your
Handbook
1
Contents
Welcome to your new
Yorkshire Coast Home 5
About Yorkshire
Coast Homes
6
Your Board
7
Your YCH team
8
Your relationship with
Yorkshire Coast Homes 11
How we treat you
11
Your records
12
Confidentiality
20
Your community
37
Money management service20
Anti-social behaviour37
Budgeting
21
Tackling anti-social behaviour39
The prize draw
21
Looking after
your home
23
Our services
43
The warden service
43
Coastcall
44
Have your say
45
Get involved
45
Repairs and maintenance23
Insuring your things
24
Staying secure
24
12
Damp, condensation
and mould
24
Compliments, complaints
and compensation
46
Equal opportunities
12
Gas servicing
25
Compliments and suggestions46
Language help
12
Recycling
26
Complaints
46
How you treat us
12
Collection arrangements27
Compensation
47
The legal relationship13
Missing bins
27
How you know
how we are doing
Gardens
29
14
Your feedback
14
Moving in
15
Decoration
Mutual exchanges
Paying your rent and
other money matters
17
How to pay
18
Benefits
Pests and pets
Good neighbour scheme50
29
49
Exchanges
50
31
Eviction
50
Inside your home
31
Your feedback
51
Fire safety
34
Electrical safety
34
How to contact us
51
Gas safety
34
15
Rent – what it is and
your responsibilities
49
Leaving your home
15
17
Moving on –
ending your tenancy
Aerial and satellite dishes29
Safety in and
around your home
Other charges and bills18
2
Money worries?
Alterations
to your home
35
DIY – decorating your home35
19
Housing Benefit
19
Other benefits
19
3
Welcome to your new
Yorkshire Coast Home
Congratulations! Your new home is yours to
enjoy and cherish, and also your responsibility.
Being responsible for your own home can be daunting if it’s new to you
and as you get older, or get more difficult as the stresses of life take up
your time. So to help you get the most out of your home and keep it in
tip-top condition we’ve created this tenant handbook.
You’ll find information on a whole host of common issues our tenants
face, with information and advice on what you need to know as a tenant
and where you can get help.
We also publish a complementary suite of leaflets to provide more detail
for all of the information in your handbook – they’re all included in your
Welcome Pack and you can pick up spares from any YCH office:
Guides – to help you understand complex forms and legal positions
Leaflets – how to get the most out of your home and us
Policy statements – our ways of doing things
Please contact us if you need help with any aspect of your tenancy,
including anything you are unsure about in this handbook. We are always
willing and available to help.
The Board and staff will do all we can to give you the best possible service.
We’re always more than happy to hear any suggestions for how we can
improve our services to you, so please let us know next time you call or
pop in to an office, or one of our staff visit.
I hope your tenancy with us is a long and happy one.
Yours sincerely
Shaun Tymon
Chief Executive
4
5
About
Yorkshire
Coast Homes
Yorkshire Coast Homes (YCH) is a Housing
Association and registered not-for-profit charity,
and the biggest landlord in the Yorkshire Coast
area with 4,500 homes and 8,500 tenants.
We took ownership and management of all Scarborough Borough
Council’s housing stock in 2003, and have spent £57m since to deliver
great homes and services in strong communities.
!
IMPORTANT
It is important you know
you do not live in a ‘Council
house’ – The Council has
nothing to do with the
running or managing of
your home and you should
always contact YCH about
any aspect of your tenancy.
YCH now does much more than when it first took control of the Council’s
housing stock. We make sure we do the basics – keeping your home safe,
dry and secure – but we also offer many more services and do more for
your wider community, because we know this has a great impact on your
home life. These include:
❚❚ Repairs and maintenance;
❚❚ Our warden service and Coastcall;
❚❚ Aids and adaptations;
❚❚ And our social enterprise – The BEACH
You’ll find a pull-out list of all our services and how to contact them in your
Welcome Pack, as well as a handy list of other useful contact numbers.
38%
Male
8,500
62%
Female
Your Board
Our Board of Management decide our policies and strategy and comprise:
tenants
❚❚ Four Tenants, elected by our tenants
Tenant Split
❚❚ Four Councillors, chosen by the Council
❚❚ F our Independent Members, chosen by the Tenant
and Council Board members together
The members of the Board receive no payment – except for expenses such
as travel.
The Board agree the business plan, budgets and some other key decisions.
It is then the responsibility of our paid professional staff to see these
decisions are carried out.
£
5
7 , 0
0
0 , 0
0
0
spent improving homes
Three offices
Scarborough office (main)
6
Northern Area office
Eastfield Area Office
7
Your YCH team
What you need to do
Who to contact
YCH is run by a six-strong management team, led by an appointed Chief
Executive, with services delivered by a team of over 150 staff.
Contact your local
office or look online for
answers to all and any
questions you may have:
Yorkshire Coast Homes
Scarborough office (main)
They carry out the all the day-to-day running and provide all our services
to you.
Brook House, 4 Gladstone Road,
Scarborough, YO12 7BH
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
Fax. 01723 343055
Web. www.ych.org.uk
Email. [email protected]
You will find your key contacts opposite and a full list on a separate sheet
in your Welcome Pack, along with a list of other useful numbers for the
area for you to put up at home.
Opening hours:
8.30 - 5 Monday to Friday
Feel free to contact the us if you would like to know more about how we
are run or if you would like to get more involved in running YCH.
Yorkshire Coast Homes
Northern Area office
The Coliseum, Victoria Place, Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Tel. 0845 065 57 57
Fax. 01947 825424
Opening hours: 8.30 - 5 Monday to Friday
Yorkshire Coast Homes
Eastfield Area Office
Eastfield Community Resource Centre,
High Street, Eastfield,
Scarborough, YO11 3LL
Opening hours:
Monday 09:30-7:00
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 09:30-5:00
Thursday 09:30-1:00
Saturday 09:30-12:00
YCH staff are only available at the Eastfield Office between
09:00-5:00 – at other times a shared service operates in
partnership with North Yorkshire Library staff who will do
their best to answer any queries you may have.
8
Bid for a home or join the
waiting list:
Web. www.northyorkshirehomechoice.org.uk
Report an emergency
repair:
Tel. 01723 351558
9
Your
relationship
with Yorkshire
Coast Homes
We hope you have many happy years as our
tenant and we’ll do all we can to help you get
the most from your home.
The tenant/landlord relationship is built on trust and co-operation, and just
like any relationship there is a bit of give and take on both sides. If you just
want to pay your rent and do your own thing we’ll give you the space,
and if you need more support to live as you want then we can help you in
many different ways.
But this also means you have to uphold your end of the bargain – looking
after your home, making a positive contribution to the community, and
paying your rent on time.
How we treat you
We believe you, our customer, always come first. Our highly skilled and
trained staff will be friendly and polite at all times, dealing with your
queries quickly and efficiently.
We have policies to govern how we treat you and the standards we expect
to keep – you can find all this information on our website and in our
policy statement Our policies: serving our customers. There’s lots of extra
information in there about call waiting times, our customer promises, and
how to get more involved as a customer of Yorkshire Coast Homes.
Here are our standards in brief:
Staff will:
❚❚ Be polite at all times
❚❚ Display identity cards or name badges at all times
❚❚ Be prompt and helpful in all their communications with you
❚❚ Have access to up-to-date information and listen to your needs
❚❚ Answer your call, letter, e-mail or face-to-face enquiry,
effectively, sensitively and within an agreed timescale
❚❚ Offer appointments or home visits
Offices will:
❚❚ Be accessible to all
❚❚ Display signs so they are clearly identifiable
❚❚ Display opening hours clearly and work with customers to meet
their needs to access offices outside standard working hours
❚❚ Provide a pleasant environment for visiting customers
with space for private discussion if required
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11
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INFORMATION
Your records
The legal relationship
There may be a small
charge for the ‘records on
file’ service.
We keep files on each property and tenant and you have the right to see
your own file if you wish – simply put your request in writing and provide
proof of identity.
Your tenancy agreement
Your Tenancy Agreement is the legal document that sets out the details of
the contract between you (the tenant) and us (the landlord). It explains what
we are responsible for in your home and what you are responsible for.
Confidentiality
It is a very important document, so make sure you keep it in a safe and
secure place.
Your dealings with us will be confidential. We will only share information
with other agencies where we have a legal duty to do so or you have given
us permission.
Equal opportunities
We are an equal opportunities organisation and we will treat you fairly and
deal with you respectfully irrespective of your gender, age, ethnic origin,
religion, sexual orientation or any other personal characteristic.
Similarly, we expect you to treat our staff with respect at all times.
You can read our full policy statement Our Policies: equality, diversity and
inclusion.
We take this matter very seriously. Please let us know if you think any of
our policies are unfair or if the behaviour of any of our staff is disrespectful.
Call your local office or let them know next time you pop in.
Language help
If you, or a member of your family, needs an interpreter, translation, braille
or audio tape of information we provide, please let us know.
We have tried to make the agreement easy to follow, but, like many legal
documents, some parts may be difficult to understand. Please talk to your
Housing Officer if you are unsure about anything. Further help is also
available in our leaflet Your tenancy agreement – a guide included in your
Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
Your rights
Your tenancy agreement sets out your rights and responsibilities in detail.
In short:
❚❚ You have the right to live in your home for as long
as you have a valid tenancy agreement
❚❚ If more than one person has signed the tenancy agreement,
this is called a joint tenancy. Joint tenants have equal
rights over the tenancy and equal responsibilities
❚❚ You have the right to ‘survivorship’ if your fellow joint tenant
dies (for some families there may also be the right of ‘succession’
– contact your housing officer to discuss this further)
❚❚ You have the right to take in lodgers if:
❚❚ you have written permission from YCH
Translation services are available in all reception areas.
❚❚ this does not overcrowd your home
A hearing induction loop is also available in all offices.
!
IMPORTANT
How you treat us
In your tenancy agreement
you have agreed you will
not harass YCH staff or
our contractors, and your
tenancy is at risk if you
carry out any of the above.
We expect our staff to be friendly, respectful and polite at all times, and we
expect you to treat us in kind.
!
IMPORTANT
You must inform the Council’s council tax department, and their Housing
Benefit department if you receive it. You are responsible for your lodger
and their behaviour.
We do not tolerate:
❚❚ Threatening, insulting or intimidating behaviour
Continued
»
❚❚ Racist behaviour or language
❚❚ Inappropriate or offensive language
❚❚ Stalking
❚❚ Damaging or the threat of damage to YCH offices, property or vehicles
12
13
❚❚ Tenants who transferred to YCH from SBC on 15th December
2003 may have the Preserved Right to Buy, as long as the
home is not designed as older person’s accommodation
and has not been adapted for disabled persons
❚❚ The Right to Buy scheme gives tenants a discount in the market
value of their home. The longer you have been a tenant, the
more discount you get, up to the maximum limit of £75,000
❚❚ To enquire further ask for a Right to Buy pack from your housing officer
❚❚ Tenants who joined YCH after this date may be able to
buy their home through the Right to Acquire – again,
contact your housing officer for more information
❚❚ You have the right to be consulted on any changes we may make to
the way we run the housing service or your estate. We must tell you
our plans in advance and give you the chance to tell us your views
This is a quick guide to your rights as our tenant. Your tenancy agreement
lists all your rights in full – there are many more than those listed above,
and understanding them will help you get the most from your tenancy
with us.
If there is anything you are unsure about ask your housing officer who will
be happy to help.
How you know how we are doing
We monitor our performance carefully – you can find out how we are
doing on the displays in all our reception areas.
We consult customers regularly to see what they would like to know and
update the displays in our reception areas every three months.
You can also download the latest figures from our website:
www.ych.org.uk/performance.cfm
Your feedback
We will contact you shortly after you have moved in to ask your views
about the offer/moving in process and the condition of your new home
when you moved in. We use this feedback to help us improve our services
to customers.
Moving in
We hope moving in to your new home is as
hassle-free as can be and that everything works
perfectly from day one.
But this isn’t always possible. We aim to make sure the property you move
into is clean and empty and we will make sure no major repairs still need to
be done.
Some minor repairs may still need doing soon after you move in, and if this
is the case we will have agreed this with you in advance.
And some pre-planned work – for example a new kitchen or bathroom
suite – may also be due during the first few months of your tenancy.
Again, we will let you know if so.
If you find any other repairs after moving in please report them to us –
just call your local area office.
Decoration
If the property needs decorating because it is damaged or dirty, we will
normally provide you with a decoration pack to help towards redecorating.
Mutual exchanges
If you have moved into the property as a result of a mutual exchange with
another tenant you will have accepted the property in its existing state.
However we will carry out repairs that are our responsibility.
14
15
Paying your
rent and
other money
matters
What you pay
and who to
Rent – the money you pay to
YCH to live in your home
Service Charge – the
money you pay to YCH
for additional services. For
example: the warden service,
communal lighting, grounds
maintenance etc.
Council Tax – the money
you pay to the Council for
their services – fire and
police, waste collection and
disposal, road maintenance,
parks and leisure services etc.
Rent is charged on every YCH property and
should be paid weekly – each and every week of
the year.
It is our main source of income and the money we use to make
improvements to your home.
Rent – what it is and your responsibilities
Money matters can be confusing and difficult to get your head around.
See the info box (left) to help you understand what you pay, who you pay
it to, and what it is for.
What happens if you don’t pay
YCH will contact any tenant who falls behind with their rent. If this
happens to you we work with you to find a way for you to clear your
arrears over a mutually agreed time.
We are a responsible social landlord and have a ‘firm, but fair’ policy
towards tenants in arrears.
However, if you ignore an agreement to pay off arrears without good
reason we will take court action to end your tenancy.
And if we take you to court, you will be liable for the costs incurred by
YCH as well as your arrears. This could also affect your ability to be rehoused by YCH or another landlord in future.
Your rent and changes to your rent
You will be told how much your weekly rent is when you become a YCH
tenant.
Going up
Your rent will increase in April each year. This is controlled by Government
guidelines – we will write to you and give you at least four weeks’ notice of
how much your new rent will be.
Standing Orders
If you make your rent payment by Standing Order you will need to tell your
bank how much your new rent will be so they can change the amount
they send us in good time. It is best to do this as soon as you know to
prevent you from falling into arrears.
Direct Debit
If you pay by Direct Debit your payment will be adjusted automatically.
Housing Benefit
If your rent is paid by Housing Benefit you don’t need to do anything. We
will liaise with the Council’s Housing Benefits department to ensure your
benefit is increased.
16
17
!
i
IMPORTANT
How to pay
Remember to quote your
housing reference number
to ensure the payment is
accredited to your account.
You can pay your rent weekly, fortnightly or monthly in advance.
INFORMATION
❚❚ By Standing Order
YCH or SBC employees
living in our properties can
have their rent deducted
from their pay.
❚❚ By Allpay swipecard at any Paypoint or Payzone outlet
Choose your way to pay:
❚❚ By Direct Debit (collected either on the 5th or 19th
of each month, or weekly every Monday)
❚❚ At the Post Office using your Allpay swipecard
❚❚ Online at www.allpay.co.uk
❚❚ By text through Allpay
❚❚ By cheque sent through the post
❚❚ Over the telephone by debit or credit card
❚❚ Over the phone on our automated payment line – 08702 436043
i
INFORMATION
Other charges and bills
In some cases these charges
may be covered by Housing
Benefit or Supporting
People.
If you have a tenancy where we provide extra services or facilities such as
heating, grounds maintenance or shared rooms, your rent will include a
service charge.
Increases to Service Charges
We review services charges on a yearly basis at the same time as rent
increases. The services charges are based on the costs for the previous
12 months and again we will inform you of any changes at least four
weeks before your Service Charge go up.
We will only ever charge you the cost of the service – we cannot make a
profit and do not seek to.
Gas, Electric and Water
You are responsible for paying your own fuel and water bills direct to the
supplier.
Benefits
i
INFORMATION
Universal Credit
In October 2013 the
Government will be
switching to the Universal
Credit – we will update our
advice closer to the time.
Housing Benefit
Many tenants are eligible for help with their rent. If you are on a low
income, have a pension, or are in receipt of other benefits, you may be
entitled to Housing Benefit.
For more information please read our leaflet Housing Benefit – a guide
included in your Welcome Pack and available in all our offices.
For more information, a claim form, and the full details of conditions that
apply contact the Council Housing Benefit department:
Tel. 0800 083 0428
Other benefits
This will affect:
You may also be entitled to other benefits. For example:
❚❚ Income-based
Jobseeker’s Allowance
❚❚ Disability Living Allowance
❚❚ Income-related
Employment and
Support Allowance
❚❚ Income Support
❚❚ Child Tax Credits
❚❚ Working Tax Credits
❚❚ Invalid Care Allowance
❚❚ Working Families Tax Credit
❚❚ Council Tax Benefit
For more information you should contact your Housing Officer or Money
Management Officer who will advise you how to claim. They may also be
able to assist you in maximising your income.
❚❚ Housing Benefit
18
19
Money
worries?
If you think you may not be able to pay your
rent you should contact your housing officer
straight away:
Tel. 01723 343039
A housing officer will help you to work out a plan for paying your rent.
If you are paying your rent but have other concerns you could talk to:
❚❚ A Money Management Officer or Housing Officer;
❚❚ Your Bank or Building Society;
❚❚ A Credit Union;
❚❚ The Citizens Advice Bureau (tel. 01723 368710); and/or:
❚❚ Keyhouse (tel. 01723 350755).
Budgeting
The easiest way to manage your money is to make a budget. Follow this
formula to work out yours:
01. Add up all the money you definitely have coming in to the household
each week – this includes all wages, tax credits, pension, benefits etc.
02. Add up the amount you need to spend on essentials –
like food, rent and fuel bills.
If the amount you need to spend is lower than the amount you have
coming in then you are within budget.
But if the amount you need to spend is higher than the amount you have
coming in you may need some help – contact our Money Management
Officer for free support in budgeting.
The prize draw
YCH operates a quarterly prize draw open to all tenants who:
Contact details for many local organisations and service providers are on
the separate useful numbers sheet included in your Welcome Pack.
And there is more information in our leaflet Paying your rent – a guide
available in your Welcome Pack and from all our local offices.
Money management service
YCH’s Money Management Officer can visit you at home to help you draw
up a financial plan. This will help you find the best way to deal with your
expenses, rent and other important payments.
❚❚ have a clear rent account;
❚❚ have had their annual gas service completed; and:
❚❚ are not subject to any other formal action for a
breach of their tenancy agreement.
Draws take place at the end of each quarter in March, June, September
and December. Details of winners will be promoted in Coasttalk.
We can also check you are receiving the benefits and tax credits you
are entitled to and help you negotiate with creditors.
For an appointment please call the Money Management Officer:
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
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21
Looking after
your home
Taking good care of your home is part of your
tenancy agreement, but it also helps you enjoy
your home life, stay safe, and get on well with
your neighbours.
There are many things to consider:
❚❚ Repairs and maintenance
❚❚ Insurance
❚❚ Staying secure
❚❚ Damp, condensation and mould
❚❚ Gas servicing
❚❚ Recycling
❚❚ Gardens
❚❚ Aerial and satellite dishes
❚❚ Pests and pets
Repairs and maintenance
Looking after your home is a joint responsibility – we are responsible for
most repairs to your home but not all. It is your responsibility to tell us
when repairs are needed and you must allow access for the work to be
done.
Repairs and maintenance are a big part of looking after your home. So big,
in fact, we produce a separate Repairs Handbook.
This handbook is included in your Welcome Pack and will tell you:
❚❚ What you are responsible for and what we are responsible for
❚❚ How to fix common problems in your home
❚❚ How to report a repair
If you have lost your Repairs Handbook, or can’t find it and need to report
an urgent repair, call your local office.
For emergency repairs outside office hours:
Tel. 01723 351558
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23
Insuring your things
home. The simplest way is to make sure your home is properly ventilated.
The structure of your home is insured by us – the contents, your things, are
not. It is your responsibility to insure your belongings.
For example: leave a window open in the bathroom when running a bath,
or in the kitchen when boiling vegetables.
There are many insurance companies and insurance brokers offering
contents insurance and you are free to pick your own.
There are lots of ways to stop condensation forming:
❚❚ Raise the room temperature – try to keep your home as warm
as you can afford, and use central heating if you have it
YCH offers customers the opportunity to take up affordable contents
insurance through an agreement with the National Housing Federation.
To find out more contact your local office:
❚❚ Have your heating on for longer periods of time at a lower temperature.
You can do this on the central heating thermostat if you have one
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
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INFORMATION
Staying secure
Our staff and contractors
always carry photographic
ID. If you have any doubts,
call us and we will confirm
whether a member of staff
is due to visit
Burglaries are very rare, and most are ‘crimes of opportunity’ – they
happen because we make it easy for thieves to do it.
❚❚ Keep air vents open and free from blockages
❚❚ Dry clothes outdoors if you can. If you do dry clothes indoors
keep a window open to allow the air to circulate
❚❚ Keep radiators free – try not to put furniture
in front of radiators if you can
A few simple measures make it much more difficult, and therefore much
more unlikely, for a thief to enter your home:
❚❚ Keep vents in windows open
❚❚ Pull beds away from walls so air can circulate
❚❚ Lock your doors and windows when you go out and
when you go to bed, and fit window locks on the ground
floor and a door chain if you don’t have them
There is much more advice and information in our leaflet Looking after
your home, included in your Welcome Pack and available from all our
offices.
❚❚ Leaving lights on when you’re out can give the appearance
someone is in and deter potential thieves
Black mould – how to remove it
There are a number of products on the market that will remove mould and
any good hardware store can advise you. However prevention is always
better than the cure, and improving air circulation in your home will go a
long way to helping with this problem.
❚❚ If you have a security alarm make sure it is working
❚❚ When answering your door to people you don’t know
always ask to see an ID card before letting them in
Damp, condensation and mould
Many people confuse damp with condensation and vice versa. And they
often miss or overlook the causes of mould as a result.
Damp
Damp occurs when there is a structural fault in the building. The symptoms
of damp are wet patches on the walls and a musty smell when it has been
raining – these are often confused with mould.
Condensation
This is caused by too much moisture in the air, which then turns to water
when it hits a cold surface, like a wall or window.
Mould
Mould can grow on walls and window sills when you have too much
condensation too often. Mould looks and smells very different to the
common symptoms of damp.
Preventing mould
To stop mould you must limit the amount of condensation forming in your
24
!
IMPORTANT
Gas servicing
Failure to give our CORGIregistered contractors
reasonable access to your
home to complete this
check is dangerous – for
you, your family, and
your neighbours – and a
breach of the terms of your
tenancy agreement.
It is a legal requirement for all landlords, including YCH, to carry out a gas
safety inspection every 12 months. If your home has a gas supply, we will
arrange for a GAS SAFE registered engineer to carry out the safety check
and contact you when the service becomes due – you must allow the fitter
into your home to carry out this work.
A regular gas service and safety check helps to keep you safe, and it also
means your heating system is less likely to break down and should work
more efficiently (which should save you money).
This service is very important and potentially life-saving.
We will give you a copy of the Landlord’s Safety Certificate to confirm your
home is gas-safe. Please keep this certificate in a safe place, and if you end
your tenancy leave the certificate for the next tenant.
Gas appliances you have installed are your own responsibility, and you
must always use a Gas Safe Registered fitter to do the work.
25
Recycling
Reducing your carbon footprint
Cutting our energy use makes sense for the planet, but it also makes sense
for you – using less energy means lower energy bills.
We have an environmental policy to help us reduce our own carbon
footprint. This includes the launch of our Eco Roots Group. This group look
for ways to improve the energy efficiency and lower the running cost of
your home and our offices.
In our properties we have already installed central heating, cavity wall and
loft insulation, and fitted PVCu windows and doors to improve insulation.
Recycling bins
In the Borough of Scarborough the Council collect recyclable rubbish in a
blue bin or sack, and non-recyclable rubbish in a green bin or sack.
Eight things you can do to reduce
your energy use and bills
1. Turn your thermostat down by one degree
2. Wash clothes on a 30 degree wash-cycle
3. Switch electrical items off – don’t leave them on standby
4. Switch off the lights when you leave a room
5. Close the curtains after dark to keep the heat in
6. Unplug mobile phones and chargers when they’re on full battery
7. Fill your kettle with the amount of water you need
8. Recycle as much as possible
SBC also collect garden waste in a brown bin or special bio-degradable bags.
Rubbish sorter
Collection arrangements
Your blue bin/sack will be collected one week (along with any garden
waste) and your green bin/sack will be collected the next.
To find out your collection day or to request a collection calendar call
the Council’s Customer First team:
Tel. 01723 232323
Web. www.scarborough.gov.uk/recycling
Missing bins
!
IMPORTANT
Items such as glass bottles
and jars need taking to
your local bottle bank.
SBC cannot recycle plastic
packaging, such as food
trays, yoghurt and margarine
pots and plastic trays.
For the blue bin/sack
For the green bin/sack
For the brown bin/bag
❚❚ Paper, such as:
newspapers,
magazines, junk mail,
catalogues etc.
❚❚ All other household
waste
❚❚ Grass cuttings
❚❚ Card, such as: cereal
boxes, plain greeting
cards, corrugated
boxes etc.
❚❚ Plastic bottles of
any type or colour
❚❚ Leaves
❚❚ Weeds and
bedding plants
❚❚ Hedge trimmings
and pruning’s less
than 1 inch or 25
millimetres in diameter
If you are missing a blue or green bin contact Customer First on the
number above to arrange a delivery. If you don’t have storage space for
bins the Council will supply you with sacks. If you live in a flat you may
have access to shared blue or green bins.
I can’t wheel my bin out
If, due to illness and/or disability you are not able to put your bin or sack
out for collection you can ask for an assisted collection from the Council.
Again, to apply call Customer First on the number above.
❚❚ Food and drink cans
– rinse cans first
❚❚ Aerosols
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INFORMATION
Gardens
Burning rubbish in your
garden is considered a
breach of tenancy.
It is your responsibility to make sure your garden is tidy and in reasonable
condition. It is not just the grass that you are responsible for – any hedges
or trees within the boundary of the property are also your responsibility.
You must not use it to store rubbish or unwanted items of furniture.
If you are elderly or disabled and need help to maintain your garden please
talk to your housing officer.
Aerial and satellite dishes
You may install a television aerial to your home as long as you do not
damage the structure of the property. You must not drill through window
frames or doors.
If you want to erect a satellite dish you must first get permission from us
(and if you live in a flat you must also obtain permission from the Council).
The work must be carried out by an approved contractor and, if you leave
the property, you must remove the dish and restore the property to its
original condition.
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INFORMATION
Pests and pets
There is a charge from the
Council for this service.
Pest control
If you have a problem with insects or other pests, such as mice, please
contact your housing officer. If the problem is not in your home, you
can try dealing with the problem yourself or contact the Council’s
Environmental Health department.
Pets
You are allowed to keep domestic animals without our permission, as long
as they do not cause a nuisance or health hazard. Animals should be kept
clean and must be looked after. We will investigate any reports of excessive
noise from pets, such as barking dogs.
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Safety in
and around
your home
!
Using common sense at home will help you
avoid many of the pitfalls and accidents that
routinely happen every day in the UK.
Inside your home
Accidents can happen, but you can lower your chances by taking simple
precautions when doing normal things inside your home. Read through
these safe practice tips so you know what to avoid.
Your health and safety is
important.
Household jobs
Accidents can happen while doing the smallest, simplest, most routine jobs
in your home:
Please help us to keep you
and your family safe by:
❚❚ Use a stepladder when changing a light bulb or ask someone
to help you – don’t stand on a chair as it is easy to fall
❚❚ Responding promptly
to our letters about gas,
electricity, fire safety or
other safety issues
❚❚ Read the instructions carefully before you use
power tools and follow them closely
IMPORTANT
❚❚ Allowing us access to
your home to carry out
maintenance and safety
checks
❚❚ Following the advice in
this handbook
Further information is also
available in our leaflet –
Looking after your home
– included in your Welcome
Pack and available from all
our offices.
❚❚ Keep dangerous objects (i.e. sharp knives, scissors etc.)
and chemicals (i.e. bleach, weedkiller etc.) in a safe place
out of children’s reach, and label bottles clearly
❚❚ Pull electrical appliances out of sockets by their plug, not
the cord, as this can tear and expose the wires inside
❚❚ We can move floor level electrical sockets to a better position for
you if you have a disability and find it difficult to reach them
In the bathroom
Guard yourself against slips, falls, scalds – and electrocution. Here are a few
tips to stay safe in the bathroom:
❚❚ Check the water temperature before you or your children
get in the bath, and consider running both hot and cold taps
together or the cold tap first to minimise the risk of scalding
❚❚ Don’t use electrical appliances in the bathroom as
contact with water can cause electrocution
❚❚ Use a non-slip mat in the bath to prevent
slipping when getting in or out of it
❚❚ Never leave children unattended in the bathroom – small
children can drown in as little as three inches of water
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!
IMPORTANT
Legionnaires disease, a
type of pneumonia, can
be caught by inhaling
small droplets of water
suspended in the air which
contain the bacteria.
Most people who are
exposed to Legionella do
not become ill but it can be
dangerous, and it is more
common in men, middleaged and elderly people,
smokers, and those with
chest problems.
If you leave your home
empty for more than a
week, simply running
all your taps (including
showers in the bathroom)
for a few minutes will
greatly reduce the risk.
For more information about
Legionnaires disease visit
the H&S website:
Web. www.hse.gov.uk/
legionnaires
In the kitchen
Scalds, burns and cuts are just some of the accidents that take place in
the kitchen:
❚❚ Keep a clear space on the worktops near your oven
and sink to put hot plates down safely
❚❚ Remember to turn pan handles away from the front of the
cooker to prevent them being knocked off the hob
❚❚ Clean up spills on the floor straight away to
stop you slipping on them later
❚❚ If you have a gas oven, from time to time check the pilot light is still lit
❚❚ Don’t overfill your pans – it is easy to drop them if they are too heavy
❚❚ S mother a chip pan fire with a fire blanket or a damp towel, but
never use water. This will make the fire worse. Deep fat fryers with
thermostatic lids are safer as they prevent the oil from overheating
In the bedroom
It ought to be the safest place in your home, but things can still go awry if
you are not careful. Here are a few things to be aware of in your bedroom:
❚❚ Turn on a bedside lamp or use a torch to avoid tripping
over something if you get up in the night
❚❚ Switch off electric under-blankets before you get into bed, and
make sure you get your electric blankets serviced regularly
❚❚ Keep bedclothes, furniture and curtains well away from
electric fires and heaters – this can be a fire risk
❚❚ Never smoke in bed
On the stairs
Extra care must be taken on the stairs as falls can be very serious:
❚❚ Make sure your staircase is well lit. Fit high-wattage
bulbs if your light fittings can take them
❚❚ Use the hand rail when you go up or down the stairs
❚❚ Don’t leave toys or other items on the stairs as you could trip over them
❚❚ Wear non-slip soles to give you extra grip
❚❚ Make sure your carpet is fitted securely
Taking medicines
Medicines can have a powerful effect – and be very dangerous –
if taken wrongly, or by children and animals:
❚❚ Keep all medicines in the clearly labelled packages they came in
and store them well out of reach of children and animals
❚❚ Make sure you know how to take your medicine and how much,
and check with your GP if you forget or are unsure
❚❚ A pill dispenser can help you remember which medicines
to take and when (available from pharmacies)
❚❚ Return medicines you no longer need to your local pharmacy
Outside
❚❚ Guard, or fill-in, garden ponds until your children
are old enough to swim
❚❚ Put tools away to prevent tripping and accidents
Communal areas
We are responsible for the safety of building structures and ensuring
communal areas meet health and safety requirements. And we have a duty
to make sure you can escape in an emergency.
Our policy is that you may not use communal areas for the storage of your
possessions or place unwanted goods or decorative items outside your
front door.
Some of the more obvious items we do not allow:
❚❚ Pushchairs
❚❚ Bikes
❚❚ Shopping trolleys
❚❚ Mobility scooters
And some not-so-obvious items:
❚❚ Door mats (which pose a trip or slip hazard)
❚❚ Decorative furniture
❚❚ Shelving
❚❚ Plants and planters in internal corridors
❚❚ Pictures
Your Housing Officer will be happy to discuss any specific issues with you.
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!
IMPORTANT
Fire safety
If a fire happens in your
home – Get out. Get the
fire brigade out. Stay out.
Installing a smoke alarm is the first and most important thing to do –
choose one with the Kitemark and the British Standard number BS 5446.
All our properties have at least one smoke alarm as standard.
Test the batteries in your alarm regularly to make sure it is working.
Alterations
to your home
Fire safety is all about prevention, so put guards around all your fires and
heaters and use deep ashtrays if you smoke. Never smoke in bed.
DIY – decorating your home
For more advice on fire safety in the home, visit the Fire Service website:
You are always responsible for interior decoration in a Yorkshire Coast
Home, although in certain circumstances we may provide assistance to
residents to redecorate.
Web. www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/index.php
Electrical safety
i
YCH arrange for an NICEIC registered engineer to carry out a full electrical
safety inspection on a regular basis. The inspection includes all fixed wiring
and sockets in your home. When the safety check is due, we will send you
a letter to arrange a convenient time to call.
Web. www.esc.org.uk
!
IMPORTANT
Gas safety
Failure to give our GAS
SAFE registered contractors
reasonable access to your
home to complete this
check is dangerous – for
you, your family, and
your neighbours – and a
breach of the terms of your
tenancy agreement.
Faulty boilers and gas fires can kill, often from undetected, smell-free fumes.
SMELL GAS?
If you think you can smell
gas, turn off the mains supply
immediately, open the windows,
and call the National Gas
Emergency Service free:
Tel. 0800 111 99
34
If you think your boiler is faulty, call your local office as soon as possible.
It is a legal requirement for all landlords, including YCH, to carry out a gas
safety inspection every 12 months. If your home has a gas supply, we will
arrange for a GAS SAFE registered engineer to carry out the safety check
and contact you when the service becomes due – you must allow the fitter
into your home to carry out this work.
A regular gas service and safety check helps to keep you safe, and it also
means your heating system is less likely to break down and should work
more efficiently (which should save you money).
This service is very important and potentially life-saving.
INFORMATION
Please be assured such
incidents of us damaging
decoration are rare,
and only occur when
absolutely necessary –
for example, if we have
to re-wire your home.
To avoid the risk of electric shock or fire, all electrical work should be
carried out by a qualified engineer.
For more advice on electrical safety in the home, visit the Electrical Safety
Council website:
Many tenants make alterations to their home,
either because their needs or circumstances
change or because they want to put their own
stamp on it.
i
INFORMATION
We provide a responsive
service to tenants who are,
or become, vulnerable, or
who have special needs.
There is much more advice
and information in our
leaflet – Making alterations
to your home – included
in your Welcome Pack and
available from all our offices.
Decoration scheme
When your decoration has been disturbed by any work done by us or our
authorised contractors, you may be eligible for this assistance. We will
assess the damage and issue you with a pack to contribute to redecorating.
We strongly advise you to retain excess wallpaper rolls, and spare paint,
after decorating. This will allow you to make small repairs to torn wallpaper
or scuffed paint work with minimal fuss or cost.
Aids and adaptations
We are committed to enabling our tenants to live independently and we
carry out alterations for many tenants to meet their special needs. We
work with Social Services, occupational therapists and other appropriate
agencies to make appropriate alterations case-by-case.
If you require aids or adaptations we may assist you through any
combination of the following:
❚❚ Directly undertaking necessary work to your home
❚❚ Seeking grants from the local authority and/or other agencies
to enable work to be undertaken. Occasionally we may, at
out discretion, undertake works without grant assistance
We will maintain any aids and adaptations we have installed or supported,
and we will replace them at the end of their useful life if they are still
required. Typical aids and adaptations include:
❚❚ Grab rails, door alterations, ramps, handrails, stair lifts, etc.
❚❚ Low-access baths, provision of showers, lever taps, W.C. adjustments
❚❚ Alterations to kitchen units, raising electrical sockets, and lowering switches
For more information on how to protect your family, visit the GAS SAFE
website:
Web. www.gassaferegister.co.uk (follow the links to Carbon Monoxide)
Further information is also available in our leaflet Looking after your home
included in your Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
35
Your
community
i
Getting the most out of your home doesn’t stop
at the door. Your community, area and estate
have a big impact on the quality of your home
life and we do everything we can to ensure your
community is safe, happy and supportive.
INFORMATION
Anti-social behaviour
It is a condition of your
tenancy agreement
that you do not cause a
nuisance or disturbance to
your neighbours.
All Yorkshire Coast Homes tenants must keep to the rules set out in their
tenancy agreements. As our tenant you must:
❚❚ Keep within the rules
❚❚ do your best to make sure everyone living with
you, or visiting you, also keeps to the rules
❚❚ treat your home, your neighbours and the environment with respect
What is anti-social behaviour?
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is persistent behaviour that upsets, disturbs or
frightens people.
It comes in many different forms, ranging from thoughtlessness and a lack
of consideration for others to serious intimidation, violence to people,
and/or damage to their property.
Here are some examples of anti-social behaviour that may affect
your community:
❚❚ Fights and arguments
in the street
❚❚ Drug dealing, production or
supply from properties nearby
❚❚ Abusive and threatening
behaviour
❚❚ Overgrown and untidy gardens
❚❚ Vandalism and graffiti
❚❚ Loud and frequent noise nuisance
❚❚ Theft and other crimes
❚❚ Dumped rubbish
❚❚ Domestic violence
❚❚ Dog fouling and barking dogs
❚❚ Bad and inconsiderate parking
❚❚ Drug and alcohol abuse
This list is not exhaustive. Some categories of ASB may be addressed by
other partners, such as departments of the Council or the Police.
There is much more advice and information in our leaflet Your community
– tackling anti-social behaviour included in your Welcome Pack and
available from all our offices.
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i
INFORMATION
Your tenancy agreement
states that you, members of
your household and visitors
must not do anything likely
to cause nuisance to other
people in the area.
Nuisance
Nuisance covers many types of behaviour that can disturb your enjoyment
of your home. This can include excessive noise, problems with pets, and
accumulating rubbish.
Please contact your local housing officer if you are experiencing nuisance.
Litter and rubbish
The Council collects rubbish regularly from every home in the area. Please
put your rubbish out on collection day using the correct bin. To find out
which day your rubbish is collected contact the Council:
Tel. 01723 232323
Large items
There are tips at Cholmley Way, Seamer Carr and Burniston to dispose of
large items, or you can call the Council and they will arrange collection.
You must not dump rubbish in the street, your garden, or anywhere else
in the community or further afield. We want everyone to be proud of their
home and community.
Fly-tipping is an offence and persistent offenders will be prosecuted.
Tackling anti-social behaviour
We take all reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously and have vigorous
procedures to work with our partners to deal with such complaints.
Our partners
We work with partners at many agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour. In
particular, we share information with the Council, the Safer Communities
Team, and the Police.
The Respect Agenda
We are committed to the principles of the government’s ‘Respect Agenda’
– you can find more information about this on the government website:
Web. www.respect.gov.uk
What this means
Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and YCH will take action against
anyone found to be acting in an anti-social manner.
The Respect Standard is a way of encouraging different local agencies
and organisations to work together to tackle unacceptable behaviour and
improve the quality of life for residents.
Neighbour noise in flats
If you live in a flat please be aware of how your lifestyle can affect your
neighbours.
Any landlord that signs up must be committed to this principle and
attempt to set the standard that other housing associations should aim
for when tackling anti-social behaviour.
Avoid making excessive noise that can disturb others, especially early in
the morning or late at night. If the noise is unavoidable please let your
neighbours know in advance.
Anyone wanting to make a complaint against one of our tenants can be
assured their case will be tackled by highly trained and dedicated staff who
will use a variety of tools to solve the problem.
Any reports of excessive noise will be investigated.
Parking
Please park considerately. Do not park on grass or open spaces, including
your garden, unless:
How you can help
We need your help to report problems to us in a timely and efficient
manner, as and when they occur, and give evidence where necessary.
❚❚ there is a dropped kerb;
❚❚ you have written permission, and;
❚❚ a properly constructed driveway.
If you want to build a driveway or a car port you must get permission from
us first.
In extreme cases where parked or abandoned cars cause a nuisance, we
will work with local authorities and the police or take legal action against
the person responsible if the car is on our land.
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39
How to avoid neighbour disputes
Unfortunately, sometimes there are disputes between neighbours. It is a
fact of life that we have disagreements with others, but there are steps you
can take to prevent things from getting out of hand:
❚❚ Get to know your neighbours
❚❚ If you are being disturbed by someone else’s unreasonable
behaviour, discuss your concerns with them politely
and try to achieve an agreeable outcome
Examples of harassment include:
❚❚ Racist behaviour or language
❚❚ Using or threatening to use violence
❚❚ Using abusive or insulting words or behaviour
❚❚ Remember it is normal for babies to cry and children to play;
people with hearing difficulties may need their television at a
slightly louder volume; different people like different sorts of music
and so on – this noise is part of normal life and the same wherever
you live, so try to be considerate, tolerant and polite yourself
❚❚ Damaging or threatening to damage another person’s property
❚❚ If you have to make a noise – for example if you are putting up shelves
– do it at a reasonable time of day. If you can, tell your neighbour
what you are doing and explain how long the noise may last
❚❚ If you drive, park your car considerately and do not obstruct others
❚❚ Keep your garden in a reasonable state and do not let rubbish accumulate
If a problem persists
If you have tried to resolve a problem in a polite and friendly way with your
neighbour, but the problem persists, we may be able to help:
All reports will be kept
confidential but if we
decide to take some form
of legal action, we may ask
you to give evidence
Your tenancy agreement
commits you to not
harassing your neighbours,
your family, our staff,
or our contractors.
Harassment
Harassment is a serious problem and can lead to jail sentences for
particularly bad cases.
❚❚ Stalking
❚❚ Make sure that your pets are well-trained and
you clear-up after them if you need to
INFORMATION
IMPORTANT
❚❚ Do not let the situation build up until you are angry
❚❚ You are responsible for your family and anyone visiting you
– this applies to your property, any communal land, and the
surrounding area. Encourage members of your family and
your visitors to be polite and considerate to others
i
!
❚❚ You can make a report to us in writing, by phone or
e-mail, and if you would like to talk to someone in
person you can call into one of our offices.
❚❚ Contact the police if criminal activity is happening. In certain
cases we will take action leading to eviction and, where criminal
activity has taken place, press charges against the perpetrator
❚❚ Keep a written record of all incidents of the offending behaviour,
making a note of the date, time and circumstances
❚❚ Writing threatening, abusive or insulting graffiti
Contact your local office if you are subjected to such behaviour in your
home or community.
Hate crime
Our office at Brook House, Scarborough, is a Hate Incident Reporting
Centre for members of the public as well as our tenants.
Hate Incident Reporting Centre’s have been set up to encourage the
reporting of racist, homophobic and other hate incidents – you can find
more information by speaking to the receptionist at our office or by picking
up a leaflet.
To report a hate crime come to the Scarborough office where we will take
a confidential written statement from you and discuss how you would like
to proceed.
Domestic violence
YCH will act on any report of domestic violence promptly and sympathetically.
Where children are affected, particular care will be taken to ensure their
interests are taken into account. If appropriate we will involve local statutory,
voluntary and other support agencies, provided that parental rights and
wishes are followed (unless the law requires us to act differently).
In case of domestic violence, steps will be taken wherever possible to provide
(or enable the provision by other agencies of) secure accommodation.
As with other forms of anti-social behaviour and harassment, YCH will take
a firm, prompt and appropriate action against the perpetrators including, if
necessary, action leading to eviction and/or conviction.
❚❚ Where both sides of the dispute agree to it, we may decide to use
professional mediators to help resolve the problem. Mediators will talk
to both parties, together or separately, to help solve the problem
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Our services
i
We offer a number of additional services
to our tenants. These services are there if you
need more help with or support in your home
and can help you keep your independence as
long as possible.
INFORMATION
The warden service
The warden service is
available to all of
Yorkshire Coast Homes’
residents regardless of
where they live.
Our warden service provides vulnerable, elderly and disabled people with a
daily link to the world.
The wardens provide a good neighbourhood service and, like any good
neighbour, will help out with unexpected one-off problems. Wardens also
work with other agencies to arrange on-going nursing and personal care
of residents.
Would you like the reassurance of an emergency alarm system,
contact from the warden, or a regular home visit?
You can find out more information or apply for the warden service by
contacting the Customer Services Team:
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
i
INFORMATION
There is a charge for this
service, but if you are in
receipt of housing or council
tax benefit this may be paid
for by Supporting People.
Support levels
The support you receive may allow you to remain in your own home for
longer rather than having to transfer into another property or even ending
your tenancy to move into care.
There are two levels of support:
❚❚ Level one – Lower Level Floating Support provides the alarm system,
associated emergency cover, and a monthly visit. The warden will
also complete a support plan to identify your support needs
❚❚ Level two – Higher Level Floating Support provides the alarm system,
associated emergency cover, a daily welfare call (Monday to Friday)
and weekly visit. The warden will also complete a support plan
Both service levels give you 24/7 cover with emergency call outs.
There is much more advice and information in our leaflet Your warden
service included in your Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
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INFORMATION
Coastcall
There is no routine contact
with the warden, apart
from to test equipment,
and no support plan.
If you do not qualify for the subsidy but would still like the reassurance of
24 hour emergency cover you may prefer to consider the Coastcall service.
Coastcall has a lower weekly cost than the warden service and cannot be
funded by Supporting People. It may be a more economical option if you
have to fund the service yourself.
There is much more advice and information in our leaflet Coastcall included
in your Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
To discuss the service or arrange for it to be fitted call the Coastcall team:
Tel. 01723 343075
Have
your say
We are dedicated to helping you have your
say and get more involved in the running of
Yorkshire Coast Homes.
One third of our board are tenants, and we have tenant groups who advise
on everything from area-wide agreements to our Coasttalk newsletter.
Get involved
We value customer involvement at all levels, from answering surveys to
making decisions on our management Board.
There are many ways to get involved:
❚❚ Complete feedback forms
❚❚ Complete customer satisfaction surveys
❚❚ Join one of YCH’s Customer Involvement Groups
❚❚ Join a local Tenants and Residents Association
❚❚ Become a member of YCH
❚❚ Become a Board member of YCH
We know people are busy and not everyone has the time to sit on the
board or be part of editorial teams – all and any involvement is encouraged
and welcome.
We believe tenant involvement is a vital part of high quality service delivery.
Our policy is to make decisions at a local level, involving local people
wherever we can, and we have a Borough Wide Agreement which each
estate or area develops in their own way to form local Estate Agreements.
There is much more information in our leaflet Have your say – involving the
community included in your Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
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Compliments,
complaints and
compensation
We try to get things right first time and keep our
customers happy but sometimes things don’t
turn out that way. If you’re unhappy with any
aspect of our service we want to hear from you.
Compliments and suggestions
Of course, when things are going right it’s always good to hear so we
know what works for our tenants. And if you have any suggestions to
make things better we’d love to hear them too.
Listening to your suggestions and complaints is a valuable way for us to
improve our service delivery. We are keen to know when you think we are
doing things well, and when you think things could be improved.
Please give us your feedback on any aspect of our service, either in writing,
over the telephone, or let us know next time you pop into your local office.
Compliments
If you have a compliment for a particular member of staff we will make
sure they are told about it and log it on their personnel record.
Suggestions
We take all suggestions seriously and will let you know whether or not it is
possible to make any changes you suggest.
Complaints
We aim to get things right first time, but if we don’t succeed we want to
hear from you.
If you have a complaint, please talk to your housing officer. They will find
out what can be done and explain the options to you.
If the housing officer does not deal with matters to your satisfaction, you
can make a formal complaint. This can be done in writing, in person, by
phone or e-mail. Your complaint will be acknowledged in 48 hours and we
will supply you with a copy of the formal complaints procedure.
If you go through the complaints procedure and you are still unhappy,
you can contact the Independent Housing Ombudsman. We would be
expected to comply with any recommendation made by the Independent
Housing Ombudsman after investigating your complaint.
You can also contact your local Tenants and Residents Association, your
local Councillor, or your MP.
There is much more advice and information in our policy statement Our
policies: Compliments, complaints and compensation included in your
Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
46
Compensation
We aim to be on time for all our appointments and, if there is a problem,
make sure we contact you at least a day in advance to rearrange the
appointment.
Our employees do everything possible to avoid letting our customers down
by missing appointments. However, occasionally something goes wrong
and we are unable to pre-warn you.
We understand that a missed appointment can cause our customers a
great inconvenience. For this reason we have developed a compensation
policy that will offer you some payment for this inconvenience.
Automatic compensation
We pride ourselves on our customer-friendly approach and have a policy
where you don’t need to make a claim – our staff will automatically send
you your compensation when:
❚❚ A member of YCH staff has failed to keep an appointment
with you in your home and that appointment has
previously been confirmed in writing, including:
❚❚ appointments to pre-inspect repairs
❚❚ appointments made by any of our service teams (for
example the Arrears, Care, Customer Initiatives, Northern
Area, Tenancy Services, and Property Teams)
We do not offer compensation when:
❚❚ No written confirmation has been sent;
❚❚ The appointment is at one of our offices;
❚❚ A contractor employed by us misses an appointment;
❚❚ You have received notification of an appointment’s
cancellation or re-arrangement – either in writing, over
the telephone, or by note left at your home; or:
❚❚ An appointment is missed because our staff are unable to
travel to your home due to extreme weather conditions or
other traffic disruptions at the time of the appointment.
How much is the compensation?
When a written appointment is missed by a member of our staff you are
entitled to receive £10 for the inconvenience caused.
You will not have to claim in order to receive the payment – the staff
member who missed the appointment will send you a letter with the
cheque apologising for their failure to make the appointment.
47
Moving on –
ending your
tenancy
!
Eventually you may want or need another
home. We will work with you to make this as
easy as possible and there are a number of
options open to you.
Please contact us as soon as you are sure that you want to move out
and we will do what we can to help.
IMPORTANT
Leaving your home
If you vacate your
home prior to the
expiry of the Notice to
End Your Tenancy, you
are responsible for the
payment of the full
rent until the tenancy
actually ends.
Please give your housing officer at least four weeks’ notice, in writing, of
your intention to move out of your home.
The last day of your tenancy must be a Sunday. You must return the
keys to us before 12 noon on the Monday following the last day of your
tenancy – if you do not do this additional rent will become payable.
Before you leave you must make sure:
❚❚ You leave a forwarding address
❚❚ Your gas and electrical supplies are safe and turned off
❚❚ You have taken readings from all meters
❚❚ You have informed all suppliers (gas, electricity, water, phone)
❚❚ You have told the Council Tax office and, if you receive
any benefits, the Housing Benefit department
❚❚ Your rent is paid up to date
❚❚ All of your belongings have been removed
❚❚ The property is in good repair
❚❚ The property is clean
❚❚ You have locked all external doors and have two keys for each lock
❚❚ Finally, you must hand in your keys to your housing office
If you do not return the correct number of keys and/or your home is not
left in a reasonable condition you may be liable for charges.
And if you leave and owe us money, we and other housing providers may
not give you a home should you need one in future.
There is much more advice and information in our leaflet Your Yorkshire Coast
Home included in your Welcome Pack and available from all our offices.
48
49
i
INFORMATION
Good neighbour scheme
Tenants must have held
a clear rent account for a
period of three years prior
to applying for the “Good
Neighbour Standard.”
This is an incentive scheme for secure and assured tenants of the partner
landlords living in the North Yorkshire Home Choice Partnership area who
are accepted on to the Housing Register and have not, in the past three
years, breached their tenancy conditions (including having a clear rent
account for that period).
Your
feedback
Listening to your suggestions and complaints is a valuable way for us to
improve our service delivery. We are keen to know what you think we did
well, and what you think we could improve.
If you would like to share your views with us (on any aspect of our service)
please contact our Customer Services Team:
Such tenants can apply for the “Good Neighbour Standard” and will be
placed in Gold band if successful. To qualify:
Customer Services Team
Brook House, 4 Gladstone Road,
Scarborough, YO12 7BH
❚❚ the applicant must have lived in the same property for a minimum of three years;
Tel. 01723 343438
❚❚ the applicant’s home must be in a good state of repair and decoration; and:
Email. [email protected]
❚❚ the applicant’s home must be suitable for re-letting without
additional work (over and above the relevant safety checks).
If you have a compliment for a particular member of staff we make sure
they are told about it and log it on their personnel record.
Tenants must agree to allow their landlord to show other applicants around
the property prior to them moving out.
i
INFORMATION
When you do a mutual
exchange you take the
other tenant’s home
‘as seen’. This means you
will be responsible for any
repairs the other tenant
is responsible for and has
not done, and if your
new home needs to be
redecorated you will have
to do the work.
Exchanges
You can swap with other YCH tenants or tenants of other housing
associations. YCH supports the use of the national Homeswapper service –
register on their website to search for swap partners and get sent their details:
Web. www.homeswapper.co.uk
Exchanges must be approved by YCH, and will be subject to agreements
to clear any rent arrears and confirmation there is no Notice of Seeking
Possession served.
Once you find a suitable exchange you must contact your housing officer.
For further information on mutual exchanges please contact our Customer
Services Team:
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
Eviction
You would only be evicted if you break your tenancy agreement and we
get a court order to do so.
You would be given ample notice at each stage of the process and would
also have been given every opportunity to prevent the eviction from
happening. If you are evicted from your home you would be expected to
leave it in good repair and return the keys to your housing officer.
Again, you will find much more advice and information in our leaflet Your
Yorkshire Coast Home included in your Welcome Pack and available from
all our offices.
50
How to
contact us
Yorkshire Coast Homes
Brook House, 4 Gladstone Road,
Scarborough, YO12 7BH
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
Fax. 01723 343055
Email. [email protected]
Web. www.ych.org.uk
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 8.30-5.00
Northern Area Office
The Coliseum, Victoria Place,
Whitby, YO21 1EZ
Tel. 0845 065 57 57
Fax. 01947 825424
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 8.30-5.00
Eastfield Area Office
Eastfield Community Resource Centre,
High Street, Eastfield,
Scarborough, YO11 3LL
Opening hours:
Monday 09:30-7:00
Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
09:30-5:00
Thursday 09:30-1:00
Saturday 09:30-12:00
YCH staff are only available at the
Eastfield Office between 09:00-5:00
– at other times a shared service
operates in partnership with North
Yorkshire Library staff who will do
their best to answer any queries
you may have.
Emergency Repairs
Tel. 01723 351558
Copies of this leaflet can be made available in
large print, Braille, or in audio format, as well
as in other languages on request.
51
Yorkshire Coast Homes
Brook House
4 Gladstone Road
Scarborough
YO12 7BH
Tel. 0845 065 56 56
Web. www.ych.org.uk
Email. [email protected]
Twitter. @YCHscarboro
Facebook. YCHscarboro
© Yorkshire Coast Homes 2012
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