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The Council offers a wide range of Financial Assistance packages to help improve the condition of the private sector housing stock in the Borough, which supports the Council's regeneration initiatives and supports the improvement in community cohesion.
Assistance can be used for maintenance, energy efficiency and assistance with the purchase of property (renewal area only) for the Borough as a whole and the Central St Leonards Housing Renewal Area.
Financial Assistance packages available include:
Details of the packages are listed in the Summary of Private Housing Financial Assistance.
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If you need help or advice about undertaking small repairs or major renovation works 'in touch' provide the Home Improvement agency service in the Hastings area.
'in touch' can help ensure that works are undertaken by reputable contractors at a reasonable cost. Their service includes technical advice, co-ordination of major works, and a handyman scheme for smaller jobs. They administer the provision of Minor Repairs Assistance on our behalf. They also check your entitlement to financial assistance, grants etc and they will assist you in making the appropriate application. They can also assist and give advice on welfare benefits.
Hastings Borough Council has been working in partnership with home improvement agencies for a number of years. From April 2006, it entered into a new contract with 'in touch' Home Improvement Agency part of the Hyde Group. 'in touch' is a Registered Charity (1115322) that works to improve the lives of people who need support or care to live independently in their own home. Customers must either own or privately rent their home and have the responsibility to pay for repairs.
We help to ensure that works are undertaken by reputable trade contractors at a reasonable cost. Our service includes technical advice, the co-ordination of major works and a handyperson scheme for smaller jobs. We also check your entitlement to financial assistance (eg minor works assistance, Disabled Facilities Grants and maximising welfare benefits) and will assist you in making the appropriate application, if you wish us to do so.
From small repairs to major improvements and adaptations, 'in touch' is here to help you. For example, we will assist you with:
With your support and agreement, we will refer you to other agencies or services that could improve your quality of life and help sustain independent living.
Our technicians undertake essential repairs and maintenance that are too small for general contractors to price but are too difficult for older and disabled clients to tackle on their own.
Typical jobs will take less than three hours and include the installation of grab rails, smoke detectors, minor carpentry and plumbing works, shelving and securing loose carpets. Free estimates can be given. Please be aware that we cannot offer a same day service, although priority will be given to urgent cases where health and safety is an issue. If the job is too large for our small works service to undertake they will refer it back to 'in touch' Home Improvement Agency where staff will assist in finding another solution.
Even if you are not entitled to any grants, 'in touch' will provide technical advice and manage larger jobs on your behalf. In these cases, you would have to pay for the work, along with a fee to 'in touch' based upon the total cost of the works, ie:
A fee will be charged by 'in touch' (The Agency Manager has discretion to waive or reduce fees in cases of hardship). The fee will vary depending on which of the following services you wish us to deal with. We will be clear as to what fee will be charged and will provide written details which you will need to sign up to before you have any commitment.
In return we will:
You will be responsible for employing the contractor concerned - 'in touch' will merely be acting in an advisory capacity on your behalf. The contract for the works will be between you and the contractor concerned. However, we will be willing to assist should any disputes arise. We will tell you if you have to make payments before we commit you to any charges and our advice is always free. To contact the 'in touch' home improvement agency telephone 01424 464880 or write to:
The Operations Manager
First Floor Offices
Warrior Square Station
St Johns Road
St Leonards on Sea
East Sussex
TN37 6HP
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The Central St Leonards Renewal Area is a specific area of the town targeted for housing improvement. Some of the assistance packages are only available in this area, such as the First Time Buyers Assistance.
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Please contact us for further advice or information on any matter relating to Housing Advice.
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This page last updated: 26/02/2007