SCH Services

Last updated Wednesday 18 August 2021

As the situation changes we will continue to monitor our services and assess how we deliver them to you. We will make sure our most essential services are provided to you in the most effective way they can.

Below is information about our services and how they are impacted by the Coronavirus.

Essential Services:

Repairs

We are now carrying out all repair works. Please be aware that because of the pandemic, we ask residents to follow our safety guidance and be patient as staffing levels can be affected.  For guidance on how to stay safe while we carry out repairs in your home, view our short video.

SCH Wellbeing
We are attending to:

If you are a Wellbeing service user, we will be providing welfare calls to check you are well and if you need any support.

 

Homelessness
We will continue to provide a service to those who are at risk of homelessness or are already homeless. The Housing Options team will provide telephone assessments to customers seeking advice or assistance about their housing needs. Unfortunately, we will no longer be able to offer a home visit.

If you are aware of any issues with your current accommodation, view our homelessness page.

 

Contact Centre

Our Customer Contact Centre is open from 9am-5pm.

If you call with an emergency outside of our opening hours you will be transferred to our out-of-hours service.

You can report an emergency 24 hours a day.

 

Other SCH Services:

Rent team
We understand this may be a very difficult financial time for some of our residents. If you are having financial difficulties and struggling to pay your rent because of the Coronavirus we can help you, visit our money advice page for more information.

 

Money advice
We are continuing to have discussions with residents who have affordability issues. For further advice and guidance, visit our money advice page.

 

Customers on our waiting list and new lettings
Our housing register is now open and properties will be advertised every Wednesday.

However, we currently have a high number of housing applications to be processed which is taking longer than our expected 10 day service standard.

If you have completed a housing register application and you have not received a reply from us yet, please do not complete another application.

We are working hard to process all applications as quickly as possible and  apologise for this delay.

A letter or email will be sent to you as soon as the application is processed.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

For more information, view our frequently asked questions.

 

Neighbourhood services

All visits by our Neighbourhood Officers are now back on schedule.  This includes visits about tenancy issues, mutual exchanges and antisocial behaviour.

 

Safer homes
We are still carrying out the following safety checks where they are needed:

 

Improvement works
All routine improvement works to homes have now resumed.

 

Minor and major adaptations
Minor and major adaptation works have now resumed.

 

Empty homes
We are continuing work on our empty homes so we can provide accommodation where it is needed.

 

Better Places
The team are operating a normal service for graffiti removal. They will also be carrying out pest control functions.

 

Solihull Home Options Office (Coppice Way)
Our office at Coppice Way is closed and we are carrying out homeless assessments over the phone. If you are facing homelessness or are homeless already, please call 0121 717 1515.

 

Cash Payments
We will no longer be able to accept cash payment at our offices. There are many other ways you can make a payment to us, view our pay the rent page for more information.

 

Temporary accommodation
We will continue to provide temporary accommodation to those who need it.

 

Supported housing
We will continue to provide as much support as we can to all residents in our supported housing schemes. All community events at Saxon Court have been cancelled.

 

Handyperson
Our Handyperson Service will be focusing on priority works only.

 

High rises
We will continue to carry out the key safety checks, maintaining safety measures and looking after the bin chutes. Please contact us if there are any problems you think we need to attend to in the communal areas of your block.

 

Leaseholders
We understand that the coronavirus may be causing worry for some leaseholders, especially the uncertainty of what impacts it will have on you. To see what financial entitlements you may be eligible for, please visit www.gov.uk. We also have a dedicated Money Advice team that can offer you information and support, to contact them please call 0121 717 1515.

The impact of Coronavirus is also affecting the way we are now communicating with you. As you are aware, you should be receiving the quarter one invoices with the new amounts to pay for the forthcoming financial year. However, we are unable to get these out to you on time in a paper format.  For April your current Direct Debit payments will remain the same and we will recalculate your Direct Debit for your property to cover the year from 01 May 2020.

If you have any questions about this please call 0121 717 1515 and ask to speak to the Rent Control Team.

 

Garages

From 6 September 2021 will be continuing sign ups by appointment. The team will advertise more garages each week as normal service resumes, however this may take longer than usual because of  the appointments system.

 

Mutual Exchanges
We are now processing Mutual Exchange applications.

 

Bulky Waste Collection

Collections for our bulky waste service have increased.

If you have booked in for this service our Estate Assistant’s will not be able to enter your home to collect the items.  If you live in high rise or low rise you must put the items out on the morning of the collection after receiving a phone call half an hour before the collection time. This is to prevent creating fire hazards in communal areas overnight.

 

Community Halls
All normal activity at our community halls has had to stop. The only exception is the foodbank at Auckland Hall which is continuing to operate.

**Important Information**

After considering the COVID-19 guidance for the safe use of multi–purpose facilities, we have taken the decision to keep the community centres closed.

We have a duty of care to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that we do not expose anyone to unnecessary risks to their health and safety.

We will review the re-opening of these facilities during 2020 and a further update will be provided.

Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause but your health and safety is important to us.

 

Engagement
We have launched more for you to get involved and search your feedback with us. Find out more on the getting involved page.

 

Offices
Our offices remain closed to the public. If you need to return any keys or documents to our staff, visit our latest news post for more information.

 

Stock conditioning survey
This work has been postponed until further notice.

 

How to contact us
Please only contact us if it is absolutely necessary.

Get in touch:

Please remember, you can check your rent account and make a payment through My SCH Account.  The facility to report a repair has currently been suspended.

The coronavirus pandemic is changing every day and we continue to follow the advice from Government and Public Health England.

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