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You have received this email newsletter because you are an Opendoor Homes tenant, leaseholder or landlord. It has been sent to you under legitimate interest. You can unsubscribe from this newsletter at any time by clicking the link at the end of this email. You can also request a paper copy by emailing athome@barnethomes.org.
Welcome from Kim Caddy, our new Opendoor Homes Chair
Hello and welcome to the first digital atHome eNewsletter! It will be delivered to your inbox every two months with the latest updates from Opendoor Homes.
It has been an exciting and busy start to my time at Opendoor Homes, particularly as we are developing a new strategic plan to take us up to 2031 - it is a challenging time within the Housing sector but we are focused on our opportunities to deliver quality homes for Barnet residents, and make sure we offer great customer service to our tenants.
I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend the Opendoor Homes Resident Scrutiny Group and hear first hand from residents and staff about the services we deliver. We’re on the lookout for more residents to join the Scrutiny Group, to find out how you can get involved click here.
I hope you enjoy reading atHome.
If you’d like to share feedback on this eNewsletter or suggest ideas for future editions, please email athome@opendoorhomes.org
Where our residents live
Opendoor Homes residents don’t just live in Barnet. Many of our residents live in Bedford and Luton and the surrounding areas. We also have many residents who live in the boroughs surrounding Barnet, like Enfield, Brent and Haringey.
Wherever you live, we are committed to providing the same high level of service to you. The service we provide includes this magazine, and we’d love to hear what you would like to see in it. If you have any feedback, comments or suggestions, please email athome@opendoorhomes.org.
The properties we've acquired
As well as building new homes, Opendoor Homes is buying homes on the open market to provide much-needed accommodation for people who are homeless.
We have properties across London and the surrounding areas. Here's where the properties we have bought are:
Meet the Opendoor Homes property management team
Team members
Opendoor Homes Property Management Team members left to right: Denil, Hayley, Sarah, Joe and Yasini.
Our property management team are here to ensure your homes remain safe, and any queries you have are answered promptly.
If you need to contact our team, please use the email here or call us on
020 8080 6586.
Resident Snapshot – Michael
Michael has lived in Barnet for most of his life. He worked for Barnet Council in Housing Benefit and Council Tax for two decades before retiring early due to poor health.
In 2022 Michael moved into his new Opendoor Homes one-bedroom flat that features an open-plan layout with two patio doors to the outside. Prior to that he lived in private rented accommodation for years and followed by a short stay in temporary housing.
He loves cooking in his modern stylish kitchen, gaming on his PS5, and spending time with his grandson.
Michael plays a key role in his block of six flats, acting as spokesperson and helping neighbours stay connected through a WhatsApp group. He’s now planning a community get-together with support from the TBG Community Chest Fund
“I love my kitchen – it’s well-designed and perfect for cooking for friends, family and neighbours.”
The Barnet Group Celebrates Local Heroes at 9th Annual Community Awards
The Barnet Group proudly hosted its 9th Community Awards gala dinner on Thursday 29th January at the Sangam Centre, Burnt Oak, honouring individuals and community groups who have made an outstanding impact across Barnet’s communities.
The event brought together nominees and sponsors, with awards presented by the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich. The evening celebrated the remarkable efforts of residents, volunteers, and community partners who go above and beyond to make Barnet a better place to live.
This year, The Barnet Group received over 60 nominations from Barnet Homes and Opendoor Homes residents and voluntary organisations, a testament to the strength and spirit of the local community. Each nomination highlighted inspiring stories of compassion, resilience, and dedication.
Elliott Sweetman, CEO of Barnet Homes, said, “These awards showcase the incredible contributions of individuals who work tirelessly to support others and strengthen our communities. The Community Awards continue to be a cornerstone event for The Barnet Group, reinforcing its commitment to recognising and celebrating those who make a real difference.”
The Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Danny Rich, said “I am delighted to have been asked to present awards to residents and volunteers who make up the Barnet Group. I make no apologies for repeating my view that Barnet’s greatness arises from the combined efforts of residents, volunteers, paid staff, organisations and elected Councillors who work together to improve life for all.”
This year's winners are:
- Good Neighbour: Paul and Jo Digby
- Community Project of the Year: Unitas Forever Young Warm Hub
- Community Group of the Year: Hope North London
- Voluntary Sector Group or Charity of the Year: Volunteers on Wheels
- Young Volunteer of the Year (under 25): Tracy Simons
- Volunteer of the Year (over 25): Davina Helman
- Social Value Contactor: Quinn London
- Outstanding Contract Delivery - Repairs: Masher Brothers
- Outstanding Contract Delivery - Property Services: WG Wigginton
- Resident Liaison Superstar: Amanda Black
Damp & mould – report it!
We are committed to ensuring you are safe in your homes. Part of our responsibilities are to keep your home free from damp and mould. On 27 October 2025 the government introduced Awaab’s Law; new legislation that sets strict timeframes for us to address mould and outlines steps to ensure that households with vulnerabilities are prioritised.
If you have damp and mould in your home, please report it using the damp and mould webform or by contacting our Customer Contact Team on 020 8080 6586.
Our Healthy Homes Team is currently experiencing resourcing issues - and we are working quickly to address this issue. You will be contacted once a surveyor becomes available.
We have also created some guidance about how residents can reduce the chances of damp and mould occurring in their homes at www.opendoorhomes.org/report-damp
Repairs - your responsibilities, and ours
Your tenancy agreement sets out what we must do as your landlord and which repairs that we have a legal duty to complete. These include keeping the external structure of your home in good repair and to keep it wind- and water-tight. There are also a number of repairs which are Opendoor Homes’ responsibility to complete which relate to fixtures and fittings inside your home and the maintenance of communal areas.
The detailed list of repairs which Opendoor Homes is responsible for completing and those which are tenants responsibility is here.
You can read Opendoor Homes’ full repairs policy here or the repairs policy quick guide.
You can report a repair online, or by emailing
customercare@opendoorhomes.org or by calling 020 8080 6586.
If you require an emergency repair outside of our normal operating office hours, please call the Out of Hours (OOH) service on 020 8080 6586. The OOH service is available between 5pm and 8am. Examples of urgent repairs which are unable to wait until the morning to be reported are loss of heating and uncontainable leaks.
Once the repair has been reported, an operative (from contractors Chigwell) or an engineer (from contractors Purdy) will aim to attend your home within 4 hours and resolve the repair within 24 hours. You must remain home for the entire period to allow access.
Would you like to help test our new repairs portal?
We are developing an online repairs portal so that tenants can diagnose their repairs and book appointments through our website, without having to call or email us.
Before launching to all tenants, we will run a pilot session with a group of Opendoor Homes tenants. The pilot will allow us to test whether everything works and make any improvements using resident feedback. The pilot testing will take place soon.
If you are a tenant and would like to take part in the pilot, click below to register your interest.
Debt and money advice for residents
Barnet Council’s Money Worries campaign helps guide residents who are facing financial difficulties to the support available to them, including the Money Advice Service, the Barnet Financial Calculator, and the Citizens Advice Bureau.
Across the UK, an estimated £24.1 billion in benefits goes unclaimed every year. On average, residents using the Financial Calculator in 2024/25 claimed £1,870 in benefits per month, plus an additional £769 in extra benefits monthly—a life-changing boost for many households.
Dealing with anti-social behaviour
Anti‑social behaviour (ASB) is any behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to others.
Residents are expected to:
- Be considerate of neighbours
- Follow tenancy or lease conditions
- Report antisocial behaviour
Report ASB
You can report anti-social behaviour in a variety of ways.
Email: customercare@opendoorhomes.org
Phone: 020 8080 6586 (8am–5pm, Monday–Friday)
You can also report ASB online at opendoorhomes.org
Contact Us
You can find out all the ways you can contact us here.
Call: 020 8080 6586.
Our Customer Contact Team can help you between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
You can find out about our customer service standards and average response times on our website by clicking here.
Local elections in Barnet on 7 May: what you need to know
Local elections in Barnet take place every four years. On Thursday 7 May, Barnet’s 63 councillors are elected for the next four years across the borough’s 24 wards.
If you are eligible to vote, but not currently registered at your address, you must do so by Monday 20 April. You can do this here.
You must remember to bring photographic ID if voting in a polling station on 7 May. Make sure you’re ready and check you’ve got the right photo ID. To find out what types of ID are accepted, visit the Electoral Commission website or call their helpline on 0800 3280280.
If you would like to vote by post, you must apply for a postal vote by 5pm on Tuesday 21 April. You do not need photo ID to vote by post. Your ballot papers will be sent to you before polling day and your completed postal vote pack must be returned before 10pm on Thursday 7 May. If you wish to apply for a proxy vote (when you nominate someone you trust to vote on your behalf), you must do so by 5pm on Tuesday 28 April. If nominating a proxy to vote on your behalf, your proxy will need to show their photo ID when casting your vote at your polling station.
Find out everything you need to know about the elections here.
Quick links
