Statement
Following a letter sent to tenants and leaseholders on 25th September 2023, regarding service charges, we are writing to advise you that you do not need to take any action at this time. We will be reaching out to you shortly with an update following an internal review.
We unreservedly apologise for the way that this letter was issued and are very sorry for any distress or concern caused.
At Saffron, we pride ourselves on working closely with tenants, via our tenant led groups, Saffron Community Members and through our Tenant Board Members. It is clear that on this occasion we have failed to do this effectively.
We acknowledge that it is particularly distressing to receive this kind of news without a full explanation of why this has happened and without the support available through our tenant led groups. We are keen to ensure that everyone receives the support they need, so please see below for the support available.
Who can help me if I have concerns?
You can contact Saffron and speak to us. If you have a query about your service charges, please email rentsandservicecharges@saffronhousing.co.uk or call 01508 532000.
If you live on a supported housing scheme you can speak to your Wellbeing Coordinator.
We also have a free and completely confidential Tenant Support & Wellbeing Service to help tenants with a number of issues including managing debt. The service is available 24/7 with specialist advisors on hand. For more information call 0330 094 5593. You can find out more about the service by clicking here.
In addition, there are a number of other organisations who can help you with money advice and support. Please speak to your Neighbourhood Officer who can help you speak to the right people. Or you may like to contact direct:
We also appreciate that the tone and detail of our letter might have been confusing and it is clear some tenants and residents felt distressed by the amount of technical detail contained with the communication. This is something we are addressing as a matter of urgency.
We are working with our tenant groups to understand what went wrong and will be in touch with you to update you when we have completed this work, being clear on what happens next, any implications for tenants and residents and providing clarity on how to raise any concerns.
Once again, we are very sorry about what has happened and offer you our complete assurance that this matter will be dealt with quickly.
Regards
Kim Newman - Chair
James Francis - CEO