Your Tenant Handbook Your community Repairs and maintenance
Contents 1 Introduction 3 2 About us Our structure Board of management Our funder and regulator Our commitment to transparency Scrutiny 3 Your responsibilities Living in shared accommodation Living in self-contained accommodation 4 Moving in Utilities 4 4 5 5 5 6 7 7 8 10 10 5 Emergency information Health and safety Gas safety Fire safety Asbestos 6 Paying your rent How to make a payment Will my rent increase? Changes to your rent 7 Repairs and maintenance How do I report a repair? What we do and don t repair Our handyperson service Our contractors Planned work Carrying out your own improvements Newly built homes 8 Our customer service standards Our staff Phone services Letters and emails Responding to complaints 12 12 12 13 15 16 16 16 16 18 18 18 20 20 20 21 21 23 23 23 23 24 1
Equal opportunities 24 9 Contact us Out of hours emergency repairs service 25 25 2
1. Introduction Dear resident, Welcome to London Strategic Housing (LSH), part of Network Housing Group. LSH provides over 1,600 homes in London and St Albans. We were established in 2000 and became a registered provider in 2002 with a focus on providing affordable accommodation for key workers and we are delighted to welcome you as a valued customer. We hope that you will find this handbook a useful tool that will help you get started with your tenancy. If you have queries which are not answered in the handbook, please visit our website www.londonstrategichousing.com or contact a member of our Customer Services team on 020 8782 4880 or customerservices@londonstrategichousing.com. Best wishes, Angus McDonald Head of operations 3
2. About us Our mission is to support the health, vibrancy and wellbeing of our local communities through the provision of housing services which meet the needs and aspirations of economically active individuals. We are a not for profit organisation with a strong social purpose and are run by a voluntary board of management which develops our policies and monitors our performance. We are committed to preventing any action, procedure or policy which will unfairly discriminate against any groups. We believe in equality and expect our board, staff, contractors and consultants to support our position. We use a range of methods to provide our residents with the opportunity to feedback to us and we subsequently use this information to tailor our services around their needs and those of a changing society. We work hard to ensure that our residents are satisfied with the standard of our services and comfortable in the properties which we provide. In the communities we serve, we challenge inequality and promote diversity. Our policies, procedures and practices will reflect the differences of the people and communities that we serve and the feedback they give to us. Our structure We are proud to be part of Network Housing Group, one of the largest housing associations in London and the South East with core skills in development, regeneration and housing management. Network Housing Group is a group of four registered housing providers and a commercial business, Network Living. The Group collectively owns and manages over 19,000 homes across London and the South East. Our aim is to provide the maximum number of homes and provide the best value for money to support our residents and neighbourhoods. 4
Network Housing Group provides strategic leadership and co-ordination, development and corporate services to its members: Community Trust Housing is a community-based association managing a large regeneration project and stock transfer including over 1,400 homes for young people, families and older people in South London. London Strategic Housing and Network Living provide a commercial business with a social purpose. LSH manages just under 3,000 properties including 1,700 for key workers and around 1,200 for homeless households in temporary accommodation across London and Hertfordshire. Network Living provides a range of options for intermediate and private rent, and shared ownership for first time buyers and the secondary market. Network Stadium Housing Association is the largest member of the Group with just over 9,000 homes across London. It provides a range of housing options including general rented and shared ownership homes as well as homes sold on the open market. It is also a specialist in sheltered and extra care homes for older people across London. Riversmead Housing Association is a Hertford-based association managing over 4,500 homes. It provides a variety of housing options for young people, families and older people including general rented, flexicare housing, shared ownership and leasehold housing in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Visit www.networkhg.org.uk to find out more. Board of management The LSH board is responsible for our overall governance and to achieve this, the board members have a wide range of skills and experience. The board is committed to ensuring we are run to the highest standard and meet regularly throughout each year. Our funder and regulator We are regulated and funded by the Homes and Communities Agency, but funding in London comes under the Greater London Authority. Our commitment to transparency We see many advantages to improving the transparency of our work, the most important of which is fostering a relationship of openness and trust with our residents and partners. We believe this will lead to improved 5
accountability and efficiency through a better understanding of the way we work. In some cases we may need to balance being open and transparent with protecting information where it may invade personal privacy, breach of confidentiality or damage other interests. In deciding whether to publish information, we will take into consideration whether it is lawful to release that information. We ask those who work with us to hold us to account if we fail to meet expectations. We will aim to put things right or as far as possible explain why we cannot meet our commitment. Scrutiny Tenant scrutiny aims to give tenants more power in holding their landlords to account for their decisions, performance and conduct. Tenant scrutiny provides a device for landlords to deliver the services tenants want and it enables landlords to determine how resources can be targeted. We support tenant scrutiny as it results in distinctive changes in the services provided to tenants which often leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction and can lead to improved organisational performance. We are committed to putting our residents at the heart of our business and will continue to seek feedback and comments from residents. 6
3. Your responsibilities Living in shared accommodation As a resident in shared accommodation you have certain responsibilities: Communal areas As you share communal areas with other people you also share the responsibility for keeping these shared areas clean, tidy and free from obstructions which may pose a health and safety risk. Guests You are not permitted to have guests stay overnight in your room. Pets You are not permitted to keep any domestic pets in your accommodation. Business and trades Your tenancy agreeme nt makes it clear that you must not run any trade or business from your home. Neighbour nuisance We expect you to behave in a way that will not annoy your neighbours or interfere with the peace or comfort of other people. Recharges If you lock yourself out of your property, please contact a member of our Customer Services team on 020 8782 4880 (during working hours) or contact our out-of-hours number on 07500 121 284. Please be aware that this is a rechargeable service which you will be invoiced for. Should you lose the keys to your property, you will need to purchase a replacement set of keys from LSH. Please note that we expect you to leave your property in the same condition as when you moved in. If you fail to do so, you will be invoiced for any damages or to remove any items from the property. 7
Home contents insurance Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that you have taken out your own home contents insurance as LSH will not be liable for the loss or damage to your personal items. Living in self-contained accommodation As a resident in self-contained accommodation you have certain responsibilities: Communal areas As you share communal areas with other people you also share the responsibility for keeping these shared areas clean, tidy and free from obstructions which may pose a health and safety risk. Pets You are not permitted to keep any domestic pets in your accommodation. Business and trades Your tenancy agreement makes it clear that you must not run any trade or business from your home. Neighbour nuisance We expect you to behave in a way that will not annoy your neighbours or interfere with the peace or comfort of other people. Recharges If you lock yourself out of your property, please contact a member of our Customer Services team on 020 8782 4880 (during working hours) or contact our out-of-hours number on 07500 121 284. Please be aware that this is a rechargeable service which you will be invoiced for. Should you lose the keys to your property, you will need to purchase a replacement set of keys from LSH. Please note that we expect you to leave your property in the same condition as when you moved in. If you fail to do so, you will be invoiced for any damages or to remove any items from the property. 8
Utilities You are responsible for both your gas and electricity charges. Please contact your providers to notify them when you move into your property. As you have signed a disclosure form with us, if you fail to notify your provider we will do so on your behalf. Water You are responsible for your water charges. Please contact your providers to notify them when you move into your property. As you have signed a disclosure form with us, if you fail to notify your provider we will do so on your behalf. Council tax You are responsible for your council tax charges. Please contact your local authority to notify them when you move into your property. Home contents insurance Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that you have taken out your own home contents insurance as LSH will not be liable for the loss or damage to your personal items. 9
4. Moving in Utilities Electricity As soon as you know your moving date, contact your electricity provider to arrange to connect your supply. They will need notice before connecting a supply. You are responsible for all charges,(self-contained properties only). Your home will have circuit breakers; these are switches that turn off the electrical supply automatically when the circuit is overloaded. Check to find the problem, disconnect the appliance that is causing the problem then reset the switch to ON. Make sure you know how to turn off your electricity supply at the mains. This switch will disconnect all the wiring and appliances. You should always switch off the power at the mains when you are replacing a fuse or repairing fittings connected to the main supply. At the end of your tenancy you must tell your electricity provider when you are leaving and give them enough notice so that they can arrange to come read your meter. This will mean that you only pay for the electricity you have used. Gas As soon as you know your moving date, contact your local gas provider to disconnect your supply and give them notice to connect your new supply. You are responsible for all charges (self contained units only) Ensure you know where the main lever is for turning off the gas supply in case there is an emergency. It is usually located next to the gas meter. There is advice on gas safety under the Repairs and maintenance. section of this handbook. 10
Water Ensure you know where the stopcock or water isolation valve is for turning off the main water supply. If your supply stops for any reason, turn off all the taps and take the plugs out of the sinks and bath. This will prevent any flooding when the water comes back on. Telephone As soon as you know your moving date, let your phone company know that you are moving and give details of your new address. You may have to change your telephone number. You are responsible for all charges. 11
5. Emergency information Health and safety Your health, safety and wellbeing are as important to us as they are to you. We never forget that we provide homes and take our responsibilities very seriously when it comes to the safety of you and your family. As a tenant you must also take all reasonable precautions to prevent risks to yourself and to others. In this section of the handbook, we cover most of the hazards you re likely to come across and explain in practical terms the precautions which are necessary or advisable. Our staff regularly checks the communal areas in shared accommodation for general health and safety hazards. We also carry out a yearly full health and safety risk assessment visit. However, we need you to help us with this by letting us know if you notice any incident, hazardous equipment, substance or structure. With this information we can ensure the health and safety of everyone in the building. All of our electric equipment meets with the appropriate British Standards and portable appliances such as vacuum cleaners, kettles and toasters are tested yearly to comply with our health and safety policies and are tested annually. Please do not use the gas boiler cupboard, electric panel areas, or water valves cupboard for storage. Gas safety By law we must carry out a gas safety check in your home once a year to ensure that our appliances are working safely. We or our contractor will contact you to agree an appointment to carry out the check and service your boiler. It is extremely important that you allow us access to undertake this safety check. If we cannot carry out the check we are breaking the law and we may have to take legal action to get in to your home. All our contractors are gas safe register engineers. 12
If you think you can smell gas in your home: Ensure all gas appliances and the burners on your stove are turned completely off. Put out any cigarettes. Open all doors and windows. Do not use matches or naked flames. Turn gas off at the meter. Do not operate any electrical switches or appliances including door entry systems. Transco operates Britain s national gas emergency service 24 hours a day. The emergency telephone number is: 0800 111 999. Carbon monoxide alarms Carbon monoxide from gas appliances is very dangerous and it is due to this that the law is so strict about annual gas safety checks. Carbon monoxide alarms are fitted in our homes as a precaution. As with smoke alarms, a carbon monoxide detector will alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide. The alarm must not be moved, covered, damaged or painted over. Fire safety Smoke detectors There is a working smoke alarm fitted in your home. A smoke alarm will give you those precious few minutes of warning which could help you and your family get out safely. Some of these smoke detectors are connected to the main electricity and some have ten-year batteries. It s important to regularly check the alarm in your home. Precautions To reduce the risk of fire: Never keep petrol or paraffin in your home. Heaters fuelled by liquid petroleum gas are not permitted in multistorey flats. Do not use paraffin heaters or bottled-gas heaters. Never leave chip pans on the stove when you are not in the room. Never pour water onto a burning chip pan. You should smother flames with a damp cloth, fire blanket or a lid. Put out cigarettes and matches and take care with ashtrays. Make sure children cannot reach matches. 13
Don t: Put a fireguard around fires. Do not hang clothes around fires, cookers or storage heaters. Bicycles and motorcycles must never be stored in stairwells. Rubbish should always be disposed of properly, using rubbish chutes, communal or individual wheelie bins where provided and never left on landings or within closets. Unattended rubbish could be a fire hazard if set alight by vandals (it can also be a health hazard, attracting insects and rodents). Cover or hide emergency signs or alarm call points. Store combustible items in electrical cupboards. Wedge open fire doors. Remove or disconnect smoke or heat detectors. Please be aware of the following: It is your responsibility to call the fire brigade if you see a fire or hear the alarm. The fire alarm system may not be linked to the fire brigade. Do not leave any electrical items that are plugged in unattended, such as hairdryers, televisions, videos, kettles and toasters or leave any food cooking. Multi-adapter plugs which allow more than one item to be plugged in must not be used. The burning of any candles within shared accommodation is strictly prohibited. In shared accommodation, corridors must be kept free from obstruction at all times to aid evacuation in the case of a fire. Fire doors are not to be wedged open, so that they are able to remain fully effective in the event of a fire. All fire doors are designed to prevent fires from spreading. To prevent unnecessary fire alarms, do not wedge open the common room doors. Always turn on the extractor fan when cooking because this will prevent the fire alarms from being set off if a hazard occurs in the kitchen. In the event of a fire Ensure that you know what to do in an emergency. There are Fire Safety notices displayed around the communal areas. Please familiarise yourself with the fire procedures and always use a designated fire escape if there is one, and dial 999. Never use a lift if there is a fire. Always use the stairs. 14
In blocks of flats it may be safer to stay inside your home and await instructions from the fire service. This is because the buildings are constructed to contain a fire for up to an hour which is usually plenty of time for the fire service to extinguish it. If you are uncertain as to what you should do please contact us on 020 8782 4880 or contact your local fire service. Asbestos What is asbestos? Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre, previously used in building materials. Properties built before the 1990s could contain some form of asbestos material. Those built after 1990 are unlikely to contain asbestos materials or products. We have surveyed all properties built before 1990 and have not found any evidence of asbestos. Why could asbestos be a problem? Asbestos is not a problem if it is undamaged and is only dangerous when fibres become airborne. Where there is known and/or suspected asbestos material, take care not to disturb it or allow it to become damaged. Do not drill holes, saw, sand or scrape the material. What should I do if I think there is asbestos in my home? If you think asbestos could be present in your home, contact customer services on 020 8780 4880 or email customerservices@londonstrategichousing.com immediately and tell them your concerns. To find out more about asbestos, see our website www.londonstrategichousing.com. 15
6. Paying your rent How to make a payment Direct debit These deductions from your bank account are the preferred method. Most banks will do this free of charge. Collection of your rent in this way is the least expensive way for us to collect rent. Standing orders If you prefer this method, you will be responsible for ensuring that you manage this effectively. Over the phone If you need to make a one off payment, you can contact your Income Officer or the Customer Services team on 020 8782 4880 or customerservices@londonstrategichousing.com. Swipe card Allpay payment card can be used at points across the country. You can go to any Post Office or anywhere displaying the PayPoint logo. You can also make payments over the phone to Allpay. Online We have teamed up with allpayments.net so that you can pay your rent at a time that suits you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The service is safe, reliable and simple to use. Will my rent increase? When establishing rent levels we ensure rents are affordable and follow Government guidelines. Changes to your rent We will: 16
Give you at least one month s notice, in writing, of any increase in your rent. Review the rent each year. Changes will usually apply from the first day of April throughout your tenancy. 17
7. Repairs and maintenance How do I report a repair? Tenants have a responsibility to take good care of their accommodation and not to allow damage to occur through negligence or abuse by themselves, family members or visitors. You can report a repair by contacting our Customer Services team on 020 87824880 or email customerservices@londonstrategichousing.com Out of hour s emergency repairs service If you have an emergency repair outside of office hours, you can phone our emergency service on 07500 121284. One of our maintenance team will contact you and advise if the repair is deemed an emergency or not, sometimes they will be able to talk you through what to do in terms of making safe or isolating a supply. On all emergency call outs the member of staff who attends will always try to resolve the emergency repair but as a general rule we will make safe until the next working day, What we do and don t repair We are responsible for the following in both self contained and cluster accommodation: Drains, gutters or external pipework. Roofs. Walls inside and out. Doors inside (wear and tear) and outside the home. Chimneys. Pathways or steps. Garages or stores that are connected to the home. Basins, sinks, baths, shower trays taps and tap washers. Decorations outside the home. Blocked drains. Communal area repairs. Boilers. Hot water cylinders. 18
Within cluster accommodation, we are responsible for: Light bulbs replacement, catches, handles to doors and kitchen cabinets. Plugs and chains to sinks. Decorations- within the home if damaged by you. Blinds and curtain rails. Hooks and shelves. Replacing broken WC seats and lids. Shower heads and hoses. Shower controls. Replacing plugs and chains for sinks, baths and hand basins. Any glass within the flat or house where the tenant cannot provide a police crime number. Within self-contained accommodation, you are responsible for: Decorations inside the home. Repairing any item you have provided yourself. Repairs as a result of damage by the tenant, family member or visitor. Light bulbs replacement, catches, handles to doors and kitchen cabinets. Plugs and chains to sinks. Blinds and curtain rails. Hooks and shelves. Replacing broken WC seats and lids. Shower heads, hoses and curtains. Replacing plugs and chains for sinks, baths and hand basins. Any glass within the flat or house where the tenant cannot provide a police crime number. All repairs to appliances that belong to the tenant. The supply of electrical plugs and fuses to you own appliances. Maintenance of gardens. Other non-structural repairs where damage was caused by wilful neglect or damage or negligence by the tenant or his/her family or visitors. 19
There may be occasions where repairs are carried out which are the responsibility of the tenant, these decisions will made by the maintenance manager and/or housing officer. Our handyperson service We have an in-house handyperson service which responds to and resolves the majority of our repairs. The team is managed by our maintenance and facilities manager and comprises two maintenance supervisors, four handymen and two painters who are responsible for the repairs and maintenance to all of our properties across London and St Albans. Our contractors In some instances our handyperson team will be unable to resolve your repair issue, in these instances we have a range of different contractors who help us look after your home. All contractors employed by us agree to a code of conduct to provide a quality service. We expect our contractors to: arrive at the agreed time for your appointment show you identification without being asked be dressed in clean overalls which display the company name remove any debris and leave your home as they found it above all, treat you and your home with respect. We, and our contractors, also expect from you: 24 hours notice if you need to cancel an appointment keep children and pets away from the work area. If you have a complaint or feedback about any work carried out in your home please contact us on 020 8782 4880 or email customerservices@londonstrategichousing.com or lshcomplaints@londonstrategichousing.com. Planned work We believe that everyone is entitled to a decent home and we are committed to making sure that your home is well maintained and in a good state of repair. 20
We have a planned (or cyclical) maintenance programme to enable us to do this. This includes: Redecoration of communal areas. Furniture replacement in shared accommodation. Kitchen replacement in shared accommodation. We will contact you in advance of any work being carried out and aim to carry it out with as little disruption as possible. Carrying out your own improvements You can make certain improvements and alterations to your home but you must obtain permission from us in advance of undertaking any work. Newly built homes If you are living in a brand new home built less than a year ago there are some differences to the way we deal with any repairs or defects. If you have bought your property If you have bought your property then it will usually be sold with a guarantee from the National House Builders Union or a similar organisation e.g. Premier Guarantee or the LABC. If you are the first person buyer of the property, your solicitor should provide the guarantee certificates when the sale goes through. It s essential that you keep it safe, as it is a valuable document. This guarantee covers faulty material and workmanship related to the structural element of the building, and will be in force normally for 10-12 years. If you are aware of any problem, please contact us first. During the first 12 months The contractor who has built the property has a responsibility to rectify any defects within the first 12 months since the date the building was first completed (not from the date when you take occupation of the property). 21
Should you encounter any issues you think are a defect within the first 12 months, please contact us. Our customer care centre will report the defect. Response times for defects Depending on the nature of the defect reported, it will be assigned a specific priority response time. A defect is assigned one of the following priority response timescales: Immediate emergency within 4 hours Emergency within 24 hours Urgent within 7 days Not urgent 28 days or it may be left to the end of the 12 months defect liability period if it is reasonable. Some of the problems arising within the first 12 months may not always be the builder s responsibility, e.g. shrinkage cracks, only in very rare cases are these considered structural defects. After 12 months inspections At the end of the first 12 months, inspections are carried out by the contractors to identity any final defects. You will be given sufficient notice period (usually two weeks) by us, so that you are able to make arrangements to provide access. You can find out more information about the defects process on our website www.londonstrategichousing.com. 22
8. Our customer service standards We will: Acknowledge requests for information within three working days. Offer private interviews and appointments. Aim to see visitors to our offices with an appointment within five minutes of their appointment time. Endeavour to see visitors without an appointment and where this is not possible will offer visitors an appointment. Provide translation services and alternative methods of communicating for deaf and visually impaired people. Carry identity cards. Treat you and your home with respect. Our staff Will always identify themselves by name, be courteous, responsive, accurate and professional. Phone services We will endeavour to answer all calls within five rings If the call goes through to voicemail, we will return your call on the same day Always introduce ourselves by name We will not transfer your call without announcing your call or offering you the option of leaving a message Letters and e-mails We will: Acknowledge your communication within 3 days of receipt of the communication Respond to general enquiries within 10 working days Provide a clear response that answers your enquiry. 23
Responding to complaints We will: Provide you with a quick and convenient complaint system which will be published through our website/leaflets Acknowledge the complaint within 2 working days of receipt Respond to your complaint within 10 working days or tell you if it is likely to take longer than this; Equal opportunities We are committed to providing a service which treats people fairly and meets the needs of all our tenants. Where it is appropriate, translation and professional interpretation services can be provided upon request. 24
9. Contact us Head office: London Strategic Housing Olympic Office Centre 8 Fulton Road Wembley HA9 0NU Telephone: 020 8782 4880 Email: customerservices@londonstrategichousing.com Website: www.londonstrategichousing.com Out of hour s emergency repairs service If you have an emergency repair outside of office hours, you can phone our emergency service on 07500 121284. On all emergency call outs the member of staff who attends will always try to resolve the emergency repair but as a general rule we will make safe until the next working day. 25