Your December update from Selwood Housing

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Dear ,

Welcome to your December update which includes an update on the recent fire at a block of flats in Frome, the transformation of Cobbett House and our Christmas hours.

Frome fire update

You may already be aware that a fire broke out on Wednesday 3 December at one of our blocks of flats in Edmund Park, Frome. Fortunately, all residents were able to evacuate safely.

Nine customers were required to leave their homes following the fire, and we have been providing daily, tailored support to each of them. We have ensured that all residents have safe and secure accommodation over the Christmas period. Some are staying with friends or family, while others have been placed in temporary housing, including vacant properties owned by Selwood Housing.

In addition, we are working closely with every individual to understand their medium- and long-term housing needs and to identify suitable homes for the months ahead, ensuring they have everything they need during this time.

The Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue service have completed their assessment and reported to us that the fire at Marigold Road started accidentally. The report also confirmed that the building's fire defences worked as they were expected to.

Our staff have been present at the building since the fire. A structural survey was conducted and the damaged gable end was reduced to a safe level. We plan to erect a temporary roof before Christmas to allow the building to dry out, before repair works can begin next year.

We would like to extend our thanks to Somerset Council, Frome Town Council, Fair Frome, Frome Rotary Club, Frome Library and the local community who have rallied together to support our customers at this difficult time.

We will continue to provide updates on a dedicated page on our website. If you have any questions or need support, you can contact us on 01225 715 715.

Fire safety this Christmas

The recent fire serves as a stark reminder of fire safety this Christmas. Read our news article to find out the best ways to stay fire safe this festive season, including tips on smoke alarms, not overloading sockets and outdoor decorations.

In our flats and sheltered schemes, we administer a clear corridors policy. This policy is in place to ensure the safety of residents and visitors. Clear corridors provide escape routes, access for emergency services and stop fires spreading so, if you live in one of our blocks of flats, please ensure you follow our clear corridors policy. Don't leave items in the hallways, and please refrain from decorating your doorways.

Exciting upgrades at Cobbett House

We’re thrilled to announce that Cobbett House in Warminster has undergone a major renovation! The communal lounge, kitchen, bathroom, guest room, and reception area have all been refreshed to create a more welcoming, comfortable, and modern space.

These improvements mean better facilities and a more functional space for customers and guests to relax or connect with others. Plus, the new communal areas are now available for hire for social events, community groups, and gatherings.

A huge thank you to the incredible contractors who generously donated their time and materials to make this possible:

The Floor Smith Ltd: gifted stunning new flooring.
John O’Conner: supplied materials and labour to relandscape the rear garden and gifted a cosy corner seat for two.
Pipefix: donated two new benches and refurbished the entrance porch.
Elite Electrical: installed new ceiling lights, bulbs, and socket fittings.
Paula Rosa Manhattan: gifted the beautiful high-end kitchen.

And of course, a big thank you to our residents who were so patient while works were ongoing, and our internal team at Selwood Housing who carried out a lot of the work.

If you are looking for a space to hire for your next community event, please contact customer support on 01225 715715 and ask to speak to the supported housing team.

Priority neighbourhoods project 2025/26:

highlights and what's coming next

Our Priority Neighbourhoods project team have been busy this year delivering a range of community-focused activities across seven Trowbridge neighbourhoods. Events and activities have included:

‘Love Your Garden’ competition in partnership with Trowbridge Garden Centre.

Community Fun Day at Charlotte Square.

Support for the Longfield foodbank with staff on site distributing food and connecting with residents.

Successful large item clearance days at Ashmead, College and Longfield.

Festive ‘Carols and Mince Pie’ events at The Homestead and in Hilperton with support from local school children.

Sponsored a Christmas tree and decorations with Trowbridge Garden Centre for Trowbridge Futures Seymour Hub.

You can find out more about what’s been achieved so far on our website.

There’s lots more to come, here’s what the project team have planned:

More estate clearance days.

Improvements to communal areas and signage at Ashmead Court, and upgrade of bin stores.

Door adjustment programme (phase 2) to address noise complaints by adjusting noisy entrance and fire doors.

Possible bike refurbishment project and community children’s group – watch this space!

Thanks to all our customers who have attended and supported our project activities this year, your involvement is helping to create lasting positive change in our communities.

Making rent payments simple

If you pay your rent via PayPoint, setting up an online account can save you time and hassle. Once registered, your details will be securely stored, meaning you can make a payment any time, and making future payments faster and easier. Please note, PayPoint is a separate company to Selwood Housing.

To ensure we can trace your payments, you will need to input your tenancy number when you register for an account. This can be found on any correspondence you’ve received from us. If you would rather set up a direct debit, which is our preferred method for payments, please contact our customer support team on 01225 715715 and select option 2. Customer support can also provide you with details of your tenancy number if you can’t find it. More information, including a downloadable paper form for direct debits, is available on our website.

For answers to common questions, you can view our FAQs at click here to view the PayPoint FAQs.

A quick reminder about 'flushable' wipes

As we head into the festive season, many of you may be welcoming friends and family into your homes. With the extra activity, it’s a good time to share an important reminder: so-called “flushable” wipes aren’t truly flushable.

Even though the packaging suggests otherwise, these wipes don’t break down like toilet paper and can cause clogs in both your plumbing and the wider drainage system.

To keep everything running smoothly over Christmas, please avoid flushing wipes of any kind, and consider letting your visitors know as well. Nobody wants to deal with a blocked toilet during the holidays!

Thank you for helping keep our homes and community systems running well.

Christmas hours and customer support

Our offices will close for the Christmas period at 2pm on Wednesday 24 December and reopen on Friday 2 January at 8.30am. If you need to raise an emergency or priority repair during this time, please call 01225 715 715 and you will be put through to our out of hours service. You can find out more about our repair categories on our repairs service webpage.

You can request a routine repair online which will be scheduled once the offices reopen in January. We also have a webpage dedicated to repair tips and advice, if you find yourself in need over the festive period. You can also email us general enquiries via info@selwoodhousing.com and we will get back to you in the new year.

If you need to get in touch with us following the Christmas break, please bear in mind that the phone lines will be busy on Friday 2 January, so you may want to try phoning the following week if your call is not urgent.

We wish you all a very happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year!