You will be receiving a letter over the next few days with an important update regarding our Repairs and Maintenance Service.
Our primary contractor who delivers this service is Axis Europe Ltd, and this contract will end on 31 March 2025. We will be moving to a new maintenance contract and model and are currently in the process of looking for contractors who are able to deliver the services you require.
This comes as a result of your feedback to us, in particular through the resident satisfaction survey and complaints process, that you are not fully satisfied with the current repairs service. We are looking to make improvements to meet your needs and provide you with a better experience.
Axis will continue to deliver the current repairs service until 31 March 2025 while we go through this process. The new repairs contract will begin on 01 April 2025, and we will be in touch nearer the time to update you on who will be providing this service.
We appreciate your understanding during this time, and we are confident that this change will improve the maintenance of your homes and the services you receive.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at customers@ccha.biz.
We’re happy to share some tips on how to write your CV. Our colleague Sarah, seasoned recruiter, trainer, and coach, has a keen eye for detail and a passion for helping individuals get jobs through a well written CV. Read on to find out more.
The Dos:
- Do explain career gaps – it’s better to explain the gap in your job history than leave employers to guess. You can use explanations such as ‘career break’, ‘studying, ‘travelling’, ‘mental health break’, ‘looking for work’ etc.
- Do make your CV simple and relevant – you only need to include the last 7-10 years of your career history. This will help you keep your CV to 1-2 pages.
- Do use tools to help craft your CV – tools such as Grammarly are free and you can check the spelling and grammar of your CV. You can also download templates from Google or use free CV builders or formatters.
- Do put your desired job role at the top of your CV – this helps tell employers what you’re looking to do in your next job as it may not always be obvious from your work history.
- Do use keywords – most employers look for keywords in CVs that are relevant to the job role. For example, if you are looking for a warehouse position, keywords such as ‘stock control’, ‘picking and packing’, ‘shipping and dispatch’ may be useful.
- Do use job boards – upload your CV and make it visible to employers. You can also activate job alerts to find roles relevant to you. Good ones include Total Jobs, Reed and Indeed.
- Do consider writing a cover letter – this can help you tailor your CV to the role, especially if you have been out of work or considering a job change.
- Do pick up the phone – this can help your chance of success if you phone before to ask questions or follow up your application with a quick call. Ask for the hiring manager.
- Do set up a LinkedIn account – it’s free and you can do this on your phone. You can find jobs there and even make connections with others. Copy and paste the content onto your LinkedIn profile and use the ‘Easy Apply’ button to begin applying for jobs.
The Don’ts:
- Don’t use AI (artificial intelligence) to write your CV for you – AI such as ChatGPT can be helpful to get ideas but shouldn’t be used to write your whole CV. Some employers have AI detection technology which means they will know you haven’t written it yourself and may discard your CV.
- Don’t job hunt alone – speak to recruitment agencies who can help you find local jobs. It can be tiring and frustrating searching online, and they have access to additional job boards and know what employers are looking for.
- Don’t write off temporary work – temp roles can often be available immediately and can sometimes lead to permanent work. Even if it’s for a short while, you’ll still get paid and may pick up some skills while there.
- Don’t just list job responsibilities on your CV – use the STAR method:
- Situation – begin by describing the content or situation you were involved with. This could be a specific project, task or challenge.
- Task – explain the specific task or objective you need to accomplish in that situation. What were you trying to achieve?
- Action – detail the actions you took to address the task or challenge. What steps did you personally take to tackle the situation?
- Result – finally, describe the outcome of your actions. What were the results of your efforts?
- Don’t write a long profile summary – keep it to a brief overview of your experience including the types of companies and roles you’re looking for.
- Don’t use the word ‘I’ too often – instead use strong action verbs at the beginning of your sentences such as ‘Accountable for’, ‘Responsible for’, ‘Created’, ‘Developed’ etc.
- Don’t include irrelevant information – hobbies and interests may take up space that is better used for your work experience. Save this for your interview if you want.
- Don’t include references on your CV – you can provide these when requested during interview stages. Employers shouldn’t contact your references without your permission, so use that space to sell your skills.
We hope these tips are helpful and if you’d be interested in attending a CV workshop to help find a job, register your interest by emailing citeam@ccha.biz.
In the lead up to the launch of our annual report for 2023/24, we’re sharing our priorities for the final year of our business plan.
Read our Corporate Business Plan update here.
Year 4 of our business plan has seen us focus predominantly on our residents, improving our customer service offering and ensuring we regain our V1 G1 standing. In year 5, the final year of our ccha2025 business plan, we continue to focus on our services and our communication to existing residents. We are prioritising these as we know from feedback that these are key areas residents want to see us improve on and we agree.
The collection of more detailed and accurate data about our residents and properties this year will enable us to tailor our future services to them and deliver services which better support them in their homes. We want to do this in the most effective way, fully utilising the resources we already have so that we are delivering on our promises.
On Friday 27 September 2024, and Friday 29 November 2024, between 10am and 2pm, you can join us in the office for a drop in session with the Income Team.
The Income Team are here to help you in a safe, non-judgemental, supportive environment. They can provide tailored, confidential advice if you are experiencing financial difficulties or need support. Pop down to one of our drop in sessions to meet the team!
What’s on offer at the sessions?
- Friendly assistance: You’ll have the opportunity to meet with us. We are ready to help with empathy and understanding, making the experience as supportive as possible.
- Review of finances: We will be available to review your financial situations, including rent payments, debts, and arrears (this is an ideal opportunity if you are stressed about your finances to seek guidance).
- Universal Credit and benefit advice: We’ll provide tailored, confidential advice on welfare reforms such as Universal Credit, Bedroom Tax, Benefit Cap, and Non-Dependant Deductions. Whether you need help applying for benefits or managing them, we are here to assist.
- Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs): If you who find managing monthly Universal Credit payments overwhelming, we can discuss APAs, which allow the Housing Element of your benefit to be paid directly to ccha.
- Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP): We’ll also provide information on applying for DHP, a means-tested fund that can offer additional support if Universal Credit or housing benefit doesn’t fully cover rent.
- Council Tax support: Guidance on accessing support for council tax payments will also be available.
- Wellbeing and budgeting Support: We aim to offer comprehensive advice to help you manage their finances and overall wellbeing more effectively.
If you’d like help with any of the above, or have other questions about your rent, finances or benefits, do pop down on the day to speak to one of the team.
Dates:
- Friday 27 September 2024
- Friday 29 November 2024
Times:
- 10am-2pm
Location:
- ccha office
- 29 Sheldon Street, Croydon, CR0 1SS
If you receive a letter called a Universal Credit Migration Notice with a deadline on it, you’ll have to apply for Universal Credit as your legacy benefits will be stopping.
If the letter doesn’t have a deadline on it, it won’t be your migration notice, and you’ll need to wait until you get a notice with a deadline.
Don’t ignore the letter! Your legacy benefits will end the day before your deadline day, even if you don’t claim Universal Credit.
Our Welfare & Benefits Team can help:
- We can advise you when and how to claim Universal Credit
- We can help you work out how much Universal Credit you should receive
- We can help make sure you receive your full Universal Credit entitlement
If you’ve received your notice with the deadline on, call us on 0800 054 6710 or email income@ccha.biz for help applying for Universal Credit.
This year’s resident open event is happening on Thursday 11 July and Tuesday 16 July at our office on Sheldon Street. We’d love for our residents to join us!
The days are split into morning and afternoon sessions and will be first come, first served. Please RSVP letting us know when you’d like to attend.
This is a chance for you to have a look around the office and meet our staff, contractors, Board members, other residents and have a chance to raise any issues or questions you have.
If you are hoping to speak to a particular member of staff on the day, please let us know so we can advise if they will be there.
Dates & times available:
Thursday 11 July – 10am to 12pm
Thursday 11 July – 2pm to 4pm
Tuesday 16 July – 10am to 12pm
Tuesday 16 July – 2pm to 4pm
Location:
ccha, 19 Sheldon Street, Croydon, CR0 1SS
RSVP:
Please email citeam@ccha.biz or call us on 0800 054 6710 to let us know which date and time you’d like to attend, if there is a member of staff you’d like to speak to and if you have any dietary requirements.
We’ll see you there!
This March, Heather Thomas stepped down as Chair of ccha after serving her two terms in the position. In her stead, we welcome Maureen Adams who joined us on the Board in January 2024 and officially took up her position as Chair in April 2024.
Maureen has been in housing for over 25 years and has a wealth of knowledge in housing, communities, and customer service and is an experienced Board member.
We spoke to Maureen about what she is looking forward to now she is Chair:
Maureen Adams, Chair of ccha
“I am delighted to have joined ccha as Chair this year to continue Heather Thomas’s excellent work as Chair over the last seven years.
It will take me a little while to get to know ccha, its staff, and its residents, but I hope to do so as quickly as possible. It’s a privilege to join a housing association rooted so firmly in its community and with such a great team.
I firmly believe in the importance of supporting communities to thrive and create a sense of belonging, something I grew up with in Northern Ireland. I am pleased to be part of an organisation delivering good quality homes. My professional background has involved working for over 12 years as a Director of Operations where I was involved in services to prevent homelessness, housing for older people and resident engagement. I have spent many years talking to people about the value of their homes to them and how to deliver services that meet the needs of the whole community, so I know that how we listen to and respond to our residents makes a difference.
When I am not working, I like to spend time with my young granddaughter, which reminds me that the choices we make now also support the next generation.”
We’d like to welcome Maureen to ccha and hope both residents and staff will get to meet her soon.
Heather Thomas welcomes Maureen to the role:
Heather Thomas, former ccha Chair and Board Member
“I am delighted that as I step down from my role as Chair of ccha, I am passing the torch to
Maureen Adams, who I know will lead the organisation to even greater heights. I extend my best wishes to everyone at ccha, including the residents, staff, and Board, for a successful future.”
You can read more about Heather’s time as Chair in her article ‘Reflections of an Outgoing Chair’.
More information about our Board and Committee Members can be found on our website.
I became a Board member of ccha in 2017 and became the Chair in 2019, and this March, I stepped down as Chair having now reached the end of my two terms.
One of my first key decisions when I started as Chair of the Board was the approval of the ccha business plan 2025. I was really pleased with the new plan because it had been based on extensive consultation with ccha residents, staff, and the Board and set out our 5 key themes:
- Resident Standards
- Staff and partner engagement
- Safety and security responsibility
- More affordable homes pledge
- Value for money offer.
In early 2020, we had the pandemic and my focus as Chair was working with the CEO, Leadership Team, and the Board to ensure that our residents and staff were safe. This was a challenging time for all of us. ccha emerged from it and started on a new path which was crystallised with the opening of a new office in the heart of Croydon in 2023.
However, we were moving forward against a backdrop of volatility in the economic and political environment. The highest rate of inflation in over 40 years, a cost-of-living crisis for many of our residents, continual news stories about the poor condition of housing and the services received by residents, and no long-term housing policy. It was disappointing but not surprising that we saw a fall in overall customer satisfaction like many other housing organisations during this time. I am pleased to see the start of an upturn in resident satisfaction although there is still some way to go before ccha achieves the customer satisfaction levels that it had previously attained.
I Chaired my last meeting at ccha in February and it was fitting that just before this we had confirmation from the Regulator that ccha had regained its G1/V1 rating. I know how hard the staff team and Board have worked to accomplish this. This was no mean feat and I feel very proud of ccha for achieving this.
During my time as a Chair and Board member, I have had the privilege to meet residents in person and online and discuss the services that ccha provides and where we need to improve. My interactions have shown me how important ccha is as a locally based landlord and I saw that many residents have been with ccha for years and forged a long-lasting relationship with the organisation.
Some of my happiest times as Chair have also been to see the many new homes that ccha has built and developed. I can say that without exception our new homes have been built to a high standard. I am so proud of the contribution that ccha has made and will continue to make in meeting the huge housing need that exists. As a ‘place-shaping’ organisation with strong roots in Croydon, ccha has always been committed to the wider community and I am pleased that we were a founder member of the legacy youth zone in Selhurst which provides vital support to children and young people in the Borough and through other local partnerships.
Reflecting on my time at ccha, it feels like I have been Chair at a time of change and uncertainty, and I feel very fortunate that ccha has had the organisational strength to weather the storms. I have seen my role as Chair very much like a conductor of an orchestra – enabling and engaging colleagues to bring out the best and make the right decisions for ccha and its residents.
Throughout my time as Chair, I have worked closely with the Chief Executive, Tracy Cullen, who along with the Leadership Team and staff at ccha has shown immense commitment and resilience. My fellow Board members have also been a great source of expertise and support. So, I know that as an outgoing Chair, when you get an organisation such as ccha that is well-run, with a commitment to deliver quality services and is known and trusted by the local community, the value it delivers is immense. I feel honoured to have been part of this.
I am extremely grateful to my fellow Board members, the staff, the Chief Executive, and the Leadership Team for their support during my tenure as Chair. I became a Board member of ccha in 2017 and became the Chair in 2019, I took over from Steve Benson, who sadly, only very recently passed away. Steve’s passing has made me realise even more that as the Chair you act as a steward for the organisation, and that organisation at its essence is about people, both residents, staff, and Board colleagues working together to create a legacy that you pass on.
I am delighted that as I step down from my role as Chair of ccha, I am passing the torch to Maureen Adams, who I know will lead the organisation to even greater heights. I extend my best wishes to everyone at ccha, including the residents, staff, and Board, for a successful future.
Heather Thomas
Former Chair and Board Member of ccha
This year, we’ve invited ccha residents to take part in our Customer Needs Review which will help us understand your household needs and how we can tailor our services to you.
If we have your email address, you should have received an email with a personalised link to the website survey.ccha.co.uk. When you fill out this form, please include as much detail as you can, as the information you provide will help us understand how best to communicate with you, ensure you receive a fair and equal service and improve our services to you in the future.
If you complete the online form by Tuesday 20 April 2024, we will enter you into a prize draw to win £100.
Resident who completed the form by Sunday 31 March 2024 will be entered into a prize draw to win £200.
Why are we asking you to complete this review?
We are committed to ensuring you receive the services you require and are treated fairly. In 2021, we released our latest Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and as part of this, we are collecting information to help understand what you need from us. With this data, we can review how we are doing and how we can adapt to your needs.
This information will help us:
- Have up to date information about you and your family
- Understand your communication requirements and preferences
- Tailor services to meet your individual needs
- Monitor services and ensure you receive a fair and equal service
- Recruit staff who are representative of our residents
- Identify prejudice-related incidents and practices and ensure they are dealt with effectively
You can read our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement on our website.
What will we do with this information?
The information you provide on this Customer Needs Review will be used by us or, where appropriate, by other organisations working on our behalf for the purposes of fulfilling our obligations as your landlord. We keep all information you give confidential, and it will only be used by us and our contractors and partners to supply and monitor our services to you.
All data will be handled in line with our Privacy Notice.
What if I can’t complete the form online?
Please contact us if you are having trouble completing it or would prefer to do it over the phone or in person, we can support you with this. You can call us on 0800 054 6710 or email customers@ccha.biz.
This year, we’ve invited ccha residents to take part in our Customer Needs Review which will help us understand your household needs and how we can tailor our services to you.
If we have your email address, you should have received an email with a personalised link to the website survey.ccha.co.uk. When you fill out this form, please include as much detail as you can, as the information you provide will help us understand how best to communicate with you, ensure you receive a fair and equal service and improve our services to you in the future.
If you complete the online form by Tuesday 20 April 2024, we will enter you into a prize draw to win £100.
Resident who completed the form by Sunday 31 March 2024 will be entered into a prize draw to win £200.
Why are we asking you to complete this review?
We are committed to ensuring you receive the services you require and are treated fairly. In 2021, we released our latest Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and as part of this, we are collecting information to help understand what you need from us. With this data, we can review how we are doing and how we can adapt to your needs.
This information will help us:
- Have up to date information about you and your family
- Understand your communication requirements and preferences
- Tailor services to meet your individual needs
- Monitor services and ensure you receive a fair and equal service
- Recruit staff who are representative of our residents
- Identify prejudice-related incidents and practices and ensure they are dealt with effectively
You can read our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement on our website.
What will we do with this information?
The information you provide on this Customer Needs Review will be used by us or, where appropriate, by other organisations working on our behalf for the purposes of fulfilling our obligations as your landlord. We keep all information you give confidential, and it will only be used by us and our contractors and partners to supply and monitor our services to you.
All data will be handled in line with our Privacy Notice.
What if I can’t complete the form online?
Please contact us if you are having trouble completing it or would prefer to do it over the phone or in person, we can support you with this. You can call us on 0800 054 6710 or email customers@ccha.biz.
