Care & Repair Brochure

InformationCLIENT

WORCESTERSHIRE

This document is also available in other languages, large print, and audio format upon request.

01684 579579

If you wish to apply, or simply find out more aboutwhether this scheme is right for you, call us today on

01684 579456You can also visit our website

www.careandrepairworcestershire.co.ukEmail: care&[email protected]

Write to us:

Care & Repair WorcestershireThe Royal Exchange, 9 Queen Street, Droitwich Spa,

Worcestershire, WR9 8LA

Our offices are open from 9am – 5pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Fridayand from 10am – 5pm on a Wednesday.

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Who is Care & RepairWorcestershire?We are a Home ImprovementAgency which is a not for profitorganisation funded by thegovernment and part of the FestivalHousing Group. Our main aim is toassist homeowners and privatesector tenants who are vulnerable.This includes those on low incomes,older people and people withdisabilities. If you need to adapt,repair or modernise your home wecan help. Our case workers will bethere to guide you through theprocess; we make sure you receivea personal service tailored to yourneeds.

How can we help?We offer:

� advice on welfare benefits, homesecurity and energy efficiency;

� advice on the repairs oradaptation needed for yourhome;

� advice on any grants or fundingyou may be eligible for;

� help to fill in grant applicationforms and any associated paperwork;

� surveying the planned work,preparing schedules anddrawings;

� help to apply for planningpermission or building regulationapproval;

� help to get quotes fromexperienced and approvedcontractors;

� monitoring the quality of workcarried out and final checks oncework is completed; and

� to arrange payments to thecontractor.

Client information

‘We help tenants and privatehome owners to repair,modernise or adapt theirhome to suit their needs.’


Fair deal for everyoneWe aim to treat all our customersand staff fairly and equally. Wewant our services to be accessibleto everyone and not discriminate. Ifyou believe you have been treatedless fairly then others you shouldcontact the manager at Care &Repair Worcestershire.

InformationWe will:� produce information leaflets

about the services that weprovide;

� provide information in differentformats if you ask us including e-mail, tape, Braille, large printand translations; and

� give you a copy of the details ofthe work and any associated riskassessment if you ask us.

ComplaintsWe will:� have a positive and open

approach in handling complaints;� encourage feedback;� learn from our mistakes to

improve the services that weprovide; and

� deal with all formal complaintswithin the timescales set out inour ‘How to complain’ leaflet.

Customers at risk?We have policies for supportingvulnerable people and assistingthem to reduce risk and abuse.

All staff receive training in carryingout risk assessments and in AdultProtection and Safeguarding.

What happens when youcontact us?� We will ask for some information

about you and how you wouldlike us to help you.

� A caseworker will contact youand arrange a visit to your hometo explain our service in detailand offer advice about benefits,grants and sources of privatefinance.

� The caseworker can help you tofill in any grant application formsand associated paperwork that isneeded. The caseworker will tellyou about any personalcontribution that you may haveto make in connection with thegrant application, and tell youhow this has to be paid.

� A surveyor or technical officerwill contact you and arrange asurvey visit to your home. Theywill then prepare a detailedspecification and drawing of theplanned work.

� We will then send thespecification and drawing tobuilders who are on ourapproved contractors list forthem to provide a quote.

� We will arrange any planningconsent or building regulationapproval.

� Once we have received prices,and after any grant or otherfinancial support has beenapproved, the surveyor ortechnical officer will arrangework for the successfulcontractor, set a start date andthen monitor the work throughto its satisfactory completion.

� When the work is completed,the surveyor or technical officerwill arrange to pay thecontractor.


Our customer servicetargetsCare & Repair Worcestershire workto the following targets which arereviewed every year:

Average time taken betweenfirst contact and first visit - 3weeks

Average time taken betweenfirst visit and completion ofminor jobs costing less than£1000-16 weeks

Average time taken betweenfirst visit and completion ofmajor jobs costing more than£1000 - 30 weeks

Percentage of customers whoare satisfied with the contractor’swork - 95%

Percentage of customers whoare satisfied with agency staff -95%

ConsultationWe will:� consult you on any changes to

the planned work or funding;� work with social care,

occupational therapists, theBenefits Agency (DWP), buildingsocieties, housing and grantdepartments, charitable trusts,voluntary and welfare agenciesas and when necessary on yourbehalf; and

� positively welcome your viewsand comments, and take theseinto account when makingdecisions about the services thatwe provide.

What does the servicecost?� Advice from us is free.

� All work is paid for by you – thatmay mean you paying for thework yourself if you can affordit, or applying for a grant whichmay pay for some or all of thework. We will help you apply forany grants.

� Grant funding is means-tested(based on your financialcircumstances), and you mayhave to pay towards the cost ofthe work.

� Provide information on equityrelease to finance the cost of therepairs and improvements.

� We will charge a fee based onthe builders costs. The fee maybe met by the grant or by youfor private work.

Our committment to you We will:� reply to letters within 10

working days;

� Not discuss any details aboutyour circumstances with anyother person or organisationwithout your consent.

� make and keep mutuallyconvenient appointments forvisits and inspections;

� carry identity cards and showthem when we visit your home;

� make sure that our staff areaccessible and polite, and thatthey give you their names;

� use plain English, not jargon orcomplicated language, in spokenand written communications;

� provide an interpreter if Englishis not your first language;

� take messages and return callswithin one working day;


Documents

Care & Repair Brochure