Introducing the Riverside Area Housing Board

Riverside is the largest of Hull's seven area housing boards (AHB) and the richest in its mix of families from different cultural backgrounds.
The Board of tenants, leaseholders, councillors and independent members oversees projects and manages or monitors agreed budgets.
"Riverside is an area with a high demand for council homes and we have responsibility for over 6,200 tenanted and leaseholder council properties," says Riverside area housing board chair, John Nesworthy.
"We meet monthly to discuss the performance of the council's housing service and Kier Building Maintenance, the area's main repairs, maintenance and decent homes work contractor and we like to take a challenging, but fair approach when conducting our business."
In October the Board agreed to:

• prioritise the preparation of an AHB Annual Plan with specific relevant targets
• develop plans to increase tenant engagement
• develop tenant groups.

For more information about Riverside or any other area housing board please ring 300 300.

tenant news in brief

Tenants' Forum The first Tenants' Forum meeting of 2010 is at the Guildhall, Thursday 19 January, 10am – 1pm For more details about this meeting ring 300 300 and ask to speak to the tenant participation team New members are always welcome An apology In October's tenant news a photograph caption used with the Skills 4 Communities article was wrong We incorrectly named one of the key people in the photograph We apologise to Andre Ntenda and for any confusion this may have caused. Home contents insurance It's the time of year when homes are filled with decorations and lights and presents are hidden for Christmas morning However, what do you do if the unthinkable happens and there is a fire or a break-in? Having insurance cover gives you some peace of mind, knowing you won't have to find the money to replace stolen or damaged belongings It may not be as expensive as you think and can cover the contents and decoration of your home – including those Christmas gifts To help, the council has arranged a special home contents insurance scheme with a company that makes insurance more affordable for council tenants You can insure your contents for the minimum value of £9,000 for a fortnightly payment of £5.08 The minimum value for those over 60 is £6,000 for a fortnightly payment of £3.53 Of course, there are other insurance policies available and you should compare this policy with those from other insurance companies If you would like more information about the scheme, visit your nearest customer service centre or information point, or ring 300 300. Housing Academy The next Housing Academy evening course starts in January 2010 The two-hour, 14-week course aims to help local tenants and residents, from 16 years upwards, to participate more fully in local and citywide decision making If you are interested in joining the Academy please contact the Tenant Participation Team on 300 300 Prize draw winner The winner of the housing opinion panel's second quarterly draw was Miss E Cornick from Park area, who wins £50 in Asda vouchers Miss Cornick had returned a completed 'Your Views Count' survey form Arcon Drive & Lindsey Place Residents' Association The Association's next bi-monthly meeting is at White Lees Court, Arcon Drive, 2pm, Friday 29 January 2010 Everyone welcome New Bilton Grange Residents' Association (NBGRA) NBGRA's next meeting after Christmas is Tuesday 2 February 2010, 2pm, at St.Philip's Church, Amethyst Road

Did you know

Tenants keeping clear rent accounts have two weeks at Christmas when they pay no rent, whereas tenants with rent arrears continue payments to help reduce their debt. If you are struggling to pay your rent call 300 300 or visit your nearest customer service centre or information point to ask for help, advice and about making a payment arrangement.

Charges for damage help make homes decent

Many people would be shocked to see the damage caused by a minority of tenants leaving their tenancies

Tenants' Forum member, Margaret Southcoat visits a recently vacated council property to see the damage for herself

Now when a tenant gives notice, a housing officer pays a visit to check the property
If they see any deliberate damage caused since the tenant moved in, they will ask for it to be fixed
If the work is not done, the council organises the repairs and charges the tenant
"Tenants sign a tenancy agreement which means they have a duty to take care of their homes," says Empty Homes Service Improvement Group chair, Kath Tong
"However, there are a minority of people who damage their homes through unauthorised alterations, misuse or neglect."
The council uses its discretion in certain circumstances, such as when the tenant has been a victim of a crime
If a tenant can't pay in full, then arrangements can be made for them to pay by instalments
There is a big difference between general wear and tear and accidental or malicious damage
"It's wrong that all tenants should subsidise those who damage their homes," says Repairs Service Improvement Group chair, George Ford
"We want tenants to look after their home, ask for permission before making alterations and to leave their homes and gardens clean, clear and tidy when they leave, for the next tenant."
"The council's debtors' team chases payment of bills raised and pursues legal action where necessary," says Angela Dearing, interim head of housing
"It is really important to us that tenant's rents are used to fund improvements to their homes and the housing services they receive, not to pay for repairs resulting from malicious damage by a small number of tenants."

Another damaged property

So far this year, Hull City Council has spent £280,000 repairing such damage
That's the equivalent of

• fitting 92 new kitchens
• rewiring 118 homes
• replacing 97 central heating systems
• nine years' rent for an average rent payer!

All the recovered money will make an important contribution to the council's decent homes programme, which can include a new kitchen or bathroom, roofs, electrical rewires, insulation and new central heating to keep tenants warmer each winter

For more information about joining the empty homes and repairs service improvement groups, or advice about home alterations, call 300 300 or visit your local customer service centre or information point

Capturing the community spirit As the festive season approaches, it's the time of year when our thoughts turn to our families, friends and neighbours Sometimes though, we struggle to maintain this community spirit all year round One thing you can do to make it easier for your local community to stick together and look out for each other, is to form a Tenants' and Residents' Association (TARA) in your neighbourhood "TARAs aren't just about dealing with whatever problems there are where you live," says STAR: Supporting Tenants' and Residents' Associations' service coordinator, James Russell "They are also about being positive about your community, meeting and getting to know your neighbours, organising activities and events and much more." Setting up a TARA isn't as difficult as you might think and STAR can offer you training, guidance and support throughout the process To find out more, ring 485 918 or email star@goodwin-centre.org.