Update for housing customers
As we approach the Bank Holiday weekend, we wanted to remind you how our services are currently affected by the ongoing situation and how to get in touch with us if you need to. Many of our frontline staff remain out in communities working hard to keep services going during this time. Please help them by staying at home as much as possible and respecting social distancing when outside and in communal areas.
If you do need to contact us over the Bank Holiday weekend please see how you can do this in the sections below.
Repairs
We’re still carrying out urgent and emergency repairs when safe to do so, along with routine gas servicing.
We have cancelled all planned repairs, appointments and inspections for the time being and will contact anyone affected by this.
If you need to report an urgent or emergency repair over the Bank Holiday weekend, call 0114 273 5555.
Rent
You should continue to pay your rent if you can. There is lots of Government support available to help you do this through these difficult times. If you need further help or advice, please contact us as soon as possible on 0114 293 0000.
Rehousing
If you have nowhere to live and cannot self-isolate, please contact Housing Solutions on 0114 273 6306 or 0800 7311 689 (after 5pm and over the Bank Holiday weekend).
If you don’t feel safe where you currently live, contact South Yorkshire Police, VAS or IDAS for help and support.
Waste
The responsive chute service is working this Bank Holiday weekend to ensure the temporary waste measures put in place at Tower Blocks citywide are still delivered. The team will continue to collect waste from the identified tower blocks at the agreed times and also from customers who are unable to use the skips that have been provided.
Anyone who has a blocked chute should ring the weekend phone number 07734595916 and report it. When we carry out this work please remember to respect social distancing rules. Please note this will be a limited service this weekend.
Fire safety advice
Our lives have changed dramatically during the last 2 months and the Government message remains that we should Stay Alert and stay at home as much as possible.
Your home is your sanctuary, now more than ever, so it’s important to keep yourself safe from other household hazards during this time.
We are continuing to undertake health and safety checks of blocks of flats and our staff are observing social distancing rules and ordering urgent repairs that may be identified to ensure there are no fire safety risks on blocks.
Our fantastic Estates Team are also busy trying to keep on top off the waste that is generated in the blocks of flats and maisonettes and we need your support to ensure that waste is disposed of in the defined waste facilities and skips that are provided. It is more important than ever that waste is not left on landings, stairs, outside entrances to blocks of flats or fly-tipped.
Please don’t dump waste, this is a breach of your tenancy conditions and you may be fined. Tell us if you are having problems with waste and we will offer advice and assistance.
Keeping your home safe is our priority but you can help take additional pressure away from the emergency services. If you're planning on having a barbecue over the Bank Holiday weekend, please ensure to be careful and take necessary safety precautions.
Cleaning project blossoms on Flower Estate
We have been highlighting work that TARAs are doing across the city to help people in their communities get through tough times.
Flower Estate Family Action is working in partnership with Flower TARA to provide family-size cleaning and toiletry packs for those in need.
They typically include things like soap, toothpaste, hand wash, bleach, toilet roll, sponges, washing up liquid and rubber gloves.
The project - funded by South Yorkshire’s Community Foundation and Tesco Community Grants – is helping people on the Flower Estate and in the Firth Park area.
Feedback shows it’s making a difference, from helping finances stretch further to providing a little bit of contact to people feeling isolated.
If you live in the area and would benefit from a pack, please contact Lesley Pearson on 0114 2812645 and leave a clear message including a contact number, your address and how many live in your household. Alternatively email lesleyellen@hotmail.co.uk or flowertara@hotmail.com
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Staying in touch with TARAs during lockdown
We recently held our first virtual coffee morning as a way to connect with Tenants and Residents Associations (TARAs) during lockdown.
Like lots of other people, we are finding ways to keep in touch with others safely and, often, remotely.
We used the coffee morning as an informal introduction to Zoom – a free online video conferencing tool that allows up to 100 people to connect at the same time.
Members of our Community Engagement Team organised the first online coffee morning and quiz with Sally Dale, Chair of Gleadless Valley TARA, Mick Daniels, Chair of Brushes TARA, and Anthony Harrington, Secretary of Firshill TARA.
Everyone who took part enjoyed the chance to catch up ‘face-to-face’ and would like similar sessions in the future, which we’ll arrange soon with more TARAs across the city.
Gleadless Valley TARA online quiz
Gleadless Valley TARA host a weekly online quiz via Facebook Live. The quiz usually takes place on a Friday evening 7pm. by visiting their Facebook page
The quiz is open to all TARAs, tenants and residents, so if you fancy playing along, you just need to visit their Facebook page
If there are TARAs that would like to get help to set up a Facebook page or just need help getting online, please contact Shahid Khan - Engagement & Development Officer on 07391 863249 or email shahid.khan@sheffield.gov.uk
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Do you have a positive story to share?
We know there’s a great deal of community spirit out there on our housing estates, where people are going above and beyond to help friends and neighbours, particularly those who are isolated and vulnerable.
Thank you for your efforts and we would love to hear about any positive stories from you that you would be happy to share. Please email the details to getinvolved@sheffield.gov.uk
Letter to social housing tenants from the Housing Minister
The Government has published a letter addressed to all social housing tenants providing an update on steps it is taking to support social housing tenants and their families.
To read the full letter please click below.
We will continue to keep you updated with the latest government announcements and how we are responding to them through this news bulletin.
'See the Person' Campaign
'See the Person' Campaign is working with the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) to tackle the problem of stigma against social housing and the people who live in it.
CIH are running a short survey to understand what housing organisations and/or their staff and contractors do which you think creates or reinforces stigma against people living in social housing. They also want to know how this could change for the better.
The Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH) is a strong supporter of the 'See the Person' Campaign and are asking all member councils to promote this survey and to encourage as many tenants, staff and contractors as possible to complete the survey If you would like to take part, please click below.
ARCH tenant conference on hold
Plans for the ARCH Tenants' Conference due to be held on 16 September 2020 in Stevenage have been put on hold as a result of the coronavirus crisis. A re-arranged date has not yet been agreed and will only be considered, if and when, the Government lifts restrictions on social distancing and large gatherings.
To find out more about ARCH and the ARCH tenant conference please click here.
Contacting us
As we’re sure you’ll understand, we are prioritising urgent and serious situations so only call us if this applies to you. Please bear with us if it takes longer than usual to answer your call.
There’s lots of information about our services online. Don’t forget you can still pay your rent, check your rent balance and set up a Direct Debit (the easiest way to pay your rent) on our website.
You can email us at councilhousing@sheffield.gov.uk, write to us (Housing and Neighbourhood Service, PO Box 5967, Sheffield S2 9GH) or follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.
Our Housing Offices remain closed until further notice.
Keeping up to date
Sheffield City Council is issuing regular updates by email about advice and changes to services during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Keep informed by signing up now
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