1Horizon Housing – 0330 303 0089 1Horizon Housing – 0330 303 0089

horizon newsnewsletter for tenants

ISSUE 2

New leadership on the HorizonWe are pleased to announce Lorna Cameron is joining us inDecember 2019 as our new Chief Executive Officer.

Lorna replaces Isla Gray, whois moving onto a new role withCastlehill HousingAssociation.

Lorna brings a wealth ofexperience and acommitment to inclusive andaccessible housing andcommunities.

Lorna said: “I am very muchlooking forward to joiningHorizon at this exciting time,working with tenants,colleagues and the Board tocontinue the excellent work ofHorizon and the wider LinkGroup.”

Another important change inleadership was the election ofBob McDougall aschairperson of Horizon’sBoard of Management.

Bob said: “I am delighted tohave been proposed by myboard colleagues as chairpersonand I look forward to leading theBoard during this exciting periodfor Horizon and our customers.We are financially strong, high-performing and well-prepared toface the future.”

Bob replaces Frances Wood,who announced she wasstepping down at Horizon’sAGM in September.

Bob continued: “My verysincere thanks to Frances forher service, I am absolutelydelighted she has chosen tostay on as a board member,and I look forward to workingwith her and my fellow boardmembers.”

“I would also like tocongratulate Lorna Cameronon her appointment andwelcome her to Horizon. I lookforward to working with herand like to thank Isla who hasdone an excellent job in theinterim.”

2 www.horizonhousing.org

Did you know you could be entitledto additional assistance during thewinter months?

If you have any questions or need help making anapplication, please contact our tenancysustainment team on 0330 303 0089.

Foodbanks

WHAT? Up to three days’emergency food supplies.

WHO? If you are struggling to buy food foryourself and/or your family

For more information, call your local council orCitizen’s Advice Bureau.

Cold weatherpayments

WHAT? Get £25 automatically paid toyou when the temperature drops to zerodegrees Celsius or below for seven days in a row.

WHO? If you’re getting Pension Credit, IncomeSupport, income-based Jobseeker’sAllowance, income-related Employment andSupport Allowance or Universal Credit.

For more information, visithttps://coldweatherpayments.dwp.gov.uk/

Winter fuel payments

WHAT? An automatic paymentmade to you by 31 January 2020.

WHO? For those born on, or before, 5 April1954, who have lived in the UK between 16 to22 September 2019 and receive state pensionor another social security benefit.

For more information, call 0800 731 0160.

Warm HomeDiscount code

WHAT? £140 off your electricity billbetween September and March.

WHO? If you get the guarantee credit elementof Pension Credit or you are on low incomeand meet the energy supplier’s criteria.

For more information, call the Warm Homediscount helpline on 0800 731 0214.

3Horizon Housing – 0330 303 0089

Fairer rents for youWe asked for your views onour rent setting proposalsand based on your feedback,we have opted for a simplepoints system which will bebased on a small range offactors:

• type of property(i.e. flat or house);

• size of property and numberof bedrooms;

• heating and energyefficiency; and

• extent of work required tomaintain the landscapingand keep common areasclean.

The new rent-setting structurewas approved by the Board inOctober and will apply fromApril 2020.

In line with your feedback, therewill be no additional charges forprivate gardens, the maintenanceof adaptations, wet floor showersor additional bathrooms. We alsorecognised your views: rent willnot be different dependent onwhere the property is.

This change is not about gettingmore rental income. We haverecalculated all rents and will getthe same amount. Some tenantswill see an increase in rent andothers will pay less.

We are confident that from April2020 we will have a transparentand fair rent structure where therent for each property fullyreflects its facilities.

We recognise this may causedifficulties for some tenants andwe will do all we can to supportthose facing increases. Pleasecontact your housing officer ifyou are having problems payingyour rent.

Your house should be your homefor as long as you want it to be!Sometimes this means you’ll need to makechanges to make sure you can continue to liveindependently and, if this is the case, you maywant to consider an adaptation.

An adaptation is an alteration to your home tomake it easier for you, or someone in yourhousehold, to carry out everyday tasks. Thesesimple changes could mean a big difference toyour lifestyle, such as:

• adding internal or external grabrails;• replacing existing taps with lever taps to

set both water and temperature with just one hand;

• changing your window or door handles so itbecomes easier for you to open and closedoors and windows; or

• adding banisters or handrails.

For simple adaptations, you can complete a self-assessment form and we will carry out theadaptation to your home. Call us on 0330 3030089 and we will send you a self-assessment formto complete.

For more substantialchanges, you mayneed to speak to yourlocal social workdepartment. They willarrange for anoccupational therapistto visit your home toassess your needsand discuss whatadaptations arerequired. We canadvise you when youneed to do this.

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Get involved with

This year our Residents’ Improvement Group(RIG) completed a third scrutiny project, lookingat Horizon’s approach to tenant and residentparticipation. The findings were presented toour Board and we took the recommendationsinto consideration when we developed our newresident participation strategy.

We’ve also developed an action plan andRIG will be involved in monitoring andchecking progress. RIG is nowconsidering the topic for a new scrutinyproject, due to start in January 2020.

Our RIG has welcomed new members,but are always keen to get more tenantsinvolved!

RIG said a fond farewell to LindaJohnstone from the Tenant Information

Service (TIS), who provided independent supportand training to the group, but were happy towelcome another TIS director, Sharon Donahoe tothe role.

If you are interested in learning more about RIG,please visit www.horizonhousing.org/RIG orspeak to your housing officer.

Great gardensof 2019Instead of our usual gardening competition, thisyear we decided to say thank you to residentswho take pride in their gardens and help brightenup our estates.

As a token of our appreciation, we have sent giftcertificates and vouchers to all who took part.

Horizon Housing – 0330 303 0089

Our estates team works hard to ensureneighbourhoods are clean and tidy!

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Following your feedback, we carried outan estates review which resulted inchanges to how the team operates. Each member of the estates team is nowresponsible for a specific local area, whichreduces travel time and means more time will bespent working in the estate. Once a week, the teamwill work together to tackle larger jobs.

We are also providing a free grass cutting servicefor disabled and elderly tenants and will make timeto do ‘good neighbour tasks’ for tenants. If youwould like to sign up to this service for next

season, please contact us to see if you are eligible.We have invested in new cleaning equipment forthe team, including a window and steam cleaner,and all closes will receive a spring clean in early2020. We have already trialled the new way ofworking and feedback on our close cleaningservice has been great with 100% of tenantssatisfied (85% very satisfied).

We continuously review our services and willconsider making changes if required. If you haveany feedback on our estates services, pleasecontact our Estates Officer, Davie Peel, on 0330 303 0089.

Want to have your say on estate management? We’ll be reviewing our policy in early 2020. If you would like to share your views, please contact our Housing and Communities Manager,Elaine Whyte on 0330 303 0089.

A bit of sprucing up… Although our estates are neat and tidy we recognise our planted areas need abit of sprucing up.

During the winter, Davie and the team will carry out improvement works in 10 estates.So far, they have planted 750 bulbs, which should bring a burst of colour in the spring.

Over the coming months, we will also be piloting three major landscapeimprovements in Kilmarnock, Coatbridge and Falkirk, carried out by ContinentalLandscapes. We then plan to tender for a three-year contract from 2020 to carry outlandscaping refurbishment in all estates.

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Keep your tenancy up-to-dateThe governmentintroduced changes toyour tenancy rightsfrom 1 November2019.

The new rules mean therewill be a 12-month qualifyingperiod before tenants canapply for permission to makeany substantial changes totheir tenancy, and thequalifying period only beginson the day Horizon receiveswritten notification from thetenant of any changes.

Add a joint tenant

If a tenant has a new partner orfamily member who they wish tobecome a joint tenant, they willneed consent from us to addthem to their tenancy agreement.

From 1 November 2019,proposed joint tenants will needto have lived at the property astheir only or principal home for12-months before the tenantapplies for them to become ajoint tenant.

The 12-month period only startswhen we receive writtennotification from the tenantthat the proposed joint tenant isliving there.

Transferring a tenancyto someone else(assignation)

A tenant may wish to move out oftheir property and pass their

tenancy to a member of theirhousehold who already lives with them.

From 1 November 2019, both thetenant and the person they wishto pass the tenancy to must havelived in the property as their onlyor principal home during theprevious 12 months before theyapply to assign the tenancy.

The 12-month period only startswhen we receive writtennotification from the tenant thatthe other person is living in theproperty as their only or principal home.

Subletting theproperty

If a tenant wishes to sublet all orpart of their home, they mustseek consent from us first.

From 1 November 2019, beforea tenant can apply for consent tosublet their property, they musthave been the tenant of thehouse throughout the 12 monthsimmediately before applying tosublet.

We can refuse to givepermission to transfer atenancy or to sub-let aproperty if we have reasonablegrounds to do so.

Taking over a tenancyafter the tenant’sdeath (succession)

A tenant may have people livingwith them who are not jointtenants, who they may wish totake over the tenancy after theydie. For example, an unmarriedpartner, family member or carer.

To allow succession to happenafter their death, a tenant musttell us in writing the person theywish to take over their tenancyhas moved in with them at thetime they do so.

If someone has already movedin and the tenant has not told us,this may affect their right tosucceed to the tenancy.

To succeed to the tenancy, anyperson who is not a lawfulspouse or civil partner must havelived in the property as their onlyor principal home for at least 12months immediately prior to thetenant’s death.

The 12-month period only startswhen we receive writtennotification from the tenant thatthe other person is living in theproperty as their only or principalhome. The succession rights forwheelchair adapted propertiesare covered under separate rulesand can be discussed with yourhousing officer.

7Horizon Housing – 0330 303 0089

Keep warm and stay safe in winterIf cold weather is forecasted,or during a cold snap, keepyour heating on a constantlow temperature to helpprevent pipes from freezing.

If you can’t afford to keep theheating on in all rooms,make sure you heat yourliving room throughout theday and heat your bedroombefore you go to sleep.

If you find frozen pipes:

Find the main water valve, close it and switch off gas and electricwater heaters. Gently heat the frozen section of the pipe using afan heater or hairdryer or, alternatively, you can wrap a hot waterbottle or heated cloth around the pipe. Start from the tap sideand work towards frozen section of the pipe.

What to do if your pipes burst:

• turn off the supply at the valve and switch off electricalsupply at mains;

• contact us on 0330 303 0089 at any time;• open all taps to drain the system and switch off central

heating systems or water heaters; and• warn neighbours if they are likely to be affected.Help others

In winter, it’s important tolook after yourself by eatinghealthy and staying active,but also to look after yourneighbours who are lessable to get out and about inthe cold and bad weather.

You can do this by poppingin for a cup of tea, offering todo the shopping and clearpaths of snow and ice.

Frost, flood or fire: make sure you’re covered!

No one wants to think about the worst happening, but it pays tobe prepared. Burst pipes can cause considerable damage toyour property and contents. Our building insurance coversdamage to buildings and fixtures, but not to your contents.

At this time of year, it’s important you take every possible step toprotect your property and belongings. Make sure you have contents insurance. If you have any questions, please contact uson 0330 303 0089.

Do you have a business ideayou would like to takeforward but don’t knowwhere to start? Do you needa helping hand with yourbusiness plan?

We’ve teamed up with RoyalBank of Scotland (RBS) to offeryou the chance to join anexciting (and free) programme todevelop a business idea orimprove business plans.

You don’t need to have anyexperience, the RBS Pre-

Accelerator programme is aimedto help people who are starting abusiness or could benefit fromthe transferable skills thisinvolves.

You don’t have to be a RBScustomer. However, places areon a first come, first served basisso don’t delay.

The eight-week programmeinvolves:

• an introductory event;• an online learning portal; and• access to a Facebook support

network.

To ensure this opportunity isavailable to all, we’ll coverreasonable travel expenses tothe introductory event.

For more information visithttps://rebrand.ly/LinkRBS.

Just remember to select “LinkGroup” when you are askedabout which Hub you want tojoin.

Any questions, emailAccelerator@linkhaltd.co.ukfor more information.

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Did you know Horizon staff regularlycontribute to charities? We sponsor two dogs throughthe guide dog charity, whichhelps provide life changingservices for people with sightloss across the UK.

We also raised over £400 for ABear Named Buttony, a charitywhich provides children havingbowel surgery with their ownpersonalised bear to comfortthem and help them understandwhat happens with the operation.

Most recently, staff showed theirbaking talents by taking part in aMacmillan Coffee morning. Theoffice was filled with lots of homebaked tasty treats and we raisedan amazing £153 for this worthycause.

Satisfactionsurvey winners

Congratulations to oursatisfaction surveywinner Mrs I, who

received a £25voucher!

Festive opening hoursWe will be closed over the festive period from Tuesday 24December 2019 at 12.30pm until Monday 6 January at 9am.We wish everyone a merry Christmas and a peaceful new year.

Horizon Housing Association Leving House, Fairbairn Place,Livingston, West Lothian, EH54 6TN.t: 0330 303 0089 e: e-mail@horizonhousing.org

HorizonHA @Horizon_Housingwww.horizonhousing.org

Office opening hours:Monday – Tuesday 9am – 5pm, Wednesday 10am – 5pm,Thursday 9am – 5pm, Friday 9am – 4pm

Out of hours emergency contacts:

Gas boiler and heating repairs: 01294 468113

Other emergency repairs: 0800 783 7937

This newsletter is available in larger print, other languages,audio or other electronic forms. Should you require a copy ofthis newsletter in any of these formats, please contact 0330 303 0089.

Horizon Housing Association Limited is a Charity registered in Scotland, number SC011534. Horizon Housing Association Limited is a registered society underthe Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014, number 1827 R(S), and with the Scottish Housing Regulator, number HAL 128. Registered as aProperty Factor PF000385. Registered office: Leving House, Fairbairn Place, Livingston, EH54 6TN. Part of the Link group © Link Group Ltd 2019.