Checklist for this page

Family Housing Complaints
Service Families Accommodation Move In Standards in England and Wales
Common Errors When Completing Your Application to Occupy Service Families Accommodation
Disability Training for Defence Estates Operations Housing
Things can only get better.......
The Pre-Payment Cleaning Scheme
Council Tax on Second Homes
Housing Information Centres
MHS Gurkha Translation Service
Cotswold Centre – The Army’s Best Kept Secret
4 Tier Grading
Retaining a quarter or hiring for educational reasons
Irregular Occupancy
Surplus quarters – a place in history?

Family Housing Complaints

On Monday 28 April 08 AFF did two BBC News interviews about Service Family Accommodation complaints. The main focus of these interviews was complaints received about the communal 'patch' area, and was based on AFF's Jan-Mar 08 Families Concerns report. Read more >>

For a summary of these interviews please click onto http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7372128.stm  

Service Families Accommodation Move In Standards in England and Wales

AFF asked over 100 people whether their Service Families Accommodation was of an acceptable standard last time they moved. The AFF Survey February 2008 was sent to the Under Secretary of State for Defence, the Chief Executive of Defence Estates, and the Managing Director of MHS 

Common Errors When Completing Your Application to Occupy Service Families Accommodation

When it comes to completing your Application to Occupy Service Families Accommodation (MOD Form 1132) there are some errors that are commonly made by applicants. We have some hints on how to avoid these common errors.

Disability Training for Defence Estates Operations Housing

Staff members from DE and the HICs have undergone Disability and Additional Needs Training as part of DE’s ongoing commitment to helping families with a dependant with an additional need. Read more >>

Things can only get better.......

The upgrade programme in Blandford

The results of the refurbishment of Invicta Park, Maidstone can be plainly seen. Click on the 'before' and 'after' images to enlarge.

The 'WOW' Factor!

On the 9th November 2007 the first of the major upgraded houses for the families of 36 Engineer Regiment at Invicta Park, Maidstone was opened as a show home.

Children Playing Happily

22 Playgrounds have recently been renovated or rebuilt by MHS in collaboration with DE, from Catterick in the North to Exmouth in the South and all areas in between.

The Pre-Payment Cleaning Scheme

Prior to MHS taking on the repairs and maintenance contract for Service housing in England and Wales the pre-payment cleaning scheme stopped. Unfortunately we are still waiting for this scheme to be added to the MHS contract. In the meantime families will have to get independent cleaners (HIVEs hold local contacts) or clean their SFA themselves. DE (Ops) Housing staff should be informing families of this change at their pre-move out advisory visits, via UWOs and at local housing meetings.

Council Tax on Second Homes

Service families living in MOD housing in England, Scotland and Wales and paying council tax on their own properties in England and Scotland should automatically receive a 50% reduction in council tax on their own property (if it is not rented out). A number of service families are concerned that they now have to pay 90% of council tax on their second homes, instead of the 50% as set down in legislation under the Statutory Instruments (downloadable from the links given below). Families having problems obtaining this discount should show their local authority the Statutory Instruments, and if still unsuccessful should contact the AFF Housing Specialist (email housing@aff.org.uk).

Statutory Instruments 2003
Statutory Instruments 2004
Statutory Instruments 2005
(please note that the second two links amend the first)

Scottish Statutory Instruments 2005

Housing Information Centres

Housing Information Centres (HICs) are the primary points of contact with the customer offering a ‘one stop shop’ on all housing issues including the allocation of SFA at your new duty station. If your enquiry is of a general nature it will be routed to the first available person at any of the seven HICs. This is because general enquiries - such as the implications of leaving the Service or learning about your entitlement to housing - can be answered by any of the staff wherever they are. But if your call is specific to a particular location - such as the need to arrange a move in or out - you will need to select the relevant HIC from the options offered. A downloadable map shows the geographic area covered by each HIC. When calling please listen carefully to the instructions you will hear.

The Housing Information Centre (HIC) Location map includes postal and email addresses

HICs can be contacted in the UK through the free-phone telephone number: 0800 169 6322

From Overseas phone 01904 418000 or Mil (9) 4510 8000

They are open from 0830 to 1630 hrs and are manned by experienced DE staff. On the last Wednesday of the month HICs will close at 1300hrs for staff training.

Some of the HICs’ main responsibilities are to manage the application process in accordance with the rules and regulations laid down in Tri Service Accommodation Regulations (JSP 464) Chapter 5 and in particular to:-

• Acknowledge receipt of the application form (MOD Form 1132) and allocate SFA in accordance with the applicant’s entitlement and availability
• Identify any additional needs or disability requirements and liaise with appropriate welfare authorities
• Manage the provision of Non-Availability Certificates (NAC) in cases where SSFA needs to be utilised
• Maintain JPA records for incoming and outgoing occupants
• Consider and action requests for retention of SFA
• Deal with enquiries from prospective occupants on any aspect of the allocation process
  

MHS Gurkha Translation Service

MHS have introduced a Gurkhali translation service at the Helpdesk. This is proving to be extremely useful. However families need to make sure that when the Helpdesk operator answers and acknowledges the need for the translation service, it will take a few minutes for the translation link to be established. Please wait for the link. Some families appear to be hanging up before the link can be established.

Cotswold Centre – The Army’s Best Kept Secret

The Cotswold Centre offers short-term accommodation for Service members and their families. There are chalets, bungalows and modernised flats; all are fully furnished and equipped for the needs of a family. Read more >>

4 Tier Grading

All Service Families Accommodation (SFA) is subject to a 4 Tier Grading system. Grading is reviewed every four years; or in-between if work has been completed on the property or at the request of the occupant. The accommodation charges you pay reflect the grade of the accommodation with Grade 1 attracting the highest charge and Grade 4 the lowest. This should not be confused with the Standard of Condition of a property which is assessed using different criteria. Read more >> 

Retaining a quarter or hiring for educational reasons

Families who have children reaching critical examination periods may apply for retention for up to four months (one academic term) leading to the final public examination. Also, where it is not possible for the child to transfer schools whilst within two years of public examinations (because of school availability, regional syllabus differences or Continuous Assessment Work), then retention is possible up to the public examination. Read more >>

Irregular Occupancy

You become an Irregular Occupant if you remain in a quarter once a Notice to Vacate has expired (after 93 days in the case of marriage breakdown or discharge from the Army). Read more >>

Surplus quarters – a place in history?

The number of surplus quarters is decreasing and their availability is slipping into history. I have received numerous calls from eligible personnel who have been told that there are no surplus quarters available in many areas. Read more >>