Welcome to our February Customer Bulletin. It's great to see the first signs of spring starting to appear, with snowdrops and daffodils now coming up around our gardens and estates.

Communicating and involving you, our customers, is key and these Customer Bulletins are a chance for us to share our latest activity and update you about our plans. 



If you would like to receive this Customer Bulletin in another language or format, please let us know. Or if you have any feedback or suggestions about content you would like to see in future bulletins, please contact: georgina.thompson@54northhomes.co.uk

Unfortunately we are starting this bulletin with some very sad news



Kate Spencer, our Director of Customer Experience, has sadly passed away following a long illness. Kate was a wonderful colleague and friend whose warmth, empathy and kindness will be greatly missed by us all. Throughout her long career in housing Kate was passionate about putting customers first and driving improvements to services, and we will ensure that her spirit and dedication live on.

Kate worked for over 30 years as Deputy Chief Executive and Operations Director at York Housing before becoming a Director at 54North Homes, following the merger with LYHA in 2022. We know that some of our customers will have met and got to know Kate over the years. She will be sorely missed, and we send our love and best wishes to her family.

Disrepair claims

We have had a number of recent reports from customers about cold callers knocking on doors offering to take forward legal claims regarding repairs to their homes.

These people have nothing to do with 54North Homes. They are so called 'claims management' companies trying to make money out of you and your home, potentially leaving you ‘locked in’ to a lengthy and stressful legal process and putting you at significant personal financial risk. 

54North Homes colleagues always carry ID badges when they are visiting customers. If you’re worried about whether a caller is genuine, you can ask to check their badge or call our Customer Services Team on the number below.



If you wish to log a repair, please call 54North Homes direct T: 0345 521 1993 or log a repair via our customer portal. It’s really important to us that you’re happy with the services we provide and we’ll do everything we can to support you and look after your home. If you are unhappy with any part of our repairs service, please contact us.

Recycling bulky items

If you have bulky items that you need to dispose of you should take them to your nearest recycling centre, not leave them in the bin stores, which are for general household waste only. To find out where your local recycling centre is, please visit the waste and recycling section of your local council's website. You can find all the links here. You can also donate unwanted items to charity and many charities will collect larger, re-usable items from your home for free. 

Fly tipping

It costs 54North Homes around £50,000 per year to remove and dispose of fly tipped waste on our land. We recognise that it is not always customers dumping unwanted items, it is sometimes other local people, but nevertheless this is money that we would much rather spend on improvements to homes and communities.

Dumping waste also potentially contaminates soil and water, posing a threat to plant and animal life. 

If you see someone fly tipping, please contact us to report it as we will recharge the costs to them if we find out who it is. Let's work together to combat fly tipping.

Keeping customers safe

We have recently written to all customers who have shared communal spaces to remind you that these areas must be kept clear of all personal belongings, including bikes, pushchairs, mobility equipment and rubbish. This is to ensure safe access to walkways and exits in the case of an emergency and it also makes a more pleasant environment for everyone to live in.

We will also be writing to you with a reminder of the fire evacuation procedure for your home very shortly. If you have any questions regarding anything to do with the safety of your home, please email: compliance@54northhomes.co.uk

Mental health and wellbeing support

If you are feeling low or are worried about a friend, family member or neighbour there are many confidential mental health and wellbeing services available. The NHS Every Mind Matters webpage is a great place to start. Remember it's OK to not be OK and talking to someone can make a big difference.

54North Homes can also provide referrals to an organisation called Talk, Listen, Change to offer free counselling sessions for customers from fully qualified counsellors. If you think you could benefit from this service, please speak to your Housing Officer.

Rent reviews

You will be receiving your letter this week outlining your rent and service charge for the coming year, beginning April 2024.



This is never an easy decision but with two years of high inflation and increasing costs, particularly in the building and maintenance sectors, it is essential we can continue to provide safe, warm and secure homes. As a not-for-profit organisation, 54North Homes reinvests all rents and service charge into your homes and communities,



We understand that some of our customers struggle financially, and we are here to help. We have a dedicated income team and Money Matters Advisor, so if you are struggling to pay your rent and bills or are worried about spiraling debts, please contact us straight away so that we can signpost you to the right sources of support.

Signage

We are currently updating the signage around our schemes. Old signs that say either York Housing Association or Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association will be taken down and (where relevant) will be replaced with new signage over the coming months.

And finally......

Customers are at the heart of everything we do here at 54North Homes, and we would love more of you to share your feedback with us and get involved in shaping and improving the services we provide. 

You can get involved in many ways: online, from the comfort of your home or taking part in friendly get togethers. We recently sent out a dedicated email which you can read here. If you are interested in getting involved, you can contact our Customer Experience Team: Abida Jamil and Liam Sullivan, E: connectwith54north@54northhomes.co.uk

54North Homes | Tel: 0345 521 1993 | Email: hello@54northhomes.co.uk

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