Welcome to the Octavia Housing news desk where you can read all about our latest events and initiatives. If you are a journalist and you want to get in touch with us, please contact Rachel Harrison on 020 8345 5666 who will be able to help you. We try to keep this page as up to date as possible but it is currently being revised so if you cant find what you want then give us a call.
We are working with BMG Research (an independent research company) to carry out a short telephone survey with some residents to find out if you are satisfied with our service and how we can improve. The survey will start from 28th May 2013, and will run for aroud two to three weeks. All residents … read more
Got an idea for improving where you live? Then let us know – every year, we put money aside so that we can improve the shared areas on estates, in blocks and street properties. You can bid for a share of this money, as long as your neighbours agree with your bid. In the past, successful bids have included the in… read more
As well as the face to face sessions we provide with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) Octavia are now working with debt advice charity Stepchange to offer free confidential debt advice to tenants over the phone or online. Contact Stepchange on freephone (including mobiles) 0800 138 1111 or visit www.stepchange.org F… read more
The Octavia Housing Update! and Octavia Support newsletters for Spring 2013 are now available to view online. Find out the latest information on welfare reform changes and how we can support you, about new laws that make subletting illegal, the dates of energy advice drop-in sessions to help you save money and getting … read more
Want to make a difference to the community where you live? Starting a residents’ group can be a valuable way to achieve this. Read our brand new guide to setting up a residents' group to find out how to start one, and what support we can offer. People set up residents' groups for many different reasons. Sometime… read more
Eat, Sleep, Learn, Play! (ESLP!) is a crisis grant-giving scheme operated by Save the Children in the London Boroughs of Westminster and Southwark. The scheme has over 900 grants available this year. ELSP provides a brand-new, essential household item such as a child’s bed, a cooker, dining table and chairs, or e… read more
Items left in shared and communal areas can put your safety and the safety of others at risk. They may cause a fire or get in the way of people trying to escape from a fire. Your tenancy or lease agreement says that you must keep shared areas clear, tidy and free from obstruction. We now have to enforce this more stric… read more
Residents help to improve our services by giving us feedback in lots of different ways - through attending groups and events, filling in surveys, inspecting our services and more. Find out what happened in 2011-12; how much it cost, the impact it had and whether it was value for money in our 'Involving residents, impro… read more
Major Government changes to housing benefits and other welfare benefits have now started - if you claim housing benefit to help pay your rent you may be affected by changes from April 2013. The changes mean that some people will get less housing benefit than they did before. Octavia can support residents with these ch… read more
In the centenary year of her death, political think-tank Demos have released a collection of essays on the enduring legacy of Octavia Hill, including an essay by Octavia Housing Chief Executive Grahame Hindes on her influence on social housing today. Octavia Hill was a Victorian philanthropist and social reformer, the… read more
Involving residents in improving our services is incredibly important to us as an organisation. To outline how we intend to do this over the next three years, we are excited to launch our new Be Involved Strategy 2012-15. To develop the strategy, we consulted with over 130 residents, by carrying out door-knocking exer… read more
Octavia Housing’s Victorian Passivhaus opened for tours on Friday 11 November as part of the International Passive House Open Days which took place in more than ten countries worldwide. Organised by the International Passive House Association and its partners worldwide, the 8th International Passive House Days, … read more
Octavia Housing’s Sulgrave Gardens scheme in Shepherds Bush will offer 30 brand new homes built to Passivhaus standards for private sale, shared ownership and social rent. The development of four blocks, designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects and delivered by Durkan, provides 8 private homes for sale built to… read more
Chris Lamontagne, a 20 year old Octavia Housing tenant from Westminster collected two prestigious awards at the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival in New York, an international youth video festival established by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Chris won the ‘Plural + Roots & Routes Awar… read more
The Octavia Foundation and Octavia Housing are delivering a new outreach and befriending service on behalf of the City of Westminster and NHS Westminster. The outreach and befriending service is available to older or vulnerable adults that live in the borough of Westminster and are over the age of 50. The service is d… read more
Octavia Housing has recently been awarded a grant from the Technology Strategy Board to investigate how to adapt our homes to resist the effects of climate change. The project team, including Greenwich University and Pellings Ltd, will develop a risk framework that prioritises the most effective adaptations to make to… read more
In August 2012 we will remember the anniversary of Octavia Hill’s death and celebrate the philosophy, visions and principles of our founder through a series of activities. To learn more about her and the legacy she left on the housing world and more, watch our short video here. For more information about the ac… read more
Every year, around one in three people over the age of 65 and one in two people aged over 85 will have a fall in the U.K but with the right action, up to half of these falls could be prevented. You can help to prevent a fall by looking at your environment and preventing trip hazards around your home: - Loose rugs or … read more
The Mayor of Brent, Councillor Aslam Choudry recently met with Octavia Housing staff to officially open the Morello Apartments, located on Harrowdene Road, North Wembley. Welcomed by Alistair Jones, Development Manager at Octavia Housing, the Mayor was given an overview of the development and a tour of the show apartme… read more
Affordable housing development Dufours Place, just off Carnaby Steet was highly commended for Best New Family Home in the Affordable Homes sector at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2011. Developed by Octavia Housing, working in partnership with Soho Housing Association (Soho HA), Dufours Place comprises fou… read more
The Residents’ Diversity Group and our Resident Initiatives Manager were recently shortlisted at the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Awards which celebrate tenants who go the extra mile, innovative pioneering schemes and team efforts that make communities safer and more desirable places to live. The… read more
Thank you to everyone that came along to Your Space! on Saturday 9 April 2011. Residents were able to find out more about being involved, becoming a volunteer, saving energy and money in their homes, fire safety, safer neighbourhoods and get free advice on debt, welfare and employment. There was also a one-stop s… read more
Every year, we put money aside so that we can improve the shared areas at some of our residents blocks, estates and street properties. We use this funding to cover items that go beyond our normal responsibilities as your landlord. Rather than deciding ourselves how to spend all of this money, we set aside a pot, of up… read more
The Spring 2011 edition of Update! our resident newsletter is out now. Find out the latest need to know information and news affecting you, including articles on changes to the housing benefits system, BASE a new youth club in Westminster offering free music, dance and film courses&nb… read more
HRH The Princess Royal visited our founder Octavia Hill's Birthplace House in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, on Tuesday 12 April to officially open the Education Centre and The Harry Simpson Library. During her 75-minute visit, The Princess Royal met trustees and volunteers and was given a guided tour of the museum dis… read more
The Princedale Project has won a Green Apple Award for the Built Environment and Architectural Heritage. Octavia Housing alongside designers and builders Ryder Strategies, architects Paul Davis and Partners, energy consultants Eight Associates and project managers Green Tomato Energy transformed an 1850s terraced hous… read more
Abigail House, part of the Richards Close scheme in Harrow was recognised for ‘Greatest Contribution to Diversity Outreach’ at the prestigious First Time Buyer awards which celebrate excellence in the affordable housing sector. Abigail House offers 22 one and two-bed sustainable homes for local people in a… read more
We have been working in consultation with our residents to strengthen our local offers – this means how we offer you adaptations to your home, funding to improve your shared areas and our handyman service for residents who are 60 plus. Find out more about these services and how to access them from our publicatio… read more
In October 2010, we worked with 30 members of ViewPoint! to rate our customer care over a three month period, and whether they felt we were keeping to our promise of being reliable, responsive and respectful. We received 43 completed questionnaires, and these showed us that the residents taking part in the exerci… read more
The TSG met for the first time this year at the beginning of February. Following an election process over the Christmas period, in which all tenants are asked to vote for who they would like to elect, we are pleased to announce that Jean Roch and Lorraine Hutchinson have both been re-elected to the group, and Bobby Bro… read more
Abigail House, part of the Richards Close scheme in Harrow has been shortlisted for ‘Greatest Contribution to Diversity Outreach’ at the prestigious First Time Buyer awards which celebrate excellence in the affordable housing sector. Abigail House offers 22 one and two-bed sustainable homes for local peopl… read more
With such high demand for affordable housing in London in particular, overcrowding is unfortunately an issue that many families are faced with. Octavia Housing operates a number of different tactics to try to reduce overcrowding and to keep people in homes that suit their needs. Traditionally such methods include offer… read more
Imagine living in an affordable home alongside the historical heart of Westminster and only a stone’s throw from the tube and the River Thames. Peel House offers just that luxury in each of its 14 highly sought-after, one-bedroom properties in a quiet enclave near Victoria. Managed by Octavia Housing, the develo… read more
My Home Energy Switch let's you compare all energy suppliers simply and quickly to make sure you're getting the best price for your gas and electricity - you can save up to £530 by using this free service. Find out more from the information leaflet and the frequently asked questions leaflet. The process is simp… read more
First Time Buyers were given a helping hand on to the property ladder last month when Emerald Green, a new state of the art shared ownership scheme was officially opened. The Mayor of Harrow, Cllr Asad Omar joined Andy Warman from Octavia Housing to celebrate the opening of the development in Richards Close. 22 homes … read more
The Winter 2011 editions of Update! our resident newsletter, Update! Leasehold and Transfer News are all out now. Find out the latest need to know information and news affecting you, including articles on the digital TV switchover, changes to the housing benefit system and a new space for young… read more
Understanding benefits, accessing information about jobs and training and tips about how to access funding have all been made easy to access through a new online information portal. ‘My Advice Gateway’ is a new website sponsored by LHS, which brings together lots of useful advice, information and links fro… read more
Octavia Housing has joined SHIFT (Sustainable Homes Index For Tomorrow). SHIFT is an award-winning benchmarking and best practice group which provides an assessment of housing organisations’ sustainability performance and recommendations on how to improve. SHIFT was developed by Sustainable Homes in partnership … read more
The opening episode of Ian' Hislop's new documentary series celebrating the achievements of Victorian reformers featured a substantial section on Octavia Housing's founder Octavia Hill. The three part series called 'The Age of the Do-Gooders' looks at influential Victorian philanthropists such… read more
Octavia residents who sign up to pay their rent by direct debit and have clear payments for a minimum of three months will then automatically be entered into a quarterly draw to win £250. Why pay by direct debit? The benefits of paying by direct debit include: no cheques to write no c… read more
If there is a fire in your flat; Dial 999 and inform the fire brigade Close doors to rooms if possible to prevent smoke and fire spreading Do not rush, get everyone out Make your way out of the building by using the emergency exit staircase Do not stop or go back for anything If your … read more
The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Judith Warner, officially opened Leonora House recently, our latest extra care scheme for older individuals and those with learning disabilities. Over 70 people enjoyed a garden party celebration at the brand new extra care scheme in Westminster where Councillor Warner officia… read more
Alexander McQueen, Betty Jackson and Chanel were among some of the labels snapped up by fashion conscious shoppers recently at the Octavia Foundation’s first pop-up fashion show. Designers and local residents made light work of clearing the shelves, helping to raise funds for the local charity at a one off … read more
The Autumn 2010 edition of Update! our resident newsletter, is out now. Find out the latest need to know information and news affecting you, including articles on new transfer procedures, fire safety works and ways younger residents can get involved. You can read the latest edition online in ou… read more
Octavia Housing are exhibiting at the First Time Buyer Home Show, taking place on Saturday 23 October between 10am and 5pm at Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden. Come along and find out more about our home ownership options and what's available to buy right now. The day will also inc… read more
Octavia Housing’s flagship eco-project opened its doors for the public recently giving Londoners the chance to see how a Victorian home can be green. For the first time, Londoners saw inside the 1840s terraced house, which is undergoing extensive refurbishment with the aim of achieving Passivhaus certification, … read more
For the first time, local residents can see inside the 1840s terraced house, which has undergone extensive refurbishment with the aim of achieving Passivhaus certification, one of the highest green standards. As part of Open House London Weekend – the capital’s greatest architectural showcase, 100 Princedal… read more
MOBO award-winning artists performed with local talent at a fully-booked community event organised by 20 local young people and charity, Octavia Foundation (set up by Octavia Housing), which brought the history of hip hop to the wider community through film, debate, dance and performances. Over 160 people attended the… read more
To achieve our ambition of creating an organisation that our residents really value we want them to influence as many aspects of our work as possible. By getting involved, residents can help make a difference to what we do, and how we do it. The Resident involvement impact asses… read more
Octavia Housing have made a pledge this year to provide a local meeting to discuss local issues for every resident. We will write to all residents to let them know when these will be happening, but if you can't wait that long you can find out when and where your meeting will be taking place here.… read more
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB)'s Retrofit for the future competition aims to drastically cut carbon emissions in existing social housing, helping the UK to meet it’s target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. The competition is designed to create energy efficient, cost effective and comfortable … read more
20 young people from West London have made a documentary film that charts the life of Octavia Hill; pioneer of social housing and founder of Octavia Housing, founder of the National Trust and the first clean air campaigner. The film, ‘Hidden Herstories; Women of Change’, documents the achievements and… read more
The Sunday Times 75 Best places to work in the public sector 2010 has ranked Octavia Housing in the 21 spot, beating off many other entrants in the survey, which reflects how fulfilled, motivated and engaged a company's employees are. All of our employees were offerered the chance to answer 70 questions abou… read more
This year we managed to complete 100 per cent of gas servicing inspections. This means that all of our properties with a gas appliance have been checked and are safe to use. This is great news but there is more that you can do to keep you safe and warm and to reduce your energy bills as the weather gets colder. Westmi… read more
Octavia is committed to meeting the needs of customers, employees and the wider community in a fair, respectful, and proportionate manner. We work together with a Resident's diversity group who have helped us to produce a leaflet, which provides some examples of the ways that we have tried to ensure that ou… read more
Banks Yard, off New Heston Road in Hounslow has qualified for a Building for Life standard, the national standard for well-designed homes and neighbourhoods. The scheme was judged against 20 Building for Life criteria which embody CABE’s vision of functional, attractive and sustainable housing. The scheme scored… read more
The Octavia Foundation join Westminster Works – a £2 million programme which aims to engage 3,000 job seekers and assist at least 600 back into employment or training over the next two years. The Octavia Foundation, a charity set up by Octavia Housing, is one of a handful of local organsiations working wit… read more
Residents showed great comunity spirit and pride in their estate during a neighbourhood clean up day. On Saturday 18 July, over 20 residents each picked up a bag and collected rubbish from the communal areas of Pulton Place in Fulham in a ‘Big Tidy Up’.Organised by Octavia Housing and Shepherds Bush Housin… read more
Two of Octavia Housing's recent developments have been short-listed in the Affordable Home Ownership Awards 2009, which were published this month (July). Heston Park Road, Hounslow has been short-listed for the Best Design and Best Small Development awards, putting it in direct competition with another Octavia scheme,… read more
Enter your postcode below to find out about your home.
