DIO Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update - 16 June 25

Revised move-in and move-out specification.

We are pleased to update Service Personnel and families that the specification to which homes are prepared for move-in has now been revised. This follows changes to the specification that we had to make last year.  

One of the commitments of the Consumer Charter to improve SFA announced in April 2025, is to provide a more robust move-in standard so that families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional. These commitments support the new Defence Housing Strategy, that will be published later this year. 

The revised move-in and move-out specification, effective immediately, returns to the previous standard with additional specifications including: 

• Hard flooring being used in downstairs areas instead of carpet when replacement is required. 
• The use of white paint to decorate inside homes. 
• Vinyl flooring being used in all bathrooms, WC, kitchens and utility rooms if floor tiles, or hard flooring are not already installed when replacement is required.   
• Allowing up to four picture hooks per room to be left at move out without charges being incurred. 

This revision to the specification has been made possible following funding secured for financial year 2025/2026 and £1.5 bn of additional funding announced earlier this month by the Defence Secretary, Rt Hon John Healey MP to deliver longer term and enduring improvements to UK SFA housing as part of the Government’s Strategic Defence Review.

The revised move-in and move-out standards can be read in full on the Pinnacle website.

Catterick: Housing & Employment Event Tues 17th June

This event is aimed at Serving Personnel who are currently Serving/Transitioning, Veterans and their Families.

Advice and support can be given in regards to SFA, Social Housing, Transitioning out of the Services , Employment and Benefits.

Refreshments will be available

Information provided by North HIVE Hub

Dreghorn: Pinnacle drop-in sessions, Tuesdays 1300-1500

click on image to enlarge

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

MOD St Athan: Pinnacle Housing Surgery on Tuesday 17 June at MOD St Athan West Camp Community Centre

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.

Pinnacle Virtual Outreach Day – 11 Jun

Click here to register or for further info visit https://www.pinnacleservicefamilies.co.uk/

Stafford: Housing Surgery Beacon Barracks welfare office Wednesday 2nd July 2025 13:00- 14:00

 

Information provided by Stafford HIVE

DIO Families First Newsletter - 2 Jun 25 Edition now available

Click poster to enlarge.

To view online please click this link to the Defence Homes website.

DIO Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update - 2 Jun 25

 

Defence Secretary announces £1.5bn investment in SFA

As you may have seen in the news over the weekend, the Defence Secretary Rt Hon John Healey MP announced an additional £1.5 billion of funding, over the next five years, to improve military accommodation across the UK.

Following the landmark deal which brought 36,347 military homes back into public ownership, we have already begun the process of transformative change. This includes the delivery of the seven commitments set out in the Consumer Charter that we shared with you last month. These commitments reflect our plans to transform living conditions for you across the UK through improved service provision, communication and upgrades to homes.

DIO has advocated for sustained investment into the estate for many years and we believe this will be a turning point in allowing us to deliver significant change to your future lived experience.

Bovington: Garrison coffee morning and DIO housing surgery Wed 2nd July

If you have any housing issues or concerns, please use this opportunity to come along and speak in person to a housing representative from Pinnacle/Vivo

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Blandford: Garrison housing issues - drop in sessions

Following the success of their Drop-in Sessions, Pinnacle have arranged for twice monthly drop in sessions, commencing April 2025.

If you have any issues regarding your Service Family Accommodation and would like to speak to someone face-to-face, pop along, no appointment necessary.

They will take place 1st & 3rd Wednesday of every month, 0900-1200hrs, commencing April 2025. At the Pinnacle Office located in the Estates Building, Murdos Road, Blandford Camp.

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Catterick: Garrison Contact/Welfare House

 Information provided by North HIVE Hub

Future Defence Housing questionnaire by the Families Federations, as part of the Defence Housing Strategy review

 

As part of the independent Defence Housing Strategy Review, the Families Federations are launching a questionnaire on Defence housing for the future.

They are looking for all Service Personnel of all ages, ranks, PstatCats and their families to complete this.

They are seeking views on current SFA, new builds and home ownership to help shape decisions on housing options for generations to come.

Click here to have your say online

You can also read the press release here

Lichfield: DMS(W) Pinnacle & Amey Housing Surgery - 10 June

 Information: Central HIVE Hub

Chatham: Neighbourhood Watch - catching nuisance vehicles

With the warmer weather comes an increase in nuisance vehicles on our green spaces and off-road areas. 

Neighbourhood Watch did a lot of work on off road vehicles last summer in the Chatham area and we found that the most effective and efficient way of dealing with this nuisance is to gather evidence, identify offenders and surprise them at their homes.

Often people will call us and tell us there are off road bikes with a limited description. What would really help us would be:

Any clear picture or videos of offenders (but don’t put yourself at any risk getting them)

Licence plate numbers (if vehicles have them)

Accompanying vehicles – often nuisance bikes travel to off road areas in vans or on trailers. Tell us the registrations of the accompanying vehicles!

Is it your neighbour? Are your neighbours or the family across the road always going out on these bikes but you don’t say as you don’t want to fall out with them? 

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Chatham: Vivo Housing Surgery, Tuesday and Thursday mornings

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Grantham: Housing Surgery

Next Housing Surgery at the HIVE Community Centre, Building 162, Thursday 19th June, 1030 - 1230. All welcome!

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

 

Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update from DIO, 16 May 25

Early adopters of new online platform HomeHub

DIO in collaboration with Pinnacle, Amey and VIVO, have invited a small group of Personnel and families as early adopters of HomeHub – a new online platform for households to easily manage repairs, appointments and their SFA in general.

Early adopters include representatives from all three services and a mix of ranks and locations – with the aim of gaining a broad representation of our SFA community and estate.

Those participating will be contacted in the coming days with instructions on how to take part. From this month until August, they will have access to an early version of HomeHub where they can feedback their honest thoughts and experiences through surveys.

For those families supporting the development of HomeHub as early adopters, your help in gathering feedback will be invaluable in helping us refine the portal into a seamless and user-friendly platform that really meets the needs of our families. A finalised version of HomeHub will be rolled out to all SFA this year.

Summer safety reminders:

• Window restrictors

With the warmer weather and children soon off for the school holidays, it’s imperative you and your family stay safe this summer by following the current safety guidance on window restrictors.

We understand that it can get very warm, and you may want to open windows wide to let in a cool breeze, but there is a risk of children or vulnerable adults falling from open windows and being injured if restrictors are not engaged.

It is important to check whether your window restrictors are operating correctly. Please contact Pinnacle immediately on 0800 031 8628 if your restrictors are not working or your windows can be opened more than 100mm when restrictors are engaged.

• Gas and electrical safety

Gas and electrical safety in SFA are a top priority for DIO, our industry partners and their sub-contractors. We regularly ensure appliances are safe and checks are carried out for gas every 12 months and electrics every 2 years.

There have been a few incidences recently where access has been blocked to a boiler flue or electrics have been adjusted – causing damage to the properties and a safety risk to families and neighbours.

To ensure everyone remains safe, it is vital we can access your home to carry out these inspections and you do not interfere, alter or obstruct any gas or electric appliances, in particular boiler flues.

Flues are designed to take in air and then dispel harmful fumes outside homes via a second duct. Any interference could cause the appliance to malfunction or prevent boiler emissions being discharged outside the home, resulting in a serious health risk to the household. The flues are checked annually as part of the Landlord Gas Safety Inspections (LGSI).

Before undertaking any DIY projects, you should seek approval by submitting an enhancement request to Pinnacle to ensure the proposed works are safe.

Understanding the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP)

Defence has created an informative and transparent leaflet called ‘welcoming our new neighbours’ to help you understand more about our eligible Afghan allies, who have been relocated into our communities and SFA under the UK’s safe and legal ARP.

The new resource is attached for ease and outlines:

• Eligibility and the evidence-based migration process.
• Defence’s duty to support our Afghan allies in need, who risked their lives working alongside British Armed Forces during the campaign in Afghanistan.
• Answers to the most frequently asked questions and safety concerns of families.
• How families can support their integration into the community.

 

Click on the image to open the leaflet

Improvements to the e-1132 form online system

Applying for your new SFA home can be both an exciting and daunting time. To make the process of applying easier, DIO will be updating the design of the e-1132 form today (Friday 16 May 2025) – making it simpler for you to navigate the online system and locate the information you need quickly.

On receipt of a new assignment order or if you are entitled to SFA, you must apply for your new home at your next duty station using the e-1132 form. You can access the online system here after logging into the Defence intranet.

St Athan: Pinnacle Housing Officer & Pinnacle Services for St Athan

Click to enlarge.

Pinnacle Housing Officer - Cardiff, Chepstow & St Athan.
Drop in's at Chepstow & St Athan (see poster for details)

Click here to view online.


Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.

Chepstow: Pinnacle Housing Officer & Pinnacle Services for Beachley, Chepstow

Click to enlarge.


Pinnacle Housing Officer - Cardiff, Chepstow & St Athan.
Drop in's at Chepstow & St Athan (see poster for details)

Click here to view online.

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.

(SFA) Communications Update 13 May 25: Business from Home - update

Applications to run a Business from Home in your Service Family Accommodation (SFA) were paused in January 2025, to allow a review of the policy and associated processes to take place.

This review has now been completed, and DIO is able to confirm that the processing of applications to run a Business from Home has resumed with immediate effect. The existing guidance and application form for running a Business from Home is available here.

DIO is working with Pinnacle to finalise some adjustments to the application process, form and policy. Once these changes are finalised, the policy will be updated and shared on the Pinnacle website in the near future.

Under the changes, those operating a Business from Home can expect to receive better and clearer communication from a named Housing Officer who can help answer their specific housing related queries.