News

On 20th Feb we held the first of this years ‘Try a Trade Day’ events to recruit apprentices for Platform Property Care. The event was held at The Building Block, Worcester, and saw over 30 participants try four trades – carpentry, tiling, electrical and plumbing. This was a great opportunity for people to get a taste of what being one of our operatives is like, and which trades they enjoyed the most. 

 

 

So what happened on the day? 

 

 

 

 

Carpentry 

Tiling 

Electrical 

Plumbing

We’d like to thank everyone who helped make Try a Trade Day 2020 a success. The Platform Property Care operatives and apprentices who attended managed to inspire a lot of people, and the apprentices who demonstrated their trades showed how knowledgeable and skilled they were – a testament to the success of Platform’s apprenticeship scheme! 

All the staff at The Building Block are volunteers, so a big thank you to them for taking time out of their busy schedules to educate and inspire. The Building Block is a part of Worcester Community Trust and provides a range of skills courses including bricklaying, plumbing, plastering, tiling and woodwork as well as a range of other courses including manual handling.

More ‘Try a Trade Day’ events will be held across our communities, including in Birmingham and Lincolnshire, later this year so stay tuned on social media. In the meantime find out what 'a day in the life' of a Property Care apprentice looks like on YouTube! 

Read ‘Try a Trade Day 2020’ was a big success!…

This week, social and affordable rent customers will start to receive letters outlining the new rent and service charge changes from April 2020.

The requirements for setting social rents are provided by The Regulator for Social Housing and the Homes & Communities Agency Rent Standard Guidance. For the first time in 4 years, customers will be receiving a rent increase, if you are currently experiencing financial difficulties, get in touch with us so we can offer the right advice and support.

The formula for setting social rent enables Platform Housing to set rents at a level that allows us to meet our obligations to customers, maintain our stock and continue to function as a financially viable organisation which includes meeting our commitments to lenders as well as building more homes.

If you pay a service charge as part of your rent, costs are determined by local contract arrangements for services provided or costs incurred for the services delivered by Platform Property Care -within some regions of the Group.

The Group is always keen to receive feedback -both compliments and complaints to ensure the services provided are of the best standard. We plan to undertake more periodic surveys around specific schemes to ensure the quality of services are maintained and are improved where needed.

Platform Housing also provides a comprehensive support service which includes helping to support those who are struggling to pay rent which can include:-

• Income maximisation
• Support in making Benefit claims
• Debt Advice
• Income & Expenditure assessments
• Money management advice and guidance

Why not get in touch with the team today?

Email us at: welfarereform@platformhg.com

Don’t forget!

If you are currently in receipt of Universal Credit you will need to update the new rent charges within your online journal after the effective date outlined in your rent increase letter. Failure to notify the DWP of these changes may result in an underpayment in your housing costs and/or rent arrears owing.

Read April 2020 Rent Review…

Platform Housing Group, working in partnership with Aqua Construction, AFA Development Consultancy Construction and Quattro Design Architects has successfully completed its first new build project in the Stroud District.

The development in Fountain Crescent, Wotton-Under-Edge, Stroud, was completed in November 2019 and consists of twenty-two units – eighteen houses and four maisonettes. Of the houses, six are for shared ownership.

The development cost £3.9 million, which was provided by Platform Housing Group, Stroud Council and the Homes England Affordable Homes Programme.

Marc Howard, Regional Development Manager, said: “Platform is pleased to have delivered its first new build in the Stroud District. Platform, Aqua Construction and Stroud District Council have delivered 22 new, high quality affordable homes that blend in and enhance this beautiful area in Wotton-Under-Edge. This project shows how Platform, a Strategic Partner for Homes England, can work with local authorities in utilising public land for delivering affordable homes for rent and sale.”

Jason Wasley, Managing Director, said: “Aqua Construction are delighted with the finished development at Dauncey Close. Everyone on the team, from architect to site labourer, has worked really hard on this project and the results are plain to see: a high quality finish to 22 new homes. We’re enormously satisfied to have delivered the scheme on time and under budget and, most importantly, that 22 families are now able to enjoy the benefits of brand new, energy-efficient and secure homes. Platform Housing Group has been a fantastic client partner throughout the project and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”

The development will provide much needed new homes to the area, Cllrs Ken Tucker & George James (Liberal Democrat, Wotton Ward) commented: “This development provides 22 much-needed affordable properties on disused Stroud District Council-owned land in our town. Stroud District Council has contributed nearly £900,000 from the sale of council properties to enable these homes to be built. We know that Wotton residents are keen that these properties are made available for local families and when we visited some residents recently, they told us they were delighted with the standard and the spacious layout of this development.”

Cllr Catherine Braun (Green, Wotton Ward) said: “It’s great to see that the building works have now been completed and people are moving into their new homes. It’s taken a long time to bring the project to fruition, and I’m really pleased that Stroud District Council has been able to support this scheme to provide affordable properties for rent and shared ownership to meet the demand in Wotton”

For further information please contact Marc Howard, Regional Development Manager at Platform Housing Group on 01684 579457 or email him at Marc.Howard@platformhg.com.

Read New Homes in Stroud, Gloucestershire…

Are you on a weekly tenancy and claiming Universal Credit?

If you are, it’s important to make sure that you are keeping your account up to date as this year there is an extra week to pay for.

This is because there are 53 Mondays in this financial year (normally there are only 52, as you would expect) and Universal Credit will not cover this "extra" week.

It is likely that the rent payment you have set up already covers this extra week but if you are not sure, are concerned about meeting rent payments, or need advice about making your money go further, please contact our advice team on uccustomer@platformhg.com as soon as possible. We're here to help

Don’t forget, this only applies if you are on a weekly tenancy and have a current Universal Credit claim.

Please click here for more information about benefits and making your money go further.

Read Important information about weekly tenancies and Universal Credit in 2020…

Platform Housing Group is organising an event to give people a sample of different trades and recruit apprentices.

We’re launching the first of several ‘Try a Trade Day’ events on 20th February. The first event this year will be held at the Building Block, Worcester Community Hub, Shap Drive and will kick off a recruitment campaign to find apprentices for June this year.

Linda Gittings, Apprenticeships and Qualifications Manager, said: “Apprenticeships have advantages over other routes into employment, and apprentices bring significant value to our organisation. We’re looking for people of any age or gender who are passionate about teamwork and making a difference while learning a trade.”

Platform Property Care (PPC), a part of Platform Housing Group, is looking for apprentices to join their growing team of tradespeople. PPC currently employs nearly four hundred operatives, and by expanding their workforce they will be able to improve the service they provide to their customers. Dennis Evans, Group Property Care Director, said: “As a growing part of the business it’s important that we recruit for the future. This event is an opportunity for people to try the different trades that make up our workforce and to get a feel for what Platform Property Care is all about. We are investing in our future workforce and local communities by offering training and development for individuals through apprenticeships. It’s a very exciting time for Platform Property Care as we continue to grow from strength to strength.”

‘Try a Trade Day’ participants will engage in activities themed around four skills; carpentry, plumbing, electrical and tiling. This will give them the opportunity to experience the sort of work PPC operatives do on a daily basis. The event is designed to help people decide which specific trade they feel most interested in and to encourage them to apply for apprenticeship positions with PPC, which will be advertised in June.

There will be three sessions, at 9.30am, 12.15pm and at 4.30pm, with a maximum of 20 people attending each session. To book a place, please click here.

Read Platform Housing Group is Organising a ‘Try a Trade Day’…