ARK Tenants' news Summer 2020

ARK Tenants’ news
Summer 2020

                                       Keeping ARK’s properties safe
                                       from Covid -19
                                       Find out the measures we took to
                                       avoid Coronavirus from spreading
                                       in shared entrances, exits, stairs
                                       and communal areas.

    Maintenance update                         Tenant Participation
   The team is working from                     Find out how Mike
    home but is still running                Davidson, an ARK tenant
  essential services including               from Perth, took part in
    emergency services and                  the first ever virtual focus
      legionella testing.                              group.

                     Visit our website arkha.org.uk
                     Search ‘ARK Housing’ on Facebook and Twitter

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Inside this issue...

Update from Bobby Duffy             3
Keeping ARK’s properties safe       5

University of Stirling’s research   6

Maintenance Update                  7

Energy saving information           9

Tenant participation                10

Tenant Satisfaction Survey          14

Mental health & wellbeing           15

Domestic Abuse                      17

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Update from Bobby Duffy
ARK Chief Executive

     Since lockdown started, managers at ARK have been
     meeting remotely every 2 weeks.

     We made sure that we could still provide our critical
     services. I am delighted to say that to this point, we
     have had no major disruption to our business.

     Our tenants have experienced only small changes to the
     housing services we provide and we have continued to
     deal with emergency repairs in a safe way.

     Every department had to change the way it worked and
     I would like to thank each and every one of you for all
     your efforts.

     A particular mention goes to our Care and Support
     teams and in particular our Support Workers. You have
     continued to go above and beyond to make sure people
     we support are kept safe and well. From the various
     videos and pictures I have seen, you have also been
     having lots of fun, I simply cannot thank you enough.

     So whilst everyone of us in our private lives has had to
     adjust to the way we live, we have also had to continue
     to think about the future.
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Over the next 3 months we will:

   Welcome 3 new Board members.

   Welcome 2 new Directors to the Executive
    Team.

   Welcome a new Head of Asset Management
    whose main focus will be housing quality and
    energy efficiency.

   Launch our new Business Plan.

   Launch the new ARK brand.

We are planning a remote launch of the new brand
and will update you closer to the time of how you
can join in.

We will continue to share news updates on our
website as we move forward with these plans.

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Keeping ARK’s properties
safe from Covid-19
     In order to reduce the risk of transmitting the
     Coronavirus, we have asked our cleaning contactors to
     provide a daily cleaning of hard surfaces in our
     properties that have shared entrances, exits, stairs and
     communal areas.

     We also ask you to try to do the following:
        Avoid touching handrail or bannisters internally
         and externally.

        If you touch handrails, bannisters or door entry
         systems, wash your hands straight away.

        Clean your front door handle daily with
         disinfectant or warm water and detergent.

        Keep a 2 metre distance from neighbours or
         visitors when using stairs and communal areas.

     If you have any questions please contact:

   Housing Team                   Brian Gunn, ARK Health
   0131 478 8146                     and Safety Adviser
housing@arkha.org.uk             brian.gunn@arkha.org.uk
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University of Stirling’s
research
   Coronavirus is a new illness. It is changing the way
   we live.

   We have to stay away from crowds and some other
   people. This is called social isolation.

   We have to stay apart from people we don’t live
   with. This is called social distancing.

   This research from the University of Stirling wants
   to find out how social isolation and social
   distancing make you feel.

   The questions are about what you are doing to
   make you feel better. This might be exercise, using
   a computer or trying new things.

   You might not be doing very much just now. That is
   ok too.

   How to take part?
   Go to this link to fill out the survey online:
   http://stir.ac.uk/39i

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Maintenance update

Our offices have been closed to visitors and staff
since the Government lockdown. They will
remain closed until restrictions are lifted and we
have appropriate measures in place to make sure
the safety of staff and visitors.

Our staff members are now working from home and
can be contacted by phone or email. They can be
contacted on 0131 478 8143 or email
repairs@arkha.org.uk

We will continue to run essential services to the
best of our ability, including:
   Emergency repairs
   Essential estate service duties
   Gas safety checks
   Legionella testing

Please keep at least 2 metres distance from
contractors attending your property and respect any
protocols the contractor is following – this is for your
safety and theirs.

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Energy saving information
 Being energy efficient can help the environment and
 your bank balance!

 The more energy we use, the more pollution is
 released into the atmosphere and more of our natural
 resources such as oil, coal and gas are used up.

 Energy Saving Tips

    Only fill the kettle with just enough water for your
     needs.

    Consider cooking with a slow cooker instead of
     using an oven. It’s cheaper and a great way to
     batch cook.

    Turn your lights off when you’re not using them.

    Layer up. Although the weather is getting warmer,
     choosing a cosy jumper instead of thin clothes can
     stop you needing to turn up the heating.

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   Keep the heat in. Do a draught check and make
    sure your doors and windows aren’t letting in the
    chill. If you find any problem areas, DIY draught-
    proofing can help keep your home cosy.

   Switch off standby. You might be good at turning
    appliances off at the wall before you go to bed,
    but doing this throughout the day helps to cut
    energy waste even further.

Money Saving Tips

   Check you are getting best deal – you can use
    comparison sites online to see if you are on the
    best tariff or you can switch suppliers.

   Make sure you regularly provide accurate meter
    readings. These will make sure you are billed for
    only what you use and not estimations.

   Contact your supplier directly to find out if there is
    a better way for you to pay, and that might save
    you money. For example paying by Direct Debit
    and going paperless often give you some
    discounts.

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Support for people on prepayment meters
During Covid19, gas and electricity suppliers have agreed
emergency measures to make sure vulnerable people and
those with prepayment meters don’t get cut off.
Contact your energy supplier to find out what support they
are offering– you can call them or use email or online chat
during busy spells.

Support for people on credit meter customers

If you are in financial distress you should speak to your
energy supplier urgently and update them on the
situation. They may be able to help you by adjusting your
payment amounts, providing payment breaks or reassessing
debt repayment.

Where can you get help and advice?

The Energy Savings Trust has lots of information you can
check out online at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Their service is free and impartial.
Contact free on 0808 808 2282 if you would prefer to talk to
someone.

Citizens Advice have a good comparison tool for checking
out gas and electricity prices at
energycompare.citizensadvice.org.uk

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Tenant participation

During these challenging times, Mike Davidson, who lives in
our Perth development, has participated in the first ever
virtual focus group as a tenant representative for ARK.

The virtual focus group was organised by the Tenants
Information Service (TIS).
During the current lockdown restrictions, being involved in
tenant participation gives Mike, a retired teacher, something
to focus on.

The virtual focus group is to help gain a better
understanding of how tenants can continue to
communicate with their landlord remotely while making the
most of online, digital tools. Mike is really enjoying
participating in the group and has even mastered virtual
meetings saying he can’t believe how easy it is.

We received positive feedback following our tenant
attending the virtual session. Mike says ‘ARK are way ahead
of the game as almost all other participants said that they
hadn’t had any contact from their landlord. The letter in
particular was very well written and very helpful – it made
things very clear.’
If you are interested in getting involved in future similar
sessions, please contact your Housing Services Officer.
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Tenant satisfaction
survey
   ARK’s last Tenant Satisfaction Survey was carried out
   by Knowledge Partnership in 2017. Feedback was
   gathered from tenants by post, internet, telephone
   and face to face questionnaires.
   A total of 196 tenants took part in the survey.

   What did tenants think ARK could do better?

      Replacement external doors and windows

      Kitchen upgrades

      Bathroom upgrades

      Improve the maintenance department

      Standard of work that is being carried out by
       the grounds maintenance contractors

      Let tenants know how they can get involved in
       tenant participation

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What have ARK done since the last survey to
make things better?

   88 properties got new doors

   62 properties got new windows

   18 properties got new bathrooms

   68 properties got new kitchens

   Maintenance team have recruited new staff to
    help with workload

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   New garden contractor was asked to carry out
    the garden works.

   Garden work is being closely monitored.

   Articles in newsletter to tell tenants about how
    they can participate

   Tenants groups have been set up in Edinburgh
    and Forres. The Housing Officer has attended
    Speak Out groups to talk about housing services.

What is next …
ARK wants to continue to improve the service it
provides to all of our tenants.
We will be carrying out another Tenant Satisfaction
Survey in 2020.
We are currently working on looking for a company
to carry out the survey on ARK’s behalf.

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Mental health &
    wellbeing
More of us will be spending a lot of time at home and
many of our regular social activities will no longer be
available to us.

During these difficult times it’s ok if we feel more
challenged or stressed than normal.

It is important that we also think about the mental
wellbeing of our family, friends and ourselves, and think
about how we can treat each other and ourselves with
kindness too.

Here are some tips to help you look after your mental
health and wellbeing whilst spending more time at
home:

   Plan your day
    Try not to stay in your pyjamas all day.
    Have a regular routine.
    Start your day at the same time you normally
    would.

   Keep moving
    Being active reduces stress, increases energy levels,
    make us more alert and help us sleep better.

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   Try a relaxation technique
    Relaxing and focusing on what is happening now
    can help improve your mental health and get rid of
    negative feelings.

   Stay in touch with other people
    Staying at home can feel lonely. Find ways to keep
    in touch with friends and family through the post,
    over the phone, social media or video-chat.

   Take time to reflect
    Make time every day to think about what is good in
    your life and what you have done well in your life
    and things you have achieved.

   Improve your sleep
    Try go to bed and get up at the same time each day,
    even at the weekend.
    Try to get some natural sunlight—by opening your
    curtains and windows. This helps to regulate your
    body clock which can help you sleep better.
    Wind down before bed by avoiding using your
    phone, tablet, computer or TV for an hour before
    bedtime.

If you feel like you need to talk to someone about
feeling down you can contact Breathing Space
You can call them free on 0800 83 85 87

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Domestic Abuse

 The current government guidance has asked us to stay
 at home in order to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus.

 However, we know that for some people home is not a
 safe or comfortable place, and for some, the new
 measures could increase the risk of experiencing abuse.

 There are a number of ways in which domestic abuse
 can take place:

    Coercive control – This would mean that your
     partner or ex-partner is intimidating, controlling,
     threatening and overall emotionally abusive.

    Physical abuse—This would mean you are being hit
     or your partner is hurting you.

    Sexual Abuse—This would mean that your partner
     or ex partner is sexually harassing you or making
     you do things you do not want to.

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   Financial Abuse—This would be if your partner or
    ex partner was spending your money and you did
    not want them to or not allowing you to spend any
    money.

Not being able to go out of your house may make you
feel like isolated or that the situation is out of your
control, but it is important to make sure you ask for
help.

What to do if you are being abused

If you feel you are in immediate danger, call the Police
on 999.

During this pandemic, Police Scotland will continue to
respond to and investigate reports of criminal activity,
this includes domestic abuse.

If you are not in immediate danger but would like to
report domestic abuse, call the Police on 101 or 999.

You can also fill out Police Scotland’s online form, which
you can also use to report stalking and harassment.

There are also other organisations that can help
Domestic Abuse and helpline
Call: 0800 027 1234
Email: helpline@sdafmh.org.uk
Web chat: sdafmh.org.uk

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The Care Inspectorate checks that service providers are doing
                               a good job supporting people.

Many of you who get ARK support have spoken to a Care Inspector and told
them how you are getting on with your support… remember you can
always get in touch with them if you are unhappy with your support.
Email: enquiries@careinspectorate.com Telephone: 0345 600 9527
 If you made a complaint to ARK and you want
 something more to be done, you can ask the
 Ombudsman to look at your complaint.
 Telephone: 0800 377 7330

   Aberdeen City Council
   Housing Benefit: 03000 200 292
   counciltax@aberdeencity.gov.uk

   Bulk Uplift - 0300 200 292

                    Housing Team Contacts
                    Tel: 0131 478 8146
                    Email: housing@arkha.org.uk

                            Maintenance Team Contacts
                            0131 478 8143
                            Email: repairs@arkha.org.uk

This newsletter was produced by ARK Housing Association Ltd, Scottish Charity
        Number SC015694, Mutuals Public Register Number 1899RS.
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