Update on FDIS performance
For updates on the action DIO is taking to improve the performance of the accommodation contracts, please go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/defence-infrastructure-organisation-service-family-accommodation where you can subscribe for update notifications, or join the Service Family Accommodation on Defence Connect
Planning for Move-ins, Move-Outs and Removals this Summer
Summer is always the busiest period of the year for housing allocations and removals activity. The last week in July and first week in August are particularly popular dates and are usually fully booked several months in advance. Whilst our suppliers will always attempt to meet families’ preferred Move-in, Move-out and removals dates, it may not always be possible to achieve this against the significant volume of requests received. This is because the removals industry is still experiencing staff shortages. To help us manage this particularly busy time and to ensure families’ needs are met:
• We would be grateful if families only request services during this period if they are unable to move at any other time.
• Where circumstances allow, please could accompanied personnel without children avoid planning for a move within the school summer holiday window.
• Please ensure removals are booked via the Agility portal as soon as Assignment Orders are received.
• Families do not need a confirmed delivery address to start this process but knowing the location will allow Agility to plan for the summer moves.
• Once families have been allocated SFA, please confirm availability for removals before booking a move in and out appointments...
If families have any questions or concerns, then please contact Agility directly: Agility GRMS.
Fast Feedback roll out announcement
Amey will soon be following VIVO in the implementation of a new tool used to measure service family satisfaction, called Fast Feedback. This is Amey’s first iteration of this tool, and the feedback will be used to identify areas for improvement.
SMS messages will be sent 30 minutes after a home visit to test a customer’s satisfaction against three criteria. These key criteria have been chosen to allow VIVO and Amey to score and rate their operatives, trade, suppliers, and estates.
Once you receive the SMS on your mobile, you can click the link to an online survey portal. You will be asked to rate the following criteria from a scale of one (low) to five (high):
1. Punctuality and timekeeping
2. Quality of work and tidiness
3. Attitude and behaviours
There will also be an option to leave comments if you would like to give detailed feedback.
To ensure customers can fill out the survey if they miss a text or have not supplied their phone number, VIVO and Amey will be creating physical cards which include a QR code for families to access the same survey.
Gas and Electrical Statutory and Mandatory Inspections
It is a legal requirement to undertake gas and electrical safety checks in your home to reduce the potential for a carbon monoxide incident or an electrical fire, and to keep you and your family safe from harm. If gas appliances are not serviced regularly, they can lead to leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. This is a highly poisonous gas that can kill quickly with no warning as you can’t see it, taste it or smell it. In extreme circumstances, faults can also cause major explosions. If your property is due a gas or electrical check, you will be contacted in the following ways to inform you when the inspection will take place:
• If you live in the South East or South West Regions, VIVO will contact you directly by letter.
• If you live in the Central or North regions, Pinnacle will email you to book an appointment on behalf of Amey. If Amey were unable to access your home at that appointment,
Pinnacle will phone to rearrange. From April, Pinnacle and Amey will write to all families to book these important appointments. It is extremely important that you respond to any letters, emails or phone calls to advise if the appointment date and time is not suitable and to rearrange a convenient time. There have been instances where contractors have not been able to access homes to carry out these safety checks despite an appointment having been made. It is vital for your safety that you allow VIVO or Amey contractors to access to your home to ensure your home is kept safe. Please help us keep you safe by being present when your appointment is booked, or by rearranging the appointment with Pinnacle. There is an escalation process followed by Pinnacle to address not being able to access homes involving unit welfare teams and chain of command. ‘Families First’ newsletter.
DIO has introduced a new SFA newsletter, Families First, to provide families with important information about their homes.
Families First includes updates on the measures DIO and its suppliers are taking to address contract performance and where DIO is investing money to improve the accommodation estate.
The newsletter is published fortnightly and hosted on Gov.uk and Defence Gateway.
SFA Defence Connect group launched
DIO has created a dedicated SFA group on Defence Connect to provide Service personnel with a platform to find useful information about their homes, engage with DIO, and ask & answer questions on all things accommodation.
The main features of the group include:
• Community support which lists answers to frequently asked questions and provides a place for Service personnel to ask their own questions and start new discussions.
• Latest updates and news including the new SFA newsletter
• Accommodation policy such as Defence-wide accommodation Joint Service Publications (JSPs) will be available to view and download.
• Helpful links to ensure Service personnel can find further information, support and necessary contact details quickly and easily.
Please join the group on Defence Connect here.
Tackling damp and mould
In response to a recent increase in reports of damp and mould, a task force has been formed to identify and tackle the issue, with the worst affected homes to be prioritised and dealt with as quickly as possible.
To ensure this, one of the immediate actions we are taking is calling all families who have previously logged a report of damp and mould with the NSC. This call will allow us to ask a series of questions to further understand the level of damp and mould present at your home. From this conversation, we will then be able to communicate next steps with you and provide a realistic timeframe for scheduling a visit to your home. If you are experiencing issues with damp and mould, but have not yet reported the issue, please contact the NSC 0800 031 8628 and select Option 4 for damp and mould. One of the National Service Centre team will ask you a series of questions to assess the severity of the damp & mould issue in your home.
Following this assessment, Pinnacle will then raise the initial task with Amey/VIVO and they will arrange for a specialist Damp & Mould ‘First Responder’ to visit your home.
As part of their visit, the First Responder may clean and treat areas of damp & mould. However, the main purpose of their visit is to:
Assess the property to validate the telephone severity assessment
Collect additional details about the issue
Decide next steps including instructing professional surveys and/or scheduling works
Provide advice on how to prevent or reduce damp & mould
In severe cases, trigger a move-out
If the First Responder decides that either a professional survey or remediation works are required, Amey/VIVO will contact you directly to arrange a follow-up appointment.
More information regarding damp and mould and ways to reduce condensation which can lead to damp and mould in the home can be found at: In my home-Damp and Mould-Pinnacle Services Families