Tenants’ Handbook
(incorporating Sheltered Tenants’ Handbook)
for the tenants of Stroud District Council
Welcome to your tenants’
handbook
This handbook contains all you need to know about living in one of our homes. It tells
you about our services and explains your rights and responsibilities. It also tells you
where you can get more help and advice.
The handbook is divided into different sections and has been designed in a way to
make it as clear as possible for you. It also enables us to ensure that you have the
most up-to-date information as we can send you updated sections in the future to
add into your handbook folder.
The handbook is a general guide which is intended to complement your Tenancy
Agreement. Your Tenancy Agreement is the legal document which lays out the terms
and conditions of your tenancy.
Here are four reasons why you should keep this safe at all times. It:
has all our contact details
answers all your questions
sets out your rights
contains useful tips
For tenants of sheltered housing, Section 7 contains information particularly relevant
to you.
Contents
Section 1 - Your Home
Moving in or moving out. Paying your rent.
Section 1 - Your Home
Moving
in or moving
out. Paying
your rent.
Section
2 - Your
Tenancy
Your tenancy and rights; what to do if your circumstances change.
Section
Tenancy
Section 23 -- Your
Repairs
and Maintenance
Your
rights;what
whatwork
to dowill
if your
circumstances
change.
Howtenancy
to reportand
a repair;
be done
and by when.
Section 34 -- Repairs
Your Neighbourhood
Section
and Maintenance
Dealing with anti-social behaviour. Keeping your area clean and tidy.
How to report a repair; what work will be done and by when.
Section 5 - Our customers matter
Section
4our
- Your
Neighbourhood
How we treat
customers;
what level of service to expect
Dealing with anti-social behaviour. Keeping your area clean and tidy.
Section 6 - Having your say
How to reach us, make your point and be involved.
Section
5 - Our customers matter
How we treat our customers; what level of service to expect.
Section 7 - Sheltered housing
Issues specific to tenants of sheltered housing
Section 6 - Having your say
Section
Useful
How
to reach 8
us,-make
your contacts
point and be involved.
Section
79 -- Useful
contacts
Section
Service
Standards
Need help; this is the place to look.
Our ‘promises’ to you
Contents
Key Information
Your Details
Your Housing/Site Officer
..............................................................................
..............................................................................
Name of tenant(s)
Name
..............................................................................
Address
Contact Address
.............................................................................
Council Offices
.............................................................................
Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill
.............................................................................
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Postcode............................
GL5 4UB
Tenancy started on................................................
Phone Number................................................
Type of tenancy...................Introductory / Secure*
E-mail Address.....................................................
Rent Reference Number.........................................
Council Tax Reference Number..............................
* delete as appropriate
Where do I find my?
Electricity fuse box...................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
Water stop cock......................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
Gas supply shut-off lever..........................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................
Gas meter................................................................................................................................................
Electricity meter........................................................................................................................................
EMERGENCY
Out of hours emergency repairs call 01453 222104
To report a Gas leak (at any time) call National Grid on 0800 111 999
Section 1 - Your home
We are pleased to provide homes for our tenants; that is
why we are here.
This section covers:• what happens when you move into your Council property
• information for new tenants of Sheltered housing
• what to do if you decide to move elsewhere
• how to pay and manage your rent.
Section 1 - Your Home
Housing availability
The Council owns and manages over
5,000 houses, bungalows and flats, about
85% of which are suitable for tenants of
all age groups. The balance of properties
are designated as “sheltered housing”
These schemes are group dwellings purposely
designed or adapted for older people. This type of
housing allows you to live independently but with the
additional support of a Site Officer. There is also an
intercom system for use in emergencies.
There are 29 Sheltered Housing Schemes in the
district.
Please see Section 7 for information specifically
for tenants of sheltered housing.
Moving into your new home
We explain here how we help new tenants
to settle in and what they can expect
when they arrive.
Pleased to meet you
You will be welcomed by your Housing Officer who
will:• show you around and tell you how everything
works (especially where the stop cock and the
gas and electricity cut-off switches are located)
• answer all your questions (how to report a repair,
pay your rent or claim housing benefit)
• help you with the important paperwork, such as
your tenancy agreement
Section 1
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
What standard
can I expect to find?
Your new home will be:• clean and in good decorative order
• in good repair*
• secure and safe
and will have a:• supply of electricity and water
• supply of gas (two thirds of our properties)
• fully functioning kitchen with adequate storage
• bathroom with a washbasin, toilet and either a
bath or shower
• tidy garden free from rubbish
If you agree, some minor repairs may be done after
you move in.
For more details see our leaflet “What you can
expect from your new home”
• explain your rights and what is expected of you
as a tenant
• give you local information such as details of
tenant groups
• leave you with this Handbook and other
important contact information
6 weeks later, your Housing Officer will call again to
check that everything is fine.
Page 2
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 1 - Your Home
If you “get stuck”
Ring us on 01453 754876 and ask to speak to your
local Housing Officer.
“
If you are over 60 and moving to a
smaller home you may qualify for a
“Moving Home Grant”.
”
Moving elsewhere
We want our tenants to “lay down roots”
and to be happy in their present home.
However, we recognise that over time
your needs may change and your current
home may be no longer suitable. If this
happens there are a number of options
available to you.
Transfer (Choice based lettings)
You may wish a transfer to another property. The
way in which you apply for social rented housing in
Gloucestershire has changed.
Moving in
tick the boxes
checklist
Read the meters at my last home
Tell my utility and other providers my new address (gas, water, electricity, telephone, internet,
subscription TV etc.)
Redirect the mail
Update my details (e.g. Council Tax, Driving and TV License)
Arrange to reconnect cooker and phone at my new home
Find a reputable Furniture Removal Company
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 1
Section 1 - Your Home
The current scheme (Gloucestershire Homeseeker) is
a countywide Choice Based Lettings scheme, which
means that with just one application you will be able
to apply for housing anywhere in Gloucestershire
(after any introductory period has ended).
“
When you exchange with another
tenant you must accept the home as
seen & both landlords must agree.
”
The new scheme is designed to give you greater
choice and control over where you live. Further
information about the scheme and how to apply can
be found on the web at gloshomeseeker.co.uk.
Ending your tenancy
Just register with Gloucestershire Homeseeker by
completing an online application. Your Housing
Officer will help.
We will need four weeks’ written notice. You
do this by completing and signing a Termination of
Tenancy form and returning it to the address shown
or send a letter confirming your termination details to
Tenant Services.
Mutual Exchange - HomeSwapper
Every secure tenant has the right to “swap” homes
with another tenant (Mutual Exchange) as long as
you:• have looked after your home (and garden)
• kept it in reasonable decorative order
• paid your rent and kept to your tenancy
agreement
The facility is web-based and can be found at
homeswapper.co.uk. If you don’t have access to
a computer at home, you can make use of public
facilities at Ebley Mill or at some of the libraries in the
area. Ask your Housing / Sheltered Site Officer if you
need help.
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Your tenancy will officially end at midnight on the
Sunday, four weeks after we receive your written
notice. If you have a joint tenancy, both tenants
should sign the written notice.
An Empty Homes Officer will arrange to inspect your
property before your tenancy ends.
To help you to find other potential tenants wanting to
exchange, the Council has subscribed to a service
called “HomeSwapper”. This is a user-friendly and
free way of finding a home to exchange not just
locally but throughout the United Kingdom.
Section 1
Don’t end your tenancy until you have finalised
arrangements for your new home.
Don’t forget to hand your keys in to reception at
Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill, Stroud, GL5 4UB or to your
Sheltered Housing Officer, if you live in Sheltered
Housing.
You must do this by 10am on the date your tenancy
is due to end.
Do not send the keys in the post.
Page 4
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 1 - Your Home
You will still be liable for rent until we have received
the keys.
If you owe rent you will still be liable for payment in
full even though you no longer live in the property.
Finally, if your home is not left in a reasonable
condition you will be charged for the cost of
repairing any damage.
“
If you are transferring to another
Stroud Council tenancy then we can
speed things up. Once you have
accepted the offer of your new tenancy
you will be able to move into your new
home as soon as possible
”
Moving out
checklist
tick the boxes
Leave the property secure (windows and doors locked)
Leave the house and garden in a clean and tidy condition
Take all your contents, carpets and curtains (or you may be charged)
Turn the water off at the main stop tap
Ensure your meters are read (or emptied)
Ring us on 01453 754 424 for free removal of any household items
Hand in your keys to Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill, Stroud, GL5 4UB
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 1
Section 1 - Your Home
Your rent
New Automated Telephone Payment (ATP)
System
Telephone payments can now be made 24 hours per
day, 365 days per year through a new Automated
Telephone Payment system (ATP).
How to pay?
There are many ways to pay your rent. Take your
pick:-
Direct Debit
If you have a bank or building society account then
this is the most efficient way to pay your rent.
Direct Debit payments are made automatically on 1st
and 15th of each month. If your payment fails then it
is added on to your next monthly payment.
Ask your Housing Officer for a Tenant Services Direct
Debit Mandate form. Please make sure that you
return the form to us and NOT your bank in order for
the Direct Debit to be set up.
Standing Order
You can arrange to have your rent paid directly from
your bank or building society. Payments can be made
weekly, fortnightly or monthly. You must tell your bank
if the amounts you pay are going to change.
Cash, Cheque, Postal Order & Debit/Credit
card
Please visit our Main Reception, Ebley Wharf, Ebley
Mill, Westward Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5
4UB.
From November 2011, payments can be made
at Ebley Mill during normal office hours using an
automated payment machine. Cash, debit or credit
cards will be accepted but credit cards will incur a
small additional charge.
Section 1
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Just ring 01453 768 100 any time day or night and
follow the simple instructions. You will need your
credit / debit card to hand (most are accepted) and
your reference number (shown on your rent card).
You can also pay your Council Tax by this method.
Through the Post
Send your cheque or postal order to Tenant Services,
Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill, Westward Road, Stroud,
Gloucestershire, GL5 4UB and make it payable to
Stroud District Council.
Please write your name, address and rent account
reference number on the back of the cheque. This will
help us to record the payment properly and send you
a receipt.
Do not send cash through the post.
Post Office
You can pay at any Post Office with your Plastic Rent
Giro Card (only cash or cheque payments). Your
Housing Officer can arrange for you to have a Giro
Card.
Allow five days for payment to reach us.
Page 6
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 1 - Your Home
Internet
When do I pay my rent?
Payzone
Whether you pay fortnightly or monthly do make sure
that you pay on the first week of the cycle so your
account does not go into arrears
You can make your payments 24 hours a day on our
online payment page. To find this you need to go to
our website (www.stroud.gov.uk).
You can pay at any facility displaying the
payzone logo anywhere in the country
with your Plastic Rent Giro Card (only
cash or cheque payments). To find
the address and opening time of your
nearest payzone outlet then go to our
website (www.stroud.gov.uk) and look under “Your
Rent” in the section on Housing.
Direct Deductions from your benefits
Who is responsible for paying the rent?
The person who signed the Tenancy Agreement or, in
the case of a Joint Tenancy, then both tenants have
equal responsibility.
How will I know if I am up to date with my
payments?
If you wish to pay your rent this way, then you must
be in receipt of Income Support or Job Seekers
Allowance and have arrears in excess of four weeks’
rent.
Your Housing Officer will advise you as to how to do
this or ring 01453 754876.
“ You can pay your rent
in the way that suits you,
weekly, fortnightly or
monthly. The most popular
way is by direct debit.
”
www.stroud.gov.uk
Fortnightly in advance on a Monday. The dates are
shown on your rent card.
You can request a statement from your Housing
Officer at any time. In addition, tenants with arrears
will be sent an annual statement
Alternatively, just ring 01453 754876 and ask for an
up-to-date rent statement.
What happens if I can’t afford my rent
payments?
You put your tenancy at risk. But don’t panic; if you
work with us we will do all we can to help you meet
your rent obligations.
The most important thing is that you speak to us
early on. Do not let matters get out of control.
We will be fair but firm. You have a duty to pay your
rent and we will collect all rent owing to us. We do
have a Financial Inclusion Officer who is available to
give advice to tenants struggling to keep up with their
rent and other bills.
Page 7
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 1
Section 1 - Your Home
Action will be taken if you fall into rent arrears which
could ultimately result in the loss of your home, if the
situation is not addressed.
What should I do if I miss a payment?
Contact your Housing Officer (or ring us on 01453
754876) as soon as possible.
We will meet you confidentially to discuss your
situation and to agree a payment plan. It is vital that
you keep to this.
In deciding how much you can afford, we will help
you to put your debts into priority order. Pay those
bills that are the most important first; these being
your rent, heating and food bills.
Our preferred solution is to help you to meet your rent
obligations and for you to stay secure in your own
home.
However, some tenants choose not to pay their
rent and, in those cases, we will take legal steps to
repossess the property so that another person or
family can be housed.
If your circumstances change you
must tell us; it may affect your Benefits.
We can also put you in touch with independent
trained money advisers who can help you to manage
your income and outgoings. Their contact details
can be found in Useful Contacts section later in this
handbook.
Do you qualify for Housing, or other,
Benefits?
Housing Benefit is help towards paying your rent. It
doesn’t matter if you are in work, unemployed, retired
or receive any other benefits; you can still make a
claim and may get some help.
Claim forms and advice are available from the
Benefits Team at Ebley Mill, on 01453 754054. or you
can contact [email protected].
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
What will happen if I continue not paying
my rent?
“
Please see the website for a copy of our leaflet
“Golden rules for managing your money”.
Section 1
Visit our page on Housing Benefit www.stroud.gov.uk
for more detailed information.
”
Avoid paying
your rent?
It only gets worse. Action includes:
• firm letters and home visits from us
• a notice seeking possession
• a visit to County Court
• a Possession Order
• possible eviction
• homelessness.
So pay your rent; you know it makes sense.
Help us help you.
Page 8
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 1 - Your Home
Former tenant rent arrears
Any tenant who has left their property with
outstanding rent arrears - whether or not this was the
result of an eviction - will still owe that rent and we will
take all steps to ensure that it is paid.
In the event of the tenant having died then any
outstanding arrears will be sought from their estate.
If there are any costs associated with rechargeable
repairs then these too will be added to any
outstanding arrears.
Consequences of
Eviction for Rent Arrears
Obviously you will lose your home and you may
be deemed as “intentionally homeless” because
you failed to pay your rent. This could affect your
chances of being re-housed in the future.
“
If you are an Introductory Tenant
(on a one-year trial tenancy) and in
rent arrears then you can be evicted
even more easily. So it is vital that you
pay your rent if you wish to become a
secure tenant.
”
Furthermore you may also find that you are
not able to get credit in the future, including a
mortgage, credit card or loan.
So the consequences of eviction are serious.
Please contact our Housing Advice Team 01453
754078 or e-mail homelessnessadvice@stroud.
gov.uk.
BUT REMEMBER NONE OF THIS WILL HAPPEN
IF YOU PAY YOUR RENT REGULARLY AND ON
TIME.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 1
Section 2 - Your tenancy
In this section we cover everything you need to know about
your tenancy. We explain your rights and what happens
should your circumstances change.
This section covers:• types of tenancies
• your rights as a tenant
• your responsibility to keep your home in good order
• changes in circumstances
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
Types of tenancies
• same obligations to pay rent and meet Tenancy
Agreement
• less security if you break tenancy conditions
• fewer rights (e.g. no right to buy, exchange or
carry out improvements)
Your tenancy is a binding agreement
between us (the landlord) and you (the
tenant).
But good news; the vast majority of our introductory
tenants go on to become secure tenants.
Under your
Tenancy Agreement
Secure Tenancies
As long as you kept to your Tenancy Agreement as an Introductory Tenant - then you will become a
Secure Tenant (after the initial 12 month period or in
18 months in the case of an extended Introductory
Tenancy).
We guarantee to:-
• provide you with a home
• manage and maintain your property
• give you security of tenure - subject to
your introductory tenancy being conducted
satisfactorily
As a Secure Tenant you have the legal right to stay
in your Council home as long as you keep to the
conditions of your tenancy.
You guarantee to:-
• pay the rent (and, where applicable, service
charge) on time
• keep the property in reasonable order
• be considerate to others in the
neighbourhood.
There are several different types of
tenancy.
Most of our tenants are in this category and enjoy
considerable rights which we cover later in this
section (see Rights and Responsibilities).
That’s true but it is not as complicated as it sounds.
Introductory Tenancies
“
If you are moving from a secure
tenancy with another Council or a
Housing Association then you will be
given a secure tenancy immediately.
Most Tenants start with this type of tenancy:• a 12 month trial period (can be extended for a
further six months)
• the same level of service (as secure tenants)
Section 2
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 2
”
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
Demoted Tenancies
Single Tenancy
This means that those tenants lose several rights
including the right to buy their home or to exchange
their property for another.
Joint Tenancy
Sometimes the behaviour of certain tenants is so
unacceptable that we have no option but to go to
court and seek authority from a Judge to downgrade
(demote) their tenancy.
But they are still expected to pay their rent and meet
their tenancy conditions.
Demoted Tenancies usually result from serious
Anti-Social Behaviour or the illegal use of a Council
tenancy for unacceptable purposes.
A Demoted Tenancy lasts for a minimum of 12
months but can be extended for a further six months.
During this period we can apply to evict the tenant
and the Court has to agree as long as we have
followed the proper procedures.
A Joint Tenancy is where both people sign the
Tenancy Agreement and are equally responsible for
meeting the conditions of their tenancy.
Joint tenancies are often held by married couples and
partners living together.
If you have held a tenancy as a single-named person
and wish to add another person’s name - perhaps,
because you are getting married or co-habiting with a
new partner - a new Tenancy Agreement will have to
be created.
What happens if I end a Joint Tenancy?
However, if the tenant is, in our judgement, behaving
more reasonably then the Demoted Tenancy will
revert to a Secure Tenancy after 12 months (or
18 months in the case of an extended Demoted
Tenancy).
www.stroud.gov.uk
You can become a tenant solely in your own name.
This is known, not surprisingly, as a Single Tenancy. In
signing this you become fully responsible for meeting
the terms of the tenancy agreement and for paying
your rent.
If you are a Joint Tenant the whole tenancy will end
if you, or the other Joint Tenant, ends it. We will then
decide whether to create a new tenancy for the
remaining tenant or offer them another property.
You may not have an automatic right to continue
living in the property if a fellow Joint Tenant decides
to end the tenancy or dies.
Page 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 2
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
Rights and Responsibilities
As your landlord, we accept that we have
important obligations to our tenants.
In turn, you - as our tenant - have to play
your part in making your tenancy secure.
Our obligations as your landlord
• Make sure your new home is let in a good
condition
• Keep your home structurally sound and in
good repair
• Provide local management by well-trained staff
• Ensure your neighbourhood is safe, clean and
tidy
• Help you to become and remain a secure
tenant
• Only take legal action if you breach your
Tenancy Agreement
Be sure to tell us if we don’t deliver!
Your obligations as our tenant
• Pay your rent and, if applicable, your service
charge on time
• Keep your home and surroundings in good
condition
• Keep the inside of your home in good
decorative order
• Behave as a reasonable neighbour
Section 2
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Your Rights as a tenant
Once you become a Secure Tenant you
have access to all the rights listed in this
section.
However, if you are an Introductory
Tenant, or your tenancy has been
demoted, then you do not enjoy all of
these rights (see table, “Which tenant has
which right?”).
Right to buy
• You must have been a Secure Tenant for at least
five years.
• Up to three family members can join in the
purchase if the property has been their only or
principal home for at least 12 months.
• It does not include housing suitable for elderly
Right to take in lodgers (does not apply
to tenants of sheltered housing)
• You must send us all the relevant details first.
• We will usually agree if the property is large
enough.
• It may affect your Housing Benefit (ring “Hotline”
- 01443 754054).
• You are responsible for your lodger’s behaviour.
Right to sub-let
• Will need to know why, to whom and for how
long
• You cannot sub-let the whole property and move
elsewhere
Page 4
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
• May affect your Housing Benefit (ring “Hotline” 01443 754054)
• You may receive compensation if the work is still
not done on time.
• The maximum compensation for any one repair is
£50
Right to make improvements to your
home
• Always get our permission before you start.
• Permission is usually given, as long as there is no
cost to us or the property is devalued.
• We will not agree if the works proposed may
make the property difficult to re-let .
• You must obtain any planning or building
regulation approval.
• You are responsible for the standards of work and
contractor.
• You are responsible for maintaining your
improvements.
• When your tenancy ends, work must be left or
restored to the original condition.
Right to compensation for improvements
•
•
•
•
Applies to all work done after 1st April, 1994.
You must have invoices for work done.
Includes the cost of labour and materials.
Only includes “Qualifying Improvements” e.g.
does not include re-decorations
• Maximum per improvement is £3,000 (min £50).
• The right does not apply if you are evicted.
Right to Repair
• This gives tenants the right to take over
management of their own homes.
• Lower Kingshill Co-operative, Dursley, is a local
example where tenants have taken over part of
the management of their own homes.
Right to be consulted
• This covers any change to your Tenancy
Agreement or our level of service.
• 28 days notice is required before any
Pets
Tenants do not normally need our permission to keep
a pet but they are responsible for ensuring that they
do not cause a nuisance to neighbours.
Tenants living in our sheltered accommodation
and flats with communal areas and stairways
who wish to keep a pet MUST sign up to the
Councils Pet plan and adhere to the Tenant
Services Pet policy. Failure to do so will result
in the animal(s) being removed which will be
charged to the tenant.
• Applies if we do not do repair work in the time
stated.
• It only applies to small, but urgent repairs (up to
value of £250).
• You can require us to bring in another contractor.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Right to manage
If you have any queries about keeping a pet, please
contact your Sheltered Housing Team.
Page 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 2
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
Which tenant has which right?
Once you become a Secure Tenant you have access to all the rights listed in this
section.
Types of Tenancies
Your Rights
Secure
Introductory
Demoted
Right to buy
Right to take in lodgers
Right to sub-let
Right to make improvements to your home
Not if evicted
Right to compensation for improvements
Right to Repair
Right to manage
Right to be consulted
* These rights do not apply to tenants of sheltered accommodation
Section 2
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 6
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
Your responsibility to keep
your home in good order
What if I need help to do this work?
If you wish us to carry out this work on your behalf
and it is non-urgent, then please contact our Repair
Advisors on 01453 754852 with the details.
This section:• sets out what you are actually responsible for
• explains what happens if you damage your home
in any way
• gives some useful tips and advice on home safety
and reducing condensation
What repairs am I
responsible for?
Just small day to day “running repairs” and
looking after any improvements that you may
have done to your home.
Examples include:• keeping the inside of your home in good
decorative order by decorating at least every
7 years
• doing any minor repairs to woodwork and
plaster
• providing and maintaining TV aerials (unless
you share a communal aerial)
• maintaining your own improvements,
electrical appliances and garden sheds
• maintaining and repairing garden paths,
gates and fencing ensuring chimneys are
swept (where applicable)
• A more detailed breakdown is contained
within your Tenancy Agreement.
www.stroud.gov.uk
We will then let you know the cost of doing this work.
If you are happy with this then we’ll do the work and
bill you.
What about Insurance cover?
As the landlord, we will have insured the cost of
repairing the building.
However, you must take out contents insurance to
cover furniture, carpets, curtains and all your other
personal possessions.
We will not pay for damage to your belongings
including damage which may be caused through
problems with the building such as burst water pipes
or leaking roofs.
Rechargeable Repairs
A rechargeable repair is any repair that is needed due
to accidental damage, misuse, vandalism, neglect or
by unauthorised alterations to your property.
These repairs are your responsibility, as stated within
your Tenancy Agreement. This applies also to any
damage caused by household members or visitors.
You may choose to complete the repair yourself but it
must be done by a suitably qualified and experienced
person and to an acceptable standard.
If you cannot do this then we will undertake the work
and charge you for the full cost. You may also be
charged for costs incurred if an appointment had
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Section 2
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
been made to carry out repairs or improvements to
your property and we failed to gain access.
How do I report a Rechargeable Repair?
In the same way as you would normally report a
repair. The difference is that you must sign a form to
agree to pay the cost before we start the work.
The only exception to this will be when the work is
urgent and needed to done quickly in the interests of
your health and safety.
Common rechargeable
repairs
Usually rechargeable repairs result from, and
can, include:• deliberate damage, neglect or inappropriate
use of fixtures and fittings
• unauthorised or unsafe DIY work (for
example, removing or making safe electrical
or gas appliances or making safe structural
alterations)
• changing locks and providing new keys
(where lost or not handed at end of tenancy)
• unblocking toilets, sinks, basins or baths
where the blockage has been caused by
disposal of inappropriate waste
• clearing rubbish from an empty property or
garden when you move
• cleaning any empty property when you move
out of your home
• removing sheds or outhouses erected
without permission
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Stroud District Council
What happens if it was not my fault?
If the damage was caused by someone over whom
you had no control, you must report the matter to
the police and get a crime reference number from
them before reporting it to the Repairs Advisors on
01452 754852. If you do not do this, you will be held
responsible for paying for the damage.
I may have difficulty paying the cost
As a general principle, we will require payment in full.
However, we recognise that there may be, in some
cases, extenuating circumstances due to age, health
or vulnerability.
We may require supporting evidence of this, but will
discuss this with you. We may be able to agree an
affordable payment plan to pay by instalments.
Remember
If you owe any money on a Rechargeable Repair then
you will not be able to transfer to another Council
property or carry out a mutual exchange until you
have either:• paid the cost in full or
• carried out the work required to put your property
back into an acceptable condition.
• We do not permit the use of bottled gas
appliances and cylinders in any buildings included
in the Regulatory Reform (Fire) order, specifically
Sheltered Housing properties and general
needs flats served by communal entrances and
stairways. The use of bottled gas appliances and
cylinders in other properties presents a risk to the
user and nearby residents from possible leaks,
explosion and fire, as well as creating excessive
condensation within the property, and as a result,
should not be used.
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Section 2 - Your Tenancy
Changes in Circumstances
In the case of a co-habitee, they must have lived with
you for, at least, five years.
We recognise that your circumstance
may change throughout your life. In this
section we look at what impact these
could have on your tenancy.
Remember, you will always need our agreement so
please speak to your Housing Officer first.
We have tried to make this as simple as possible
(not an easy task). If you don’t understand any of the
issues below then ask your Housing Officer for help.
Alternatively, you may wish to seek independent
advice. You will find relevant details in the Useful
Contacts section at the end of this handbook.
If you want to read the small print then please ask
your Housing Officer for a copy of our “Tenancy
Management Policy”.
Assigning your tenancy to a person (who
could succeed to your tenancy)
Put simply this means handing over your tenancy
to someone else or sharing responsibility for your
tenancy with another person.
• you had already succeeded to the tenancy
(there is only one right of succession)
• the tenancy had already been assigned to you
previously
• we were in the process of taking legal action
to recover possession of the property
• the property is substantially larger than
required by the person to whom you are
assigning the tenancy
• the property has been adapted (for the
disabled) and is not suitable for the person to
whom the tenancy is being assigned.
Assigning your tenancy as a result of a
Court Order
Sometimes when there is a relationship breakdown
both parties cannot agree as to who will take over the
tenancy. In such a situation a judge will decide and
issue what is called a Property Adjustment Order.
You may wish to assign (hand-over) your tenancy to
another person or to change from a Single Tenancy
to a Joint Tenancy (whether you are an Introductory
or a Secure Tenant).
This person (the assignee) must be your spouse, civil
partner, co-habitee or another family member and
must have lived with you for at least twelve months
before the assignment.
www.stroud.gov.uk
We will only say no if:-
In such a context, we will formally assign the tenancy
to the person granted the Property Adjustment Order
and advise the other person, in writing, that their
tenancy has ended.
This is the only way to change from a Joint to a
Single Tenancy.
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Section 2
Section 2 - Your Tenancy
What happens to your tenancy after your
death?
This is called the Right of Succession and can only
be used once. If you succeeded to your tenancy, this
means that your tenancy cannot be passed on.
For a person to qualify as your
successor they must either be:-
• your spouse or civil partner
• a family member (your parent, grandparent,
child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt,
nephew or niece)
and have lived with you in the property for the 12
months prior to your death.
If the person is not your spouse or civil partner
but a co-habitee, then they can succeed as long
as they have lived with you for, at least, five years
before your death.
suited to their needs.
In some exceptional circumstances, where there is
no right of succession, we will grant a new tenancy to
the person who remains in the property following the
death of a tenant.
Relationship breakdown or domestic
abuse
If your marriage, civil partnership or
relationship ends
If your relationship ends, your spouse or civil partner
has equal rights to occupy the matrimonial home,
even if one is not the tenant.
However, this does not apply to those just living
together however long they have lived at the property.
The tenancy granted will be a sole tenancy and your
successor will only be given a joint tenancy should
they enter into a re-marriage or civil partnership.
Should you not be able to reach agreement as
to who stays, then a judge will decide and issue
a Property Adjustment Order. In doing so, the
judge will look at your, and your partner’s, financial
circumstances and behaviour. The court will also take
into account your children’s needs, if applicable.
It can’t be that straightforward?
Domestic Abuse
In certain circumstances, where the property is
too large or has been adapted for a person with a
disability, we will offer the person who succeeds to
the tenancy, the tenancy of a property that is better
Rest assured our first concern will always be your
safety and that of your family.
You are right. There can be some difficulties which
usually are around how long a family member has
lived in your house, the size of the property and
whether it has been converted for use by someone
with a disability.
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Stroud District Council
We recognise that domestic abuse can be a terrifying
experience from which there often may appear no
escape. We are here to help and we work closely
with all relevant agencies, including the Police.
We try to be fair but we will always hold to account
those carrying out the abuse. This may mean they will
lose their security of tenure.
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Section 2 - Your Tenancy
If you need help then contact us on 01453 754168
(our Safer Estates Officer) or alternatively get in touch
with your Housing Officer.
We will respond within one working day to cases of
domestic abuse and will work closely with the alleged
victim.
If you wish to stay in your home we can help in a
variety of ways including, for example, by installing
extra security measures.
What if the person carrying out the abuse is
the sole tenant?
In this instance, the victim may be living in the
tenancy but not the sole tenant. If the abuse was
proved, then we would take formal action against the
tenant to seek possession of the property.
At the same time we would work with the victim to
find them another home.
What if I am the victim of domestic abuse
and have fled my Joint Tenancy?
On the other hand, if you are too afraid to stay
then we will help you find suitable emergency
accommodation.
We may offer you another tenancy once you have
formally ended your previous Joint Tenancy. This
would end the Joint Tenancy for the perpetrator as
well.
You can also get practical help and advice from the
Stroud Beresford Group at
www.stroudwomensrefuge.co.uk
or ring them on 01453 764385.
Another useful contact is the Gloucestershire
Domestic Violence Support and Advocacy Project
(GDVSAP) at www.gdvsap.org.uk or ring their 7 day
confidential helpline on 01452 500115.
All incidences of domestic abuse will be referred to
the Gloucestershire Central Allocation and Referral
Point (CARP). This specialist facility can be contacted
on 0845 6029035.
We would investigate the allegation of domestic
abuse and, if a court finds your spouse, civil partner
or co-habitee guilty of domestic abuse then we would
take steps to repossess the property.
If there are dependent children in the home at risk of
witnessing domestic abuse, then we would inform
Gloucestershire County Council’s Children and Young
Person Directorate (CYPD) Referral and Assessment
Team.
If you need urgent advice outside normal office hours,
please ring the National Domestic Abuse Help line on
0808 200 0247
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Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 2
Section 3 - Repairs and
maintenance
Ask any tenant what is the most important service we
provide and the answer almost always will be REPAIRS!
In the sections below you should be able to find out all you
need to know about the repair and maintenance of your
home.
This section covers:• response repairs
• our responsibilities and your responsibilities
• how to report a repair
• planned and cyclical maintenance
• disabled adaptations
• Contractors’ Code of Conduct
• tips for energy efficiency in the home
• helpful tips for looking after your home.
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Repairs and Maintenance
We now explain in more detail each of these repair
categories.
In summary, we can help in three ways:• Response repairs – a “call-out” service for repairs
that need to be done sooner rather than later
• Planned and Cyclical Maintenance – usually
programmes to replace items (e.g. kitchens or
windows) or regular servicing (e.g. central heating
systems)
• Disabled adaptations – helping to make your
home fit your needs
Once you have decided what type of repair you need
go to the next section on “How to report a repair”.
Reponse
Repairs
These are broken down into two types:• Emergency Repairs - 24 hours
• Appointed Repairs - 20 working days
Severn Trent
• Call 0800 783 4444
Emergency repairs (attend and make
safe in a maximum of 24 hours)
These are responded to speedily:• to avoid serious danger to the health and safety
of the occupants or
• where there is a risk of extensive damage to the
property
Examples include:• total loss of all electricity / bare electrical wires
• loss of all heating and hot water (between 1st
October and 1st May)
• burst pipes
• blockage of only toilet in property (potential
recharge).
• blocked drains causing sewage to spill out
(unless on a shared drain, contact Severn Trent)
• broken windows affecting security
• unable to secure main entrance to property
• serious roof leaks
You can report an emergency repair at any time of
the day or night throughout the year (see the next
section “How to report a repair”).
If you report an emergency out-of-hours, we will do
our best to complete the work in four hours.
N.B. Please be aware that you may be charged for
the visit if the out-of-hours team do not consider the
call out to be an emergency.
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Page 2
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Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
For information on rechargeable repairs, see Section
2 Page 7&8
Gas leaks
Contact National Grid immediately on
0800 111 999
Emergency
If we cannot complete the work there and then,
we will ensure that there is no danger to you or the
property and we will return as soon as possible,
depending on the nature of the repair to finish the job.
Out-of-hours emergencies (any other time day or
night) – Call our Out of Hours service on 01453
222104
Gas leaks (contact National Grid
immediately on 0800 111 999)
Repair Appointments
We are working hard to improve services to our
customers and will either offer you an appointment
when you first contact us or as soon as possible
afterwards. This is dependant on the nature of the
work involved.
You should also:• open doors and windows
• check if the pilot light has gone out. If any
gas appliances have been left on, turn them
off. If the pilot light is still on and the gas
appliances are all off, there may be a gas
escape
• turn off the gas at the mains
• do not turn light switches on or off, use
doorbells, mobile phones, or any other
electrical switches
• do not smoke, light a match or use any other
kind of naked flame
Appointed work will be booked for a mutually
convenient time; hopefully we can
make this within two weeks dependant on the
availability of the relevant contractor and you.
Further Help and Advice?
For more information on Response Repairs please
ring on 01453 754852 or contact us at:
[email protected].
Also, please see the information in the table on the
following pages for details of what we and you are
responsible for. The section titled “Helping us,
helping you” has some useful tips on what you can
do to minimise potential damage to the property and/
or your belongings as well as explaining what sort of
information we will find helpful when you call us about
a problem.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Repairs
Fire DIAL 999
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Section 3
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Repair Area
Who
Us
Baths
X
Carpentry
X
Chains and plugs
Qualification
You
Except unblocking wastes (potential recharge)
X
On basins, baths and sinks
Decoration (internal)
X
Except when damage is caused by a structural defect
Domestic appliances
X
Such as cookers, fridges, washing machines, dishwashers
Chimneys
X
Communal areas
X
Decoration (external)
X
Doors
X
External timbers elements
X
Internal and external including frames, hinges, locks, door jambs
and thresholds, letterboxes and handles
Floor covering
X
Including adapting doors to accommodate carpets
Front door lock
X
Except communal locks
Fences and gates
X
Except if it backs onto public footpath or highway
X
Such as coat hooks, curtains, curtain rails
X
Including dustbins and refuse areas
X
Except following criminal damage and you must get a crime number
from the police
Fire grates and surrounds
X
Fixtures and fittings
Floorboards
X
Garages
X
Gardening maintenance
Gas
X
Glazing
Hand basins
X
Except unblocking wastes (potential recharge)
Heating
X
Any type of heating
Hot water heaters
X
Including cylinder jackets
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Stroud District Council
Page 4
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Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Repair Area
Who
Us
Immersion heaters
Qualification
You
X
Infestations
X
Internal door locks
X
e.g. By ants, wasps, bees, cockroaches, mice, rats or bedbugs
Kitchens
X
Except domestic appliances
Lights
X
Except dimmer switched and florescent light bulbs
Loss of keys
X
Including repairs to forced entry if you get locked out
Out buildings
X
Brick or concrete
Paths
X
Including steps, footpaths and ramps
Plastering
X
Plumbing repairs and leaks
X
Porches
X
Re-lighting pilot lights
Except for washing machines and dishwashers
X
Re-washer taps
X
Roofs
X
Sink units
X
Skirting boards
X
Stairs
X
Switches and sockets
X
Including the resetting of any heating controls or programmers
Except unblocking wastes (potential recharge)
Except dimmer switches
Telephone points
X
TV aerials and sockets
X
Unless communal
Washing lines
X
Unless communal area
WC seats
X
Windows
X
Worktops
X
Drains
X
Wooden Sheds
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Including window sills, catches, sash cords and frames
See Page 2 (Repairs shared drains)
X
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Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 3
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
How to report a repair
By e-mail
Repair reporting has never been so easy.
Just decide which of the options below
you prefer.
Urgent and Routine Repairs
During office hours:• 08:45 - 17:00 Monday to Thursday
• 08:45 - 16:30 Friday
By contacting your District Councillor
You can find their details on www.stroud.gov.uk
By contacting your Sheltered Housing
Team
If you are a sheltered housing tenant.
Report your repair on-line
• Go to www.stroud.gov.uk
• If you live on Lower Kingshill Estate, Dursley then
go to www.lkmc.co.uk
In person or by letter
For tenants living on Lower Kingshill
Estate, Dursley
Visit www.lkmc.co.uk or ring 01453 548137.
Alternatively, any member of our staff in your area will
be happy to make a record of your repair request.
“
• Main Reception, Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill,
Westward Road, Stroud, Gloucestershire,
GL5 4UB
By phone
Please ring our Repairs Advisors on 01453 754852
and choose from the following options:
• Press 1 for any non-heating related repairs
• Press 2 to follow up on an existing non heating
repair
• Press 3 for any heating related queries
For anything else please stay on the line to speak to
an advisor
By text
[email protected]
Text 07851 729229. Start your message “Repairs”;
please include your name and address.
Always have the following information
to hand:• your name and address
• details of the problem, where it is and
what is wrong
• if you have any special circumstances
• best time to visit
• your telephone number in case we
need to contact you.
Quality control
”
We will inspect a proportion of repair jobs when
they are completed, and instruct the contractor to
remedy any unfinished or poor quality work.
You can help us achieve the highest quality by
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Page 6
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Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
returning any ‘satisfaction slip’ or questionnaire
we send you. Alternatively you can request an
inspection of repair work that you consider to be
of unacceptable quality, by telephoning the office
where you report your repairs.
The Decent
Home Standard
This standard - set down by the Government –
requires us to provide all our tenants with homes
that are:-
Planned and Cyclical
Maintenance
Every year the Council prepares a
Planned and Cyclical maintenance
programme to ensure that our homes are
maintained in good condition.
Our plan is to bring every one of our
properties up to the Decent Homes
Standard and then to keep them at that
level thereafter.
Planned Maintenance
This is where we renew or replace components in
your home as they come to the end of their useful life.
These could include such items as windows, central
heating, kitchens, bathrooms and roofs.
Where we undertake major repairs or works of
improvement we will offer you a choice in selecting
finishes. This will apply to the:• colour of internal plasterwork and woodwork
• the door and worktop finishes of kitchen units
• colour of tiles in the bathroom and kitchen
• type of floor covering
• type of heating system
• style of external door
• colour of external walls
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• safe and warm
• in a reasonable state of repair and
• with reasonably modern facilities.
Ask your Housing Office/Sheltered Housing team
for more details
Cyclical Maintenance
This covers checking of essential equipment each
year to ensure that they are safe, such as:• gas servicing
• electrical circuit testing
• portable fire equipment and fire systems
• smoke detectors
• water storage systems
• lifts
• door entry systems
It also includes a programme to repaint the exterior of
every home on a seven year cycle.
How do we decide which work should be
done?
The work is based on the information from our survey
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Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
of the condition of all our properties. The actual
amount of work we do will depend on how much
money is available each year.
The quality control team will ensure that any
necessary remedial works are carried out.
Can I find out if there will be work done to
my home?
What if I have applied to buy my home but
need work done?
We will tell you well in advance when work will
be done to your home and give you the fullest
information as to what it will entail, who will be doing
the work on our behalf and how to contact us should
you not be fully satisfied.
Right to Buy applicants who receive notice of
planned works should contact us 01453 754074, or
e-mail [email protected].
We will publish information about the planned and
cyclical maintenance programme each year. This will
include details of the works to be undertaken and the
properties which will benefit from the work.
We will suspend future planned maintenance to
your home. If a property is included or about to be
included in a contract, it can remain, provided the
work is allowed for in the valuation.
Information about our current work programme
and the contracts awarded will be published on the
Council’s website (www.stroud.gov.uk).
We will do our best to ensure quality
All tenants who receive maintenance works will be
encouraged to complete a “resident satisfaction slip”
after the works have been completed. We will also
conduct a telephone survey of those tenants who
have recently had work done to their homes. The
purpose of this is to see whether they felt the work
was done properly and to their satisfaction.
We will ensure that a minimum of 10% of all works
are inspected once they have been completed.
Any performance issues arising from these postinspections or where a tenant has recorded
dissatisfaction with any work carried out in their
home will be referred to the quality control team for
investigation
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Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 8
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Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Disabled
adaptations
We also make a sum of money available each year to
assist existing tenants with a disability to have their
homes converted to meet their needs.
Make an application
We keep a record of every home that has been
purpose built or converted for use by a person with
a disability. This will help us to meet the needs of
both the existing and future tenants who require such
accommodation for themselves or their household.
Contractors’ Code of Conduct
Contractors must, whenever working within
tenants’ homes:• always attend at the agreed time
• always carry, and show, proof of identity
• wear a recognisable uniform
• leave a calling card (if you are not in)
• be courteous and considerate
• work safely and with the minimum of
disruption
• not swear or cause offence
• protect furniture, finishes or equipment from
dust and damage
• only use any of the tenants’ facilities with
their permission
• ensure the security of the tenants’ property
and possessions
• leave your home in a clean and tidy condition
on completion each day’s work.
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Firstly, you need to make an application for an
assessment. You can arrange this by ringing
Gloucestershire Social Services on 01452 426868
and arranging for a home visit by an Occupational
Therapist. They will visit your home and assess the
work that needs to be done to your property to
meet the needs of the disabled person (there is a
limit of £30,000 for any individual property). Their
recommendation will then be put into a formal report
for our consideration.
Application approved
In most cases, this assessment will be accepted and
then you will be placed on the adaptations waiting
list. We will then write to you (within 21 days of
receiving the report from the Occupational Therapist)
telling you that you are on the waiting list, describing
the works to be done and our best estimate of a start
date.
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Section 3
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Saving energy in
your home
In an age of expensive energy, even if your home has
energy saving features such as insulation and double
glazing, it makes sense to try to ensure that your
energy usage (and your expenditure) is minimised.
This section of the handbook provides some
useful advice on saving energy whilst maintaining a
comfortable home.
The biggest users of energy in the home tend to
be heating and water heating, washing machines,
tumble dryers, dishwashers, lighting, and the
refrigerator. When looking to save energy, spend the
most time focussing on these big energy hogs to get
the biggest effect for your efforts.
Heating
• Turn down your heating system thermostat. For
every degree you lower your heat between 16°
and 21° C you can reduce your heating bill by up
to 5%.
• Turn down individual radiators - for example,
16°-18°C is warm enough for bedrooms whereas
20°-22°C is more comfortable in living rooms and
bathrooms. Rooms that are rarely used can have
their heating turned all the way down or off.
• Make sure that your heating is set to come on
only when you need it to. Try setting your timer to
switch off half an hour before you go out or go to
bed.
Section 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
• Wear an extra layer of clothing in the house so
that you stay warm.
• Close all curtains at dusk to keep the heat in and
open sunny rooms’ doors to let the warmth travel
through your home.
• In colder weather, never open doors or windows
to cool a room, turn down the heating instead.
• Do not place furniture in front of radiators.
• Shelving over radiators can reflect heat into the
room, as can reflective panels placed behind
them.
Hot water
• Check that your thermostat is set no higher than
60°C which is high enough for your needs and
avoids scalding risks as well as saving energy and
money.
• Only heat water when you need it - don’t leave
water heaters on constantly day and night.
• Make sure hot water taps are turned off properly.
• Put the plug in or use a bowl when washing
hands or dishes - running the hot tap is wasteful.
• Shower rather than take a bath if possible. A five
minute shower is five times cheaper than taking a
bath.
Domestic appliances
•
•
Turn off your television, video, hi-fi, games
console, and other entertainment devices when
they are not being used.
Do not leave your television etc. in standby mode.
Devices can use up to 90% as much power in
standby mode as when they are on, so it is a
serious waste of energy when a device is left
constantly on standby. If you keep forgetting,
consider purchasing a PowerDown unit - a device
which automatically cuts power to appliances
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Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
when they go into standby mode.
• Buy energy efficient washing machines, tumble
driers, fridges etc. Although they usually cost a
little more initially, the cost savings in electricity
will cover that many times over. As an added
benefit, efficient items are usually better made
and last longer than inefficient models.
• Vacuum clean the condenser coils at the back
or underneath your fridge freezer. Accumulated
dust reduces their efficiency by up to a quarter.
• Keep your fridge full, but not so full that air
cannot circulate properly.
• Do not put uncovered liquids into the fridge.
Their evaporation will make the fridge have to
work harder.
• Cool cooked food before you put it into the
fridge.
• Boil water in a kettle rather than on a hob to
save energy and to get your water boiled faster.
• Heat only as much water as you require for
drinks and cooking. If you keep forgetting, buy
an energy efficient eco kettle.
• Turn down the temperature on your washing
machine. Heating the water uses the majority of
the electricity, so by doing a warm wash instead
of a hot wash, big savings are possible. Wash
most clothes at 30 degrees.
• Defrost frozen food in the fridge since this helps
to cool the fridge.
• Running a full load in an efficient dishwasher will
use less hot water than washing up by hand
in the sink! Save money, save time, and save
electricity.
• Hang your clothes out to dry rather than using
an electric tumble dryer. Ideally use a spin dryer
before using the tumble dryer.
• Fold clothes straight out of the tumble drier while
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they are still warm to save on ironing.
• Iron clothes damp. on a low temperature setting
where possible, and do fewer, longer sessions.
Lighting
• Replace all of your inefficient incandescent light
bulbs with energy efficient bulbs which last up
to 12 times longer and use about 20% of the
energy. Replace halogen spotlights with much
more efficient and longer lasting LED spotlights.
• Put lamps in the corner of a room so that the
light is reflected off two walls.
• Turn out lights in empty rooms.
Cooking
• Cook many items at the same time when your
electric oven is hot and cut food into smaller
pieces so that it cooks more quickly.
• Use a microwave to reheat food or to cook small
portions. Microwaves use a lot of power but over
a very short time and so saves energy overall.
• Use a convection oven. A small fan inside
circulates hot air throughout the oven cutting
cooking times by up to a third.
• Don’t preheat the oven for roasting and don’t
keep opening the oven door.
• Choose the right size pan and ring for what you
are cooking. On a gas cooker, the flames should
not cover the sides of the pan.
• Pressure cookers and slow ovens are more
energy efficient than conventional ovens.
Finding out more
More energy saving information can be found on
the Council’s website at www.stroud.gov.uk/docs/
environment/energy_efficiency.asp
Page 11
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 3
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Helping us, helping you
Before you contact us, there are some
simple things you can do to help us
understand what the problem might be or
perhaps allow you to resolve the problem
for yourself.
Problems with
Power
No power at all
• Is yours the only property affected?
• Are your neighbours affected? If so, contact
Central Networks on 0800 328 1111.
• If you have a coin or credit meter, check that
it has credit on it.
• See if trip switch is activated or blown on the
consumer unit.
• Are both power and lighting affected?
Appliance or plug socket not working
• Has a fuse blown in a plug? If so, replace it
with a suitably rated fuse.
• Are other sockets working?
• See if the trip switch is activated or blown on
the consumer unit?
Section 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Problems with
Lighting
No lights
• Are your power sockets still working?
• Has a bulb blown?
• Are your neighbours affected? If so, contact
your electricity board (under ‘electricity’ in the
phone book).
• If you have a coin or credit meter, check that
it has credit on it.
• See if the trip switch is activated or blown on
the consumer unit?
• How many lights are affected?
If an electrical fitting is
smoking:
• do not touch the fitting
• turn off the electricity IMMEDIATELY at the
consumer unit main switch
• call us on 01453 754852
• tell us which fitting it is (light or socket) and where
it is located.
Page 12
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section33--Repairs
Repairsand
andmaintenance
Maintenance
Section
Helpful
Helpful tips
tips
The
Thefollowing
followingsection
sectioncontains
containssome
some
useful
information
which
will
help
useful information which will helpyou
youto
to
care
for
your
home
and
will
also
help
you
care for your home and will also help you
to
tominimise
minimiseany
anypotential
potentialdamage
damagearising
arising
from
problems
such
as
leaks.
from problems such as leaks.
LOOKING
LOOKING AFTER
AFTER YOUR
YOUR
HOME
HOME
You are responsible for keeping the inside of your
You are responsible for keeping the inside of your
home in good condition. To help you do this it is best
home in good condition. To help you do this it is best
to carry out small tasks and checks to prevent future
to carry out small tasks and checks to prevent future
problems.
problems.
• Wipe down all windows affected by
• Wipe down all windows affected by
‘condensation’ on a regular basis and if any
‘condensation’ on a regular basis and if any
mould has formed clean it off using a solution of
mould has formed clean it off using a solution of
diluted bleach, or a proprietary product available
diluted bleach, or a proprietary product available
from all DIY stores. See Condensation opposite.
from all DIY stores. See Condensation opposite.
• Limescale can be removed from baths, sinks,
• Limescale can be removed from baths, sinks,
shower heads, and taps with a descaler available
shower heads, and taps with a descaler available
from all DIY stores.
from all DIY stores.
• Blockages in kitchen sink waste pipes can be
• Blockages in kitchen sink waste pipes can be
prevented by flushing through using washing
prevented by flushing through using washing
soda and hot water.
soda and hot water.
• Outside gullies should be kept clear of leaves and
• Outside gullies should be kept clear of leaves and
other debris so that water drains away easily.
other debris so that water drains away easily.
Stopcock or
Stop tap
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Makesure
sureyou
youknow
knowwhere
wherethe
themain
mainStop
StopCock
Cock
•• Make
is,and
andhow
howtototurn
turnititoff.
off.Also,
Also,be
besure
suretotoknow
know
is,
howtototurn
turnoff
offyour
yourelectricity
electricityand
andgas
gassupply
supplyinin
how
anemergency.
emergency.IfIfyou
youdo
donot,
not,ask
askany
anyofofour
ourstaff
staff
an
or
contractors
when
they
next
visit
you.
or contractors when they next visit you.
theAutumn
Autumnyou
youshould
shouldcheck
checkthe
thefollowing
followinglist
listofof
InInthe
itemsand
andnotify
notifyus
usofofany
anyproblems.
problems.We
Wecan
canthen
then
items
repairthem
thembefore
beforethey
theyget
getworse
worseand
andcause
causeyou
youany
any
repair
inconvenience.
inconvenience.
youuse
usean
anopen
openfire,
fire,have
haveyou
youswept
sweptthe
the
•• IfIfyou
chimney?This
Thisisisnormally
normallyyour
yourresponsibility.
responsibility.
chimney?
areall
allyour
yourheating
heatingcontrols
controlsset
setcorrectly?
correctly?
•• are
•
are
there
any
tiles
or
slates
missing
brokenon
on
• are there any tiles or slates missing ororbroken
yourroof?
roof?
your
•
are
there
anyleaks
leaksfrom
fromgutters
guttersand
anddownpipes?
downpipes?
• are there any
CONDENSATION
CONDENSATION
Condensationoccurs
occurswhen
whenthere
thereisisan
anexcessive
excessivebuild
Condensation
build
up of moisture
in the
air. is
There
is always
up
of moisture
in the air.
There
always
moisture in
moisture
in
the
air,
but
people
create
additional
the air, but people create additional moisture in their
moisture
homes
by:in their homes by:
Cookingororboiling
boilingwater
water
•• Cooking
Takingbaths
bathsororshowers
showers
•• Taking
Usingparaffin
paraffinor
orbottled
bottledgas
gasheaters
heaters
•• Using
•
Drying
clothes
indoors
• Drying clothes indoors
Warm moist air condenses and forms water when it
Warm moist air condenses and forms water when it
cools: for example when it touches a cool surface. In
cools: for example when it touches a cool surface. In
your home these are outside walls, mirrors, windows,
your home these are outside walls, mirrors, windows,
wall tiles and even on clothes.
wall tiles and even on clothes.
If this condensation cannot dry out it will cause mould
If this condensation cannot dry out it will cause mould
to form on walls, in cupboards and on window sills,
to form on walls, in cupboards and on window sills,
and mildew to form on clothes, especially leather
and mildew to form on clothes, especially leather
goods.
goods.
Page
Page
13 13
TenantsHandbook
Handbook
Tenants’
StroudDistrict
DistrictCouncil
Council
Stroud
Section33
Section
Section 3
3 - Repairs and maintenance
Maintenance
Section
There are four things you can do to stop
There
are four forming:
things you can do to stop
condensation
condensation forming:
• Produce less moisture by:- covering pans and
turning
downless
the moisture
heat when
boiling,
switching
off
• Produce
by:covering
pans and
boiling
kettles,
andthe
drying
outsideswitching
(or in off
turning
down
heat clothes
when boiling,
a well
ventilated
room)
and
not
using
paraffin
boiling kettles, and drying clothes outside or
(or in
bottled
gasventilated
heaters. room) and not using paraffin or
a well
• Ventilation
to let
the moisture out, by opening
bottled gas
heaters.
a•bathroom
or
kitchen
forout,
a while
to let
Ventilation to let thewindow
moisture
by opening
the steam
escape.
Alternatively,
turn
on
your
a bathroom or kitchen window for a while to let
extractor
fan if escape.
you haveAlternatively,
one. Open windows
for a
the steam
turn on your
while
each
day
to
change
the
air
in
your
house.
extractor fan if you have one. Open windows for a
• Keeping
yourday
home
warm bythe
at air
least
maintaining
while each
to change
in your
house.
a low background heat: this need not result in
• Keeping your home warm by at least maintaining
significantly increased heating costs.
a low background heat: this need not result in
• Wipe down surfaces where moisture settles.
significantly increased heating costs.
• Wipe down surfaces where moisture settles.
LEAKING, BURST OR FROZEN PIPES
LEAKING,
BURST
When pipes
leak OR FROZEN PIPES
Place a dish or bowl underneath the leak. Pull back
When
pipes
any carpets
andleak
lay down newspapers or towels to
Place
dishdampness.
or bowl underneath the leak. Pull back
absorba any
any carpets and lay down newspapers or towels to
absorb
dampness.
When any
pipes
burst
Turn off the water at the main stop tap, and any
When
pipes
gate valves
fromburst
the water tank. Switch off any
Turn
the water
at the
maintostop
tap,
andfrom
any the
wateroff
heaters.
Open
all taps
drain
water
gate
valves from the water tank. Switch off any
system.
water heaters. Open all taps to drain water from the
system.
Can it be isolated?
isolation valve (either a gate valve, or a service valve).
Can
bemay
isolated?
If not, it
you
be able to isolate the fault by just
Some
equipment
have
their out
ownof
turningitems
off a of
gate
valve on may
a pipe
coming
isolation
valve
(either
a
gate
valve,
or
a
service
valve).
the cold water tank. This will leave you with some
Ifservices,
not, youeven
may though
be ableittomight
isolate
the
fault
by
just
only be cold water
turning
off
a
gate
valve
on
a
pipe
out offlush
at the kitchen tap. You could thencoming
temporarily
the cold water tank. This will leave you with some
toilets using a bucket of cold water.
services, even though it might only be cold water
at the kitchen tap. You could then temporarily flush
If electric
toilets
using afittings
bucket ofget
coldwet
water.
DO NOT TOUCH! Turn off electricity at the meter.
If electric fittings get wet
When
bulge
DO
NOTceilings
TOUCH! Turn
off electricity at the meter.
To prevent the ceiling falling down, place a bucket
under the
bulge and
pierce a small hole to let the
When
ceilings
bulge
water
through.
To
prevent
the ceiling falling down, place a bucket
under the bulge and pierce a small hole to let the
Whenthrough.
pipes freeze
water
Turn off the water at the main stop tap and open
the coldpipes
taps. It freeze
is best to leave the pipes frozen but
When
you
may
try
to
thaw
hot and
water
bottles
Turn off the water at the
the pipe
mainusing
stop tap
open
or
a
hair
dryer.
Take
great
care
and
DO
NOT
USE
A
the cold taps. It is best to leave the pipes frozen but
BLOW
you
mayLAMP.
try to thaw the pipe using hot water bottles
or a hair dryer. Take great care and DO NOT USE A
Take care
to thaw from one end of the frozen section
BLOW
LAMP.
and not from the middle. Conserve hot water until the
pipescare
are thawed.
Take
to thaw from one end of the frozen section
and not from the middle. Conserve hot water until the
pipes are thawed.
Some items of equipment may have their own
Section 3
3
Section
Tenants Handbook
Tenants’
Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 14
Page
14
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
General information
Know where your main stop tap is and check that it
turns easily and is able to shut off the water supply.
It is usually where the water pipe enters the house or
near the kitchen sink.
Get to know where the gate valves for the hot and
cold water tanks are.
If you go away for a few days in winter, lower the
setting on your central heating room thermostat but
leave the heating on.
FROZEN CONDENSATE TRAP OR
DISCHARGE PIPE, WORCESTER
BOILERS (parts A & B)
If your boiler is not a Worcester, go to Part B.
The following information will help you recognise if
your condense is frozen and what you can do about
it.
Part A How can I tell if the boiler’s
condense trap or discharge pipe has
frozen?
Step 1
It’s possible that your boiler’s condense trap or
discharge pipe has frozen if all three of these
statements are correct:
• The outside temperature is, or has been below,
freezing.
• Your boiler is displaying either an EA fault code, a
D5 code or is displaying a flashing blue light (for
www.stroud.gov.uk
• 26 CDi boilers you may see a flashing red light
instead).
• Your boiler is a Greenstar gas boiler, or a 26 CDi.
Step 2
If all three statements are true you should now try to
reset your boiler. This can be done by holding in the
‘reset’ button (this can be found on the boiler control
panel) for 10 seconds. Once you have released the
button you should wait two to three minutes to see if
the boiler re-fires.
Step 3
If the boiler does not refire and it is emitting a gurgling
sound, then it is almost certain that your condensate
pipe is frozen. If you cannot hear a gurgling noise you
should still proceed to check your condensate trap /
discharge pipe.
Step 4
The condensate pipe is a plastic pipe (black, white
or grey) coming from the bottom of your boiler. If this
pipe is less than 32mm in diameter and runs outside
the property or through a non-heated area then it
should be fully insulated with waterproof lagging. If
it is not fully lagged and the three criteria in Step 1
apply, then it is likely that it is frozen and needs to be
thawed.
Part B How can the condensate pipe be
thawed?
The Council is taking action to eliminate this problem
in new installations but finding a permanent solution
for existing boilers is difficult and it is possible for
tenants to attempt to thaw out a frozen condensate
for themselves when the situation arises.
Page 15
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 3
Section 3 - Repairs and maintenance
Section33--Repairs
Repairsand
andMaintenance
maintenance
Section
The following
following guidelines
guidelines have
have been
been produced
produced to
The
to
The
following
guidelines
have
been
produced to
assist you
you However,
However, you
assist
you should
should exercise
exercise extreme
extreme
assist you
However,
you attempting
should exercise
extreme
caution
at all
all
times when
when
to identify
identify
and
caution
at
times
attempting to
and
caution
at
all
times
when
attempting
to
identify
and
thaw
a
condensate
pipe.
thaw a condensate pipe.
thaw a condensate pipe.
••You
should
only
attempt
toto
thaw
a condensate
You
should
only
attempt
thaw
a condensate
• You
should
only attempt
towhich
thaw aiscondensate
pipe
that
is
at
ground
level
and
pipe that is at ground level and whicheasily
is easily
pipe that
is at Under
groundno
level
and which is easily
accessible
to you.
circumstances
accessible
to you. Under
no circumstances
accessible
to you.
Under
circumstances
should
you you
attempt
to thaw
a no
condensate
pipepipe
should
attempt
to thaw
a condensate
should
you
attempt
to
thaw
a
condensate
pipe
which
is
at
height,
without
the
assistance
of
which is at height, without the assistanceaof a
which
is
at
height,
without
the
assistance
of
a
professionally
trained
engineer.
professionally
trained
engineer.
professionally trained engineer.
• A hot water bottle or heat wrap (like the ones
A hot
water
bottle
or heat
wrap
ones
• •A hot
water
bottle
or heat
wrap
(like(like
thethe
ones
that can be used to ease muscle discomfort)
that be
canused
be used
to ease
muscle
discomfort)
that can
to ease
muscle
discomfort)
would be a suitable and safe way of thawing the
would
a suitable
and safe
of thawing
would
be a be
suitable
and safe
way way
of thawing
the the
condensate pipe. Hold the hot water bottle or
condensate
pipe.
Hold
the
hot
water
bottle
condensate pipe. Hold the hot water bottle or or
warmed heat wrap around the condensate pipe
warmed
around
the condensate
warmed
heat heat
wrapwrap
around
the condensate
pipe pipe
to thaw it.
to thaw
to thaw
it. it.
• Once thawed, the boiler must be reset. This can
• Once thawed, the boiler must be reset. This can
be done
by holding
themust
reset button
for 10
• Once
thawed,
the boiler
reset.inin
This
be done
by holding
the resetbebutton
for can
10
seconds
and
then
waiting
two
to
three
minutes
be done
by holding
the waiting
reset button
for 10
seconds
and then
two tointhree
minutes
for theand
boiler
refire. two to three minutes
seconds
thento
for the boiler
towaiting
refire.
• the
If you
are to
uncertain
of what to do or require
for
boiler
refire.
• If you are uncertain of what to do or require
particular assistance then you could invite a
particular assistance then you could invite a
neighbour/friend
family to
member
to assist you.
• If you
are uncertainor
of
do or require
neighbour/friend
or what
family member
to assist you.
particular assistance then you could invite a
neighbour/friend
or family
to assist
The
Council’s website
alsomember
has a brief
video you.
which
The Council’s website also has a brief video which
shows you how to thaw a condensate pipe.
shows you how to thaw a condensate pipe.
The Council’s website also has a brief video which
shows you
how to
thawifaI condensate
pipe.
What
should
I do
have a different
LOSS OF
OF ELECTRIC LIGHT
LIGHT OR POWER
POWER
LOSS
LOSS OFELECTRIC
ELECTRIC LIGHTOR
OR POWER
Fuse or trip switch
Fuse
switch
Fuseor
ortrip
trip
switch
Check
your
consumer
unit or fuse box: it will either
Check your consumer unit or fuse box: it will either
Check
yourorconsumer
unit (see
or fuse
box: it will
either
have
fuses
trip switches
diagrams).
Modern
have fuses or trip switches (see diagrams). Modern
have fuses
or trip
diagrams).
Modern
electric
circuits
areswitches
fitted with(see
a circuit
breaker
fuse
electric circuits are fitted with a circuit breaker fuse
electric ifcircuits
fitted with
a circuit
breakerand
fusethe
system:
a faultare
develops,
a switch
is tripped
system: if a fault develops, a switch is tripped and the
system:
if a fault develops, a switch is tripped and the
circuit
is broken.
circuit is broken.
circuit is broken.
Older ones have fuse holders and when the fuse
Older ones have fuse holders and when the fuse
ones
haveeither
fuse be
holders
and when
the fuse
isOlder
blown
it must
replaced,
or rewired
is blown it must either be replaced, or rewired
is
blown
it
must
either
be
replaced,
or
rewired
using special fuse wire of the correct amperage.
using special fuse wire of the correct amperage.
usingreplace
specialafuse
ofare
theconfident
correct amperage.
Only
fusewire
if you
you can
Only replace a fuse if you are confident you can
Only
replace
a fuse
are confident
yousame
can
do
it safely,
and
haveifayou
replacement
of the
do it safely, and have a replacement of the same
do
it
safely,
and
have
a
replacement
of
the
same
amperage. If in doubt contact us or a qualified
amperage. If in doubt contact us or a qualified
amperage. If in doubt contact us or a qualified
electrician.
electrician.
electrician.
Consumer Unit
Consumer Unit
Fuse Box
Fuse Box
Setting
Settinga
tripswitch
switch
Setting
aatrip
trip
switch
Open the cover on the consumer unit to expose the
Openthe
thecover
coveron
onthe
theconsumer
consumerunit
unitto
toexpose
exposethe
the
Open
trip switches. The consumer unit is usually next to the
tripswitches.
switches.The
Theconsumer
consumerunit
unitisisusually
usuallynext
nextto
tothe
the
trip
What should I do if I have a different
problem,
or
this advice
problem,
orififI following
following
advicethe
the
What
should
do
if I havethis
a different
boiler
is
still
not
working?
boiler
is
still
not
working?
problem, or if following this advice the
boilercontact
is stillour
notCustomer
working?
Please
Advisor team on:Please contact our Customer Advisor team on:01453 754852
01453
754852Advisor team on:Please contact our
Customer
01453 754852
Handbook
Tenants’
Handbook
Section
33 Tenants’
Stroud
District
Council
Tenants
Handbook
Section
Stroud District
Council
Section 3 Stroud District Council
Miniature Circuit Breaker
Miniature Circuit Breaker
Page
Page16
16
Page
16
Trip Switch
Trip Switch
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Section 3 - Repairs and maintenance
electricity meter. Check which switches have tripped
electricity meter. Check which switches have tripped
to the OFF position and put them back to the ON
to the OFF position and put them back to the ON
position. For more detail, refer to any handbook
position. For more detail, refer to any handbook supsupplied.
plied.
If tripping occurs again
If tripping occurs again
It is probably being caused by a faulty appliance. You
It is probably being caused by a faulty appliance. You
need to identify which circuit is affected and which
need to identify which circuit is affected and which
appliance on that circuit is causing a problem.
appliance on that circuit is causing a problem.
Which appliance is faulty?
Which
is faulty?
Go
aroundappliance
the house noting
which set of lights or
Plugs
Plugs
The socket outlets in your home will take square pin
The socket outlets in your home will take square pin
plugs. The plug which you require will have a fuse
plugs. The plug which you require will have a fuse
inside it. We do not supply plugs and you will have to
inside it. We do not supply plugs and you will have to
obtain them yourself.
obtain them yourself.
To find out the correct type of fuse to use in a
To find out the correct type of fuse to use in a
plug, check the rating plate on the appliance. Do
plug, check the rating plate on the appliance. Do
not overload plug sockets by using multiple plug
not overload plug sockets by using multiple plug
adapters.
adapters.
Warning
Warning
Go around
the working.
house noting
which
set of lightsonor
• Never tamper with the electricity company’s fuse
sockets
are not
Unplug
all appliances
• Never tamper with the electricity company’s fuse
sockets
are circuit
not working.
Unplug
and seals.
that
problem
and switch
off all
theappliances
immersionon
and seals.
that
problem
circuit
and
switch
off
the
immersion
heater. Switch the tripped switch to the ON position
• Never take any action unless you are confident
heater.
the trippedone
switch
to the
ONthe
position
• Never take any action unless you are confident
and
plugSwitch
in the appliances
by one
until
trip
you can do it safely.
and
plug
in
the
appliances
one
by
one
until
the
trip
you can do it safely.
goes again. Leave that appliance unplugged. If one of
goes
again.
Leave
that
appliance
unplugged.
If
one
of
our appliances is at fault, report the repair; otherwise
CONTROLLING YOUR CENTRAL
ourit appliances
is at
report electrician
the repair; or
otherwise
get
fixed yourself
byfault,
a qualified
service
CONTROLLING YOUR CENTRAL
get it fixed yourself by a qualified electrician or service HEATING
engineer.
HEATING
During
freezing spells, keep the heating on all the
engineer.
During
keep the
heating
onthe
all night
the
time, andfreezing
turn thespells,
thermostat
down
during
What causes it to trip or blow a fuse?
time,
andare
turnout
theallthermostat
down during the night
and
if you
day.
What
causes it
to trip or blow a fuse?
•
An overloaded
circuit.
and if you are out all day.
An many
overloaded
circuit.
•• Too
appliances
being used at the same
• time.
Too many appliances being used at the same
• Atime.
faulty or misused appliance.
A faulty or
misused appliance.
•• Overfilled
kettles.
Overfilled
kettles.
•• Unclean
toasters.
Unclean
toasters.
•• Worn
out or
cracked cooker rings
•
Worn
out
or
cracked
cooker rings
• Faulty immersion
heaters.
•
Faulty
immersion
heaters.
• Faulty connections on leads to appliances, eg
• hi-fi,TV,
Faulty connections
on leads to appliances, eg
etc.
How
hi-fi,TV,
etc.
Howto
toset
setaadigital
digitaltimer
timer
• Light bulbs blowing.
Check
the
clock
is
showing the correct time. If not,
• Light bulbs blowing.
Check the clock is showing the correct time. If not,
put the timer switch to ‘clock’ and adjust the time
put the timer switch to ‘clock’ and adjust the time
using the ‘forward’ and ‘reverse’ buttons. Reset the
using the ‘forward’ and ‘reverse’ buttons. Reset the
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page1717
Page
Tenants Handbook
Tenants’
Handbook
Stroud
District
Council
Stroud District Council
Section
Section33
Section
and maintenance
Section 3
3 - Repairs and
Maintenance
Section
Section 3
3 -- Repairs
Repairs and maintenance
maintenance
timer switch
switch to ‘auto’.
‘auto’.
Setthe
the‘heating’
‘heating’and
and‘hot
‘hotwater
wa‘auto’ Set
timer
timer switch to
to ‘auto’. Set
Set the
the ‘heating’
‘heating’ and
and ‘hot
‘hot wawater’
switches
to come
come
on once,
once,
twice,
or stay
stay
onthe
all
switches
to come
on once,
twice,
or stay
on all
ter’
ter’ switches
switches to
to come on
on once, twice,
twice, or
or stay on
on all
all
the
time,
as
you
require.
time,
as
you
require.
the
the time,
time, as
as you
you require.
require.
Changing
pins
on
time
clocks
Changing
Changing
pins
on
time
clocks
Changing pins
pins on
on time
time clocks
clocks
How to
to set
set a
a clock
clock timer
timer
How
to
How
How
to set
set a
a clock
clock timer
timer
Turn the clock until it is showing the correct time.
Changing
arrows
on
time
clocks
Changing
arrows
on
time
clocks
Changing
Changing arrows
arrows on
on time
time clocks
clocks
Slide the ‘on’ arrows (usually red) around the clock
Turn the
the clock until
until it is showing
showing the correct
correct time.
Turn
Turn the clock
clock until itit is
is showing the
the correct time.
time.
Decide
when
you
want
the
heating
to
come on
on set
set
Decide
when
you
want
the
heating
to
come
on
Decide
Decide when
when you
you want
want the
the heating
heating to
to come
come on set
set
the
pins
or
arrows
for
those
times
(see
the
following
the
pins
or
arrows
for
those
times
(see
the
following
the
pins
or
arrows
for
those
times
(see
the
following
the pins or arrows for those times (see the following
information for
for how
how to
to change
change pins
pins and
and arrows).
arrows). Set
information
for
to
pins
arrows).
Set
information
information for how
how to change
change pins and
and arrows). Set
Set
the
timer
switch
to
‘timer’
or
‘auto’
as
appropriate
to
the
timer
switch
to
‘timer’
or
‘auto’
as
appropriate
to
the
the timer
timer switch
switch to
to ‘timer’
‘timer’ or
or ‘auto’
‘auto’ as
as appropriate
appropriate to
to
the
unit.
the
unit.
the
unit.
the unit.
Push
them in
against any
time you
want the
heating
Push
Push them
them in
in against
against any
any time
time you
you want
want the
the heating
heating
to
come
on.
Pull
them
out
against
any
time
when
you
to
come
on.
Pull
them
out
against
any
time
when
to come on. Pull them out against any time when you
you
want
want the
the heating
heating to
to go
go off.
off.
want
want the
the heating
heating to
to go
go off.
off.
Slide the
the ‘on’ arrows
arrows (usually red)
red) around the
the clock
Slide
Slide the ‘on’
‘on’ arrows (usually
(usually red) around
around the clock
clock
to
the
times
when
you
want
the
heating
to
come
to
the
times
when
you
want
the
heating
to
come
to
to the
the times
times when
when you
you want
want the
the heating
heating to
to come
come
on.
on. Slide
Slide the
the ‘off’
‘off’ arrows
arrows (usually
(usually blue)
blue) around
around to
to the
the
on.
on. Slide
Slide the
the ‘off’
‘off’ arrows
arrows (usually
(usually blue)
blue) around
around to
to the
the
times
when
you
want
the
heating
to
go
off.
times
when
you
want
the
heating
to
go
off.
times
when
you
want
the
heating
to
go
off.
times when you want the heating to go off.
CLEARING BLOCKAGES
CLEARING BLOCKAGES
When clearing blockages, it is necessary to wear a
very
pair blockages,
of rubber gloves.
We will not
go into
Whengood
clearing
is necessary
necessary
to wear
wear
When
clearing
blockages,
ititit is
to
aa
When
clearingtoilets
blockages,
is necessary
to wear
a
the
diseases
and
waste
pipes
can
carry,
but
very
good
pair
of
rubber
gloves.
We
will
not
go
into
very
good
pair
of
rubber
gloves.
We
will
not
go
into
very
good
pair
of
rubber
gloves.
We
will
not
go
into
trust
us, you do
not and
wantwaste
any ofpipes
them!
the diseases
diseases
toilets
can carry,
carry, but
the
the diseases toilets
toilets and
and waste
waste pipes
pipes can
can carry, but
but
trust
us,
you
do
not
want
any
of
them!
trust
us,
you
do
not
want
any
of
them!
trust
us,
you
do
not
want
any
of
them!
TOOLS TO USE
TOOLS TO
TO USE
USE
TOOLS
How
to
control
the
temperature
How
to
control
the
temperature
How
How to
to control
control the
the temperature
temperature
TOOLS
TOtools
USEcan be used to clear blockages
The
following
and
vary
in costs
few
pounds
to around
£9
The following
following
toolsfrom
canabe
be
used
to clear
clear
blockages
The
The following tools
tools can
can be used
used to
to clear blockages
blockages
and vary
vary in costs
costs from aa few
few pounds to
to around £9
£9
and
and vary in
in costs from
from a few pounds
pounds to around
around £9
To
set
the
thermostat
turn
the dial
dial so
so that
that the
the arrow
arrow
To
set
the
thermostat
turn
the
To
To set
set the
the thermostat
thermostat turn
turn the
the dial
dial so
so that
that the
the arrow
arrow
or
marker
is
against
the
temperature
setting you
you
or
marker
is
against
the
temperature
setting
or
or marker
marker is
is against
against the
the temperature
temperature setting
setting you
you
want.
A
comfortable
temperature
is between
between 18°C
18°C
want.
A
comfortable
temperature
is
want.
want. A
A comfortable
comfortable temperature
temperature is
is between
between 18°C
18°C
and 22°C.
22°C.
and
and 22°C.
Hand plunger
plunger
Hand
Hand plunger
Section
3
Section
3
Section
Section 3
3
Tenants’
Handbook
Tenants Handbook
Tenants’
Handbook
Tenants’
Handbook
Stroud
District
Council
Stroud
Stroud District
District Council
Council
Page
18
Page
18
Page
Page 18
18
Power plunger
Power
Power plunger
plunger
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section
Section 3
3 - Repairs and maintenance
Maintenance
CLEARING
CLEARING A
A BLOCKED
BLOCKED WC
WC
Clearing
Clearing blockages
blockages
Power plunger
If the pan is already full, remove some of the water
into a suitable container using a jug or bowl. Push the
toilet brush or plunger to the bottom of the pan and
pump up and down vigorously about 10 times. This
creates a vacuum and pressure which may shift the
blockage.
CLEARING
PIPE
CLEARING A
A BLOCKED
BLOCKED WASTE
WASTE PIPE
Clearing
Clearing a
a sink
sink or
or bath
bath blockage
blockage
Bale
Bale out
out most
most of
of the
the water
water using
using a
a suitable
suitable container.
container.
Hold
a
rag
firmly
over
the
overflow
opening,
Hold a rag firmly over the overflow opening, and
and
place
place a
a plunger
plunger over
over the
the drain
drain hole.
hole. Pump
Pump the
the
plunger
Plungers can
can be
be
plunger up
up and
and down
down rapidly.
rapidly. Plungers
obtained
most DIY
DIY shops.
shops. After
After clearing
clearing the
the
obtained from
from most
blockage,
it
is
advisable
to
clean
out
the
trap.
blockage, it is advisable to clean out the trap.
Cleaning
Cleaning out
out a
a waste
waste trap
trap
First
the bath,
bath, basin,
basin,
First bale
bale out
out any
any excess
excess water
water from
from the
or
sink
using
a
jug
or
bowl.
Place
a
bowl
underneath
or sink using a jug or bowl. Place a bowl underneath
the
the joints
joints to
to remove
remove the
the trap.
trap.
the trap
trap and
and unscrew
unscrew the
Clean
the trap,
trap, checking
checking that
that
Clean thoroughly
thoroughly and
and replace
replace the
the
in place
place and
and that
that all
all joints
joints are
are screwed
screwed
the seals
seals are
are in
up tightly.
If
If more
more than
than one
one fitting
fitting is
is blocked
blocked
The problem may be in the soil stack or main
drain. This will need to be cleared by one of our
contractors. Blockages are usually caused by the
build-up of fat, tea leaves, hair, etc. It is advisable to
clean wastes with hot water and soda crystals.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Check by flushing the toilet to see whether the
blockage has gone. You may need to repeat the
process several times before the toilet flushes
normally.
Do
a metal
disk,
as these
Do not
notuse
useplungers
plungerswith
with
a metal
disk,
as these
may
chip
or
crack
the
toilet
bowl.
may chip or crack the toilet bowl.
Avoiding
Avoiding blockages
blockages
Air fresheners
fresheners that
that attach
attach to
to the
the rim
rim of
of the
the toilet
toilet pan
pan
Air
should
be
fastened
securely
to
ensure
they
do
not
should be fastened securely to ensure they do not fall
fall
in
in and
and cause
cause a
a blockage.
blockage.
Blockages are
are usually
usually caused
caused by
by unusual
unusual objects
objects
Blockages
including:
including:
••
••
•
•
•
•
nappies
nappies
toys
toys
sanitary
sanitary towels
towels
air
fresheners,
air fresheners, etc.
etc.
IfIf such
such a
a blockage
blockage occurs
occurs as
as a
a result
result of
of one
one or
or
several of
of these
these objects
objects becoming
becoming lodged,
lodged, you
you may
may
several
be
charged
for
clearing
the
blockage.
be charged for clearing the blockage.
Page
1919
Page
Tenants’
Handbook
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section
Section 3
3
Section 3 - Repairs and Maintenance
Section 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 20
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 4 - Your
neighbourhood
Your home is important but so are your surroundings. We all
want to live in a safe and pleasant neighbourhood.
Learn here what we can do together to improve the quality
of your environment.
This section covers:• keeping your neighbourhood safe
• protection from abuse
• keeping your neighbourhood clean and tidy
• improving your neighbourhood.
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
Keeping your neighbourhood
safe
You have the right to expect your
neighbourhood to be safe. Therefore, we
take an uncompromising stance against
anti-social behaviour.
We continue to work closely with the Police and other
partners in seeking its removal from our communities.
What is anti-social behaviour?
We define it as:• “all sorts of disturbing behaviour which might
intimidate you or spoil your quality of life”
• “anything which interferes with the peaceful
enjoyment of your home and surrounding
area”.
Can you give examples?
Whilst accepting that all anti- social behaviour is
unacceptable, we divide it into two categories:• Low level - e.g. graffiti, vandalism, boundary
disputes, littering, unacceptable behaviour
(spitting, shouting and swearing)
• Serious - e.g. violence, sexual harassment,
alcohol or drug related abuse, noise nuisance,
intimidation, criminal damage.
So how do I make a complaint?
If you experience or witness any anti-social behaviour
then tell your Housing Officer. They will be happy to
visit you at home or if you prefer at a neutral venue.
Alternatively you can contact our Safer Estates Officer
on 01453 754168, e-mail housing.management@
stroud.gov.uk or call in to our offices at Ebley Mill,
Stroud.
Your support is crucial and we value your contact.
If you are experiencing any form of Domestic
Abuse then please go to Section 2 - Your Tenancy;
Relationship Breakdown or Domestic Abuse.
When you report an incident to us
In every case we will:• take your complaint seriously
• do a thorough investigation
• respect confidentially
• assign a member of staff to work with you
When we investigate your complaint
We will:• respond within 5 working days or 24 hours if
there is the threat of violence
• meet with you where you feel most safe
• agree a way forward together (an action plan)
• keep you up-to-date with what is happening
• provide support throughout the process
However, we do not tolerate any of this behaviour
and will deal with every complaint we receive.
Section 4
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 2
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
But what if I am the one accused of AntiSocial Behaviour?
Ways in which
If you are the subject of any complaint, we will keep
you involved, inform you of any allegations against
you and listen to your response.
we can help
It depends on the type and severity of the antisocial behaviour but these are some examples:• arrange for the installation of noise monitoring
equipment
• provide observation sheets to record
incidents
• remove any offensive or abusive, obscene or
threatening graffiti within one day
• offer you security improvements if your
personal safety is at serious risk
• re-house you if it is not possible for you to
remain or return to your home
• identify with you any other support needs you
may have and discuss how these might be
addressed
• offer to transport and escort you to and from
any court hearings if you are required to
attend to give evidence
• provide you with support while you are at
Court by making sure you feel comfortable
and protected, if you are either a victim or a
witness
• refer you to Victim Support, should you
require it
Should we uphold the complaint, we will give you
reasonable opportunity to rectify your behaviour
and we will give you support through this process,
particularly if you are vulnerable.
However, if the complaint concerns violent or
threatening behaviour then we will consider taking
legal action without notice and you will have the
opportunity to make your case in Court.
What action will you take against those
causing the problem?
Obviously, we would prefer that the matter is resolved
- to the satisfaction of all concerned - without having
to resort to any further action. Indeed in many cases
this is what happens.
If the case is relatively low level then we will seek
to resolve the problem by discussion and, if
necessary and jointly agreed, mediation between the
complainant and the alleged perpetrator.
In other low level cases we might seek to resolve the
problem by giving the alleged perpetrator a formal
written warning.
In such circumstances, if the problem is still not
resolved then it may eventually result - following court
proceedings - in the tenancy being demoted or even
ended.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 4
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
What if the problem still continues?
Things to
If the anti-social behaviour persists, or is of a more
serious nature, then we will resort to other powers to
resolve the issue.
remember
• Keep a diary record of any incidents with
date, time, names of people involved etc.
• You do not have to appear in Court as a
witness (provided we have a diary or other
evidence)
• Don’t take matters into your own hands
• Don’t suffer in silence – we are here to help
These will involve the courts and may result in:• Injunctions
• Demoted tenancies
• Eviction
All of these have serious consequences for the
perpetrator which could result in legal action and / or
the loss of their home.
What happens if I am an Introductory
Tenant?
If it is shown that you are the cause of serious or
persistent anti-social behaviour - which leaves us no
option but to go to Court - then the Judge is obliged
to find in our favour as long as we have carried out
the right procedures.
What if the person causing the anti-social
behaviour owns their own home?
We will still deal with them in the same way as if they
were a tenant of ours. The only difference is that, as
they are not our tenant, we cannot evict them should
the problem be serious.
However there are many other powers open to us
and we will use them.
Being an owner occupier does not excuse anyone
from their obligations to be a good neighbour.
Section 4
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Protection from abuse
Stroud District Council is committed to ensuring
that all of its vulnerable or potentially vulnerable
tenants are protected from abuse. We also have
a zero tolerance policy towards abuse of staff and
aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated.
We have procedures in place to ensure that abuse is
dealt with effectively when it occurs and all incidents
will be taken seriously. Staff have undergone training
to identify people suffering abuse and look for
warning signs of different types of abuse such as:
• physical assault
• psychological and emotional abuse
• sexual abuse
• financial abuse
• neglect
• discriminatory abuse.
Who are abusers?
There are many different factors which can trigger
abuse so there is no such thing as a typical abuser.
Page 4
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
It could be someone in a position of authority or
trust such as a health or care worker or it could be a
friend or relative or someone working as a volunteer.
The abuser may be someone you love dearly or trust
implicitly or someone you are fearful of upsetting and
the repercussions which may arise.
What do I do if I need help?
We understand that it may be very difficult for you
to speak about being abused, or come forward to
report someone who might be being abused. We
can assure you of complete confidentiality if you
wish to speak to us about your concerns. You can
either approach your Housing Officer or Sheltered
Housing Team in the first instance. They may, with
your permission, refer the incident to other specialist
organisations such as Social Services.
We want to help to create a place where people are
proud to live. As your landlord we will do our best to
keep your neighbourhood clean and tidy. In return,
we encourage our tenants to do the same
Managing our estates
We list below the many ways in which we can help to
make your surroundings as pleasant as possible.
Cleaning of Communal areas
We clean communal areas in some blocks of flats
where the tenants concerned have agreed to pay
the cost. Your Housing Officer will be able to provide
you with more details as they check each block on a
monthly basis to ensure that the work is done to an
acceptable standard.
In all cases we will:
• listen to what you are telling us
• investigate any report of abuse
• ensure we use compassion, tact and discretion
• inform you of our findings and what action we
would like to take, if you agree.
If you live in a sheltered housing scheme, we will
clean the communal areas in your complex on a
regular basis. Your Sheltered Housing Officer will be
able to tell you how often this will happen, to what
standard and by which contractor.
Other help available
We will always respect the wishes of the person
seeking help on what course of action to take. We
understand that some people would prefer to talk to
someone independent of the Council. In that case,
you could:
The cost for this forms a service charge agreed at the
beginning of each tenancy.
• contact Citizen’s Advice, Age UK or similar
organisations
• contact your GP, Social Services or the police
domestic violence unit
• contact www.restorativegloucestershire.co.uk for
an ASB case review.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Keeping your neighbourhood
clean and tidy
Let us know if you are not happy with the cleaning.
We will look into every complaint and tell you what we
have done to put matters right.
We also pledge to undertake any repairs to
communal areas within 10 days of being notified.
Page 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 4
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
Removal of graffiti
Graffiti can be ugly and sometimes offensive. Please
tell your Housing Officer and we will arrange for its
removal within 5 days or much quicker if it is of an
offensive nature.
Grass cutting and landscape maintenance
We take pride in maintaining the grassed areas and
landscaping on our estates. The level of maintenance
will vary according to the seasons of the year. Again
your Housing Officer will be able to tell you what to
expect.
This work may also include repair work to play
equipment, footpaths and “hard landscaping” such
as bollards, seating and raised flower-beds.
Removal of litter and rubbish
Fly-tipping and the dumping of rubbish in our
residential areas are totally unacceptable. If you see
anyone doing this, then please tell us. We will respect
your confidence and investigate every incident.
Rubbish on our land will be cleared within five
working days of identifying the problem. However,
should it be dangerous (for example, used
hypodermic needles) then we will clear it within six
hours.
These can be unsightly and dangerous, particularly to
children.
If we think that the vehicle is clearly abandoned then
we will arrange for its removal.
The owner then will have a fixed period (seven days)
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Should the owner of the abandoned vehicle be our
tenant then we may take action against them as a
breach of their tenancy agreement.
Letting and Management of Garages
We have 778 garages for rent across our estates for
which there is a “date order” waiting list.
Preference is given to Council tenants except where
there is no demand locally.
Contact the Performance and Improvement team or
the Business Support team at Ebley
Mill (see the useful contacts pages for details)
Ensuring that tenants play their part
We will do our best to encourage our tenants to
respect the quality of their surroundings and to meet
their obligations under their Tenancy Agreement.
Sometimes, however, a minority of tenants behave
in a way that can have a serious impact on their
neighbourhood.
Abandoned Vehicles
Section 4
to recover the vehicle and pay all relevant costs. If
this does not happen the vehicle will be taken away
and disposed of.
In such situations (as shown in the next page), we will
take steps to remind them of their responsibilities and
take appropriate action.
Being a good neighbour
Most of our tenants respect their homes and are
proud of their appearance. We, in turn, respect their
right to live their lives as they would wish.
Page 6
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
Abandoned properties
Under the Tenancy Agreement, we
expect that all tenants will:-
Sometimes tenants leave their properties abandoned
and this can result in a very untidy external
appearance. In such cases, we will take action
against the previous tenant for the cost of repairing
any damage and any rent that may be owed.
• maintain their gardens and hedges, keeping
them tidy
• keep any communal areas free from rubbish
• dispose of household, garden and recycle
waste properly
• park vehicles in proper parking spaces or on
driveways with a dropped kerb crossing
• not allow dogs to roam the neighbourhood or
foul in public places.
We will also ensure that the garden is put into a tidy
condition and reasonably well maintained ready for
the next tenant.
Illegally taking over land in Council
ownership
In cases where this does not happen consistently
then, through our Housing Officers, we will interview
those concerned and, in serious cases, this may even
result in us seeking to repossess the property.
We will also expect those who own their own houses
to keep their gardens in reasonable order where this
was a condition of the sale of the house under their
Right to Buy.
Window cleaning
We do not provide a window cleaning service
to tenants other than for sheltered housing
schemes. Sheltered housing schemes have their
windows cleaned twice a year except for Ashcroft
House where the windows on the front of the scheme
are cleaned three times a year.
Refuse and recycling
Where there is a bin store, it is everyone’s
responsibility to help keep the area clean and tidy and
to put the correct items in the appropriate bin.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Much of the land outside tenants gardens is there for
the benefit of the wider community, whether that be
for access, parking or public open space.
If tenants try to include that in their garden without
our permission then we will recover that land, if
necessary, by legal action.
Improving your
neighbourhood
Keeping on top of things
It is important to us that we keep our promises and
that your neighbourhood is well-maintained.
Therefore we will inspect every estate on a regular
basis.
Regular Estate Inspections
These visits will be either monthly, three monthly or
six monthly depending on the priority category of
your estate. These are also subject to annual review.
Page 7
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 4
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
Priority 1 - estates where we still own the majority of
the properties. These will be inspected monthly.
Priority 2 - areas with fewer Council houses and are
often more spread out. These will be inspected every
3 months.
Priority 3 - Areas with low numbers of Council
houses. These will be inspected every six months.
What will the estate
inspections
cover?
At least the following:-
Come and join us
• outstanding repairs to communal areas
All those living in the area are welcome to join the
estate inspection.
• poorly maintained gardens and boundaries
• abandoned vehicles on communal land
The visit will be publicised through letters to
Councillors and Tenant and Resident Groups and by
means of notices displayed locally.
• unauthorised parking
• problems with the performance of the
grounds maintenance contractor
The date for the next visit will be agreed at the end of
each estate inspection.
• vandalism and graffiti
Will we be taken seriously?
• work required to trees on communal land
A record will be taken of the issues raised and your
Housing Officer will prepare an action plan to address
these matters. Copies will be sent to all who attended
and published locally.
• the condition of garage areas, allotments and
play areas
• the condition of lighting on estates
If we don’t deliver on this agreed action plan we will
have to answer to you at the next estate inspection.
• the existence of pest infestations on
communal land
• the cleanliness and condition of bin stores
and refuse collection points.
You set the agenda.
Section 4
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 8
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 4
4 -- Your
Your neighbourhood
Neighbourhood
Section
Gardening grows on you!
Our Garden Standard
Have you thought about entering our
annual garden competition?
Please contact Tenant Services or see
Keynotes magazine for competition
details.
Why
maintaingardens?
gardens?
Why maintain
Stroud District Council believes that resident’s
Stroud
believes
that resident’s
gardensDistrict
offer aCouncil
space to
enjoy leisure
activities, an
gardens
offer
a
space
to
enjoy
leisure
activities,
an in
opportunity to keep fit and a means to reflect pride
opportunity
to keep
fit and a means to reflect pride in
both home and
community.
both home and community.
This leaflet provides information for residents on
This
leaflet provides
information
for outlines
residentsgarden
on
maintaining
their garden
areas and
maintaining
their garden areas and outlines garden
responsibilities.
responsibilities.
Stroud District Council’s residents and those who
Stroud
District Council’s
residents
who
have purchased
under the
‘right toand
buy’those
also have
have
purchasedtounder
the ‘right
to buy’ areas
also have
a responsibility
maintain
their garden
to a
a
responsibility
to
maintain
their
garden
areas
to
a in
‘reasonable’ standard. This responsibility is set out
‘reasonable’
standard. This
is set
out in
the tenancy agreement
and responsibility
within the ‘right
to buy’
the
tenancy
covenant
foragreement
owners. and within the ‘right to buy’
covenant for owners.
If you move out of the property, Stroud District
IfCouncil
you move
out of
the
property,
Stroud
District
expects
the
garden
to be
left clean
and tidy
Council
garden
to be left
tidy
with the expects
grass cutthe
and
the garden
freeclean
from and
rubbish
with the grass cut and the garden free from rubbish
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
including bulky items and other waste. We will
including bulky items and other waste. We will
recharge you accordingly if this is not the case.
recharge you accordingly if this is not the case.
Keeping standards up
Keeping standards up
The ‘minimum standards’ include:
The ‘minimum standards’ include:
• all garden areas should be kept tidy and clear
garden
• all
should
be kept
tidy These
and clear
of all
litter, areas
rubbish
and bulky
items.
items
of
all
litter,
rubbish
and
bulky
items.
These
items
create unnecessary hazards and fire risk, as
well
create
unnecessary
hazards
and
fire
risk,
as
well
as making your garden look unsightly;
as making your garden look unsightly;
• grassed areas, hedges and weeds should be
• grassed
hedges
and and
weeds
be
kept at aareas,
reasonable
height
cutshould
at regular
kept
at
a
reasonable
height
and
cut
at
regular
intervals;
intervals;
• all paths and access routes should be kept
• all
paths
access
routes
should
clear
at alland
times
for your
safety
andbe
thekept
safety of
clear
at
all
times
for
your
safety
and
the
safety of
visitors;
visitors;
• do not erect boundary structures, including
• do
not erect
boundary
structures,You
including
fencing,
without
our permission.
will need to
Page
Page9 9
Tenants Handbook
Tenants’
Handbook
Stroud District
District Council
Council
Stroud
Section 4
4
Section
Section 44 -- Your
Your Neighbourhood
neighbourhood
Section
••
••
••
•
••
fencing,
permission.
You
seek andwithout
obtain our
planning
consent
forwill
anyneed
side to
or
seek
and obtain
planning
consent
for any
side(6or
rear boundary
fencing
higher
than 1.8
metres
rear
fencing higher
thanthan
1.8 0.9
metres
(6
feet) boundary
and front boundaries
higher
metres
feet)
and front boundaries higher than 0.9 metres
(3 feet);
(3 feet);
boundary hedges must be no more than 2 metres
(6 feet 6 inches) high and must not overhang
footpaths or neighbouring gardens;
new trees and aggressive growing varieties of
shrubs such as leylandii, laurel, willow, ash,
oak and rhododendron are not permitted. Any
ongoing maintenance of existing trees, hedges or
shrubs is your responsibility and these should be
kept to a manageable size;
you will need our written consent to install
a
a pond.
pond. Any
Any ongoing
ongoing maintenance
maintenance is
is your
your
responsibility.
We will
will request
request that
that ponds
ponds are
are filled
filled
responsibility. We
in
in at
at your
your expense
expense when
when you
you leave
leave your
your property;
property;
caravans
caravans and
and large
large vehicles
vehicles can
can only
only be
be parked
parked
at
at your
your home
home with
with permission,
permission, which
which will
will only
only be
be
given
for
a
temporary
period;
given for a temporary period;
Help
you can get with gardens
Help you can get with gardens
Stroud District Council offers a range of practical
Stroud District Council offers a range of practical
support and advice for residents to help them
support and advice for residents to help them
maintain their gardens. This support can vary
maintain their gardens. This support can vary
between areas to reflect local projects and schemes
between areas to reflect local projects and schemes
that Stroud District Council fund or support.
that Stroud District Council fund or support.
In offering support with gardens, we aim to ensure
In offering support with gardens, we aim to ensure
that those residents who are genuinely unable to
that those residents who are genuinely unable to
maintain their gardens are given the appropriate
maintain their gardens are given the appropriate
support and advice.
support and advice.
A range of support being offered in your area can
include:
• local recycling facility located at Pyke Quarry nr
•
Horsley GL6 0QA – 2 miles west of Horsley on
the B4058 Wotton under Edge road
• (opening hours 9am to 6.15pm Monday to
•
Sunday all year round except Christmas Day and
New Years Day);
• environmental clean up days and Pride in Your
•
Neighbourhood events. Please contact your
Housing Officer, or look out for information on
these events in Keynotes magazine or via our
website;
• restorative justice/community payback schemes;
•
• Annual Garden Competition – please contact the
•
Resident Involvement team on 01453 754164 or
via email on [email protected].
uk or see competition entry details in Keynotes
magazine
• Community gardening clubs;
•
• Garden Share scheme – please contact the
•
Down to Earth Co-operative on 01453 700011
or email [email protected]
• local gardening advice and support projects
•
such as the Stroud Down to Earth Co-operative,
and Care and Repair (01453 767154 or via email
on [email protected])
Useful hints and tips
Bonfires
It is not illegal to have a bonfire at any time of day or
It is not illegal to have a bonfire at any time of day or
Section
Section 4
4
Tenants’
Handbook
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 10
10
Page
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section
Section 4
4 -- Your
Your neighbourhood
neighbourhood
Section 4 - Your Neighbourhood
night
night but
but itit may
may be
be illegal
illegal to
to cause
cause a
a smoke
smoke nuisance
nuisance
to
others
or
to
produce
smoke
that
is
classed
night
but
it
may
be
illegal
to
cause
a
smoke
nuisance
to others or to produce smoke that is classed as
as
pollution.
to
others or to produce smoke that is classed as
pollution.
pollution.
Our
Our Environmental
Environmental Health
Health Department
Department can
can take
take
action
under
the
Environmental
Protection
Our
Environmental
Health
Department
can
take1990
action under the Environmental Protection Act
Act
1990 ifif
they
are
satisfied
that
a
nuisance
has
occurred,
or
action
under
the Environmental
Act 1990
they are
satisfied
that a nuisanceProtection
has occurred,
or is
is if
likely
to
they
satisfied that a nuisance has occurred, or is
likelyare
to recur.
recur.
likely to recur.
Please
Please remember
remember that
that lighting
lighting a
a bonfire
bonfire in
in the
the evening
evening
produces
the
pollution
to
Please
remember
that
lightingdue
a bonfire
in the layers
evening
produces
the worst
worst
pollution
due
to inversion
inversion
layers
caused
the
cooler
night
produces
caused by
bythe
theworst
coolerpollution
night air.
air.due to inversion layers
caused by the cooler night air.
Every
Every year
year bonfires
bonfires cause
cause countless
countless disputes
disputes
between
neighbours
and
are
harmful
Every
year
bonfires
cause
countless
disputes
between neighbours and are harmful to
to health
health as
as
bonfire
smoke
contains
carcinogenic
(cancer
between
neighbours
and
are
harmful
to
health
as
bonfire smoke contains carcinogenic (cancer causing)
causing)
compounds.
bonfire
smoke contains carcinogenic (cancer causing)
compounds.
There
compounds.
There are
are other
other ways
ways of
of disposing
disposing of
of garden
garden waste
waste
including:
There
are
other
ways
of
disposing
of
garden
waste
including: •• composting
by
including:
composting
by purchasing
purchasing a
a compost
compost bin
bin from
from
the
Please
our
Public
• composting
by purchasing
compost
from
the District
District Council.
Council.
Please acontact
contact
ourbin
Public
Spaces
team
on
754424
or
public.
the
District
Council.
Please
contact
our Public
Spaces
team
on 01453
01453
754424
or email
email
public.
[email protected]
Spaces
team on 01453 754424 or email public
[email protected]
•• [email protected]
chipping
chipping days
days –– community
community events
events where
where you
you
and
your
neighbours
can
have
your
garden
waste
• chipping
– community
events
and your days
neighbours
can have
yourwhere
gardenyou
waste
shredded
and
into
material
mulching
and
your neighbours
yourfor
garden
waste
shredded
and turned
turned can
into have
material
for
mulching
beds
borders;
shredded
turned into material for mulching
beds and
and and
borders;
and borders;
•• beds
collection
using
collection
using green
green sacks
sacks which
which can
can be
be
purchased
from
several
outlets
across
the
• collection
using
green
sacks
which
can
be
purchased from several outlets across the district;
district;
from
several
outlets
across
the
district;
•• purchased
tipping
at
various
approved
sites
(Pyke
Quarry
tipping at various approved sites (Pyke Quarry
or
household
waste
recycling
• tipping
at various
approved
sites
(Pyke facility
Quarryat
or the
the main
main
household
waste
recycling
facility
at
Hempsted
in
Gloucester);
or
the maininhousehold
waste recycling facility at
Hempsted
Gloucester);
Hempsted in Gloucester);
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Livestock
Livestock
Livestock
The
The
keeping
of
livestock
is
strictly
forbidden
The keeping
keeping of
of livestock
livestock is
is strictly
strictly forbidden
forbidden
without
first
seeking
our
consent.
If
without
you
want
to
without first
first seeking
seeking our
our consent.
consent. IfIf you
you want
want to
to
keep
chickens
and
other
fowl,
you
need
to
obtain
keep
chickens
and
other
fowl,
you
need
to
obtain
keep chickens and other fowl, you need to obtain
permission
us.
Please
contact
your
Housing
permission
from
us. Please
Please contact
contact your
your Housing
Housing
permission from
from us.
Officer
in
writing
to
obtain
permission.
The
maximum
Officer
in writing
writing to
to obtain
obtain permission.
permission. The
The maximum
maximum
Officer in
number
of
chickens
that
can
be
kept
is
6
and
number
no
number of
of chickens
chickens that
that can
can be
be kept
kept is
is 6
6 and
and no
no
cockerels
are
allowed.
A
suitable
run
or
coop
will
cockerels
are
allowed.
A
suitable
run
or
coop
will
also
cockerels are allowed. A suitable run or coop will also
also
be
required.
be
required.
be required.
The
and/or
coop
must
be
kept
clean
and
all
The
run
area
and/or coop
coop must
must be
be kept
kept clean
clean and
and all
all
The run
run area
area and/or
waste
materials
are
either
composted
or
disposed
of
waste
materials
are
either
composted
or
disposed
of
waste materials are either composted or disposed of
safely.
Please
contact
your
Housing
Officer
for
further
safely.
for further
further
safely. Please
Please contact
contact your
your Housing
Housing Officer
Officer for
advice.
advice.
advice.
greenhouses
Sheds,
greenhouses
and other
other
Sheds,Sheds,
greenhouses
and other and
buildings
gardengarden
buildings
garden buildings
IfIf you
you want
want to
to install
install a
a shed,
shed, greenhouse
greenhouse or
or another
another
garden
building
such
as
a
summer
house,
garden building such as a summer house, you
you will
will
need
need to
to seek
seek our
our permission.
permission. Permission
Permission is
is not
not
unreasonably
unreasonably withheld.
withheld. Please
Please contact
contact your
your Housing
Housing
Officer
in
writing
to
obtain
permission
outlining
Officer in writing to obtain permission outlining the
the
size
size and
and type
type of
of garden
garden building
building you
you wish
wish to
to erect.
erect.
However,
However, permission
permission is
is dependent
dependent upon
upon the
the size
size and
and
location
of
the
shed
or
building
concerned,
and
location of the shed or building concerned, and this
this
may
may also
also require
require planning
planning permission
permission from
from the
the District
District
Council.
Please
contact
the
District
Council’s
planning
Council. Please contact the District Council’s planning
team
team on
on 01453
01453 754442
754442 or
or email
email on
on planning@stroud.
planning@stroud.
gov.uk
guidance
gov.uk for
for advice
advice and
and guidance.
guidance.
Page 11
Page 11
Tenants’
Tenants’ Handbook
Handbook
Stroud
Stroud District
District Council
Council
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 4
Section 4
Section444---Your
Yourneighbourhood
neighbourhood
Section
Your
Neighbourhood
Section
Communaland
andshared
sharedgardens
gardens
Communal
Where
communal
shared
garden
exists
acommunal
communaloror
orshared
sharedgarden
gardenexists
existsatat
ataa
a
Where
Whereaa
sheltered
housing
scheme
block
flats,
your
shelteredhousing
housingscheme
schemeoror
orblock
blockofof
offlats,
flats,your
your
sheltered
Housing
Officer
Site
OfficerHousing
can advise
youcan
on
HousingOfficer
Officeroror
orSupported
Supported
Housing
Officer
canthe
Housing
Officer
defined
boundaries
and
who
is
responsible
for
which
adviseyou
youon
onthe
thedefined
definedboundaries
boundariesand
andwho
whois
is
advise
part
of
the
garden.
responsiblefor
forwhich
whichpart
partofofthe
thegarden.
garden.
responsible
you
live
sheltered
housing
scheme,
should
you
youlive
liveinin
inaa
asheltered
shelteredhousing
housingscheme,
scheme,should
shouldyou
you
IfIfIfyou
wish
to
create
additional
borders
or
flower
beds,
wishtotocreate
createadditional
additionalborders
bordersororflower
flowerbeds,
beds,
wish
you
must
ensure
you
obtain
the
consent
your
youmust
mustensure
ensureyou
youobtain
obtainthe
theconsent
consentofof
ofyour
your
you
Site
Officer
prior
to
creating
these.
SupportedHousing
HousingOfficer
Officerprior
priortotocreating
creatingthese.
these.
Supported
Any
informal
arrangements
made
between
residents
informalarrangements
arrangementsmade
madebetween
betweenresidents
residents
Any
Anyinformal
where
a
communal
or
shared
garden
exists
may
whereaacommunal
communalororshared
sharedgarden
gardenexists
existsmay
may
where
cease
when
a
new
resident
moves
in.
ceasewhen
whenaanew
newresident
residentmoves
movesin.
in.
cease
Defensiveplanting
planting
Defensive
Defensive planting
crime
reality.
Withcareful
carefulthought
thoughtand
and
Garden
Garden
Gardencrime
crimeisis
isaa
areality.
reality.With
With
careful
thought
and
planning
you
can
reduce
the
risk
of
becoming
a
planning
you
can
reduce
the
risk
of
becoming
a
planning you can reduce the risk of becoming a
victim
garden
crime,
whilst
the
same
time
victim
victimofof
ofgarden
gardencrime,
crime,whilst
whilstatat
atthe
thesame
sametime
time
creating
an
attractive
garden.
Defensive
planting
not
creating
an
attractive
garden.
Defensive
planting
creating an attractive garden. Defensive plantingnot
not
only
looks
attractive
but
is
a
natural
defence
and
only
looks
attractive
but
is
a
natural
defence
and
a
only looks attractive but is a natural defence and a
a
deterrent
to
potential
criminals.
deterrent
to
potential
criminals.
deterrent to potential criminals.
further
advice
and
guidance
on
defensive
For
For
Forfurther
furtheradvice
adviceand
andguidance
guidanceon
ondefensive
defensive
planting,
you
can
contact
Crimestoppers
on
0800
planting,
you
can
contact
Crimestoppers
planting, you can contact Crimestopperson
on0800
0800
555
111.
Alternatively,
you
can
download
an
advice
555
111.
Alternatively,
you
can
download
an
advice
555 111. Alternatively, you can download an advice
leaflet
from
the
following
web
page:
leaflet
from
the
following
web
page:
leaflet from the following web page:
http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/
http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/
http://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/
CrimeReduction/Homesafe/item9565.pdf
CrimeReduction/Homesafe/item9565.pdf
CrimeReduction/Homesafe/item9565.pdf
Tenants’
Handbook
TenantsHandbook
Handbook
Section
Section44
4 Tenants’
Stroud
District
Council
Section
Stroud
District
Council
Page12
12
Page
Page
12
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 5 - Our customers
matter
All our services have one clear purpose and that is to meet
the needs of our customers.
Furthermore, we are honour bound to do this in a way that
treats people with dignity and respect.
As customers you have a right to know exactly what level of
service we promise to deliver and what to do if we let you
down.
This section covers:• our Customer Care Standard
• our Service Standards
• what to do if you are not satisfied
Section 5 - Our customers matter
Our Customer Care Standard
We do listen to what you - our customers
- tell us. In effect you want to be treated
properly.
Our customers expect:-
• to be treated courteously and with respect at
all times
• to deal with staff who know what they are
talking about
• to have straight answers to straight questions
• to expect promises to be kept
• to have matters put right if they are not
happy
As a result we have come up with a set of guarantees
to you which we have called our “Customer Care
Standard”.
These set out what you can expect from any member
of staff whenever and wherever we meet you. Please
tell us if we do not do as we promise.
When you telephone us
We guarantee to:• be helpful and courteous and aim to resolve your
query at first contact
• answer your call within 25 seconds with a
greeting including the name of the office you have
called and the name and job title of the person
answering your call
• tell you the name and contact details of the
person you are being re-directed to if the call
Section 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
•
•
•
•
cannot be handled by the person who answered
offer to take a message if the person you need to
speak to is not available and make sure that s/he
answers within one day
only use an answer phone or voice-mail as a last
resort, take your message and contact you within
one day of your call
offer you to speak in the language of your choice
using our language line facility
make available a Mini-com system to assist your
call, should you have a hearing impairment
When you contact us by letter
We guarantee to:• reply to you fully within 10 working days. If we
cannot respond fully in that time we will tell you
who is dealing with your enquiry and when you
can expect a full response
• reply to you using plain English (or another
language if you do not understand English) and in
a format of your choice (for example large print or
braille)
• keep a record of how you would like us to
respond to you, either in person, by telephone or
in writing
When dealing with your e-mail, text or
other electronic communication
We guarantee to:• provide an acknowledgement within two days
• give you details of who is dealing with your
enquiry
• respond to your enquiry within 10 working days
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Section 5 - Our customers matter
When we visit you in your home
We guarantee to:• make and keep an appointment with you and
give you the name, job title and contact details of
the person who will visit you
• carry proof of identity and be respectful to you
and your home
• leave a calling card should you not be at home,
giving details of why we visited you and who you
should contact to re-arrange the appointment
When you visit one of our offices
We guarantee to:• ensure that the reception area is welcoming and
that you have a comfortable environment to wait
in with seating and appropriate facilities
• not keep you longer than a maximum of five
minutes before being seen
• resolve complaints there and then
• make sure the office is easily accessible
• offer you a private interview if you request one
• provide induction loops, arrange sign language
facilities, interpreters or translation facilities if you
require them. These may not be immediately
available, so we may have to make an
appointment for a later date
But what about the quality of
the rest of your services?
We recognise that our customers know
best as to what a good service looks and
feels like.
That is why all our Service Standards are based on
what our customers have told us is their “bottom
line”.
Whether it be collecting rent, doing repairs or
managing our homes; we have a service standard for
everything we do.
These detailed Service Pledges are not just lines on a
page; they are the basis on which we are prepared to
be judged.
You will see these on page 4. Your Housing Officer/
Sheltered Housing Team will be happy to give you
a copy or just e-mail housing.management@stroud.
gov.uk.
Alternatively why not visit our website (www.stroud.
gov.uk) and just print a copy.
Turn to page 4 for information about how we deal
with compliments and complaints.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 5
Section 5 - Our customers matter
Our Service
Compliments and
Complaints
These cover:• Customer Care - what you can expect when
we have contact with you
• Quality of Accommodation - what new
tenants can expect from their new home
• Allocations - the whole process of being
allocated a new tenancy (in partnership with
Gloucestershire Homeseekers)
• Tenancy Management - all about how we will
help you to meet your tenancy agreement
• Repairs and Management – how we will keep
your home in good condition
• Estate Management - how we will maintain
the quality of your neighbourhood
• Rent and Income Collection - the ways in
which we collect rent and help those in
difficulty
• Anti-Social Behaviour - how we will deal with
both victims and perpetrators of anti-social
behaviour
• Tenant Involvement and Empowerment - the
many ways in which we will involve tenants in
the delivery of services to them
• Equality and Diversity - covers how we will
deal in a fair and equable way with all our
customers
Please tell us if we are doing well. It really does make
a difference to know that you are happy with the
service you receive.
Standards
Your Housing/Sheltered Housing Officer can
provide copies of any of the above.
Section 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
However we recognise that things do go wrong and
that we may not always get it right.
If so, we want to hear from you. Your complaint is
important to us.
How do I complain?
Firstly, you should raise the matter with those
responsible for providing the service:• Repairs - Tel: 01453 754852, E-mail: housing.
[email protected]
• Rent or Estates issues – Tel: 01453 754876,
E-mail: [email protected]
• Anti-Social behaviour – Tel: 01453 754168,
E-mail: [email protected]
• Sheltered Housing – Tel: 01453 754169/754113,
E-mail: [email protected]
Most complaints are resolved at this early stage as
our first priority will be to sort the problem.
If you have not received the service to the time and
standard promised (and to your full satisfaction) then
we will put the matter right.
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Section 5 - Our customers matter
For example, if a repair was not done in the agreed
timescale then we would first make sure the work
was completed and then try to work out why we had
not delivered on our promises.
Next, we would apologise and then learn from our
mistakes.
What if my complaint is still not
resolved?
If you are not satisfied with the initial response
you get, you can take the matter to the next
stage by either:• telling someone in the service you want to
• phoning our “Complaints Hotline” on 01453
754444
• writing to the “Complaints Officer” at Ebley
Wharf, Ebley Mill,, Stroud, GL5 4UB
• faxing the “Complaints Officer” on 01453
754934
• completing the on-line complaints form on
the Council’s website (www.stroud.gov.uk)
• e-mail to [email protected]
• visit Ebley Mill to speak to someone direct.
What if I don’t agree with the final
response?
You have the right to submit your complaint to
a Designated Person or wait 8 weeks before
contacting the Housing Ombudsman Service. This
is an independent body set up by the government to
investigate complaints that cannot be resolved locally.
You can, of course, also contact your local Member
of Parliament.
If you wish to take legal action, please consult
the Useful Contacts section at the end of this
handbook.
If my complaint is upheld, will I receive
compensation?
The Council will consider making a compensation
payment if you can clearly demonstrate that you have
suffered a direct financial loss as a consequence of
the failure to deliver a service to you.
If your complaint proceeds to the Ombudsman and
is upheld, the Ombudsman may request that we
make an ex-gratia payment to you and recommend a
specific sum.
Your complaint will be acknowledged within
3 working days and you will get a full written
response within 10 days (sooner, if possible).
Your complaint will be handled by the most
senior person in the Housing Service.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 5
Section 6 - Having your say
You, as a tenant, are probably best placed to comment on
how well we perform as a landlord.
It is this view from the “sharp end” that can really make a
difference in improving the way that we do things.
There are many ways in which you can help. Some are more
formal; others do not require you even leaving your front
door.
Read on and you will see what we mean.
This section covers:• how can I become involved
• keeping in touch
Section 6 - Having your say
How can I become
involved?
opinions. Groups are given financial and practical
support by the Council.
(See the “Having your say”, “How to become involved”
section of the website for details of current tenants’ and
residents’ groups)
It really does depend on you.
Some tenants and residents want to become actively
involved, enjoy meeting fellow tenants and residents
regularly and are prepared to give up their time as
representatives or members of formal tenant or
resident groups.
Others are prepared to become involved only when
there is something that really concerns them, such as
plan to improve their homes or an estate visit.
Some people just want to be told what is going on
and how to comment if they feel it necessary.
Street Representatives’ and Village
Voices
These provide opportunities for individuals to get
involved in representing smaller numbers of residents
in both towns and rural areas.
(See the ‘Get Involved’ section of the website for details of
current tenant + resident groups)
Tenant Scrutiny Panel
All of these approaches are helpful. We are happy
to work with our tenants in any way that best suits
them.
An opportunity for tenants to check that the Council
is delivering the services it promised to deliver. The
panel (set up in April 2011) comprises independent
tenant members who monitor service delivery and
performance and report back to the Council.
You will see in this section a range of different ways in
which you can become involved.
Service Development
Some have been in place for many years; others are
brand new as we try out different ways to involve you
and your neighbours.
If any of these interest you then just ask your
Housing/Site Officer and they will give you all the
relevant information and contact details (or
see Section 8).information and contact details.
Tenants and Resident Groups
Project Teams
These are formal structures for tenants and residents
in their local area to get together and voice their
Section 6
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Tenants, Councillors and Staff working together to
continuously review and improve our services to
you. These groups take a detailed look at particular
areas of our service and usually last about 2 hours
every couple of months. Coming along to a Service
Development Group is a great opportunity to learn
more about how we are working with our contractors
to improve our service in particular areas.
Usually staff and tenants working together on a
specific issue such as developing contracts for
replacing kitchens or one off improvements.
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Section 6 - Having your say
Less formal ways to
get involved
“Mystery Shopping” and Tenant Inspectors
Tenants trained to check the quality of the service from a
customers’ viewpoint.
Surveys
These can be postal, by phone or by e-mail. Give us your
views from the comfort of your own armchair on a range of
topics or possible ways to improve our services.
Communications Panel
Help us to improve the content of our newsletters, annual
report and standard letters through the use of plain English.
May require attendance at meetings.
Community Development
Community Development aims to support people to
recognize their ability and to respond to the needs of the
local community. Our Community Development Officer
focuses on supporting the establishment of stronger
communities through collaboration between community
groups, public agencies and individuals. A range of
activities have already been initiated through partnership
working with tenants and residents across the District,
including: local community fun days, crafts and art projects,
sports and play activities, interactive courses, estate clean
ups and much more.
For information and advice on developing a community
project and/or a list of current projects please contact
01453 754304 or visit our website www.stroud.gov.uk or
find us on Facebook – Stroud District Council Tenants
Estate Inspections
Accompany Housing Officers when they undertake their
routine inspections of estates to check standards of
cleanliness and general upkeep and to identify any local
problems.
A chance to learn new skills
Worried that you don’t have the relevant experience?
Don’t be. We will provide training to fill the gaps in
your knowledge.
Becoming involved is a “win-win” situation. We
gain the benefit of your views and you gain useful
experience that you can apply elsewhere in your life
and work.
Meetings called at your convenience
Where a meeting is the most appropriate way to
do something, we recognise that tenants may have
difficulty attending during the normal working day.
Wherever possible we will arrange for such meetings
to be held on an evening or possibly on a weekend.
Even if you can’t get to a meeting, you can still
receive any paperwork and let us know your views.
Will I get paid for any work I do?
Whilst involvement is voluntary, we do have funds
to reimburse you for travel and registered childcare
costs incurred in attending formal meetings.
For information and advice on developing a
community project and/or a list of current projects
please contact 01453 754304 or visit our website
www.stroud.gov.uk or find us on Facebook – Stroud
District Council Tenants
Repairs and Empty Home Tenant Inspectors
Tenants are trained up to check the quality of carried out
work in the repairs and refurbishment of tenants’ homes.
Interested in any of these? Then give us a ring on 01453
754164 / 754147
www.stroud.gov.uk
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Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 6
Section 6 - Having your say
Keeping in touch
Keynotes (our Tenants’ Newsletter)
It is important for us to keep you informed
about the work we are doing, local
events and any opportunities to become
involved.
Keeping in touch
Some of the ways in which we keep in touch:• the keynotes newsletter
• sheltered housing newsletters
• local event/issues information leaflets
• service information leaflets
• formal documents (policies and service
standards)
• our annual report
• Twitter
• Facebook
Section 6
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Keynotes is sent out to all tenants at least 3 times
a year. Articles in Keynotes give information on new
policies and practices, staff changes and news from
all our tenants’ and residents’ groups.
It is edited by a panel of tenants and is available
on CD for all sheltered schemes and tenants who
request it.
Our Annual Report
Every year we produce an annual report for our
tenants which sets out what we have been doing
during the previous financial year, our performance
and any local services we have developed or are
proposing to develop.
The annual report provides you with useful
information about how we are doing and provides us
with an opportunity to ask tenants what things they
would like to see improved or what they think about
any improvement proposals we may suggest.
The report is developed and designed together with
tenants and reflects their views and requirements.
If you are interested in being involved in developing
or reviewing the content of the annual report, please
contact the Resident Involvement Coordinator on
01453 754164 or e-mail us at resident.involvement@
stroud.gov.uk.
Page 4
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Section 6 - Having your say
Information Leaflets
We have produced a series of summary leaflets
on every aspect of our service. You will be able to
find these at any of our offices or ask your Housing
Officer.
Our website
Why not visit our website. This has been specially
designed with you in mind and contains a huge
amount of detailed information on everything covered
in this handbook and much more. It is well worth a
visit.
How to find
our website
• Go to www.stroud.gov.uk
• Then “Council Services”
• Find Housing – Tenant Services
and there you go.
Don’t have a computer?
Don’t worry, you can have free access to computers
at many libraries and public buildings across the
district. Your Housing Officer will be happy to provide
you with an up-to-date list.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 6
Section 7 - Sheltered housing
The following pages contain some specific information for
tenants of our sheltered housing properties.
This section covers:• moving into your new home
• services provided on sheltered housing schemes
• the role of the Site Officer and the Support Officer
• where to find other general information elsewhere in the handbook.
Section 7 - Sheltered Housing
Welcome
Telling us when you move in
This section will give you some background
information about what sheltered housing is and the
services and assistance you can expect from the
Council and its staff. It should be read in conjunction
with the rest of this handbook.
What is sheltered housing?
These schemes are groups of flats and or bungalows
for older people. This type of housing allows you to
live independently but with the additional support of
an intercom system for use in emergencies 24 hours
a day, all year round.
There is a Site Officer responsible for the
maintenance of the scheme and a Support Worker
for those with an assessed need.
There are 29 sheltered schemes in the district.
Independent providers of personal care work with
tenants to enable those with greater care needs to
remain in their homes for longer.
Moving into your new home
Pre-offer assessment
All tenants considering sheltered housing will be
expected to meet the Support Worker who will
conduct a pre-offer assessment to check the
suitability of tenants to move into sheltered housing
before a full offer is made and to offer any support
that may be identified.
Section 7
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
The Site Officer will be notified that you have
accepted the tenancy, but it is most important you
then let them know when you will be moving in. This
will ensure that the Site Officer can welcome you to
the scheme and explain such things as the intercom
system, fire procedures and facilities available.
In order for the Site Officer and Central Control to
take the right action in an emergency, when moving
in you will be required to complete a form giving
basic details about yourself and immediate family and
friends as well as any other relevant documentation.
You need to notify the Site Officer if any of this
information changes.
Help with moving
If you need help and do not have family and friends
to call upon, you can ask your Site Officer to help you
organise:
• contacting water, gas and electric suppliers
• redirection of mail
• updating your personal details with Council Tax
and other bodies
• connection of cooker and white goods
• telephone connection
• storage and removals.
Keys
When you sign up for the tenancy, you will be given
a key schedule indicating the number and type of
keys you are accepting. The correct number must be
handed back at the end of the tenancy or a charge
will be made. The keys are suited and can only
be cut by arrangement with the Site Officer. If you
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Section 7 - Sheltered Housing
have lost or require additional keys for
family or friends you need to request this through the
Site Officer. There will be a charge for this.
The Site Officer and the on-call Officer have master
keys for the scheme which allows them to access
your property in times of emergency. In these
circumstances they should not enter alone unless
absolutely necessary. Where door chains have been
fitted by the Council, they have keys to release these.
Keys left in locks will delay access in emergencies
and no additional bolts should be fitted for the same
reason.
Your Support Plan
When you move into sheltered housing a Support
Worker will visit you and conduct a needs
assessment to see if there is any additional support
we can give you.
The role of the Site Officer
The role of the Site Officer is to:
• Ensure the day to day running of the sheltered
housing scheme
• Clean the communal areas
• Maintain the grounds
• Check the safety of the scheme and deal with
hazards
• Sort out repairs issues
• Raise alerts if necessary
The role of the Support Worker
The role of the Support Worker is to:
• Carry out assessments of support needs
• Provide support when needed
• Identify unmet needs
www.stroud.gov.uk
• Make referrals to specialist sources for help and
support
• Support and facilitate tenants to organise regular
social activities.
Trading with staff
To protect tenants ( and staff) from any danger of
exploitation or any concerns about exploitation,
staff are explicitly forbidden to trade direct with
tenants. You are particularly asked to comply with
this arrangement as it is for the protection of all and
particularly the most vulnerable tenants.
Gifts to staff
In order to protect the tenants against any suggestion
that they are expected to give gratuities to individual
members of staff and to avoid misunderstandings,
you are asked not to make any personal presents
to individuals in cash or kind including legacies, nor
to engage any staff to carry our work for you on a
private basis.
The services provided in your scheme
Intercom system, pull cords/pendants
Each sheltered housing scheme has an intercom
system. This is an emergency system which can be
activated by pulling the pull cords which are placed
throughout the accommodation or by activating the
personal pendants which are available for all tenants.
Once activated this will reach the Site Officer if on
duty or will go through to Central Control who will
call a nominated contact person or the emergency
services.
Door entry system to sheltered schemes
If the sheltered housing scheme is enclosed then
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Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 7
Section 7 - Sheltered Housing
CCTV
there will be a secure door entry system. Your
Site Officer will be able to give you details of this.
Satellite TV
There is a communal aerial and satellite dish at all
sheltered housing schemes. These systems provide
each property with television signals giving the tenant
a choice of programmes, subject to them having
the necessary receiving equipment and paying any
relevant subscription fees. Any tenant wishing to
receive satellite services which require additional
equipment to be installed to the property MUST seek
written permission before proceeding.
Communal facilities
There are communal facilities on the majority of
sheltered housing schemes. These include communal
lounges, kitchens and laundry facilities. These are for
use by all tenants.
Tenants wishing to use the kitchen facilities should
discuss this with the Site Officer. Tenants should note
that the laundry facilities are for the tenants’ own use
only and are not to be used by their families. The Site
Officer is responsible for controlling the thermostats in
communal areas.
Guest bedroom
There is a guest bedroom on the majority of the
schemes that can be used by tenants, relatives and
friends. There is a list of charges on the scheme
notice boards. If tenants and their relatives are able
to do so they are asked to wash bedding after use.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Section 7
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
All sheltered housing schemes have CCTV fitted
outside the scheme. All matters relating to CCTV
should be passed to the Site Officer who will advise
the Community Safety team.
Fire safety
The fire procedure for your scheme will be displayed
in the main entrance. This will show you where the
fire exits and escape routes are. All properties have
individual smoke or heat detectors and together
with internal communal areas are linked into the
Site Officer’s main intercom handset. If the Site
Officer is not on duty, the alarm registers with Central
Control.
Dealing with snow and ice
Vulnerable tenants are encouraged to stay indoors
during very bad weather and only venture out if
necessary. During prolonged periods of snowy
weather our Environmental Contracts will endeavour
to clear the main entrances and walkways to
sheltered housing schemes.
Cleaning / maintenance of communal
areas / grounds and window cleaning
We will clean the communal areas in your scheme
and maintain its grounds on a regular basis. Your
Site Officer will be able to tell you how often this will
happen.
Moving out
We want you to be able to stay in your home for as
long as it is suitable to your needs. If you need to
move please refer to Page 3 of Section 1 for further
information about your options.
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Section 7 - Sheltered Housing
Please note that existing tenants who seek a transfer
do so in competition with other people seeking
housing on Homeseeker. Your ability to move will be
based on the type of housing that the Council has
assessed that you need, the priority given to your
application and the number and priority of other
people who may also bid for the accommodation that
you are seeking.
Help with moving out
Don’t forget to hand in your keys to your Site Officer
by 10a.m. on the day that your tenancy ends. If
you need help and do not have family or friends to
call upon, you can ask your Site Officer to help you
organise:
• leaving the property secure, clean and tidy
• taking everything that belongs to you away (or
you may be charged)
• turning the water off and taking meter readings
• removal of household items.
Your tenancy
Section 2, the “Your Tenancy” section of this
handbook, tells you about different types of
tenancies and your rights and responsibilities. The
following are particular rights and responsibilities
that you should be aware of and should be read in
conjunction with Section 2.
What you pay
You will pay for two different things:
• Rent - for the rental of the property.
• Service charges - for communal services to
property such as maintenance and cleaning.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Charges vary depending on the type of services
offered. Some schemes make a charge for
communal heating. These charges will be shown on
your rent card or letter.
How to pay
Please see Section 1 “Your Home” for detailed
information about how to pay and how to get help
and advice about your rent and charges.
Insurance
The Council insures the building, furniture, fixtures
and fittings in the communal areas of sheltered
schemes. You are responsible for arranging your
own contents insurance. You are advised not to
keep large amounts of cash or valuable jewellery in
your property. The Site Officer WILL NOT be
responsible for looking after valuables.
Pets
Stroud District Council has a pet policy that must be
adhered to. Domestic pets are allowed subject to the
completion of a pet plan.
Refuse and recycling
Most sheltered schemes have set up their
own system of refuse collection and recycling,
dependent on the building layout. All household
refuse should be bagged and placed in containers
provided. Where there is a bin store, it is everyone’s
responsibility to keep the area clean and tidy and to
put the correct items in the appropriate receptacle.
Visitors
The property you have been allocated is intended
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Stroud District Council
Section 7
Section 7 - Sheltered Housing
for yourself and spouse/partner only. You are
not permitted to have lodgers or guests to stay
longer than one week. Visiting children will only be
permitted to stay up to two nights a week, subject
to the individual circumstances of the tenancy.
If you need additional space for family and friends,
you can book a guest room in most schemes. You
must keep your Site Officer informed of overnight
guests in case of fire.
Repairs
Please see Section 3 - “Repairs and maintenance”
for information about reporting repairs, handy hints
and information on energy conservation. Emergency
repairs should be reported as directed on Page 6 of
that section. Other non-emergency repairs can be
reported through your Site Officer as well as through
the normal reporting options.
Page 9 of Section 3 also provides details of the Code
of Conduct for all our contractors.
newsletters specific to your scheme. You can
request these in an alternative format or language
if required. You can also contact your Site Office
Team Leader on:
Call: 01453 754113
Email:[email protected]
Compliments and complaints
Please see Section 5 (Page 4) - “Our customers
matter” for information about making a compliment
or complaint. Tenants of sheltered housing would
normally approach their Site Officer in the first
instance.
Adaptations
Please see Page 9 of Section 3 (Repairs and
Maintenance) for information about assistance with
any adaptations which you may need to help you to
live an independent life.
Getting involved
Sheltered Housing schemes have resident
representation through the Stroud Council Housing
Forum. This is not the only way in which you can
become involved however. Further information is
contained in Section 6 - “Having your say”.
Getting in touch
You will receive a copy of the Council’s Keynotes
tenants newsletters, the annual report and
Section 7
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 6
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 8 - Useful contacts
The following pages contain some useful telephone
numbers, email addresses and website addresses for
contacting the Council and other services you may use.
It is not possible to cover every possibility in a handbook
but hopefully we have covered the main ones you require
and have pointed out where you can go to find additional
information.
Please also remember that we produce a range of
information leaflets about a number of housing issues and
these are available at Council offices across the district.
This section covers:• contact information for Tenant Services
• contact information for other Council services
• other service contact information.
Section 8 - Useful Contacts
Stroud District Council
• Text - 07851 729229. Start your message
“Repairs”( please include name and address)
Main Office
Planned Maintenance/Disabled Adaptations
Stroud Tenant Services,
Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill
Stroud,
Gloucestershire,
GL5 4UB
• Call - 01453 754547
• E-mail - [email protected].
Housing Benefit
• Call the Housing Benefit Hotline - 01453 754054
• E-mail - [email protected]
Opening Hours:-
• Monday to Thursday - 8:45am - 5:00pm
• Friday - 8:45am - 4:30pm
Housing Allocations and Transfers
Housing Officers, Rents and any Estate
Management matters
Main Housing Enquires
• Call - 01453 754876
• E-mail - [email protected]
Anti- Social Behaviour
• Call - 01453 754168
• E-mail - [email protected]
• Call the Safer Estates Officer – 01453 754168
Rents
• automated telephone payment - 01453 768 100
• Call your Housing Officer direct - 01453 754876
• E-mail - [email protected]
Repairs and Maintenance
Gas leaks
• Visit - www.gloshomeseeker.co.uk
• Visit - www.homeswapper.co.uk.
Housing Advice / Homelessness
• Call the Housing Advice Team - 01453 754078
• E-mail - [email protected]
Sheltered Housing
• Call - National Grid immediately on 0800 111 999
• Call - 01453 754113
• E-mail - [email protected]
Out of hours Emergency Repairs
• Call - 01453 222104
All other repairs
• Call - 01453 754852
• E-mail - [email protected]
• Report repair “on-line” – www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 8
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 2
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Section 8 - Useful Contacts
Other Useful Contacts
Resident Involvement Coordinator
• Call - 01453 754164
Domestic Abuse
Right to Buy
Gloucestershire Domestic Violence Support
and Advocacy Project (GDVSAP)
• Call - 01453 754074
• E-mail - [email protected]
• Write to - The Right to Buy Section, Stroud
District Council, Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill,, Stroud,
Gloucestershire, GL5 4UB.
• Call - 7 day confidential helpline on 01452
500115
• Visit - www.gdvsap.org.uk
Garages
Gloucestershire Central Allocation and
Referral Point (CARP)
Removal of household items (free)
Stroud Beresford Group
• Call - 01453 754077
• E-mail - [email protected]
• Call - 0845 602 9035
• Visit - www.gloucestershire.gov.uk
• Call - 01453 754424
• Call - 01453 764385
• Visit - www.stroudwomensrefuge.co.uk
Formal Complaints
• E-mail - [email protected]
• Write to - Complaints Officer, Ebley Wharf, Ebley
Mill,, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 4UB
• Fill in an “on-line” complaints form - at www.
stroud.gov.uk
Local information about your home and
neighbourhood
Social Services
Help desk: 01452 426868
Free Legal Advice
Community Legal Advice
• Call - National Helpline on 0845 345 4345
• Visit - www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
For information about when your refuse will be
collected, Council Tax for your home, local doctors,
schools, dentists, village halls and libraries and other
useful information, please use the “Where I Live”
option on the first page of the Council’s website at
www.stroud.gov.uk
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 8
Section 8 - Useful Contacts
Housing and Money Advice
Vale Community Hospital, Dursley
• Call - 0300 421 8494
Age UK
• Call - 0800 169 8787
Gloucester Royal Hospital
• Call - 0300 422 2222
Citizens Advice Bureau (Stroud)
• Call - 08444 111 444
• Visit - www.strouddistrictcab.org.uk
Local Government Ombudsman
• Call - their Advice Team on 0300 061 0614
• Visit - www.lgo.org.uk
• Write to - The Local Government Ombudsman,
PO Box 4771, Coventry. CV4 0EH
Shelter
• Call - their free helpline on 0800 800 4444
• Visit - www.shelter.org.uk
National Debt Line (offers free debt advice)
• Call - 0808 808 4000
• Visit - www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
Stroud Valleys Credit Union
• Call - 01453 298785
• Visit - www.svcu.org.uk
Christian Against Poverty
• Call - 0800 328 0006
• Visit - www.capuk.org
Health Services
NHS Direct
• Call - 0845 4647
Local hospitals
Stroud Hospital
• Call - 0345 421 8080
Section 8
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Lower Kingshill Management Cooperative, Dursley
• Call - 01453 548137
• Visit - www.lkmc.co.uk
• Write to or visit - Estate Office, 49 St. Georges
Road, Kingshill, Dursley, Glos. GL11 4DT
Police
• Emergency
DIAL 999
• Non Emergency
DIAL 101
Travel information
Travel Line
• Call - 0871 200 2233 (N.B. Calls cost 10p per
minute)
Page 4
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
This section contains our Service Standards, or ‘promises’
to you. This is the level of service you should expect from us
as your landlord. The Standards have been developed with
tenants and councillors and will be regularly reviewed.
This section covers:• Customer Care Service Standard
• Resident Involvement and Empowerment Service Standard
• Equality and Diversity Service Standard
• Allocations and Letting Service Standard
• Rent and other Income Service Standard
• Tenancy Management Service Standard
• Anti-Social Behaviour Service Standard
• Estate Management Service Standard
• Aids and Adaptations Service Standard
• Energy Service Standard
• Leaseholder Service Standard
• Lettable Service Standard
• Planned and Cyclical Maintenance Service Standard
• Repairs and Maintenance Service Standard
Section 9 - Service Standards
Putting you first
Customer Care Service Standard
We provide a fair and accessible allocations and lettings service in partnership with
Gloucestershire Homeseeker.
We promise to:
• aim to resolve your query at first contact
• answer your call within 5 rings
• tell you who you are speaking to and who we are
passing your query onto
• offer to take a message when the person you
want to speak to is not available
• only use voicemail as a last resort
• answer all messages within 1 working day
• offer a translation facility
• make a mini-com facility available for the hard of
hearing
• reply to your letter, email or text within 10 working
days
• reply in your preferred language and format
• keep a record of how you would like to be
contacted
• make and keep an appointment with you and let
you know who to expect
• let you know if we can not make the appointment
and arrange another date
• carry identification
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
• leave a calling card, if we call and you are not at
home
• see you within 5 minutes if you have an
appointment at our office
• always try to resolve complaints there and then
• offer the opportunity to discuss sensitive matters
in an interview room
• provide induction loops, arrange sign language
facilities, interpreters or translation facilities as
required
• make our full complaints procedure available to you
• reply to all complaints within 10 working days
• correct any mistakes made within the set
timescales of the relevant service standard.
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• % of complaints replied to within 10 working days
• average resident satisfaction out of 10 for how we
handled the complaint
• average number of compliments received
• details of changes we’ve introduced as a result of
customer feedback.
Page 2
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
One voice
Resident Involvement and Empowerment Service Standard
All our residents matter to us
We will deliver a first class housing
service where you can play a full
part in everything we do.
We promise to:
• plan services with you
• be open and honest about our performance
• support the development and activities of all
tenant and resident groups
• reach out to, and involve as many of you as
possible, in a way that works for you
• keep you up to date on what is going on through
Keynotes and our website and social media
• support tenant involvement at a community level
• engage with the community through community
development initiatives
• give all tenants the financial help and resources
you need to be involved.
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• the Tenant Services Scrutiny Panel score out of 5
stars for performance against standards.
www.stroud.gov.uk
Page 3
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Section 9 - Service Standards
Respecting our differences
Equality and Diversity Service Standard
We understand that everybody’s needs are different and we will tailor our services
accordingly.
We promise to:
• keep a record of the diverse make up of our
tenants and leaseholders and deliver services
which meet their individual needs
• make sure our officers are accessible to you at a
range of locations across the district
• ensure that our offices are accessible for all visitors
• only use Plain English in our letters and leaflets
• provide information in accessible formats, such as
Braille, Large Print or on a CD, as required
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
• make sure all our services treat all tenants and
leaseholders fairly
• train our staff annually in equality and diversity
• tailor our services where possible to meet your
needs.
We will publish the following
performance measure each year:
• % of tenants we hold profile data on.
Page 4
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
Moving you in
Allocations and Lettings Service Standard
We provide a fair and accessible allocations and lettings service in partnership with
Gloucestershire Homeseeker.
We promise to:
• advertise our available properties on
Gloucestershire Homeseeker
• provide a summary of our allocations policy on
our website
• give you an idea of waiting time on each property
on Gloucestershire Homeseeker
• contact you within 28 working days of receiving
your application
• allow you to bid online, by phone or by text
• allow you to bid on up to 3 properties each week
• give you the option to have someone bid on your
behalf
• make an offer to the first eligible bidder within 3
working days of the advert being closed
• arrange for you to look at the property before you
sign the tenancy
• discuss any issues relating to the property at the
time of the viewing and provide you with a copy of
our re-let standard
• carry out a survey when you move in to find out
your experience of the lettings process and use
this to improve our services
• offer vulnerable households appropriate
assistance in making an application.
www.stroud.gov.uk
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• average number of applications waiting to be
processed (the target is less than 100)
• % of lettings made to transferring tenants (the
target is that 25% of lettings will be made to
transferring tenants)
• % of lettings made to bronze band applicants
(the target is that 10% of all properties available
in Stroud District will be offered to Bronze Band
applicants).
Page 5
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Section 9 - Service Standards
Money matters
Rent and other Income Collection Service Standard
We will provide an effective rent and service charge collection that maximises income.
When times are hard we will offer financial support to help keep up your rent payments.
We promise to:
• explain how much rent and other service charges
you have to pay
• tell you how much rent you are likely to have to
pay each week if you claim benefits
• send you a statement every 12 months if in
arrears, and within 1 working day of you asking
for one
• give you 4 weeks written notice of any changes to
your rent
• provide you with a range of payment options that
are convenient to you
• give you secure online access to your rent
account
• repay any over charges within 10 working days
• take a firm but fair approach to recovering rent
and service charge arrears
• give help and advice if you are struggling to pay
your rent, service charges or debts
• support you with advice on claiming benefits and
make manageable agreements at an early stage
• strive to collect as much money owed to us as we
possibly can and tell you how we performed.
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
% of rental income collected
• number of tenants evicted due to rent arrears
• number of tenants supported with additional
welfare benefits advice and financial inclusion
support.
Page 6
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
Your home
Tenancy Management Service Standard
We will deliver an effective tenancy management service to help create homes and
places where people will want to live.
We promise to:
• give you all the information you need about your
tenancy in a format you can understand
• respond to any request you have relating to your
tenancy within 10 working days
• work with you to make sure you comply with the
conditions of your tenancy and offer extra support
where necessary
• give you a Tenant Handbook
• give you a copy of your Tenancy Agreement
• consult you on any proposed changes to your
tenancy conditions
• listen to your comments and publicise any agreed
changes
• provide access to support services for tenants
who would like help and support to live in their
home
• be a member of the Homeswapper service giving
you the ability to apply for a mutual exchange
• assess all applications for a mutual exchange
within 42 days and process your application
within 10 working days
• undertake targeted regular visits to combat
Tenancy Fraud.
www.stroud.gov.uk
We will publish the following
performance measure each year:
• % of tenants who complained and felt their
complaint was dealt with satisfactorily
• % of tenants satisfied with the overall landlord
service
• number of Tenancy Fraud Cases handled.
Page 7
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Section 9 - Service Standards
Safe, happy communities
Anti-Social Behaviour Service Standard
We take an uncompromising stance towards anti-social behaviour (ASB). We will not
tolerate it. We encourage you to report instances of anti-social behaviour, so that we
can tackle problems for individuals, families and communities.
We promise to:
• be here for you to talk to; keep any information
you give us confidential; and be sensitive to your
needs
• advise you about the investigation process,
timescales, likely outcomes and your role in
helping us achieve this
• remain neutral, open and honest during the
investigation, and to listen to all parties
• investigate your complaint thoroughly and
to install noise monitoring equipment where
necessary
• work with other Council departments, the Police
and other organisations, where we can, to resolve
a complaint
• provide advice on evidence collection and the
different mediums that are acceptable, including
diary logs
• discuss options such as acceptable behaviour
contracts, mediation or legal action to agree the
way forward and support you through the process
• update you on progress with your complaint.
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• number of ASB cases reported during the year
• number of ASB cases satisfactorily closed during
the year
• % of ASB complainants/victims satisfied with how
we handled their complaint.
Page 8
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
Clean and green communities
Estate Management Service Standard
We will deliver an estate management service to create communities our tenants and
leaseholders are proud to live in.
We promise to:
• conduct regular estate inspections with you on a
monthly or 3 monthly basis to receive feedback
on the issues raised and actions taken
• keep the communal areas of a block of flats clean
and tidy
• consult you about environmental improvement or
regeneration projects on your estate
• involve you in decisions on the future of outdoor
spaces
• make sure our estates are safe and kept in a
good condition
• consider estate design, lighting, fencing and
any other features which can help to improve
appearance, minimise anti-social behaviour and
make your place nice
• remove dangerous piles of litter within 24 hours of
receiving a complaint
• remove all other litter within 5 days of a problem
being identified
• hold you to the garden standard and make sure
our empty properties also meet this standard.
www.stroud.gov.uk
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• your percentage rating of the joint estate
inspection
• satisfaction out of 10 from new tenants with the
service they received
• results of our annual residents survey indicating
the % who are satisfied with their neighbourhood
as a place to live.
Page 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Section 9 - Service Standards
Independent living
Aids and Adaptations Service Standard
We are committed to ensuring that you
can live comfortably and independently in
your home for as long as you choose.
We promise to:
• learn as much about you as we can to make your
home right for you
• tell you about support and services that are
available. Adaptation referral requests must be
made through Gloucestershire Community Health
and Social Care on 01452 426868
• visit you within 12 working days of fast track or
minor works referrals
• give you a dedicated officer for major adaptations
to support you through the process
• try and make sure that you wait no longer than 26
weeks for your adaptation to be completed, and
keep you informed throughout the process
• ensure that you receive a thoughtful and
respectful service from our contractors, which is
mindful of your needs
• ensure that you are satisfied with the work that
has been done in your home and that it meets
your needs
• service and maintain the adaptation installed as
required.
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• % of tenants satisfied with the aids and
adaptations service.
Page 10
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
Warm and safe
Energy Service Standard
We will provide you with a warm dry home and a safe heating system of a good
standard and condition. We will provide a planned programme of new heating
installations.
We promise to:
• give you an annual safety certificate for your gas
or oil heating system
• respond within 1 working day to an emergency
call out and within 5 working days for urgent
repairs and 20 working days for routine repairs
• give you temporary heating should your heating
breakdown
• give you compensation in line with our policy if
you are without heating or hot water for more than
1 day
• replace, over the next five years, inefficient heating
in general needs properties -focusing on those
residents with the greatest needs
• take a holistic view of your property and design
the right system for your home
• involve you in the design and layout of your new
heating system
www.stroud.gov.uk
• teach you how to use your new heating system
and run it properly
• provide off gas properties with heating solutions
comparable to properties with gas
• test your electricity supply once every 10 years
• give you an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
SAP rating of your home when we let it to you
• tell you how well your energy system performs
when you move in.
To keep you informed about how well
we’re doing we will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• % of tenants satisfied with their new energy
system installation
• average Energy Efficiency of our properties.
Page 11
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Section 9 - Service Standards
A bespoke service
Leaseholder Service Standard
We will provide a high quality leaseholder service.
We promise to:
• provide you with a leaseholder information pack
• make sure your service charge bill is accurate and
fair
• give you a dedicated contact number for
leaseholder services
• update and consult you on major issues and
expenditure that affect your lease
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
• encourage you to contribute to service
improvements by inviting you to our leaseholder
forum and listening to what you have to say.
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• % of tenants satisfied with their new energy
system installation
• average Energy Efficiency of our properties.
Page 12
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
Home is where one starts from
Lettable Service Standard
T.S. Elliott
We will ensure that the homes we let are
of a good standard and are places where
people want to live.
We promise to:
• deep clean your new home and sweep your drive
and path
• remove all rubbish, carpets & floor coverings
unless you ask us not to (where any pets have
been kept, carpets will always be removed)
• ensure the property is free of damp, mould growth
and infestation
• give you a kitchen and bathroom in good
condition and working order
• give you a new toilet seat, a lockable bathroom
door and replace the shower curtain if there is one
• ensure all external doors and windows are secure
• leave fixtures and fittings from previous tenants in
good working order (although these will be your
responsibility)
• give you redecoration vouchers if your new home
does not meet our acceptable standard for
decoration, when you sign your tenancy
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Page 14
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
• redecorate sheltered units and give you a choice
of colours unless the decoration is in good
condition.
• ensure boundary walls and fencing to the road
and public footpaths are safe and complete
• cut back overgrown shrubs and hedges
• install a hard wired smoke detector at your
property
• make sure the water stopcock is in an accessible
location. We will show you where it is and how to
use it
• make sure the emergency control valve to turn
off the gas supply is in an accessible and safe
location. We will show you where it is and how to
use it
• provide you with a gas safety certificate for your
new home
www.stroud.gov.uk
• give you an electrical safety certificate for your
new home
• provide you with an energy performance
certificate for your new home
• give you a copy of the asbestos report for your
new home.
To keep you informed about how well
we’re doing we will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• empty homes turnaround time in days
• % of properties let at first offer
• % of new tenants satisfied with the service
received.
Page 15
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Section 9 - Service Standards
Good standard and condition
Planned and Cyclical Maintenance Service Standard
We will make sure that your home is in a good condition, by providing a high standard
planned and cyclical maintenance service.
We promise to:
• publish details each year on our website of
our planned maintenance and improvement
programme
• inform you about works on your home and how
long they will take
• involve you in the design and choice of colour and
style as much as we can
• offer you the option of a level access shower on
the ground floor, or shower tray at first floor level,
if you struggle to get in and out of the bath
• make sure our contractors wear a recognisable
uniform, and carry an identity card which they will
present to you
• make sure our contractors treat you and your
home safely and with respect
• listen to and act on your feedback
• consult leaseholders before commencing major
works and long-term contracts, except where
works are very urgent (e.g. on the grounds of
safety).
Section 9
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• % of tenants satisfied with our cyclical
maintenance service
• % of tenants satisfied with our planned
maintenance service.
Page 16
www.stroud.gov.uk
Section 9 - Service Standards
Catch a drip on time... saves nine
Repairs and Maintenance Service Standard
We will provide a responsive repairs service that achieves high standards of quality,
safety and tenant satisfaction.
We promise to:
• let you report emergency repairs to us 24hours a
day, every day
• make safe all emergency repairs within 24 hours,
make safe any follow up work by appointment
• complete urgent repairs within 5 working days
• complete all routine repairs within 20 working
days
• offer an appointment service
• contact you if a contractor cannot make an
appointment
• aim to complete all repairs first time
• leave your home in a clean and tidy condition
• return within 5 working days if you are not
completely satisfied
• recharge repairs to tenants when they are the
tenant’s responsibility
• appoint an insurance assessor if accidental
damage over £500 is caused to your property
• ask the contractor to compensate you if
accidental damage of less than £500 is caused to
your property.
www.stroud.gov.uk
We will publish the following
performance measures each year:
• % of tenants satisfied with our responsive repairs
service
• % of responsive repairs completed within
timescale
• % of repairs completed at the first visi
Page 17
Tenants Handbook
Stroud District Council
Section 9
Translations
If English is not your first language and you need a
translation, we can get one for you.
POLISH
Je eli j zyk angielski nie jest Twoim j zykiem ojczystym
i wymagasz tlumaczenia, mo emy to zapewni.
Contact Details
PORTUGESE
Se o Inglês näo é a sua lingua materna e precisa de
uma traduäo, nós podemos obtê-la.
Stroud Housing Services
Ebley Wharf, Ebley Mill
Stroud
Gloucestershire
GL5 4UB
If you would like the Tenants Handbook in large print
or on Audiotape/CD, please contact us.
Tel: 01453 754876
E-mail: [email protected]