New website helps people search for an ‘affordable home’

SOCIAL housing organisation Somer Housing Group, which has properties in West Somerset and Taunton Deane, has launched a new website aimed at people looking for affordable housing options.
The site, www.somerhomes.co.uk, has details of all the properties on offer from the group’s members through the ‘New Build HomeBuy’ scheme.
It allows people to move in to a new home which they part-buy, part-rent - buying a percentage of the home and paying rent on the rest of it.
As people’s circumstances change, they can buy further shares until they own the whole of their home.
Some developments have homes available through ‘rent to buy’.
The new scheme is aimed at people who cannot afford or cannot obtain a mortgage, or who have simply been put off purchasing in the current economic climate.
They receive the best of both worlds, renting a home at 80 per cent of the local market rate and at a later date they will be given the first chance to buy the property through ‘New Build HomeBuy’.
The website currently has properties available in parts of Somerset, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and the Cotswolds.
Somer sales and marketing manager Sarah Turton said: “This is a very difficult time for people who are frustrated because they want to find a home, but are still having difficulty finding somewhere they can afford or getting a mortgage.
“We have some great homes for sale and rent and these schemes give you lots of flexibility about how you commit yourself now, with the possibility that one day you will own all of your home, without ever having to move.”
The group includes Somer Community Housing Trust, which is the largest social landlord in the Westcountry, Bristol-based Redland Housing Association, young people and homeless charity Shape Housing Association, and Lantern Homes.

Magna contractors signing up to online register

MOST of the 400-plus contractors used by Magna West Somerset Housing Association and its parent group have been encouraged to sign up to the Government’s register of pre-qualified construction suppliers.
Constructionline is a nationwide database which offers industry-wide recognition and credibility to its members.
Contractors who have worked for both housing associations in the past are being encouraged to sign up to the database, which is used nationally by many public and private sector clients including local authorities and housing associations such as Magna.
Many companies in the construction industry are finding it tough in the current economic climate, and being registered on a national database used by thousands of local and national customers could provide them with more opportunities for work and business.
Magna head of technical services, Mark Allan, said: “Every time we use a new contractor we have to undergo a lengthy process of checks (known as pre-qualification) before we can start working with them.
“Given that on many projects we are up against tight deadlines, it is much more efficient for us to use a central register where the relevant checks have already been undertaken.”
Magna technical and property services manager Tim Harper said: “We feel using the database will, in most cases, make us more efficient.
“In this business, time often means money and any savings will be of benefit to our customers.”

Magna wins court injunction against anti-social tenant

ANTI-social behaviour by a housing association tenant in Williton has ended with a court injunction granted to his landlords, Magna West Somerset Housing Association.
The injunction against Paul Stevens, of 30 Northcroft, comes on the back of a catalogue of complaints made by Williton residents to Magna and to local police.
It will remain in place until February 19 next year and carries a power of arrest if Mr Stevens enters certain parts of Williton.
Magna tenant services manager Christine Boland said: “This was another big win for us.
“We take any form of anti-social behaviour extremely seriously, we work closely with the police to tackle these issues.
“Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.”
She said in a majority of cases Magna used other tools to resolve problems of anti-social behaviour, including mediation and acceptable behaviour contracts, as well as working closely with the local police.
However, Mrs Boland said: “In this case we had received complaints against Paul Stevens over a number of months concerning noise nuisance, nuisance relating to drug and alcohol abuse, shouting, fighting, and even threats to kill.
“Our residents have a right to live peacefully and securely in their own homes and so we had no other option than to apply for an injunction.”
The injunction means that any assault, threat to assault, intimidation, abuse, nuisance, or annoyance to any person who resides at Egremont Court, Northcroft, or Brook Road, in Williton, would result in Mr Stevens being arrested.