IMPORTANT – Cold Callers for Housing Condition/Disrepair Claims

COLD CALLERS

Canvassers have been acting ‘unscrupulously’ within your area and have led some of our tenants to believe that they may be entitled to compensation. These individuals are not acting on behalf of Wirral Methodist Housing Association and may not have your best interests at heart. All of our staff and contractors carry I.D. that you are strongly advised to request sight of before you allow any stranger into your home.

Who Are these People?

These canvassers represent claim handlers or solicitors. Their aim is to make money – usually up to £500 per referral (whether the claim is real or not).  They may tell you that your home is in need of repair and encourage you to put in a claim against us. We want you to be aware of them, what happens if you claim and how it affects us.

Be Aware

Disrepair/Housing Condition claim companies use a legal scheme that was introduced to protect tenants from bad landlords. These companies want to make money out of you and your home. You need to know the facts in case they approach you. They may tell you that you can make a claim on a ‘No Win - No Fee’ basis. However, if you decide at some point in the future that you don’t want to continue with a claim, there could be charges that you have to pay to exit the agreement. Some tenants have been left with the costs of:

• Charges for a building survey – up to £1500
• Credit Agreement charges of over £500 for the “No Win -No Fee” scheme to cover the cost of legal insurance that they will need to take out

So, please be careful before you commit to any agreements with these canvassers. They may put you at financial risk. For more information please follow link here

28th April 2021

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Planned Improvements to your Homes 2021/2

Wirral Methodist Housing Association is delighted to tell you about our Planned Improvement Programme 2021/22 that starts in mid-February 2021, continuing into the summer. The planned programmes of work include new: • windows • doors • roofs, including new facia boards, soffits, gutters and rain water pipes. The Association is committed to improving the quality of your home by keeping them up to modern standards and improving the energy efficiency and security of your home. The COVID pandemic is very much a major concern for everyone but we are confident we can deliver all works safely ensuring social distancing at all times. Our contractor’s will have the correct PPE and will sanitise all areas they work on completion of the works. We will be writing to all those tenants whose homes are in the programme, as well making a personal contact with you before any works start.

8th February 2021

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Our Services

We are still here for you and remain committed to providing as many essential services taking in to account your safety and the safety of staff and contractors.

Contacting us

If you have a general enquiry you can email us on info@wmhaltd.org.uk or complete our online form here.If you would like to talk to a member of staff call 0151 647 5471 and follow the message options, you will hear.

Our services

Repairs

We are operating our repairs and maintenance services, in addition to the emergency and urgent repairs service .  All services are being carried out in a manner that is safe for both tenants, staff and contractors. We are making sure our staff and contractors have the right personal protective equipment and are able to maintain social distancing. For example, if we come into your home, the engineers and operatives may be wearing masks, gloves and overalls and may ask you to wait in another room while they carry out a repair or a service. If you are contacting us to request that we visit your property, please let us know if anyone in your household is currently unwell due to Covid-19, or self-isolating due to vulnerabilities, such as being pregnant or having underlying health issues. We will advise you in each case about how we are able to support you. If you are concerned that you have symptoms or may been exposed to the virus, The latest information and facts about Coronavirus (COVID-19) is available on the Government website .

Rent and Service Charges

It is important that tenants continue to pay their rent and service charges. However, we understand that many of you will have lost some or all of your income and we are available on the phone or by e-mail link in the Contacting us section if you think you are going to struggle to make payments. If you have lost your job then you may be entitled to benefits and may qualify for assistance with paying your rent. Please contact us and a member of staff will discuss this with you. We will follow all government guidance concerning suspension of eviction proceedings. We will not commence any new proceedings or evictions against anyone in arrears or financial hardship caused by Covid-19 and we will take decisions on a case by case basis.

Finding a Home - Property Pool Plus

You can continue to bid on properties as normal. For more information, contact Property Pool Plus www.propertypoolplus.org.uk

General Support

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, have concerns about the wellbeing of yourself or your family, or if you are aware of a resident who is struggling to receive support whilst self-isolating, please get in touch and someone will call or e-mail you back to explain how we can help. Please see the government’s regularly updated guidance on coronavirus. The Department for Work and Pensions also has guidance on the support available for those receiving Universal Credit or other benefits and for those who may need to claim benefits in the future.

Fire Safety

It’s important to be mindful of fire safety at home, particularly at a time when we’re all spending more time than usual there. You’ll find information about staying safe at home on your local fire service’s website or if you have any concerns please contact us. Wirral Council Coronavirus Helpline The Local Authority have also set up COVID-19 helpline which is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on 0151 666 5050 or email covid19 enquiries@wirral.gov.uk • Residents who need support with their day-to-day needs • Residents or organisations wishing to volunteer • Signposting for national health advice • Support for local businesses and organisations (not just Wirral Chamber members) • Advice about education arrangements For more information visit www.wirral.gov.uk/coronavirus or follow twitter.com/wirralcouncil or facebook.com/wirralcouncil

29th January 2021

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