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What is Sheltered Housing?

All our sheltered housing schemes have been specially designed to meet the needs of elderly people. At certain schemes we employ a resident Warden and all the schemes are linked to Cardiff County Council’s Community Alarm Centre. So, in an emergency, tenants can contact the Warden or the Alarm Centre who will then take the necessary action.

Sheltered housing is not a home with care provided. Tenants lead their own lives in their own self-contained flats, but have the added security of being able to contact the Warden in an emergency.

The Warden's Duties

Our Wardens work from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm, five days a week. The only exception is the Warden at Houlston Court who works from 9.00 am – 1.00 pm, five days a week. Wardens can be contacted at their offices every working day to deal with queries and problems.

Wardens must contact each tenant every day (either personally or via the intercom) to check on their well being. During working hours our Wardens also answer emergency calls. In an emergency, the Warden must call the necessary emergency services and notify a relative (if appropriate) of a tenant’s illness and any need arising from it.

Our Wardens are all committed to helping elderly people, but they are not employed to provide personal care to individual tenants. They are not required, authorised or paid to act as a home help or night nurse, or to look after a tenant who may be confined to bed due to illness. In addition, Wardens are not expected to undertake day-to-day tasks such as shopping, collecting pensions or prescriptions.

If residents need extra help, it can be provided by Social Services. Wardens will gladly advise you of the help available and help you to arrange it.

Tenants’ families also have an important role in supporting and helping relatives who live in sheltered housing, just as if you were living in ordinary housing.

Wardens are also our on-site representatives, responsible for ensuring the schemes are managed effectively on a daily basis. For instance, Wardens are responsible for:

The reception and introduction of new tenants.
Ensuring that the cleaners complete their job to a good standard.
Ensuring that the fire alarm system is serviced regularly.
Ensuring that the gardens are regularly cultivated.
Encouraging social activities.

Finally, whenever the Warden is off duty, the Alarm Centre will provide emergency cover. We ask residents to respect the Warden’s privacy when they are off duty.

Living in Sheltered Housing

If you live in sheltered housing, you will benefit from a number of extra features or services. Sheltered housing schemes have different features, but all contain at least some of the following:

Emergency alarm system: All our sheltered flats are linked to Cardiff County Council’s Community Alarm Centre, to the Warden’s accommodation and the Warden’s office by the emergency alarm system. To operate the system (in either Warden or non-Warden accommodation), you should pull the nearest ceiling mounted cord, which immediately alerts the Warden/Alarm Centre. The Warden/Alarm Centre will then speak to you through the two-way speech module. Please remember that you do not have to get to the speech module for the Warden/Alarm Centre to hear you. All you need do is talk from whichever room you are in.

If you live in a scheme with a Warden, but he or she is off duty or away, the scheme will be connected to the Community Alarm Centre all the time. The staff at the Alarm Centre will give you a similar service to the Warden. For example, the mobile warden will visit the scheme daily to ensure there are no problems. The mobile warden will not, however, visit your flat unless asked. If you wish the mobile warden to call at your flat, pull one of your emergency cords or leave a message in the Warden’s office. In addition, when the Warden is away, please be a good neighbour and keep the mobile warden informed of any incidents that may be worrying you. For example, if you have not seen your neighbours and you are worried about their well being, leave a message for the mobile warden who will then investigate.

At Erskine Court, Driscoll Court and Ty’r Ysgol (that is, schemes where there is no Warden), the mobile warden will call every day and provide exactly the same service as for schemes with Wardens.

So if you ever need help or are worried about a neighbour’s well-being, simply pull the cord in your flat and assistance will be immediately at hand. If you or a visitor accidentally pulls one of the emergency cords, remember that the system will be activated and the Warden/Alarm Centre will respond. If this happens, please call and explain that the cord was pulled by mistake. If you do not respond, the Warden/Alarm Centre will assume that you need help and will arrange for the emergency services to call.

If you go away on holiday or stay away from your flat overnight, please make sure you let the Warden or the Alarm Centre know.

Communal laundry: Erskine Court, Selwyn Morris Court and Holmview Court have fully equipped laundries which residents can use without charge. The cost is covered by your service charge.

Details of when the laundry is open are available from your Warden or on the scheme notice board.

Fire alarms: If your scheme has a fire alarm, emergency lighting system or fire extinguishers, we will service them regularly to ensure they operate properly. On hearing the alarm, follow the fire drill procedure for the building. It will be displayed on the fire alarm itself or prominently in the building (for example notice boards). In addition, if your scheme has a resident Warden, please contact the Warden as soon as you move in. He/she will explain the procedure to you. Wardens must also carry out regular fire drills.

If you would like your own copy of the fire drill for your building, please contact your local office.

Security: All tenants of sheltered housing have a responsibility for ensuring the general security of the scheme. We strongly advise you to:

Make sure that you always shut the main entrance doors behind you.
Never allow unidentified people into the building via your door entry phone.
Always keep the door of your flat shut.

If you follow these simple steps, you should make your scheme a very safe place to live. If you wish to fit extra locks to your flat door, you must first obtain our permission. We will not object but will advise against it because in an emergency the extra locks could delay or stop the Warden or emergency services getting in. We are not liable for the consequence of any delay.

Wardens will only use their master key to gain access to your flat in an emergency, by invitation or by personal instruction (for example if you are going away and access is needed in your absence).

Communal TV licences: If you live in Holmview Court, Houlston Court, Selwyn Morris Court or Ty’r Ysgol, you do not need a TV licence. These four schemes all qualify for communal TV licences, which are paid for as part of your service charge. However, the concessionary licence will not cover you if you are under 60 years of age (for women) or 65 years of age (for men).

District heating: If you live in flats 18-35 at Selwyn Morris Court or Avondale Court your service charge includes a weekly amount to cover the gas central heating and hot water supply to your flat.The schemes have their own gas boiler system, which provides the heating and water, and the weekly charge covers the cost of providing this service. When reviewing this charge, we only seek to cover the cost of this service, with the charge being adjusted annually to reflect the actual cost. A statement of the costs incurred and charges collected will be sent each year to all tenants. If an overcharge has resulted, the surplus will be divided equally among all residents and refunded.

Social activities: Social clubs, committees and activities, whether organised by tenants themselves or by the Warden, are often a feature of life in a sheltered housing scheme. If you want to join in or get more information, contact the Warden who will be able to advise you.

Useful contact point – your Housing Officer or your Warden