We are proposing to integrate Island Homes fully into One Housing Group. Please read on for more information on what this would mean for you and the benefits it will bring.
Why change?
Island Homes relies on the financial support of One Housing Group to meet its service promises. Without this support Island Homes would not have been able to complete the additional major works or start the environmental works programme. Running Island Homes as an association within One Housing Group means keeping two different sets of accounts as well as additional administration such as separate internal and external audits and statutory returns for our regulator. We believe this money and staff time would be better spent investing in your homes, improving our services to you and integrating and supporting your communities.
We have around 3,000 homes on the Isle of Dogs; 2,000 of which are managed by Island Homes through the Millwall and Castalia local offices and 1,000 which are managed by One Housing Group through the Bethnal Green (Suttons Wharf South) office. As many of the homes are nearby each other we feel it would make sense for all of the homes to be managed by the same office and staff.
We know that the current structure can be confusing, so we are proposing to simplify it by making One Housing Group the landlord for all residents on the Isle of Dogs from the summer of 2012. This means that Island Homes would no longer exist as a separate legal entity and the name of your landlord would change to One Housing Group.
How will this affect you?
If you are an Island Homes resident:
The name of your landlord would change to One Housing Group. Your tenancy or lease, your rent and all other conditions would remain the same.
As One Housing Group has been providing all back office services to you for the last two years, none of these services would be affected. This includes everything from allocations, repairs and maintenance, call handling rent collection and service charge calculation and collection along with some community investment and resident involvement activities. Local front office services such as Anti Social Behaviour management and the handyman service will continue to be delivered from a local office by staff that you know.
You would also benefit from access to the additional community facilities on the Isle of Dogs that are managed by One Housing Group.
We will continue to support all our resident led associations and forums, working with them to develop management arrangements that fit with their registered constitutions and develop effective partnerships.
In terms of governance and management, the current operational staff structure will remain the same. Suzanne Bowes will continue to oversee all housing services on the Island and the Managing Director role will be replaced by an Operations Director with responsibility for overseeing all housing operations across Tower Hamlets and the group. The Island Homes Board would be replaced with a resident majority area board responsible for monitoring the quality of services provided to all homes on the Isle of Dogs.
We know that you may have questions about what this means in practice. Please read our frequently asked questions document – we hope this will answer many of them.
If you are a One Housing Group resident:
The key change would be that your Housing Officer would be based at a local office on the Isle of Dogs. Your Home Ownership Liaison Officer, Allocations Officer and Income Officer will continue to hold regular surgeries at the local office. You would also benefit from access to an office close to where you live, additional investment in your homes and community and local accountability delivered via a new Island Area Board.
The Regional Manager and all the housing service staff you work with will report to an Operations Director who will have responsibility for service delivery across the borough.
We know that you may have questions about what this means in practice. Please read our frequently asked questions document – we hope this will answer many of them.
What do you think?
Your views are important to us and we would like to hear your thoughts about the proposed changes as well as any questions you may have. Please click here to let us know.
- Are you in favour of the proposed changes?
- Do you understand the changes that this would bring and what it would mean for you?
- Please also include any questions and/or concerns you have and any comments you would like to add.
Please include your name and address on the email so that we can verify that you are a resident and respond to any questions you may have.
Or why not attend one of the drop in sessions we are holding over the next few weeks at the Millwall office? Staff will be available to answer your questions and address any issues or concerns you may have. Details of the sessions are as follows:
Wednesday 8 February 10.00am – 7.00pm
Thursday 16 February 9.00am – 5.00pm
Tuesday 21 February 10.00am – 7.00pm
Monday 27 February 9.00am – 5.00pm
Wednesday 7 March 10.00am – 7.00pm
We look forward to hearing your views.