Do you live in a South Essex Homes property in the City of Southend-on-Sea? Then this is your Forum website!
STRF stands for Southend Residents & Tenants Forum & is for South Essex Homes residents and leaseholders as well as any person with the right to reside within their property, allowing the entire family, including children, to get involved.
Everyone is entitled to attend STRF Meetings without invitation. Full details can be obtained by emailing info@strf.org.uk
Dates and times of any Forum meeting to be held can be found on this website and on Facebook.
Tea & coffee will be available free during the meetings. Read more
Tea & coffee will be available free during the meetings. Read more
Please note: The number for repairs or any contact with SEH is 0800 833 160
The ‘Residents Section’ is for residents/tenants/leaseholders and leaseholders tenants to share any tips, recipes, household hacks, local events or news or in fact anything that you may feel could be of interest to your fellow residents. We need input from you the people we serve to regularly update this page so if you think you have an item that may be of interest then please email it to us at info@strf.org.uk
PLEASE CLICK ON ANY NEWS ITEM LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION.
PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR CONTACT NUMBER HAS CHANGED. IT IS NOW 07904 052311
We love hearing your feedback as the residents living in the homes that South Essex Homes manage, and the communities that they make up, it is important to South Essex Homes that you feel like you have a voice that is being listened to. There is a page on the SEH website called You Said. We Did, so please look. Is there anything that you have said that we did, please let us know by filling in the Contact Us.
Resident Engagement Events May 25
| WEST AREA | Project | Project details |
| SHELTERED | ||
| Adams Elm | Weekly resident led activities held weekly including coffee mornings, craft groups and choir. | Residents are aware of funding opportunities available to them which includes the Big Sparks and Community Panel, both will be available from June onwards. |
| Choir has 26 members which includes residents and members of the local community. Will be working with COPD Community Connector and with Dementia navigators at SCC on new projects. | ||
| Scott House | Daily activities led by residents including bingo and darts. | Resident led activities on site to reduce social isolation |
| Furzefield | Daily resident led coffee morning and weekly arts group. | Resident led activities on site to reduce social isolation. |
| Communal Shed completion 29th April, follow up with residents to discuss next project. | Meeting to be arranged with residents to discuss garden furniture upcycling project, furniture on site is worn and broken meaning residents with limited mobility are unable to socialise in the garden. | |
| Buckingham House | Dementia Workshop being held on the 20th May. | During Dementia Awareness week, Adult Social Care are holding a Dementia workshop focusing on supporting tenants, Nicholson is being used for the 1st workshop, following information on tenants on site with Dementia. Promotes tenant support and resident exercises. |
| Weekly coffee and sandwich mornings held, resident led. | Resident led activities promoting social inclusion and residents use donations to give to charity. | |
| Trafford House | Weekly activities held such as bingo and sandwich mornings held, resident led. | Resident led activities promoting social inclusion and residents use donations to give to charity. |
| Digital Inclusion programme to be arranged for residents. – previously discussed in April coffee and chat, residents interested to be contacted in May. | Meeting to be held to discuss arranging Trafford House residents to be included in Digital Inclusion, residents have advised they would prefer a group session rather than on an individual basis. Improving IT skills would increase social inclusion, accessing information and reducing dependency on family members. | |
| Kitchen 49 held a lunch for residents, social interaction with volunteers and residents together. | ||
| GENERAL NEEDS | ||
| Queensway | Queensway Resident Group | Monthly meeting held, 4 residents attended along with Resident Engagement, staff to help residents establish group and promotion. |
| Weekly youth club held by ATF. | Youth Club going well, ATF reported that 17 children attending weekly. | |
| Weekly chair-based activities | Chair based activities held weekly, due to recent change of venue, this is now being advertised to encourage more residents from Barrington’s and Nicholson House to attend. | |
| TEMPORARY | ||
| ACCOMMODATION | ||
| Chaucer House | Leapsprogs starting on the 19th May. | Weekly Leapsprogs sessions to be held for residents with support from staff. |
| SOUND on drama workshop – held weekly on a Wednesday 4:30-6pm | There is an excellent attendance at these workshops with promotion on social media channels and through Insight. | |
| SOUND ON summer – child led project to create an art-based community tree to be displayed in the lounge as well as a gardening project to get child growing their own fruit, vegetables and herbs. | Summer project will be in further discussion in May to arrange details on how best to involve children. | |
| EAST AREA |
Project
|
Project details
|
| Sheltered Accommodation | ||
| Norman Harris House | Bi-weekly Socials | Resident have started using the communal lounge for biweekly socials and games nights every other Saturday for all residents. These have been well attended, and SEH will continue to support with promotional materials etc. |
| luncheons with Project49 | Project 49 attend the scheme every other Tuesday to cook lunches for residents. | |
| Crouchmans House | Resident coffee mornings | Residents hold coffee morning in the communal lounge between 9am-12pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays. All residents of Crouchmans House and Centurion Close are welcome. |
| Bacon Butty Breakfasts | All residents re welcome to join for a home cooked breakfast on a Tuesday from 9:30-11am in the communal lounge. These are cooked by residents. | |
| Bingo evenings | Residents host bingo in the lounge every Monday, Wednesday and Friday | |
| Temporary Accommodation | ||
| Southchurch Road Temporary Accommodation | Leapsprogs sessions starting 19.05.25. | ATF will be holding weekly Leapsprogs sessions over at Chaucer House for children ages 0-5 with support from staff. These sessions will be free and open to all residents currently living in Chaucer House or Southchurch Road Temporary Accommodation. |
| General Needs | ||
| Cluny Square | SEH Estates Services- Service Standards consultation- 23.05.25 | REO and Estates Manager will be facilitating a consultation around drafted service standards for estates services. This will be a morning meeting taking place 10-11am. Invited will be members of the RAP as well as residents living in and around Cluny House. |
| Shoebury- general Needs | Shoebury mums of neurodivergent children peer support group meeting- 30.05.25 | REO has been working with HSO to and residents to design a new peer support group in Shoeburyness. It is designed to be a safe space for mums of neurodivergent and SEND children to meet and share advice and experiences with likeminded people. This will be the second meeting- the group is yet to find a time and day of the week that works for all so Friday mornings are provisional. |
Complaining to SEH is a very easy thing to do.
Have you a problem that you cannot solve, i.e. repair not being completed or there is something else you are not happy about with SEH.
Tried your estate officer or your sheltered officer, repeatedly contacted the call centre, Axis or others and still are having trouble, then you can make an Official Complaint.
You will find making a complaint information and the ‘Report a complaint form’ by clicking this link Complaints | South Essex Homes
There is also a video that will help you in making a complaint by clicking this link How to complain to your landlord – YouTube You can also look at the following page to help you by clicking this link How to complain to your landlord | Housing Ombudsman
Please remember that you are intitled to make complaints if you have tried every avenue open to you and are not satisfied with the result. SEH learn from your input and they rely on you to keep them informed as to what is going on.
The same if you have had a great service from someone or a department, SEH want to know about it as they help SEH to understand what is going right for the residents. You can put in a complement by clicking this link Compliments | South Essex Homes and filling in the form.
Scrutiny are Looking for Residents to join them
The Resident Scrutiny Forum are looking to recruit new members to join them. If you are a South Essex Homes resident or leaseholder and feel that you can work alongside others, who are like minded and dedicated and have some free time to spare, then please contact Chris McPhillips (RSF CHAIR) – Email: chris.mcphillips@sehscrutiny.co.uk
Recent reports created by the Resident Scrutiny Forum can be found by clicking Here as well as more information around the Scrutiny Group.
Have you thought of joining the RAP?
The Resident Advisory Panel (RAP) is a good option for residents who would prefer not to be involved in more formal structures.
The RAP is a database of residents who are happy to be contacted by us to gauge a public opinion on a range of issues. They may be contacted to complete short surveys by e-mail or post or asked to voice their views on a draft document.
Anyone can become a member of the RAP and can help shape the housing service they receive. If you would like more info or would like to join them, then find out more about it on the South Essex Homes web page or email suerickard@seh.southend.gov.uk
Next Meeting of the Disability & Carers Action Group
14th May 25 at the Civic Centre Room 7 – 1st floor
Please note this starts at 2pm
There will be a presentation by
Dial on benefits you maybe able to get.
If you have a concern, a problem, a need or you would like information on disability or carers, then please let us have your questions 7 days before a meeting, so that they can be answered.
South Essex Homes Needs Your Help
There are groups of residents who guide and challenge the services you get from South Essex Homes. These focus group meetings are with officers, contractors & residents with sometimes guests. Please take a look at the groups below & what they each do, then decide if you could help by joining them.
Emergency repairs, Outstanding repairs, New voids received, Completed voids returned, Void inspections, Total number of repair jobs raised, as well as other KPI’s. Residents are encouraged to ask questions and challenge provided reports, as well as offering suggestions in order to improve the services provided.
Repairs, Gas & Voids:
Held on the 3rd Tuesday of every month online between 10am and 11am approximately.
Residents meet with officers of SEH, Axis and Sureserve Compliance Central (formally known as Aaron Gas Services) to discuss monthly performance figures and provide feedback on the following:
- Completed jobs and if done so within target time,
- Boiler services,
- Satisfaction and complaints,
- Emergency repairs,
- Outstanding repairs,
- New voids received,
- Completed voids returned,
- Void inspections,
- Total number of repair jobs raised, as well as other KPI’s
Residents are encouraged to ask questions and challenge provided reports, as well as offering suggestions in order to improve the services provided.
Planned Maintenance:
This follows on from the repairs meeting but every other month online and lasts approximately 30 minutes.
In this meeting things like Electrical and Maintenance Servicing contract; Minor and Major Works contract; and the Lift Modernisation contract are discussed alongside other contracts on works going forward during the year with start and finish times.
Income Management:
This is held 4 times a year in person soon after a board meeting has been held, between 10am to 12noon at the Civic Centre.
At these meetings, residents are informed about rent arrears cases. The group discusses ways to improve rent collection, debt prevention, and reduce evictions due to non-payment. Outcomes include redesigning the rent statement for clarity, integrating it with Insight magazine to save postage, and creating posters/leaflets to remind residents of payment responsibilities, effectively reducing evictions.
Disability & Carers Action Group:
This group meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month in person between 11am till 1pm at the Civic Centre.
- This group welcomes residents with disabilities (visible or hidden), carers, those with disabled children, or anyone interested in supporting the disabled community. Meetings are run by disabled residents and carers living in SEH properties who provide support, a listening ear and opportunities to help.
- The Disability and Carers Action Group has influenced changes within SEH and Southend City Council that benefit disabled residents and carers. They work with SEH and SCC to guide decisions on works affecting disabled residents.
Leaseholders Focus Group:
This group meets in person at the Civic Centre every quarter.
- South Essex Homes holds quarterly meetings with Leaseholders to discuss topics related to leases, estates, service charges and more. Leases outline mutual rights and responsibilities, including shared costs for maintaining buildings and communal areas like corridors and stairways. All leaseholders are welcome, and new attendees are encouraged.
- Meetings often uncover shared issues, allowing collaborative solutions.
- Meet your SEH Leaseholder Officer at these meetings.
To join or attend any of these groups, even just to see if it is right for you, please contact the Resident Engagement Team at: residentengagement@seh.southend.gov.uk or call 0800 833 160
These are the latest events being held by our Resident Involvement Team:
QUEENSWAY — Youth Club every week on Tuesdays from 4 till 6pm for children aged 8 and older — Youth Club every week on Tuesdays from 46pm for children aged 8 and older.
Visits from PCSO’s have been arranged. New art mural on the Storehouse art project in February (weather permitting)
Working with ATF to plan new photography project with youth club children on their environment.
The Community Fund Panel information is to be found by clicking the link below.
Click here https://strf.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Community-Fund-Panel-poster-1.pdf to see the full information regarding joining the panel.
Why not come along to the following events and meet new and old friends.
TENANCY OFFICERS
To find your Tenancy Officer please click Here.
Weekly Benefit Rates 2025/26
