important to
remember that this will not apply
to pensioners.
parents, it will be the parent
who claims Child Benefit who is
affected by the criteria.
What’s next?
Discussions are ongoing in the
Northern Ireland Assembly on
how the social size criteria should
be introduced in Northern Ireland.
If you are impacted by the change
in the rules, the Department for
Social Development (DSD) will
write to you giving you all the
information you need. In addition
an official from a dedicated
Contact Centre will contact you to
explain the changes and provide
you with advice.
Introduction of Universal Credit
The Northern Ireland Welfare
Reform Bill also includes the
introduction of Universal Credit
which will replace a number of
existing benefits and tax credits,
including Housing Benefit.
Universal Credit is a single meanstested benefit which will be paid
to people of working age.
Introduction of the Benefit Cap
The Northern Ireland Welfare
Reform Bill also includes proposals
for the introduction of a Benefit
Cap which will be applied to
the total amount of benefit that
working age people can receive.
Workless households in receipt
of Housing Benefit will no longer
receive more in benefit than the
average net weekly wage for
working families.
The level of the cap will be limited
to:
•
£500 per week for couples and
lone parents; and
•
£350 per week for single adults.
If the total income from benefits
is over the level of the Benefit Cap,
your Housing Benefit payment
will be reduced. This means you
will have to pay the difference
between your Housing Benefit
allowance and the rent charge.
minor
adaptations
As a Housing Executive tenant
you can apply to have a number
of minor adaptations carried
out in your home which do not
require referral to an occupational
therapist. These minor adaptations
can make a big difference. Some
examples of the work that can
be carried out are;
External work, such as handrails
at entrance, outdoor lighting and
paved areas for wheelchairs.
Internal work, such as a handrail
to stairs and additional electric
sockets.
Kitchen and bathroom work, such
as lowering of high cupboards,
controls and switches.
How do you go about this?
Step 1 – Contact your local
office.
Ask to speak to the minor
adaptations link person and
explain what type of adaptation
you require. If you are eligible your
request will be assessed.
Step 2 – Assessment by a
Maintenance Officer.
A maintenance officer may visit
your home to see if the work can
be done before delegating the
work to a contractor.
Step 3 – Starting work.
The contractor will complete the
work within a set timescale.
Please note that the
completion of adaptation
work may involve certain
people calling to your
home. Always ask to see the
caller’s identification card
before allowing access to
your home.
Asbestos Surveying –
a legal requirement
It is not unusual to find asbestos in homes, as it was used
extensively in the building industry until 1999. When managed
properly, asbestos does not pose a risk to health.
Before any work can be carried out to your home, we have a
duty to inspect all our properties to determine if asbestos is
present. This is a legal requirement.
This is particularly important when a scheme is planned, as we
must advise our contractors of any asbestos material. If a survey
has not been carried out, your home will not be included in the
scheme and you may miss out on improvements.
Your local office will contact you to advise when a survey is
due, and an asbestos consultant will make an appointment to
complete this survey.
The survey will normally take less than one hour to complete
and access to all parts of your house will be necessary. If your
home is scheduled to have an asbestos survey, we would ask
you to allow our surveyors to carry out their survey. If we
discover any asbestos which requires us to take action during
the survey, we will contact you with the details.
Buying your home…
NOW MAY BE THE TIME
For Housing Executive tenants with more than 5 years
tenancy, now may be the time to consider buying
your home. Property values have continued to fall
and are now more affordable.
The maximum discount which you can claim
remains at £24,000.
If you decide to investigate this possibility,
contact your local district office for
advice and further details.
But a word of warning…
There are various companies
who will offer to manage this
process for you. They are
totally unnecessary and
they will only add
to your costs. tipping your
oilandtank
using contaminated oil
Both cause serious damage.
If you have an oil heating system
in your home, be very aware of the
dangers of using contaminated oil
or tipping the tank when it is almost
empty. Apart from the damage
both of these can cause, you may
well be liable for the cost of the
subsequent repairs.
We have seen a worrying increase
in the use of contaminated oil in
our properties which can cause
serious damage to heating systems.
At a time of great pressures on
It is essential that all
gas, oil and solid fuel
appliances/boilers are
checked annually.
The Housing Executive tries to do
this, but on occasions it can prove
difficult to get access.
We realise that for our tenants
who are working, or possibly
away from home for periods,
it is not always possible for us
to complete the annual service
our budgets, we are using funds
to repair this damage that could
otherwise be invested in improving
or maintaining our homes.
We would advise householders to
purchase their oil from established
reputable suppliers. Although
some products are sold as home
heating oil, they may well contain
contaminants that can cause
considerable damage. The cost of
repairs to pumps and boilers can
be put at between £500 and £700
per heating system.
The Housing Executive has also
continually warned of the harm
caused by tipping their oil tanks
to increase the flow of oil to their
central heating system. This can
not only damage the tank and
the pipes, but dirt disturbed from
the bottom of the tank can block
the pipes which can in turn affect
the oil burner.
when we would like to. We do
try and be as flexible as possible
to suit the needs of our tenants,
but ultimately, as this is a health
and safety requirement placed on
the Housing Executive, we MUST
carry out this work.
If you have any queries
or questions relating to
servicing of your boiler/
appliances, please do not
hesitate to contact your
Customer Services Unit,
who will be delighted
to help.
We would ask all tenants to help
us to help them, so that this
essential maintenance work can
be completed. We will continue to
try and be as flexible as possible
to arrange suitable dates and
times with you.
These repairs are costly
and you may be liable
for the bill.
“Crimestoppers Make your community safer”
budget now for your oil
Buying heating oil
can be expensive.
If you want to avoid
big bills, getting
together with other
users can help.
Forming an oil club can be a
great way to save money on fuel
costs. People who’ve already
signed up to oil clubs have found
they can save by buying larger
quantities together with others.
There are a number of examples
of oil buying clubs being
successfully established in
Northern Ireland. Two notable
examples are schemes that
have been developed by
local community groups in
Loughmacrory, Co. Tyrone and
Glenravel, Co. Antrim. There are
also a number of smaller local
clubs that are part of the UK wide
network of the Oil Club, e.g.,
Dollingstown, Banbridge. The
basic principle of these schemes
is that households in a defined
area club together, aggregate
their monthly oil requirements
and auction the total order
around local suppliers to get the
most competitive price.
Unfortunately, not all schemes
have been successful as
even when competitive rates
are negotiated, low income
households still need funds to
meet the cost of that delivery.
Bryson Energy is trying to
establish clubs but are linking it
to local credit unions who may
provide loans to households
to assist in paying for bulk oil
deliveries.
Monitor oil prices
One way to save money on
heating oil is to monitor how
the price changes. Heating oil
is often more expensive in the
winter months as it is in more
demand. It can be helpful to
ensure your tank is topped up in
the summer in order to avoid a
big bill in the winter. You should
also shop around oil suppliers to
get the best price.
Saving stamps
Many district
councils have Oil
Stamp Saving
schemes which allow
householders who
use central heating
oil to spread the cost
of their home heating
oil so as to budget
and save effectively.
Simply buy stamps
weekly or monthly
and spread the cost
over the year. The
stamps can then be
used for payment or
part payment.
Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Main Line
Repairs
Housing Benefit
03448 920 900
03448 920 901
03448 920 902
Emergency Services
Dial 999
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Non emergency
0845 600 8000
Crimestoppers
0800 555 111
Water Service
Health & Social Care Trusts
Belfast Area HQ
Northern Area HQ
South Eastern Area HQ
Southern Area HQ
Western Area HQ
028 9504 0100
028 9446 5211
028 9055 3100
028 3833 4444
028 7134 5171
NHS Direct
0845 4647
Roads Service
Flooding Incident Line
0300 2000 100
Citizen’s Advice NI
028 9023 1120
Advice NI
028 9064 5919
Emergency/Flooding
Leakline
0845 744 0088
0800 028 2011
Emergency Gas Services
0800 002 001
Housing Rights Service
028 9024 5640
Electricity Supply
0845 7643 643
Women’s Aid Helpline
0800 917 1414
Telephone (BT)
0800 800 150
Win a £100 voucher
for your Winter heating needs
Can you find the following words in our Wordsearch Grid?
We have provided one to start you off
Repair
Rent
Grants
Tenancy
ExchangeHome Staff Comfort
Find the other SEVEN words and you could win a prize,
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Fill in your name, address and telephone number. Cut this coupon out and return it to the following address, before
the 10th of January, 2014. Housing News, Information, Housing Centre, 2 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8PB. The first 3
correct entries opened after the closing date will each receive a £100 voucher towards their winter heating cost.
Please look at the other side of this coupon. Would you like to nominate one or more members of staff or an office
who has been especially supportive or helpful? You do not have to complete this to enter the competition.
Name…………………………………………………………
Address………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………. Telephone………………………
1. Close curtains at night to keep the
heat in.
2. Avoid blocking radiators with
furniture.
3. Turn off lights when they are not
needed.
4. Electrical appliances on standby cost
money – switch off!
5. When buying electrical appliances
choose the most energy efficient
(A is best and G is worst).
6. If possible use a
shower instead of a
bath.
7. Only fill the kettle
with as much water
as you actually need,
(cover the element
of an electric kettle).
8. Never leave mobile
phones on charge
overnight.
9. Try not to leave your
fridge door open as
it takes energy to
cool down again.
10. Defrost your fridge
and freezer regularly.
are you unhappy
with any of the
housing executive services?
The Housing Executive is committed to
providing the best service possible to all our
customers. Our staff try to deal with everyone
helpfully and fairly, but sometimes things
can go wrong.
What is a complaint?
A complaint is any dissatisfaction, which you may
have about a decision taken or the work of the
Housing Executive. If this is the case, we want
to hear from you.
We will accept complaints in writing,
by telephone or in person.
For further details please pick up
one of our complaints booklets
from any of our offices or report
your complaint on line
www.nihe.gov.uk
Have you received good service from a particular Housing Executive Office or an individual
member of staff? If they have gone that extra mile to help, would you like to nominate them
for a customer service award? If so:
•
•
•
•
Write to the office that the staff member works in, or
Fill in the form below, cut it out and post it to us, or
Email us at info@nihe.gov.uk, or
Use our Facebook page www.facebook.com/thehousingexecutive
When contacting us please include your reasons for your nomination. Use extra paper if needed.
Name of Staff Member or Office Nominated ……………………………………..……..……
Office they work in ………………………………………………………………..……..……
Why are you nominating them ………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
English
Housing Executive’s Free Communication Support Service
For customers who do not speak or read English a telephone
interpreting service is available in all our offices. If required we can
also provide face to face interpreters and written information can
be translated into a customer’s own language. For customers with
sensory disabilities information can be provided in alternative
formats like large print, Braille or audio. If you need a Sign Language
interpreter one can be provided, but please give us as much notice
as possible to allow us to meet your request. If you require any of
these services, please let us know the next time you contact us.
Mandarin 简体中文
Housing Executive的免费沟通援助服务
对于那些不会说或阅读英语的客户，我们所有的办公室都可
以提供电话口译服务。如果你需要，我们还可以提供现场翻
译的口译员，并且可以把书面信息翻译为客户自己的语言。
对于具有感官残障的客户，可以提供采用其它格式的信息，
例如大字印刷、盲文或音频。如果你需要手语译员，我们也
可以提供，但是请尽量地提前通知我们，以便让我们能够满
足你的需求。如果你需要任何的此类服务，请你在下一次与
我们联络的时候告诉我们。
Cantonese 繁體中文
Housing Executive的免費溝通援助服務
對於那些不會說或閲讀英語的客戶，我們所有的辦公室都可
以提供電話口譯服務。如果你需要，我們還可以提供現場翻
譯的口譯員，並且可以把書面資訊翻譯為客戶自己的語言。
對於具有感官殘障的客戶，可以提供採用其他版式的資訊，
例如大字印刷、盲文或音頻。如果你需要手語譯員，我們也
可以提供，但是請盡量地提前通知我們，以便讓我們能夠滿
足你的需求。如果你需要任何的此類服務，請你在下一次與
我們聯絡的時候告訴我們。
Lithuanian Lietuvių
„Housing Executive“ nemokamos komunikacijos paramos
paslaugos
Klientams, kurie nekalba ar neskaito angliškai, visuose mūsų
skyriuose teikiamos vertėjavimo telefonu paslaugos. Jei reikia,
mes taip pat galime suteikti asmeninius vertėjus ir išversti raštišką
informaciją į kliento gimtąją kalbą. Klientams, turintiems jutimo
negalių, informacija gali būti suteikta alternatyviais formatais, pvz.,
padidintu šriftu, Brailio raštu ar garsiniu įrašu. Jei jums reikia ženklų
kalbos vertėjo, galime suteikti tokį, tačiau praneškite mus kaip
įmanoma anksčiau, kad galėtume patenkinti jūsų prašymą. Jei
jums reikia kurios nors iš šių paslaugų, praneškite kai susisieksite su
mumis kitą kartą.
Polish Polski
Służby ds. bezpłatnego wsparcia w zakresie komunikacji Wydziału
Housing Executive
Klienci, którzy nie posługują się językiem angielskim w mowie lub
piśmie mogą skorzystać z usługi telefonicznego tłumacza ustnego
dostępnej we wszystkich naszych biurach. W razie potrzeby
możemy również zapewnić spotkanie z tłumaczem ustnym lub
przetłumaczenie informacji na język ojczysty klienta. Klienci z
upośledzeniem sensorycznym mogą otrzymać informacje w innych
formatach np. dużym drukiem, alfabetem Braille’a lub w wersji
audio. Możemy również zapewnić tłumacza języka migowego,
aczkolwiek prosimy o jak najwcześniejsze poinformowanie nas o
takiej potrzebie, abyśmy mogli spełnić Państwa prośbę. W razie
potrzeby skorzystania z którejkolwiek z powyższych usług, prosimy
nas o tym poinformować przy okazji następnego kontaktu z nami.
Portuguese Português
Serviço de apoio de comunicação gratuito do Housing Executive
Para os clientes que não falam ou leem inglês, temos a
disponibilidade de um serviço de interpretação em todos os nossos
gabinetes. Se necessário, também podemos fornecer intérpretes
face a face e as informações escritas podem ser traduzidas no
próprio idioma do cliente. Para clientes com deficiência sensorial,
as informações podem ser fornecidas em formatos alternativos,
tais como impressão grande, Braille ou áudio. Podemos fornecer
um intérprete de linguagem gestual, se for necessário, mas
agradecíamos que nos informasse atempadamente para permitirnos atender o seu pedido. Se precisar de qualquer um destes
serviços, por favor informe-nos da próxima vez que nos contactar.
Russian Pусский
Бесплатная поддержка связи Управления жилищного
хозяйства (Housing Executive)
Для клиентов, которые не говорят и не читают по-английски
услуги по переводу по телефону доступны во всех наших
офисах. При необходимости мы можем также обеспечить
присутствие переводчиков и перевод письменной
информации на родной язык клиента. Для клиентов с
ограниченными возможностями зрения информации
может быть предоставлен в альтернативных форматах,
таких как крупный шрифт, шрифт Брайля или аудио. Если
вам нужны услуги сурдопереводчика, такие услуги могут
быть предоставлены, для этого, пожалуйста, сообщите
нам, как можно заранее,чтобы мы могли своевременно
удовлетворить ваш запрос. Если вам требуется любая из этих
услуг, пожалуйста, сообщите нам в следующий раз, когда вы
обратитесь к нам.
Slovak Slovenský
Bezplatné podporné komunikačné stredisko Ubytovacieho úradu
(Housing Executive)
Pre zákazníkov, ktorí nehovoria alebo nevedia čítať po anglicky
je k dispozícii služba tlmočenia po telefóne vo všetkých našich
kanceláriách. V prípade potreby sme tiež schopní poskytnúť
tlmočníkov tvárou v tvár a písomné informácie môžu byť preložené
do vlastného jazyka zákazníka. Pre zákazníkov so zmyslovým
postihnutím môžu byť informácie poskytnuté v alternatívnych
formátoch ako je Braillovo písmo, zväčšená tlač alebo audio. Ak
potrebujete tlmočníka pre posunkovú reč, dajte nám, prosím,
vedieť s dostatočným predstihom, aby sme vašu požiadavku mohli
splniť. Ak budete potrebovať niektorú z týchto služieb, prosím, dajte
nám vedieť, keď nás budete kontaktovať nabudúce.
Our Customer Service Units
provide you with a means to
report repairs. However, some
things are not the Housing
Executive’s responsibility. Here are
a few examples ………….
Broken glass
If the glass in your windows or
doors has been broken it is your
responsibility to arrange for it to
be repaired.
Gardens
If you do have a garden it is your
responsibility to keep it tidy, free
of rubbish and the grass and
hedges cut. See Page 12.
External footpaths
Roads Service is responsible for
maintaining roads, footways or
verges.
If gas providers or telephone and
electric companies are carrying
out work, they are responsible
for the safety of pedestrians
and other traffic. They are also
responsible for making sure
the pavement is left in good
condition.
Gas heating
Make sure there is enough credit
in your meter because if the level
See page 21
your property
of gas goes below 15 units your
system will lock and you must
arrange for it to be unlocked. We
may be able to help you but you
may be charged. Monitor your
heating’s units, check controls
to make sure it is on and see
what your temperature gauge is
indicating.
Oil heating
To work at its best, try to have 100
litres of oil in your tank. If it is less
than 100 litres the system might
not work properly. Please don’t tip
your tank, as this will cause sludge
at the bottom to cause further
problems. See Page 19.
Bins and waste collection
Your local council is responsible
for the collection and disposal
of waste. For more information
contact your local council. You
should also contact your local
council if your bin is not collected.
The water is off
If your mains water is not running
from the cold tap in your kitchen,
check with a neighbour to see
if they have been affected. NI
Water usually inform you if an
interruption to your supply
is planned but they could be
carrying out an emergency repair
without notification.
If you find you and your
neighbours are all unexpectedly
without water then call
Waterline…. 0845 744 0088.
Door handles
All internal door handles and
hinges, including kitchen
cupboard doors and doorways
to individual rooms, are your
responsibility to maintain and
repair.
Finally………
Read your tenant
handbook for full details
of who is responsible for
what.
If you do have a repair
which the Housing
Executive is responsible
for, then contact our
Customer Service Unit
on 03448 920 901.
To WIN 3 x £100 heating vouchers
If undelivered please return to: Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Housing Centre, 2 Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8PB