This tells you the standards of service you can expect from us and how to give us feedback on our performance.
Our services:
- Homelessness and housing advice
- Housing register
- Special needs housing advice (for people with physical or mental health needs)
- Allocations
- Nominations to housing associations and other low cost housing schemes
- Identifying current and future housing need in the District
- Drawing up action plans to meet local housing needs
- Seeking funding for new social housing
- Working in partnership with a range of agencies and organisations to provide affordable homes
We aim to:
- Maximise the provision of safe, energy-efficient, affordable housing
- Improve the condition of the housing stock in the District
- Reduce homelessness
- Support the needs of vulnerable people
- Encourage and maintain the development of sustainable communities
- Foster tenant participation and partnership
- Ensure good and continually improving environmental performance in housing and related activities
- Promote equality and provide good quality housing services that meet the needs of the community
(Please see separate information provided by the Housing Services Department for issues relating to Council homes and tenant services.)
Our commitment to customers
- To provide good value, efficient and effective services to all our customers.
- To provide services that everyone can use and ensure our buildings and information are as accessible as possible.
- To ensure our premises are clean, confortable, smoke-free and well signposted.
- To treat everyone fairly and respect their privacy.
- To be open, honest and accountable for our actions.
- To consult and listen to our customers.
- To strive for continuous improvement in our services and processes.
General standards
Our staff will:
- Be helpful, polite and professional when dealing with customers.
- Wear name badges when dealing with customers.
- Provide a private interview room if requested.
- Arrange a convenient date and time for meetings or appointments.
- Show an official identity badge without being asked if they need to make a home visit.
- Try to deal with your enquiry or complaint straight away. If the person you need to speak to is not there, they will contact you as soon as possible.
- Answer the phone within 20 seconds and return phone messages within 1 working day.
- When we need to use answer phones, messages will be checked regularly.
- Answer your letter, fax or email within 7 working days using plain English and avoiding jargon. If the response is likely to take longer an acknowledgement will be sent confirming when you can expect a reply.
- Respond to Freedom of Information requests within 20 working days.
- Apologise if we are at fault and do their best to put things right. Complaints referred to the head of service will be dealt with in 20 working days.
Our information will be:
- Clear, up to date and accurate
- Available in a range of formats and languages on request
Housing Advice and Homelessness
We will
- Prevent homelessness wherever possible
- Provide an out-of-hours emergency service for people who are homeless
- Meet or telephone anyone presenting themselves as immediately homeless on the same day
- Offer an appointment within two weeks to people who believe they may soon become homeless
- Give a decision on homeless applications within 33 working days
- Minimise use of bed and breakfast accommodation
- Avoid use of bed and breakfast accommodation for pregnant women or families (other than in an emergency and then for no longer than 6 weeks)
- Provide easily accessible weekly housing aadvice surgeries in Lewes, Newhaven, Peacehaven and Seaford
- Maintain a telephone advice line (01273 484001) every afternoon from Monday to Thursday (2.30-4.30pm) and until 4.00pm on Friday.
- Respond promptly to community emergencies by helping to set up rest centres as appropriate.
Housing Needs Register
We will
- Notify all new applicants within 15 working days whether they are eligible to be included on the housing register
- Notify new applicants within 15 working days that their application has been registered
- Visit and advise all new applicants in their home within 8 weeks of registering their application (unless they live outside of the Lewes District)
- Review all applications every 12 months
- Keep Housing Register applicants informed through a newsletter which is issued every 6 months
What do you think?
We are always looking for ways to improve our services and are keen to hear our customers' views.
Write to us:
The Housing Strategy Manager
Lewes District Council
2 Fisher Street
Lewes BN7 2DQ
E-mail: laurie.priebe@lewes.gov.uk
Telephone us:
Homelessness and Housing Advice: Tel: 01273 484006 Fax: 01273 484008
Housing Strategy: Tel: 01273 484012 Fax: 01273 484008
Telephone Advice Line: 01273 484001 (open Monday to Thursday 2.30- 4.30pm and until 4.00pm om Friday)
Email us:
housingneeds@lewes.gov.uk
Visit us:
4, Fisher Street, Lewes
Housing Needs & Strategy web pages:
www.lewes.gov.uk/council/9841.asp
Would you like this information in another format?
This information can be made available in printed format, large print, on audio tape or disk or in another language upon request. Please contact us on 01273 484141 or email: lewesdc@lewes.gov.uk
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