Southwark Life Housing News

More new home building milestones reached

Despite challenging economic times, we have managed to complete 227 new homes with many more in the pipeline. This most recent wave of completions will contribute to the council’s ambitious target to build 11,000 new council homes by 2043 and 1,500 by 2018. All the new homes will be 50 percent local lettings, meaning local residents in housing need can bid for them. Click here to read more about the new homes and where they are.

Salt giveaway

With temperatures dropping and the winter chills settling in, the council is helping residents get prepared for the winter challenges.

Southwark Council is offering residents a free bag of 5kg salt to keep their own pathways and footpaths safe. Residents are welcome to collect a bag for an elderly neighbour or those unable to salt their own pavement to reduce the risk of ice.

The giveaway will take place on Saturday 3 December and 10 December. Click here to find out times and locations. 

Nunhead Library reopening

We’re celebrating the 120th anniversary of Nunhead Library with a new look. The newly refurbished library will open on Monday 5 December at 2pm.

Come and check out the brand new features including:

• Self-service technology
• Increased study space
• Relaxed seating area for Wi-Fi users
• A range of new books for adults and children.

We will be running a series of events to celebrate the reopening between Thursday 8 December and Thursday 15 December. Click here for more info.

Final call for primary school admissions

Is your child starting primary school in September 2017? If you’ve not already done so, you need to apply for a school place by the 15 January 2017.  Applications for a school place must be made online, it’s quick and easy, click here for more information on how to apply.

Congratulations to the latest MySouthwark prize winner

Congratulations to Margaret, the most recent winner of the MySouthwark prize draw. She won an iPad mini simply by accessing her housing services online. She says, “As a leaseholder, I go on MySouthwark to check how much I need to pay on the service charge account”. If you are a council homeowner or tenant and want to be in with a chance to win, just sign up or use the housing services section within your MySouthwark account. It takes the time and effort out of reporting repairs, tracking appointments or managing your rent or service charge account.

Water Charges are changing

From April 2017 all Southwark Council tenants will be charged for their water directly by Thames Water. There will no longer be a weekly charge with the rent payment.

But don’t worry, between now and April the council and Thames Water will be in touch to let you know why this is happening and how you can pay your bill from April.

Cooking up a new career

Having started out working in building construction, Greg is now constructing meals in the kitchen after completing an apprenticeship with Brigade Bar and Bistro.  Greg is just one of many people across the borough choosing to start or change career by taking up an apprenticeship. Greg said: “It’s been a fantastic opportunity. I’d encourage anyone to do it if you need to retrain - it can never hurt to gain new qualifications.”

Apprenticeships are open to people of all ages and many Southwark businesses are signed up to the scheme.  Click here for more info.

Introducing our new animal welfare charter

The council has adopted an animal welfare charter to reflect the concerns of local people who care about animal welfare. We hope this will provide an example to people to prevent cruel treatment, abuse or neglect of animals and we call upon members of the public to support the charter by acting in accordance with the animal care recommendations. The charter is available here.

Reduce, reuse and recycle this festive season

All collections taking place between Monday 26 December to Friday 30 December, will take place one day later.

Click here for more information about how to dispose of your real Christmas tree, recycling hints and tips and collection day information over Christmas.

Simple repairs needed around your home?

Check out our Fix it at Home videos about repairs that are easy to fix yourself, but only if you know how.

Join over 26,000 people who have been left flushed with success after watching our video on how to easily unblock a toilet. The videos also give you a step by step guide on how to unblock your sink, change your bathroom and kitchen lights, reset your trip switch, set up your central heating correctly, change and test your smoke alarm and manage condensation and mould.

MySouthwark Homeowners

We are recruiting owners of council properties to sit on our new MySouthwark homeowners’ board and arbitration panels. They are being set up to scrutinise the performance of the council’s housing related functions that impact on freeholders and leaseholders to ensure that service charges are reasonable and fair.

These are voluntary positions although an attendance fee will be paid for each meeting. For more information, please e-mail arbitration@southwark.gov.uk

Housing crooks locked up

One of the council’s biggest fraud investigations, Operation Bronze, ended in September with the successful prosecution of three defendants linked to fraudulently obtaining council homes.

Since the operation commenced in 2011, it has resulted in a total of 38 convictions and 42 properties being recovered – meaning these can now be reallocated to applicants with genuine housing needs. 

If you have a concern about housing, benefit, tenancy or revenue fraud, click here for more info.

It’s also important to prevent fraud occurring in the first place. If you’re looking for a new place to rent or have doubts about the tenancy status of your private property, have a quick check on ilatch. It’s a quick and easy tenancy checker that could save you money and headache.

Citizens Advice for council leaseholders and freeholders 

Citizens Advice Southwark has a free independent service for Southwark Council leaseholders and freeholders.

The service is for those who bought their properties from Southwark Council, through Right to Buy or from a previous owner. We can advise you on a number of issues including:

• understanding your lease

• service charges (including debt)
• major works charges (understand them and challenge them if not reasonable)
• dealing with neighbour disputes.

You may also have other issues that may affect you paying your mortgage, service charges or major works charges.

We offer face to face and telephone appointments and can be contacted via email: Lholders@CitizensAdviceSouthwark.org.uk or by phone on 0207 237 9532. Please contact us to speak to an adviser.