Independent Living Support
We understand that when it comes to housing and support everyone has different needs. That's why we tailor our services to meet your needs and design them to help you keep your independence through choice, involvement and control.
Our sheltered housing independent living service is available for anyone over the age of 55 or with an identified support need.
Our service has been designed with our tenants to offer you:
Independence
Each scheme is made up of bungalows or flats with their own front door. You can get involved as much as you would like and need to.
Safety and Security
Each property is connected to our 24/7 alarm service, with regular checks of the Estates and communal buildings being carried out by our caretaker services. There is also up to date fire detection systems in place to ensure your safety, which are monitored 24/7.
Inclusion
Most schemes have a communal lounge and kitchen for tenants to use and other groups to book and visit, if you don't live on a site with a communal lounge you are able to use any of the others across the district. Activities take place arranged by tenants, community groups and your Independent Living Officer to help get you involved.
Low maintenance
Each property is low maintenance with access to a repair, grounds maintenance and planned maintenance service.
Value for money
Your rent and service charges cover the upkeep of the communal areas, security, access to a handyperson, caretaker, alarm system and Response service. Plus, help from an Independent Living Officer to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Flexibility
The service we offer can be scaled up at any time when you need it to help keep you at home for as long as possible.
Shared Facilities
Most of the Sheltered Schemes have facilities that are available for all sheltered housing tenants to use and hire. Residents and those living close by can also join in any activities if they have been invited, to ensure we are providing a service that helps prevent social isolation.
We do hire out communal buildings for outside use, there is a communal booking hire guidelines booklet on all schemes.
The Facilities are regularly maintained, including regular Fire, health and safety checks.
Facilities must be booked via the Independent Living Team - please complete a booking form found in your local community centre and return it to your Independent Living Officer or email: shelteredbookings@sholland.gov.uk
Noticeboards
Each scheme will have an outside notice board that caretakers, Independent Living Officers and active tenants can use to display up-coming activities.
Community Centre Access
Every resident has the right to book and access the community centre. Each community centre has an individual key safe code which can be obtained by contacting the council office or speaking with the Independent Living Officers.
Each centre is available to be used between 8am and 10pm Monday - Sunday. We require 7 days' notice for bookings, however tenants are welcome to use the community centre on an ad-hoc basis, where there is not already a booking in place by activating the call system and informing the call monitoring centre when arriving and leaving the building.
You are expected to leave the Community Centre in a clean and tidy condition and be respectful of neighbours upon leaving the premises.
Guest Rooms
We have Guest Rooms available to book for your friends or family to visit at various sites across the district. You can book these online or by obtaining a booking form in a Community Centre.
We require a minimum of 7 days' notice for any bookings.
What are our service standards?
Your caretaker service:
Our caretakers look after the community spaces and estates. They attend each Community Centre scheme weekly to check on health and safety issues:
- Test all appliances.
- Undertake, log, report and action issues on fire safety tests, emergency lighting tests and legionnaires tests.
- Maintain the outside spaces.
- Empty and clean bins.
- Undertake minor repairs.
- Report anything that requires fixing.
- Oversee tasks undertaken by external contractors.
- Maintaining checks on all furnishings and goods within the centres.
- Replace and dispose of any faulty equipment.
- Reporting on grounds maintenance.
Schemes without a Community Centre will be visited monthly for the following:
- Oversee tasks undertaken by external contractors.
- Report anything that requires fixing.
- Maintain the outside communal spaces.
- Reporting on grounds maintenance.
- Report anything that requires fixing within communal spaces.
We will:
- Display all community facility bookings.
- Report on compliance on a monthly basis.
- Display the service specification for the caretaker at each site.
Your Cleaner service:
- Will clean the centres up to two times a week.
- Will clean the flatlet schemes up to three times a week.
- Clean the centres and guest rooms after any private hire (this is charged to the hirer).
- Will report any health and safety issues, communal repairs and lighting defects not already reported.
We will:
- Display the service specification for cleaning in community facilities.
- Work with our tenants to monitor the cleanliness of the facilities.
- Ensure to take regular stock of the Community Centre supplies.
Your Independent Living Officer:
- Will greet you and welcome you to the service within 5 days of you moving into the property and will explain about the service.
- Will be your point of contact if you have opted into our silver or gold void standard, when accepting your property.
- Will go through a needs and risk assessment with you to help identify what help and support you need.
- Develop an Independent Living Plan with you to agree how we can best meet your needs. This will be reviewed on an annual basis or whenever your needs change.
- Work in partnership with other agencies, carers and support networks to help you access services you need to live independently.
- Signpost and support you through challenges and crises.
- Monitor communal areas and buildings.
- Carry out health and safety checks, fire tests and monitor the condition of your property.
- Monitor the cleaning of communal facilities.
- Monitor the upkeep and health and safety of the communal facilities.
- Work with our repairs and maintenance teams to make sure your accommodation and the community facilities are maintained and improved.
- Help facilitate regular activities within the community centres and ensure everyone who wants to can attend.
- Check all data from the alarm system and pro-actively arrange to visit those who appear to need help.
- Ensure you have 2 emergency contacts to respond if needed or look for alternate solutions.
- Check all fire equipment is in good working order.
- Work with the Alarm service to ensure you have the correct equipment in place that meet your needs, including any specialist fire equipment.
- Work with you to enable you to access other relevant departments and/or services.
- If you need your home to be adapted, your Independent Living Officer will assist with relevant referrals and assessments.
We will:
- Ensure you have been visited following the move into your home.
- Ensure all referrals or requests to other services are actioned and outcomes recorded.
- Ensure and monitor the testing of equipment.
- Audit all fire, health and safety checks to maintain compliance.
- Work with you to access and deliver the activities in the Community Centres.
- Continue to engage with you via established Focus Groups.
- Oversee the work of all workman and contractors.
Your Alarm Service:
- Will monitor your fire equipment 24/7.
- Will monitor the fire equipment in community dwellings 24/7.
- Will monitor and allow access through communal doors 24/7.
- Will ensure that you have access to help 24/7.
- Will contact a key holder/contact or response service in an emergency.
- Follow all processes agreed.
- Answer calls within 30 seconds for non-test related calls, including door-entry.
We will:
- Monitor the calls times with the call centre and report on any exceptions.
- Regularly review our processes to ensure they are working correctly and efficiently.
- Conduct regular contract meetings to discuss performance.
Your Housing Officer:
- Undertake housing management duties, such as changes to tenancies, management of nuisance or breaches of tenancy.
- Estate inspections (including ensuring communal repairs are carried out).
- Reporting and following up on any repairs needed in your home (if you are unable to do this or if you encounter any delays)
- Work with the fire service, liaising with the Independent Living Officer, to undertake any identified fire risk assessments.
- Will attend each community centre and hold a monthly "meet and greet", however they will be available for appointments if required.
We will:
- Liaise with the Housing Services team regarding your home and tenancy.
- Monitor and follow up any appointments booked with the Housing Services Team.
- Report on the outcome of estate inspections.
Your Repairs and Maintenance Service:
It is your responsibility to report your repairs either by calling the Council or reporting via your online portal, your Independent Living Officer can assist if you are experiencing difficulty.
Any planned maintenance will be conducted through the Property services Team. You will be notified by us or the contractor undertaking the works.
Your Handyman Service:
We will:
- Respond to light bulb changes free of charge- fair usage applies.
- Be available for booked appointments for other small jobs such as - Fitting curtain rails, shelves, building flat pack furniture, one-off grass cuts at a very low chargeable rate
- Be present on site, completing estate inspections and recognising any other repairs within your estates.
Your Response service:
The service will act as a third contact on your emergency information. This means that if your first two contacts are not able to be contacted then the response service will be activated. Fair usage of this service will apply, and any tenants identified as having high usage of the service will be advised and directed accordingly.
Social Activities
We will keep you informed of social activities taking place at your nearest Community Centre and work with you to develop and improve the level of activities taking place in your Community Centres.
Safeguarding
We have a duty to ensure tenants are always safeguarded, including tenants' information, however we have a duty to report and share information where we believe tenants may be at risk. If you have a safeguarding concern, please report it immediately to Lincolnshire County Council and to your Independent Living Officer or Housing Officer immediately.
Compliments, Complaints and Feedback
We aim to provide excellent housing services and give the best customer service possible. All feedback received is viewed positively, as a valuable resource, enabling us to continuously improve the services we provide.
You can:
- Raise a Service Issue, request, complaint or compliment with us regarding a housing service you have received in the following ways:
- Visit us in person at our South Holland District Council offices in Spalding.
- Call us 01775 761161 and speak to your Independent Living Officer or Housing Officer
- Write to us: - Lead Officer for Housing Complaints Business Support Manager, Priory Road, Spalding, Lincs PE11 2XE
- email us: housingcomplaints@sholland.gov.uk
- Log on our website: www.sholland.gov.uk / housing/southholland tenants / feedback for Housing Landlord Service
You can contact the Housing Ombudsman at any stage for guidance about making a complaint about your landlord on www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk or writing to Housing Ombudsman Service PO Box1484, Unit D, Preston, PR2 0ET
Complaints will be dealt with in accordance to South holland District Councils Complaints Policy. South Holland District Council aims to acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days following receipt of your complaint.
- Contact us - Tel: 01775 761161
- For anything to do with your service - email: independentlivingteam@sholland.gov.uk
- For anything to do with your tenancy - email: estatemanagement@sholland.gov.uk