Local Space is committed to putting tenants first. We want to exceed expectations and strive to deliver an excellent service and make a difference. We value input from our tenants and have a firm commitment to consult and involve tenants in influencing the services we provide and decisions made. We have developed our service promise together with a group of involved tenants.
At Local Space our staff strive to:
- listen and care
- understand your needs
- work together
- be committed to making a lasting difference
We expect our tenants to:
- respect our staff
- provide us with information we need to assist you
Paying your rent
We will
- Clearly explain what your rent and service charges cover when you move in
- Provide a range of payment options: Direct Debit, Online, paypoint, All Pay and telephone payments
- Give you 4 weeks’ notice in writing of any rent increase
- Provide a rent statement every three months or every time you request one
- Contact you within 2 weeks if you fall into arrears to attempt to establish the cause and agree a repayments plan according to your circumstances
- Offer advice and provide referrals to agencies providing finance and debt advice if needed or requested
- Assist with your Housing Benefit claim including help with completing the forms
- Work with the local authority to help resolve problems with delayed payment.
We expect you to pay your rent on time, inform us straight away if you have difficulties making payments, and, if you are receiving it, notify Housing Benefit of any changes to income.
Repairs and maintenance of your home
We will
- Make it easy for you to report repairs:
Telephone on 0208 221 4000 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, (24 hour service for emergency repairs on 020 3597 2093)
Email or in person at our Local Space Office
Online via our website www.localspace.co.uk
- Carry out repairs within the following timescales:
Emergency – completed within 24 hours and made good within 2 hours
Urgent – completed within 7 calendar days
Routine - completed within 31 calendar days
- Carry out an annual gas safety checks on all our equipment and installations
We expect you to inform us quickly when a repair is needed, give us reasonable access to your home for repairs and annual gas safety checks, and keep your home and communal areas clean and tidy.
Sustainable homes
We will
- Promote our strategy of ‘ Affordable Warmth’ in order for you to maximise your disposable household income and reduce the costs of running your home
- Ensure you have access to energy advice and information
- Provide information and advice and refer you to local organisations offering financial and energy advice
- Continue our programme of making homes weather-tight and insulating your home to ensure it is as warm and fuel efficient as possible
We expect you to be open to becoming a more energy-efficient household.
Getting invloved
We will
- Offer a range of flexible ways for you to get involved and get your views heard
- Encourage all our tenants to be involved in a way that suits them
- Offer you the opportunity to test and scrutinise our service by joining the scrutiny panel or becoming a mystery shopper
- Provide a training programme to enable you to be informed and empowered
- Publish copies of summaries and minutes of tenant panel meetings and consultation events on our website and send these out on request
- Pay for any out of pocket expenses such as travel and reasonable dependent care costs
- Ensure that the Local Space Board hears the results of tenant consultation
- Regularly promote the ways to get involved via the website, text, leaflets and newsletters
- Listen to your suggestions
We expect you to be willing to share your views with us on how we are performing, looking at new and innovative ways to improve our services.
Making a complaint
We will
- Provide an easy to understand complaints policy and procedure
- Take complaints face to face, in writing or over the phone
- Investigate and respond to initial complaints within 10 working days
- Settle complaints sensitively, learn from mistakes and revise services and procedures where necessary
- Provide information about having personal representation or another person act on your behalf
We expect you to provide any additional information to enable us to fully investigate any complaints.