Your Home

When you become a tenant with us you enter into a contract. This is called a tenancy agreement. Both you, as a tenant, and us, as a landlord, have rights and responsibilities. For full details please contact us on 0845 155 3000.

You can stay in your home for as long as you wish provided you do not break your tenancy agreement. You can only be evicted from your home by a court order. We will increase your rent on 1 April every year.

One of our Tenancy Coordinators will explain:

  • the conditions of your tenancy
  • the start date of your tenancy
  • the services we provide
  • how to pay your rent
  • how to order a repair
  • any decoration allowance available.

They will also give you:

  • a copy of your tenancy agreement
  • information on benefits and a housing benefit application form if you need one
  • a set of keys (we do not keep spares so please keep them safe!)
  • a garage application form if you want to apply to rent a garage.

Discretionary Decorating Service
We offer an internal decorating service where one room will be decorated every three years.
Tenants who are eligible to receive discretionary decorating are:

  • Aged 70 and older;
  • Registered disabled;
  • Do not have an able bodied person aged 18-69 living in the property.

If you would like to apply the discretionary decorating service please complete the application form (PDF).

Gardens and grounds

You are responsible for keeping your garden tidy and making sure shrubs and hedges do not become nuisance to neighbours.

We are responsible for maintaining principal paths (not garden paths), steps and boundary walls, fences around communal areas or separating our land from public paths and roads and looking after communal areas and open areas we own.

You will need to get permission from us if you want to:

  • Put up a shed, greenhouse or garage;
  • Put up additional fencing;
  • Put a car or caravan in your garden;
  • Cut down a tree.

Discretionary gardening service

If you are unable to maintain your garden, you may be eligible for our discretionary gardening service. To qualify for our discretionary gardening service you must be either:
• Over the age of 70 and not living with an able bodied person aged between 18 and 70;
• Have a disability or have a partner/dependant with a disability (evidence must be supplied).

To apply for this service, please complete and return the application form.

Parking

You cannot park a vehicle of any kind in your garden unless we have given you permission and you have laid a proper hardstanding and dropped kerb. Parking on pavements, footpaths and verges is not allowed and your car may be removed if you park in a prohibited area or cause an obstruction. For full details of parking restrictions please refer to your tenants handbook or call our Quality of Life team on 0845 155 3000.

Ending a tenancy

Like any organisation, we hate to lose valued customers, but we recognise that from time to time circumstances change and people need to move on. If you're moving on, or ending a tenancy for another reason, please call 0845 155 3000 and let us know at least four weeks in advance.

Moving out

When you tell us that you are moving home, we will arrange for someone to come and visit you in your home before you leave. They will inspect the property and agree with you any repairs you need to carry out so that the property is in a fit condition for the next residents. If, after leaving the property, we have to do any work that is more than 'fair wear and tear' we may charge you for the cost.

Ending a tenancy due to a death:

In the unfortunate event of a death, please speak to our allocations team on 0845 155 3000. The executor or administrator of the deceased tenant can end the tenancy. In some circumstances we can accept notice from the next of kin. We will still need four weeks notice. If you require longer than four weeks, or for more information, please contact our Housing Options team on 0845 155 3000.