havebury news

Winter 2015
In this issue…
3. News
5. Solar panel update
6. Resident involvement
7. IT & performance
8. Financial focus
10. Health & safety
11. Top tips
12. Neighbourhood News
13. Willow Support Services
14. Development update
Mr & Mrs Prigg, who are amongst the first
Havebury tenants to have solar panels
installed on their home (p5)
Applying for a Havebury
garage is now much easier
thanks to our new 24/7 online
application process.
To find a garage, simply visit
www.havebury.com/garages and
enter your address details or the
postcode of your preferred location.
Our system will then pinpoint
available garages in that area,
after which you can apply for
rental online.
Applications will be actioned on a
first come, first served basis, with
the exception of requests from
Blue Badge holders who will be
given priority.
Havebury owns 3,200 garages in
Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill and the
surrounding villages.
These are available to rent from
between £6.45 and £12 per week.
For more information about applying
for a Havebury garage, contact
our Customer Service team on
0300 3300 900, and select option 4.
Report nuisance noise round the clock with new app
Tenants who are having
problems with noisy
neighbours can now use a
new app to report issues at
any time of day or night.
The free Noise App is available
to anyone with a smartphone or
tablet, through which they can
choose Havebury as their service
provider.
After filling in some basic details,
they are able to record the
nuisance noise via their device,
logging information such as the
Our Christmas 2015 opening hours:
Monday, December 21 to Wednesday, December 23: 8.30am to 5pm
Thursday, December 24: 8.30am to 4pm
Friday, December 25 & Monday, December 28: Closed
Tuesday, December 29 & Wednesday, December 30: 8.30am to 5pm
Thursday, December 31: 8.30am to 4pm
Friday, January 1: Closed
A very merry
Christmas and a
happy new year
from us all
here at
Havebury!
Garage application process simplified
volume, where the sound is coming
from and what impact it is having
on them.
Anti-social behaviour co-ordinator
Peter Dunsdon explained: “Once the
tenant has logged all the relevant
information, the report is received
by our team. We can then take the
appropriate action.
“It’s a fantastic system, as it
gives the tenant the chance to
easily record the offending noise
as it happens, and contact us
immediately. The fact that it is free
for tenants to use is also a huge
bonus.”
To download the app, visit
www.thenoiseapp.com or visit App
Store or Google Play.
Havebury
acknowledged
for commitment
to environment
Havebury’s green
credentials were
recognised at this year’s
Bury Free Press Business
Awards, when the partnership
was shortlisted in the
Environmental category.
Award judges were impressed
by our environmental
initiatives, which include
the installation of solar
photovoltaic panels to our
Bury St Edmunds headquarters
and to hundreds of our
properties.
Other green measures include
the fitting of external wall
insulation in more than
150 of our homes, plus the
installation of Air Source
pumps.
Through these, external heat
can be absorbed and used in
radiators and boilers.
Havebury chief executive
Karen Mayhew said: “We’re
delighted to have been
shortlisted for this award.
“As an organisation, we are
passionate about consistently
improving our green
credentials and reducing fuel
poverty for our tenants at the
same time.”
You can watch a short
video about Havebury’s
environmental initiatives with
head of assets Matthew Dick
at www.havebury.com.
War hero Henry
wins £1,000 in
Havebury competition
Second World War veteran Henry
Williams (above) was the first £1,000
winner in our competition aimed at
tenants who pay their rent on time.
Henry, who is 98 and a greatgrandfather
of 12, lives in the Beetons
Lodge sheltered housing scheme in
Bury St Edmunds.
He was told of his win by his
independent living advisor Gillian
O’Donnell.
Henry, who served in the Navy for five
years, said: “I’m really happy to have
won the competition – I wouldn’t mind
if the draw was held every week!
Competition terms and conditions
News
“I’ve already committed the money
to be used as Christmas presents
for my grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.”
Mr Williams moved from London to
Bury St Edmunds three years ago to be
closer to his son David and daughterin-law
Maureen.
In his spare time, he enjoys going to
race nights with his fellow Beetons
Lodge residents, as well as watching
wrestling on television.
Gillian said: “We were delighted
to hear that Henry had won the
competition, as he’s a much-loved
resident here at Beetons Lodge.
“His grandchildren and greatgrandchildren
visit him regularly - they
like to compare him to Uncle Albert
from Only Fools and Horses!”
Two further prize draws will be held
in December and April for Havebury
tenants who maintain a clear rent
account.
They are automatically entered into
the competition, with the winner of
each draw winning £1,000.
Also eligible are those tenants who
ensure that when they are unable to
pay their rent, their benefits are paid
up to date. See below for more details.
1. The competition is for tenants and leaseholders (including Shared Ownership). It
is not open to garage tenants or employees of Havebury Housing.
2. Only one entry per household will be accepted for each draw, with only one prize
per household.
3. Entries will not be accepted from any tenant or leaseholder with arrears on their
account at the closing date. Consideration will be given to tenants in receipt of
housing benefit, which is paid four weeks in arrears.
4. Entries will not be accepted from households with a record of anti-social
behaviour or other recent tenancy breaches such as untidy gardens.
5. Qualifications for entry to the competition will be at the discretion of Havebury
Housing Partnership, whose decision will be final. No correspondence will be
entered into.
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