Loans deliver 'White Goods' for residents
Residents are being offered the ability to apply for low cost loans to purchase household appliances thanks to the cooperation of three Chester organisations.
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is working with West Cheshire Credit Union (formerly Chester Credit Union and Ellesmere Port & Neston Credit Union) and the Chester branch of Comet to offer loans for washing machines, cookers, fridges, freezers or microwaves. The ongoing relationship between the companies is designed to offer residents affordable loans, which are aimed to bridge initial costs when residents move home as well as offering residents sensible saving plans and sound financial management.
West Cheshire Credit Union is a not-for-profit community based organisation, which has interview rooms at CDHT’s Centurion House, Northgate Street, Chester offices. The offices are open in reception on Monday and Wednesday mornings from 10am to 11.30pm, where customers can join West Cheshire Credit Union, deposit money and also hand in requests for share withdrawals and loan applications.
Paul Knight, CDHT Assistant Director Performance & Income, said:
“We have been working closely with West Cheshire Credit Union since 2007 and want to raise the awareness of their services to our customers and individuals across Chester and West Cheshire who may have issues with multiple debts and problems establishing savings. The West Cheshire Credit Union provides a secure way of saving, as well as low interest loans, which is a much better option than borrowing from loan sharks or any other high interest lender. West Cheshire Credit Union has a social conscience and has a similar philosophy to the Trust, offering what we consider to be the best services for our customers.”
Neil Jay, Manager of West Cheshire Credit Union, added:
“We are delighted to be working with Chester & District Housing Trust which has been extremely supportive of West Cheshire Credit Union. CDHT’s Chief Executive John Denny has been a long-standing supporter and member of the credit union. After our recent expansion, we now have just over 1,750 members across Chester and West Cheshire. We operate on a not-for-profit basis, allowing customers to borrow responsibly while ensuring they are supported by savings. We are currently working with CDHT’s Customer Accounts Team to develop new initiatives and more flexible ways of providing our service to the housing trust’s customers, such as ‘white goods’ loans to aid the purchase of household appliances. We are really pleased to be working with the local Comet store, based at the Greyhound Park to offer low cost loans for new tenants of CDHT to purchase appliances.
Initially, this scheme will be offered to new tenants or tenants who are changing properties. If the scheme is a success, it is intended to open to existing tenants at the end of the pilot scheme.
We hope this agreement will encourage new tenants to come to the Credit Union for a loan rather than going to a doorstep lender, getting a better deal for borrowers and ensuring that loans are well spent."
Anyone who lives or works in West Cheshire and Chester boundaries can apply to West Cheshire Credit Union. You must become a member to apply for loans and terms and conditions apply.
Ends: 526 words
Notes to Editors:
For more information and photos please visit:
http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/clientpo/chester-district-housing-trust
Notes to editors
Chester & District Housing Trust (CDHT) is a dynamic and enterprising organisation at the forefront of delivering positive impacts in the communities with which it works. The Trust’s homes span six communities – Blacon North; Blacon South; Chester City Area; The Rurals; Lache and Handbridge; Upton, Hoole, Newton and Plas Newton.
Committed to the best principles of social enterprise with over 14,000 local customers in 6,200 properties and 53% of its 275 colleagues living within its communities, the Trust adheres to key commitments and principles relating to people, places, partnerships and performance which underpin the Vision to ‘create opportunity’, through its mission, ‘by doing the right thing’.
The Trust is about being transparent and accountable in everything that is done and to this end is one of the first organisations nationally to have established a Residents’ Board, with full delegated powers from the Trust Board, to direct services which impact upon their lives.
The Trust has a comprehensive development programme delivering over 330 new homes including the £12million regeneration of the Treborth Road area of Chester providing new homes for rent, sale and shared ownership, as well as a village green and wildlife habitats.
CDHT also provides services on a partnership basis, to a number of other customers e.g. Telecare services, TrustWorks Maintenance Services, Housing Options advice, waiting list management and choice based lettings to neighbouring local authorities and registered social landlords.
The Trust is rated as two Star excellent by the Audit Commission, has the highest possible rating from Telecare Services Association and is also credited Investors in People and is the overall Employer of the Year For Cheshire West. It has been in the ‘Top 100 Sunday Times best companies to work for’ for the last 2 years.
For more details please visit Click here to view the website or request a copy of CDHT’s Corporate Plan 2009-2014.
CDHT Press Contacts: Phil Brotherhood
Click here to email Phil
M: 07884 493370
Jane Harrad-Roberts
Click here to email Jane
M: 07785 395705
W: Click here to view the website
T: 01244 330000
Return to Chester & District Housing Trust listings
> Return to Client Press Office
