Tenant handbook - Swan Housing Association

3Tenanthandbook

4Contents0306Welcome16Customer careInvolving residents2242Your tenancy4854RentSupported Housing62RepairsMovingTo report a repair,phone 0800 783 2768.This call is free of charge.

5WelcomeWelcome to Swan’s tenanthandbook. This is your guideto our services. It includesinformation that explains yourtenancy agreement.Inside we have set out, in clearsections, what you can expectof us and what we expect of you.We hope this will help you makethe most of your tenancy with usand that you enjoy your new home.The handbook also includescontact details for our localoffices, plus importantinformation on repairs.If you need to talk to us, please getin touch. Our phone numbers andfull addresses are shown on theinside front cover.You can also contact us throughour website at www.swan.org.ukI hope you enjoy living inyour home.John SynnuckChief Executive

10If you feel you have been treatedunfairly, or are experiencingharassment, contact us on0845 612 4700.3 COMPLAINTSWe will do our best to give youa good service, but thingssometimes go wrong. If you are nothappy with any service we haveprovided, please tell us. This helpsus make our services better.You may want to make a complaintif you think that we have:• failed to provide a service;• provided a poor standardof service;• failed to meet our servicestandards;• treated you unfairly; or• failed to follow our own policiesand procedures.Complaints about noisy neighboursare different. Please see page 29for information on how to complainabout a noisy neighbour.How to make a complaintYou can make a complaint in anumber of ways.• In person – You can talk to us inperson at one of our offices.• By phone – You can phone ourCustomer FeedbackCo-ordinator on 01277 314 341.• In writing – Send us your commentsby letter or by using the form inour complaints and complimentsleaflet. Please write to:Pilgrim HouseBillericayEssexCM12 9XY• Email – You can email us atinvolvement@swan.org.uk• Website – You can fill in our onlineform at www.swan.org.ukOnce you have made a complaintwe will:• acknowledge your complaintwithin three working days; and• aim to settle your complaintwithin 10 working days.If we cannot give you a fullresponse within 10 working days,we will tell you why and keep youinformed of progress.

11Our complaints procedureStage oneWe will make a note of yourcomplaint and pass it to therelevant manager for them toinvestigate and settle. They willdiscuss the problem with you, andask you how you would like us todeal with the matter. Whereverpossible, we will settle yourcomplaint immediately. At the veryleast, we will send you a fullresponse within 10 working days.If you are not happy with themanager’s response, you can takeyour complaint to stage two.Stage twoPhone the Customer FeedbackCo-ordinator on 01277 314341 toask for your complaint to bereviewed by one of our directors.The director will look at how theproblem has been managed anddecide whether there is more wecan do. The director will then sendyou a full response within 10working days.If you are still not happy, you cantake your complaint to stage three.Stage threeContact the Customer FeedbackCo-ordinator and ask them toarrange for a special appeals panelto review your case. This panel willinclude at least one member of ourboard of management and, unlessyou do not want them to hear yourcomplaint, at least one Swantenant or leaseholder from adifferent area.We will set the date within 10working days for the panel hearingto be held. You will be able to meetthe panel and tell them why you arestill unhappy. We will send you afull response within five workingdays of this hearing.This will be our final responseto your complaint.

134 COMPLIMENTSYou can pay us a compliment in anumber of ways.• In person – You can talk to us inperson at one of our offices.• By phone – You can phone ourCustomer Feedback Co-ordinatoron 01277 314 341.• In writing – Send us your commentsby letter or by using the form inour complaints and complimentsleaflet. Please write to:Pilgrim HouseBillericayEssexCM12 9XY• Email – You can email us atinvolvement@swan.org.uk• Website – You can fill in our onlineform at www.swan.org.uk5 COMPENSATIONIf our level of service dropsbelow the standards we haveset ourselves, we may offeryou compensation. We havea compensation policy whichaims to explain your rights,and what compensation youmay be entitled to, when wehave delivered services to anunsatisfactory standard.You may be able to getcompensation in thefollowing circumstances.• If you are ending your tenancyand have made certainimprovements to the property.(See ‘Right to Compensationfor Improvements’ in yourtenancy agreement.)• If you do not receive thestandard of service we promiseto provide.• If you pay a service charge for aparticular service and we havefailed to provide that service fora significant period of time,unless this is due tocircumstances beyond ourcontrol (for example, if agardening service is delayedbecause of bad weather).• If for any reason we fail tocomplete certain repairswithin a specified timescale(see ‘Right to RepairCompensation’ in yourtenancy agreement).

14If you think you may be entitledto compensation, or you wantmore information, please:• talk to a member of staff, eitheron the phone or face-to-face;• write to us;• send us an email; or• contact us through our website.6 CONFIDENTIALITYWe will keep all informationabout you confidential.We will not pass any informationabout you to another personor organisation without askingyou first.If we are asked to provide areference for you (for example,by a bank or building society),we will not supply it unless yougive us permission in writing.You have the right to see anyinformation we hold about you.However, we cannot show youany information about you that hasbeen provided by another personor organisation, such as your GPor social services.If you think any of the informationwe hold on you is wrong, pleasetell us. If we agree, we will correctthe information. If you still thinkthe information is wrong, we willadd a note to your file stating thatyou disagree.

16We believe that residentsshould be at the centre ofeverything we do. This sectionprovides information abouthow you can get involved inyour local area and help toimprove our services.

170000InvolvingresidentsHow to get involved

181 OUR SERVICESTANDARDSTo make sure we consider yourviews when we make decisions,we will:• consult and involve you onissues that affect your homeand local community;• provide clear information to helpyou get involved;• provide a wide range ofopportunities for you to getinvolved in improving services;• regularly tell you what we havedone as a result of yoursuggestions; and• encourage all parts of thecommunity to get involved.To help you get involved we will:• support residents who want toform residents’ groups and runthem effectively;• send residents at least fournewsletters a year;• support and develop communityprojects such as youth activities,football teams, gardening andlunch clubs;• provide training anddevelopment for residents; and• give financial help forcommunity projects andactivities led by residents.We have agreed these standardswith a group of residents. We willmeasure our performance againstthe standards and let you knowhow we are doing.

192 INVOLVEMENT FOR ALLWe provide many opportunitiesfor consultation and involvement.These range from formalarrangements set out in ourgovernance structure (theframework for the way we are run)to less formal events like fun days,focus groups and serviceimprovementreviews.We want to give every resident theopportunity to contribute to theirneighbourhood and to enjoy wherethey live. It’s important that whatwe do meets the needs of all thecommunities we serve.The following sections showhow you can get involved andwho to contact.3 HOW TO GETINVOLVED IN YOURNEIGHBOURHOODYou can get involved in your areain the following ways.By helping to drawup neighbourhoodagreementsThese agreements set out theservice standards you can expectin your neighbourhood, and whatwe need to do in the year ahead.By joining a resident groupThese groups aim to improveservices in neighbourhoods.By joining aresident associationThese are groups of properlyelected residents’ groups whowork to improve local areas for allthe people who live there.By taking part in aleaseholders’ forumAt these forums you can give usyour opinions on how we canimprove our service and providevalue for money.On estate inspectionsThese inspections, which involveresidents, representatives andhousing staff, are carried out everytwo months.

204 HOW TO GET INVOLVEDIN IMPROVING SERVICESYou can help us improve ourservices by:• getting involved in developingpolicies, through ‘away days’,residents’ committees andfocus groups;• helping monitor and developservice standards for customercare, repairs, lettings andempty homes;• getting involved in servicereviews, to make sure ourservices meet your needs, areof high quality and offer valuefor money; and• putting forward your ideasthrough the residents’suggestion scheme. We award£50 Marks and Spencer giftvouchers for the best ideas.5 HOW TO GET INVOLVEDIN THE MAJORDECISIONS WE MAKEYou can be involved in importantdecisions about what we do. Youcan do this in the following ways.Through residentconsultative committeesThese are regional assemblies ofresident representatives who areelected either from their area orresident associations. Currentlythere are two committees, one inLondon and one in Essex.Resident Board MembersThere are four places for electedboard members on both theSwan Essex and Swan LondonRegional Boards.

216 HOW WE CANSUPPORT YOUIf you want to get involved,we can support you by:• giving you access to ourdedicated residentinvolvement staff;• providing training to help youdevelop skills and expertise;• paying childcare and travelcosts; and• providing funds to cover thework you need to do as aresident representative.If you want to get involved in anyway, please contact our ResidentsInvolvement and CommunityDevelopment Team.Tel: 0845 612 4700Email: involvement@swan.org.ukWebsite: www.swan.org.uk

2222This section is split into twomain parts. The first is aboutyour responsibilities in yourhome and the second is aboutyour tenancy agreementand begins on page 30.The second part also includesinformation about estateservices, see page 39.

23YourtenancyKnowing your rights

241 YOUR RESPONSIBILITIESListed below are your responsibilitiesin your home and your community.There are also a series of helpfultips for saving money, maintainingyour home and who to call if you’rebeing harassed.2 YOUR RESPONSIBILITIESIN YOUR HOMELiving in your home• You must live in your home fromthe start of your tenancy.• You must not give your hometo anyone else.• If you move out, you will loseyour tenancy.• If you are going away for morethan 6 weeks, please tell us. Youmust let us know who we shouldcontact if we need to get intoyour home in an emergency.• If you want to run a businessfrom your property, you mustget our permission first.• If you are convicted of doingsomething illegal in or aroundyour home, you may loseyour tenancy.Domestic violenceWe take domestic violence veryseriously. If you or your partner isforced to leave your home becauseof violence, we may go to court totake back your home.If your partner is being violenttowards you, talk to your housingofficer or phone Women’s Aid on0808 2000 247.Maintaining your homeYou must do the following.• Keep the inside of your homein a good and clean condition.• Pay to repair any damagecaused by you or anyoneliving with or visiting you.• Report any repairs to usas quickly as possible.• Keep your garden (if youhave one) in a tidy condition.• Keep your home safe– so don’t keep any liquidsthat might catch fire in yourhome, shed or garage.

25How to avoid fires• Don’t leave chip pans onthe cooker when you’re outof the room.• Don’t overload sockets withtoo many plugs.• Keep matches where childrencannot reach them.• Never dry washing in frontof an open fire.Remember – check and maintainyour smoke alarm. You areresponsible for replacing batteriesin smoke alarms.Top maintenance tips• Do not put hot fat or tea leavesdown the sink or drain.• Use caustic soda from time totime to unblock drains.• Don’t block toilets by puttingnappies or sanitary towelsdown them.• Keep gutters clear of leaves.If your home is damp, reducecondensation. Cut down onmoisture by putting lids on panswhen cooking, opening the windowwhen you can, and drying clothesoutside when possible.Remember, you must let usservice and maintain your boilerevery year. It may save you moneyand your life!GASIf you smell gas:• don’t smoke or strike matches;• don’t turn electrical switcheson or off;• put out naked flames;• open doors and windows;• turn off the gas supply at themeter; and• phone 0800 111 999.

26Our staffOur staff are trained to be helpfuland polite at all times. If you have acomplaint about our staff or one ofour services, please see page 10for details of how to complain.We will not tolerate threateningbehaviour, or attacks on our staff.If you behave in this way, we mayapply for a court order against you.You must let us into your home sowe can carry out repairs andinspections, or service equipment.Whenever possible we will give youat least 24 hours’ notice. If there isan emergency, like a water leak,we may need to enter your homeimmediately. We will try to contactyou, before we enter your home,by using the contact details youhave given us. If there is anemergency and we cannot contactyou, we may have to force entryinto your home.PestsIf you have any problems withpests (for example, cockroachesor rats), phone your local council’senvironmental health department.InsuranceWe are responsible for insuringyour building. You are responsiblefor insuring your belongingsagainst loss, theft and damage.We can arrange My Home contentsinsurance for you through theNational Housing Federation. Thisinsurance has flexible paymentoptions, is easy to apply for anddoes not include an excess, so youdon’t pay the first part of the claim.For more information, call yourhousing officer on 0845 612 4700or call the National HousingFederation on 0845 337 2463.Any damage caused by contractorsshould be covered by thecontractor’s insurance.

27Making your homemore secure• Fit window locks.• Lock your windows and doorswhenever you go out.• If you want to fit a stronger lock,let us know.• Don’t allow anyone into yourhome without seeing proof of ID.• If you see or hear anythingsuspicious, phone the police.• If you live in a flat, don’t letanyone you don’t know intothe building.PetsYou may need to get our writtenpermission before you keep a dog,cat or other animal. We will let youkeep a pet if your home is suitableand your pet will not cause anuisance to your neighbours.How to cut your billsYou can do the following tosave energy.• Fit energy-saving light bulbs.• Switch lights off when you leavethe room.• Keep doors shut to keep heat in.• Close your curtains in theevening.• Set thermostats a little lower,and turn down your watertemperature.You can do the following tosave water.• Take showers instead of baths.• Use your bathwater to clean yourcar or water your plants.• Make sure taps are turned off.• Don’t use a hosepipe.To check if you need permissionplease phone your housing officeron 0845 612 4700.

304 YOUR TENANCYAGREEMENTYour tenancy agreement is a legalcontract between you, the tenant,and us, the landlord. The agreementsets out your and our rights andresponsibilities. It is an importantdocument so make sure you keepit in a safe place.Types of tenancyagreementThere are the following fourmain types of tenancy.Starter tenanciesUnder the Housing Act of 1996,we, like other housing associations,were given the right to issue startertenancies to new tenants.Assured shortholdtenanciesThese tenancies usually last for aminimum of 6 months and are notas secure as assured tenancies.AssuredMost tenancies which startedafter 15 January 1989 areassured tenancies.SecureMost tenancies which startedbefore 15 January 1989 aresecure tenancies.If you are still not sure what typeof tenancy you have, ask yourhousing officer.In this section of the handbook wehighlight some important featuresof each type of tenancy to help youunderstand some of its terms andconditions. This is to help youmanage your tenancy.Starter tenanciesStarter tenancies are one of anumber of initiatives theGovernment brought in to helphousing providers tackle antisocialbehaviour.A starter tenancy is the tenancythat you will have for the first 12months. If you keep to all theconditions of the starter tenancy,it will automatically become anassured tenancy.

31We will give starter tenanciesto all new tenants of generalneedshousing.While you have a starter tenancy,you will not be allowed to transferor exchange your home withanother tenant. However, the Headof Allocations and Lettings canconsider an application from you.Assured shortholdtenancies (and licences)Assured shorthold tenancies areusually given to tenants intemporary accommodation or toworkers living in a property that islinked to their job. Assuredshorthold tenancies may beextended after the initial period.Assured tenanciesIf you have an assured tenancy,you have the right to stay in yourhome for an unlimited periodof time.We may sometimes need to enteryour home to inspect it, carry outrepairs, service gas appliances andso on. You must let our staff andour contractors into your home tocarry out this work.As long as you live in the propertyas your only home, we cannot evictyou unless we get a court order.The court will only give us an orderto evict you in the situations listedin your tenancy agreement.We would normally only get a courtorder to end your tenancy in thefollowing circumstances.• If you stop living in the propertyas your main home.• If you owe us rent.• If you or someone living withor visiting you have:• damaged or neglectedyour home;• harassed or caused anuisance to your neighbours;• been convicted of using yourhome for an illegal purposesuch as drug dealing;• been violent to someoneliving with you;• been running a businessfrom your home withoutour permission; or• not let us into your hometo carry out an annual gassafety test.

32We may also get a court orderto end your tenancy if:• we want to make large-scalerepairs to your home or knockit down;• you are living in a special homeor scheme (such as a homeadapted for disabled or elderlytenants) and your family’s needshave changed; or• you have succeeded yourtenancy from another familymember who has died and yourhome is larger than you need.In each of these last threesituations we will offer youanother home. If we have to askyou to move so we can carryout repairs, you may be entitledto a home-loss paymentas compensation.Secure tenanciesIf you have a secure tenancy whichbegan before 15 January 1989, theterms and conditions of yourtenancy are very similar to thoseof an assured tenancy.You will stay a secure tenant even ifyou transfer to another property ofours, or if you exchange your homewith another secure tenant (see thesection on moving on page 62).As a secure tenant, your tenancydoes not have a time limit and youcannot be evicted from your homewithout a court order.

33We would normally only get acourt order to end your tenancyin the following circumstances.• If you stop living in the propertyas your main home.• If you owe us rent.• If you or someone living withor visiting you have:• damaged or neglectedyour home;• harassed or caused anuisance to your neighbours;• been convicted of using yourhome for an illegal purposesuch as drug dealing;• been violent to someone livingwith you;• been running a business fromyour home without ourpermission; or• not let us into your hometo carry out an annual gassafety test.We may also get a court orderto end your tenancy if:• we want to make large-scalerepairs to your home or knockit down;• you are living in a special homeor scheme (such as a homeadapted for disabled or elderlytenants) and your family’s needshave changed; or• you have taken your tenancyfrom another family member whohas died and your home is largerthan you need.In each of these last threesituations we will offer youanother home. If we have to askyou to move so we can carry outrepairs, or because your home islarger than you need, you may beentitled to a home-loss paymentas compensation.As a secure tenant you are chargeda ‘fair rent’. This is set every twoyears by The Rent Service.

34Joint tenanciesIf two or more people sign thetenancy agreement, they are calledjoint tenants.If you are a joint tenant, you areboth responsible, together andseparately, for keeping to thetenancy agreement. For example,if one of you breaks a condition ofthe agreement, we can hold theother tenant responsible.Ending your tenancyYou have a right to end yourtenancy. You (or any joint tenant)can end your tenancy by giving usat least four weeks’ notice inwriting. If you do not give us thisnotice, you will have to go onpaying the rent and other chargesuntil we take back your home.If you leave without giving usnotice, we will go through variouslegal procedures to end yourtenancy. This takes time and youwill still have to pay the rent for aslong as this takes. If you move outof your home, without giving notice,it will make it difficult for you to getfurther accommodation from anylocal authority for a long time.This section of the handbookexplains your rights to:• take over a tenancy when theprevious tenant dies;• assign (transfer) your tenancy;• take in lodgers;• sublet part of your home;• make improvements to yourhome; and• buy your home through the Rightto Buy scheme or the Right toAcquire scheme.Those who have starter orassured shorthold tenancies donot have the same rights as tenantswho have secure or assuredtenancies. The following tableshows the differences.

35LEGAL RIGHTSTARTERTENANCIESASSUREDSHORTHOLDTENANCIESASSUREDTENANCIESSECURETENANCIESThe right to succeed(take over thetenancy of a tenantwho has died)No,but we willconsider anyapplicationNo Yes YesThe right toassign (transfer)your tenancyNo No Yes YesThe right to takein lodgersNo No Yes YesThe right to subletpart of your homeNo No Yes YesThe right to makeimprovementsto your homeNo No Yes YesThe ‘right to buy’your homeNo NoNo,but you mayhave the‘right toacquire’Yes,if ‘right to buy’protected,from previouslandlordThe ‘rightto acquire’your homeNo No Yes Yes

36Here are some of your legalrights explained:The right to succeedWhen a tenant dies, their tenancycan pass on to someone else livingin their home, unless the tenantwho has died took over the tenancyin that way.The new tenant is known as a‘successor’.You have the legal right to take overthe tenancy if you were living withthe tenant when they died and youwere their husband, wife or civilpartner, or were living with them asif you were their husband, wife orcivil partner.We may also let you take overthe tenancy if you are anothermember of the tenant’s familyand you lived with the tenant forthe year before their death.However, we will only give youthe tenancy if:• the tenant who died did not takeover the tenancy in this way;• this is your only home; and• you have lived there for at leastone year.If the home you are living in is nowtoo large for your family, we mayask you to move somewheresmaller.You can also take over the tenancyin just your name if you are a jointtenant and the other person hasmoved out. If this happens, youshould both contact us. Until youboth end the joint tenancy youare both responsible for keepingto all the conditions of the tenancyagreement, including payingthe rent.

37Assigning your tenancyYou have the right to assign(transfer) your tenancy tosomeone else. To do this you willneed a legal document calleda ‘deed of assignment’.You can only do this if:• a court order made during familyproceedings says you can ormust assign the tenancy;• you are exchanging your homewith another tenant (mutualexchange).Taking in lodgersYou have the right to take in alodger as long as they do not makeyour home overcrowded. A lodgeris someone who lives with you andshares your home but who can’tstop you from going into any of therooms they use.If you want to take in a lodger, youshould write to us first and tell usthe lodger’s name, age and sex.Your lodger must move out beforeyou do, and they do not have anyrights to your tenancy.If you are receiving state benefits,you will also need to let the benefitagencies know.Subletting your homeYou may sublet part of your home,but only with our permission.The person you sublet to is knownas a sub tenant.A sub tenant is someone who livesin his or her own part of your home.They may share your home but youcan’t go into their rooms.Before you sublet part of yourhome, you must write to askour permission.We will usually give ourpermission unless:• your home will be overcrowded;• you do not still live there.You must not sublet all of yourhome and your subtenant mustmove out before you do.

38Making improvementsto your homeYou have the right to improveyour home, but you must get ourpermission in writing first.Improvements include:• putting up a TV aerial orsatellite dish;• decorating the outside of yourhome; and• adding to or replacing any of thefixtures inside your home (suchas kitchen units, the centralheating or a bathroom suite).We will not refuse permissionwithout a good reason. However,we will expect you to get the workcarried out to a reasonablestandard. You must also get anyother approval you need for thework, such as planning permission.Work which involves gas must becarried out by a contractor on theGas Safe Register. For electricalwork, the contractor must beNICEIC-approved.The improvements you makemay increase the value of yourhome, but we will not charge youmore rent. We may even giveyou compensation for theimprovement work when youmove out. This will depend on:• whether the improvementqualifies for compensation;• how much the improvementcost you;• how long the improvementis likely to last; and• whether you got ourpermission before you madethe improvement.The ‘right to buy’ yourhomeIf you have the right to buy yourhome under the Right to Buyscheme, you can buy your homeat a lower price than normal,depending on how long you havebeen a tenant. You have the rightto buy your home if you havetransferred to us from a localauthority with your right tobuy protected.For more details, phone the SharedOwnership/Right to Buy Officer on0845 612 4700.

39The ‘right to acquire’your homeIf you moved into one of our newhomes that was built with publicmoney after April 1997, you may beable to buy it through the Right toAcquire scheme.For more details, phone the SharedOwnership/Right to Buy Officer on0845 612 4700.ESTATE SERVICESWe think that a clean and tidyestate is just as important asthe home you live in. We provideestate services to some of theestates we manage. On theestates we manage, our servicesmight include:• cleaning the inside and outsideof all shared areas;• reporting, photographing andremoving graffiti;• making sure lights workproperly in shared areas(such as hallways, corridorsand stairways);• keeping lawns tidy, andremoving weeds; and• maintaining hedges and bushes.The service we provide foryour estate will depend onwhere you live.Our estate-services staff wearuniforms and carry ID cards.They will have been trained in skillsrelevant to their work (for example,customer care and dealing withdomestic violence and antisocialbehaviour).We work with other agencies likethe police and the fire service tocreate a safe environment for youand your family. Every year, wecarry out a resident satisfactionsurvey to find out how we canimprove the services we provide.

40Standards for ourestate serviceIn the areas where we provide acaretaking service our EstatesServices Team will do the following.• Clean all blocks each week.• Agree the caretaker’s dutieson a particular estate with theresidents of that estate.• Invite you to monitor thestandards of cleanlinessby joining us on our regularinspections. (We do theseevery two months.)• Keep noticeboards up todate with schedules andspecifications (when we planto clean and with whatequipment), staff photographsand contact details.• Remove racist or sexistgraffiti within 24 hours ofyou contacting us.• Remove other graffiti withinfive working days of youcontacting us.• Remove abandoned vehicleswithin seven to 21 days of youcontacting us.• Make all vandalised propertysafe within 24 hours of youcontacting us, and organise arepair as soon as possible.• Remove fly-tipped rubbish within24 hours of you contacting us.• Remove safety risks (such asused needles) within 12 hoursof you contacting us.

41Agreed service standardsWe have agreed each of ourservice standards with a group ofresidents. The service standardstell you what level of service youcan expect from us.We will regularly measure ourperformance against these servicestandards and let you know howwe are doing. If you feel that weare not meeting these standards,phone us on 0845 612 4700 orphone the caretaking direct lineon 020 7510 9952.CONTACT USIf you would like to talk to us,phone us 0845 612 4700.If you have a repair that youneed to report, please phone0800 783 2768.You can also contact us throughour website at www.swan.org.ukor visit us at either of thefollowing offices.Head office:Swan Housing AssociationPilgrim HouseHigh StreetBillericayEssexCM12 9XYLondon office:Swan Housing AssociationCygnet House South10 Chrisp StreetLondonE14 6LL

42You must pay your rent ontime as this money paysfor the services we provide.This section looks at how youcan pay your rent, what todo if you’re having moneyproblems, and what wouldhappen if you failed to payyour rent.

43RentPaying your rent

45Swan Housing AssociationPilgrim HouseHigh StreetBillericayEssexCM12 9XYSwan Housing AssociationCygnet House South10 Chrisp StreetLondonE14 6LLIf you’ve got a question abouthow to pay your rent, phoneyour housing officer on0845 612 4700.For more information about ways topay, managing your rent payments,and our procedures for collectingoverdue rent, visit our website atwww.swan.org.uk and then clickon, Make A Payment.2 YOUR RENT ACCOUNTWe will keep you informed ofhow much rent you have paid us,and whether you owe us anymoney, by:• sending you a rent statementeach month; and• giving you four weeks’ notice inwriting if we decide to changeyour rent.We know you might sometimeshave problems paying your rent.If you do, let us know as soon aspossible so we can try to help you.3 SERVICE CHARGESYou may have to pay a servicecharge on top of your rent.A service charge is a paymentyou make to cover the areasand services you share with yourneighbours. For example, if you livein a block of flats and share a halland stairway with other people,the cost of cleaning this area iscovered by your service charge.A service charge may cover thecost of things such as:• maintaining lighting, lifts, TVaerials, door-entry systemsand fire equipment;• electricity;• rubbish chutes andwheeled bins; and• caretaking.Full details of our servicecharges are given on ourwebsite at www.swan.org.uk

464 SUPPORT AND ADVICEIf you think you’re entitled toHousing Benefit to help you payyour rent, or you want advice onmanaging your money, we can:• talk to you in private, ata housing office, housingsurgery or at your home;• give you support so you can getthe benefits you’re entitled to;• put you in touch with otherorganisations that will helpyou get benefits or give youindependent advice onmanaging your money anddealing with debts;• agree a reasonable paymentarrangement for you to clearany rent you owe to us; and• take no further action whileyou keep to this paymentarrangement.Remember, we all have moneyproblems from time to time. If youare having difficulty paying yourrent, please talk to us as soon asyou can. Don’t ignore our letters,phone calls or visits. We want tohelp you and can give you advice.5 HOUSING BENEFITIf you are on a low income,you may be entitled to HousingBenefit that may pay all or partof your rent.You will not get this automatically,even if you are on other benefits.You must apply for HousingBenefit separately.You should make your claim assoon as possible. If your situationchanges after you claim, you musttell your local authority’s HousingBenefit department.Do not forget that you must payany part of your rent that is notcovered by Housing Benefit.Your housing officer and ourwelfare benefits officers cangive you advice on and help withapplying for Housing Benefit andother benefits. See the section onthe Welfare Benefits Team below.

476 IF YOU DON’T PAYYOUR RENTIf you do not pay your rent, we willtalk to you about Housing Benefitand how to manage your money.If you continue to fall behind withyour rent, or if you ignore ourletters, phone calls and visits,we may have to take court actionagainst you.We don’t want to evict anyone, butif you don’t pay your rent, and don’ttry to sort out the problem with us,we will have no option but seek toevict you from your home.If you have problems paying yourrent, you can talk to:• us (phone our housing officersor welfare benefits officerson 0845 612 4700);• your local citizens advicebureau; or• your local council’s housingadvice centre.7 WELFAREBENEFITS TEAMWe set up this team to give youmoney advice and help you claimbenefits you may be entitled to.If you are worried about debt, theycan suggest ways for you to dealwith it.The Welfare Benefits Team can:• help you to claim state benefits;and• agree a payment arrangementwith you to help you bring yourrent payments up to date.You can speak to a member of theteam by phoning 0845 612 4700.

48We want to help people to liveindependently. This sectiondescribes the housing andsupport services we provide.

49SupportedHousingHelping you liveindependently

50SUPPORTED HOUSINGWe have a Supported HousingTeam which offers specialisthousing and support serviceswithin Essex.We specialise in the followingsupport services.• Accommodation for peoplewith learning disabilities.• Accommodation for peoplewith mental-health conditions.• Accommodation for young singlepeople (16- to 24-year-olds).• Accommodation for singleparents with children.• Sheltered accommodation.• Sheltered accommodationfor people who are very frail.• Move on accommodation(this service helps peoplemove from intensive supportto living independently).• Housing support in thecommunity (known asfloating support).• Floating support to helppeople with learning disabilitiesto live independently.Floating SupportOur floating support is free ofcharge to people living in thecommunity and not just to ourown residents.We aim to help people getthe skills they need to liveindependently. This will helpyou to live in your own homeand encourage you to becomeinvolved in the local community.The support we provide includesthe following.• Helping you to find somewhereto live.• Supporting you when you areready to leave the family home.• Helping you to understandyour obligations under yourtenancy agreement, licenceor a mortgage so that youkeep your home and don’tbecome homeless.• Setting up gas, electricity andwater supplies.• Managing money and claimingthe benefits you are entitled to.

51If you receive any of our supportservices, you can expect us todo the following.• Work with you to decide asupport plan. (A support plansets out what you would like usto support you with.)• Give you a support worker whowill meet you regularly, usuallyevery week.• Update your support plan atleast every six months, or soonerif your needs change or you askus to.• Make sure all our support staffare fully trained and securitychecked before working alonewith you.• Help you to find and get accessto the services of otherorganisations, including health,education, training andemployment opportunities.• Ask you to help us make anydecisions about the services weprovide and to tell us what youthink about the service and howwe can make it even better.• Support you with drug, alcoholor other addiction problems.• Deal with nuisance andantisocial behaviour thatis affecting you or is causedby you.The SupportingPeople programmeIf you live in one of our Londonproperties and you need supportedaccommodation or floating support,contact your local SupportingPeople team. They will be able togive you a list of services withinyour area and how to get accessto them.

52Service providers in your areamay be able to provide housingrelatedsupport and help relatingto other issues, such as:• drug or alcohol problems;• leaving prison;• HIV or Aids;• learning disabilities;• mental-health problems;• physical disabilities;• being a refugees or traveller; and• being homeless.They are also able to help:• older people who need support;• young people leaving care;• young parents; and• women who have experienceddomestic violence.CONTACTTo contact your local SupportingPeople team please phone therelevant number below:London Borough of Havering:01708 432126London Borough of Tower Hamlets:020 7364 7016London Borough of Barking &Dagenham: 020 8227 2209London Borough of Redbridge:020 8708 5141London Borough of Newham:020 8430 2000 extension 4438If you would like to know moreabout our supported housingservices please contact us:Email – general floating support:fsqueries@swan.org.ukEmail – floating support forpeople with learning disabilities:LDfloatingsupport@swan.org.ukEmail – supported housing:supportedhousing@swan.org.ukPhone: 0845 612 2551Text message: 07710 728 011Website: www.swan.org.uk

5454We want to keep your homein a good condition so youcan enjoy living there. Thissection explains how to reporta repair, who is responsible fordifferent types of repairs, andhow quickly the work will becarried out.

55RepairsKeeping your homein good condition

56You are responsible for somerepairs to your home, includingdecorating inside your home,gardening, and minor repairs suchas clearing blocked sinks andtoilets, and replacing your toiletseat and shower curtain.Your tenancy agreement gives youmore information about who isresponsible for different repairs.In all cases, the earlier you reporta repair, the better.1 HOW TO REPORTA REPAIRYou can report a repair to us by:• visiting your local office(see page 5 for addresses);• phoning us on 0800 783 2768;or• visiting our website atwww.swan.org.ukIf we are responsible for the repairwe will put it into one of thefollowing four categories.Immediate – these repairs are tomake your home safe. They will becarried out within four hours.Emergency – these are repairssuch as when you have lost the useof a hot-water system. They will becarried out within 24 hours.Urgent – these repairs includewhen taps, valves or stopcocksare not working properly. Theywill be completed within fiveworking days.Routine – these repairs includethings like fixing kitchen units, bathpanels and fencing panels. Theywill be carried out within 20working days.If you have an emergency outsideoffice hours, phone 0800 783 2768.Our out-of-hours team will tryand correct any emergency andwill make sure that your home isleft safe. However, they might notbe able to complete the full repairuntil the next day.It is important to rememberthat this service is foremergencies only.

572 EMERGENCY REPAIRSThese repairs include workcarried out after an immediaterepair needed as a result ofthings such as:• flooding;• having no electricity;• dangerous wiring and lackof lighting;• making your home secure(for example, after a break-in);• a broken heating system(only during the winter).We aim to deal with all emergencyrepairs within 24 hours.3 URGENT REPAIRSUrgent repairs include:• replacing missing roof tiles;• repairing faulty guttering;• stopping minor leaks and wateroverflows; and• broken heating systems(March to November only).We aim to deal with all urgentrepairs within five working days.4 ROUTINE REPAIRSRoutine repairs include:• repairing electrical sockets;• mending minor leaks inroofs; and• repairing floors, doors andwindows.We aim to deal with all routinerepairs within 20 working days.5 WHO DOES THE REPAIR?Your repair will be carried out byour partnering contractor, Axis.The contractor will:• carry and show you their photoID card;• be happy to wait while youphone and check who theyare (phone on 0800 783 2768if you’re worried);• respect you and yourbelongings;• be polite; and• clean up at the end of the day.

58They will not:• use or move your belongingswithout asking you first;• smoke in your home;• use a radio or personal stereo;• use your toilet or sink withoutasking you first;• use your phone;• leave materials in your home orareas you share with yourneighbours;• eat or drink in your home; or• enter your home when the onlypeople there are under 16.If you are not satisfied with theway a contractor behaves in yourhome, please contact us on0800 783 2768.6 GASBy law we must carry out agas-safety test every 12 months.Our responsibilities are to:• make an appointment withyou for the test;• be flexible when agreeingthe appointment time;• give you a gas-safety certificateafter the test; and• carry out any other work tomake sure the boiler remainssafe to use.You must:• let us in on the day we saidwe’d carry out the test;• make other arrangementswith us if the appointmentis a problem for you;• keep the area around your boilerfree from clutter so the test canbe done quickly; and• keep a copy of the gas-safetycertificate in your home.7 ADAPTATIONSIf someone in your home is elderly,disabled or has a long-termillness, we may be able to helpyou by improving or adaptingyour home. We carry out minoradaptations, including:• installing grab railsin the bathroom;• installing extra stair rails;• installing lever taps;• providing level accessat entrances;• putting half steps up todoors; and

59• installing flashing or vibratingsmoke alarms for customerswho are blind, partially sighted,deaf or hard of hearing.We will be able to help you withmajor adaptations such as;• fitting a shower over a bath;• putting in a ramp;• installing a stairlift;• building a ‘hardstanding’(a concrete area for parkinga car); and• providing a ground-floorbedroom or bathroom facilities.To make sure we treat you fairlyand in line with your individualneeds, we will:• visit your home within 15 daysof an occupational therapistreferring you to us for majorwork to your home;• tell you how long the work islikely to take and keep you upto date with our progress;• service mechanical equipment(for example, stairlifts) that wehave installed;• work with youroccupational therapist;• fit low-cost (under £1000) andsimple adaptations quickly underour fast-track process; and• check the completed work andask you if you are happy withthe adaptations.8 PLANNED WORK ANDLARGE-SCALE REPAIRSWe aim to decorate the outside ofyour home every seven years.We will also regularly service andreplace parts of your home beforethey wear out. This is calledplanned work.

60Sometimes, we have to carryout large-scale repairs to homesor estates. When this happens,we will talk to you at least eightweeks before the work starts.At least three weeks before itbegins, we will tell you:• the type of work we willbe doing;• the contractor who will bedoing the work;• how long the work will take;• who you can talk to if youhave any questions.9 APPOINTMENTSIf our partnering contractor,Axis, breaks an appointmentwith you, let them know as soonas possible. You might be ableto get compensation.Please let them know if you arecannot keep an appointment.Appointments can be made forany time between 8am and 8pmon weekdays, and between 8amand 2pm on Saturdays.You can phone Axis on0800 783 2768.10 SATISFACTIONWhen you have a repair done,we will ask you whether you werehappy with the work. For routinerepairs, we may phone you or visityou to assess the quality of thework. For planned work, we willvisit to check the work and will alsoleave a questionnaire for you tosend back to us. By giving us yourviews, we can improve the repairsservice where necessary.Every year we do a gas-safetycheck to make sure yourappliances are safe. You must letthe contractor in to carry out thisimportant work.What to do if yousmell gas• Turn off the gas supplyat the meter.• Open doors and windows.• Put out any flames.• Do not smoke, strike matches,light a lighter or turn electricalswitches on or off.• Report the leak by calling0800 111 999.

61What to do if yourelectricity doesn’t work• Check your trip switches on themain fuse board.• If all the trip switches are on,check with your neighbours.If they don’t have anyelectricity either, contactyour electricity company.• If all the trip switches are on, butyour neighbours have electricity,phone us on 0800 783 2768.• If a trip switch is off, turn off thelast appliance you used beforethe electricity went off.• Reset the trip switch on the mainfuse board. If your electricitycomes back on, it’s probablya faulty appliance.• If your electricity still won’tcome on, phone us on0800 783 2768.What to do if you have aserious water leak• Turn off the water at thestopcock. (It’s usually underthe kitchen sink, in the airingcupboard or in your cellar.)• Open all your taps to drainthe water system.• Turn off the gas-firedcentral heating.• If water is pouring through theceiling, don’t turn the ceilinglights on in that room.• Phone us on 0800 783 2768to report the problem.What to do if your roofis leaking• Move things that could bedamaged, such as furnitureand carpet, out of the way.Place a bucket under the leak.• Don’t touch anything electricalin that room.• Phone us on 0800 783 2768to report the problem.What to do if you’re goingaway in winter or forlonger than a month• Leave the heating on very lowif it is winter. Otherwise, turn thegas off.• Make sure we have detailsof who we can contact inan emergency.

6262If you want or need to movehome, there are several optionsavailable to you. This sectionexplains the different waysyou can move, what benefitsyou can expect to receive bymoving into a smaller property,how to exchange your homewith someone else, and whatto do when you move out.

63MovingMaking it easierfor you to move

641 TRANSFERSIf you want to move home, youshould put your name on your localauthority’s waiting list and ourtransfer list. You can put yourname on our transfer list by filling ina transfer form or visiting ourwebsite at www.swan.org.ukWe will assess your applicationand place it into one of fourpriority bands.Band oneThis is for people who needhousing the most and need tomove urgently, usually because ofa medical reason or because theyhave been given a managementpriority. A management priority iswhere the case has been givenpriority by a senior manager.People wanting to move from athree- or four-bedroom home intoa one-bedroom home will also beplaced in this band.Band twoThis is for people with a high level ofhousing need, such as householdswhere a child over 11 is sharing abedroom with a brother or sisterwho is a different sex to them.Band threeThis is for people with a moderatelevel of housing need (that is,people who need housing, but arenot in urgent need for any reason).Most people are in this band.Band fourThis is for people with a low level ofhousing need, or no need to move.You can put your name on thetransfer list, regardless of the typeof tenancy you have, but we willonly consider you for a transfer ifyou have an assured tenancy or asecure tenancy.

65In some areas there is a highdemand for properties. In thoseareas you may have to wait a verylong time before you would beconsidered for a transfer. The moreareas and property types you arewilling to accept, the more likelyyou are to be offered a move.If you owe us rent or have beenfound guilty of antisocial behaviour,we will not normally offer youa transfer.2 DOWNSIZINGUnder our downsizing scheme,we will give you a cash paymentof up to £4,500 if you move to asmaller property (the maximumpayment is for people movingfrom a four-bedroom house to aone-bedroom home). You will alsobe given higher priority on thetransfer list, depending on howmany bedrooms you aredownsizing from.To be eligible for our downsizingscheme, you must:• have at least onespare bedroom;• want to move into asmaller property; and• have an assured tenancyor a secure tenancy.3 EXCHANGINGIf you want to move, the quickestway is often through a mutualexchange. This is where youexchange your home with that ofanother housing association tenantor council tenant, as long as youboth have an assured tenancyor a secure tenancy.You can find someone toexchange your home withthrough websites such aswww.homeswapper.co.ukOnce you have found someone toexchange your home with, youmust ask us for permission toexchange. We will make a decisionon your application within 42 days.If the person you are exchanginghomes with is not a tenant of ours,we will have to contact theirlandlord for a reference.

66We will only refuse to give youpermission if:• we have started legal actionagainst you because you havenot paid your rent or you havebroken a condition of yourtenancy agreement;• one of the properties istoo big or too small for theother household; or• one of the properties has beenadapted and the householdmoving into that property doesnot need that adaptation.If we give you written permissionto exchange homes, you will haveto sign a legal document called a‘deed of assignment’. This will transferyour rights and responsibilitiesto the new tenant. When youexchange, you may lose somerights, such as the Right to Buy.You will also have to takeresponsibility for any damage oralterations the person you areexchanging with has made to theproperty you are moving into. Youmay also be charged for anydamage you have caused to theproperty you are leaving.4 MOVING OUTIf you want to move out and endyour tenancy, you must give us atleast four weeks’ notice in writing.After receiving notice, we willinspect your home and identifyany work you have to do beforeyou leave.You must leave the propertyand garden in a clean and tidycondition. We will charge you forus doing any repairs, cleaning orclearing that you did not do beforeyou moved out.At the end of the four weeks’notice, you must return your keysto us no later than midday on theMonday you want your tenancy toend. If you don’t, you may have topay another week’s rent. You mustmake sure that nobody is left livingin the property.When you move out, we will payyou up to £150 if you meet anumber of conditions. Theseconditions include:• giving us details of the addressyou are moving to and your gasand electricity suppliers there;• allowing the new tenant to viewthe property while you are stillliving there;

67• doing all repairs that youare responsible for;• leaving the propertywell decorated;• removing all your belongingsand rubbish from the property,including the loft, sheds,outhouses, gardens andshared areas;• leaving the property in aclean and tidy condition;• leaving the garden neat,tidy and not overgrown;• having your rent up to dateand not owing us any amount;• leaving curtains or blindsin the windows.There are a number of things youmust do before you move out,including telling your gas,electricity, phone and watersuppliers that you are moving out,and taking meter readings on theday you move.When you move out, you shouldalso inform:• your bank, building society andcredit-card companies;• your phone company(landline and mobile);• any insurance, pension andhealthcare companies;• the DVLA;• your dentist and doctor;• TV licensing;• the Department for Work andPensions;• HM Revenue & Customs;• your local authority’s council taxdepartment and Housing Benefitdepartment;• any catalogue or mail ordercompanies you use; and• your children’s schools.You should also contact the postoffice and have your mailredirected to your new address.

68www.swan.org.uk