Our statement of intent
The council wants all tenants to enjoy living in their homes and provide a service which treats you as we would expect to be treated ourselves. We aim to give you the information you need when you first move in to your home and be ready to respond to any queries or concerns you may have.
How we aim to do this
When you are offered a home your housing officer will arrange to meet you to view the property and to sign your tenancy agreement. You will be required to provide us with information to prove your identity before you sign the tenancy.
Your housing officer will give you information about the following:
1. Repairs
How the repairs service works, how to report a repair, and which repair items are your responsibility.
2. Fire safety and utilities
We will provide you with information on your smoke alarm and wider fire safety.
We will make you aware of the location of your electric fuse box, water stop cock and, where applicable, explain how to turn your gas off. If appropriate, we will make arrangements for re-commissioning of your gas heating system and we will advise you on the process you need to follow for installation of your cooker. We will provide information and advice on operating your air source or ground source heating system where these are in place. We will provide you with meter readings for electric, water (where a meter exists) and gas (where applicable). We will leave you with a feedback form and ask you to let us know of any concerns you have with your property and confirm your understanding of the safety and other advice we have provided you with.
3. Your obligations as a tenant
We will tell you about your obligations regarding:
- Paying your rent.
- Occupation of the property.
- Use of your home - including what constitutes illegal use and business restrictions.
- Allowing the council and contractors (required to provide you with appropriate ID) to gain access to do repairs, service heating etc.
- Use of gardens and conditions with regard to animals and pets.
- Harassment and neighbour nuisance.
- Designated parking (where applicable).
- Ending your tenancy.
4. Our obligations to you and your rights
We will explain your rights and obligations as a tenant to you.
We will give you advice and information about:
- the ways that you can pay your rent
- the help you may be able to receive to pay your rent through housing benefit / universal credit
- the garden maintenance scheme (where applicable)
- maintenance of any shared areas
- the location of any bin and drying areas
- the Lifeline service
- arrangements for use of any common rooms
We will also give you useful information about living in your home, including information about utility companies, insurance, energy efficiency, and council tax.
We will ask you for information to complete our tenant census form and we’ll also encourage you to complete the new tenants’ survey so you can let us know how you have found the process.
5. Decorations
Where a property is in poor decorative order we may provide you with vouchers to exchange for paint and other sundries to assist with your redecoration plans. In some instances decorating materials can be delivered to your home.
6. After you have moved into your home
For introductory tenants we will visit you within 6 weeks of you moving in to see if you have settled in and to answer any queries you have relating to your tenancy. We will then visit you again after 6 and 9 months before the introductory tenancy is confirmed or extended (as applicable) after the 12 month period. If you are already a secure tenant and you need a visit from your Housing Officer please let us know.
7. Your responsibilities
You have a responsibility to inform us of any change in your household, financial circumstances etc. which may affect the management of your tenancy so that we can assist you.
How performance is monitored
All new tenants are asked to complete an online or paper survey to indicate their satisfaction level with the service they have received prior to and at the point they move in to their new home.
Contact us
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this standard, please contact us.