mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
Take a look at what’s happening
in the mhs community
Welcome to your
spring newsletter
Turn to page 4 for full details…
Our first ever homeowner conference
Have your say
p2
What’s on over Easter
p3
Survey: biodiversity and
green spaces near you
p5
Real life story: “We had
to run for our lives”
p6
Crossword competition
p7
Inside this issue:
Win a giant
Easter egg!
A WHOPPING 2.5kg Easter
egg could be yours.
To be in with a chance of winning this
delicious chocolate, complete our
Easter themed crossword on page 7.
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
Help us shape services and
have your say
Laurence Ford has a passion for
where he lives. He’s one of the
estate champions working with
us to make your estates and local
communities cleaner, safer and
more resilient.
Laurence has been an mhs homes
resident for 11 years. He lives in
Luton, Chatham, and describes
it as a thriving community where
people really care about each
other and their environment.
“We love living here, and we want
to protect it,” he explains. “My role
as an estate champion is to keep
an eye out for any issues, to listen
to what other residents are saying
and make sure our voices are
being heard.
“People tell me about things like
nuisance neighbours or fly-tipping
and I make sure they are raised
with the housing and estates
teams at mhs.
“By shining a light on
what’s happening,
we can get problems
sorted more quickly
and avoid some of
the frustrations.”
Who we are
mhs homes and Heart of Medway
are part of the mhs homes group.
We build and manage homes for
people who need them most.
Visit mhs.org.uk to find out more
about the work we’re doing in
your community.
We want to work in partnership with you to improve services. There are
lots of ways to have your say, from being an estate champion to carrying
out checks on our services. Everyone is welcome, and we’re keen to hear
from Heart of Medway customers who are currently under-represented.
By getting involved, you’ll meet new people, use your skills and develop
new ones. Visit mhs.org.uk/get-involved to find out more.
Laurence is modest about the
diference he’s making, but as a
builder by trade he takes a very
practical approach to some of
the issues that come up.
“It’s good to get out on the area
walkabouts with mhs housing
ofcers and local councillors so
I can explain what’s going on. I
also get progress reports on how
things we’ve raised are being
dealt with.”
Laurence says he’d encourage
other residents to take up the
opportunity to become an estate
champion.
“If you want to help make
improvements where you live,
this is the way to go. mhs homes
teams can’t be everywhere, but
by being involved and keeping
them updated, we can be part of
the changes we want to see.”
Meet Laurence, one of our estate champions
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
Our supported living gardening
competition is back for 2025 and
we can’t wait to see your entries!
It’s about celebrating your
horticultural skills – whether it’s
an amazing vegetable patch, a
wildlife haven or a colourful sea
of flowers.
No space is too small. If you’re
proud of your plants and gardens,
then we want to see them too.
Spring has arrived and we’re
looking forward to some warmer
and sunnier days afer the long
winter. The Easter holidays are
a chance to get out and enjoy
some of the fun-filled activities that
are happening around Kent. Here
are some of our top picks:
• Visit Maidstone Museum | Free
• Enjoy a picnic at Mote Park
Free
• Join the Lego club at your local
library | Free
• Medieval Fayre, Maidstone
12 April | Free
• Broadstairs Food Festival
18 – 20 April | Free
• Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats
Entry is by donation
• The Shell Grotto in Margate
From £2
Ready,
set, grow!
How to enter
Get snappy with your camera or
phone and send your best photos
to competitions@mhs.org.uk.
Get your entry in by Saturday
12 July. The winners will be
announced on Friday 1 August
at an awards ceremony at
Broadside, Chatham.
For more information including
prizes and other ways you can
enter visit mhs.org.uk/gardening-
competition
Join our Board
What’s on over Easter
• Family special screenings at
local cinemas | From £2.75
• Visit The Guildhall in Rochester
Free
• Easter Trail at Leybourne Lakes
18 April | £5 per child
• Bredgar and Wormshill Light
Railway | From £7.50
• Hadlow College Lambing
Weekend | 26 – 27 April |
From £10
• Kent Life Easter weekend
18 – 21 April | From £11.70
Go to visitkent.co.uk for what’s
happening in your area.
We’re looking for two mhs homes
tenants to join our Group Board.
The board meet around 10
times a year to make decisions
about how we’re run. It’s a great
opportunity for you to help shape
our future.
You’ll get training and be paid
£10,197 plus expenses as well.
Come to an online question and
answer session to find out more:
Thursday 17 April | 12pm-1pm or
6pm-7pm | Microsof Teams
Email governance@mhs.org.uk to
book your space.
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
A big thank you to everyone who joined us at Chatham's Historic
Dockyard in February for a conference aimed at improving the
experience of homeowners.
You’ve told us we haven’t always got things right for you and you feel
undervalued. This event is part of the work we're doing to listen to your
feedback, address your concerns and improve services.
Some key themes included service charges, estates and grounds
maintenance, communication and the time you spend waiting for
communal repairs to be carried out at your home.
We’re listening to what you’ve told us and we’re making changes including:
• Improving our website so you can find what you need faster and easier
• More detailed and transparent information on services and charges
• Training for contact centre staf so you get the answers you need first
time without needing a call back
• Learning from repairs so we aren’t repeating work
• A more consistent approach to debt management and more support
for homeowners
• More tailored information on My Account, your customer portal
• Improving the quality and speed of responses to your complaints.
But there’s more to do. Our priorities are finding new ways to listen
and act quickly on what you tell us. This includes making sure repairs in
communal areas are completed faster and you’re kept updated with
progress. We’re also committed to improving our communications, with
more content that’s focused on you.
Help us improve our website
We’re reviewing our website to provide better information,
accessibility and functionality. As part of this we’ll be improving
My Account, your customer portal.
We’d love your input on this important work. Please contact
communications@mhs.org.uk if you would be interested in
joining a focus group.
Improving the
experience of homeowners
Your service
charge estimates
If you’re a leaseholder or shared
owner, you will have received
your service charge estimates
by now. We’ve estimated the
cost of servicing and maintaining
your block, communal areas and
estate in 2025-2026. The charge
will be applied from 1 April.
At the end of the year, we’ll
calculate what we actually spent
and if our estimate was higher,
we’ll refund you the diference. If
the estimate was lower, you’ll be
charged the diference.
Did you know you can
arrange to spread the
cost of your service
charges over a year by monthly
direct debit?
To find out more, or if you need
support with paying your service
charges, please contact the team
at homeownership@mhs.org.uk
We’re recruiting!
The Customer Scrutiny Panel,
which carries out independent
checks on mhs homes services,
is keen to recruit homeowners to
gain your unique perspective.
You don’t need any previous
experience to get involved, just the
enthusiasm to make a diference!
Find out more at
mhs.org.uk/get-involved
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
“A high-quality grounds
maintenance service really
matters to our customers,” says
manager Stewart Tucker (pictured
right).
“We’re recruiting more people
and changing the way we work
so you’ll see us visiting your estates
and communities more ofen.”
The team have stopped the
seasonal way of working which
focused on grass cutting during the
summer months, and hedge, shrub
and tree works in the winter months.
They now work on a four week
round, looking at what needs doing
as a priority at each job so they can
use the time most efectively.
Stewart encourages his team
to use their training in plant
identification and understanding
biodiversity. “We want to improve
Young artist promotes
important safety message
Keeping the local environment clean
is everybody’s business. Cirina Spencer
Smith, aged 7, is helping us promote this
important message with her winning
entry to our poster competition.
We asked young artists to design us a
poster encouraging dog owners to clean
up afer their pets. Dog fouling is a health
hazard and a big problem in some
public areas.
Judges awarded Cirina’s poster first prize
for its eye-catching colours and design,
but also for its strong message asking
people to stop and think.
The poster will be displayed in your
communities to encourage residents to
help us tackle this important issue.
Meet your grounds team
green spaces with wildflower and
tree planting,” he says.
“You’ll see us
visiting your estates
and communities
more ofen”
“Sustainability and reducing our
impact on the environment is
important to us, and it’s important
to our customers,” says Stewart.
“By being responsible with our
grounds maintenance, we can
create welcoming places for
people and for nature.”
Pictured are members of the Grounds
Workstream, a representative group
who meet to discuss ideas for service
improvement.
We know our customers want to live in clean, safe and
well-maintained neighbourhoods. Meet the team who
are working to make places you’re proud to call home.
Understanding
what biodiversity
and green spaces
mean to you
As a social landlord operating in
urban areas, not all our customers
have easy access to green spaces.
The places you live in may lack
biodiversity, such as a wide variety
of birds or flowers. We know we
have a role to play in supporting
biodiversity and improving green
spaces in these areas.
We want to understand how you
feel about the green spaces near
you, how you use them, and the
role they play in your lives.
Please tell us how important
biodiversity is to you and the
improvements you’d like to see.
The survey,
which should
take around
five minutes to
complete, can
be found at
mhs.org.uk/biodiversity-survey
or by scanning the QR code.
Poo patrol
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
In February 2022 Russia invaded
Ukraine, causing destruction to its
towns and cities and forcing millions
of people to leave their homes.
Two of those people were Oksana
Pankina and her 12-year-old son.
They got into their car with just
a few possessions and fled their
home in the central city of Dnipro.
“I just drove,” says Oksana. “It
all happened so fast, we had to
run… run for our lives. I can still
remember how frightening it felt
to arrive alone in a foreign country
where we couldn’t speak the
language. That is how our new life
in England began.”
In Ukraine, Oksana had studied
law and worked as a sales
manager. But she realised she had
to move on and support her child,
so she began studying English at
adult education classes.
“When a flat came
up with mhs homes,
I couldn't stop
thanking the whole
world.”
“When a flat came up with mhs
homes, I couldn't stop thanking
the whole world. It was incredible
and fabulous.”
mhs homes teams visited
regularly, using a Ukranian
interpreter to help Oksana feel
more confident and at ease.
“At the most difcult moment
of our lives, the team at mhs
homes reached out to us. Most
importantly my son and I have our
beautiful home.”
Oksana volunteers in a charity
shop and sits on the mhs homes
Customer Scrutiny Panel. She's
continuing with her studies and
hopes to get a paid job. Her son
has settled at school and joined a
local football team.
But she misses the life and the
people they were forced to leave
behind. “My brother, my father,
our friends are still in Ukraine. I
worry about them as it’s very
dangerous.”
Oksana says she did what she had
to do to save her child. “Life is not
easy, but it is safe.”
Do you have a story to share?
“We had to run… run for our lives”
Every mhs homes customer has
their own unique story.
We’d love to hear about your
experiences with us, whether
you’re celebrating moving
into your new home, marking
an anniversary, or making a
diference for your neighbours or in
your local community.
If we publish your story, you’ll
receive a £25 voucher. Contact us
at communications@mhs.org.uk
and we’ll be in touch!
Share
your
story
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
Domestic abuse:
How to get help
and support
No one should have to face
domestic abuse alone. Help is
available.
If you or someone you know
needs support, please tell us. Our
team of support workers can ofer
housing support and advice and
talk to you about your options. We
also work with other agencies to
get the support you need.
Visit our website mhs.org.uk/
domestic-abuse or call us in
confidence on 01634 565333.
Get ready for a cracking good time! Complete our
special Easter crossword puzzle for a chance to win
this giant Easter egg. To enter, simply send us a photo of
your completed crossword to competitions@mhs.org.uk.
We'll choose one lucky winner from all the entries. Don't miss out on this
egg-citing opportunity!
Down:
1. A baby bird that symbolises new life
2. You hunt for these during Easter
3. A type of hat ofen worn at Easter
6. A colourful flower that blooms in
the spring
Across:
3. The animal that delivers Easter
eggs
4. The season when Easter is
celebrated
5. What you might use to collect
Easter eggs
7. A sweet treat ofen found in Easter eggs
Win a giant Easter egg
You’ve told us how frustrating
it is to wait on hold, and we’ve
been working to improve our call
response times. We’ve restructured
and increased our customer
service team which means we’re
now answering calls faster.
What’s changed?
Over the past year, we’ve more
than doubled the size of our
Customer Service team and
invested in more training. Every
new team member has what they
need to provide you with the best
possible service, from day one.
A year ago, you might have had
to wait over 10 minutes to speak
We’re answering your
calls more quickly
Call wait time
January 2024 11:41
January 2025 02:01
to someone. Now, the average
wait time is just two minutes – and
in many cases, calls are being
answered in under a minute.
We’ve received some positive
comments from customers who
say they’re really noticing a
diference…
“My query was answered
immediately! The whole call
lasted less than five minutes,
and the advisor was amazing!
So friendly and helpful. Best
experience I’ve had calling
mhs homes!”
“I just wanted to say how lovely
and helpful you were. Nothing
was too much trouble, and you
went above and beyond to get
my issue resolved.”
We’re proud of how far we’ve
come but we know there’s still
work to do to give you the best
possible service every time. Watch
this space for more updates…
mhs homes newsletter | spring 2025
Housing
Ombudsman Service
The Housing Ombudsman Service is
a free service that looks at customer
complaints about their landlord.
You can contact them at any
time if you’re not happy with
something, or for independent
advice and guidance.
They will usually only investigate
if you’ve already complained to
us and we have responded, so
please tell us first. We want to put
things right if we’ve got it wrong.
If you want to make a complaint,
you can fill out a form on our
website, call us on 01634 565333, or
visit our head ofce in Chatham.
If you need to contact the Housing
Ombudsman, you can do so by:
Telephone: 0300 111 3000
Email: info@housingombudsman.org.uk
Website: housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Get in touch
Email contactus@mhs.org.uk or you can call us on 01634 565333.
mhs.org.uk
mhshomesgroup
@mhshomes
@mhs_homes
We hope you’re enjoying your
newsletter. We’ll send this out to
you three times a year in spring,
summer, and winter.
We’re committed to producing
your newsletter in a way that looks
afer the environment. We use
recycled, carbon-balanced paper
which is 100% recyclable.
Spring is here, and what better
way to celebrate than by growing
your own beautiful geraniums?
Whether you’ve got a garden, a
balcony, or a sunny windowsill,
these vibrant flowers are easy to
grow indoors or outdoors.
Geraniums are not only bright
and cheerful, but they’re also low
maintenance and long-lasting.
Perfect for adding a splash of
colour to your home all year round!
Want to get growing? We have
100 packets of seeds to give
away. Order yours today by
filling in our online form at
mhs.org.uk/spring-seeds or email
us at springseeds@mhs.org.uk
Bring a burst of colour to your home
with our spring seeds giveaway!
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