GovWire

Guidance: Service Family Accommodation

Defence Infrastructure Organisation

August 21
14:08 2023

Overview

The provision of good quality homes for Service personnel and their families is an important priority for the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) manages around 49,000 homes in the UK on behalf of the MOD and is also responsible for planning for future requirements and targeted improvement programmes.

DIO operates four Regional Accommodation Maintenance Services (RAMS) contracts which provide statutory and mandatory checks, repair and maintenance services and the preparation of allocated homes for Service families. Amey Community Ltd manage the Northern and Central regions and VIVO cover the South East and South West.

On behalf ofDIO, Pinnacle Group Ltd operate our UK National Service Centre through the National Accommodation Management Services (NAMS) contract. This provides a single point of contact for requests from families living in Service Family Accommodation (SFA) including raising repairs and maintenance issues, the allocations of homes and conducting move-in and move-out appointments. Contact details can be found on the Pinnacle Service Families website. Pinnacle also provide DIO with consolidated management information, which DIO uses to manage the four regional contracts directly.

Example image of Service Family Accommodation shows a modern semi detached house with garage and shared front garden of green lawns.

Service Family Accommodation in Buckinghamshire (MOD/Crown Copyright).

The Customer Service Charter SFA Customer Charter (PDF, 1.32 MB, 4 pages) is DIOs commitment to Service personnel and their families to provide decent living standards and excellent customer service. We are committed to improving the condition and standard of the Service Family Accommodation (SFA) estate; sustaining improved levels of maintenance and repair performance; and enhancing customer service.

Latest news for SFA residents

Update 27 June

Included in this issue of Families First:

  • Performance update on Accommodation contracts
  • Broadband boost for Service Personnel and their families
  • Summer Safety Notice
  • Key dates to note
  • Useful links

Families First - Issue 8 (PDF, 902 KB, 2 pages)

Update 18 May

Landlord Gas Safety Inspections (LGSIs)

DIO and its suppliers are undertaking an important programme of works to carry out Landlord Gas Safety Inspections (LGSIs) across the SFA estate. This programme of works will commence on 22 May 2023 and is scheduled to complete by the end of June 2023.

You will be notified via letter if you are impacted. For families with short notice appointments during the week commencing 22 May 2023, you may also receive a telephone call and email from the suppliers.

It is vital that VIVO/Amey and their sub-contractors are allowed access to your home to carry out these inspections to ensure your family and neighbours remain safe. The Chain of Command across all three Services is supporting this programme and has agreed for Service personnel to make their SFA their place of duty on the day of appointment except where they are on essential duty elsewhere. DIO staff and unit staff have worked together to ensure that visits are planned around unit commitments wherever possible.

Families normally receive a one-hour slot for LGSI appointments. However, this has been temporarily paused for this important programme and an engineer will attend your home between the hours of 8am and 8pm. We understand this may inconvenience some families and we are sorry for this, but we need to maximise engineers time in your area to allow them to visit as many homes as possible throughout the day to complete the LGSIs.

LGSIs are required by law for all occupied rented homes and LGSI certificates need to be renewed every 12 months. It is vital that the engineer can access your home to conduct this mandatory safety inspection, providing access for this important safety visit is one of the terms of your licence.

Installing smart meters in SFA homes

If you would like to install a smart meter in your home or change the existing smart meter, you can make a request directly to your utility supplier. You dont need to seek permission from DIO. There is also no need to remove the smart meter when you move out of your SFA home. Please leave the digital display unit for the next family to use.

If you live in a home where your electric and/or gas is supplied by the MOD, you cannot request to change the meter. However, DIO is planning a programme of meter replacements to these homes to be delivered when other significant electrical works are also carried out in the SFA.

Combined Accommodation Assessment System (CAAS) Surveys

CAAS surveys of your home are important and we are grateful for your cooperation in allowing these surveys take place. DIO will write to you in advance to inform you when a survey needs to take place. It is important you allow the surveyor access to your home. If the date of the CAAS survey isnt convenient for you, please rearrange at the earliest opportunity using the contact details in your letter. We can then agree a time that works for you.

CAAS surveys are important as they ensure service family homes are safe for occupation and that the correct CAAS Band charge is being applied. The data gathered at CAAS surveys will also identify what works are required at that address and will inform future upgrade and improvement programmes.

Further information about CAAS.

Update 5 October

Pre-move-out appointments

We encourage families to book your Pre-Move-Out (PMO) appointment at least one calendar month before your potential Move-Out date. This will allow sufficient time to prepare your home to the Move-Out standard. It will also help to ensure that the Housing Officer can identify any potential works that need to take place in your home before a new family move in. The booking of PMO appointments is predominantly via the e-1132 system on a self-serve basis. We thank you for your co-operation.

Gas and Electrical Statutory and Mandatory Inspections

It is a legal requirement to undertake gas and electrical safety checks in your home to reduce the potential for a carbon monoxide incident or an electrical fire, and to keep you and your family safe fro

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