Your rent

We know that tenants are challenged by the impact of high inflation on the cost of living, and that this includes concern about future increases to the rent that they will be charged. 

The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced that rent increases for social housing tenants will be capped at 7% in 2023/24 for one year. 

We welcome this decision. Even though many of the costs that Paradigm has to pay are also going up, we are working hard on how we will continue to deliver excellent services, build new homes, and invest in existing homes to make sure they are safe and in good condition.

The cap on rents will apply to tenants of Social Rent and Affordable Rent properties. The cap will not apply to separate service charges to tenants of Social Rent properties.

This confirmation from the government will allow us to carefully consider the rent-setting decision in the coming months.

We will write to all customers confirming the rent you will pay in February 2023, the rent you pay will not change until April 2023.

We know any additional costs will be difficult for you and we will continue to support our customers who are facing financial challenges. If you are in financial difficulty or wish to speak to us about any problems you are facing, our team is available to give confidential advice on issues including benefits and how to maximise your income. You can contact the team on 0300 303 1010 or email the team directly at enquiries@paradigmhousing.co.uk

We're here to help

As the temperature drops and Christmas seems only around the corner, we know now is the time we all start to think and worry about money.

If you are worried, please don't worry alone. We have a whole team of advisors waiting to support you. 

We know it's not always easy to pick up the phone, so if you would rather email a member of our team, use enquiries@paradigmhousing.co.uk and we can help you that way.

Useful links:

• Find your nearest community fridge, no referral needed.
• Find your local food bank, we can refer you with a quick phone call.
• See if you can save money on childcare.
• Check you are receiving all the benefits you're entitled to.
• Mental health support.

Damp and mould
If you are worried about damp and mould in your home, please call us on 0300 303 1010. Sometimes it is caused by condensation, but there are things you can do to help manage it. 

Don't throw money down the drain this winter

Households should have received at least the first instalment of the government's Energy Bill Support Scheme. All households with a domestic electricity connection are eligible for this discount.  

This automatic, non-repayable discount will be applied in six instalments between October 2022 and March 2023 to help households through winter.

Making it easier for you to contact us

We’ve been listening to your feedback and we’re making it easier for you to contact us.

From 24 November, we will be introducing a new phone system with two key improvements, so what does this mean for you?

1. When you are in the queue waiting for your call to be answered, you can now opt to receive a call back while keeping your position in the queue. This means you can carry on with your day while listening out for our call. 
    
2. We will also be introducing an after-call survey to get immediate feedback on how you felt about the service received on the call. If you weren’t satisfied with the service, our team will contact you to find out how we can improve.

Get involved and make a difference

Customer Experience Commitee Board Member

Can you help us improve our services? And make sure we are delivering services that you want; in the way you want them?

We have a team of 12 dedicated Board members who oversee all key decisions and review our performance. We’re setting up a new Customer Experience Committee of the Board to support our decision making and strengthen our customer focus - and we are looking for two customers to join us. 

Committee members will be paid £3,000 a year.

Want to find out more?

We’re holding an open evening on 14 December at our office in Wooburn Green, Bucks from 4pm-5.30pm, where you can meet some of our colleagues and find out more about the role. We will cover your expenses including taxis to the event and any childcare costs. 

If you're interested, or want to find out more, please email rachel.whitrod@paradigmhousing.co.uk

Take our survey and be in with a chance to win a £50 voucher

It is important for us to know how our customers feel about the services we provide, and there are many ways that you can tell us about your experiences and also how we can improve.

The survey is now live - it's time to have your say on how we can improve our services and neighbourhoods.

We hope that you will take part, as your opinion and feedback matter. The survey will close on 31 December, so don’t delay - it takes less than two minutes to complete and up for grabs are four £50 Love2Shop vouchers.

Be sure to encourage your friends, family and neighbours (as long as they live in a Paradigm property and are listed on our system as a member of the household) to have their say!

The prize draw will take place on 4 January 2023, and winners will be contacted by email.

Is our information easy to read?
If you have ever read something from us that's confusing, lengthy or not in 'plain English' and wanted to let us know, now is your time!

If you can work from home, and feedback within two weeks, we want to hear from you.

Email customer.involvement@paradigmhousing.co.uk for more information

You said, we did

You said you had to go through too many processes that were slow and clunky, so we’ve worked on a few things to speed up how much we can get done from your first phone call:

• When you call us to see if you’re allowed a pet, we can complete the form over the phone, send it to you for a signature and get back to you with our response a lot quicker. 
• When you end your tenancy, we can complete the form over the phone using an electronic signature and book your end-of-tenancy visit. We used to have to post your form and wait to receive it back!
• When you call to order entry fobs, we can now order, take payment and post your fob in one transaction!

#SaferTogether

Staying safe this winter
Over half of all accidental house fires are caused by electricity, and nine out of ten electrical fires are caused by electrical products.

Electrical Safety First has put together some helpful tips on how you can protect yourself and your family from electrical fires - click here to read some simple steps you can take to stay safe.

Safer neighbourhoods
We’ve seen an increase in anti-social behaviour reports, particularly around using recreational drugs. If you smoke cannabis in one of our properties or communal areas, you could lose your home as well as risk criminal prosecution. If you can smell cannabis from one of our properties, you should contact the police on 101, or online for your local policing team. You should report it every time you smell it, as the police will then be able to build a case.

You should then alert us on 0300 303 1010 and provide the report reference number provided by the Police.

Repairs you can tackle at home

We've released some videos to help you with your every-day repair jobs at home. These videos include practical demonstrations on replacing the battery in a smoke alarm and unblocking a sink.

You can see the full set of videos here.

Want to work for us?