A Special Visit Experiences Popular ONE-STOP Shop

Jon Rouse, Chief Executive of the Housing Corporation, visited Erimus Housing’s exciting new one-stop shop on Friday 18th November.

Mr Rouse stopped off at the popular facility when he spent the morning with Middlesbrough’s largest housing association as part of a visit to the Tees Valley.

Erimus Housing took Mr Rouse on a tour of Middlesbrough, including its own Residents’ Resource Centre, as well as the Middlehaven development site.

He was then taken to the Homechoice centre on Corporation Road, where he was shown around the successful new facility before meeting staff and Board members of the organisation.

Susie Thompson, Director of Housing, said: “Our Homechoice centre has proved to be a resounding success in its first few weeks.

“Residents have welcomed the opening of the one-stop shop, which was created specifically with tenants in mind, with a view to improving the way we deliver our services to our customers.”

The centre plays home to a whole range of services, including Housing Advice, the Adaptations service, Warden services, Switch card payment facilities, Tenancy Enforcement and Repairs Hotline.

The Homechoice team, Erimus Housing’s new choice based lettings scheme experts, is also based in the facility.

The new-look scheme, launched on 3rd November, replaces the points-based allocation scheme and has been created especially for tenants who want to move.

It means people can look for a home of their own choice rather than waiting for a property someone else thinks is suitable and Erimus Housing is the first housing organisation in the Tees Valley to launch a choice based lettings scheme.

Edna Donnelly, Vice Chair of the Board for Erimus Housing, said: “The facility plays home to a whole host of services under one roof, situated where it can easily be accessed on Corporation Road in central Middlesbrough.

“The Homechoice scheme puts tenants who want to move firmly in the driving seat when looking for a new home.”