12th June 2014
At its meeting last week, the States approved the final stages of the process that will transfer the States owned social housing assets to a new private company, known as Andium Homes Limited.
Andium Homes will be more flexible, able to react swiftly to the changing needs of its clients, with a focus on the future. All properties will meet Decent Homes Standard within the next ten years and the new company will be focused on enhancing the customers’ experience by improving the variety and delivery of its services.
A major project is starting this week that will see residents working closely with the new housing company to create the best environment possible in which to live.
Each member of Andium Homes is taking on personal responsibility for a group of properties and assessing how public areas, from hallways to landscaping, can be improved and maintained to meet a new standard for all of its 4,500 homes.
The objective of the ‘Andium Homes Standard’ is to identify problem areas and work with residents to ensure that action is taken to bring them up to the required standard as quickly as possible. The team has prepared a comprehensive checklist of things to look out for and ranked them from ‘ideal’ to ‘unacceptable’.
In some cases remedial action may be the responsibility of Andium Homes, for example clearing gutters or repairing paving; in others it may be the residents who need to take action such as clearing and tidying the area in front of their homes. The majority of our homes already meet a high standard, but at Andium Homes we believe that by working together an even better environment can be achieved for all.
Mike Porter, Operations Director for Andium Homes said, ‘We have established an Andium Homes Standard for all our open spaces and communal areas and over the next few weeks we will be visiting sites and talking to residents to see how we can work together to meet that standard. We all want to have pride in our community, whether we are the landlord, the tenant, or someone who is just visiting a friend or relative. We have a fantastic relationship with our customers and we know they will want to work with us on this project’.
Throughout June, every member of Andium Homes will be out visiting the sites they are responsible for and checking on open spaces and communal areas to find out what needs to be done. In July the information gathered will be assessed and prioritised and a plan of works drawn up. Any urgent work will be carried out immediately. Throughout the whole project residents will be kept up to date with what remains to be done and what has been achieved.
This project is being carried out in addition to the extensive programme of works that Andium Homes has committed to achieving over the next 10 years. We aim to bring all of our properties up to the Decent Homes Standard and keep them there through a detailed programme of ongoing maintenance. We have recently completed the full refurbishment of La Collette high-rise and this week work has started on De Quetteville Court high-rise. Other projects include the significant refurbishment of 20 units at Nicolle Close, 39 units at Hampshire Gardens, 32 units at De Quetteville Court high-rise, the construction of 21 new homes at Le Squez Phase 3 and 44 new homes at Lesquende Phase 2.