Welcome to our June Customer Bulletin.

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

54North in Bloom competition

We are delighted to be launching our 54North in Bloom competition once again. We had some fantastic entries last year and it is a real treat to go round and see them.

No matter how big your garden, or even if you have no garden at all, there is a category for everyone from pots and hanging baskets to shared community gardens and vegetable plots.

The categories, chosen by our customers, celebrate the work and creativity of everyone who livens up their own outdoor space or tends to a space they share.

Categories we will be judging are:

• Best small garden area, balcony or window box
• Best hanging baskets
• Best children’s garden
• Best themed garden
• Best community garden
• Spot prize
• Best first time entry

How to find out more and take part

Simply send us a digital photo of your garden to: hello@54northhomes.co.uk or ask your Housing Officer or Support Worker to put your name forward. You could also send a hard copy photo in the post with your name and address on it to: 54North Homes, 2 Alpha Court, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York, YO32 9WN

All entries must be received by us by 5pm on 5th July 2024.

We will contact you if you have been shortlisted and arrange a convenient time to visit you during w/c 15th July. All winners will be announced by the end of the month. Good luck!

Access for essential safety checks

We will require access to your home once a year to carry out legal safety checks. We also need to carry out electrical safety checks every five years on the wiring, switches, light fittings and sockets in your home.

Please help us to keep you safe by allowing us access to carry out these important checks.

We will always notify you about appointments in advance. If you need to change the appointment booked for you, please let us know as soon as possible, then we can rearrange. If you have any questions about safety in your home, please contact: compliance@54northhomes.co.uk

Our new Repairs Handbook

We have created a new Repairs Handbook to provide information to customers about the repairs we carry out in and around your home.

It explains:

• How to report a repair
• What to do in an emergency
• What are considered to be emergency and non-emergency repairs
• What information we need from you to arrange your repairs quickly and efficiently
• What repairs you are responsible for yourself

You can click to read a plain copy here or view the flick-through version. If you would like paper copy or in any other format, please let us know.

Maintaining your garden

If you have your own garden it is your responsibility to manage its upkeep, including cutting the grass, weeding and pruning shrubs. We don’t carry out work to trees unless there is a risk to people or property, but if you do have a concern about this, please report it to us so that we can survey the tree.

With the unpredictable British weather, some gardens can experience drainage problems from time to time. Pricking your lawn's surface with shallow, 2-3cm holes can help, as can adding plants and bark chippings which absorb moisture.

Migration to Universal Credit

The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) has begun writing to people receiving certain legacy benefits to notify them when they need to move to Universal Credit. If this applies to you, we understand that this may be a time of uncertainty but please follow the guidance on the letter. If you need further advice, you can contact our Money Matters team: T: 0345 521 1993 or E: moneymatters@54northhomes.co.uk

You do not need to take any action until you receive your Migration Notice letter. For further information, click here to read the government guidance.

Making our website accessible for everyone

Inclusion is very important to us. We want all 54North Homes customers to be able to access our services quickly and easily which is why we have added some software called ReciteMe onto our website to help those who may be visually impaired or not able to read English fluently.

Simply click on this icon which appears at the bottom right of our website homepage and a toolbar will appear. From there you can choose to change the font size or colour scheme (if you have problems with seeing certain colours), select 'read aloud' and/or translate the text into lots of different languages. This works for all content and PDFs on the site and we will shortly add it to our My54North customer portal too.

Is anyone in your household born after 1 September 2002 and over 18? You or one of your children could be due money from a Child Trust Fund.

Parents and guardians received government vouchers to open tax-free Child Trust Funds for children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 aimed at encouraging good saving habits and financial literacy. Many of these young people are now 18+ and approximately 1 million accounts for 18 to 21 year olds have still not been claimed - that’s over £1.7 billion waiting in matured accounts.  

You can find out more about Child Trust Funds and how to access a lost one by visiting the government’s Child Trust Fund website or the Money Helper website.

Some families may have difficulty accessing funds if their child cannot make financial decisions independently due to their mental capacity. If this applies to you, there is guidance on Making financial decisions for young people who lack capacity.

Thank you

We want to give a thank you to the Spar Shop on Falsgrave Road in Scarborough who very kindly supply us with free breakfast items every week for our 'Tea and Toast drop in's' for Kealia Court residents, as part of their commitment to giving back to the local community. It is much appreciated.

Do you dream of starting you own business but don't know where to begin?

If you live in West Yorkshire, are over 18 years old, and have a solid business idea, the Start Up West Yorkshire programme is here to help you turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality. There are dedicated business advisors ready to provide you with the guidance and support you need to kickstart your business journey. Simply click on this link to schedule an appointment or visit: https://peopleplus.co.uk/start-up-west-yorkshire to find out more.

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. A few months ago we 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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