We're also sharing advice on keeping your home and building safe, including how you can help keep communal areas clear, balcony safety and a reminder about fire doors. You can also find information about our partners who can offer support if you need it this summer.

And finally... there's still time to enter our annual gardening competition, but don't wait too long - entries close on Friday 28 August!

Best wishes, 
Joe Williams, Executive Director of Customer Services

New ways to help shape our services

We’re keen for our residents to be involved in the key decisions we make. Whether you have a few minutes to complete a survey or want to take on a more active role in one of our resident groups, there are lots of ways to get involved. By sharing your views, experiences and ideas, you can help influence decisions, drive improvements and make a real difference to the services we provide. This summer, we’re looking for residents to help us in three areas:

• Resident Scrutiny Pool
• Communications Review Pool
• Policy reviews

Watch the video below to hear why you should get involved, directly from other residents!

Help improve our complaints service

As a thank you for your time, you’ll receive a £5 digital voucher for each complaint you review and a £30 digital voucher for attending quarterly meetings, on Microsoft Teams.

Click here to find out more and sign up.

Did you know you can book repairs on My Settle Portal?

As well as checking your rent account, making payments and updating your personal details, you can also report non-emergency repairs on My Settle Portal. But that’s not all! For many of these repairs, you’ll even be able to book your own appointment at a time that suits you.

Please note that some repairs, such as heating problems, damp and mould issues or repairs in communal areas cannot be booked, but can still be reported on the portal.

Login or register for My Settle Portal here.

Need help registering? Check out our handy video to walk you through the process here.

Help keep your home safe

Communal hallways, stairwells and shared outdoor spaces are there for everyone to use safely. Please help by:

To help keep our communal gardens safe and well-maintained for everyone, large inflatable pools should not be used in these shared spaces.

Small toddler-sized paddling pools can be used, but please make sure they’re emptied and removed as soon as you're done.

With hosepipe bans in place across the South East due to the recent heatwaves, please check the current rules with your water supplier before filling any paddling pools.

Fire doors
Fire doors help stop fire and smoke from spreading, giving everyone more time to get to safety. We inspect the fire doors in your building regularly, but you can help by letting us know if you spot a problem.

Here are a few things to look out for:

• The door should close fully on its own and should never be wedged or propped open
• The door shouldn't have any damage, such as holes, large cracks or missing parts
• The strips around the edge of the door should be in place and not damaged
• The gaps around the top and sides of the door should be small and even
• The hinges should be secure, with no loose or missing screws.

If you notice anything that doesn't look right, please report it to us as soon as possible.

Balconies
If you have a balcony, there are some steps you should take to keep yourself safe:

• Don't use BBQs or fire pits on balconies, as they pose a serious fire risk
• Keep furniture and plant pots secure, especially if they're near the edge or could be blown over in windy weather
• Avoid storing large items that could block access or create a fire hazard
• Never throw anything from your balcony, including cigarette ends.

The Oughton Court Community Garden in Hitchin is helping to bring residents together while creating a greener, more welcoming outdoor space for everyone to enjoy.

Funding from our Community Benefit Fund has helped get the project started with new gardening equipment and storage, giving residents everything they need to look after the shared space together.

Click here to find out more about the Community Garden, and watch the video below to see how it’s taken shape.

Support available to you this summer

Summer should be a time to enjoy longer days and warmer weather, but we know it can also bring extra pressure, especially with rising costs and children off school. That’s why we work with local and national partners to offer support when you need it most.

Whether you're struggling with household bills, looking for wellbeing advice, or just need a bit of help to get through the school holidays, our Support Hub is the best place to start.

How our partners can help you

We work with a range of brilliant organisations that offer free and confidential support:

• Citizens Advice – for advice on budgeting, debt, benefits, and more
• Your local foodbank – offering emergency food and essentials when money is tight
• Lightning Reach – apply for grants, financial support and benefits checks all in one place
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - a practical talking therapy that helps you understand how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours are connected, and gives you tools to manage them more positively

We’re also connected to charities and community groups offering school uniform banks, holiday clubs, and wellbeing support for both adults and children. Find out more on our Support Hub.

Kids eat free (or for £1)
Planning days out over the school holidays? This handy guide highlights restaurants and cafés where children can eat free or for £1 during the summer.

Offers vary by venue, so always check the terms before you visit.

Capture your corner of nature for our competition

In other news

• Give your boiler a summer health check
  It might be the last thing on your mind, but now's the perfect time to test your heating. Switch it on for a few minutes to make sure everything's working. If you spot a problem, report it now and beat the autumn rush.

• More community projects are on the way
  Applications for the second round of our Community Benefit Fund have now closed, and we're looking forward to sharing the selected projects with you soon. Keep an eye on future newsletters and our news page to see which new ideas have been awarded funding and how they're making a difference in our communities.

• North Herts PRIDE Day returns
  Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride on Thursday 22 August, from 10am - 4pm at Market Place, Hitchin. This year’s event is all about visibility, joy, and creating a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ people and allies across the district. Expect a vibrant mix of community stalls, local organisations, handmade crafts, Pride merchandise, music and family-friendly activities throughout the day.

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Settle | Blackhorse Road | Letchworth Garden City, SG6 1HA GB

Community Benefit Society No. 30003R, Registered Provider No. L4370. Settle Group (trading as SettleParadigm) is part of Paradigm Housing Group Limited (trading as SettleParadigm), Registered in England, Community Benefit Society No. IP28844R, Registered Provider No. L4215.Paradigm Housing Group (Registered office: 1 Glory Park Avenue, Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire HP10 0DF, Community Benefit Society No. IP28844R, Registered Provider No. L4215) includes Settle Group (trading as SettleParadigm), Community Benefit Society No. 30003R, Registered Provider No. L4370; Paradigm Homes Charitable Housing Association Limited (trading as SettleParadigm), Registered in England, Community Benefit Society No. 27789R, Registered Provider No. LH4138; Paradigm Commercial Limited (Company No. 02779163); Paradigm Development Services Limited (Company No. 06794551); and Paradigm Maintenance Limited (Company No. 07355965) Registered in England.