9 Regt AAC Welfare Blog: September 2013

UPDATE

The DIO is currently procuring a range of new contracts to replace existing arrangements for the management and maintenance of the Defence estate. This programme includes the National Housing Prime (NHP) contract, which will replace existing maintenance contracts for Service Family Accommodation in the

, and may potentially move some services currently provided in-house to the new contractor.

Three tendering organisations are now entering the final stages of the procurement process:

- Carillion Holdings Ltd and Enterprise Managed Services Ltd, which currently maintain Service housing across England and

Wales

as MODern Housing Solutions (MHS) under the Housing Prime Contract

- Babcock Support Services Ltd, which currently provide a range of Defence services to the MOD

- Kier Ltd and Turner Facilities Management Ltd, of which Turner maintains housing in Scotland under the Regional Prime Contract for

Scotland

Based on the current programme, the MOD expects to reach contract award by March 2014, with the successful contractor expected to enter service between July and November 2014, rolling out regionally, starting in Scotland and

Northern Ireland

, and followed progressively each month by the Central region, South East, and finally South West.

Although the MOD will aim to limit the impact of these changes to SFA customers, this will depend on the final transition plan agreed and the scale of the changes brought about by the final contract award. We understand that effective communication will be vital during this period and further messages will follow to inform you about the final contract award and once the transition plan has been agreed

Keeping families safe

DIO is responsible for ensuring that statutory safety inspections are undertaken, such as the annual Gas Safety inspection. Some customers consistently fail to permit access for these free safety inspections, so DIO is introducing new processes to tackle this important issue in England and Wales. On 19 August, revised versions of the Yellow and Red cards were launched which clearly set out the responsibility of the Licensee to permit access for these statutory inspections. The Yellow card will be issued on the first occasion an appointment is missed, whilst the Red card will be issued for the second missed appointment. The revised Red card will advise the customer that their details have been passed to DIO and that their Chain of Command may be contacted in an effort to gain access. Should the customer ignore these safety warnings and continue to fail to permit access, a further follow on process will then commence. In some circumstances this could include enforcing entry to the property to undertake the inspection. This will only be used in extreme circumstances, and in consultation with the Chain of Command, where DIO feels that it must enforce its statutory responsibility to ensure the safety of customers.

· Making it easier to find information about SFA

If you want to know more about Service Family Accommodation you can find it all on the SFA website using the handy short address www.gov.uk/dio/sfa

· Your safety is paramount – please help DIO when your gas appliances need inspecting

Some customers continue to consistently fail to permit access for free gas safety inspections, which DIO has a statutory requirement to undertake and are in the interests of your family’s safety.

Failure to allow access for these safety inspections is a serious breach of your licence to occupy so if you fail to permit access when an appointment has been arranged, a revised Yellow safety warning will now be issued. If you fail to permit access at the next appointment a revised Red safety warning will be issued, at which point DIO will get involved and may contact your Chain of Command in an effort to gain access.

To ensure the safety of your family and neighbours, please do not ignore these safety warnings.

· Taking action on Damp and Mould

Thankfully the majority of Service homes don’t suffer problems from problems with mould or damp, and are warm and comfortable. However, DIO Ops Accn recognises that some of the housing stock in the UK was built before the latest standards and energy efficiency expectations, and invests millions every year to improve Service Family Accommodation (SFA). As well as the usual thousands of ongoing improvements in this financial year, DIO is specifically targeting investment to solve damp/mould related issues for Service families.

This work has been made possible by a combination of a very welcome injection of money in the 2012 budget for improving SFA, and a great deal of work undertaken by the DIO Ops Accn Estates Services team to get Green Deal funding to improve the energy efficiency of SFA. This means that measures such as external wall insulation, new roofs and new doors and windows will be installed by March 2014 at sites that have been targeted for the programme.

In addition, DIO and MODern Housing Solutions (MHS) has agreed a revised process for responding to reports of mould and damp. The new process means that a report of serious damp or mould will be inspected by both an MHS and DIO representative, who will have access to damp meters and other technology for establishing the cause of the issue.

Based on the results of this, a workable solution will be developed to address the cause.

Further guidance

Whilst this work aims to tackle problems caused by the fabric of the building, guidance has also been updated to help families who may have issues, such as condensation, that can often be resolved by taking simple steps such as improving ventilation. The revised guidance is on the SFA website.

More… www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-guides

· Asbestos management survey

All buildings built in the UK in the last century may contain asbestos containing materials (ACMs) within their building fabric. Whilst these do not present a danger to you or your family if they are kept in good order and not disturbed, DIO Operations Accommodation has been carrying out ACM surveys in UK Service Family Accommodation. DIO is continuing this programme and intends to complete around 22,000 surveys in 2013/14.

You shouldn’t be unduly worried if you receive a visit from a surveyor, as the purpose of the survey is to determine and record where ACMs actually are. This will help DIO to manage them more effectively, especially during periods of major refurbishment where our ultimate goal is to remove them completely. Not all properties will receive a visit, as a large number of SFA properties have been surveyed before, already had ACMs removed during refurbishment, or built without these materials.

· Thinking of making a change to your Service Family Accommodation?

Most people want to make the best of their home but families living in a Service home should be aware that they must seek permission in advance if they want to make changes that add to their Service Family Accommodation or change its fabric.

What you can do

As long as permission is sought from DIO first, through your housing officer, customers will generally be permitted to carry out minor encroachments either on the outside or to the outside of their homes. This includes erecting a greenhouse, garden shed, TV aerial, satellite dish, house alarms and security lights.

At the Pre Move Out appointment these changes will be inspected where it is considered that the encroachment does not provide added value to the property, the Licensee will be required to remove and make good. All costs incurred in the removal will be the responsibility of the Licensee - this also applies if you redecorate your property.

What you can’t do

Major changes will not usually be permitted, such as replacing a kitchen. Even if you know you will be based in a property for some time, these changes would introduce nonstandard fixtures and fittings that will not be covered by the maintenance contracts. In addition, customers should not interfere with fittings, such as gas ovens or gas fires, as this is potentially dangerous and illegal if you are not qualified.

Customers living in Substitute SFA (SSFA) are not permitted to alter the decoration of the interior or the exterior of the property without the written permission of either the MOD Contractor or the Letting Agent/Landlord.

· Check your heating

It’s always a good idea to undertake a quick check of your heating system in September to make sure it is working correctly before the colder weather sets in. If you discover any problems with your heating, please report them immediately to your maintenance helpdesk, as this will give them time to resolve the issue before you need your heating.

A customer guide is available about looking after your home over the winter period, including checking your heating. The guide can be found on the customer guide page of the SFA website at www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-guides