August Customer Bulletin

Read all the latest news from Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association in our August Customer Bulletin:  https://conta.cc/2yUDnoH

Change of repairs contractor

We are delighted to announce that we have appointed GTD as our new lead maintenance contractor. From this week they will be undertaking all day to day repairs to our properties.

Fire Risk Assessment Programme 2019/20

As part of our longstanding commitment to protect the health and safety of our customers, we recently carried out full Fire Risk Assessments of all our schemes with shared, internal communal areas (such as an entrance lobby). 

Our new Community Investment Strategy

We have just launched our new Community Investment Strategy, focused on making a positive impact within the communities we serve.

We support UK Housing Fast 2019

We're delighted to come together with other housing providers to support UK Housing Fast 2019, raising money for the Trussell Trust whose nationwide network of foodbanks provide emergency food and support to people experiencing poverty.

Here's our team with our plate pledges and all their generous donations that we've delivered to our local Trussell Trust foodbanks. Three of our managers even went the extra mile and fasted for the day!

Please complete our annual customer survey

Our annual customer STAR survey will go out to customers from today. Your feedback is really important to us, so please take 5 minutes to complete it. Everyone that responds will be entered into a free prize draw to win up to £125 of high street vouchers. 

We had a really good response rate last year so it would be great to get the same again.

 

Meet our new Health & Safety Block Inspectors

We take our customers' safety very seriously at LYHA and our Health & Safety Block Inspection service starts this week. Andy & Graham will be carrying out weekly fire safety inspections of all our homes which share communal areas. This will include testing fire alarms, safety and detection equipment.

Housing Diversity Day 2019

Diversity has always been at the heart of LYHA’s philosophy.

Our parent organisation was founded back in the 1950s when Britain was still suffering from the effects of World War 2: rationing was still in operation; many areas were devastated from bombing and there was a shortage of homes to house the fast growing ‘baby boom’ population.

Three exciting opportunities to join our team

We are looking for three new people to join our team on a 12 month fixed-term basis.

LYHA is a small and dynamic organisation based in Headingley (Leeds).  It's a great place to work and we offer an attractive salary and benefits package. 

Please click on the links below to find out more about the roles:

Barnsley school children create street names for our latest development

Pupils from Laithes Primary School in Barnsley have named the streets for a new development of affordable housing in Athersley South. The Catherine’s Walk scheme is being developed by Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association (LYHA) and their construction partner, energy and regeneration specialist, ENGIE. Once completed later this year, it will provide 54 affordable, new homes for families and older people.
 

Service Charge Consultation

We are currently carrying out a consultation regarding changes to our service charge in relation to fire safety services. This does not apply to all customers and those customers affected will have received a letter about this.

If you have any questions or would like to give us feedback, please email: servicecharges@lyha.co.uk

We have compiled this Frequently Asked Questions sheet for further information.

Cold weather's here: make sure you're prepared

Get yourself prepared for the cold weather with these simple tips. Especially keep a look out for neighbours who are elderly or vulnerable. 

Foodbank donations

Throughout the Christmas period the LYHA team collected over £1,000 of donations for our local Trussell Trust foodbanks. We then did an incredibly 'big shop' and have handed over all the donations to the Leeds North and West foodbank team.

Both staff and Board have contributed generously to making this happen. A big thank you to everyone involved.

Worried about debt?

If you are experiencing money struggles, please don't suffer in silence and let your rent payments lapse.

You can contact one of our Income Officers, Katy Horrigan and Chris Radcliffe, on 0113 278 3335. They will be able to answer your questions and signpost you to sources of support.

Investors in People success

Following the outcome of our recent Investors in People assessment, we are delighted to have been successfully IiP reaccredited. Great to see the report praise the efforts of our whole team in the significant progress we've made this year, and our open & inclusive working culture.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Did you know if you or a friend or family member are on a low income, you could be eligible for the government's Warm Home Discount scheme and receive £140 off your electricity bill this winter. To find out more visit: https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme

Watch our Burley Lane development take shape

Great time-lapse footage of the building of our Burley Lane development from start to finish: https://youtu.be/JRxpyEcRl7Y

Changes to our telephone system

Following customer feedback, we have worked with our Customer Scrutiny Panel to upgrade our current telephone system. We hope that this change will improve the experience customers receive when making calls to LYHA.

Our contact number remains the same 0113 278 3335. If all of our advisors are busy when you call, you will be placed in a queue and notified of your position in the queue. We will also give you an estimated waiting time.

Universal Credit Advice

Universal Credit (full service) is now live in all the areas where our customers live. If you are unsure about what this means for you, we have produced a short guide and claimant journey map to help you.

There are lots of sources of support including:

www.citizensadvice.org.uk 

Come and tell us what you think

Can you spare an hour of your time next Thursday 11th October from 12.30 – 1.30pm. Lunch is on us!

We’re developing a new IT strategy and would really value customers’ input on how we can best use IT to improve our services; including digital channels of communication, customer service, website etc.

No IT knowledge is required. We will provide lunch and as a thank you for your contribution, each person who attends will receive a £10 high street voucher.

Helping to reduce homelessness

The Homelessness Reduction Act comes into force this week. We've signed up to the National Housing Federation's Commitment to Refer to help ensure anyone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless can access help. If you know anyone at risk, please contact your local authority Housing Options and Support Service.

Ground breaking ceremony marks the start of new affordable housing development in Barnsley

Construction of a new affordable housing development in Barnsley has got underway with the breaking of the first ground off Catherine’s Walk in Athersley South.

The honour of breaking the first earth at the site went to Mike Gaskell (Chair of the Board) and Joanna Chambers (Head of Home & Growth) at Leeds & Yorkshire Housing; Councillor Robert Frost (Cabinet Support Member for Place at Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council); Nathan Brough, Regional Director for ENGIE’s Places & Communities division; and Richard Panter from Homes England.

Our response to this week's government green paper on social housing

This week’s government green paper on social housing recognises the urgent importance of creating a new supply of affordable homes. National Housing Federation research earlier this year revealed that between 2012 and 2016, nearly 36,000 too few homes were built in Yorkshire and Humber. Housing associations are doing lots of great work to alleviate that. In 2016/17 housing associations delivered over 2,000 new affordable and market-priced homes in Yorkshire and started a further 2,557. Here at LYHA we have an ambitious new-build strategy.

Our latest Customer Bulletin

For all the latest news from Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association, please view our most recent Customer Bulletin here.

If you would like to subscribe to receive this by email, please contact georgina.thompson@lyha.co.uk

Statement - 25th July 2018

As a result of the discovery of past failures in relation to evidencing checks on health and safety matters affecting our tenants’ homes (principally electrical safety testing), Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association has today been formally downgraded by the Regulator of Social Housing from G1 to G2.

 

Planning permission granted for new Barnsley development

We have announced plans to build 54 new homes in Athersley South, in Barnsley.  Planning permission has been granted and work will begin on site in the Summer.  Once completed this will be the largest new-build development that LYHA has undertaken for a number of years and will provide much needed affordable homes for families and older people in an area of acute housing need.

Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association appoints Interim Chief Executive

Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association, announces that Mark Pearson has been appointed as Interim Chief Executive.

Mark has worked at the LYHA as Deputy Chief Executive for 6 months and was previously Assistant Director of Communities and Customer Service at Muir Group Housing Association, having worked in the social housing sector for 21 years. Mark takes over from Chief Executive, Lisa Pickard, who leaves the organisation after 6 and a half years. 

LYHA Chair, Mike Gaskell said:

Celebrating the opening of our latest affordable homes for over 55s

Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association (LYHA) today celebrates the completion and official opening of a new affordable housing development off Burley Lane, in Horsforth.  The £1.8 million scheme comprises thirteen new homes: two 3-bedroom family houses and eleven 2-bedroom apartments for over 55s. These have all been let to local people who were delighted to receive their keys today. 

Annual customer satisfaction survey

Please help us improve our service by completing our annual customer satisfaction survey. This has been emailed out to customers with a reply link. Paper copies have also been sent out by post. All answers are anonymous and confidential.
Complete it and you could win up to £125 in our free prize draw.

 

LYHA awarded Diversity Network Accreditation

We are delighted that Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association has been awarded the Diversity Network Accreditation by the Housing Diversity Network. This recognises our efforts to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our work.

New gas servicing & repairs contractor appointed

We are pleased to announce that our new Gas Servicing & Repairs Contractor, Robert Heath Heating Ltd (RHH), has been appointed and they will take over the contract from IDM Contractors Ltd on Tuesday 3rd April. The number for you to call in the event of a repair remains the same on 0113 278 3335.

When your boiler is due for a service, RHH will contact you direct to make an appointment. All RHH operatives will carry ID badges and their vehicles and clothing will have their logo on it.

Help us improve event

We know we're not perfect and we are working hard to improve; getting the basics right is our core priority.
You have told us that we need to improve on:

  • Repairs   
  • Customer Service 
  • Communication

We want to make sure we are doing it in a way that works for both you and us. That's why we are inviting customers to take part in a series of 'How to improve' events.
The first one will be held on:

LYHA Settle Scheme Celebrated at Industry Awards

A £750,000 refurbishment project by Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association (LYHA), Leeds-based architects, Woodhall Planning and Conservation and Ilkley-based contractor, Dobson Construction Ltd, to create nine affordable apartments within a former Victorian family home in Settle was recognised as a finalist in the Best Affordable Rural Housing Development category at the prestigious Inside Housing Development Awards in London last night.

Value for Money Statement and Self-Assessment

Our latest Value for Money Statement and Self-Assessment for the 15 months from 1st January 2016 to 31st March 2017 has been published on our website.

Click here to read / download the PDF.

Customer Board Membership

As part of our commitment to ensure customers are central to what we do and the decisions we make, our LYHA Board of Management includes one specific position for a customer; either a tenant or resident of an LYHA home.

If you would like to learn more about, or have an interest in becoming a Customer Board Member - then click here to read more details

Fire Safety Announcement

21st June 2017

We have and continue to share our sincere condolences and support to all those affected by the terrible fire that happened in Grenfell Tower. Our heart goes out to those who lost their lives, their friends and loved ones and their homes and possessions. Our thanks go out to the many people who helped and supported from the fire fighters and emergency services to the wonderful community that has rallied to show immense support and resilience during the toughest of times.

Join our Customer Committee and make a real difference!

LYHA is looking for customers who want to work with us to make a real difference to the communities they live in, are you that person?  If the answer is “yes” then our Customer Committee could be perfect for you!

Customers Undertake Community Safety Review

Following the successful ‘Journey of the Call’ review, our Scrutiny Panel have undertaken their second review of 2017, which was all about community safety and anti-social behavior (ASB). Three customers took an in-depth look at our policies and processes and met with staff who manage ASB at Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association.
 

St. John's House Officially Opened

St. John’s House, providing 23 high-quality affordable homes within walking distance of Leeds City Centre, has been officially opened by our Chief Executive ​and Councillor Debra Coupar, Executive Member for Communities at Leeds City Council.

Waiting list now open!

You can now apply to be on our waiting list online. Click here for the application form. Once we send you a bidding number, you'll be able to start bidding on available properties straight away.

Homes for Cathy

We are proud to be part of the Homes for Cathy steering group; a group of housing associations who have come together to mark the 50th anniversary of Cathy Come Home and to highlight the continuing needs of homeless people. 

Join our Customer Scrutiny Group!

Do you have an eye for detail and a keen interest in the services LYHA provides? You could be perfect for our Scrutiny Group! 

Owning Our Future

We are collaborating with other housing associations and the National Housing Federation to own our future and share our story. 

Former Victorian family home in Settle now houses nine modern apartments

Leeds & Yorkshire Housing Association (LYHA) has officially reopened Sutcliffe Buildings in Settle, North Yorkshire, following a six month refurbishment project to provide nine apartments for affordable rent.