GREAT stories

When a resident’s husband was seriously ill in Hospital, the last thing she wanted to worry about was a broken tap. So she rang us and explained it wasn’t an emergency but she didn’t want anything else to go wrong at the moment. We understood that it actually was important and made sure it was sorted out. Despite having more than her fair share to deal with, she still rang to shower us with praise.

One day we received a terrible phone call, not only had one of our residents been burgled, their flat was on fire. Unfortunately sometimes in life these things happen, what was reassuring was the way the community rallied to help them. We arranged a ‘whip round’ where people donated chairs, cutlery and plates, even a TV. We also arranged a coffee morning, which raised a further £200. Obviously none of this could make up for their loss, but it did restore their faith in human nature.

We don’t just help people find homes. For example, when a Congolese family needed a hand completing housing benefit forms, and making claims for community care grants, we were more than happy to help. We even referred the family to health visitors, local doctors and introduced them to neighbours. The mother said that our help enabled her family to integrate into their new community and to feel at home. The mother called to tell us that she has now begun studying English full-time at college and has become an active member of the local community. Now that’s what we call a warm welcome.

When we had to carry out an annual gas safety check, we never expected such adulation from a tenant. She said, “Nothing was too much trouble, the New Charter people were polite, helpful and gave advice on the most efficient use of my central heating system.” She went on to say, “I’ve been more than pleased with all the work carried out by New Charter and the professionalism and quality of its workforce.” Clearly no one can hold a candle to our customer service skills (probably not the safest thing to do during a gas safety check either!).

One of our Trades Professionals took a call from a resident who we had recently fitted a new kitchen for. While delighted with her new kitchen, she couldn’t find her false teeth that were in a jar in her old kitchen. She was very distressed, so we agreed to pop round and find the missing dentures. We soon found them. Leaving her with a new kitchen, her old teeth, and plenty to smile about.

We recently helped one resident keep her family home after she was facing eviction due to rent arrears. We worked to sort out her priority and non-priority debts and make an application for a Disability Living Allowance. The application was successful and backdated; meaning she now receives an extra £70 per week in benefits. We even arranged for her to do some voluntary work, all of this has given her a new lease of life. Happy news. Happy tenant. Happy family!

One of our Welfare Benefit Advisors helped a resident in his claim for Welfare Benefits and successfully obtained sizeable backdates in housing and council tax benefit. He was also able to secure a weekly pension and have the majority of his rent and council tax paid by benefit. He was so pleased he gave our Welfare Benefits Advisor a Christmas card with a £50 note in as a ‘thank you’. As we are unable to accept monetary gifts, he agreed to donate the money to a children’s charity. Now that does make for a Happy Christmas.

When a new colleague joined us as a cleaner she was thrilled to be asked to meet our Group Chief Executive. They had a GREAT chat and she felt really welcome. She said that she’d worked in lots of different places and this had never happened to her before. This is what sets us apart. We know that everyone who works here is vital to our aim of creating GREAT Homes, GREAT Neighbourhoods and GREAT People. So when you join, you can be sure of a GREAT welcome too.

Because we believe in helping and working with the local community, we let the local Prince’s Trust group use our facilities for meetings and get-togethers. One day they needed to ask a favour. One of the local Brownies Troops held their weekly meetings at a nearby church, and the room they were using was far from ideal. So the Prince’s Trust needed to borrow quite a lot of cleaning products to help make the Church’s room more welcoming. Of course we were glad to be able to help. The room was very mucky to say the least, now it’s like a ‘before-and-after’ scene from ‘How clean is your house’. When all the hard work was done we received a lovely note from the Brownie group to say thank you. We also received a phone call from the Church Warden to say how much better it looks.

Our grounds maintenance contractor really dug deep to provide plants for volunteers at Enville Place - a hostel for homeless men. This was arranged by the Prince’s Trust and we sent along some volunteers who had a GREAT time working together to transform the garden. And it wasn’t just flowers; vegetables were also planted meaning that the people who enjoy Enville Place can also enjoy some fresh home grown veg. The combined effort produced a result that was so spectacular that it is being entered into a national competition. Thanks to everyone involved, you made Enville Place look, and taste, GREAT!

When a single mum with four young children was living in overcrowded conditions and suffering from domestic abuse, she asked us for help. So of course we did everything we could. We did this by working extensively with her and her family, giving assistance with solicitors regarding her ex-partner, and making arrangements with the contact centre for the children. We also worked closely with her to improve her self-esteem and confidence, and stopped her from feeling socially isolated. The mum and her children have now been rehoused in a new area away from her ex-partner and his family, while the children are in new schools and have settled in well. With her newfound self-esteem she has also been re-building links with her family that were lost due to her previous disruptive lifestyle. She said that we were GREAT and that she couldn’t thank us enough for helping her and her family turn their lives around.

A colleague who is disabled was keen to progress and gain an IT qualification. We felt it was a GREAT idea and were keen to give her all the extra support that she needed. It was important that we were there for her as she became more and more nervous as the exam got closer. These nerves affected her co-ordination, and combined with her disability to make the exam even more difficult. We did everything we could to help her feel as calm and relaxed as possible. We were delighted when we found out that she had passed her qualification with flying colours. This gave her more confidence and meant that she could enjoy more responsibility and variation in her job role. You see it’s not just tenants who enjoy our GREAT support.

When a customer’s wife had to go into a care home because she was suffering with Multiple Sclerosis, he found himself in a terrible situation. The house was being repossessed and he had absolutely nowhere else to go. We made sure we found him a place to stay, and even managed to arrange for two cooked meals a day. After this close shave, we’re now working together to find a new home even closer to his wife’s care home. The gentleman was so grateful to us for helping to keep his world together when it was in danger of falling apart.

As a housing provider we are witness to all of life’s ups and downs, births, weddings, anniversaries, and sadly but inevitably deaths. Once when a tenant sadly passed away, two team members from New Charter went above and beyond to help and support the family during this difficult time. On the day of the funeral, the two team members took it upon themselves to prepare a beautiful buffet. They went beyond the call of duty and everyone who was close to the tenant who had passed away was so grateful for the time and care our two team members showed. Sometimes it’s important to be as GREAT at goodbyes as it is to be good at warm welcomes.