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The Ancho office will be closed for refurbishments from Monday 20th November and will reopen on Monday 4th December. If you to hand deliver keys, forms or letters you can post these in the mail box in the main reception area. Our staff are still working as normal and can be contacted by phone and email. If you require a face to face appointment then please get in touch and we will happily arrange a home visit. 
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Most social homes in Scotland are of good quality. However, damp is a big issue for many households thanks to the nation’s climate, where we experience wetter and colder weather for a lot of the year.
As we enter winter, where this issue can be exacerbated, here is some useful information about damp, what causes it, what to look for, and what you should do. What is damp and what causes it? Damp in a house is caused by an excess of moisture on internal walls and surfaces that has no way of escaping. The most common form of dampness in a house is condensation. Condensation forms when warm air inside a building meets a cold surface like a wall, window or even furniture and leaves drops of water on the surface. It tends to be worse in winter, but if left unresolved it can be an issue all year round. Condensation is commonly caused by steam from hot showers, drying clothes inside, and cooking. These common household activities can release an average of six to twelve litres of water each day into the atmosphere. If there’s no way for that excess moisture to escape, it could eventually lead to damp and mould problems. There are other types of damp including penetrating and rising damp. Penetrating damp is caused by water leaking through walls. It tends to happen as a result of structural problems, such as faulty guttering or roofing, or cracks in external walls. Rising damp is a relatively rare form of damp, that affects the walls of buildings. It occurs when moisture from the ground level travels up through the walls by capillary action. What should I look out for? The first sign of condensation is usually moisture drops on walls, mirrors or windows. While this may not be troublesome right away, the effects of condensation can worsen and lead to damp and mould. Keep an eye out for the following signs:
What can I do to prevent damp, mould and condensation?
What if that doesn’t help or it starts to get worse? Damp can be a serious problem as it can cause damage to a buildings infrastructure. It is a problem that can affect any home and can be a threat to your health if left untreated. If left untreated damp and mould can have an affect on your health, causing things like; runny nose, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. We take all reports of damp, mould and condensation very seriously. If you are worried about damp or mould in your home, then please get in touch with us as soon as possible. Cairn Housing Group has been formally accredited as a Living Wage employer. The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Cairn Housing Group receive at least the minimum hourly wage of £10.90 per hour. This Living Wage rate was announced on Thursday 22nd September 2022. This rate is higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £10.42 per hour. In Scotland, 9% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage - around 221,000 jobs.
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate calculated according to the costs of living. Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis, recognising the value of their workers and ensuring that a hard day’s work receives a fair day’s pay. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 450,000 people and put over £2 billion extra into the pockets of low paid workers. Jason MacGilp, Cairn Housing Group’s Chief Executive said: We are delighted that Cairn Housing Group has now officially become accredited as a Scottish Living Wage employer. Providing fair wages to our employees has always been a priority for us, and we have been paying the Living Wage as a minimum for many years. However, becoming accredited was a complex process due to our unique contractor and supplier structure, and it has taken us some time to get everything in place. We believe that it's not just about paying our own employees fairly, but also ensuring that everyone in our extended partnership network benefits from the same principles of fairness and dignity in their work. “Becoming a Living Wage employer is not just a checkbox; it's a testament to our commitment to corporate social responsibility and our belief in the value of paying a fair wage for a fair day's work. We are pleased to join the growing community of Living Wage employers and continue our mission of creating positive and sustainable impacts in the communities we serve.” Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said: “We all need an income that is enough to cover our needs and protect us from poverty, and it’s only right that employers pay a wage that reflects the cost of living. Too many workers in Scotland are paid less than the real Living Wage and, at a time of rising costs, are struggling to stay afloat. The real Living Wage can offer protection from those rising costs.” “Congratulations to Cairn on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.” We’ve partnered with Changeworks, to help you out with your energy! The service is free and gives you access to energy information, advice, support and advocacy. One-to-one support is also available to those who need it most. We know that managing your energy bills can be worrying at times confusing. The service aims to help you stay affordably warm at home and includes:
 Cairn Housing Group has confirmed that their long-serving Chief Executive, Jason MacGilp, will be stepping down in the New Year. The Group, which includes Cairn, Ancho and Pentland Community Enterprises, is a registered social landlord group and charity and manages 4,500 affordable homes, in communities across Scotland. Angus Lamont, Chair of the Cairn Housing Group said: “Jason has been an excellent Chief Executive for Cairn and has made a very significant and positive impact during his time with the Association, and I and my Board Member colleagues will be very sorry to see him leave us. A great deal has been achieved for our customers and strengthening of the organisation during Jason's tenure as our senior officer. This includes establishing the Group, with Ancho and Pentland Community Enterprises, and delivery of new homes and improved services and modernising the organisation. The Board has valued Jason’s committed service. We thank him for his leadership and wish him well for the future.” Jason MacGilp said: “It has been a personal pleasure and professional privilege to lead and work with so many talented staff and management colleagues over my time at Cairn and I have appreciated the guidance and support from chairs and board members over the years. “We have achieved a great deal together and developed the organisation into a well-respected, innovative, strong and growing social business and always seeking to put customers first. We have great people here and through the team's hard work we have worked very successfully with partners to meet housing and support needs in communities across Scotland. “I told myself when I was first appointed to the Chief Executive role at Cairn that this was a 10-year job. Somehow, 12 years have flown by, and I have been pleased to have contributed to delivering Cairn’s vision of Great Homes, Great Services and Great People. There is an excellent team in place, and I feel it is now time for me to move on and for someone else to take up the leadership role at Cairn. “I will be actively supporting the Board in the coming months to begin the recruitment process for my successor at Cairn Housing Group. “There is plenty to do between now and when I leave, but I am also now looking forward to exploring other opportunities and challenges next year, and I shall be open to a range of interim projects and permanent roles where hopefully I can add value.”  Following on from the Stage 1 Notice you received last month, here is an update on the proposed transfer to Cairn Housing Association.
As part of due diligence work carried out as part of the transfer, we have been investigating the implications of Ancho’s ownership of a 207m stretch of the Annick riverbank in the Dreghorn area of Irvine, which was transferred to Ancho as part of the original stock transfer from Scottish Homes in 1999. Expert engineering surveys have been carried out recently. They have told us that strengthening works will be needed to stop future erosion of this stretch of the riverbank, which borders a number of properties. This is an issue that we have been aware of for some time, but the recent surveys have indicated that we may have to bring forward a maintenance and engineering programme to resolve the issue in the long term. It’s too early to know the cost of this work, but we are determined to put in place a permanent fix to give local residents certainty and peace of mind. While we work through the implications of the project, Ancho and Cairn have both agreed to extend the transfer timetable so that we can make the right decisions. We expect that we will have all the necessary facts and engineering reports in place by early next year. The partnership we have been part of since 2018 has been incredibly successful and tenants recognise the wide range of benefits it brings. With that in mind, we’re keen to resolve the issue with the riverbank as quickly and smoothly as possible, so that we can continue with the transfer process and further improve the vital services we deliver to you. Once we have a more detailed schedule of activity and costs regarding this project, we will be in touch to let you know the new timetable for the proposed transfer. If you would like any further information in the meantime, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] We are currently experiencing technical difficulties and you may not be able to get hold of us.
We are sorry if you have been trying to reach us. We are working on a fix and aim to have our systems back up and running as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can report emergency repairs by calling 0800 999 2520. And emergency gas and heating repairs by calling 01294 468 113. Thanks for your patience. As part of our proposed transfer to Cairn Housing Association, we have issued tenants with a Stage 1 Notice, which gives more information on the transfer and gives you an opportunity to have your say. It is currently being sent to tenants via Royal Mail and should arrive with you shortly. In the meantime, you can read it below. We strongly encourage you to give us your views. You can do so by filling in this online form or by returning the form using the prepaid envelope when you receive your mailing. 
We are looking at the possibility of transferring to Cairn Housing Association. Please click on the below document for more information about the transfer, what it means for tenants, and how you can have your say.
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