The outcome of the statutory consultation
This is an important update following the recent consultation we carried out with customers living in Lambton, Londonderry and Lumley towers. This consultation was about the future of these buildings and specifically about whether we would make the decision to demolish these buildings and help all customers living in the buildings to find new homes.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and views with us. We really appreciated your openness and we used every single comment to help us come to a final recommendation to our board and our customer committee.
After carefully considering all feedback and reviewing the significant investment, fire safety, and structural needs of the buildings, we have made the difficult decision to move forward with the demolition of the 3Ls.
We did not make this decision about your home lightly. We are aware that this decision will have a big impact on you, and your life, and we are here to support your move every step of the way.
We want to reassure you that we will be with you every step of the way throughout this move. Our team is here to answer any questions, listen to your concerns, and help make this move as smooth as possible. If you have immediate questions or need extra support, please do contact our dedicated team at 0191 525 5051.
Thank you again for your engagement throughout this process. We deeply appreciate your support as we move forward together.
What happens next
Understanding your housing needs.
We will work with you to find a suitable, comfortable, and secure home that meets your needs. Once we have done this, you will need to move out of your current home.
First, your local Neighbourhood Team will carry out a personal Housing Needs Assessment with you. This will help us understand:
• The type and size of home you need
• The support and assistance that we will provide to enable you to move as easily as possible to your new home
• Any additional support that you may need to help you move to your new home
• Any accessibility or health-related requirements
• Your preferred location within Sunderland
Based on your assessment, we will offer you up to three suitable properties. If none of these are right for you, we will work with you to understand your housing needs before offering any more properties.
If you do not want to remain with Gentoo, our team can still support you until you terminate your tenancy
When will I have my Housing Needs Assessment?
We expect to have all of these conversations completed by October and we felt the fairest way to order these was by length of tenancy
(How long you have been a Gentoo customer).
For example. If you have a continuous tenancy of more than 40 years, we expect to have your Housing Needs Assessment completed by September. If you have a continuous tenancy of 2 years, we expect to complete your Housing Needs Assessment completed by end of October.
Finding a new home
How does bidding work?
We have placed you in Band 1+, which is our highest priority banding when bidding on a home.
We rank bids and create shortlists for each property. For customers living in Lambton, Londonderry or Lumley towers, your bids will be ranked based on continuous tenancy length. This is the length of time you have been a Gentoo customer. For example, if two customers from Lambton, Londonderry or Lumley towers bid on the same property, the customer who has been a Gentoo customer longest will receive priority.
How to find your new home with us
We advertise available properties every Wednesday at 2pm. Each advert runs for 7 days until midday the following Wednesday. You can apply to join or bid for a home on our online housing register here.
We will have staff in the cafe at Londonderry Tower every Wednesday when the new properties are listed. We will also be installing noticeboards in your building with printed adverts for available properties. This will be updated every week.
For customers who do not have access to the internet or do not feel confident using a computer, we will help you bid. This means we will bid on suitable properties for you, using the information you gave us in your Housing Needs Assessment.
Financial Support
If you are a Gentoo customer, you are entitled to compensation under the Home Loss Payments Regulations 2023 scheme. This payment is £8,100 and will be paid when you end your tenancy at Lambton, Londonderry or Lumley tower. We will review any rent arrears or other debts on your account before making the statutory home loss payment and discuss your specific circumstances with you.
We will also provide additional financial support of up to £1,500 to help cover things like:
• Decorating your new home
• Installing carpets or flooring
• Purchasing household items such as furniture or window coverings
Members from your dedicated Housing Team can support you in making these choices.
Additional support
We understand that moving involves more than just finding a new home. That’s why we will also help with the following, if you need it:
• Financial support
• Disconnection and reconnection of white goods
• Removal firm and packing service
• Broadband, telephone, and Sky reconnections
• Mail redirection
• Support in registering with a new GP or dentist
• Helping you update council tax and electoral roll information
There may be other support or guidance you need from the team that isn’t listed above. Please contact any member of your Neighbourhood Team who will support you in any way they can.