GovWire

Guidance: Service Family Accommodation

Ministry Of Defence

January 12
15:47 2024

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 12 January 2024

Cold weather alert

A cold weather alert has been issued for parts of the UK next week, with colder temperatures expected and the potential for snow. DIO and our suppliers have provisions in place to ensure we are prepared to provide the right level of support for families.

There are also steps families can take if they are experiencing issues with their boiler or heating during the colder weather. Please check out Pinnacles boiler and heating guide for more information.

If families are still having problems with their boiler or heating system, please contact Pinnacle National Call Centre on 0800 031 8628.

Update 14 December

Included in this issue of Families First:

  • a message from Phil Riley
  • Christmas Service Update for Families
  • investment across the SFA estate
  • tell us what you think of the Families First Newsletter
  • key dates to note and useful links

Families First - Issue 12 (PDF, 364 KB, 2 pages)

Update 29 November

Included in this issue of Families First:

  • DIOs support to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)
  • TechSee using remote technology to help resolve faults
  • investment across the SFA estate
  • key dates to note
  • useful links

Families First - Issue 11 (PDF, 439 KB, 2 pages)

Update 21 November

DIOs support to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP)

The UK Government has made a commitment to resettle Afghan nationals who worked for, or alongside, the British armed forces in support of the UKs mission in Afghanistan. The MOD owes a debt of gratitude to these families, and is therefore contributing to cross-government efforts to house those who are eligible under the ARAP to the UK.

To ensure that ARAP families can begin a settled life in the UK, the MOD is offering transitional and settled accommodation from the defence estate as follows:

Transitional accommodation

  • Large sites: two defence training sites will be used to accommodate ARAP families for short periods as they arrive from overseas, and before moving to leased SFA or commercially sourced accommodation.

  • Transitional SFA: SFA to be used for around six-week periods to accommodate ARAP families arriving from overseas. As above, this will provide temporary accommodation for ARAP families while settled accommodation is sourced. It will operate on a rolling basis.

Leased accommodation

  • Void SFA: void SFA will be leased to Afghan families for three-year periods (for those with two to four bed requirements). All SFA offered is outside the wire.

More information on the programme:ARAP: further information on eligibility criteria, offer details and how to apply.

There are already over 200 Afghan families living in SFA, and it is expected that there will be many more moving into previously void SFA over the coming months and years.

DIO recognises that this may cause some concern, and is developing ways to mitigate the impact on service families. This includes looking to replace some of the homes provided for ARAP families with newly purchased homes for service personnel and their families to increase capacity.

It is worth noting that overall responsibility for delivering welfare support and settling ARAP families into their local community will mostly sit with local authorities.

Cultural leaflets will also be disseminated to service personnel and their families to help them understand more about the ARAP families moving in.If you wish to volunteer to assist in integrating neighbouring Afghan families into the community, theGovernment Afghanistan Housing Portaloffers guidance on how people, organisations and businesses can offer support.

Please contact your head of establishment or your service housing Colonel if you have any further questions or concerns.

Update 31 October

Included in this issue of Families First:

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