No images? Click here
Great Places Enews - March
Our March Enews includes all the latest headlines from Great Places, with useful updates, information, events and opportunities.
Easter opening hours
Our offices will be closed from 6pm on Thursday, 28th March until 8am on Tuesday, 2nd April due to the Easter break.
Only an emergency repairs service will be provided during this time.
We expect our phone lines and contact channels to be busier than usual on Tuesday 2nd April, so please be aware that call wait times might be longer than usual.
Working with customers to shape services
Thank you to customers who took time to engage with us to tell us what we should prioritise in our new Corporate Plan. Your feedback will be shared with senior leaders and Board members, and will help to shape our new Plan. We will keep you posted on progress.
We will soon be inviting customers to help us shape our new Customer Experience Strategy. Outcomes from our previous strategy included working with you to improve our approach to tackling damp and mould; developing more digital access for customers; revising our approach to dealing with complaints, anti-social Behaviour (ASB) and grounds maintenance; and launching a new Inclusive Services Team that will be proactively contacting customers directly to check in on their specific needs and look at how we change our services accordingly.
The Our Voice platform is a place where customers can come together to share ideas, participate in consultations and help shape your services and communities. Please take a look and get involved!
Building safety matters!
Your safety is a key priority and our Building Safety Team is here to help you.
If you have any questions, you can now email our Building and Fire Safety Teams at BuildingSafetyandFire@Greatplaces.org.uk. The new shared inbox is regularly monitored and a member of the team will get in touch to talk to you.
Anti-social behaviour
We know that being affected by anti-social behaviour (ASB) can be stressful. If you are struggling with ASB, please make sure you direct your report to our Customer Hub. We are here to help. The easiest way to do this is via our online form.
See the link below to access our online reporting form and view further information around ASB, including our ASB policy.
Damp and mould
If you are struggling with condensation, damp or mould in your home, please contact us as soon as possible – we are here to help.
See the link below to access our online form on damp and mould.
First Direct Debit payment
If you pay your rent by Direct Debit you’ll notice that your first payment after 1 April will be higher than future payments for the rest of the year.
The reason for this is that the rent calculation for this financial year from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 is over 53 weeks instead of the usual 52 weeks. Your first Direct Debit payment will be the difference between the rent you used to pay and the rent you will pay from 1 April 2024. If you’re in arrears, your arrears payment is added on top of this payment.
Your next payment will be lower as it will be based on the new rent for 1 April 2024 as well as the arrears, if you have any.
Insight Scrutiny Group
Insight has been busy looking at how Great Places manages and maintains estates and neighbourhoods. The findings will be presented on May 2024. If you are interested, please look out for an update in next month’s Enews.
Universal Credit and Managed Migration
The government is moving some people from their current benefits to Universal Credit through Managed Migration.
When it's your turn, you'll get a Migration Notice asking you to switch to Universal Credit. Make sure to respond to this notice or you might lose your benefits.
With Universal Credit, your housing costs are covered, but you'll have to pay your rent yourself.
Ombudsman Resident Panel
The Housing Ombudsman is inviting social housing residents to apply to join its Resident Panel and contribute to the work it is doing to improve residents’ lives through landlords' services.
Celebrating inspirational women in Sheffield
A fantastic community event was held at the Pat Midgley Community Hub in our anchor neighbourhood of Wybourn, Sheffield, to mark International Women’s Day.
