Welcome to our July Calico Homes newsletter
Inside, you’ll find loads of inspirational stories and updates about what we’ve been getting up to over the last few months. From helping customers to maximise their income to teaming up with Burnley College and Lancs Police to tackle ASB, we’ve been busy working with you to make a real difference to people’s lives.
If you have any questions or queries, please email cen@calico.org.uk
Dovestone Gardens enjoys successful opening
Developed by Calico Homes with funding from Homes England, Dovestone Gardens is a recognisable new addition to the Burnley skyline and brings together housing and health in a much-needed accommodation for the town’s ageing population.
Located next door to Burnley General Hospital, the modern 93-apartment complex offers a range of modern one and two-bedroom flats, a community hub with bistro, communal meeting spaces and community gardens.
We held a special celebratory event to mark the project completion, then soon welcomed our first resident moved the week after. 67 apartments have now been filled – with friendships already being made in the thriving community.
Learn more
Joining forces to tackle ASB
Police in Burnley joined forces with budding joinery students at Burnley College to help tackle concerns about anti-social behaviour on a Calico Homes estate.
Together, they hope to address the issue of ASB by installing wooden gates for residents’ homes to deter youths from gathering near properties where their presence is causing concern for some elderly residents.
PC McKee said: “We’ve been working with Calico Homes to install additional security. In addition to this, I reached out to Burnley College, who agreed to create and install several wooden gates for residents’ homes, which will give them some reassurance and hopefully prevent people encroaching on their property”.
Read moreLatest Calico Connect update
This month, we’ve seen…
• 1635 active users with a further 489 invited
• 254 message chains
• 224 repairs logged via app
• 308 payments, £79K in value
What’s new?
The Customer Experience Team can now invite customers to the app during their initial contact. This includes providing activation codes or resetting them if needed.
What’s coming up in the next couple of months?
• Complaints reporting
• Damp, mould, condensation reporting
• Anti-social behaviour reporting
• Group messages (via integration)
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch.
Maximising income event
The Income Management & Tenancy Sustainment team are holding targeted campaign aimed at working-age customers who, according to our data, are not currently claiming any benefits.
The objective of the day is to help maximize their income, ensuring greater financial stability and tenancy sustainability. This campaign differs from previous efforts, focusing specifically on those who may be missing out on available support.
Invitations have been sent to eligible customers, and the event is being actively promoted on social media.
There is currently millions of pounds in unclaimed Universal Credit, which could significantly benefit our customers and help them maintain their tenancy.
Working to support domestic abuse survivors
As you may know, Calico Homes has been undergoing the DAHA re-accreditation process to help support survivors of domestic abuse more effectively.
Here’s a case study to show how we’re working to support survivors…
A case was presented by the Neighbourhood Management team, involving a customer who urgently needed to move due to domestic abuse. Despite the perpetrator being in prison, the customer faced intimidation through unwanted contact and was deeply anxious about his release in two months.
To address the situation, a joint visit was conducted, where the customer’s concerns and fears were discussed. Whilst she is receiving holistic support from Safenet, it became clear that additional assistance in securing safe and stable housing was critical. The B-With-Us application was promptly completed, with the correct banding was awarded, enabling swift action.
A direct match was made to a suitable property, ensuring the customer could relocate before the perpetrator’s release. Recognising the customer’s struggle in caring for their dog, support was also provided to rehome the pet responsibly.
Ultimately, the coordinated efforts made it possible for the customer to move to safety and rebuild their life. Now settled in their new home, she feels secure, optimistic, and ready to embrace a brighter future.
Fancy getting involved in our Customer Experience Network?
Being a part of our Customer Experience Network (CEN) is an opportunity to work with us to co design our services. You will always have the option to choose when you get involved and how. Our Customer Strategy aims to help our customers live their best possible lives, and by working closely with you, we want to gain a deeper understanding of customer needs.
Examples of how you’ll get involved include providing input and feedback via a digital survey, coming along to a focus group or being part of formal groups.
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact: cen@calico.org.uk