Helping Tenants with Money Management
Traffic Light Letters and Visiting Cards
Benjamin Chilvers (Rent Operations Manager)
Nottingham City Homes
10th June 2009
Homes and places where people want to live
Context
• 40% of adults in Nottingham fail to meet the Government’s
basic literacy standard
• Key rent communications are made by letter / printed media,
including visiting cards
• Concern raised by NCH Tenant Rent Panel that letters were
often ignored, leading to avoidable enforcement action
• Need identified to differentiate between communication
types, such as statements and legal notices
INFORMATION
• People use differing learning and/or reading methods. By using
graphical representation an opportunity exists to communicate
in a more inclusive manner
Homes and places where people want to live
Practical Implementation
•
Concept devised, agreed and developed with full
involvement of the Tenant Rent Panel and approved by the
Communications Panel (comprising employees and
tenants)
•
Traffic light system used as it represents an internationally
and cross-culturally recognised symbol
•
Each colour (and position) represents different levels of
importance or urgency
•
For example, statements (or information) are flagged as
‘green’, pre court letters are ‘amber’, enforcement or court
letters are ‘red’.
WARNING
Homes and places where people want to live
Impact…
…on the organisation and its finances
In 2008 – 2009 Nottingham City Homes achieved an ‘in year’
collection rate of 100.29%, and an arrears reduction of £776,776.
Production of cards and letterhead paper sourced through
collective procurement exercise, cards cost 1p each
…on tenants’ lives
In 2008 – 2009 the number of evictions carried out reduced by 26%
from previous year, proportion of tenants with notices fell by 3.8%
DANGER
…on the Tenant Rent Panel
Tenant Rent Panel delegates were keen to shape the actual
direction, selection and implementation of ideas
Homes and places where people want to live
Organisational Context
Rent arrears reduction
March 2005 - £6.53m
March 2009 - £2.85m
BV66a
March 2005 – 93%
March 2009 – 96.9%
Arrears as proportion of debit
March 2005 – 8.6%
March 2009 – 3.4%
Cases over 7 weeks in arrears
March 2005 - 16.7%
March 2009 – 8.3%
Cases Over 52 Weeks…
March 2005 – 200 +
March 2009 - Down to only 5!
Homes and places where people want to live
Future Developments
•
Opportunity to extend use of traffic light
concept to other areas of the business such
as tenancy and estate management ( anti social
behaviour) and repairs (particularly gas servicing)
•
With greater emphasis on personal contact, measures such as this
aim to increase the likelihood of ‘call backs’ from tenants following
home visits where contact failed
•
Opportunities to use seasonal messages alongside corporate branding,
promote financial inclusion events, products or services
•
Opportunity for branding to be added to online rent account function
available through website
Homes and places where people want to live
Green Card
This card is used to
reflect the fact
that a tenant is
paying as agreed,
to be used in cases
where sustained
arrears reduction
payments have
been made.
Homes and places where people want to live
Amber Card
This card is used
when contact is
required to avert
further escalation.
The aim of using
this card is to
encourage the
tenant to engage.
Homes and places where people want to live
Red Card
This card is used
when urgent
contact is required
and action is
imminent. Not to
be used lightly…
Homes and places where people want to live
RT/CRT/PTTLET
<%PAYMENT_REF%>
Rents Team
0115 915 4920
<%CORRESPOND_NAME%>
<%ADD1%>
<%AREA%>
<%TOWN%>
<%POSTCODE%>
<%TODAY%>
Dear <%CORRESPONDENCE_NAME_SHORT%>
Pre-Tenancy Termination Notice
We are writing to confirm we have received your Notice to Quit. The expected end date for
your tenancy will be <%Notice to Quit Date%>. There is one weeks rent charged after the
tenancy termination date, this is due to no rent being charged for the first week the tenancy
commenced but it must be repaid once the tenancy has terminated.
You have let the local housing office
know you are leaving the property,
you must also inform the Council Tax
department and if you are in receipt
of benefits the Housing Benefit
department.
As you are ending your tenancy you
must pay any money owed up to the
termination date of your tenancy.
The Keys to your property must be
handed in before 9am on Monday
(the day after your tenancy ends) at
your local housing office. If the keys
are handed in late then you may incur
further charges. You will be asked to
identify which keys fit which locks and
you will be given a signed receipt.
A Lettings Patch Manager may
contact you in order to inspect the
property before it ends. This is to assess
the condition of the property and
identify any work needed so that the
property can be re-let. You may be
charged for any alterations or repairs
that are carried out on the property.
Yours Sincerely
R Holland, Rents Manager
RENT OWING AT <%BAL_DATE%>
£<%BALANCE%>
Green Letter
• Used to identify ‘information, no action
needed’. Typically used for statements or
other passive communications
Have you got any Benefit
queries?
If you have any queries
regarding your Housing Benefit
then please call the Housing
Benefit Department on
0115 915 4944
Please turn over the page for a
statement of your rent account
If you have any queries
regarding your rent account
then please call the Central
Rents Team on 0115 915 4920
• Advice and payment options clearly
identified
Please ensure you give your
forwarding address and
contact details before you
leave
INFORMATION
• Invitation to contact rent team in the event
of any query, but no formal request to do so
Did you know you can now send us a text about your
rent free of charge? Simply start your message with
RENT followed by your Rent Payment Reference number
and message to 80800.
Homes and places where people want to live
RT/ST/ LET1
<%PAYMENT_REF%>
6.4_Arrears_Letter_examples
Rents Team
0115 915 4920
<%CORRESPOND_NAME%>
<%ADD1%>
<%AREA%>
<%TOWN%>
<%POSTCODE%>
<%TODAY%>
Dear <%CORRESPONDENCE_NAME_SHORT%>
URGENT RENT PROBLEM
Your rent has not been paid when it should have been. You must pay straight away to
avoid further action, or contact us within 5 days to explain why you are not paying.
What to do now:
RENT OWING AT <%BAL_DATE%>
The ways you can pay are on the back of
this letter, or you can call us on 0115
915 4920 to pay with a Debit or Credit
Card.
If you are not able to pay straight away,
you must talk to us within 5 days and
come to an arrangement to stop further
action.
Call our advisors on 0115 915 4920
between 8.15am and 6.00pm Monday to
Friday. If you need help and advice,
please see the HELP boxes.
To avoid missing your rent in future, why
not pay by Direct Debit? It’s the easy
way to pay weekly or monthly & stay in
control. Direct Debit also costs us less,
meaning more of your rent money goes
towards the services you want. We can
send you the details, or you can pick
them up from your local Housing Office or
download an application form from our
website.
Yours Sincerely
£<%BAL%>
NCE%>
1
2
Next step is a
Legal Notice
If you think that you should be
getting Housing Benefit to
help pay your rent, but have
not heard anything, please
call us on 0115 915 4920 now.
• ‘Stage bar’ at bottom of letter signifies
progress from first stage to second ‘alert level’
Need Help with your Debts?
Take the first step in getting
your finances and debt under
control. Call 0115 915 4920
today and ask our advisor for
an appointment.
• Advice and payment options clearly identified
in coloured boxes
Did you know you can now send us a text about your
rent free of charge? Simply start your message with
RENT followed by your Rent Payment Reference
number and message to 80800.
WARNING
3
• Used to signify ‘warning’, problem has been
noted – what can we do to help?
Need Help with Benefits?
Rents Manager
You are
At
Stage 1
Amber Letter
4
5
6
• All ‘amber light’ letters sent to vulnerable
tenants are hand delivered – further ensuring
that the message reaches vulnerable tenants.
Homes and places where people want to live
RT/ST/ ILT2/LET2
Payment Reference is on the statement
Rents Team
0115 915 4920
<%TODAY%>
Dear Tenant,
NOTICE OF SEEKING POSSESSION
This Notice is the first legal step that could lead to you losing your home. You should pay
all of the outstanding rent immediately if you can. If not, talk to us. We should be able to
make an agreement that will stop further action.
What to do now:
If you can, you should pay all of the
rent owing immediately.
You must talk to us on 0115 9154920
straight away to tell us how you are
going to pay back the rent you owe.
You can get legal advice from a
Solicitor, Law centre or advice agency.
A list of agencies who may be able to
help is on the back of this letter.
Ways To Pay
 At a Paypoint shop or Post Office using the
barcode on your rent card
 On the telephone with a Debit or Credit
card; using the Freephone Automated
Payment Line (24 hours) on 0800 0520173 or
to a person on 0115 9154920.
 On the Internet at
www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk
 At a local Housing Office or the Guildhall
Need Help with Benefits?
Even if you pay all of the outstanding
rent, this notice lasts for one year and
action could be taken on it if you get
into debt again. We don’t want to
take further action, so please work with
us to avoid this.
If you think that you should be
getting Housing Benefit to
help pay your rent, but have
not heard anything, please
call us on 0115 915 4920 now.
Call our advisors on 0115 9154920
between 8.15am and 6.00pm Monday
to Friday. If you need help and advice,
please see the HELP boxes.
Need Help with your Debts?
Why not ask about Direct Debit? It’s
the easy way to manage your rent; no
more queues or forgetting to pay.
• Advice and payment options clearly
displayed on letter preceding notice
Yours Sincerely
Rents Manager
1
2
You are
at Stage 2:
Legal
Notice
3
Next step
is Warning
of Court
4
5
6
• Used to signify ‘danger’, normally of eviction
or other enforcement action
• ‘Stage bar’ at bottom of letter signifies further
progress towards decisive action
Take the first step in getting
your finances and debt under
control.
Call 0115 9154920
today and ask our advisor for
an appointment.
Did you know you can now send us a text about your
rent free of charge? Simply start your message with
RENT followed by your Rent Payment Reference number
and message to 80800.
Red Letter
DANGER
• All ‘red light’ letters are hand delivered to
vulnerable tenants, as with amber letters
Homes and places where people want to live
Thank you – Any questions?
[email protected]
0845 330 3131
Homes and places where people want to live