Get Help to Heat Your Home with a Heat Well Angus Fuel Voucher

With the recent rise in fuel prices and increased costs of living, many of us face a real financial challenge to maintain an acceptable level of affordable warmth in our homes.

We’ve teamed up with SCARF to get Scottish Welfare Fund backing for fuel vouchers for Angus residents whose household income has been cut by COVID-19.

For further details, visit the SCARF website and to apply for Fuel Voucher, complete the Heat Well Angus online form.

Please note that access to vouchers is subject to eligibility criteria and assessment.

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COVID update for Housing Repairs and Improvements

Since 17 December 2021, following Scottish Government guidance, we have provided a restricted service for repairs and construction works.

We are pleased to advise that from 9:00 on Monday 31 January 2022, our full repairs and improvements services will return.

Reactive Repairs

A full repairs service including the Right to Repair will return from the above date.

How will this affect you?

There may be some delays for non-emergency repairs you report for the next 2-3 weeks, as your area contractor works through the backlog of repairs that we have received since mid-December 2021.

Essential Services Maintenance Work

Annual servicing of gas heating systems, electrical testing and upgrades to LD2 Smoke alarm systems are a statutory requirement that we are required to carry out by law. These works will continue as before, and as a tenant you must provide access to your property for these. 

Aids & Adaptations

This work will continue, although a case by case assessment may still be required with an individual’s support team.

What Planned Works will restart?

All planned works which have contractors appointed will return to full service. This includes

• External Wall Insulation
• External Repaints
• Windows replacements
• Any Internal Energy Efficiency works (including underfloor insulation, loft insulation and Internal Wall Insulation)
• Electric Heating upgrades

Please be aware that we will continue to review these arrangements to ensure adherence with any future amendments to Scottish Government COVID-19 Guidance.

You should familiarise yourself with the current guidance so that you are clear as to what is expected of you before any contractor comes to your home.

Any further updates will be provided as government guidance develops.

Where can you get Lateral Flow Tests from?

Please follow the appropriate links below to find out the collection option easiest for you.

Collect LFD tests from your nearest coronavirus test site 

Find your nearest coronavirus test site where LFD tests can be collected 

You can collect up to two packs of seven tests per household, or up to four packs of seven tests if you’re collecting for multiple people. 

You can collect from coronavirus test sites between 8am and 8pm. You do not need to book an appointment. 

Collect LFD tests from your nearest pharmacy 

Find your nearest participating pharmacy 

You can collect one pack of seven LFD tests per person. If you’re collecting for a household, you can collect one pack for each household member. 

You do not need to book an appointment, but you should check opening times. 

Do not enter a pharmacy if you have coronavirus symptoms. Self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test instead. 

Order LFD tests to your home

You can order LFD tests to be sent to your home. 

Your order will contain one pack of seven LFD tests.  It’ll be delivered to your home in one to two days. You can order one pack per household per day.

If you’re ordering for another household as well as your own, you should:

• complete a separate order
• use their personal details

See the full NHS Guidance to find out how to obtain a test.

Angus Homefinder – Support for housing applicants

Here’s some guidance for making the best of our Angus Homefinder service.

You should keep your housing circumstances up-to-date, check what’s available each week and place bids on all properties you are interested in. As this is all done online, some applicants will find this difficult but we have support available to help.

If you have family or friends, you could ask them to help you apply or bid, or you can nominate someone to deal with your application or bid on your behalf. Before providing information about a nominated representative, relative or carer you must have their permission to do so.

You can also get support at your local library or by calling ACCESSLine on 03452 777 778 and asking for the Angus HomeFinder Team.

Autobid

We understand that some applicants will have difficulties bidding because they do not have internet access or they have other vulnerabilities. Our allocations policy states that in some circumstances where you are unable to access the bidding system, we can automatically place bids on your behalf using an Autobid function.

Please remember, if you refuse 2 offers of housing, we will suspend your application for 6 months, which means you would be unable to place bids. If you need further information about Autobid, please discuss with your Housing Officer or our Angus HomeFinder Team.

Home Heating Support Fund – Get Help With Heating Costs

The Home Heating Support Fund is a Scottish Government scheme for households struggling with energy bills because of a growing cost-of-living crisis. The scheme, which is administered by the national advice service Advice Direct Scotland, is to prevent households from falling into fuel poverty and help those ‘rationing’ their energy use.

The fund is open until 31 March 2022 – to apply, call SCARF on 0808 129 0888 and speak to the Angus HEAT team.

If your household is ‘off-supply’, you can’t apply, and you should seek immediate help from your energy supplier or organisations which can refer you to the Fuel Bank Foundation.

Even if your household is not eligible, SCARF can give you free advice on energy and debt issues.

Angus Homefinder – Housing Application Login – New Feature

We have a new feature on Angus Homefinder.

If you have forgotten your login details you can now reset all of these yourself from the login screen. You can reset your security question and answer and also get a reminder of your User ID.

Please remember to check your spam/junk mailbox for any reset requests.

Affordable Housing for Sale – Shared Equity at Sunnyside Estate, Hillside, by Montrose

If you want to own your own home, but are on a low income, here’s an opportunity that might interest you.

We have 2 three-bedroom houses (Tiree style) to buy under the Scottish Government’s New Supply Shared Equity Scheme constructed in the former Sunnyside Royal Hospital and its grounds. More details about the properties can be found on the Sunnyside Estate website.

The Tiree specificationDownload

Please note that any incentives listed on the Sunnyside webpage are not available with the purchase of a shared-equity home.

The Scottish Government New Supply Shared Equity (NSSE) scheme is a form of affordable home ownership for people on modest incomes.  The owner purchases 60-80% of the value of the property with the Scottish Government providing the equity stake for the remainder.

How to apply

We do not take applications for this scheme yet, but we expect to open the scheme in January 2022. For further updates check the Angus Council Developments Website. We’ll also post information here when the scheme opens.

If you are interested in this scheme, please seek independent financial advice about getting a mortgage, as this will be a requirement of the scheme. Further requirements of the scheme can be found on the Scottish Government website and we would advise familiarising yourself before contacting us.

Qualifying criteria

• First time buyer, unless you are an older person (over 60) downsizing or you have experienced a significant change of circumstances such as relationship breakdown.
• Earning no more than £29,799 per annum (single income) and £44,146 per annum (joint income)
• Resident in Angus, employed in Angus, or with local connection to Angus

For further information please contact: affordablehousingteam@angus.gov.uk

Change of Housing Unplanned Maintenance Contractor – Forfar, Kirriemuir, Montrose and Brechin Areas

We have received notice from our Unplanned Maintenance contractor MPS, who cover repairs in Forfar, Kirriemuir, Montrose and Brechin areas, that they will no longer be involved with the contract after 31 March 2022.

We are negotiating with MPS about ongoing works and will keep tenants informed as we go forward.

We are asking tenants to be as patient as possible in the meantime. We are in a period of emergency repairs only due to current restrictions and these will still be taken as a matter of course.

We will give further updates as we have them.  

COVID update for Housing Repairs and Improvements

Since 17 December 2021, we have provided a reduced service in relation to repairs and improvements. Although there has been no significant change to the guidelines, here is an update on our services.

Reactive Repairs

Currently, we are carrying out only EMERGENCY repairs. This will be amended as follows from 9:00 Wednesday 12 January 2022.

Within homes – Emergency repairs only as detailed below will continue until further notice.

Common areas & external work – All repairs will be carried out as normal.

How will this affect you?

The changes will alter how we deliver your Repairs and Servicing Maintenance and the suspension of the Right to Repair continues.

What Emergency Repairs will be possible?

As during previous restrictions, we will only carry out certain emergency repairs to tenants’ properties.

The reduced list of emergency repairs which we will still do is:

• Loss of heating and/or hot water – Total loss of both heating & hot water with no electric shower
• Uncontainable leak
• Sewage backing up and overflowing into the property
• Serious security problem, such as a front door that cannot be locked
• Loss of essential services, such as water or electricity.

All emergency repairs can be reported to the ACCESSLine on 03452 777 778. If your emergency repairs are about gas central heating then please phone WRB Gas on 01382 20 40 30.

Can Non-emergency Repairs still be reported?

Yes, please continue to report any non-emergency repairs to your home to allow these to be logged. Whilst these cannot be addressed right now, it will allow us and your repairs contractor to plan out all repairs and allocate them to the appropriate trade as soon as restrictions are eased.

Non-emergency repairs can be reported by phoning the ACCESSLine on 03452 777 778.

Will Services Maintenance work continue?

As we have done throughout previous lockdown periods, we will continue to carry out annual servicing of gas heating systems, electrical testing and upgrade to LD2 Smoke alarm systems. This is a statutory requirement that we are required to carry out by law and there is an obligation for you as a tenant to provide access. 

Will Aids & Adaptations continue?

Yes, this work is deemed essential to allow vulnerable individuals to remain in their homes and will continue. A case by case assessment may be required under discussion with the individuals support team.

Will Planned Works continue?

Some planned works will continue, below is a list detailing what will be suspended and what will go on as planned.

The following works are suspended in your homes

• Kitchen upgrades
• Bathroom upgrades
• Electric Heating upgrades
• Windows replacements
• Any Internal Energy Efficiency works (including underfloor insulation, loft insulation and Internal Wall Insulation)

The following works will continue

• External Wall Insulation
• External Repaints

Please be aware that the above is under continual review to stay in line with any future amendments from Scottish Government Guidance in relation to COVID-19.

A further update will be provided as government guidance develops.

Where can you get Lateral Flow Tests from?

Please follow the appropriate links below to find out the collection option easiest for you.

Collect LFD tests from your nearest coronavirus test site 

Find your nearest coronavirus test site where LFD tests can be collected 

You can collect up to two packs of seven tests per household, or up to four packs of seven tests if you’re collecting for multiple people. 

You can collect from coronavirus test sites between 8am and 8pm. You do not need to book an appointment. 

Collect LFD tests from your nearest pharmacy 

Find your nearest participating pharmacy 

You can collect one pack of seven LFD tests per person. If you’re collecting for a household, you can collect one pack for each household member. 

You do not need to book an appointment, but you should check opening times. 

Do not enter a pharmacy if you have coronavirus symptoms. Self-isolate immediately and book a PCR test instead. 

Order LFD tests to your home

You can order LFD tests to be sent to your home. 

Your order will contain one pack of seven LFD tests.  It’ll be delivered to your home in one to two days. You can order one pack per household per day.

If you’re ordering for another household as well as your own, you should:

• complete a separate order
• use their personal details

See the full NHS Guidance to find out how to obtain a test.