Tenant handbook - Nottingham City Homes

Tenant handbook 

2008-09 

NCHBRO4

Welcome 

to your tenant handbook. 

Please keep it somewhere safe, 

it contains information about 

every aspect of your tenancy.

Contents 

Introduction 

3 

Our service 

standards 

4 

Equality and 

diversity 

5 

Tenant involvement 

7 

Rent, benefits 

and debt advice 

9 

Repairs 

Living in your home 

13 

15 

Looking after 

your property 

21 

Supporting tenants 

25 

Customer care 

27 

Improving your 

home 

29 

Code of conduct 

32 

Supported housing 

33 

Managing and 

improving your 

estate 37 

Anti-social behaviour, domestic 

violence, drugs, harassment 

and hate crime 

39 

Moving home 

43 

Renting a garage 

Useful contacts 

Index 

45 

46 

49 

2

Introduction 

Our vision is to provide homes and 

places where people want to live 

This handbook tells you what 

standards of service you can expect 

from us – and what we expect from 

you. Tenants and leaseholders have 

helped us write this handbook, to 

make sure it’s full of relevant and 

helpful information. 

About us 

What is Nottingham City Homes 

Nottingham City Homes is an arms length 

management organisation (ALMO). We were 

created by Nottingham City Council in 2005 to 

manage almost 30,000 properties – including 

your home. 

We’re run by a Board of non-executive directors, 

made up of tenants and leaseholders, 

councillors and independent members. 

We have tenants and leaseholders with a 

passion for their neighbourhoods, councillors 

committed to housing and independent 

members dedicated to using their wide ranging 

skills to making a difference in Nottingham. 

They add up to a Board with substantial 

expertise in housing management, 

construction and issues such as diversity, 

health, education and business. 

Our mission, vision and values 

Our mission is to deliver 

excellent services. 

We are always working hard to improve our 

performance – and we believe that the more we 

involve our tenants and leaseholders in the 

shaping of our services, the better they will be. 

Your views and opinions are important because 

they can help us to change, to improve and 

provide the services you want to receive. 

Our vision is to provide homes and 

places where people want to live. 

We work with Nottingham City Council, the 

police and other organisations to improve 

your neighbourhood. 

Our values underpin everything we do. 

Everyone who works for us aims to work 

to these seven principles: 

• tell the truth 

• keep your promises 

• be fair 

• respect the individual 

• work as one team 

• encourage fresh thinking 

• strive for the best 

Working to these values helps us deliver 

excellent services, and be an organisation that 

people want to work for and work with. 

If you think we have failed or are failing to 

keep any of these values please tell us 

where we are falling short. We will 

do our best to put things right. 

3

Our service standards 

Our service standards set out what 

you can expect from our services 

Our service standards set out what you can 

expect from our services. These have been 

developed with our tenants and leaseholders, 

and we will review them regularly. 

Our standards cover: 

• Aids and adaptations 

• Allocations and lettings 

• Anti-social behaviour 

• Caretaking 

• Customer care 

• Domestic violence 

• Empty property management 

• Equality and diversity 

• Estate management 

• Leaseholders 

• Lettable standard 

• New tenants 

• Nottingham On Call 

• Our expectations of you 

• Racial harassment and hate crime 

• Rents and service charges 

• Repairs 

• Sheltered housing 

• Tenancy management 

• Tenant and leaseholder participation 

To see our full service standards visit our website 

(www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk), pick up a 

copy from your local housing office, or on request 

over the phone. If you feel you have not received 

the right standard of service, please contact us 

on 0845 330 3131. 

4

Equality and diversity 

Nottingham’s diversity is one of 

its greatest strengths 

We aim to understand the 

diverse needs of our customers 

and provide services that meet 

those needs. 

Nottingham is home to more than 270,000 

people. They are of all ages, races and ethnic 

backgrounds, disabled and non-disabled and 

from all faiths. As a city there are extremes 

of wealth and poverty, with some areas of 

Nottingham being among the most deprived 

in the country. 

The diversity of Nottingham’s 

communities is a huge asset 

to the city. 

But some communities experience 

disadvantage and discrimination that has a 

negative effect on their quality of life. Most 

often those affected are women, black and 

minority ethnic communities, disabled people, 

young and old people, lesbians, gay men, 

bisexual and transgender people and people 

with different faiths. 

We believe Nottingham’s diversity is 

also one of our greatest strengths. 

Nottingham City Homes is a major employer in 

Nottingham. Around 1,200 people work for us. 

We also spend millions of pounds every year to 

directly provide housing and services to the 

residents of Nottingham City Council. 

We are committed to taking equality and diversity 

issues very seriously and ensuring it is part of all 

we do and will take strong action at tackling 

discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and 

disadvantage. 

We are also committed to achieving the highest 

standards in service delivery, decision-making 

and employment practice. Equal access and 

opportunity for all sections of the community 

and our workforce is an integral part of 

this commitment. 

5

Our responsibility 

We believe our responsibility for equality and 

diversity is wider than those areas currently 

covered by present legislation. We are committed 

to achieving equality for all by removing direct and 

indirect discrimination on the grounds of: 

• Age 

• Gender or transgender identity 

• Race, colour, nationality, national or 

ethnic origin 

• Disability, including deaf people, blind people, 

people with a learning disability, people with a 

mental illness, and people living with HIV 

and AIDS 

• Religious belief or non-belief, or other beliefs 

• Marital status, family circumstances, 

or caring responsibilities 

• Sexual orientation 

• Income, employment status or housing 

circumstances 

• Membership or non-membership of trade 

unions, or involvement or non-involvement in 

trade union activity 

• Any other grounds that cannot be justified. 

Our equality and diversity policy sets out how we 

put this commitment into practice across all our 

services. For a copy of the policy contact us on 

0845 330 3131, call into any area housing office 

or download a copy from our website. 

What you can expect 

– our service standard 

We will: 

• Make sure our staff are aware of equality and 

diversity issues and work towards creating a 

workforce representative of the local population 

• Make sure our offices are accessible 

• Provide induction loops, arrange sign 

language facilities, interpreters or translation 

services if you require them. These may not be 

available immediately, so we may have to 

make an appointment at a later date 

• Use plain English in our letters and leaflets, 

and provide written information in Braille, on 

audio tape, in large print or other languages 

where necessary 

• Keep a record of the diverse make up of our 

customers to help us target and tailor our 

services to meet your needs 

• Take action against hate crime including 

racial, religious or homophobic harassment 

and domestic violence 

• Monitor and assess the impact of our policies, 

practices and services and make adjustments 

if they are found to be treating any group or 

community unfairly, or if they fail to meet 

your needs. 

6


There are many ways you can get involved 

to help us shape our services 

We want to work with you, our 

tenants and leaseholders, as a 

team to make our services better. 

We have developed lots of different 

ways for you to get involved. 

Ways you can become involved 

• Be a Tenant and Leaseholder Service 

Inspector. You would become part of a 

team that inspects our services and makes 

recommendations for service improvements 

• Give us your views to help improve your 

community – for example by joining our 

Home Panel to take part in surveys 

• Come to your local area panel and act as 

a representative of tenants and 

leaseholders in your community 

• Take part in one of our forums. 

These include: 

• Repairs forum 

• Leaseholder forum 

• Sheltered housing and Telecare users forum 

• Young people’s forum 

• BME [Black minority ethnic] forum 

• Homes 4 Us (Disability and carers forum) 

• Tenancy and Estate Management forum 

• Take part in our Annual Tenant and 

Leaseholder Conference 

• Be part of your local Tenant and Resident 

Association and get involved with the 

scrutiny, monitoring and review of service 

standards and performance 

• Take part in our estate inspections and join 

other tenants, leaseholders, board members, 

our employees, Nottingham City Council 

officers and councillors to monitor the 

standards of our estates 

• Become a mystery shopper to help us 

test our service standards and levels 

of performance. 



We want all tenants and leaseholders to be 

involved in influencing and shaping housing 

services. To achieve this we will: 

• Consult you on issues affecting your home 

and neighbourhood 

• Have lots of ways for you to get involved so 

people of all backgrounds can help us to 

improve services 

• Provide a range of forums and events for 

groups traditionally under-represented. 

This can include young people, people 

from black and minority communities, 

disabled people and leaseholders 

• Let you know what changes we have made 

to our services as a result of your feedback 

• Support existing tenants and residents 

associations, area panels, forums, and the 

Tenants and Leaseholders Congress 

• Host an annual Tenants and Leaseholders 

Conference 

• Help you to get involved by providing 

advice, assistance and support. 

7

Tenant and Leaseholder 

Participation Compact 

2007 – 2010 

A compact is another word for a contract or 

agreement. This compact is a partnership 

with Nottingham City Homes, Nottingham City 

Council and you, our tenants and 

leaseholders across Nottingham. It sets out 

the opportunities we will give you to get 

involved. It sets out our commitment to: 

• Improving the quality of our services 

• Providing new and better ways for tenants 

and leaseholders to get involved 

• Develop working relationships based 

on mutual trust and openness 

• Work for the benefit of our local 

communities and encourage pride in 

the area. 

For a copy of our Tenant and 

Leaseholder Participation Compact, 

and to find out about opportunities 

to get involved: 

• Call our Tenant and Leaseholder 

Involvement Team on 0115 915 7380 

• Email 

gettinginvolved@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

• Text ‘INVOLVE’ followed by your name and 

address to 60066 

To get involved please contact your Tenant and 

Resident officer through your area housing office, 

or the Tenant and Leaseholder Involvement Team 

on 0115 915 7380 or email 

gettinginvolved@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

8

Rent, benefits 

and debt advice 

We aim to provide an effective 

rent and service charge 

collection that maximises 

income and supports 

customers who have 

difficulty paying their rent. 

It is important that you pay your rent in full and 

on time. Your rent pays for the services we 

provide, such as day to day repairs and long 

term improvements. 

Your rent is due every Monday and must be 

paid the week it is due, or in advance. We ask 

you to pay in advance if you pay rent every two 

weeks or at longer intervals. 

Rent is charged over 50 weeks each year. If 

you have missed payments you must make up 

payments on the weeks that would normally be 

rent free. So keep up to date on your 

payments and you can benefit from two weeks 

each year completely rent free! 

We will write to you every year to tell you how 

much rent you must pay and we will tell you 

about any other charges we make for other 

services you use, 

such as caretaking 

or household 

insurance. Once we 

have set your rent 

we will not normally 

change it again 

during the year. 

How to pay your rent 

Direct Debit 

This is the easiest way to pay your rent. Paying 

your rent by Direct Debit saves time, and gives 

you greater control over your money. 

You can chose to pay weekly every Friday, or 

monthly with a choice of four dates – either the 

8th, 15th, 22nd or 28th. 

This is the cheapest way we can collect your 

rent. By paying in this way, we can put more 

money into improving services for you. 

Forms are also available to download from our 

website www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk or 

contact our Rents Team on 0115 915 4920 or 

email rents@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

PayPoint 

You can pay your rent in cash at any 

PayPoint outlet where you see this logo. 

It’s a free service. 

You can use this payment method whenever 

there is a bar code printed on your rent card. 

Details of your local outlet can be found at 

www.paypoint.co.uk or by contacting us on 

0845 330 31 31. 

9

Post Office 

Post Offices will accept payments in cash, by 

cheque (payable to Post Office Ltd) or most major 

debit cards. 

You can use this payment method whenever there 

is a bar code printed on the front of your bill or 

rent card. 

 

Telephone 

You can pay over the phone using most major 

debit and credit cards. To make a payment, 

telephone our automated freephone hotline on 

0800 052 0173 at any time. 

Alternatively, telephone our Rents Contact Centre 

on 0115 915 4920, Monday to Friday, 8.15am 

to 6pm, except Wednesdays from 9.30am to 6pm. 

Make sure you have your rent payment card 

handy, as you will be asked for your rent 

account number. 

 

Internet 

www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

You can pay your rent using the Nottingham City 

Council online payments service. 

You can also use it to pay your Council Tax, and 

other council invoices for things like library 

charges, parking fines or residential care fees. 

It's available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 

it's very simple to use. 

Nottingham City Council offices 

Payment may be made at the Guildhall, 

Burton Street, between 8.15am and 5.30pm 

Monday to Friday. 

Nottingham City Homes offices 

You can pay your rent at all our housing offices 

except the Victoria Centre housing office. 

Opening hours are 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday 

to Friday – except Wednesday, when the housing 

offices open from 10.30am until 4.30pm. 

 

Post 

You can pay by post to Nottingham City Council, 

The Guildhall, Burton Street, Nottingham NG1 2DE. 

Quote your account payment reference number. 

Cheques and postal orders should be made 

payable to Nottingham City Council. 

Do not send cash in the post. 

10

Helping you deal with debt 

You need to pay your rent regularly 

and on time – but we understand 

that sometimes it can be a struggle. 

If you get into rent arrears you need to pay them 

off as quickly as you can. If you repeatedly don’t 

pay your rent you could be evicted. 

We have a range of advice services to help 

you manage your budget – and they’re 

completely FREE. 

If you’ve got money worries call us TODAY on 

0115 915 4920 or visit your area housing office 

and we’ll arrange a free, impartial, debt advice 

session. You’ll be able to find out more about 

how to manage your money and if there are any 

benefits you can claim. 

If you get behind with your rent we will: 

• Offer to visit you at home or see you privately 

at a housing office at your request within five 

working days 

• Deal with rent arrears in a confidential and 

sympathetic way and explain what will 

happen if your debt continues to increase 

• Help you to clear arrears by making a 

reasonable and realistic payment agreement 

with you 

• Give you advice and information on welfare 

benefits or debt advice 

• Make you an appointment with the impartial 

Debt Advice Service at a convenient location 

• Always offer you a debt advice appointment if 

you want one before taking court action 

• Take immediate and firm action against you if 

you fail to pay your rent and do not take steps 

to sort out the problem. This may include 

issuing a Notice Seeking Possession or asking 

the court for an order to evict you. If we do this 

we will either telephone, write to you or visit 

you first to inform you of our intended actions. 

Got no credit but need to talk 

to us about your rent Text 

us for FREE on 80800 

and we’ll call you back. 

Text RENT, your payment reference number 

and your message to 80800 and we’ll call 

you back to discuss your situation. It’s 

completely free and you can ask us about 

anything to do with your rent account. 

Don’t delay – text us for free today! 

11

Housing and council tax benefit 

If you are living on low income you 

may be entitled to claim housing 

benefit and council tax benefit from 

Nottingham City Council. 

To apply you must fill in a form and give the council 

proof of your identity, income and circumstances. 

If you need any more advice or help claiming 

benefit please contact the Benefits Office on 

0115 915 4944 as soon as possible. If you are 

elderly or disabled we can arrange for an officer to 

visit you at home to help you complete the form. 



We will: 

• Explain how much rent and other service 

charges you have to pay 

• Help you to claim housing benefit and council 

tax benefit and advise you about other benefits 

you may be entitled to 

• Offer home collections for people with 

mobility impairments 

• Send you a rent statement every three months 

• Send you a 12 month rent statement within 

24 hours of you asking for one 

• Give you four weeks notice in writing of any 

change to your rent (other than Housing 

Benefit changes). 

12

Repairs 

Emergency repairs within four hours 

Routine repairs within 15 working days 

We will carry out emergency 

repairs within four hours of you 

reporting them, and routine 

repairs within 15 working days. 

Our repairs handbook makes it as easy as 

possible for you to tell us about anything that 

has gone wrong in your home. 

When you need to contact us to request a 

repair, please have the repairs guide to hand. 

We’ll ask you to identify what the problem is 

using the diagrams in the guide. The more we 

know about the problem the better we are able 

to carry out the repair as quickly as possible. 

You can report all repairs by phoning our repairs 

contact centre on 0115 915 2222 which is open 

24 hours a day, every day. 

You can also report repairs through our website 

at www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk or by email 

to repairs@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Please don’t use email to report emergency 

repairs. 

When you report a repair 

Please tell us: 

• Your name, address and phone number 

• The times when we will be able to get into 

your home to inspect the repair or carry out 

the work 

• As much detail and information about the 

repair as possible. 

We will arrange an appointment for the work to 

be done. 

Your responsibilities 

We will do most repairs – but not all. 

You are responsible for others, including 

blocked sinks (unless you live in a high-rise 

block), windows or doors broken by you or 

members of your family, floods from washing 

machines and lost keys. 

If we need to carry out repairs because you 

have neglected your home – or if you, your 

family or visitors have damaged the property 

– then we will charge you for the work and you 

will have to pay us before we do it. 

The repairs guide includes a full list of what is 

our responsibility and what is yours. 

24 hour repairs hotline 

0115 915 2222 

13



Our repairs service will: 

• Provide an emergency service 24 hours a day, 

every day 

• Carry out emergency repairs within four hours 

of them being reported and complete any 

follow up work within three working days 

• Complete routine repairs within 15 working 

days from when you report them 

• Aim to complete 85% of repairs on the first visit 

• Leave your home in a clean and tidy 

condition after carrying out repairs 

• Return within two working days if you are 

not completely satisfied with the quality of 

your repair 

• Provide a handyperson service from your local 

housing office to complete minor repairs 

• Leave a calling card if you are not at home 

giving you our contact details. 

14


Things you need to know before, 

during and after you move in 

Before you move in 

Our ‘lettable standard’ sets out what 

we will do before you move in. We 

will: 

• Inspect the property to check it is safe, 

secure, weatherproof and doesn’t have 

damp and woodworm 

• Check the gas and electricity supplies to 

your home are safe 

• Service heating systems and appliances 

• Make sure the inside of your home is 

cleaned to a good standard, including the 

fittings in your kitchen and bathroom 

• Re-glaze the windows where necessary 

• Test and inspect smoke alarms that have 

been fitted by the council 

• Test and inspect burglar alarms if one 

is fitted 

• Replace or repair damaged floorboards, 

floor tiles and doors if they are in a 

dangerous condition 

• Provide sufficient food storage and 

preparation areas 

• Provide a safe handrail to all staircases 

• Replace damaged bathroom fittings, 

including any missing plugs and chains 

• Repair damaged plaster on walls and ceilings 

• Check the condition of internal decorations. 

If they need improving we will usually give 

you vouchers which assist towards the cost 

of decorating. If necessary, we will decorate 

some or all of the rooms before you move in 

• Repair or replace any dangerous gutters or 

down pipes 

• Remove any dangerous structures (such as 

old garages, outbuildings or ponds) 

• Cut grass and hedges to a manageable 

height and clear any rubbish from gardens. 

If the weather is bad we may have to do this 

after you’ve moved in. 

• Issue you with at least two keys for each 

external door lock and two electronic key 

fobs or communal access keys where there 

is a communal entrance to your home 

• Give you a list of any minor repairs to be 

done after you move in and tell you when 

they will be completed. Any such work will 

be completed within 10 working days of the 

tenancy start date 

• Carry out an updated asbestos survey and 

from 1 October 2008 carry out an energy 

performance assessment of the property, 

which will be supplied to you at sign up. 

15

Moving in 

We want you to have the best possible start in 

your new home. Our ‘new tenant’ service 

standard sets out what you can expect from us. 

We will make sure you know: 

• Where the water stop tap is, and the water 

meter if one has been fitted 

• Where the electric consumer unit (fuse box) is 

• Where the gas meter is 

• How to use the central heating controls 

• How to check the smoke detector 

is working. 

You will need to contact the electricity, gas 

and water companies to have the supplies 

transferred to your name. 

We will also: 

• Provide a welcome pack containing 

household essentials for the first day in your 

new home 

• Tell you about local amenities and services 

• Tell you who your housing patch manager is 

and how to contact him/her (your housing 

patch manager is your local contact who 

can advise and support you with any housing 

problems). If there is a local caretaking service 

we will also provide you with similar details for 

your caretaker 

• Tell you about the many ways to get involved 

in developing our services, including any 

local tenant and residents groups plus your 

local area panel (see pages 7 and 8 for 

more information) 

• Help you to complete a housing benefit form. 

If necessary we will refer you to one of our 

financial inclusion officers to make sure you 

are able to pay your rent, and help you 

contact any other support services. 

After you’ve moved in 

We will: 

• Give you a list of any minor repairs to be done 

after you move in and tell you when they will 

be completed. Any work will be completed 

within 10 working days of the tenancy start 

date, at a time that suits you 

• Aim to visit you within six weeks of your 

tenancy starting, to see how you are 

settling in. 

16

Your tenancy 

The Tenancy Agreement you have signed 

sets out your rights and responsibilities for 

your new home. 

Equally we also have responsibilities towards you 

and the property. Your Tenancy Agreement should 

make sure you enjoy all the benefits of a council 

tenancy and protects you and your community 

from the problems of anti-social behaviour. 

Introductory tenancy 

If you have never been a tenant, or have had a 

break in your tenancy, then we will offer you an 

introductory tenancy. 

We have introductory tenancies because we want 

to make sure all new tenants meet their 

responsibilities, such as paying the rent on time 

and being a good neighbour. 

This will run for 12 months (unless we have taken 

you to court and want to evict you because you 

have not been a good tenant – in this case the 

trial period is extended until the court has made 

its decision). Introductory tenants do not have the 

same legal rights as secure tenants. This table 

below shows the differences: 

Secure tenancy 

All council tenancies become secure tenancies 

once the introductory period is finished. As a 

secure tenant you have the legal right to stay in 

your home as long as you keep to the conditions 

of the tenancy. These are set out in your 

Tenancy Agreement. 

Secure tenancies can only be ended by a Court 

Order. This would then lead to eviction. The court 

can only agree this for reasons set out by law 

(schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1985, as amended 

by section 144 of the Housing Act 1986). 

If you cause a nuisance or consistantly don’t pay 

your rent we can ask a court to end your tenancy. 

We would have to provide evidence to the court, 

which would have the final say. 

In some cases, such as redevelopment, we would 

also need to show that suitable alternative 

accommodation is available. We do not need to 

show this if we are taking action because you 

have not paid your rent or have caused nuisance. 

Legal rights Secure tenant Introductory 

tenant 

Right to stay in your home YES YES 

Right to exchange YES NO 

Right to succession YES YES 

Right to assign YES YES 

Right to take in lodgers and sub-let YES NO 

Right to repair YES YES 

Right to make improvements YES YES 

Right to compensation for improvements YES NO 

Right to be consulted on housing management issues YES YES 

Right to buy YES NO 

Right to manage YES NO 

Right to access and control of personal information YES YES 

17

Principal home 

You must live in the property as your only home. 

This means you cannot live anywhere else. 

If you do you may lose your rights as a secure 

tenant and we can serve a notice to bring your 

tenancy to an end. 

Not living in your home also affects your right to 

housing and council tax benefit. 

Joint tenancies 

A joint tenancy is one you share with another 

person or with other people. It means that 

both or all of you are responsible for keeping the 

conditions of the Tenancy Agreement. 

It also means you have equal rights to the 

tenancy and to stay in the property until the 

tenancy ends. 

We will consider applications to add people to an 

existing tenancy if there is good reason, such as 

marriage, but this will only be if the rent account 

is up to date. 

A court may transfer the tenancy from one 

partner to another if a couple separates. 

To end a joint tenancy, either joint tenant can 

send us a notice to end the tenancy, whether 

or not the joint tenants have agreed. You should 

seek further advice from your area housing 

office. 

If you want to end a joint tenancy because of 

domestic violence, contact your area housing 

office. We will put you in touch with advice and 

support agencies. If a tenant causes the 

violence they have broken the conditions of the 

Tenancy Agreement, which gives us the right to 

evict them. 

Swapping your home 

You can exchange (swap) homes with another 

secure tenant of Nottingham City Council, with 

the tenant of a housing association, or with a 

tenant from another council. You must tell us first 

and get our written permission. 

We’ll usually only refuse for specific reasons, 

including overcrowding, under-occupation, antisocial 

behaviour or rent arrears. After receiving 

your application we will make our decision and 

put it in writing to you within 28 days. 

18

Transferring your tenancy 

to someone else 

You can’t transfer your tenancy to someone 

else unless: 

• You are exchanging with someone 

(see ‘Swapping your home’ on page 18) 

• A Court Order has been granted following 

a relationship breakdown. 

Transferring your tenancy is known as an 

‘assignment’ and you must be a secure tenant to 

do this. Talk to your housing patch manager to find 

out more. We can refuse where we feel it is 

unreasonable, for example where it would result in 

the property being under-occupied. 

Inheriting a tenancy 

It may be possible for members of your family to 

have your tenancy when you die. This is called 

‘succession’. A family member can take over your 

tenancy if they were: 

• Your husband, wife or civil partner living with 

you at the time you died 

• A partner living with you for more than 12 

months before you died 

• A close family member living with you for 

more than 12 months before you died. 

A tenancy can only be passed on in this way once. 

The person who takes over the tenancy 

will have all the rights of a secure tenant. 

Lodgers and sub-letting 

Unless you are an introductory tenant you can 

take in lodgers as long as you do not overcrowd 

your home. 

If you want to sub-let part of your home you must 

have our permission first. You may not sub-let the 

whole of the house. You must let your area 

housing office know the name, age and sex of the 

intended lodger or sub-tenant as well as the date 

they intend to move in. If you receive housing 

benefit you must contact Nottingham City Council, 

because it may affect your entitlement to benefit. 

If you sub-let without our permsission you 

may be evicted. 

Buying your home 

You have the right to buy your home from 

Nottingham City Council, subject to certain 

restrictions, at a discount. You must be a secure 

tenant and have been a tenant for at least 

two years. 

You cannot buy your home if it has been 

specifically designed for elderly people, or is 

sheltered accommodation. 

Going on holiday 

You need to tell us if you plan to be away from 

your home for more than 28 days. It will be useful 

for you to give us a contact name and telephone 

number in case of emergencies. 

We need to know so we can tell when properties 

are abandoned. If your property appears to be 

abandoned and you haven’t told us, then we will 

try to contact you. If we cannot contact you we 

may take action to end your tenancy. 

If you are going away please turn off your water 

supply to prevent burst pipes and possible 

damage to your home and others. 

19

Going into a nursing home 

If you are going into a nursing home, even for a 

short stay, you or a member of your family must 

contact your housing patch manager for advice. 

The length of stay may affect your 

housing benefit. 

Living in flats and maisonettes 

If you live in a flat or a maisonette you have 

special responsibilities. 

Do: 

• Help keep shared areas clean and tidy 

• Use rubbish chutes or bins for normal 

household rubbish only 

• Make proper arrangements to dispose of 

medical waste such as needles, syringes or 

sanitary items 

• Report any faults or repairs needed to 

shared areas (for example lights and door 

entry systems) 

• Keep the noise down, particularly at night or 

early in the morning. 

Don’t: 

• Cause nuisance or annoyance to 

your neighbours 

Business or trade 

If you want to use your home for any business or 

trade, you must get our written permission, and if 

necessary planning permission, first. 

Keeping pets 

Pets can be companions and a source of great 

comfort to their owners, but need to be properly 

controlled so they don’t annoy your neighbours. 

You must clean up any mess left by your pet in 

your home or anywhere near your home and get 

rid of the mess safely. If you do not you will 

breach a tenancy condition and we may take 

action against you. 

If you live in a flat or maisonette you must not 

keep cats or dogs or any other pets – except for 

one you can keep in a small cage or tank. 

You are entitled to keep a dog that has been 

specially trained to help you with a disability. 

For more information on your tenancy, please 

contact your area housing patch manager or visit 

your local housing office. Alternatively call us on 

0845 330 31 31. 

• Leave things in communal areas 

• Smoke in any communal areas or in lifts 

• Prop open shared doors 

• Let strangers into the block through the door 

entry control system 

• Keep dogs or cats if you don’t have private 

access to an enclosed garden – but you can keep 

assistance dogs for either yourself or members of 

your household such as dogs for the blind and 

dogs for deaf people. 

• Park vehicles that blocks access to 

emergency vehicles 

• Fix a TV aerial / radio aerial / satellite dish 

without getting our permission first 

• Throw anything out of the windows or 

from balconies. 

20

Looking after 

your property 

We want all our tenants to be 

happy in their homes. These 

pages set out what we will always 

do to help make that a reality 

– and what we expect of you 

in return. 

What we will do for you 

Gas servicing 

Work that could save your life 

If you have a gas boiler and any gas heating 

appliances, such as a gas fire, we will service it 

once a year. We won’t service your gas cooker 

but we will inspect the supply pipes to it. 

We will also carry out an annual service and 

safety inspection to the gas supply in the 

property. The law says we must do both 

of these. 

We will get in touch with you to arrange a time 

to do the service. If you are not at home when 

the gas engineer calls they will leave a card 

telling you what to do. 

Every year a small number of tenants make it 

difficult for us to enter their home to do the 

servicing. It is a condition of your tenancy that 

you must let us in – if you don’t allow us to do 

the work we will take court action to gain 

access to your home. You will have to pay 

the court costs. 

If you smell gas 

• Turn the gas off at the meter 

• Open doors and windows 

• Call Transco [free] on 0800 111 999 

• Do not turn lights or electric switches on or off 

• Do not light matches or cigarettes. 

If Transco tell you there is a problem with a 

council-owned gas appliance phone the Repairs 

Contact Centre 0115 915 2222 to arrange a 

repair. It’s open 24 hours a day, every day. 

Electricity 

When you move in we will make sure you know 

where the consumer unit (or fuse box) and mains 

electrical switch is in your home. You should 

unplug electrical equipment when you are not 

using the appliance, particularly when you are 

going to bed. 

You should also make sure you use good-quality 

plugs which are properly wired and fitted with the 

correct fuse. Do not: 

• Use an appliance with a damaged lead 

• Use plugs or sockets that are chipped 

or cracked 

• Run an appliance from a light fitting 

• Overload sockets with adaptors 

• Hang clothes over a storage heater.

Fire safety 

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service offer a 

free home fire safety visit to help you identify 

potential fire risks and provide advice on how to 

reduce or prevent fires. 

Home safety visits are completely free, and you 

may also be eligible for a free smoke alarm. 

You can book a home safety visit by telephoning 

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service 

on 0115 967 5948 (not 999 which is for 

emergencies only). 

Keep your home safe by regularly checking your 

alarm. Check it every week by pressing the test 

button. You must not climb to reach it. Do not 

under any circumstances check the alarm using a 

naked flame. 

If you live in a house and discover a fire: 

• Raise the alarm 

• Calmly leave by the nearest safe exit as soon 

as possible 

• If it is safe to do so close all doors and 

windows as you leave 

• Exit to a place of safety 

• Call the Fire Brigade by dialling 999. 

If you live in a high rise flat and 

discover a fire: 

If it is in your flat: 

• Calmly leave by the nearest safe exit as soon 

as possible and raise the alarm 

• If it is safe to do so close all doors and 

windows as you leave 

• Call the Fire Brigade by dialling 999. 

If it is not in your flat but is in the block, 

and you hear the fire alarm: 

• Stay in your flat and keep all doors and 

windows closed unless you receive instructions 

from the Fire Brigade to leave the building by 

the nearest safe exit. 

If the fire prevents your exit: 

• Stay in your house / flat / block, call the Fire 

Brigade by dialling 999 and await rescue 

• Place a damp towel against the bottom of 

the door to reduce smoke getting in. 

Do not take risks or re-enter the building until 

the fire service tell you it’s safe. Do not stop to 

collect personal belongings. Do not try to put 

out the fire. 

If you live in any other type of property 

Follow the specific fire safety instructions in your 

home or the instructions issued to you. 

22

What we expect of you 

Inside your home 

We expect you to keep your home clean and well 

decorated. We will visit your home every two 

years to check its condition. You need to make 

sure you or members of your household don’t 

damage the property or its fixtures and fittings. 

If we believe you have damaged them 

deliberately you will be charged to put it right. 

If you live in a property with communal areas you 

must keep these clear of rubbish. 

Condensation 

This is caused by damp air touching a cold 

surface. The damp air is often caused by cooking 

or by drying clothes indoors. Condensation often 

causes black mould which can affect walls, 

ceilings and window frames as well as your 

clothes, bedding and decorations. 

You can reduce condensation by: 

• Closing kitchen and bathroom doors to 

prevent steam from going into other 

colder rooms 

• Opening kitchen and bathroom windows 

when cooking or washing so that steam can 

escape or use an extractor fan if you have 

one fitted 

• Not blocking air vents 

• Not using paraffin or liquid gas heaters. 

Outside your home 

You must keep your garden tidy. For example, 

grass must be cut, trees kept safe and 

hedges trimmed. 

Hedges should be clipped and kept at a maximum 

height of 1.8 metres (six feet) at the back of your 

home and 1.4 metres (four feet six inches) at the 

front. Where the hedge forms a boundary with an 

alleyway, you will be responsible for keeping 

it trimmed. 

If the garden becomes overgrown and there is no 

good reason why you cannot do it we could clear 

it and charge you for the work. 

If you have a shed, garage or greenhouse you 

must make sure they are safe. 

23

Garden assistance scheme 

We offer an assistance scheme for tenants 

unable to manage their garden. This is carried 

out for us by the Street Scene team at 

Nottingham City Council. 

To qualify you must: 

• Be a council tenant 

• Be aged over 60 years of age or have a 

disability that stop you looking after 

your garden 

• Not have an able bodied relative living 

within your household. 

Demand is high and you may have to join the 

waiting list. Get an application form from your 

area housing office or contact Street Scene on 

0115 915 2000. 

Repairing your car 

You can do minor repairs to your own vehicles as 

long as they do not cause a nuisance to 

neighbours. You cannot repair anyone else’s car. 

Car parking 

If you have to park on the road please consider 

your neighbours and other road users. 

Please do not: 

• Cause an obstruction – you could stop 

emergency vehicles getting through 

• Block your neighbours’ gates or driveways 

• Park lorries or vans in residential streets 

• Park on the pavement 

• Park in your garden unless you have a proper 

hard standing and dropped kerb. 

By law and also as part of your Tenancy 

Agreement you must have a dropped kerb if you 

park your car in your garden. To get one call the 

Highways Management section of Nottingham 

City Council on 0115 915 6615. 

Shared parking areas are for taxed and road 

worthy vehicles only – you cannot park caravans, 

trailers and lorries there. 

If a vehicle is abandoned on our land, we will 

arrange for the vehicle to be removed. A charge 

may be made for the cost of removing and 

disposing of it. 

24


We offer a range of services to help you 

in your home and save you money 

Included with this handbook are 

details of your area housing office, 

housing patch manager and other 

essential contacts – such as our 

repairs contact centre, benefits and 

anti-social behaviour helplines. 

Your area housing office 

At your area housing office you can pay your 

rent, council tax and other bills. You can also 

get advice and support about any housing 

issues – from anti-social behaviour, to debt 

advice, to moving home. 

Your housing patch manager 

Your housing patch manager is your local 

contact who will: 

• Provide you with detailed housing advice 

and assistance on a range of issues including 

re-housing, allocations and rent 

• Listen to your concerns about your estate 

and work hard to improve the neighbourhood 

• Deal effectively with anti-social behaviour, 

disorder, harassment, and neighbour 

disputes. 

Home contents insurance 

Would you be able to replace your home contents 

in an emergency 

We don’t insure your furniture, belongings or 

decorations against flood, theft, fire, vandalism or 

burst pipes. Do you have adequate insurance or 

any at all 

We’ve teamed up with Nottingham City Council 

and Norwich Union to offer a comprehensive 

household contents insurance scheme to all 

tenants and leaseholders. 

You may want to make your own arrangements, 

or compare what is available against our 

scheme benefits: 

• Low cost – starting from just £1.38 per week* 

(from £1.15 for tenants in shelteredschemes) 

• Same price wherever you live in the city 

• Easy ways to pay – by Direct Debit or simply 

added to your rent 

• No excess – you don’t have to pay anything 

towards a claim 

• Accidental damage cover is available at a 

small extra cost 

• ‘New for old’ cover 

• Freezer and theft of keys cover. 

Can you really afford not to be insured 

Our insurance scheme is easy to arrange. 

If you already pay your rent by Direct Debit 

we will set up another one to cover your 

insurance payments. 

For an information pack call the Rents Team 

on 0115 915 4920 or visit our website 


* Price is correct as of September 2008 but may change 

25

Installing a water meter 

If you use relatively little water, opting for a meter 

now should mean smaller bills. 

Arranging for a meter to be fitted is easy – there 

are no forms to fill in and your application can be 

made over the telephone. To find out whether it 

would be cost effective to have a water meter 

installed, you would need to work out how much 

water you use in a year. 

To help with calculating the difference a water 

meter may have on your bills, leaflets are 

available from Severn Trent Water called ‘Fitting 

meters free – a householder’s guide’ to find out 

more call 0845 7090 646 or visit 

www.stwater.co.uk 

Nottingham Credit Union 

– safe savings and low cost loans 

Nottingham Credit Union is a socially responsible, 

non-profit provider of financial services for 

anybody who lives or works in the city. 

The credit union offers safe and 

easy ways to save your money. Low 

interest loans mean you can borrow 

safely without incurring crippling 

interest charges. 

Unlike other financial organisations, the credit 

union pay a dividend on your savings, not 

interest. At each Annual General Meeting, 

members decide the dividend rate for the year. 

This decision is based upon how many 

members the credit union has, and how much 

money it has made. 

The dividend paid is competitive compared 

to high street interest rates, and every effort 

is made to maximise the amount of extra 

money which goes into the dividend paid 

out to every member. 

For further details on local credit unions please 

ring Nottingham Credit Union, free phone 

0800 093 70 90. 

Don’t get bitten by a loan shark 

Nottingham City Homes works with the Public 

Protection Project Team to tackle illegal 

money lenders. 

Loan sharks charge extremely high rates of 

interest and often use violence, intimidation 

and blackmail on people who fall behind 

with payments. 

The team works with other enforcement agencies 

to track down and take tough action against loan 

sharks. We also work with voluntary groups and 

other financial inclusion projects such as Victim 

Support, Citizens Advice and Credit Unions. 

If you’ve been approached by a loan shark or 

been threatened for non payment you should 

immediately contact the Public Protection Team 

for advice and support. The 24 hour hotline is 

0115 851 0351. Calls are taken seven days a 

week in strictest confidence. You could also 

contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau on 

0115 938 8050. 

26

Customer care 

What standards you can expect, 

and how to tell us what you think 

We aim to treat all our tenants and 

leaseholders politely, fairly and 

professionally so you feel valued 

and respected. Our customer care 

service standard sets out what you 

can expect from us. 

When you contact us by 

telephone we will: 

• Answer your call in six rings or less, with a 

greeting that includes the name of the 

company, the office you have called and 

the name of the person answering the call 

• Offer to take a message if the person you 

need to speak to is not available – and 

make sure s/he rings back as soon as 

possible 

• Offer an interpreting service if you do not 

speak English. 

When we visit you in your home we will: 

• Make and keep an appointment with you. 

If you request it this will be with someone of 

the same gender, and we will try to offer 

someone of the same ethnic background 

• Carry proof of identity and be respectful to 

you and your home 

• Leave a calling card if you are not at home, 

giving details of why we visited you and 

who you should contact to re-arrange 

the appointment. 

When you visit one of our 

offices we will: 

• Keep the reception area clean and 

tidy and display relevant and up to 

date information 

• Offer you a private interview if you 

request one 

• Aim to to see you within five minutes, and 

explain why if you have to wait for longer 

• Make sure the office is easily accessible 

• Provide induction loops, arrange sign 

language facilities, interpreters or translation 

services if you require them. These may not 

be available immediately, so we may have 

to make an appointment at a later date. 

27

When you contact us by letter 

or e-mail we will: 

• Reply to you within five working days. If we 

cannot respond fully in that time, we will tell 

you who is dealing with your enquiry and 

when you can expect a full response 

• Reply to you using plain English, or other 

language if you do not understand English, 

and in a format of your choice, for example 

large print 

• Keep a record of how you would like us to 

respond to you, either in person, by telephone, 

or in writing. 

Compliments, comments 

and complaints 

Our aim is to provide excellent services – so if 

something goes wrong we want you to tell us. 

We also like to hear from you when you’re happy 

with our services! 

We use every compliment, comment or complaint 

we receive as a chance to change the way we 

deliver services. 

You can send us your compliments, comments or 

complaints by phone, e-mail, letter, fax, by visiting 

one of our offices or through our website at 


You could also get someone else to send us 

compliments, comments or complaints on 

your behalf. 

We aim to reply to your complaint within five 

working days. If we cannot respond fully in that 

time, we will acknowledge your complaint and tell 

you who is dealing with it, and when you can 

expect a full response. 

28

Improving your home 

We aim to bring every home up to the 

Government’s ‘Decent Homes’ standard by 2013 

Secure ◆ Warm ◆ Modern 

This is our programme to make 

sure every council home in 

Nottingham is a decent place 

to live. 

Between 2008 and 2013 we aim to spend up to 

£243 million improving thousands of homes 

across Nottingham (dependent on us achieving 

two stars in our Audit Commission inspection, 

November 2008). This programme is based on 

out tenants’ priorities and is divided into three 

main streams: 

• Nottingham Secure – installing new windows 

into 15,300 properties 

• Warmth for Nottingham – improving heating 

for 11,200 properties 

• Modern Living – internal improvements 

including new kitchens for 17,000 homes 

and new bathrooms in 12,700 homes 

We are required to bring every home up to the 

Government’s ‘Decent Homes’ standard. 

Two-thirds of Nottingham’s 29,000 council 

properties already meet the standard. 

The Secure ◆ Warm ◆ Modern programme will 

make sure every home not only meets this 

standard but improves on it. 

We have developed a works programme 

up to 2013. To find out when we are planning 

work in your area ask us for a copy of the Secure 

◆ Warm ◆ Modern brochure, or visit our website 

at www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Planned maintenance 

When something goes wrong in your 

home our repairs service is on hand 

to put it right. 

But it makes sense to maintain things to stop 

them breaking – so we have a planned 

maintenance programme to make sure your home 

and communal areas are well looked after in the 

long-term. 

We aim to repair and paint any woodwork on the 

outside of your home and any shared areas every 

six years. We’ll also inspect fencing and guttering 

regularly, and then schedule any improvements. 

The programme also includes things like servicing 

your gas boiler once a year, electrical servicing 

and maintaining lighting, lifts and common areas 

in blocks of flats. 

29

Carrying out your own 

improvements 

You can make improvements to your home – 

providing you get our written permission first. 

All alterations must be done safely, using the 

correct materials and must comply with relevant 

building controls and planning regulations. 

A suitably qualified person must carry out all work 

involving gas or electrical installations. You must 

obtain a safety certificate from the person carrying 

out the work and let us have a copy of it. Any gas 

appliance you have had installed will be serviced 

by us after the first 12 months. 

If you carry out work without our written 

permission we may ask you to put it back the way 

it was. If you do not we can carry out the work 

and charge you for it. 

You might be able to claim compensation for 

certain improvements at the end of your tenancy. 

Repayment is calculated on a formula set by the 

Government. For more information please contact 

your area housing office. 

Accidents 

If you see anything that you think might cause an 

accident, please tell the person carrying out the 

work immediately. 

Health and safety 

Repair and maintenance work can create some 

inconvenience. Of course it all depends on the 

job, but it can be noisy, dusty and disruptive. 

We will do everything possible to make sure work 

is carried out safely – but accidents can happen 

and health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. 

You can help prevent accidents by following some 

simple guidelines. 

If anyone in your household has a health problem 

that might be affected by the work 

(for example if you are disabled, asthmatic, 

housebound, visually impaired or hard of hearing) 

let us know. We will do our best to take this into 

consideration and make adjustments. 

ID cards and security 

• Always ask for identification 

• Only allow people with identity cards 

bearing the name ‘Nottingham City Homes’ 

into your home. All our employees and 

contractors carry one 

• If in doubt, do not let the person in – call our 

Repairs Contact Centre on 0115 915 2222. 

30

Children and pets 

Your children may find the noise and 

disturbance of any work exciting, rather 

than potentially dangerous – while your 

pets may be uncomfortable with 

strangers around. 

We recommend you arrange for your children and 

pets to stay with a friend or neighbour. If this isn’t 

possible please keep children and pets away from 

work areas, and don’t leave children unsupervised. 

Dont’t let children climb on ladders, scaffolds, work 

equipment and skips. 

31 

Personal belongings 

Where necessary, please remove or pack away 

from the work area anything breakable, valuable or 

of sentimental value. If anything is damaged during 

the work you must keep it and call the Repairs 

Contact Centre on 0115 915 2222 straight away. 

Smoking 

We have to look after the health and safety of our 

employees. When a member of our improvement 

team, or a contractor, comes to your home you 

have to make sure it is free of cigarette smoke. 

Asbestos 

Some of our properties may contain asbestos 

products – typically in heating cupboards, flues, 

bath panels and water tanks. 

Asbestos does not represent a health risk if it is not 

disturbed or damaged. 

If you have any concerns get in touch or check our 

website at www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Immersion heating scalding 

While the risk of immersion heater and associated 

faults are very low, please be aware of the warning 

signs which include: 

• Excessively hot water coming out of the 

hot water taps 

• Excessive noise or ‘bubbling’ from the hot 

water cylinder 

• Hot water coming out of certain cold water 

taps (some storage cisterns also feed cold 

water taps in the bathroom) 

• Steam/moisture in the roof space. 

If you notice any of these signs, please switch off 

your immersion heater and alert the Repairs 

Contact Centre on 0115 915 2222. 

Water hygiene 

We recommend you run all your taps and your 

shower for a couple of minutes each week to 

prevent the build up of harmful bacteria. 

We also recommend you clean your shower head 

every month to prevent the build up limescale.


How we will act when we are 

in your home 

One of our values is ‘respect the 

individual’ – so all our employees and 

contractors follow a code of conduct when 

they are in your home. 

We will: 

• Be respectful, polite and courteous to 

everyone who lives there 

• Be considerate of your possessions 

• Treat all your personal details with the 

utmost confidentiality 

• Show special consideration to anyone 

who is elderly, disabled or has special needs 

• Not smoke, consume alcohol, play music 

or use bad or offensive language in your 

home 

• Not use your facilities such as the toilet, 

telephone, electricity or gas supplies 

without your permission 

• Wear an NCH uniform and identity card 

at all times 

• Use suitable protection for furniture 

and floor coverings 

• Leave your home clean and tidy when 

the job is finished and at the end of each 

working day 

• Keep stairways and entrances clear 

during the work 

• Keep tools and harmful substances out of 

reach of children and pets (where 

reasonably practicable) 

• Keep you informed about how the 

work is going. 

We are confident that all our workforce 

follow this code. But if you find any 

employee or contractors not complying with 

this code, please note the personal details 

on their identity card and report it to the 

Repairs Contact Centre on 0115 915 2222 

as soon as possible. 

And if you are pleased with our work we 

would like to hear about that too! 

32


We have a range of services to help 

you live more independently 

Aids and adaptations 

Nottingham City Council’s 

adaptations service aims to make 

everyday tasks and life in your 

home easier. 

If you have a physical impairment you may 

be eligible for an adaptation. 

We know everybody’s needs are different. 

So we want to make sure we provide the 

most appropriate adaptation or piece of 

equipment. 

What are adaptations 

Adaptations are alterations to your home that 

help make life easier, such as: 

• Wet floor showers 

• Stairlifts 

• Ramps to improve access 

• Hand rails 

• Lever taps. 

Most adaptations will mean work has to be 

carried out in your home. 

Equipment to assist in every day tasks is also 

available, including: 

• Raised toilet seats 

• Bath seats 

• Shower seats 

• Perching stools. 

These items are normally quick and easy to 

install and can be removed if no longer required. 

33

Can I get help 

We can help you if: 

• You have, or someone living with you has, 

significant needs at home due to disability 

or long-term health problems 

• Your Occupational Therapist recommends 

adaptation works to your home. 

What do you need to do 

To find out more, please contact one of the 

following numbers: 

If you would like to find out more about the 

service available for adults please contact 

0115 915 0439 or email 

occupationaltherapy@nottinghamcity.gov.uk 

To find out more about services available for 

children please contact 0115 915 1016 or email 

childrenshealth.disability@nottinghamcity.gov.uk 



We will: 

• Provide information about available 

adaptations in our office reception areas, on 

our website and at Nottingham City Council’s 

Adaptations and Renewals Agency 

• Register your request for an adaptation and 

refer it to the city council‘s disability housing 

advisors within one working day 

• Carry out an impact assessment before 

starting work to only cause minimum disruption 

• Provide you with a list of work that needs 

doing before we begin 

• Make sure you always have access to basic 

facilities such as water and heating while we 

carry out the work 

• Clean up at the end of every working day 

• Once completed, make sure the work meets 

quality standards and complies with all 

relevant laws. 

34

If your property cannot be adapted and 

you need to move home we will: 

• Keep an accurate register of our properties 

that are suitable for disabled people 

• Register requests for priority re-housing as 

quickly as possible, and no later than 15 

working days 

• Make sure the city council’s disability housing 

advisors assess the property’s suitability before 

allocating you a property. 

Sheltered housing 

We manage a number of specially-built housing 

schemes, all fitted with emergency alarms. These 

include: 

• Bungalows 

• Ground floor and first floor flats 

• High rise flats. 

These housing complexes aim to provide homes 

in which elderly and vulnerable people keep their 

privacy, dignity and independence. 

Sheltered housing allows you to live 

independently in your own home. But you have a 

Sheltered Scheme Manager on site most days. 

You also have a care alarm linked to Nottingham 

On Call. So if you need help, or you are ill etc, you 

can contact them 24 hours a day, every day. 

We have a dedicated number for the services we 

provide. For more details or for a copy of the 

handbook call 0115 915 1616 or email 

shelteredhousing@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Non-sheltered bungalows 

and flats 

Non-sheltered bungalows and some of our flats 

are also fitted with emergency community alarms 

so residents can contact Nottingham On Call. 

These homes are usually offered to older people 

or people with a disability who need extra support. 

35

Nottingham On Call 

Nottingham On Call gives tenants piece of mind 

in their own home. Through Nottingham On Call 

you can contact a specially trained operator who 

will be at the other end of the phone 24 hours a 

day, every day. 

Specially trained operators are available to offer 

advice and reassurance, alert emergency 

services or contact friends and relatives. 

The service also has officers who visit people in 

their own homes to: 

• Connect and check alarms and show how 

they work 

• Offer advice and guidance on using 

pendants and other sensors such as fall 

detectors, flood detectors and smoke alarms 

• Offer emergency response should we be 

unable to contact next of kin or key holders. 

There is a charge for the service depending 

on the level of service you need. For more 

information about Nottingham On Call, 

or to arrange a free demonstration, 

call 0115 915 1640 or email 

housingoncall@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 



We will: 

• Assign a local scheme manager to your 

sheltered scheme 

• Visit you every working day unless you 

don’t want us to 

• Provide 24 hour emergency alarm cover, 

including an out-of-hours staffed response 

• Answer 98.5% of all alarm activations within 

60 seconds 

• Get the Mobile Support Team to you 

within 30 minutes of an alarm activation, 

where required 

• Check your pull cord alarm system is working 

monthly for sheltered housing, every three 

months in high rise flats and conduct visits 

yearly for non-sheltered homes 

• Test fire alarm systems and water services 

every week in sheltered housing or by the 

caretaker in high rise flats 

• Help you to fill out forms and applications 

• Keep you up to date on what’s happening 

with our services 

• Clean communal areas every working day 

and make sure sheltered schemes are neat, 

clean, safe and secure 

• Respond within 24 hours if your equipment 

fails. If it needs replacing or will take more 

than 24 hours to repair we will provide an 

alternative alarm unit 

• Install a care alarm within eight working 

days of your request for Nottingham On 

Call tenants. 

36

Managing and 

improving your estate 

Respect for Nottingham 

Nottingham City Homes is a key 

partner in the Respect for 

Nottingham initiative. 

We’re committed to working with Nottingham 

City Council, the police, fire service, Crime and 

Drugs Partnership and others to tackle drug 

dealing and anti-social behaviour while creating 

a cleaner, safer city. 

A new three year action plan was launched in 

August 2008. 

Estate inspections 

Since June 2007 we have inspected the 

standard of our estates every three months. 

The inspections look at the cleanliness of the 

streets, condition of the gardens, fencing and 

the general feeling in the neighbourhood, rating 

them from zero to three stars. 

By August 2008 90% of estates were at a two star 

standard or above, compared to 36% when we 

started the inspections. We are committed to 

continually raising the standard. 

Tenants volunteer to be part of our inspection team, 

and go out and judge each estate on the same 

criteria. They look for public spaces that have 

become overgrown, old, damaged or missing 

estates signs (for example ‘no ball games’ or 

directions to blocks) and damaged fencing. 

We then act on their observations to make your 

community a better place to live. 

Working together 

We’re responsible for some things – but where 

we’re not we’ll work with others to make sure 

improvements happen. 

For example we’ll refer issues to Nottingham City 

Council Street Scene team – which will clean the 

streets and open spaces, remove graffiti, fly tips, 

fly posting and abandoned cars. The team also cuts 

grass and hedges, and inspects and maintain trees, 

parks, playgrounds and cemeteries. 

We will remove any offensive 

graffiti sprayed on a council 

home within 24 hours of you 

reporting it. 

37

Caretaking 

We aim to deliver an effective caretaking service 

that will provide you with a home and 

neighbourhood where you will want to live. 

We train our staff to British Institute of Cleaning 

Science standards. We will seek your views about 

our service and standards and consult you about 

any changes. 

Our caretakers service more than 3,000 properties 

in high rise and low rise blocks across the city. 

At each location we will display the range of 

cleaning duties we carry out there. 

Seen a stray dog 

If you think a dog is a stray you can report it to the 

Nottingham City Council Dog Warden Service by 

calling 0115 915 6223. 

The wardens will look after the dog and try to 

return it to the owner. For more information, see 

the public health section of the Nottingham City 

Council website. 



Where we provide an estate caretaking 

service we will: 

• Train our staff to British Institute of Cleaning 

Science standards 

• Work with Nottingham City Council and other 

organisations to continually improve services in 

your neighbourhood 

If you live in a block of flats or maisonette with 

a caretaking service we will: 

• Tell you the name and contact details of your 

caretaker and details of the service we will 

provide. The service will be provided between 

8am and 4pm each working day. 

Every day we will: 

• Inspect all floor areas 

• Check bin rooms and rotate bins as necessary 

• Check all upper floors and chute rooms, 

identify and clean areas and unblock chutes 

as necessary 

• Identify and remove bulk waste 

• Sweep or vacuum all ground floor areas, 

including foyers and lifts 

• Identify and report any communal repair issues. 

Every week we will: 

• Clean and litter pick all outside areas and 

empty litter bins 

• Clean chute and bin rooms 

• Clean and polish lift walls, where appropriate 

• Mop, vacuum or buff all upper floor 

communal areas 

• Sweep and mop stairways 

• Mop lifts, landings and ground floor areas 

where necessary 

• Wipe woodwork, walls and glass surfaces 

where necessary. 

38

Anti-social behaviour, 

domestic violence and 

hate crime * 

We do not tolerate anti-social 

behaviour, domestic violence or 

harassment based on gender, age, 

religion, race, colour, sexuality or 

disability. 

Drug dealing 

As part of your tenancy agreement you have a 

responsibly to make sure drugs are not being 

used or sold from your home or in your 

neighbourhood – either by yourself, family 

members or friends. 

We will seek to evict anyone found guilty of 

drug dealing. 

We are a key member of the Nottingham Crime 

and Drugs Partnership and work closely with 

the police and Nottingham City Council to 

identify and prosecute offenders. 

Anti-social behaviour 

Anti-social behaviour can include any 

of the following: 

• Noise 

• Verbal abuse, harassment, intimidation, 

threatening behaviour 

• Hate related incidents 

• Vandalism and damage to property 

• Nuisance from vehicles – including mini-motos 

• Drugs misuse / dealing 

• Alcohol related 

• Domestic abuse / violence 

• Physical violence, including threats 

of violence 

• Littering, rubbish and fly tipping 

(including throwing items out of windows 

of high-rise buildings) 

• Garden nuisance 

• Misuse of public space / loitering 

• Prostitution, performing sexual acts, 

kerb crawling 

• Any other criminal behaviour not included in 

the categories above 

If you are suffering from anti-social behaviour, you 

should report it to us as soon as you can. We will 

interview you somewhere safe within five working 

days and take your complaint seriously. 

Anti-social behaviour helpline 

0115 915 2020 

39

Domestic violence 

Domestic violence is a crime which includes 

physical, sexual or emotional abuse that takes 

place within a close relationship. 

We take an uncompromising stance against 

domestic violence. We encourage people to 

report incidents they experience or witness. 

We will take your complaint seriously, thoroughly 

investigate it and treat it sensitively throughout. 

We will interview you somewhere safe within one 

working day of you reporting something to us. We 

may also: 

• Identify your support needs and how these 

might be met, including support from a person 

of the same sex, referring you to a specialist 

agency such as Women’s Aid 

• Refer you to Nottinghamshire Police’s 

domestic abuse support team 

• Refer you to Nottingham City Council’s 

Sanctuary scheme, which will consider a range 

of security improvements to allow you to 

remain safe in your home 

• Discuss with you the possibility of taking action 

against the offender. 

Hate crime 

A hate crime is severe harassment motivated by 

the hatred of another person simply because of 

their race, gender, colour, religion, disability, age 

or sexuality and includes domestic violence. 

We will not tolerate any form of harassment. 

We encourage people to report incidents they 

experience or witness. 

We will take your complaint seriously and 

thoroughly investigate it. We will interview you 

somewhere safe within one working day of you 

reporting something to us. We may also: 

• Consider immediate legal action to protect 

you, if you are the victim of violence or have 

been threatened with violence, and you are 

prepared to give evidence 

• With your permission, share information with 

other organisations, including Nottinghamshire 

Police, to help us monitor racist incidents 

across the county. 

*A hate incident is any incident that the victim or any other 

person believes has been motivated by hatred, bias, or 

prejudice, based upon their actual or perceived: race 

(including gypsies and travellers), ethnic origin, religion, 

disability, gender, sexual orientation or age. 

40

What actions can we take 

Each case is different and the steps we take will 

change depending on the circumstances. But 

there are a number of actions available including: 

Mediation 

This is a free and impartial service provided by 

Nottingham Mediation Service (NMS) and can 

help you to sort out conflicts. If you agree to this, 

we will make a referral to them or you can contact 

them at any time yourself. 

Verbal and written warnings 

If we have enough evidence, and when it’s 

appropriate, we will warn tenants that their actions 

are breaking their tenancy conditions. 

This gives the person causing the nuisance a 

chance to change their behaviour. 

Acceptable Behaviour Contracts 

These are voluntary agreements made between 

us and the anti-social person in order to improve 

the person’s behaviour. 

Parenting contracts 

These are used with parents / guardians of 

children who are behaving anti-socially and 

usually used together with an Acceptable 

Behaviour Contract. It sets out what needs to be 

done by the parent / guardian of the child to stop 

them acting in an anti-social way. 

Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBO) 

These are legally binding court orders which seek 

to restrict someone’s behaviour that is regularly 

anti-social. If the ASBO’s conditions are breached, 

the perpetrator can be sent to prison. 

Injunction proceedings 

These are orders made by the Court to make a 

tenant do something or stop doing something. 

For example if a tenant has allowed their garden 

to become overgrown and refuses to maintain it 

we could ask for an injunction to force the tenant 

to maintain it. 

Tenancy notices 

These are the legal notices that start possession 

proceedings, which could end in eviction. 

41

Possession proceedings 

If a council tenant’s anti-social behaviour is 

very serious we may apply to court for 

possession of their home, which may result 

in them being evicted. 

Tenancy demotion 

Under certain circumstances, we may apply to 

court to have a secure tenancy reduced to a 

demoted tenancy. A demoted tenancy will last for 

a minimum of 12 months. A demoted tenant has 

less rights than someone with a secure tenancy. 

If there are any problems with the conduct of a 

demoted tenant, it is easier for us to evict them. 

Suspending an application to buy 

or lease a council home 

We can ask the courts to suspend a right to buy 

application for up to 12 months where someone 

is causing serious anti-social behaviour. 



When investigating your complaint we will: 

• Treat all information you give us 

in confidence 

• Give you advice and guidance 

• Put together an action plan and review it 

with you once a month 

• Look into a range of civil and legal actions 

that can be taken against the perpetrators 

• Offer you security improvements if your 

personal safety is at serious risk 

• Help you find safe, temporary accommodation 

if you need it 

• Arrange for any abusive, obscene or 

threatening graffiti to be removed within 

one working day 

• Advise you how to fill in ‘observation sheets’ 

to record details of incidents and review 

these regularly with you. 

If a complaint is made against you we will: 

• Speak to you within 10 working days of the 

complaint being made 

• Inform you of the allegations being made 

against you and listen to your response 

• Give you the opportunity to rectify your 

behaviour and get support 

• Let you know how we believe you have 

broken your tenancy or leasehold agreement 

• Where appropriate, discuss with you options 

such as an Acceptable Behaviour Contract 

or a Parenting Contract, before taking 

formal legal action 

• Give you written notice of any legal action 

we intend to take against you, and the 

reasons for that action. 

To report anti-social behaviour, contact your 

local housing patch manager at your area 

housing office, or call the Anti-social behaviour 

helpline on 0115 915 2020. 

Our employees 

Our employees are here to help 

and advise you. 

We are committed to delivering excellent 

services, while making sure our employees’ 

health, safety and well-being is protected. 

Your Tenancy Agreement states you must not 

threaten or abuse our staff physically or verbally. 

This includes using bad language or visiting any 

office under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

42

Moving home 

Advice about how to move, 

and how to buy your home 

If you are a secure tenant and want 

to end your tenancy you must give 

us at least four weeks notice in 

writing. The tenancy will always 

end on a Monday. In exceptional 

circumstances we may accept 

less notice. 

If you are a joint tenant your tenancy can end if 

just one of you gives notice. If the person you 

hold a joint tenancy with wants to end it, you 

must talk to your housing patch manager 

straight away. 

Before you leave 

• We will make an appointment for someone 

to inspect your home 

• You must leave your home clean and tidy, 

with no rubbish or unwanted furniture and in 

a reasonable condition 

• If your home is damaged and we have to 

repair it or clear out unwanted furniture or 

rubbish, we will charge you for the cost of 

doing it. 

Checklist for ending 

your tenancy 

Make sure you have: 

• Paid your rent up to the date you leave 

• Checked the property room by room 

(including the shed, garage and greenhouse if 

you have them) to make sure it is cleared 

• Left the property clean and tidy 

• Left no-one living in the property 

• Given us your new address 

• Told the water, gas, electricity and phone 

companies you are moving 

• Told the housing benefit and council tax 

team you are moving 

• Redirected the mail with the Post Office 

• Returned the keys to us by midday on the 

day your tenancy ends, including keys to 

any shed, garage and greenhouse. 

43

Moving options for secure tenants 

A transfer 

A transfer is when you move to another council 

home. People often do this when their home gets 

too big or too small for their needs. 

If you want a transfer you will need to fill in a 

Nottingham HomeLink application form. For more 

information on Homelink, please visit the website 

www.nottinghamhomelink.org.uk or ask for a 

Homelink booklet at your area housing office. 

A mutual exchange 

A ‘mutual’ exchange is a way for you to swap homes 

with another council tenant or registered social 

landlord tenant. Exchanges are often a quick way 

for you to move. You can find more information and 

register at your area housing office or online at 

www.nottinghamhomelink.org.uk 

HomeSwapper 

www.homeswapper.co.uk is for social landlord 

tenants looking for a house swap, nationally as 

well as locally. This is possible whether it is a 

housing association or council house exchange. 

EM Home Buy 

www.emhomebuy.org.uk helps you to 

purchase your own home through 

government sponsored schemes. 

Discounted for sale 

Nottingham City Council has agreed with a group 

of landlords and developers that several new 

housing schemes across the city will have 

properties for sale at discounted prices. These 

have been reduced in price to help people who 

cannot afford the full market value. For more 

information phone 0115 915 1430 or email 

affordablehomes@nottinghamcity.gov.uk 

44


We have garages available to rent 

all over Nottingham 

There are garages to rent across 

the city. We have waiting lists for 

garages in popular areas, but in 

some parts of the city you can get 

one very quickly. 

If you would like to rent a garage you will need 

to fill in an application form. You can get one of 

these from your area housing office 

(see ‘Useful contacts’ section). 


– dos and don’ts: 

• Your garage is normally used for storing 

your car 

• It can be used for storing other items as long 

as they don’t cause a nuisance or are 

dangerous or illegal 

• You cannot take electricity from the mains 

• You must not use your garage for carrying 

out a business or trade, unless we give you 

permission in writing first 

• You must never store petrol, gas bottles or 

other flammable substances in the garage 

• Your garage rent is paid in the same way as 

the rent for your home 

• You should report any repairs that are 

needed to your garage 

• If your garage needs repairing please 

contact the Repairs Contact Centre on 

0115 915 2222. 

Ending your garage tenancy 

• You can end your garage tenancy by 

giving one week’s notice in writing. 

Your tenancy must end on a Sunday 

• When you end a tenancy your rent payments 

must be up to date. All the keys must be 

returned and all your belongings removed 

• If we have to clear the garage we will charge 

you for the cost 

• If you do not pay your rent or if you break the 

conditions of the tenancy we can give you 

one week’s notice in writing that the tenancy 

is ending. We will charge you if we have to 

change the locks. 


– our service standard: 

When providing garages for rent, we will: 

• Carry out repairs and maintenance of 

garage sites 

• Include garage sites in our estate inspections 

every three months. 

45


Get in touch with our key services 

and area housing offices 

Main Switchboard 

Phone: 0845 330 3131 

Repairs Contact Centre 

Open 24 hours a day, every day 

Phone: 0115 915 2222 

Minicom: 0115 915 1826 

repairs@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 


Rents Contact Centre 

Phone: 0115 915 4920 

rents@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Tenant and Leaseholder Involvement Team 

Phone: 0115 915 7366 

Services for Older People 

Phone: 0115 915 1616 

shelteredhousing@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Nottingham On Call 

24-hour care alarm service 

Phone: 0115 915 1640 

housingoncall@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

46

Aspley Housing Office 

14 Strelley Road 

Strelley 

Nottingham NG8 3AP 

Phone: 0115 915 3121 

Fax: 0115 915 3111 

Minicom: 0115 915 3126 

aspleyoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Bestwood Housing Office 

Elmbridge 

Bestwood Park 

Nottingham NG5 5PF 

Phone: 0115 915 3301 

Fax: 0115 915 3333 

Minicom: 0115 915 3407 

bestwoodoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Bilborough Housing Office 

95 Bracebridge Drive 

Bilborough 

Nottingham NG8 5PL 

Phone: 0115 915 0491 

Fax: 0115 915 0470 

Minicom: 0115 915 0485 

bilboroughoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Bulwell Housing Office 

1 Gilead Street 

Bulwell 

Nottingham NG6 8NA 

Phone: 0115 915 3212 

Fax: 0115 915 3222 

Minicom: 0115 915 3212 

bulwelloffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Clifton Housing Office 

Clifton Cornerstone 

Southchurch Drive 

Clifton 

Nottingham NG11 8EW 

Phone: 0115 878 6287 

Fax: 0115 878 6375 

Minicom: 0115 878 6101 

cliftonoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

47 

Lenton Housing Office 

5 - 6 Church Square 

Lenton 

Nottingham NG7 1SL 

Phone: 0115 915 3740 

Fax: 0115 915 3748 

Minicom: 0115 915 3740 

lentonoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Radford and Hyson Green Housing Office 

The Mary Potter Centre 

Gregory Boulevard 

Hyson Green 

Nottingham NG7 5HY 

Phone: 0115 883 8220 

Fax: 0115 883 8230 

Minicom: 0115 883 8225 

radfordoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Southglade Housing Office 

Southglade Road 

Bestwood 

Nottingham NG5 5GU 

Phone: 0115 915 9701 

Fax: 0115 915 9719 

Minicom: 0115 915 9716 

southgladeoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

St Ann’s Housing Office 

2 Robin Hood Chase 

St Ann’s 

Nottingham NG3 4EZ 

Phone: 0115 915 6905 

Fax: 0115 915 6902 

Minicom: 0115 915 6911 

stannsoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Victoria Centre Housing Office 

4 - 21 Victoria Centre Flats 

Nottingham NG1 3PA 

Phone: 0115 915 3730 

Fax: 0115 915 3733 

Minicom: 0115 915 3730 

victoriacentreoffice@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk

Other useful contacts 

Services you may need provided by 

Nottingham City Council and others 

Citizens Advice Bureau 0115 938 8050 

Women’s Aid Advice Centre 0808 800 0340 

Nottingham Mediation Services 0115 962 0035 

Nottingham City Council main swtchboard 0115 915 5555 

Anti-social Behaviour Helpline 0115 915 2020 

Benefits (Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) 0115 915 4944 

Council Tax 0115 915 4851 

Dog wardens 0115 915 6123 

Dustbin collections 0115 915 2000 

Education services 0115 915 0800 

Energy in the home 0115 915 1426 

Street lighting 0115 915 2211 

Homelessness (Housing Aid) 0115 915 3000 

Pest control 0115 915 6123 

Right to Buy 0115 915 4551 

Adult Services Housing and Health 0115 915 5555 

Fly-tipping (dumping rubbish illegally) 0115 915 2000 

Special Collection of bulky items and white goods 

Street Cleaning 

48

Index 

Introduction 

About us 

Our mission, vision and values 

Our service standards 

Equality and diversity 

Our responsibilities 

What you can expect – our service standard 


Ways you can get involved 

Tenant and Leaseholder Participation Compact 

2007 - 2010 

Rent, benefits and debt advice 

How to pay your rent 

Helping you deal with debt Housing 

and council tax benefit 


Repairs 

How to report a repair 

Your responsibilities 



Before you move in 

After you’ve moved in 

Moving in 

Your tenancy 

Introductory tenancy 

Secure tenancy 

Principal home 

Joint tenancies 

Swapping your home 

Transferring your tenancy to someone else 

Inheriting a tenancy 

Lodgers and sub-letting 

Buying your home 

Going on holiday 

Going into a nursing home 

Living in flats and maisonettes 

Business or trade 

Keeping pets 

Looking after your property 

Gas servicing 

Electricity 

Fire safety 

Inside your home 

Condensation 

Outside your home 

Garden assistance scheme 

Repairing your car 

Car parking 


Your area housing office 

Your housing patch manager 

Home contents insurance 

Installing a water meter 

Nottingham Credit Union 

Avoiding loan sharks 

49

Customer care 

Contacting us by telephone 

When we visit you 

When you visit us 

When you email or write to us 

Compliments, comments and complaints 

Improving your home 

Secure Warm Modern programme 

Planned maintenance 

Carrying out your own improvements 

Health and safety 

Children and pets 

Personal belongings 

ID cards/ security 

Accidents 

Smoking 

Asbestos 

Water hygiene 

Immersion heaters 



Aids and adaptations 

Sheltered housing 

Non-sheltered bungalows and flats 

Nottingham on Call 


Managing and improving your estate 

Respect for Nottingham 

Inspecting to improve 

Working together 

Caretaking 

Stray dogs 


Anti-social behaviour, domestic 

violence, drugs, harassment and 

hate crime 

Drug dealing 

Anti-social behaviour 

Domestic violence 

Racial harassment and hate crime 

What actions we can take 


Our employees 


Renting a garage – dos and don’ts: 

Ending your garage tenancy 


Moving home 

Before you leave 

Checklist for ending your tenancy 

Secure tenants – your moving options 


50

If you are unable to read this Tenant Handbook please contact your area housing office, 

or call us on 0845 330 3131. We can arrange for an interpreter to explain it to you, or 

send you a spoken word version on tape or CD. If neither of these are suitable, we can 

translate this publication into your chosen language. This is also available in large print. 

Cantonese 

Czech 

French 

Gujarati 

Hindi 

Kurdish 

Polish 

Punjabi 

Portuguese 

Urdu 

Nottingham City Homes 

Head Office, 14 Hounds Gate, Nottingham NG1 7BA 

Telephone: 0845 330 3131 

Minicom: 0115 915 7447 

Email: feedback@nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Web: www.nottinghamcityhomes.org.uk 

Registered in England and Wales No. 5292636 September 2008

Tenant handbook - Nottingham City Homes

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