Five ways Homes for Good helps create healthy homes and futures

What makes a home healthy? Firstly, it needs to be safe, warm and in good condition. But health and wellbeing are also shaped by other things: feeling secure, receiving support and having a sense of connection with the people and places around us.

This Scottish Housing Day – with its theme of Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures – we’re looking at five ways Homes for Good helps people create homes where they can feel comfortable, settled and able to make positive plans for the future.

Creating safe, welcoming homes

The condition of our home can significantly affect how we feel. Everybody deserves somewhere where they feel safe and happy. A place that feels like home.

Our team renovates and improves homes across Glasgow, Ayrshire and the South of Scotland. That includes bringing empty properties back into use, creating warm interiors and working with tenants to personalise their homes.

When Mary-Louise inherited a property that had been empty for more than 25 years, she turned to Homes for Good’s Empty Homes team to help her bring it back to life. The team managed the renovation while preserving original design details like the fireplace, ceiling roses and cornicing.

“When we saw the finished renovation, it was beautiful,” says Mary-Louise. “Having the Homes for Good team and their experience was really helpful.”

Keeping homes warm and efficient

We understand that the journey to a good home doesn’t end when the tenant receives the keys. Cold, damp and poorly maintained housing can affect both physical and mental health. That’s why ongoing repairs, safety checks and preventative maintenance are so important.

Our Repairs and Compliance team works to keep homes safe, comfortable and compliant. We complete essential checks, maintain systems, respond quickly as well as giving tenants straightforward advice on using boilers, managing energy usage and preventing condensation, damp and mould. Simple practical guides for tenants are also available on our website.

Our tenant Andrew experienced a fresh approach when Homes for Good took over management of his flat.

“It was pure chaos before – there was no heating,” he says. “They came round and asked: ‘What do you need?’ They put a brand-new kitchen in and sorted out the bathroom.”

The team later helped Andrew finish a large paint job that had become difficult for him to complete due to an injury, as well as fitting new carpets, adding warmth to his home while reducing bills.

Helping people feel more secure

Even with a warm, safe home, the day-to-day challenges of life can severely affect your health and wellbeing.

Our Tenancy Sustainment Team gets to know tenants from the very start of their tenancies, shaping its support around their individual needs and circumstances. We aim to address difficulties early before they become crises and put tenancies at risk.

Support can include help with benefits, money issues and appointments, as well as connecting people with debt, mental-health or addiction support services. We also offer a familiar, friendly face and someone who will listen without judgement.

Our tenant Brian describes the support he has received from Jacqueline, our Tenancy Sustainment Manager, as “a godsend”.

“Jacqueline’s been a great help and a great support to me. She takes me to hospital appointments and things like that. She went with me when I went to see my consultant. She helped me with my PIP [Personal Independence Payment]. They sent out an application – it had about 20-30 pages, but Jacqueline said she’d help me. And she did.”

At Homes for Good, we know how important it is to have someone to turn to during these difficult moments and how this, in turn, leads to stronger, more secure tenancies.

Giving people the opportunity to build for the future

A stable home gives people the foundation to rebuild their lives. Many people face barriers to accessing homes in the private rented sector. They may lack references, guarantors or rental histories. They may be navigating the benefits system, coming from a background of homelessness or experiencing isolation and trauma.

We work closely with our tenants and partner organisations to support people affected by homelessness, domestic abuse and poverty. This combination of increased housing options and sustainment support helps people move beyond this housing insecurity and build positive futures.

Our tenant Karl describes the toll of being without a home.

“I lost my apartment and was sleeping on people’s couches. Some nights, I wandered around, trying to look like a tourist. I thought if I slept, someone would mug me. It was horrible.”

Moving into his home gave Karl the stability to rebuild his life. He has now been living there for more than eight years.

“Homes For Good has always been very good and understanding, so I’m very grateful.”

A home cannot solve every problem on its own, but it can give the stability and breathing space to move forward.

Creating connection and belonging

We want our tenants to feel connected to their local areas and build connections within their communities.

Grace-Anne has been a part of our Art Class in Bridgeton for the last six years.

“The social and community side is huge for me. We get together, socialise and catch up. And as we do that, our art improves. 

“It’s all about the atmosphere, encouraging each other and seeing everyone’s capabilities. It’s the company; it’s everything. You don’t get that if you’re in the house.”

Wellbeing isn't only about the condition of the home you live in; it’s also about the connections and friendships you build and a sense of belonging in your community.

Healthy Homes, Healthy Futures

There are many factors to a healthy, happy home. It’s a combination of good conditions, warmth, affordability and security. But it also comes from being respected, receiving support when you need it and feeling connected in your community.

At Homes for Good, we work every day to bring all these elements together, helping people to put down roots, build healthy and happy lives and look positively to the future.

For more information on Scottish Housing Day visit: www.scottishhousingday.co.uk