How are we progressing on the Home Improvement Programme?
By December 2011 forty eight projects in the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) have been completed or are currently in progress. The total number of internal and external improvements to be carried out, or which are currently in progress, at Southway homes to date is 10,696. Of these, 498 customers have refused internal works and 51 have refused external works. Southway is currently starting a project to carry out these improvements by offering additional support to vunerable tenants or those with health problems so that all tenants can benefit from the improvement programme. We are continuing to contact all tenants who refused work.
How much work is complete?
Thirty seven projects have been completed on site and, together with void improvements, 10,576 internal or external work packages have now been completed by Southway Home Improvement Programme contractors and Property Services. 10,241 improvement packages have now been completed to the satisfaction of Southway. Thirty four projects have had " Making Good Defects" certificates issued, meaning that all outstanding works within that project have been satisfactorily completed. British Gas and their partner Hillserve have completed insulation work at 4613 homes.
The number and types of improvement carried out to date are:-
| Type of improvement |
Anticipated Number to Complete |
Number Completed to Date |
| New Kitchens |
4550 |
3913 |
| New Bathrooms |
5890 |
4839 |
| Upstairs Toilets |
1692 |
962 |
| Properties with New Windows. |
5906 |
4845 |
| New Doors |
11186 |
7444 |
| New Roofs |
1318 |
1049 |
| New Boilers |
3910 |
4455 |
| New electrical Installation |
1713 |
1091 |
| Loft Insulation and Top Ups |
n/a |
865 |
| Cavity Wall Insulation – new and reblowing |
n/a |
3748 (includes properties that have been re blown) |
| Chimneys |
1318 |
1049 |
| External Cladding |
536 |
246 |
We are nearing completion of year 4 of our 5 year programme and will have more work to do. Work is continuing on the£15m external insulation project to the non traditional properties Old Moat and Burnage, with all work expected to be complete by July 2012. Existing off road parking is being replaced at the Non Trad properties.
Work to provide new off road parking is planned, where space allows, on the Non Trad properties.
At Arrowfield Road flats we are enclosing balconies starting in February 2012, and redesigning staircases to flats commencing in March 2012. These will greatly improve the security and environment for residents. External work is also programmed for Ainsford Road and Minehead Avenue, replacing windows, doors and roofs as required.
External insulation works on the "Corolite Leans" properties, and a project to complete improvements on properties where work was refused previously, will commence early 2012 and we have added 112 roofs to the Green End project currently on site.
Works to upgrade the Grove Lane Day Centre with new windows, and boundary treatments to the surrounding flats, are in progress.
Customer satisfaction for the month of September is, internal works, 100% satisfaction (target 94%) and external works 96.9% satisfaction (target 97%).
Following surveys of each home, and in line with customers' requests we have been able to offer the following package of improvements:
· New PVC windows
· New, high quality front & back doors to all properties
· New roof if needed
· New kitchen with a choice of design and colours
· New bathroom with a range of fillings to choose from
· New upstairs toilet - if there is room
· Rewiring where required with smoke detectors
and external courtesy light
· Upgrading of central heating including energy
· efficient combi boilers
· Loft and Wall insulation
· Off road car parking at the Non Trad properties
· Adaptations for disabled