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Hello and welcome to the September issue of your newsletter
This month, we’re focusing on how we can support our customers during the cost-of-living crisis.
Introduction from Matthew Bailes, Paradigm's CEO
I know that many people are worried about money at the moment, with energy bills and the cost of living increasing. Some people will be having to make difficult decisions about heating their home and other expenses this winter.
As a charitable organisation, we also have some difficult decisions to make, which include the increases which we apply to the rents which we charge both to our tenants and to our shared owners.
For tenants, Government is consulting on measures to limit the level of rent increases. However, there are no equivalent proposals being made by them in relation to shared owners. The provision for rent increases in shared ownership leases is a link to the Retail Price Index and we cannot vary the core terms of the model forms of shared ownership lease, which we are required to use.
We are looking urgently at the likely level of rent increases for shared owners. We will assess how we can limit increases as much as we can while continuing to ensure Paradigm’s long term ability to provide homes for people who can’t afford to rent or buy on the open market.
Service charges are also a concern for many shared owners. We set service charges on the basis of recovering the costs which are incurred for their provision and no more.
Energy costs are often a significant proportion of service charges – the measures announced by Government will help to limit the increases. We are looking hard at how we can keep other costs, including costs associated with the safety of residents, as low as we can while continuing to provide good quality services.
We will provide as much notice as we can of increases in rent and service charges, and information about the steps we are taking to keep those increases as low as we can. In the meantime, if you are worried about money this winter, please get in touch. Talk to us as soon as you can. We will do what we can to help.
This special edition of your newsletter sets out some of the ways we are supporting our customers. We have taken on extra staff to help people who are struggling financially and we can help you to claim the grants and benefits that you are entitled to.
I hope that some of the information below and on our website is useful.
Best wishes,
Matthew
What we're doing to help
We’ve been working with customers to understand how we can support you through the cost-of-living crisis. As a result of your feedback, we have updated our policies, extended our support hub and created a new support offer (see below). If you’re struggling financially or are worried about money, please talk to us as soon as you can.
- We have strengthened our support team and have trained staff at the end of the phone ready to help you. We can make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to and direct you to other support available
- We will be retrofitting some of our homes to make them more energy-efficient
- We have funded Citizens Advice specialist debt advisors to help our customers
- We have reviewed our contracts with contractors to ensure we are getting the best value for money
- We are ensuring that energy costs for your communal areas and for those with shared boilers are fixed so that there will be no change to these costs before September 2023.
Our support offer
After consultation with customers, we have updated our support offer, which focuses on your finances and your wellbeing. We have a five-stage approach:
- Prevention Making sure you have everything you need in advance to stop problems arising
- Self-serve/digital inclusion Signposting people to resources like our support hub while also offering help to those who can’t access the internet
- Support at first point of contact Giving you the information you need when you first contact us
- Specialist support in-house We have specialist support teams at Paradigm who can help
- Specialist support from our partners We fund a number of organisations to support customers when things get tricky. These include Citizens Advice staff to provide specialist debt advice and Herts Mind to support those struggling with their mental health.
Help with your energy bills
We’re all facing an increase in our energy bills this autumn. Use the Help for Households page on the Government website to find out about the Energy Bill Discount, the Energy Price Guarantee and other grants and payments which may be available to you.
You'll find some useful energy saving tips in our support hub.
Food banks
We can help you access the food bank in your local area. As food banks are community-run organisations, you’ll usually need to get a referral before you can use them. Call 0300 303 1010 to be directed to someone who can help, or you can ask an organisation that’s already supporting you – for example, a charity, school or children’s centre. There's more information on food banks in our support hub.
Your wellbeing
We know that money worries can impact your mental health. Please ask for help if you’re struggling. We have partnered with Herts Mind to deliver support to residents in Hertfordshire and the Chesham and Amersham areas – you can find more information in the support hub and details of other organisations who can help. If you have any concerns about your mental health, please speak to your GP or local healthcare provider.
Help into work
We have links with local training providers and job clubs who can help you get back to work. We can signpost you to what support is available in your local area and what is the best route for you to take.
Thinking of selling your home?
Here are some tips that could be useful when preparing for your sale:
1. Book a valuation with your local estate agent.
2. Ensure that you have a valid EPC (Energy Performance Certificate). These are valid for 10 years and you can check online if you have an up-to-date certificate by visiting www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate.
3. Ensure that you have a copy of your lease agreement. You can apply for a copy at www.eservices.landregistry.gov.uk. There is a fee payable of £3 (online copy) or £7 (posted copy) per document. Alternatively, speak to your solicitor or contact the Homeownership Team at Paradigm by emailing homeownershipteam@paradigmhousing.co.uk or calling 0300 303 1010. There is a fee of £42 for this service.
4. If your lease agreement is 80 years or less, you may find it difficult to sell your home and may wish to look at extending your lease. For further information you can email sales@paradigmhousing.co.uk.
5. Ensure that, as per your lease agreement, you have obtained written permission from Paradigm for any alterations carried out in your home.
6. Instruct your solicitor to contact Paradigm, as they will need to email the Homeownership team to request a Paradigm management pack as part of the sale. There is a fee for this pack of £120.
If you have any further questions regarding the sale of your leasehold property, please contact your Homeownership Team by calling 0300 303 1010 or emailing them at homeownershipteam@paradigmhousing.co.uk.
This month's Virtual Voices prize draw winner
Congratulation to Ms Rodrigues from Willesden
Ms Rodrigues told us: “I got involved because I felt it is good as a tenant to be involved and give feedback so Paradigm know how we feel, and have an idea what we think should change or be improved.”
On the way to Ms Rodrigues is a £20 Tesco voucher, which is our way to say thank you to customers who get involved and help us to improve the services we provide.
As always, our thanks go to all of our involved customers. We appreciate you all and thank you for your support.
If you would like to be entered into the monthly prize draw, all you have to do is sign up to take part. We email opportunities directly to your inbox, such as taking part in surveys, focus groups and workshops, or we may ask you to give feedback on a policy or suggested improvements. You can do as many activities as you want to, and your feedback will be used to help us continue to improve. Some activities are incentivised and we provide training and reimbursement of out of pocket expenses. It's a great opportunity to build your skills and use your volunteering on your CV. Most of all, you will be able to influence our development and be part of ensuring we provide the best services we can to our customers.
For more information on getting involved, please visit our website or email customer.involvement@paradigmhousing.co.uk to sign up to receive regular involvement news and activities.
Want to work for us?
We're hiring!
If you are interested in working for Paradigm, check out the job vacancies on our website. It could be the start of a whole new career!
We are currently looking for skilled technicians, finance staff, customer advisors and more.
