Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd

Mosman Gardens, Hilton Road, Aberdeen, AB24 4LZ

Introduction

This is a shared ownership amenity housing development. In shared ownership the purchaser owns (outright or with a mortgage) part of the property and pays an exclusive occupancy charge on the remaining portion. These portions are known as tranches and are sold in units of 25%. The tranches which the sharing owner doesn't purchase remain in the ownership of Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd. It is possible, over time, to acquire additional tranches, right up to 100% ownership.

Location

The site at Hilton Road, Aberdeen is surrounded on the north- east and the south by private housing. To the west of the site there is a public park.

All essential facilities and amenities are located within close proximity of the site.

Bus services are immediately available on Anderson Drive, which is within 250 yards of the site.

Size of Scheme

The development has a total of 22 units, comprising 20 flats and two cottages (one of which is now in full ownership). The flats are in one 2 storey block. There is no lift available.

20 x 2 person x 2 apartment flats 2

1 x 3 person x 3 apartment cottage 1 x 2 person x 2 apartment cottage (in full ownership). Housing Officer

The housing officer acts as the main contact between the area office and the residents. He/she visits the development regularly and is available to residents who may wish to discuss housing related or personal matters. If you wish to be visited at home by the housing officer you can make the necessary arrangements by contacting the area administrative officer at area office.

Heating and Hot Water

The development is heated by electric heaters, and hot water is supplied by white meter immersion heaters. The flats are individually metered and residents are responsible to the Electricity Board for payment of all bills.

Electricity Charges

All flats are individually metered and each tenant is responsible for payment of their own bills to their electricity provider.

Cooking Arrangements

There are facilities in the properties for cooking by electricity. Residents must supply their own cookers and have them installed by an authorised installer.

Alarm System

All properties on the development are fitted with an alarm system, which allows residents to summon help in an emergency.

Keyholders

When a resident moves into their new home emergency contact information will be requested. This includes the name, address and phone number of anyone who holds a key to their 3 home and could be contacted should the need arise. Please note that this could be at any time. However the call centre would not contact your keyholder(s) during the night unless it appeared to be a genuine emergency situation.

TV Aerial

A communal aerial is provided, with a socket in every living room, therefore an individual aerial is not necessary.

Insurance

The Association has a block insurance policy which covers the fabric of the buildings and landlord’s contents. Residents should ensure that they make adequate arrangements to insure their household contents and personal possessions.

Car Park

A car park is provided for the use of residents and visitors to the development but please note that it is very limited. It is not possible to allocate car parking spaces to individual residents.

Hanover has no objection to a resident bringing one well behaved pet, subject to the Association’s prior written permission, but ask that residents seek special permission should they wish to keep more than one pet. Where a tenant has a dog, the animal should be exercised outwith the area of the development. No dogs should be allowed to foul the garden area, pathways or car parking areas.

Exclusive Occupancy Charge

The tranche which is not purchased will remain in the ownership of Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd and a monthly exclusive occupancy charge, which is approved by the Associations’ Committee of Management, will be payable to the 4

Association. This amount will vary depending on whether 25%, 50% or 75% of the property has been bought.

The current charges for 2012/13 per calendar month are as follows:

Where 75% Where 50% Where 25% Dwelling Size Tranche Tranche Tranche Bought Bought Bought

2 person flat £53.37 £107.37 £161.05 3 person cottage £56.84 £114.59

Service Charge

There is a charge per property per month, see below for the charges, to cover a number of items including the cost of the sheltered housing manager service, garden maintenance,cleaning of communal windows, stairs and passageways. It also includes the maintainance of all external and communal areas and includes decoration of external surfaces and communal areas; maintenance of the roof and rhones; external walls and communal doors and windows.

Internal decoration and repairs within individual flats and cottages is the responsibility of the resident and it should be especially noted that this includes windows and entrance doors to each flat and cottage and heating/plumbing repairs within each flat and cottage.

Full information on this area is contained in the Deed of Conditions.

In addition the Service Charge covers:- a) For Cottages and Flats

Property Insurance Upkeep of grounds Sundry maintenance Management charge. 5

Provision of Community Alarm System.

b) For Flats only

Electricity for communal lighting Cost of cleaning communal halls and staircases Cost of cleaning glazed areas of communal halls and staircases Provision for future re-carpeting of communal areas Cost of decoration of communal halls and staircases

In accordance with the above the Service Charge for 2011/12 has been set at:- £69.00 per calendar month for each 2 person flat £61.00 per calendar month for each 3 person cottage

A full Budget Statement is available on request.

Both exclusive occupancy charges and service charges are reviewed annually with any changes being effective from 1 June each year.

Council Tax

Residents are responsible for paying their own council tax to Ab erdeen City Council.

Housing Support Charges

Included in the service charge there is the housing support charge.

This sum is the cost to the Association of providing the housing support element of the housing service. It includes items such as the security system in the development, the Community Alarm Service, staffing (where provided) and the cost of being registered with the Care Commission (the organisation which regulates and inspects housing support services).

Other costs 6

You should be aware that legal costs will be incurred when a property is bought and also at a future date should you wish to increase or decrease the share you own (this is known as “staircasing”). A fee for a current valuation will also be incurred when the property is sold.

Management of the Development

Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd is the managing agent for the development. There is a management agreement with the owners in effect. Your solicitor will advise you of the effect of this document.

Hanover’s management service is designed to relieve residents of many of the burdens of property ownership, and is strongly cost conscious. The Association’s experience and purchasing power will secure competitive rates, often well below those available to individual residents. As a non-profit making organisation Hanover will recover only the actual costs of the services provided.

Deed of Conditions

A deed of conditions for the development creates mutual rights and obligations between one owner and another. The deed’s provisions are complex and should be read in the light of the prevailing legislation. Please ask your solicitor to advise you on this before buying a property.

Age Criterion

The deed of conditions sets out rules for eligibility to occupy dwellings within the development.

The development owners have voted to instruct Hanover to treat men aged 55 years or over as eligible to occupy dwellings in the development on the same basis as women, despite the criteria stated in the deed of conditions. Prospective owners are asked to draw this to their solicitor’s attention. 7

Annual Proprietors Meeting

There is a meeting, known as the Property Council Meeting, each year to which all proprietors will be invited. There will be a report on the previous financial year’s Service Charge Revenue Account (Income and Expenditure) and the budget figures for the current financial year. Relevant development business can also be raised and discussed.

Liaison and Consultation

It is the Association’s policy to consult residents on significant matters which might arise. Hanover will do this in a variety of ways, including writing to residents, visiting residents to discuss the matters and/or call further development meetings if required.

About Hanover

Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Ltd was formed in 1979 and is now firmly established as one of the most respected providers of housing and related services for older people in Scotland. It is a Scottish charity and is run by a Committee of Management comprising up to 15 voluntary members. The Association is registered with The Scottish Housing Regulator as a social landlord.

Hanover’s aim is to:

“provide a range of affordable housing and a choice of related services to enable people to have as full and independent lives as possible in their own homes.”

Hanover specialises in the development and management of purpose built housing for older people and most of its housing is sheltered housing. As well as sheltered housing the Association also provides amenity housing for less frail older people, very sheltered housing and housing with care for frailer 8 older people and general needs housing for families and single people.

If you would like further information about the development or would like to apply for an Association property please contact N orth Area Office on 01343 548585.

Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Limited: A Scottish charity reg no SC 014738 The Scottish Housing Regulator reg no HEP 124 Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 reg no 1983 R(S)