SU'AALAHA HAD IYO JEER LA ISWAYDIIYO

1. Sidee faafitaanka Covid-19 uu u saameeyaa dib-u-hagaajinta?

Waxaan xaqiijinnay heshiis siinayey saameynta caafimaad iyo badbaadada, dib u hagaajinta Lancaster West waa shaqo muhiim ah, waana sii wadaynaa inaan horumarinno iyadoo la raacayo wixii isbeddelo ah ee ku saabsan hagida caafimaadka dadweynaha bilaha soo socda.

Halka shaqadu ku sii socoto, waxaan qaban doonnaa shaqada annagoo hubinayna in PPE habboon iyo fogeyn jireed ay meesha taal.

2. Goorma ayaa hantideyda dib loo hagaajin doonaa?

Dib-u-habeynta weyn ee dhismaha guryaha ee shakhsiyaadka ku yaal dhismaha ayaa loo qorsheeyay inay bilaabato Guga 2021. Waxaa la rajaynayaa inuu socdo ilaa seddex sano laga bilaabo markaas.

3. Waxaan arkaa guryaha guryaha ku yaal oo dib loo hagaajiyay. Miyaa hadda la samayn karaa?

Kooxdayada dib-u-hagaajinta ee guriga waxay ka shaqeynayeen guryaha sidii iyagoo faaruq ah. Qaar ka mid ah guryahaan la dayactiray ayaa loo isticmaalay in lagu qabto xafladaha Furitaanka Furan. Guryahaan waxaa kadib loosoo bandhigayaa Qorshaha Lahaanshaha Deegaanka, kaas oo nidaamka ku saleysan qodobbada ahmiyad siinaya deganeyaasha guryaha waqtiga musiibada. Intaa waxaa u dheer, kooxda dib-u-hagaajinta aqalkeenna waxay beddeleen jikada 14% guryaha iyo musqulaha 15% guryaha.

Waxaan dooneynaa inaan bilowno barnaamij dib-u-habeyn gudaha ah dabayaaqada sanadkaan, oo ku saleysan saameynta masiibada, iyo helitaanka alaab-qeybiyeyaasha iyo qandaraasleyaasha.

4. Miyaan ka idhaahdaa tilmaamaha shaqsiyadeed ee lagu daro dib u hagaajinta gurigeyga?

Haa, in kasta oo deggeneyaashu ay horayba mudnaanta u siinayeen guryahooda, waxaan la tashanaynaa dadka deggan guri kasta si shaqsi ahaantiisa ugu dhow waqtigii lagu dhammeystiri lahaa doorashada qaababka, qalabka wax lagu rakibo iyo qalabka rakiba. [Gurigaaga. Xulashadaada. Sawir daabacan]

Baloogyada ma dib ayaa loo hagaajin doonaa hal mar?

Waa wax aan macquul aheyn in dhammaan guryaha ku yaal hal dhisme isku mar la fuliyo isku waqti. Marka wejiga naqshadda faahfaahsan la dhammaystiro, waxaan awood u yeelan doonnaa in aannu mudnaanta siinno amarka shaqooyinka si aan u ilaalinno carqaladaynta iyo ugu yaraanta qiimaha, oo aan oggolaano wakhtiga shaqooyinka guduhu kula jiraan.

5. Miyaan u baahanahay inaan ku noolaado gurigayga inta shaqadu socoto?

Nasiib darrose awood uma lihin inaan dib u dejinno deggeneyaasha inta shaqooyinku dhacayaan mooyee haddii ay leeyihiin nuglaanta daran ee micnaheedu yahay inaysan ku sii jiri doonin guryahooda.

6. Maxaad sameyn doontaa si aad nooga caawiso inaan la noolaano carqaladeynta?

Xayiraad adag ayaa la saari doonaa marka shaqooyinka buuqa ay dhici karaan. Ma jiro shaqo buuq ah oo dhici doona dhammaadka wiigga iyo fasaxyada bangiyada.

Si kastaba ha ahaatee waxaan raadineynaa inaan u fidino tas-hiilaad samafal dhammaan dadka deggan waxyeelada Isniinta-Jimcaha 8 am-6pm.

Fursadda lagu beddelanayo guri, oo ah kireeysteyaasha lagu wareejiyo guri hore u dayacnaa, ka tegida gurigaagii hore si ay ugu noqoto mid lagu qurxiyo qoys kale oo ku yaal guryaha, ayaa sidoo kale la baarayaa.

7. Sideen ula socdaa barnaamijka dib-u-hagaajinta?

Waxaan u soo dhejineynaa cusbooneysiin joogto ah oo ku saabsan bartayaga Instagram @Lancasterwestneighbourhoodteam ama email noogu soo dir lancwestrefurb@rbkc.gov.uk  

1. Goorma ayey dayactirku bilaabmayaa?

Dib-u-hagaajinta ayaa durba bilaabatay!

Waxaan gaarsiineynaa "dayactir dib u habeyn" ah oo ah shaqooyinka gudaha guryaha sida qeyb ka mid ah Qorshayaasha Deegaanka, iyo sidoo kale duuliyeyaasha daaqadaha iyo kuleylka iyo biyaha kulul, sidaa darteed sida ugu badan ee deganeyaasha ugu badan ee suurtogalka ah uga faa'iideystaan dib-u-hagaajinta sida ugu dhaqsaha badan.

Dhamaadka sanadka 2019, ku dhawaad 10% guryaha oo dhan waxay heli doonaan jikada iyo musqulaha cusub ilaa masiibada Grenfell.

Tan waxaa lagu gaari doonaa:

1. Kooxda dayactirka gurigayaga waxay badalanayaan jikada iyo musqulaha ka baxsan dayactirka.

2. Sii wadida dib u habeynta guryahayaga madhan iyadoo loo marayo barnaamijka guryaheena cusub iyadoo qayb ka ah Qorshaha Kirada Deegaanka.

Barnaamijka dayactirka ballaaran ayaa loo qorsheeyay inuu bilowdo horaanta 2021.

2. Maxay u qaadatay waqti dheer si loo gaaro dhamaadka wajiyada fikradaha?

Dadaalo lagu bilaabayo marxaladaha bilowga ah ee dib-u-hagaajinta waxay dhalisay in deggeneyaashu ay is-kaashadaan buugaagta fikradaha, laakiin isla waqtigaas deganeyaal badan ayaa carrabka ku adkeeyay baahida dayactirka si mudnaanta koowaad loo mariyo dib-u-hagaajinta. Iyada oo laga jawaabayo tan, Kooxda Lancaster West Neighborhood Team ayaa la sameeyay iyada oo gacan laga helayo dadka degganna, waxaan u qaabaysannay koox dayactir ah oo si dhaqso leh ugu wareejineysa tayo aad uga sareysa sidii ay ahaan jirtay kiiska hore.

Intaa waxaa sii dheer, dawladdu waxay ka go'day inay Lancaster West ka dhigto 'Qarniga 21-aad ee Model Estate' laakiin su'aasha ah sida loo maalgelin doono ayaa weli ah. Dadaal iskaashi ah oo ka dhexeeya Ururka Dadka deggan Galbeedka Magaalada Lancaster iyo Kooxda Xaafadda Lancaster West, dhammaadka Luulyo 2019, wadarta guud ee £ 57.9m ayaa la aaminay.

Hadda oo aan ognahay inta lacag ah ee aan la shaqeyneyno, waxaan u gudbi karnaa wejiga qaabeynta faahfaahsan ee hubinta heerka ugu sarreeya tayada, qiimaha lacagta iyo cimri dhererka, aan uga tagno dhaxal waara oo kumanaan ah dadka deggan sannadaha soo socda.

3. Ma filan karnaa in howsha xawaareyntu horay u socoto?

Dib-u-habeynu waligood ma ahan hanaan dhakhso ah sidaa darteed xawaaraha ma ahan wax aan ballan qaadi karno!

Laakiin adkeysiga adkeysiga iyo dadaalka adag, waxaan ku jirnaa xaalad fiican hadda inaan bixinno caddeyn dheeraad ah waxa la filan karo iyo goorta.

Tilmaam aasaasi ah, waxaan u dhowdahay dhamaadka wajiyada fikradaha waxaana rajeyneynaa inaan bilowno wajiga qaabeynta faahfaahinta horaanta sanadka dambe, iyadoo dadka deegaanka ay qarka u saaran yihiin inay la kulmaan shaqooyin waaweyn (oo ay kujiraan daaqadaha iwm) bilowga horaanta 2021.

Intaa waxaa sii dheer, Bishii Meey 2019, dib-u-habeynnada ayaa noo sheegay inay rabaan inay sare u qaadaan doorashada iyo kaqaybgalka inta lagu jiro nidaamka dib-u-hagaajinta. Heerka kaqeybgalka dadka deegaanka macnaheedu waa marxalad kasta oo dib u habeyn ah waa inay marka hore lahaato fikradaha dadka deggan ka hor intaanan u dhaqaaqin marxaladda xigta. Dhanka kale tani waxay kordhineysaa mudada wejiga, laakiin dhanka kale waxay hubineysaa in baahiyaha dadka, cabashooyinka iyo waxyaabaha ay doorbidayaan yihiin qodobada ugu muhiimsan ee habka go'aan sameynta, taasoo lagu kabo caafimaadka iyo amniga iyo shuruudaha sharciga.

4. Waa maxay tallaabada xigta?

Markaan u dhaqaaqno wejiga qaabeynta faahfaahsan, waxaan u baahan nahay khubaro takhasus leh oo hubin doona in dayactirka la gaarsiiyo heerka ugu sarreeya ee suurtagalka ah. Dadka iyo ururada la magacaabi doono dhammaantood waxay u baahan yihiin inay buuxiyaan shuruudaha qaarkood, marka waxaan hadda galaynaa nidaamka wax soo iibsiga.

Kani waa hannaan lagu maamulo sharciga iyo qaanuunka lana siiyay qiimaha shaqooyinka, macnaheedu waa OJEU ( Journal Journal of the European Union) oo u baahan in la raaco.

Kooxda loo yaqaan 'The Lancaster West Neighborhood Team' waa hay'ad go'aamisay inay lashaqeyso oo ay adeegto dadka ay u adeegto. Natiijo ahaan, waxaan sidoo kale hadda baadigelineynaa dariiqooyin aan uga qeybgelin karno deganeyaasha hawshan. Tani waa fursad ay deganeyaashu kormeeri karaan oo ay fikrad ka siin karaan cidda gaarsiin doonta hagaajinta dhulkooda iyo sidoo kale fursad waxbarasho oo cajiib ah oo kicin karta bilowga dariiqa xirfadeed ee cusub ee ka qayb galayaasha.

5. Dib-u-habeyntan ma run ahaantii ma hogaaminayaan deegaanka?

Haa, waxaan sameyneynaa noocyo gaar ah oo ku lug lahaanshaha dadka deegaanka ah, waa maxay xaalad gaar ah. Waxaan danaynaynaa inaan hubinno inay deggeneyaashu ka qeybqaadan karaan inta ugu badan ee suurtogalka ah hanaanka dib-u-hagaajinta oo waxaan waqti ku qaadnay sidii aan fursado ugu abuuri lahayn inaad kaqaybqaadato.

Ilaa maanta, waxaan qabanay Maalmaha Fikradaha oo aad na siisay fikrado aad u weyn oo ku saabsan waxaad rabto iyo waxaad ugu baahan tahay dhismaha; Waxaan bilownay taxane ah Aqoon isweydaarsi mudnaanta la siinayo, oo aad noogu sheegi karto waxyaabaha aad doorbidday ee dib-u-hagaajinta ah.

Ahmiyadahaaga oo ay weheliso fahamka aan ka helno sahaminta qaab-dhismeedka dhismaha ee noo sheegaya aag kasta oo ka mid ah dhismayaasha ay tahay in dib loo hagaajiyo sababaha caafimaadka iyo amniga, ayaa u sheegi doona kooxda farsamada markay sameynayaan qaabeynta faahfaahsan.

6. Maxaad u qabanaysaa xafladaha Furitaanka Furan?

A) Inay soo bandhigaan Halbeega Guryaha Cusub ee Westcaster-ka, isla markaana aad ku hesho jawaab celin joogto ah si loo wanaajiyo.
B) Si kor loogu qaado Siyaasadda Waraaqaha Maxalliga ah, si loo yareeyo dadka buux-dhaafka ah, arrimaha helitaanka iyo in laga caawiyo qoysaska in ay isku soo dhawaadaan.

C) Si loo bixiyo fahamka waxa aan ka filan karno dib-u-habeyn, iyo in la hubiyo in deggeneyaashu ay weli ku sii dhiirran yihiin oo ay rajo wanaagsan ka muujinayaan inay taasi runtii dhacdo!

7. Dib-u-habeyntu dhab ahaan ma gaarsiin doontaa tayada lagu arkay guryaha guryaha ka maqan?

Haa. Haddii deganayaashu mudnaanta siiyaan jikooyinka iyo musqulaha, iyo horumarin kale oo gudaha ah oo laga sameeyo dhismahooda, markaa waxaan heysanaa miisaaniyad aan awood ugu yeelanno inaan ku maalgelinno heerkaan oo idil.

Celcelis ahaan qiimaha shaqooyinka faaruqa ah ee lagu arkay dhacdooyinka Aqalka Cad waa £ 35k halkii cutub. Waxaan ku xaqiijinay £ 70k unugkiiba maalgalinta, kaas oo dabooli doona daaqadaha, kuleylka iyo biyaha kulul iyo dharka dhismaha.

Dhamaadka Feebarwari 2020, waxaan lahaan doonaa doorbidyo door ah oo dhisme kasta. Dhamaadka gu'ga 2020, waxaan sameynay sahanno kala duwan oo noo oggolaanaya inaan dhisno barnaamij kaas oo isku daraya doorbidista deggeneyaasha iyo shuruudaha dabaqyada iyo guryaha.

8. Kawaran qalabka jikada?

Si kor loogu qaado yareynta isticmaalka gaaska, amniga iyo sababaha dhowrista deegaanka, waxaan soo bandhigi doonnaa foornada korantada iyo makiinadaha wax lagu kariyo taasoo qeyb ka ah dhammaan badalida jikada. Duruuf kasta oo ay tahay ma iibsan karno qalabka gaaska, in kasta oo dadka daggan ee leh sahaydooda gaaska iyo foornada ay xor u ahaan doonaan tan, iyagoo ku saleynaya wixii isbeddelo ah ee ku yimaada shuruucda amniga dhismaha.

Haddii deggeneyaashu oggolaadaan in qalabka jikada sida qaboojiyaha isku dhafan ee qaboojiyaha ah ay mudnaanta leeyihiin, markaa kuwan waxaa lagu dari karaa barnaamijka jikada, iyadoo ku xiran qiime. Haddii muuqaalka muuqaalka, balakoonnada iyo wiishashka cusubi ay mudnaan lahaayeen maanaan haysan lahayn lacag aan ku gaadhsiino cabirka iyo tayada hadda la muujiyey.

9. Maxaad sameyn doontaa si aad nooga caawiso inaan la noolaano carqaladeynta?

Qiyaasta buuqa iyo carqaladaynta bulshada soo kabaneysa lama qiyaasi karo. Si kastaba ha noqotee, waxaan soo bandhigi doonnaa tallaabooyin badan oo ay ka mid yihiin:

Xaddidaadyo xadidan oo ku saabsan shaqooyinka la-maqli karo (sida lagu qiyaaso xuduudaha hantida laga shaqeynayo) inay dhacaan kaliya inta u dhexeysa:

8da subaxnimo ilaa 6da fiidnimo, Isniinta ilaa Jimcaha

· Waqti uma eka Sabtida, Axadaha iyo Ciidaha Dadweynaha

Saacado xaddidan oo loogu talagalay wax-qabadyada saamaynta sare leh (yacni shaqooyinka-burburin la taaban karo)

- 9 subaxnimo ilaa duhurkii iyo 2-da galabnimo illaa 5.30-ka galabnimo, Isniinta ilaa Jimcaha

· Waqti uma eka Sabtida, Axadaha iyo Ciidaha Dadweynaha

Waxaan eegi doonnaa inaan bixinno tas-hiilaad samafal oo ay adeegsadaan deggeneyaasha inta lagu guda jiro saacadaha shaqada (8 subaxnimo ilaa 6 fiidnimo, Isniinta-Jimcaha)

Waxaan hayn doonnaa tiro yar oo guryo faaruq ah oo loogu talagalay si kumeelgaar ah, loogu talagalay kuwa leh nuglaanta daran ee ay saameyn doonto shaqada oo aan joogi karin gurigooda. Fursadda lagu beddelanayo guri, oo ah kireeysteyaasha lagu wareejiyo guri hore u dayacnaa, ka tegida gurigaagii hore si ay ugu noqoto mid lagu qurxiyo qoys kale oo ku yaal guryaha, ayaa sidoo kale la baarayaa.

 

For resident leaseholders (including shared owners) the contribution of the Council will have a 20 per cent reduction applied when rechargeable works are billed for. 

The contribution from central government (£24.9m) will not be recharged to resident leaseholders. This equates to a 54.4 per cent discount for resident leaseholders who wereresident at the time of the tragedy, and also at the time of being required to pay the charge. In addition, the maximum potential charge for resident leaseholders will be £15,000 over any five-year period whilst the government grant is utilised, and an extensive range of repayment methods will be put in place to ensure no one is financially stretched as a result of the refurbishment.

 

Following a request from the Lancaster West Residents Association (LWRA), which has since been agreed at Leadership of the Council, non-resident leaseholders (e.g. Notting Hill Genesis and buy-to-let landlords) will be fully charged for the cost of works, including the government grant.

There is no limit on the level of recharge for these properties, however repayment options will be available. The table opposite summarises the full repayment options that will be available to leaseholders.

1. If you are a resident leaseholder at the time of the tragedy, there are different options that may be available to you to help pay the remaining cost of the refurbishment.

You may be eligible to receive either a mandatory loan or a discretionary loan from the Council at differing rates of interest. Both loans can only be taken out for an amount of £500 or more and can be spread over a three to ten-year period.

Mandatory loan: Your lease is 10 years old and you have been charged more than £2,250 for any major repair work. The loan has interest added to it at the local authority mortgage rate.

 

Discretionary loan: You have been charged for major repair work. You have to pay interest on the loan and the length of the loan depends on the value of the invoice. The loans are like a mortgage and a charge will be placed on your property. The land registry will be informed and in the event of you selling the property, the debt will be paid from the proceeds of the sale. There is also an option to secure a charge on your property.

3. Voluntary charge

If you are a resident leaseholder who is retired or disabled, we can secure a charge against your property, although we would expect you to pay the legal costs and interest associated with this. We would recover the debt when your property is sold or transferred. Please note we would always encourage you to seek independent legal advice before placing a charge on your property.

Further options are available, including applying for a bank or building society loan, equity schemes and extending your mortgage at

a better interest rate. Please note we would always encourage you to seek independent financial advice before signing any financial agreement.

 

For more information, please contact lancasterwestoffice@rbkc.gov.uk

 

RBKC leases are in the main repair-only leases. For example, a repair would include the replacement of a faulty lighting system where one is already present. This includes all parts of the building and estate which are known as ‘common parts’. Improvements, i.e. installing a new feature to a block, such as a lift are not rechargeable.

 

 

These are the parts that are not granted to residents in the lease but residents have right of access to and comprise the fabric of a building. These include but are not limited to, walkways, staircases and stairwells, door entrances, communal doors and windows, communal pipework and lightings.

 

Future investment in the Lancaster West Estate will trigger a Section

 

20 Consultation for leaseholders. This is a two-stage consultation process. At each stage leaseholders have the opportunity to make ‘observations’ to which the Council must give due regard.

 

 

A Section 20 Consultation is triggered when any lessee’s individual recharge for works to a block is in excess of £250.

 

First, a Notice of Intention is issued to leaseholders which sets out the nature of the proposed work. This is then followed by a Notice of Proposal which sets out the total cost of the works, the recommended contractor and your individual recharge.

5.When will we know what will and won’t be potentially recharged?

 

It will not be until any future works are specified that we will be able to properly ascertain what is to be recharged but we will ensure that you are only recharged for works that are permitted under the terms and conditions of your lease.

6.How will the Council calculate overall refurbishment costs and how will this be broken down as charges for leaseholders? 
      

Any major works that are rechargeable would be calculated in the same way as your day-to-day service charges. This is apportioned using the Council’s weighted room formula:

 

●Flat weighted rooms divided by block weighted rooms e.g. 4/50ths of the cost of works.

 

●Professional and management fees would also form part of the calculation.

 

●Any works that are not rechargeable under the lease would be excluded from the calculations.

 

 

There are a number of free and independent advice services available to lessees, such as The Leasehold Advisory Service: www.lease-advice.org

The most common definition for sustainability is from a 1987 United Nations report and describes it as ‘meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. 
Sustainability has three pillars: 
- Environmental – living within the means of natural resources and aspiring to net-zero carbon 

- Economic – using resources efficiently and responsibly 

- Social – achieving good social wellbeing 

All of these are very closely linked and its necessary to try and promote all three in harmony, but generally we are talking about environmental sustainability. 
Environmental sustainability covers a range of different areas, including:

-Reducing carbon emissions and tackling climate change 

-Improving air quality

-Improving green spaces and biodiversity 

-Tackling fuel poverty and lowering fuel bills

-Recycling and minimising waste 

-Using sustainable materials and not exploiting resources

We’re tackling these key issues through our sustainability programme to help transform Lancaster West into a model 21st century estate. 

2. Why does the estate need to become more sustainable?

Climate change is an undeniable problem which threatens all our futures, and this is being caused by thr fact that across the worl we're overusing fossil fuels to generate energy. The most important thing we can do to limit climate change is to change the way that we use resources and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK Government has passed a law committing the whole of the UK to bring its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. To achieve this, everyone will need to do their bit by reducing their energy demand and switching to renewable sources of energy. Housing makes up 18% of total UK emissions, so it will be necessary to make homes across the UK more suitable to reach this goal, and more laws are likely to be brought in to make this happen. 
Sustainability also brings a whole range of other benefits. By making the estate more sustainable, we can make it a healthier, greener, more comfortable, and more affordable place to live. 

3. What are our sustainability goals?

Our main goal is for Lancaster West to become a model net-zero carbon estate by 2030. Carbon is emitted when we use energy for things like electricity and heating, so we need to work to reduce the amount of energy we use on the estate and get the energy we do use from low-carbon renewable sources. 
The key priorities we are focusing on to achieve this are:
- Making homes more energy efficient, warm and comfortable.
- Switching the heating and energy we use to a clean and green supply.
- Creating a green estate with a thriving environment.
- Engaging residents on the co-design of their estate.

4. Are you being ambitious enough about reducing carbon emissions?

Our ambition is for Lancaster West to be a net-zero carbon estate by 2030. This is in line with the broader Council goal for all its operation (including housing) to be net-zero by 2030, and ahead of the UK Government goal for the UK to become net-zero by 2050. This is an ambitious but achievable target that we will be able to reach by working closely with residents, experts, and other government organisations. 

1. What works will be done on the estate to meet these sustainability goals?

The most effective way of reducing carbon emissions from housing is to make the homes more energy efficient , so we'll be doing a lot of work in individual properties across the estate to do this, as a part of both the internal refurbishment and major refurbishment of the estate. 
Where appropriate, as a part of the internal refurbishment project, we are installing wall, floor, and roof insulation to properties. Insulation effectively works like a thermal blanket for properties and keeps them warm, reducing their heating demand and making them more comfortable. 
When replacing appliances in kitchens and bathrooms we are installing energy efficient options, such as induction cookers, Methven Aurajet shower heads, which save 25% of water used in each shower, and dual flushing toilets. We are also replacing lighting energy efficient LED bulbs.
Alongside this, further improvements will be made to homes through the major refurbishment of the estate. While the details of this will be decided by residents, this will include the replacement of windows and changes to building fabric to make it more thermally and energy efficient. We are also upgrading the current heating systems and connecting the estate to a new energy efficient, low-carbon district heating network. 

2. What is already being done to make the estate more sustainable?

We're already taking action to make the estate more sustainable. We're currently trailing different methods and products in void properties, and a few tenanted properties, which may be rolled out across the estate. 
The tea garden has been created, which provides a new pleasant green space on the estate. The herbs grown in the garden n can also be used by residents, which is more sustainable than buying them from the supermarket. We are continuing to explore options to further increase biodiversity and green spaces. 

Recycling bins in homes and across the estate help to divert waste from landfill and contribute to sustainability goals. We have also provided hot box composting bins to make compost for the community gardens and are on track to save 1,456 litres of food waste from entering landfill. 

The LWNT are also reducing emissions from our own operations. 30% of repairs operatives and 20% of LWNT staff are local residents and walk to work, saving 5 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere per year . Repair operatives are also using cargo bikes to make repairs and we have replaced the team's van with 2 zero-emissions electric vans.

3. How will this affect individual properties?

The need to make the estate more sustainable is one of the key drivers behind the internal refurbishment programme and will provide some direction to the work that we do. We will consult with residents at every point of the process to make sure you're happy with any sustainable changes to properties, but could include better insulation, doors, new energy efficient appliances in kitchens and bathrooms and new heating controls. 
Making these changes will reduce the energy demand of homes, and consequently reduce their carbon emissions as well as this, they should make homes more comfortable by keeping them warm in winter and stopping overheating in summer; reducing draughts, condensation, and mould. 

4. Will these changed address problems of overheating? 

It's important that all changes we make to properties both help us to reduce the estate's carbon footprint, and help make homes more comfortable. This includes addressing issues of homes being cold in winter, overheating  in summer, as well as any issues with damp, mould, and condensation. Improving insulation helps to regulate the temperature of properties at a comfortable level while improving ventilation ensures constant supply of fresh air and will address problems of overheating. 

5. Is anything being done to recycle waste from the refurbishment (such as windows and kitchen unites)? 

We're working closely with suppliers and contractors to ensure that high sustainability standards are upheld throughout delivery of the refurbishment. Our suppliers have made commitments around recycling and reusing materials and appliances and diverting waste from landfill wherever possible. 
Where possible, appliances removed from properties will be collected and processed via our contractor's recycling plant. Vinyl floor removed from properties is also being recycled and we are purchasing this recycled flooring for the refurb where possible.

We have also made agreements with suppliers to ensure that materials used in the refurbishment are sustainably sourced wherever possible, and that sustainable methods are used for installation and transportation of new materials and appliances and waste. 

Due to the need to make housing more sustainable to meet the UK Government’s net-zero target, there are various funds available from UK Government and the Greater London Authority in support of sustainable initiatives. We’re exploring opportunities for grant funding and other ways of financing our sustainable changes and continuously exploring opportunities for new sources of funding. Making use of these opportunities means that we can free up additional funding to make further improvements to homes as part of the internal refurb.

2.  Will this increase costs for residents? 

We are looking to fund sustainable changes primarily through grant funding and other finance opportunities from UK Government and the Greater London Authority to ensure that the cost of making the estate sustainable is minimised and will not need to be passed on to residents. We are also doing feasibility studies for all major changes to ensure that they're viable and will bring both environmental benefits and long-term financial benefits to residents. 

3. Will there be any cost benefit to residents? 

Making homes more energy efficient means that less energy is needed to heat and power them. All of the options we are exploring will help reduce the demand for homes and therefore will reduce costs for residents. For example, putting insulation around home is effectively like putting a jacket around a home and keeps it warmer, meaning that there is less of a need to use central heating to keep it warm. A-rated appliances are highly energy efficient and similarly can save energy requirements and costs. As a result, some of the changes being made in the internal refurb will lower the energy requirements for homes and reduce the cost of energy bills in the long term. 

Ultimately, we want Lancaster West to be a net-zero carbon estate by 2030 and this is our main success criteria. So, we’ll have succeeded if in 10 years, we have refurbished the estate to high energy efficiency standards in a way that residents are happy with, have developed an efficient low-carbon heat network and provide most of the energy on the estate via renewable sources. 

In the shorter term, success can be seen by progress against our key objectives:

- Making homes more energy efficient, warm and comfortable. 

- Switching the heating and energy we use to a clean and green supply. 

- Creating a green estate with a thriving environment. 

- Engaging residents on the co-design of their estate. 

2. How are we calculating the carbon emissions of the estate exactly, so we can show beyond doubt that we are on track to become a net-zero carbon estate? Can we share this tracker with residents, and be transparent about the way it is calculated?

We're currently developing an approach to how we calculate the emissions of the estate so that we can accurately measure progress against our net-zero carbon goal. This will include looking in detail at the materials and equipment on the estate, and energy usage from boilers and in individual properties. 
Once we have decided an appropriate method of calculating emissions, we will share this and our tracker with any interested residents.

3. What are smart meters and how will they benefit us? 

Small meters are modern gas and electricity meters that have a range of intelligent functions. They come with and in-home display, so its possible to see how much energy you are using and how much it costs, which can help to avoid wasting energy and money. They can also communicate directly with energy suppliers, meaning that bills will be accurate, with no need for suppliers to visit homes to read meters - though residents get a say over how their information is shared. 

We're currently trialling both Nest and Switches smart meters on the estate. These smart meters can also learn from residnets' heating preferences and adjust temperature accordingly, which is estimated to save between 8.4% and 16.5% energy used for heating, which could help reduce both emissions and costs. 

More information can be found on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/smart-meters-how-they-work