In this newsletter
Gas and Electrical Safety
ELECTRICAL SAFETY CHECKS
Every 5 years, we as landlords have a legal obligation to do an Electrical Safety check within our tenants' homes. The purpose of this is to keep you safe.
If you have not had an electrical safety check over the last 5 years, a member of the Housing team or one of our contractors, SDT or Dodd Group, will be contacting you between 10th and 14th February 2025 to make an appointment.
What does the safety check entail?
- The Electrician will be working with the fuse box (consumer unit) to test the circuits
- Inspection of the light fittings
- Inspection of the plug sockets
If the electrical inspection passes, a certificate is issued and placed on the property's account on our housing management system.
The Electrician will also place a sticker on the fuse box saying when the next inspection will be due by.
The check will take approximately 3 hours. If you have concerns about your power being turned off while the check is carried out, please discuss this with us.
Let us in for your Gas Service Appointment
Gas is a useful source which powers many things in our day to day lives, however people forget it's also very dangerous.
As a landlord we have a responsibility to ensure tenant safety and carry out annual gas servicing within all our properties.
When your annual gas servicing is due you will be contacted by Housing Repairs with an appointment for this to take place.
It is important that tenants keep their Gas Service appointment and provide us with access to their home.
Need to change it? Please contact the Repairs team on 0115 917 7777 or email housingrepairs@broxtowe.gov.uk
Please note failure to provide access before the service or safety due date will result in us obtaining a warrant for entry via court and these costs may be passed on to you.
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Housing Magazine
 Tenants and staff have worked together to develop a brand-new Housing Magazine – Housing for You!
It’s been sent to every Council tenant by post. Have you received the first issue? If not view a digital copy:
Do you have any feedback on how we can improve, or ideas for articles you would like to see in future issues?
Let us know at housingengagement@broxtowe.gov.uk
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Report a Repair Online
If you require any non-emergency repairs to be made to your home, why not report your repair online?
Housing Repairs have developed a new online form to report repairs through. It is available on the website and we would encourage people to use this option as it will save time phoning in. The form will be picked up in a timely manner and necessary jobs booked in.
For any emergency repairs (such as loss of power, unsafe electrics, only WC not flushing or loss of heating/hot water), please telephone on 0115 917 7777.
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Managing Condensation in your Home
If you spot damp or mould in your home, you need to act fast. Mould is a health hazard and needs to be treated before it causes harm to you or others in your home.
Please report any damp or mould as soon as you notice it even if at that point it is not posing a major issue.
There are some actions you can take to reduce the risk of damp and mould.
- When showering and cooking always use an extractor fan or open a window. Make sure to leave the door closed even after you have finished, so that steam does not spread to other rooms.
- Keep lids on bubbling saucepans.
- Only fill the kettle with as much water as you need.
- Drying clothes creates moisture. If unable to dry clothes outside, the best place to dry them is the bathroom.
- For central heating, it is better to keep house at a constant temperature rather than only putting the heating on once it gets cold in mornings/evenings.
- Open curtains to let the air circulate and wipe down condensation where it forms.
You can report Damp and Mould to repairs by emailing damp&mould@broxtowe.gov.uk if possible please attach photos to the email. You can also call repairs on 0115 917 7777 option 2.
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Tenant Satisfaction Measures: A Quick Update
Thank you to everyone who completed the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs). We appreciate taking the time to fill in your responses and send it back to us.
We had a total of 820 responses. This included paper copies, online and 'mop up' phone calls to tenants of demographics we received low numbers from.
We are waiting for the breakdown and full results from Acuity. Once we have the results, we will share them with you.
Keep a look out as we will also be drawing the competition winners!
You can view last years’ Tenant Satisfaction Measure here:
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Broxtowe Garden Competition
 This year, Housing are running a Garden Competition to celebrate the tenants and leaseholders taking pride in their local area and bringing a bit of nature and colour to the community.
All Broxtowe Borough Council tenants and leaseholders can enter. Even if you don't have a garden we will consider pots, hanging baskets and even houseplants on your windowsill.
If you can brave the elements, spend time this month trimming off dead growth, clipping back and general preparation for the new growing season ready for the competition in late spring.
We will confirm prizes, judging criteria, categories and when judging will take place in next months’ Housing News.
Winners will also be featured in the Housing Magazine – Summer edition!
Any questions? Email housingengagement@broxtowe.gov.uk
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Time to Talk
Why talking is important
Nearly two thirds of the UK public put on a brave face to avoid talking about their mental health. Sometimes it’s easier to tell people we’re ‘fine’ than it is to say how we really feel.
The more conversations we have, the better life is for everyone. Talking about mental health isn’t always easy and sometimes it’s even harder to say how you really feel. But a conversation has the power to change lives.
'Time to Talk Day' on Thursday 6 February is the perfect opportunity to start a conversation about mental health.
Housing's Community Fund
 Do you have an idea that could help build a better community? We are seeing a wide range of applications being submitted, so encourage you to get them in soon.
Housing can award grants of up to £1000 per application.
For more information, guidelines and the application form, see the link below.
If you have not applied for something like this before and would like to discuss it, please contact Housing Engagement on 0115 917 3935 or housingengagement@broxtowe.gov.uk
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Where are Housing this February?
Tenant Panel
At the last meeting (15 January) the Panel had an interactive workshop from Andy Culshaw, Change Delivery Manager.
In small groups, the tenants were tasked with scheduling an example working day for 2 plumbers using Post-It notes to represent jobs on an empty diary. This simulated the possible scenarios the Repairs team may face, to allow tenants to understand the process and suggest possible improvements.
The panel then joined the Housing Ombudsman webinar to listen to the Annual report 2023/24. Interested? You can read the report here.
Join us on Wednesday 12 February 10am-12pm for next Tenant Panel Meeting at Council Offices Beeston.
There will be a workshop on asking the right questions to hold your landlord to account.
Please let us know if you’d like to pop along by emailing housingengagment@broxtowe.gov.uk or calling 0115 917 3935
 Neighbourhood Inspections
Broxtowe Borough Council tenants and leaseholders are invited to Neighbourhood Inspections with Housing Officers in their local area.
Have your say on what matters most to you, such as highlighting areas that may require improvement, ensuring areas with Council housing in the Borough are kept tidy, fly tipping is removed and repairs are reported.
This month join us at:
- Newthorpe Common, Newthorpe at 10:30am on Tuesday 4 February
- Lawrence Avenue, Eastwood at 10:30am on Wednesday 12 February
- Addison Villas, Eastwood at 10:30am on Tuesday 18 February
- Webster Avenue, Newthorpe at 10am on Thursday 20 February
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Discount Market Sale Awsworth
 Broxtowe Borough Council are currently working in partnership with Avant Homes on delivering Discount Market Sale properties at the Bennerley View site on Newtons Lane, Awsworth.
Discount Market Sale is a low cost homeownership product, where a new build property is purchased at a discounted price (20% less than the market value).
To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
- Your household income is less than £80,000 per year
- You cannot afford all of the deposit and mortgage payments for a home that meets your needs
- You have a right of residence in the UK
- You have a local connection to the borough of Broxtowe Borough Council
For further information, visit Bennerley View
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