Osprey Housing Moray is celebrating a double first with its new £1.23m development in Moray.

Tenants have moved into Osprey’s recently completed rented homes in Fochabers, the Housing Association’s first ever, new build development in the town. The official opening of the development also marks Osprey’s first partnership with Moray Council to provide supported housing for local residents with particular needs.

The opening ceremony has just taken place at the Castle Avenue site, with the Osprey development comprising a mix of one, three and four bed properties.

Osprey Chief Executive, Glenn Adcook, said: “This has been a model project in terms of the collaboration with our key partners. We have worked closely with Moray Council to develop and provide the type of housing they require. We agreed to commit additional funding to the development in order to ensure provision of homes and facilities that has allowed residents, who might otherwise have had to relocate elsewhere, to stay in Fochabers.

“This is clear evidence of how important housing is to health and social care integration and housing needs to play a more prominent role. The developer, Morlich Homes, has provided superb, high quality new housing and I’d like to acknowledge the part played by the Scottish Government who contributed £813,000 of grant funding to support the project. I’d also like to thank our funder, Bank of Scotland.”

The development was officially opened by Barry Jarvis, a former board member of Osprey Moray, who had earlier in the day been formally recognised by the Osprey Group for his previous contribution as Chairman and his dedicated service to Moray Housing Partnership, before it became Osprey Moray. He said: “I’m very proud indeed to open this stunning development. This is a perfect example of partnership working for the benefit of local residents and I’d like to congratulate all involved.”

The Scottish Government’s Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart, said: “These high quality, modern, and sustainable affordable homes will be an asset to Fochabers. Supported by Scottish Government funding, this development is providing affordable housing to people with particular support needs ensuring they can stay in their local community and also reduce living costs such as heating.

“We are committed to delivering at least 50,000 affordable homes over this Parliament, and ensuring they meet the needs of people and communities across Scotland – backed by £3 billion of investment. Working together with housing associations and councils, we are on target to reach that ambition.”

Moray Council’s Head of Housing and Property, Richard Anderson, said he was pleased to see the properties being occupied: “This is a great example of how partnership working can provide opportunities for vulnerable residents in Moray to enjoy independent living within their own communities.”

Osprey Moray has provided 10 properties at the site consisting of four one-bed flats, four three-bed semi-detached houses and two four-bed detached homes. John Main, Managing Director of Morlich Homes, said: “I’m delighted to have worked closely with Osprey Moray to help address housing needs in the local area. This is a high quality development and I look forward to collaborating with them again in the future.”

Mr Adcook added: “These are highly energy efficient rented homes, built to a superb standard and enjoy level access footpaths and activity spaces. This is a great place to live and we’re delighted to provide much needed affordable housing in the area.”

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

The Dogs Trust Campaign subsidised neutering scheme aims to ensure neutering is an affordable option for owners with dogs most at risk of producing unwanted litters and to support stray kennels in their rehoming efforts.

Neutering is a simple operation with a host of benefits including: reducing the risk of some cancers, preventing unwanted puppies, improving the overall health of your dog, reduction in behavioural issues such as scent marking and straying and increasing the longevity of dogs.

In the first instance dog owners can be referred to the £35 vet scheme which is available for dog owners on means tested benefits for selected breeds. There are quite a few vets signed up across Scotland all of which can be found on our website www.dogstrust.org.uk/help-advice/microchipping-neutering/copy-2-of-low-cost-neutering

They also have vouchers that can be issued where a dog is deemed to be at risk (e.g. is being used as a status dog or at risk of being bred with another entire dog in the same household). The vouchers are limited and can be issued regardless of breed or benefit status. If you are aware of dog owners who would benefit from a subsidised voucher you can either ask them to contact Dogs Trust directly This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01417 735154. You will need to explain the situation in full. All decisions regarding these situations will be made on a case by case basis.

Collar & Tag

This year they are promoting the requirement for all dogs to wear an identification collar or tag, inscribed with the owners name and home address, whenever they are in a public place. Unfortunately, since the introduction of compulsory micro chipping many dog owners are unaware that they also need a collar and tag. Last year at our responsible dog ownership road shows we discovered that a shocking 72% of dogs had no ID tag.

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

17 Richmond Gardens, Rhynie, Huntly, Aberdeenshire
Offers Over £85,000

This lovely stone-built mid-terrace house is situated on a quiet street in the charming village of Rhynie.

For more details on this please use the link below.

https://www.openingnewdoors.co.uk/17-Richmond-Terrace.html

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

Here at the Osprey Group we take your privacy seriously; we will only use your personal information to administer your tenancy and provide the services you have requested from us.

With this mind please look at the updated Privacy Policy which will detail how we use data with the new GDPR framework.

If you have any further questions please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01224 548000.

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

While it might feel like it does nothing but rain in Scotland there are still two good reasons to save water.

Firstly, Scottish Water only has access to less than 1% of rainfall and secondly, it takes a huge amount energy to treat and pump water for us to have free flowing hot water at the turn of a tap.

Scottish Water has teamed up with Home Energy Scotland and Osprey Housing Group to offer tenants FREE water saving packs to help you use water wisely - save water, save energy and save money.

Elaine Hutchison, Water Resource Planning Team Leader at Scottish Water explained: ‘Making small changes to our everyday behaviour can have a big impact. Each person in Scotland uses about 150 litres of water every day, so if all of Osprey’s 1,500 tenants made small changes together we could save over 4 million each year.’

‘There’s also the added benefit of having money on your energy bills as typically, around a fifth of a household’s energy bill relates to heating water in the home. For example, a four-person family in an average gas heated house could save 43,800 litres of water and around £100 per year in reduced energy bills by installing an eco-showerhead, taking one minute off each shower, fitting a toilet cistern device and using a universal plug.’

Free water saving packs are available which include a detailed booklet full of water and energy saving tips and gadgets like shower timers, eco-showerheads, toilet cistern devices and kitchen tap aerator – depending you and your home’s requirements. The shower timers have been very popular with families with children.

To request a pack while stocks last, call Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282 or visit scottishwater.co.uk/savewaterscotland.

Why not give one a try - you might be surprised by how much you could save!

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

The benefits which are being devolved from Westminster to Holyrood are:

• Personal Independence Payments
• Carer's Allowance
• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Winter Fuel Payments
• Cold Weather Payments
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Industrial Injuries Disability Benefits
• Funeral Expenses Payments (to be replaced by Funeral Expense Assistance)
• Sure Start Maternity Grant (to be replaced by Best Start Grant)
• Discretionary Housing Payments

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

Check you have everything you need to apply before you apply for Universal Credit, you’ll need to gather some information together. This will help make sure you only have to do the application once, and help you to get Universal Credit as quickly as possible if you’re eligible.

Don’t start your application until you have all of the following details for

• your postcode
• your NI number - you can find this on a payslip or letter from HMRC -call the helpline on 0300 200 3500 (textphone 0300 200 3519) if you can’t find it
• details of your bank, building society or credit union account (if you don’t have a bank account, you’ll need to open one or use simple payment (https://www.gov.uk/simple-payment)
• the type of accommodation you have, eg private rent, council tenant, or housing association tenant - make sure you check this before you apply
• how much rent you pay - this can be found on your rent agreement, ask your landlord for a copy if you don’t have one
• your landlord’s address - this can be found on your rent agreement, ask your landlord for a copy if you don’t have one
• your landlord's phone number details of any savings you have and any other ‘capital’ investments, eg shares or property that you don’t live in
• details of any income that’s not from work, eg from a pension or insurance plan
• details of any other benefits you’re getting, ie what benefit and how much you get
• details of how much you earn from work, eg recent payslips how much you pay for childcare (if you want to claim for childcare costs) child benefit reference numbers for any children you have if you get child benefit - this can be found on letters to you about child benefit, it will start with 'CHB' and is made up of 8 numbers
• and 2 letters, eg CHB12345678 AB - phone the Child Benefit Office on 0300 200 3100 (textphone 0300 200 3103) if you need help
• You’ll need evidence for all these details for when you go to your interview, so you’ll need to gather all the documents together, eg landlord agreement (or a letter from them with your rent amount on it), payslips, bank statements etc.

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

From 27 June 2018 tenants in Aberdeenshire and Moray may be eligible for Universal Credit when making a claim for benefits.

For tenants in Aberdeen City, this will be 31 October 2018.

Universal Credit is a benefit that replaces Income Support, Income based Job Seeker’s Allowance, Income based ESA, Housing Benefit, Working tax and Child tax credits.

This is initially for new claimants to benefits, those with a change of circumstances and those with existing Universal Credit claims only.

Housing costs are paid through Universal Credit for those eligible instead of Housing Benefit.

Claimants of the benefits Universal Credit replaces will be migrated to Universal Credit from 2019. Notification will be sent by DWP when this commences and as it affects you.

If you have any spare bedrooms you must still claim Discretionary Housing Payments from your Local Authority to cover these. Any Council Tax Reduction must still be claimed through your Local Authority.

To find out which benefit you may be eligible for you can check online at https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Alternately you can call our Tenancy Sustainment Coordinator for advice and assistance :- Dawn Chalmers 01224 548013

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

You give so much to your community. So you shouldn't feel embarrassed about asking for financial support when you need it.

To find out more about benefits for over-65s, ask at your local Citizens Advice Bureau www.cas.org.uk/bureaux or follow the link below.

https://youtu.be/PvU-QS5yF1c

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.

Osprey Housing Group has been accredited as a Living Wage employer after successfully negotiating with its affected suppliers to match the minimum hourly rates required.

Osprey itself has been paying at least the Living Wage to its own staff since its inception, but could not achieve the accreditation until affected third party contracted staff also received the minimum hourly rate of £8.75.

Chief Executive Glenn Adcook said: “This accreditation is very welcome and it makes a clear statement both about the type of employer we want to be and what we expect of our suppliers.

“We are delighted that we have been able to negotiate with contractors concerned to promote payment of Living Wage rates and we felt a shared responsibility with our suppliers to ensure their staff, connected to Osprey, benefited. This is an important statement about Osprey as the latest Scottish Parliament figures show there are still nearly half a million employees in Scotland earning under the real Living Wage.”

The accreditation programme in Scotland launched in April 2014. It is an initiative from The Poverty Alliance in partnership with the Living Wage Foundation and is funded by the Scottish Government. The Living Wage rate is significantly higher than the statutory minimum for over 25s of £7.50 per hour introduced in April 2017.

Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said: “The real Living Wage is one of the key tools at our disposal to help make an impact on levels of in-work poverty in Scotland. There is a strong business case for paying the Living Wage, but crucially allows those in work to become more included in society, better provide for their families, and feel that their value and hard work is recognised by their employer.

“We are delighted to congratulate Osprey on becoming a Living Wage employer, joining the growing movement of over 1000 companies in Scotland who want to go further than the government minimum and recognise that Living Wage accreditation is the mark of a responsible employer. I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming accredited.”

Osprey has 1,800 properties in ownership and management in 70 communities in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. It employs 34 staff in its offices in Westhill and Lossiemouth.

For more articles please visit our News and Events section.