Balancing the Books

After what feels like a long winter, it’s good to see some signs of spring around the corner. The days are stretching out and bright daffodils are bringing a welcome splash of colour.

Of course, we’re still living in challenging times, with words like ‘inflation’ and ‘recession’ featuring regularly in the news headlines. We’re being told things are heading in the right direction but I know many of our customers remain worried about the cost of living and are carefully watching every penny. Against this backdrop, we understand that the forthcoming increase in rent and service charges is never going to be welcome but I wanted to take some time to share a bit more about why we need to do it and, most importantly, how we can help if you’re struggling.

Stonewater is a not-for-profit organisation. This means that everything we collect in rent is directed back to maintaining homes, doing repairs and providing services. The cost of all of these things has gone up – materials are more expensive, labour is in short supply and skills are in high demand. Just like your £10 doesn’t go as far as it used to in the supermarket, it’s the same for Stonewater, except we’re paying for new windows and fixing leaking roofs, while at home we’re buying pasta and milk. If we don’t align these increased costs with what we collect through rent and service charges, our ability to serve our customers and communities will suffer. Our social ethos means our core purpose is to provide affordable homes for those that really need them. But more and more, we’re being stretched beyond traditional housing provision and I’ve even heard landlords being referred to as the ‘fourth emergency service’.

We’re already seeing the impacts of rising costs and budget cuts across other resources – things like mental health teams, access to GPs, local support groups, counselling or money advice. This puts more pressure on us because it means that sometimes we’re the only place left for customers to turn. This is changing the way we’re designing and delivering our services, in response to what customers are telling us. One of the things we hear a lot is that you’d like us to be more visible and accessible locally. So, we’re testing a new approach which aims to do just that.

We’ve recently set up a new pilot scheme in the South West, aimed at improving our community links for nearly 3000 customers. The pilot involves having colleagues working virtually and practically as one team ‘on the ground’ in the area, so we can get a better view of things like anti-social behaviour and other neighbourhood challenges, as well as being able to spot potential problems with grounds maintenance or repairs before they become a bigger issue. The team are also linking directly with local Councillors, MPs, Police and Community Safety partners, as well as other community services, to promote a joined-up approach and strengthen local relationships. This should help customers get whatever support they need, where and when they need it, more easily and seamlessly.

It’s early days but we’ve already seen an upturn in positive customer engagement and feedback so I’m really excited to see where this project takes us - I think there’s a lot we can learn.

Of course, we can’t shape new approaches like this and deliver the services customers expect unless we have the money to do it. Which brings us back to why we need to recover (through rents and service charges) what we spend and ensure we’re directing your money in the right way, at the right things, and getting best value. Whether that’s developing new ideas, securing savings in new contracts or strengthening partnerships, we’ll keep working hard to serve our customers and communities.

We know times are still tough and promise that we’ll never take action against anyone who may be struggling, as long as they engage with us to find a way forward. We don’t judge – we’re simply hear to listen and offer whatever support we can, so please talk to us if you need to. You’ll find some links below which might be useful as a start and remember, we’re always here to help.

Sue