Social Media and Phone Number
Telephone Walsall: 01922 471910
Telephone London: 0203 176 6390
New London Repairs Contractor
As of Monday 2nd March 2020, Gilmartins will be our new repairs and maintenance contractor.
Gilmartins provide comprehensive repairs and maintenance services for affordable housing and public sector customers maintaining homes across London and the South East each year.
Gilmartins have shown themselves to be extremely capable and Watmos are confident they will deliver the high-quality services residents expect.
Gilmartins are delighted and extremely proud to be working with Watmos and share our passion for customer service and look forward to fulfilling their commitment to deliver a high-quality customer experience, innovation and efficiency.
In addition to the core elements of the contract, one of Gilmartins key goals will be to reach out within the local community and delivering effective resident engagement.
With the appointment of the new contractor, for the first time we will have Gilmartins staff co-located at our Ethelred Office and repair calls will be directly picked up by them with the exception of gas heating works.
We ask that you bear with us whilst we make these positive changes for the next few weeks.
Raves Event 2018
The 7th Biennial Recognition Awards for Volunteers and Employees (RAVES) event took place on the 28 September 2018 at the Bescot Stadium, Walsall. The sponsors for the event were Ecotech, Bang, Purecloud, Smith & Byford, Capsticks Solicitors, KNK, FFT, Niyaa People, Clarity Procurement, Capital and Rider Levett Bucknall. The total amount of sponsorship received towards the event was £6,350.
Approximately 160 people attended the event, which was hosted by Dean Barker, Estate Director at Leamore, Twin Crescents and Avenues TMO’s.
Tina Nicholson, WATMOS Chair, gave the opening speech and welcomed everyone to the 7th WATMOS awards.
RAVES Charity Auction for St Giles Hospice 
Chris Christou, London Area TMO Manager, took over as auctioneer. The various donated items included a meal for two at the Shard and VIP tickets to Birmingham City -v- Derby, amongst many other items, to raise a total of £1,123.00 for St Giles Hospice.
RAVES AWARD WINNERS 2018
The winners of the awards were as follows:
Best Performing TMO
Winner: Delves TMO
Special Achievement Homes, Services & Communities
Winners: Amanda Banks, Estate Manager, Delves TMO, Jay Gill, Operations Manager, Chris Christou, London Area TMO Manager, Richard Worrall, Secretary of Burrowes Street TMO, Jean Stewart, Chair of Leamore TMO
Dean Barker, Estate Manager of Avenues, Twin Crescents and Leamore TMOs.
Special Achievement Prosperity & People
Winners: Tim Render, Independent Group Board Member
Michael Anderson, Group Human Resources Manager
Raj Kaur, Human Resources Officer
Maria Fitzsimons, Treasurer of Chuckery TMO and Group Board Member
Special Achievement Empowerment, Involvement & Well-Being
Winners: Marina Beckett, Chair of Chuckery TMO
Robert Stock, Committee Member, Leamore TMO
Louise Walker, Quality & Performance Manager
Carole Pichart, Senior Neighbourhood Co-ordinator, Burrowes Street TMO
Mark O’Toole, Plumber & Handy Person, Burrowes Street TMO
Best Newcomer Employee
Winners:Dovile Jamwal, Purchase Ledger Officer
Manjit Ranshi, Human Resources Assistant
Best Newcomer Volunteer
Winner: Maria Gayle-Rogers, Ethelred TMO Committee Member
Innovation in Services
Winner: Simon Ghartey FLS, Founder of P R O G R E S S
Innovation in Services
Winner: Alan MacWilliam, Ethelred TMO Board Member
David Keeley, Ethelred TMO Co-opted Member
Excellence in Partnership Working
Winners: London One Team Model - Ethelred TMO
London One Team Model – Metra TMO
London One Team Model – Thorlands TMO
London One Team Model – Yusef Masih, Executive Director of Housing
London One Team Model – Chris Christou, London Area TMO Manager
Delivering Excellence:
Winner: Wayne Rivers of WAA Electrical
Special Achievement Community Well-Being
Winners: Pat Davies MBE - Chair of Avenues TMO Committee
Kevin and Denise Smith – Volunteers and Delves TMO
RAVES 2018 Entertainment
This year’s entertainment featured the Lions of Punjab and their teams of dancers: the Lionesses of Punjab and the Cubs of Punjab. Their colorful Bhangra dancing and music was very lively.
We all look forward to the next RAVES event in 2020!!
Voluntary Right to Buy Pilot
Voluntary Right to Buy Pilot
The Midlands Voluntary Right to Buy (VRTB) Pilot was launched on 16 August 2018. WATMOS is taking part. Eligible customers may qualify for a discount on the purchase price of their rented home. The pilot will run until March 2020.
Some properties are exempt from VRTB. If your home is eligible, you will also need to meet certain criteria as a tenant. Limited Government funding means that there is no guarantee that an application will be successful. More information can be found at the GOV.UK Right to Buy website.
VRTB: need to know
Can I definitely take part in VRTB?
You are not eligible for the VRTB If you have the Preserved Right to Buy (PRTB)
Because there is limited funding, the Government will select applications by ballot from all the registrations. Registration is open from 16 August and will close a month later. The Government will then randomly select applications to proceed. Those applications will be allocated a Unique Reference Number (URN). If you do not receive a URN you cannot make your application to WATMOS
This means that not all applications will necessarily be successful. WATMOS does not have any say in this selection process
If you do receive a URN, which will be sent to you by email from the Government, you can then contact WATMOS to proceed with your application
Properties which are part of a wellbeing, older persons or supported housing scheme are not included in the scheme.
WATMOS has excluded some properties from the VRTB
These include:
Bungalows
Properties with four or more bedrooms (where the household is under occupying by two or more bedrooms)
Adapted properties where the household no longer needs the adaptations
Properties which are built subject to Section 106 or other planning restrictions
Properties in rural areas
Properties that have been identified for demolition
Properties where the market value is less than the amount WATMOS has spent building, buying or improving it in the last 15 years.
There are costs involved in applying to buy your home under VRTB
You will need to pay an administration fee of £250.00 during the application process. This will be deducted from the sale price if the sale completes or reimbursed if your home does not qualify for any reason
You will lose the fee if you cancel the application or do not meet the strict timescales which apply to the scheme.
What do I need to include in the VRTB application?
You will need to include the names of household members who will be included in the final sale. If you make any changes later you will need to submit a new application
Make sure that if your application includes additional family members, they can prove that they have lived at the property for at least 12 months
To claim all of the discount that you are entitled to, include all addresses of properties you have lived in owned by a Housing Association or Council. WATMOS can verify any addresses that you have had with us
If you would like to include years spent with other Housing Associations or Councils you will need to provide a tenancy agreement, letter from the landlord or Council Tax or copies of the electoral register for the relevant years as proof.
What will I need to do before I send my VRTB application to WATMOS?
You will need to have been selected and have received a unique reference number (URN) from the Government website. WATMOS cannot accept an application without this
You will need to make sure you are not in rent arrears with WATMOS. We cannot accept your application if you are in arrears.
There are strict time scales which you will need to meet
The unique reference number (URN) is valid for 4 weeks
When your application is accepted you have 10 days to make an appointment to provide your documents (it may be worth getting these organised before you apply)
If successful, you will receive an offer within 12 weeks
When you receive your offer you have 4 weeks to decide whether to accept and provide solicitor details
When the matter is referred to solicitors, completion should be within 12 weeks. Please make your solicitor aware of this when you appoint them.
Fire Safety
Fire safety: Information for our customers
The following information is aimed to provide all of our residents with clarity and comfort in the safety of your home and to confirm that having liaised with the Fire Service the “Stay Put Policy” for our properties remains valid and in place.