Sustainable homes, sustainable communities. Tenant Handbook

Transcription

1 Sustainabe homes, sustainabe communities Tenant Handbook

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3 Wecome Wecome to your new home. We aim to give you the highest possibe eve of service. We have produced this handbook to hep you. It contains usefu information about us, the services we provide and your rights and responsibiities. Pease note there is a separate handbook covering repairs and maintenance. As your andord, we are responsibe for managing your property and we work cosey with our partners to make sure that our services are of a high standard and good vaue for money. We have tried to incude as much information as possibe in your handbook, but if you don t find what you are ooking for, pease contact us. It is necessary to update the handbook from time to time but the atest version is aways avaiabe on our website or can be sent to you. We hope you wi be very happy in your new home.

4 Contents Page Contacting us 1 Emergencies 4 About your home 6 Moving in 11 Your tenancy agreement 16 Rent and charges 21 Living in your home 26 Looking after your home 30 Areas outside of your home 34 Getting on with your neighbours 40 Getting invoved 44 Putting things right 46 Moving on 50 Ending your tenancy 52 i For information on repairs and maintenance pease refer to our separate Repairs Handbook avaiabe to downoad at or emai us at customerservices@hastoe.com to receive a copy.

5 Section 1 Contacting us 1

6 Section 1 Contacting us Hastoe Hub - one number, one emai: Hastoe Hub is your first point of contact for a enquiries. Opening Times: 9am 5pm Monday to Friday Teephone: Textphone: Website: Emai: customerservices@hastoe.com Customer porta: Out of hours emergency number: 5pm to 9am; weekends and bank hoidays. Lo-ca: Resident Web Porta Hastoe has a web porta where you can og in securey and see your rent account information and repairs history, as we as being a one stop shop for things such as paying rent or requesting a repair. You wi need to register on the porta before you can use it. Pease contact Hastoe Hub for detais on how to register. South and Head Office Marina House 17 Marina Pace, Hampton Wick Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 4BH Opening Times: 9am 5pm, Monday to Friday West Office Feur de Lis Middemarsh Street Poundbury Dorchester Dorset DT1 3GX Opening Times: 9am 5pm, Monday to Friday If you intend to visit our offices in person it is important that you teephone the Hastoe Hub to make an appointment first. This wi enabe us to ensure that the correct person is avaiabe to dea with your enquiry. East Office Rectory Farm Barns Litte Chesterford Saffron Waden Essex CB10 1UD Opening Times: 9am 5pm, Monday to Friday Write to our head office at: FREEPOST HASTOE 2

7 Section 1 Contacting us When you get in touch We aim to answer your ca within six rings. At busy times, if we can t answer your ca straight away, we wi te you how ong you have to wait. We wi acknowedge contacts through the resident porta, emais and etters on the day they are received. We wi own your enquiry and where possibe resove it at the first point of contact. If we can t dea with your enquiry straight away, we wi et you know the steps we wi take to reach a resoution and when. We wi ensure you are satisfied with the way we handed your contact. If things go wrong we wi own your compaint and make sure that the issue is resoved as quicky as possibe. Visiting our offices and visiting you in your home You can visit our offices by appointment between 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday We wi offer a private interview area for confidentia enquiries We wi provide or arrange interpreting faciities on request We can arrange to visit you in your home by appointment Our staff wi aways carry identification with them and we wi provide that identification on arriva at your home 3

8 Section 2 Emergencies Gas eaks Fire Water eaks or foods Eectricity faiure 4

9 Section 2 Emergencies Gas eaks If you sme gas or think you have a gas eak, contact Transco immediatey on (in the phone book under Gas) and take their advice. Do not smoke. Do not turn any ight switches or eectrica equipment on or off. Open doors and windows. Check if a gas appiance has been eft on or a piot ight has bown out. Turn off the gas suppy at the meter. Fire If you discover a fire in your home: ca the fire brigade by diaing 999; and make sure everyone eaves the property immediatey. Water eaks or foods If you have a water eak in your home: turn off the water at the main stop tap (refer to Chapter 3); and ca Hastoe Hub on or (out of hours). If you are at risk of fooding, ca Foodine on Eectricity faiure It is dangerous if water is eaking onto eectrica fittings. If you have an eectricity emergency: do not touch bare wires, or sockets or switches turn the power off at the mains; and ca Hastoe Hub on or (out of hours). 5

10 Section 3 About your home Information about your home 6

11 Section 3 About your home About your home The staff member showing you around your new home for the first time wi fi in the foowing sections: Your Area Housing Manager is: Te no: Emai: Heating, hot water and eectricity suppies Your home is heated by: Gas/oi centra heating Eectric storage heaters Soid fue fired centra heating Ground source heat pumps/soar Other Where you can find your water, gas, eectricity and heating contros The contros for your heating and hot water are ocated: The temperature of your heating is controed by: Wa thermostat Individua thermostats 7

12 Section 3 About your home The hot water is heated by: Gas/oi centra heating Eectric storage heaters Soid fue fired centra heating Ground source heat pumps/soar Other Your eectricity meter can be found: Your gas meter can be found: 8

13 Section 3 About your home Your water meter can be found: Your stopcock (to turn your water on and off) can be found: The main stopcock to the buiding can be found: At the time you moved into your new home the meter readings were: Water Gas Eectricity 9

14 Section 3 About your home These are the keys we handed over when you moved in Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Communa entrance Front door yae Front door mortice Back door yae Back door mortice Gas meter cupboard Eectricity meter cupboard Patio door Window ocks Garage key Bin store key Other Signed (staff members) Signed (tenant) Equipment and appiance operating manua We wi try as much as possibe to provide you with instructions to a fitted appiances in your home, particuary your heating. If your home is not new the previous tenant may have eft these behind. You may find it usefu to keep these with the manua for the future reference. 10

15 Section 4 When you move in Shared areas Moving in Visiting you after your tenancy begins Costs of running a home Insurance 11

16 Section 4 Moving in When you move in After the ast tenant has moved out and before you move into your home we wi carry out genera repairs and maintenance to make sure that it meets our ettings standard. The standard can be viewed on our website or we can send you a copy. The amount of work that we have to do argey depends on the age and condition of the property when it is handed back to us, but we wi bring a properties up to the reet standard before you move in. It is important to move in to your new home quicky, at the start of your tenancy. If not, we may think that you do not need it or have abandoned the property. Aso, if you are eigibe for Housing Benefit you wi not be entited to it when you are not iving in the property. We want you to be happy and comfortabe in your new home and you can decorate and personaise it to make it your own. Shared areas If you ive in a property where you share doors, stairs, gardens or any areas with other peope, then this is part of your home. It is your responsibiity, aong with the other tenants iving there, to keep these areas secure, cean and tidy. Some properties have ceaning and gardening contractors to assist in maintaining the communa areas. You wi be tod about these when you sign your tenancy agreement. Pease note a our interna communa spaces are no smoking areas. Visiting you after your tenancy begins Within the first six to ten weeks of your tenancy starting an Area Housing Manager wi offer to visit you at home. They wi check: you have setted in and are not having any difficuties, for exampe using the centra heating a repairs we agreed when you accepted the tenancy have been carried out no further repairs are needed you understand the conditions of your tenancy you don t have any probems paying your rent; and update your contact detais you are aware of ways that you can become invoved with the management of your home. 12

17 Section 4 Moving in Costs of running a home There are quite a ot of expenses associated with running a home, which you are responsibe for. Counci Tax Contact your Loca Counci. Gas To find out who suppies your gas, ca the meter number hepine on Eectricity To find out who suppies your eectricity, contact your oca eectricity distribution company. Their number shoud be in the phone book under eectricity or you can ca directory enquiries. Once through to the oca eectricity company, you shoud ask for their meter point administration service. Water Your water provider is based on where you ive and cannot be changed. You can ring Water UK to find out who your provider is on Teephone The phone ine shoud have been disconnected before you moved in. To connect the phone, you can contact British Teecom. Once you have a BT ine, you can decide which company you want to provide your phone service. TV icence You can ring the TV icensing company on or go to There are many different providers of most of these services, and it is up to you to decide which suit your needs the best. One of the ways to do this is to use an internet comparison service which tes you about your options. 13

18 Section 4 Moving in Insurance What insurance do you need? There are two types of househod insurance poicies buidings insurance to protect against damage to the structure of your home together with its fixtures and fittings, and home contents insurance that protects you against damage or oss of your possessions. We arrange buidings insurance but you need to arrange your own home contents insurance. You need to make sure you have enough cover for your possessions. What does home contents insurance do? This information is genera guidance ony and wi change from poicy to poicy. Pease read any poicy you take out carefuy to make sure it provides the cover you need. A contents poicy covers just about everything you own in your home furniture, furnishings, househod goods, kitchen equipment, teevisions, video, computers, audio equipment, cothing, persona beongings and vauabes up to certain imits. There are a wide range of contents poicies avaiabe which wi provide either repacement as new or new-for-od, or indemnity cover. For tenants, many poicies provide some cover for your iabiity for damage to the buiding. The poicy is a contract between the insurer and you. It paces ega obigations on both you and the insurer. For exampe, the insurer agrees to cover you against oss, damage or ega iabiity, which may happen during the period of insurance which you are covered for. In return, you and members of your househod must keep the insured possessions in a good state of repair and take a reasonabe steps to prevent injury, oss or damage. NB Laminate fooring is not covered under buidings insurance. Structura damage caused to your property by, for exampe, water wi be repaired by Hastoe. Any damage to your contents wi be your responsibiity. 14

19 Section 4 Moving in Your usefu notes... 15

20 Section 5 Your tenancy agreement Your tenancy The main parts of your tenancy agreement 16

21 Section 5 Your tenancy agreement Your tenancy When you signed your tenancy agreement, you made a egay binding agreement with us to keep to the terms and accepted the responsibiities of the agreement. To meet your responsibiities we wi expect you to: pay the rent ook after your home behave appropriatey be a responsibe househoder. The rest of this section expains your tenancy agreement in more detai. The main parts of your tenancy agreement Different agreements give you different rights. This part of the handbook highights the main causes of your tenancy agreement and how they affect you. You need to check what agreement you have and see what appies to you. If you are unsure then you shoud contact us and we wi confirm what your agreement says. We have put them in aphabetica order to hep you refer to them. Antisocia behaviour, domestic vioence and harassment There are causes in your tenancy agreement which commit you to not taking part in antisocia behaviour, incuding domestic vioence and harassment. There is more information about this in section 10 Getting on with your neighbours. 17

22 Ending your tenancy You must give a east one month s notice in writing when you wish to end your tenancy (see section 16 Ending your tenancy). In certain circumstances, it may be possibe for your tenancy to pass to another member of your famiy. Different tenancies have different rights so you need to check what your agreement says. You may be abe to appy for a transfer or a mutua exchange. Pets and animas You must obtain our written permission to keep pets. If you keep a pet, you must: aways keep it under contro not aow it to cause a nuisance or danger to any person not aow it to damage our property; and not aow it to fou any communa or pubic area. We ony aow cats and dogs in certain types of property. We receive many compaints from tenants about dogs barking and fouing shared areas. It is your responsibiity to keep your pet under contro at a times and to make sure that it does not fou any part of the estate. If the dog does fou the estate, you must cear it up. If your pet is found to be repeatedy causing nuisance, we may ask you to find it a new home. Reationship break ups When a coupe decide they can no onger ive together, a decision has to be made about their shared home. If you and your partner are joint tenants and you can agree who shoud keep the tenancy, you can just et your oca office know. They wi arrange for the tenancy to be transferred if there are no breaches of your tenancy agreement. If you cannot agree or the partner wanting to stay is not a tenant, you shoud contact us immediatey and consut a soicitor or the Housing Advice Centre. Here are some basic guideines. 18

23 Section 5 Your tenancy agreement If your marriage ends During divorce proceedings, a husband and wife have equa rights to their marita home unti a property settement order is made. This is the case whether the tenancy is in joint names or in the name of ony one partner. If you are not married: Joint tenants Joint tenants each have an equa right to their home. The county court can order them to transfer the tenancy to their partner for good if that partner has custody of any chidren. One tenant If the tenancy is hed by one person, and the coupe have no chidren, that person can appy to the county court and force their partner to eave. However, if the partner has any chidren, the court may order the tenancy to be transferred to them. Rent You must pay your rent monthy in advance. It is very important to do this, and we wi take your faiure to pay your rent very seriousy. There are fu detais in section 6 Rents and charges. Transferring your tenancy (assignment), odgers and subetting You are not aowed to assign your tenancy (transfer your tenancy rights to another person), without our written permission or the permission of a court. Some tenancies forbid odgers so you wi need to check what your agreement says. Before taking in a odger you must et us know. You must not subet (rent out) your home. Using the premises You must ive in the property as your ony or main home and you must not aow any iega activities to take pace in it or from it. You must get our written permission if you want to run a business from your property. 19

24 Section 5 Your tenancy agreement Work to your property It is important that your home is kept in good repair. Information about your rights and responsibiities for getting repairs done is in the Repairs Handbook. If you wish to carry out an ateration or improvement to your home you shoud contact us to get written permission. Vioence in the home If you are the victim of vioence or fee threatened by vioence, pease contact the poice immediatey. If you cannot go home, you wi need to find housing whie a soution is found. We wi do a we can to assist and discuss your options with you. You coud aso try: friends or reatives the oca authority housing department; or Women s Aid Refuges (nationa hepine: freephone ). Out of office hours, phone your oca poice who wi be abe to contact the emergency duty team of Socia Services. 20

25 Section 6 When your rent is due Your rent expained Rents and charges Service charges How to pay your rent Housing Benefit and Universa Credit Difficuties paying your rent 21

26 Section 6 Rents and charges When your rent is due Your rent is payabe in advance. It is due for payment on the first day of each month. Your rent expained The rent covers: the cost of providing the buiding the cost of maintaining the property our management costs. It is very important that you pay your rent. In some situations you coud ose your home, and possiby strugge to be rehoused by another oca authority or housing association. There is more information about managing your rent further on in this section. Your rent wi be reviewed once every year and we wi give you at east one month s notice of any changes. The date of your rent review depends on the type of tenancy you have. If you are a secure tenant you have the right to a registered (or fair ) rent as set by The Rent Service. We wi appy for a new rent register for your property every two years, at which time The Rent Service wi set the maximum rent payabe for the next two years. Your rent wi be reviewed annuay and any increases (if appicabe) wi take pace no ess than 52 weeks after the ast increase and you wi receive one month s notice of any changes. Service charges In addition to your rent some properties have a service charge for services provided to your home and not charged for in your rent. These may be things ike: communa heating ighting and ceaning communa areas andscape maintenance; and sewage treatment pant and pumping station. A service charges are detaied on your tenancy agreement. Your service charge wi aso be reviewed every year and we wi give you at east one month s notice of any changes. 22

27 Section 6 Rents and charges How to pay your rent If for any reason you think that you wi have difficuty in paying your rent, contact us. We wi be abe to give you advice and support to hep you pay the rent and manage your money. For money advice you can aso contact the Citizens Advice Bureau, which offers free and independent advice. Residents are expected to pay their rent by direct debit. You wi be asked to compete a direct debit form when you sign your tenancy agreement or it can be set up over the teephone by Hastoe Hub. Forms are aso avaiabe on our website or contact Hastoe Hub. If you do not have a bank account we can advise you on how to get one. If you fee you wi have difficuties paying your rent by direct debit pease discuss this with your Area Housing Manager. If there is a difficuty with your direct debit we can accept payments using the foowing methods: Post Office or Pay Point outets We wi issue an Apay rent payment card on request to et you pay at any post office or outet showing the Pay Zone and Pay Point signs. Payments wi normay take 3 days to reach your account. Internet banking If you bank onine, you can set up either a standing order or a one off payment. Pease ensure you quote your 6 digit tenant reference or easehoder number as the reference. Debit/credit card You can pay your rent by debit or credit card via Aternativey, if you have an Apay swipe card you can ca their 24- hour payment ine and foow the automated instructions. Cheques Pease make cheques payabe to Hastoe Housing Association Limited (or if appropriate Hastoe Wyvern Housing Association Limited). Pease put your tenant number and address on the reverse. Office payment You can pay by cheque at a oca office though you wi need to make appointment before visiting. Standing Order Pease contact Hastoe Hub and ask for a standing order form. See next page for our account detais. 23

28 Section 6 Rents and charges Standing orders shoud be made to the accounts beow Housing Association Sort Code Account Number Hastoe Housing Association Hastoe Wyvern Housing Association The Bernard Herridge Charity Contact us for our bank detais if you do not aready have them One off payments shoud be made to the accounts beow Housing Association Sort Code Account Number Hastoe Housing Association Hastoe Wyvern Housing Association The Bernard Herridge Charity Housing Benefit and Universa Credit Housing Benefit is avaiabe from the counci for a tenants to hep with rent payments if you are on a ow income or unempoyed. You need to make a caim to the Housing Benefit department and make sure that they are paying. In most cases, Housing Benefit is paid every four weeks in arrears. This means you wi need to make additiona payments to cear the arrears. Pease discuss this with your Area Housing Manager. If you are entited to ony partia Housing Benefit you must pay the rest of your rent in advance. A new benefit caed Universa Credit is currenty being introduced. This brings together a range of benefits incuding housing benefit and wi be administered by the Department for Work and Pensions. Universa Credit is being appied in stages athough over time wi be introduced for a benefit caimants. This is paid monthy in arrears and is normay paid directy to the caimant. It is therefore residents responsibiity to make sure the rent is paid on time. If you want to discuss a benefit appication pease contact your Area Housing Manager. If you are overpaid benefit you wi have to pay it back. If there are any changes in your circumstances (for exampe your annua rent increase) you must contact your Housing Benefit Office immediatey to notify them. 24

29 Section 6 Rents and charges Difficuties paying your rent If for any reason you think you are going to have difficuty in paying, pease contact us immediatey. We can hep with advice and support. You may aso want to read our Managing your money eafet avaiabe on our website or we can send you a copy. For money advice you can aso contact the Citizens Advice Bureau, which offers a free and independent service. If you miss a rent payment you wi be in arrears. We wi normay take ega action where arrears are over 100 and a repayment arrangement is not being maintained. Pease note that if you do not pay your rent this can ead to you being evicted from your home. 25

30 Section 7 Looking after your home Living in your home Reguar checks Safety When you are away Smoking Aids and adaptations Can I buy my rented home 26

31 Section 7 Living in your home Looking after your home You have a responsibiity to keep your home in good condition by: keeping it cean and tidy both inside and outside keeping the inside we decorated keeping gardens cutivated, tidy and free from rubbish keeping the garden and dividing fences, was and hedges (except those next to pubic footpaths or roads) in good condition finding out what the rues are about bonfires before having one - the Environmenta Heath Department at your oca counci wi be abe to te you about this putting your rubbish out reguary and securey, on the day of the bin coection and compying with oca recycing arrangements parking consideratey repairing, at your own cost, any damage caused by you, your famiy or visitors reporting a repairs prompty ony making aterations with our permission. Reguar checks You need to check your property reguary to keep it in good order. You shoud: test your smoke detector every week and change the battery every 12 months check your main stop tap on heating system every six months check the water system (pipes, bathrooms, toiets, kitchens, water tanks, radiators) for minor eaks every three months check pugs and fexes every month for wear and tear aow us access for the gas check each year. Safety Here are just a few tips to keep you and your home safe. Don t make any aterations to your home without our approva. 27

32 Section 7 Living in your home Never run cabes under carpets or overoad sockets. Take care when smoking in your home and make sure you put cigarettes out. Make sure you know who is at your door before you open it. If in doubt, ask for identity and check with their office. Before you go to bed, turn off a appiances and cose a doors. You must not store botted gas, paraffin, petro or any other toxic or dangerous goods or substances in your home, garage, store or any shared areas or baconies. Contact us if you require advice on asbestos in the home a safety guide on asbestos is avaiabe on our website or we can send you a copy. Before you go out make sure that: you shut and ock doors and windows you cose curtains at night you ock garden sheds you keep adders securey ocked away. When you are away It is important that you te us if you are going to be away for more than one month. Before you go away you shoud: make sure that a your windows and doors are cosed and ocked reduce the heating so that you don t have to pay unnecessary costs, but are warm enough to stop your pipes from freezing make sure that a taps are off cance a deiveries of mik, newspapers. 28

33 Section 7 Living in your home Smoking New aws say that you are not aowed to smoke in a pubic area. This incudes any shared areas, for exampe, stairways or entrance has. You can smoke in your own property, but pease do not smoke for at east an hour before you are expecting a visit from us or a contractor, or during a visit. Ony smoke in rooms where staff or contractors are not visiting. For more detais you can request our smoke free poicy. Aids and adaptations in the home Hastoe wi hep residents with home aids and adaptations and we wi work in partnership with oca government and heath authorities, to ensure that we find the most appropriate soution to meet the needs of our disabed and vunerabe tenants. If you need further advice on this service then pease contact Hastoe Hub for more information. Can I buy my rented home? There are two schemes which provide some residents with the opportunity to buy their rented home. These are known as the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes. Specific reguations appy to these schemes and many residents are not eigibe. More detais about the schemes can be found in a eafet on our website or this can be sent to you. Your Area Housing Manager wi aso be abe to advise you. Hastoe wi not normay se its homes outside of these rights as we need to continue to provide affordabe rented homes for those who need them. 29

34 Section 8 Repairs service Looking after your home Your responsibiities Condensation and moud Preventing damp Frost damage Pests 30

35 Section 8 Looking after your home Repairs service We have produced a Repairs Handbook which provides guidance on reporting repairs and what repairs we wi carry out. This is avaiabe on our website or we can send you a copy. Your responsibiities You are responsibe for repairing any fixture and fittings that beong to you. There are aso some minor repairs and probems that are your responsibiity. These incude: bocked drains and toiets if you caused the bockage repacing ost keys (it is advisabe to eave a spare key with a reative or neighbour) damage caused by your appiances (such as a washing machine) repacing broken windows without a crime reference number repacing tap washers, toiet seats, fuses, bath and sink pugs, and ight bubs (except in specia cases) refixing oose or broken door handes on inside doors resticking oose foor ties and ceramic wa ties adjusting inside doors which stick oiing door and window ocks and hinges refixing gate catches sweeping chimneys reguary fastenings and ocks to timber windows repacing damaged interna doors getting rid of feas, wasps, bees and vermin. Further detais can be found in the Repairs Handbook. Condensation and moud Most reports of dampness are actuay condensation. This is caused when moisture carried by warm air reaches a cod surface and makes the surface damp. Condensation can cause damage to decorations, foor coverings, cothes and bedding. Occupants of buidings with damp or moud are at increased risk of experiencing heath probems such as respiratory symptoms, respiratory infections, aergic rhinitis and asthma. 31

36 Section 8 Looking after your home You can imit condensation and moud growth by producing ess moisture. Try to reduce the amount of water in the air by: using heating systems according to their design recommendations keeping ids on saucepans opening windows for ventiation and using tricke vents not using paraffin or portabe gas heaters keeping kitchen and bathroom doors cosed when these rooms are being used trying to keep your home warm enough so you don t have cod surfaces not bocking up any airbricks or vents using extractor fans, where instaed, in the kitchen and bathrooms; wiping surfaces which have become wet with condensation ceaning off any moud with an anti-fungicida soution propery ventiating tumbe dryers to the outside drying cothes outside rather than inside ventiating behind wardrobes and cupboards by eaving a space between the back and the wa. A eafet providing more information on condensation and moud is avaiabe on our website or we can send you a copy. Preventing damp There are damp-proof courses in the brickwork of your home to stop damp rising from the ground. There are often air bricks in was beow suspended ground foors to prevent moisture buiding up under the foor. It is essentia that the soi eve is beow the eve of the damp-proof course and you keep air bricks cear. Frost damage Cod spes in winter can cause probems such as burst or frozen pipes. There are things you can do to avoid this. Heat your home and try to maintain a minimum temperature at a times. If you have centra heating with a thermostat, set it to at east 10 degrees. If your thermostat is in a haway, use the radiator in the ha or the temperature may not reach 10 degrees. If you are going away for a few days, set the heating so that it is on for at east a short time every day. If you are going away for a onger time you shoud drain the pipes to prevent pipes from bursting. Let warm air circuate to unheated parts of your home. 32

37 Section 8 Looking after your home If your pipes freeze: turn off the water at the stop tap turn your taps on switch off your immersion heater, if you have one, or turn off the boier; and phone Hastoe Hub for advice and hep on standard rate) or (out of hours). If you have a burst pipe: turn off the water at the stop tap switch off the eectricity at the mains if water is coming into contact with wiring or fuses switch off your water heaters or centra heating turn your taps off phone for advice and hep; and if you are in a fat, warn your neighbours beow that water might seep into their home. Pests It is your responsibiity to dea with pest probems. For more information about how to dea with pests contact your oca Environmenta Heath Department. 33

38 Section 9 What we wi do about: Areas outside of your home Abandoned vehices Buk refuse Ceaning Estate inspections Garages Gardening Graffiti Parking 34

39 Section 9 Areas outside of your home Areas outside of your home We aways aim to make sure that the shared areas of your home and any gardens that we are responsibe for are maintained to a high standard. We want your home to be a nice pace to ive. How do I know if I shoud be receiving this service? Many of our tenants who ive in fats or on an estate receive a ceaning or gardening service (or both) from us. If you are entited to receive this service you wi aready be paying a service charge for this on top of your weeky rent. If you want to check on the estate services that you shoud be receiving, pease contact us. What we wi do Abandoned vehices We wi dea with nuisance caused by abandoned and iega vehices for the benefit of a tenants and the wider community. These vehices are often in an unsafe condition and may pose a heath and safety risk. They can aso be a target for vandaism. From 1 January 2007 vehice manufacturers are responsibe for providing the ast owners of vehices with a free take-back service. The UK s two main authorised treatment faciities (ATF) providers are: Cartakeback ( and Autogreen ( These organisations have been set up to make sure that a vehice is disposed of in a responsibe and awfu way, and that a necessary paperwork is competed. To quaify for this service the vehice must have its engine, coachwork, transmission, cataytic converter (if fitted) and whees, and must not contain any rubbish. 35

40 Section 9 Areas outside of your home Buk refuse If you have any arge items of furniture or domestic appiances (for exampe beds, fridges or wardrobes) that you want to get rid of, you shoud contact your oca counci to arrange for them to coect it and get rid of it propery. Most oca authorities offer either a free or ow-cost buk-refuse remova service. Do not use shared areas of your property for storing persona items. If we find persona beongings stored in shared areas we wi write to you and give notice that we wi remove these items as they may be a hazard if there is a fire. We wi: remove a abandoned buk refuse and give priority to refuse that may be a fire hazard add the costs of removing the refuse to the overa cost of your service charge uness we are abe to find out who is responsibe for dumping the refuse (if we are abe to identify the person responsibe, we can charge them the fu cost of removing the refuse, and an administration fee) normay take photographic evidence when arranging to cear abandoned buk refuse. Ceaning Members of staff wi visit reguary to check the quaity of the ceaning work. We wi often take photographs as part of this inspection, particuary if we want to draw our estate staff/contractors attention to areas that need further attention. We wi: make sure that we have an appropriate arrangement in pace for a contractor to carry out this work treat you and your home (incuding any shared areas and gardens) with respect at a times visit reguary to cean shared areas eave a notice in the shared areas detaiing exacty what work the ceaners shoud be carrying out and how often, with space for the ceaner to sign and date when they have carried out the work. 36

41 Section 9 Areas outside of your home Estate inspections We wi carry out estate inspections to: identify repairs that need to be done in shared areas make sure that there are no heath and safety issues generay make sure that the area is being ooked after and ceaned to a satisfactory standard. These inspections wi be carried out at east annuay We wi work with the oca authority and other agencies to sort out any issues beyond our contro. Garages We have a number of garages that are avaiabe for etting to both our tenants and non-residents. There is usuay a waiting ist and priority wi be given to our tenants. You shoud ony use your garage to store a vehice, uness we give you written permission to store other things in it. Gardening Where we have responsibiity for maintaining communa gardens we wi: mow any awn areas reguary and keep them at an appropriate height during the growing season make sure that any fowerbeds are panted with shrubs that are appropriate to the oca environment and that wi not normay need extra watering to grow we remove or treat weeds on paths and other paved areas with an approved weedkier cear eaves from paths and paved areas during the autumn months to reduce the risk of sips and fas prune hedges to keep them at an appropriate height and to stop branches from bocking footpaths check for and remove itter on each visit. 37

42 Section 9 Areas outside of your home Graffiti We wi remove offensive or obscene graffiti within 24 hours of being tod about it and seven days for a other graffiti. Parking If you own a car or motorbike and park it in a car park or bay we have provided, you must make sure it is roadworthy, propery taxed, icensed and insured. You must not park commercia vehices, caravans, boats and traiers on any of our properties uness you have our written permission. You must aso not: repair vehices in a way that damages the premises or damages parking areas park in paces that are not authorised spaces bock roadways, access areas, footpaths or cause any other obstruction eave untaxed, unicensed or unroadworthy vehices, incuding those hoding a SORN (statutory off-road notification) on the premises, within parking areas set aside for tenants or on the pubic highway. We wi consut tenants on any parking schemes that we set up, so that we can avoid careess parking on estates, arguments between neighbours about parking, vehices being dumped iegay and probems for emergency vehices if routes are bocked. 38

43 Section 10 Getting on with your neighbours Antisocia behaviour Domestic vioence Harassment 39

44 Section 10 Getting on with your neighbours Antisocia behaviour We expect you, your househod and your visitors to behave in a responsibe way and to respect other tenants and residents in your oca area. We wi act if you or your househod do not behave appropriatey, cause nuisance or annoyance to others or act in an antisocia manner. Unacceptabe behaviour incudes: harassment of other residents drug deaing dumping rubbish shouting, swearing, offensive gestures etc creating excessive noise using parking areas for non authorised use aowing pets to be a nuisance any other behaviour that causes or is ikey to cause harassment, aarm or distress. What you shoud do if you are experiencing anti-socia behaviour depends on the seriousness of the situation. Often it is best for you to try to speak to the person causing the probem because they may not reaise the effect their behaviour is having. This may not be appropriate in some situations. If you are experiencing harassment, intimidation, actua or threatened vioence contact the Poice straight away. Where you report anti-socia behaviour to us we wi work with you and other agencies to resove the probem. There are a number of different approaches we may take but they wi invove you and other agencies: mediation ABCs (Acceptabe Behaviour Contracts) PCAs (Parenta Contro Agreement) injunctions tenancy demotions possession action to evict the tenant. In appropriate cases we wi work with the poice on cosure orders and disbursement orders. 40

45 Section 10 Getting on with your neighbours Hastoe is a signatory of the Respect: Anti-Socia Behaviour Charter for Housing which commits it to working to achieve the standards set out in the Charter. The Charter can be viewed at or we can send you a copy. Domestic vioence Every person has the right to be safe from abuse and fear. Domestic vioence is a crime and wi not be accepted. We define domestic vioence as an actua or threatened act of harassment, assaut or abuse (menta, physica or sexua) against any person iving in the same property. To support and protect tenants experiencing domestic vioence, we wi: provide a supportive environment to encourage peope to report it give information and advice to hep support victims take action against those responsibe where possibe provide a range of options to support victims work with reevant agencies if we cannot hep aways make sure tenants are safe and keep a information confidentia respect the tenant s choice. Our tenancy agreements contain a domestic vioence cause. There are a number of ega toos we can use against those who carry out domestic vioence. After the first report of domestic vioence a member of staff wi contact you within 24 hours. We wi work with you to agree an action pan for managing your case. This wi incude agreeing on how (and how often) we wi communicate with you throughout the case. 41

46 Section 10 Getting on with your neighbours Harassment We recognise that harassment may take pace as a resut of someone s (or a group s) race, reigion, sex, disabiity, sexuaity or age. Sometimes harassment can be for other reasons as we. To support and protect customers experiencing harassment, we wi: provide a supportive environment to encourage you to report it give you information and advice take action against those responsibe if possibe provide a range of options to support you work with reevant agencies if we cannot hep aways make sure you are safe and we keep a information confidentia. We have a harassment cause in the tenancy agreement. There are a number of ways we can take action against those who carry out harassment. When harassment is reported to us we wi seek to make contact with you within 24 hours. We wi work with you to agree an action pan for managing your case. This wi incude agreeing on how (and how often) we wi communicate with you throughout the case. For more information on these issues you can ask to see our poicies on antisocia behaviour, harassment and domestic vioence. 42

47 Section 11 Getting invoved Getting invoved Some of the ways you can get invoved Community Strategies and Estate Improvement Budget 43

48 Section 11 Getting invoved Getting invoved We wecome tenants getting invoved in the way we work, in managing their homes and the neighbourhood where they ive. There are many ways and opportunities for you to have your say and infuence decisions that are taken. Many peope do not get invoved because they worry they wi have a ot of work to do but there are many different ways to be invoved which need different eves of commitment. Getting invoved coud make a rea difference both for you and other peope iving in your area. We operate a rewards and incentives scheme to encourage residents to get invoved. You can earn points for getting invoved, which can be cashed in for vouchers. To find out how to register for the scheme pease ca Hastoe Hub. Some of the ways you can get invoved incude: joining a residents association (or heping to set one up) becoming a Resident Champion for your area or estate attending estate inspections joining the Hastoe Hundred Cub a group of residents we consut with on a variety of topics via emai, etter or phone contacting us with your ideas visiting our website from time to time, to earn about the different activities that wi be happening competing phone and posta surveys and/or questionnaires contacting us to keep us informed of activities that you want to see taking pace or woud ike hep with. suggest an artice your quartery resident magazine, or get invoved in its production. joining our Facebook page and posting comments For more information about how to get invoved, contact your Area Housing Manager. There are aso further detais in our Resident Invovement eafet which can be found on our website or we can send you a copy. 44

49 Section 11 Getting invoved Estate Improvement Budget Every year Hastoe makes a sum of money avaiabe to spend on estate improvements and our discussions with residents and estate inspections enabes us to decide how this shoud be spent. If you fee there is something that needs to be improved on your estate pease contact your Area Housing Manager. 45

50 Section 12 Handing your compaints What is a compaint? Putting things right Who can compain? How to make a compaint How we hande your compaint Independent Services Improving the service we offer 46

51 Section 12 Putting things right Handing your compaints We want to deiver a high quaity service. We pubish a set of service standards deveoped with residents. These are isted in our Service Standards eafet which can be viewed on our website or we can send you a copy. These standards expain the service you can expect. We do recognise that sometimes things go wrong. When this happens, we wi try to put things right and earn from this to keep improving the service. What is a compaint? If you are unhappy about: the standard of service you received from Hastoe our response to your request for a service something we did or didn t do and want to make a compaint, we wi investigate. Compaints shoud be made as soon as possibe. We wi not normay investigate a compaint if it is about something that happened more than six months ago. The first request for a service (such as a repair) is not a compaint. It ony becomes a compaint if you fee the service requested has not been performed or has not been performed we. Who can compain? Anyone who uses our services: tenants, shared owners, easehoders, appicants for housing, contractors, suppiers and members of the pubic affected by our services. How to make a compaint You can make a compaint: by fiing in our compaint form in person by etter by teephone by text by emai to customerservices@hastoe.com or through our website at 47

52 Section 12 Putting things right Pease te us what your compaint is about, if you have aready spoken to someone about it and what you woud ike us to do to put it right. If you need hep in making a compaint, we wi assist you or direct you to an independent source. You can aso ask a famiy member or friend to hep at any stage of the procedure. We can aso provide transations and an interpreter when needed. How we hande your compaint We wi acknowedge your compaint within two working days, advise you of the procedure and give you the name of the person deaing with it. We wi respond fuy within 14 days wherever possibe or te you if we need more time to ook into your compaint. We aim to resove most compaints at this stage. Appea If you are not satisfied with our response, pease contact us within 14 days and expain why. We wi acknowedge your compaint within 2 working days A reevant Manager, Director or equivaent wi review your compaint and the previous investigation. They wi respond within a further 14 days wherever possibe. If the investigation is ikey to take onger, we wi give a reasonabe target time for our response. Review In the unikey event that you are sti dissatisfied, pease contact us within 14 days and expain why. We wi acknowedge within 2 working days We wi arrange for a Director and a Board member to review the way your compaint was handed. We wi aim to conduct the review and notify you of the outcome within 28 days. If the review is ikey to take onger, we wi give a reasonabe target time for response. 48

53 Section 12 Putting things right Further options If you are sti not satisfied, you can contact a designated person (further detais are avaiabe on the Housing Ombudsman website at Designated persons hep to resove disputes between tenants and their andords. Hastoe has Customer Service Ambassadors who are registered designated persons. Requests to have a compaint considered by Hastoe Customer Service Ambassadors shoud be made within 14 days of the receipt of the Review decision. If the designated person cannot hep they can refer a compaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service. Compaints to the Ombudsman do not have to be referred by a designated person, but if they are not there must be at east 8 weeks from the end of the andord's compaint process before the Ombudsman can consider your case. The Housing Ombudsman Service is a free service. Housing Ombudsman Service 81 Adwych London WC2B 4HN Teephone: Fax: Lo-ca: Minicom: Emai: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk Improving the service we offer Once your compaint has been resoved we may contact you to see how we you think we deat with your compaint. Copies of our fu compaints poicy are avaiabe on request from Hastoe Hub. 49

54 Section 13 Moving on Transfer Mutua exchange Finding a tenant to exchange with 50

55 Section 13 Moving on If you want to move on from your current home you may wish to consider the foowing options: Loca Authority and Housing Association Choice Based Letting Schemes You may be eigibe to appy for housing through a choice based etting scheme. These advertise the majority of Loca Authority and Housing Association vacancies in an area. The chances of you finding a new home through this route wi depend on your housing need. This is assessed as part of the registration process and affects your abiity to bid for properties. Transfer A transfer is when you move to another home owned by us. As we work in partnership with oca authorities to et our homes, opportunities to provide transfers outside of their etting schemes are imited. You can though discuss the possibiity of a transfer with your Area Housing Manager. Mutua exchange A mutua exchange is when two or more tenants, housing association or oca authority, swap homes by egay assigning their tenancies to each other. This means that you pass on your tenancy to the person moving into your home and take over their tenancy for their home. You must make sure that you have read the tenancy that you wi be taking on to ensure that you fuy understand the conditions you are accepting. When you have found a tenant to exchange with, this is what needs to happen. You shoud fi in a mutua exchange appication form. We wi check your tenancy to make sure you do not owe any rent. We wi inspect your property. Both andords wi write a report on their tenant. Both andords must agree on whether the exchange can take pace. We may refuse an exchange if the property is too big or too sma for the incoming tenant. Both andords wi write to you to inform you of the decision made. If agreed, both tenants wi need to sign an Assignment. These are the ega papers needed to make the exchange ega. NOTE: Many of our homes are buit specificay to house peope with a connection to the oca area. These wi normay have panning conditions covering ettings which we have to compy with. In these areas your exchange partner wi need to meet the oca connection criteria we appy. We are registered with two organisations which are free for you to use to hep you find peope to swap with: and Most oca authorities and some housing associations keep an exchange ist. There are other websites avaiabe but many charge for this service. 51

56 Section 14 Ending your tenancy Ending your tenancy By you When we can end your tenancy Exceptiona circumstances The procedure Succession 52

57 Section 14 Ending your tenancy Ending your tenancy You may decide to end your tenancy. If you do, you shoud foow the instructions in this section. In some cases we may want to end your tenancy. We can ony do this in certain circumstances and we need to foow a set of rues. By you To end your tenancy you need to: give one month s notice in writing you can get a Termination Form from your oca office aow access for a property inspection before your tenancy ends. We wi te you if you need to do any repairs before you move out repair any damage you are responsibe for pease note that you wi be recharged for any repairs that are considered to be your responsibiity fix any hoes in was and eave your decorations in a reasonabe condition eave the property and garden cean and tidy remove a your beongings and rubbish from the property and garden ensure your rent account is up to date arrange for the eectricity, gas and water meters to be read inform the Counci Tax office and Housing Benefit office that you are moving arrange to return a the keys (incuding stores, carports and garage where appicabe). If you do not return your keys on time or some are missing we wi charge you for ock repacements. Rent wi continue to be charged unti the keys have been returned. If you do not eave the property in a cean and tidy condition we wi charge you what it costs us to do the work (see previous points). Hastoe Hub can give you further information. We wi not buy any carpets, curtains or other househod items from you. Nor can we get invoved if you want to se any items to the incoming tenant. A eafet with further advice on moving out is avaiabe on our website or we can send you a copy. 53

58 Section 14 Ending your tenancy When we can end your tenancy The Housing Act 1988 (as amended) detais the situations when an assured tenancy may be terminated. The main reasons are: not paying your rent breaking the conditions of your tenancy causing damage to the property being invoved in antisocia behaviour death of the tenant not iving in your home. This is not a fu ist and ony outines the main provisions. Some tenants are now issued with fixed term assured shorthod tenancies. The above reasons for ending a tenancy aso appy to these tenancies. Once a fixed term tenancy comes to an end, uness there is good cause, for exampe, serious breach of tenancy or rent arrears, we wi offer an additiona five year fixed term tenancy if the tenants remain eigibe under our Lettings Poicy. Exceptiona circumstances In exceptiona circumstances, for exampe if your property is redeveoped, we may need to end your tenancy. In these circumstances we woud ensure that suitabe aternative accommodation is avaiabe for you or wi be avaiabe for you when the order for possession takes effect. This is a requirement of the Housing Act The procedure If we want to end your tenancy we wi serve a Notice. If you do not eave we wi appy to the county court for a possession order. Succession Succession aows a tenant, on their death, to pass on their tenancy to a spouse, partner or other cose famiy member. Not everyone is abe to succeed to a tenancy. We can give more information on this. 54

59 Contact Detais Hastoe Housing Association Hastoe Hub Te: Textphone: Emai: South and Head Office Marina House, 17 Marina Pace Hampton Wick Kingston upon Thames Surrey KT1 4BH West Office Feur de Lis Middemarsh Street Poundbury, Dorchester Dorset DT1 3GX East Office Rectory Farm Barns Litte Chesterford Saffron Waden Essex CB10 1UD Out of hours emergency number 5pm to 9pm; weekends and bank hoidays Lo-ca: Printed on recyced paper Apri/18