National Standards
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We are currently consulting with our tenants on how to improve standards at New Charter Homes.
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Tameside Homewatch newsletter for tenants:
Valuable information to keep safe in your home – June 2010
Find out more: Homewatch newsletter
Blow the whistle on housing cheats
Do you suspect
someone is renting their New Charter Home out to someone? Most people
applying for housing wait their turn to be allocated a home. Housing
cheats don’t wait, they jump the queue. It’s not
fair. See What New Charter Homes are doing about this in partnership
with the Tameside MBC Benefit Fraud Team.
Find out more: Blow the whistle
on housing cheats
Coming back for seconds
Award-winning production company Raw Television starts
filming a second series of “Neighbourhood Watched” for BBC One
this month. The series follows the work of our staff and the customers they
help. [08.03.10]
Read more...
Sixth of the best
New Charter has been named at 6th in The Sunday Times 100
best companies to work for 2010. This makes us the best housing association
to work for in the North. And the remarkable improvement in our ranking gave
us the title of the UK’s Best Improver.[04.03.10]
Read
more...
Fast fixers to be first?
Our Building Company responsive repairs team has
been shortlisted for Maintenance Team of the Year in the Housing Heroes awards
2010.[03.03.10]
Read
more...
Green on the Green
Our new homes at Hickenfield in Hyde were finished last
week. The seven houses and four apartments are set around a green, and include
many sustainable environmental features to reduce running costs. They were
built for us by Rowlinson Constructions Ltd. [22.02.10]
Love Haiti
A charity football match between New Charter Housing Trust and
the New Charter Academy resulted in over £300 raised for UNICEF’s
work in Haiti. Although the Academy took an early two-goal lead, the Trust
ran out 7-3 winners. [10.02.10]
The best you can be?
We are delighted to confirm we have been awarded three
stars in the Best Companies survey 2010. We are one of just 50 companies
in Britain who can call themselves “extraordinary”. [29.01.10]
National
Apprenticeship Week
Apprenticeship week runs from 1st to 5th February.
It celebrates the talent and skills of apprentices. New Charter has taken
on 78 modern apprentices since 2001, and our current group will come together
to learn from each other, experience new areas of work, and even have a bit
of fun! [29.01.10]
A new look
Visitors to our Stalybridge shop will see we have a new multimedia
display. The unit combines subtitled video, text messages, images and a clock,
and we are trialling it until mid-February. We welcome comments on its usefulness
and features. Simply tell our staff at the shop. [22.01.10]
Update on repair responses
We thank all tenants of New Charter Homes and Aksa
for their patience and understanding over this spell of difficult weather.
All trades except gas and plumbing are now able to respond with our usual
speed to your repair requests. Our gas fitters and plumbers are working extra
hours to cope with demand. [15.01.10]
Update on emergency repair responses
We have increased our workforce this
weekend to respond to emergency repairs. Tenants of New Charter Homes and
Aksa who tell our staff about an emergency on 0800 027 0828 can be confident
we have logged the need and will respond as fast as possible. Please help
by avoiding ringing again.[08.01.10]
Emergency repair responses
We are responding to emergency repairs today, including
those reported yesterday to us during the worst of the winter weather. We
ask tenants of New Charter Homes and Aksa to bear with us; our tradesmen
are having to walk to some homes, so we cannot be as quick to attend.[06.01.10]
Extreme weather conditions
The difficult road conditions have severely restricted
our ability to respond to repair requests from tenants of New Charter Homes
and Aksa. We anticipate we will only be able to respond to life-threatening
situations for the remainder of today, Tuesday 5th January. Please help by
postponing telephone requests.[05.01.10]
New life at Ravensfield
Planning consent for our redevelopment of the Ravensfield
site in Dukinfield has been obtained. The new extra care residential scheme
has been designed by Pozzoni architects and will provide 31 apartments. Work
is due to start in March 2010.[23.12.09]
High Pod
The tallest building in Hyde was the scene for a very public commitment
to reduce greenhouse gases last weekend. A pod containing a fully fitted plant
room was lifted by crane to the top of our 16-storey Chartist House. Sunday.
Read more...[14.12.09]
How do we compare?
We pride ourselves on our performance, but there’s
no need just to take our word for it! You can now use a simple tool from
our regulator, the Tenant Services Authority which lets you compare local
landlords: Click
here to access their site
[7.12.09]
No inspectors on your doorstep
We have a mock short notice
inspection during this and next week. Independent inspectors are checking
services across our New Charter and Aksa brands. Thanks to those tenants
who are giving their opinions to help. As always, please do not allow anyone
into your home without ID. Inspectors will not call at your door unannounced.
[03.12.09]
They’ve won, we’re safer
Greater Manchester Police held
the second annual Tameside Division Excellence Awards 2009 at the Village
Hotel in Ashton-under-Lyne. We were proud to sponsor the Divisional
Commander’s Award for Safer Communities. The winners were officers
from the Volume Crime, Converter and Proactive Unit for their work to target
prolific criminals. [30.11.09]
At home with the homeless
SHOUT (Supported Housing Our United Team) holds
its open day on Tuesday 17th November between 12-2pm at Gibson Terrace. SHOUT
comprises current and former residents in what is believed to be a unique
residents’ association, working alongside our homelessness staff.
The
event coincides with Supported Housing Month in the North. [13.11.09]
Minister meets our young stars
Jonathan Shaw MP, Minister in the Department for Work and Pensions, visited us to meet and chat with four of our modern apprentices. The Minister was promoting government initiatives aimed at getting young people into work, and recognises employers like us who are committed to Backing Young Britain. [10.11.09]
Calling you in the credit crunch
Our latest customer survey is about managing money. An accredited market research firm working for us is contacting tenants by phone. The information will help us shape our services to what tenants need most. There are no questions which ask for personal financial details, such as income or savings amounts. [21.10.09]
Planned disruption to post
If you usually pay your rent by post, please be aware of the likely disruption caused by industrial action. You might like to take advantage of our service to pay by debit or credit card. Just call us on 0161 331 2224. [16.10.09]
Delivering results
Our team which transformed the management of Cavendish Mill in Ashton-under-Lyne has become the latest award winner. It picked up the group award at the 2009 Social Landlords Crime and Nuisance Group’s conference. [12.10.09]
Read more [Press Release] ...
Salute for residents
Greater Manchester Chief Constable Peter Fahy opened the community garden at Booth Street in Hyde. He was joined by Tameside Chief Superintendent Zoe Hamilton and Don and Margaret Dargavel of Walker Estate Residents’ Association. [07.10.09]
Read more [Press Release] ...
Mill makeover
One of the largest window replacement projects we’ve undertaken started this week. We will renew all 333 windows of the grade II listed Cavendish Mill in Ashton-under-Lyne. We consulted residents and have made some design changes to improve the internal living arrangements. The Mill is home to 159 apartments. [01.10.09]
Toast to winner Natalie
Our Modern Apprentice of the Year is Natalie Welch. She was presented with her prize at our GREAT Staff Awards evening by Deputy Chief Executive Martin Frost. [18.09.09]
Read more [Press Release] ...
Rent increase letters out
Tenants of New Charter Homes and Aksa receive notices of October’s rent and service charge increases this week. The government requires all rents to reach ‘target rents’ by
2012. Why not try our on-line benefit calculator (right) to see if you are entitled
to any extra welfare benefits? [01.09.09]
Go-ahead for Academy
Our sponsored Academy now has all approvals to start building a new £40million campus in Ashton-under-Lyne. [26.08.09]
Read more [Press Release] ...
Famous for 40 minutes
Some of our staff appearing in the BBC1 series “Neighbourhood Watched” (Tuesdays, 10.35pm) have been caught in the media spotlight. [10.08.09]
Read more [Press Release] ...
As seen on TV
Join our staff and tenants on the BBC1 series “Neighbourhood Watched” from Tuesday 4th August at 10.35pm, and each Tuesday in August. [31.07.09]
Read more [Press Release] ...
Media Bank
View our video and listen to our audio clips in our Media Bank section: here.
Awards
New Charter wins the Sunday Times 'Best Companies to work for' 2009 award, among others.
Find out more...
Gardeners rewarded
We have been overwhelmed by the standard of entries in our garden contest. Judging has now been completed, and winners are being contacted to join us on a trip to the RHS Flower show at Tatton Park next week. [17.7.09]
Sun saves us money
Our Building Company depot in Dukinfield now uses solar heating to reduce our gas costs by up to 80%. Designed and installed by ourselves, Ariston and Vokera, it announces our ability to offer solar/renewable products for future clients. [10.07.09]
Sponsored Walk
Congratulations to all our staff and tenants who completed the Midnight Wander at the weekend to raise funds for Willow Wood Hospice in Ashton-under-Lyne. The hospice is one of our adopted charities this year. [06.07.09]
Flying start jobs offer
As one of the 15 associations in the Airport Group, we were at the House of Commons yesterday to show ministers, MPs and others what we do to tackle worklessness. We want government to fund housing providers properly so we can do much more. [01.07.09]
Read more...