Stay Secure this Winter

Is BCHF getting it right?

A group of tenants worked together during 2011 to look at BCHF’s services in detail and report back to managers and the Board. The first area they looked at was the complaints procedure as tenants have said they are not happy with the way BCHF was dealing with complaints. The group met over a couple of months, interviewed staff and looked at how other organisations handled complaints. They made a number of suggestions of how BCHF could improve and presented these to BCHF’s Board. These included changing the Complaints Policy so that it was easier for tenants and staff to understand and agreeing a set of clear Customer Service Standards. These new standards, which have also been looked at by the Tenants’ Committee, are set out below and, as such, have been ‘Tenant Approved’.

Peter Farr who chaired the group said: “I hope that tenants will start to see some real improvements as a result of the work we have done. At times it was hard work but I hope it will encourage other tenants to join us in future. BCHF’s Board did listen to us and have agreed to most of our requests for change. The Panel members are having a break for a while but we’ll be asking other tenants to join us when we look at future areas of concern.”

NEW! Complaints Service Standard

If things go wrong we will:

• Make it easy for you to contact us, tell you who will deal with your complaint, and when they should respond by.

• Offer you support if you would like to make a complaint. • Apologise when we have got things wrong and put things right if possible. • Investigate your complaint fully and as quickly as possible. • Listen to you and ask if you have alternative ideas about how we can do things. • Acknowledge your complaint within three working days and give you information about our

complaints procedure. • Resolve complaints as quickly as possible. • Send you a written response to your complaint within 10 working days or if we can not reply

within this time, let you know when we will respond by. • Keep you updated on progress, including action and timescales where appropriate. • Always let you know what to do if you’re not satisfied. • Ask your views on how we handled your complaint.

Unfortunately, winter often brings an increase in crime as thieves target houses with new equipment following Christmas. All BCHF properties have secure front doors, but they are only secure when locked with a key.

BCHF staff have noticed a number of burglaries have taken place due to the front door not being locked. It is just as important to lock your doors with a key on the inside when you are inside your home, to ensure your property stays secure.

Issue 9: January 2012Issue 9: January 2012Issue 9: January 2012Issue 9: January 2012

Bring your bins in!

The POP group has learned that there have been a rise in the number of complaints being made to the Council about bins and recycling boxes being left out on the street after the collection crews have been around.

A number of private homes in Upper Horfield have recently had their bins removed after they ignored repeated warnings by the Council to collect them in.

Don’t let this happen to you! Bring your bins and boxes in off the street after the collection crew have emptied them. Leaving them out can obstruct access for disabled people and those with buggies, and it is unsightly.

Give BCHF your feedback any time by emailing feedback@bchf.co.uk or call Kate Balloch on 0117 9319788

Getting involved with BCHF can be fun!

BCHF has been carrying out a number

of Resident Involvement activities

during 2011 to develop its services and

address issues.

At the last Tenants’ Open Forum, many

tenants said things needed to be more

fun and less stuffy and it was clear that

many people do not enjoy meetings.

What BCHF is planning to do in 2012 is

to develop more fun ways to involve

residents in feeding back - so possibly combining this with a

social event, for instance.

To develop this work, BCHF is working with the Tenants’

Committee who will look at the way residents are involved in

developing services. Committee members will work closely

with Kate Balloch to advise BCHF on how they plan events like

Open Forum meetings to include more social activities.

Training will be available to group members and a number of

members have already been trained in facilitation skills by

Rowena Harris. If you would like to find out more or have an

idea about things we can do to involve more of our residents in

BCHF events, please contact Kate on 0117 9319788 or email:

kate.balloch@bchf.co.uk

YR Youth Club

BCHF Community calendar: www.tinyurl.com/bchfdiary

Bristol Community Housing Foundation: www.bchf.co.uk

Tenants wishing to get more involved in the way BCHF manages anti-

social behaviour (ASB) and estate management are invited to the

monthly Pride of Place (POP) meetings which will continue to be held on

the third Thursday of the month at 12 noon during 2012.

POP meetings are one of the ways BCHF works with tenants to improve

its ASB and estate management services. This includes the way it

carries out communal cleaning, caretaking and reducing ASB. The POP

group will continue to link to Safer Bristol who help to tackle ASB across

Bristol; and Bristol City Council’s Waste Services team, who deal with the

general upkeep of streets and waste. Residents who join the group represent the issues occurring in their

street or block. They also work with BCHF to develop local projects, such as community clean ups.

In 2012, the group would like to do more to provide new tenants with local information and BCHF will be

looking at the role street reps can play. So, if you would like to find out what BCHF is doing to make your

neighbourhood safe and well-managed, this is the meeting for you. As a member you will be able to access

training and attend visits to learn from other landlords and neighbourhoods.

Please note, Upper Horfield now carries out litter picks each school term in conjunction with Orchard School,

the police and the Residents’ Action Group. If you would like to arrange one in your area, please contact

Scott Jacobs-Lange on 0117 9319776 or email prideofplace@bchf.co.uk

Pride of Place is for all BCHF residents!

Welcoming new tenants!

We would like to give a warm

welcome to all those new

tenants who have recently

moved into new homes at

Copley Gardens, Lockleaze.

Members of the YR Youth Club in Horfield took part in a fundraising event at B&Q Filton on Saturday 4th December and raised £100 for their club from public donations. Club members Ikky Amin, Josh Gwyther and Calum Boundey performed dance and rapping to shoppers and staff. The event was organised by BCHF youth worker Matt Holman and PCSO Kelly Parfitt.

Upper Horfield’s Community Clean Up