Developing a Scheme of Assistance

1
Developing a Scheme of Assistance
Care and Repair Conference 27th April
2007 Scheme of Assistance Workshop Edinburghs
Experience Rosemary MacDonald/Gillian
Edwards Private Housing Services The City of
Edinburgh Council Telephone [phone]
2253 Email gillian.edwards_at_edinburgh.gov
.uk
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Introduction

• Scheme of Assistance Objectives
• Background
• Care and Repair
• Key Challenges
• Developing Your Scheme of Assistance

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Scheme of Assistance Objectives

• To offer a range of assistance to homeowners
• Information Advice
• Financial Assistance
• Provide an alternative to grant funding
• To test the processes and procedures for making
  loan funding available to homeowners

4
Background

• The Scale of Disrepair and Equity Levels in
  Scotland
• Scottish House Condition Survey
• Total visible repair costs of approximately 1.8
  billion in Scotland
• Total comprehensive repair costs of 6.72 billion
  in Scotland
• Homeowners in Edinburgh have approximately 24-26
  billion of equity in their properties.
• Homeowners in Scotland have 160 billion of
  equity

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Background (Cont)

• The loan providers are ART Homes Ltd and the
  Home Improvement Trust (HIT)
• Private Sector Housing Grant used to set up the
  loan fund
• ART Homes administer the fund and process the
  loans
• HIT work with elderly and disabled homeowners to
  provide loans
• Equity release loans are available for amounts
  over 2,000

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Care and Repair

• Care and Repairs Role
• provide the initial contact with the customer
  obtain agreement for works to be done
• meet the owner and obtain details necessary to
  make referral to loan providers if requested
• make client referrals to the loan providers
• liaise with homeWorks
• monitor the progress of the loan
• monitor the progress of works on site

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Scheme of Assistance Roles
homeWorks
ART
Charities/other funding sources
Care and Repair
Customer
HIT
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Key Challenges

• Understanding Customer Requirements
• Developing a streamlined process for referral to
  the loan providers
• Each case is unique
• Monitoring the service
• Where to go from here

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Developing Your Scheme of Assistance

• Working with your local authority
• Benefits from organisations working together e.g
  Credit Unions, Welfare Advice Agencies, Charities
• Understanding your customer requirements
• Understanding the Property Market
• Provision of information and advice is a key part
  of the Scheme of Assistance

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Questions Answers

• ?

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Workshop Questions

• What are the main difficulties with organising
  repairs for your client group?
• What take up do you have on the existing service
  you offer?
• What other services could be offered to help
  owners with repair and maintenance of property?
• Would you consider offering your service to any
  client outwith the current client group who
  requires help in organising repairs
  maintenance?

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Workshop Question

• What are the main difficulties with organising
• Repairs for your client group

13
Workshop Question

• What take up do you have on the existing service
  you offer?

14
Workshop Question

• What other services could be offered to help
  owners with repair and maintenance of property?

15
Workshop Question

• Would you consider offering your service to any
• client outwith the current client group who
  requires
• help in organising repairs and maintenance?