Concerns regarding Housing have been a prominent topic in the Woodside area recently.
Staff at Fersands and Fountain Community Project shared that the project has been dealing with members of the public arriving at the centre looking for housing officers. The Fountain Centre is, of course, where the Housing Team used to reside, now located in the Tillydrone Community Campus.
Individuals have been making the trip to the Fountain Centre to reach out to the housing team, thinking this is where they are located, after struggling to get through on the phone.
Project Coordinator, Mark Lovie said, “We had one person come in claiming to have used £17 of credit, waiting on hold to get through on the phone. Eventually he arrived here, and I emailed housing on his behalf.
“This is something which has been happening a lot, our workers have to spend time greeting members of the public, finding out what they want and directing them to the appropriate place, but we don’t have the training to do this.”
Aberdeen City Council Housing Team explained some of the measures they have taken to tackle phone waiting times. “We have upgraded the phone in the Tillydrone Campus, Mastrick Access Point and the Woodside Fountain Centre, so if calls are made from directly from these phones, then the customer should speak to a member of staff quickly. The call handler would then attempt to resolve the issue at the first point of contact but if they were unable to, then a request would be made for the Housing & Support Officer to get in touch with their tenant to discuss the matter.
“Customers can also contact us on on-line via our website to report a number of issues and further information is noted on Housing Online via Aberdeen City Council Website.
Regarding the issue of community members visiting Fersands for Housing Advice, the team said “We are aware that some customers are still visiting the Woodside Fountain Centre assuming that Aberdeen City Council staff are still located at this building, and this is something that we will work with the community to raise awareness that this is no longer the case and promote the above means of contact should they need to speak to an officer. “
Mark Lovie was pleased with the Council’s response. “I think the priority phone line will help improve waiting times and will be a great help to those unable to wait on the line on their own phones. The priority line and the monthly drop-ins beginning at the centre will allow us to easily point community members in the right direction.”
A number of monthly housing drop-in sessions are to run in the area, where community members can meet with housing officers without an appointment.
Drop ins will be held at each of the following locations on a monthly basis:
Laura Ferns – visits shmu from 10am to 12pm
Kate Fincham visits Woodside Fountain Centre between 10am and 11am
Kevin McDonald visits Clifton Court from 10am to 12pm and Fountain Grange between 12:30 and 2:30pm.
Keep an eye out on social media for dates for these drop-ins. If you are a tenant living in any of the Housing Block’s mentioned, you should receive a text informing you of drop in dates and times in your building.