Tenants Handbook So It May Be Useful If You Read the Entire Handbook
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Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 1 Tenant Handbook East Dunbartonshire Council’s Tenant Handbook Tenant Approved Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 2 I2 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 3 Contents 1 Introduction 2 Useful Contacts 3 Your New Home 4 Tenancy Information 5 Rent and Rent Arrears 6 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction 7 Repairs 8 Tenants Support Service 9 Health and Safety in the Home 10 Estate Management 11 Neighbour Problems and Antisocial Behaviour 12 Tenancy Changes 13 Ending a Tenancy 14 Former Tenant Arrears 15 Council Housing 16 Housing Within East Dunbartonshire 17 Homelessness 18 Housing Support Services 19 Tenant Participation 20 Customer Care and Communication 21 Gypsies/Travellers 3 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 4 4 1 Introduction Welcome East Dunbartonshire Council aims to give you the highest possible level of service, and has produced this handbook to help you. It contains useful information about us, the housing services we provide and your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. As your landlord, we are responsible for managing your property and we work closely with our partners to make sure that our services are of a high standard and provide good value for money. We have tried to include as much information as possible. This includes a list of useful contacts, which are detailed at the start of your Tenant Handbook. If you don’t find what you are looking for, please contact us. We hope you will be very happy in your new home. Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 5 2 Useful contacts Local Housing Offices Milngavie Housing Office 17 Stewart Street Milngavie, G62 6BW Tel: 0141 777 3160 Email: [email protected] Kirkintilloch Housing Office Southbank House Southbank Business Park, G66 1XQ Tel: 0300 123 4510 Email: [email protected] Lennoxtown Housing Office Main Street Lennoxtown, G65 Tel: 0141 777 3120 Email: [email protected] Project 101 Townhead Kirkintilloch, G66 1NX Tel: 0141 777 3220 Email: [email protected] Tenant Participation Team 17 Stewart Street Milngavie, G62 6BW Tel: 0141 777 3171 Email: [email protected] Homelessness Team 11-17 Kerr Street Kirkintilloch, G66 1LF Tel: 0141 578 2133 Homelessness out of hours Tel: 0800 052 5574 Email: [email protected] 5 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 6 6 Other Council Services Kirkintilloch Community HUB 2-4 West High Street Kirkintilloch, G66 1AD Tel: 0300 123 4510 Email: [email protected] Customer Contact Centre (repairs service) Broomhill Industrial Estate Kilsyth Road Kirkintilloch, G66 1TF Tel: 0800 052 5574 Email: [email protected] Customer Contact Centre (Council services except repairs) Broomhill Industrial Estate Kilsyth Road Kirkintilloch, G66 1TF Tel: 0300 123 4510 Email: [email protected] Social Work Southbank House Southbank Business Park, G66 1XQ Tel: 0141 777 3000 Out of hours: Tel: 0800 811 505 Email: [email protected] Occupational Therapy Social Work Department Kirkintilloch Health and Care Centre 10 Saramago Street Kirkintilloch, G66 3BF Tel: 0141 355 2200 Council Tax Payment Enquiries 2-4 West High Street Kirkintilloch, G66 1AD Tel: 0141 578 8190 Email:[email protected] Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit enquiries 2-4 West High Street Kirkintilloch, G66 1AD Tel: 0800 901057 Email: [email protected] Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 7 Bearsden Registration Office (for rent payments) 38 Roman Road Bearsden, G61 2SH Tel: 0141 578 8669 Kirkintilloch Registration Office (for rent payments) 21 Southbank Road Kirkintilloch, G66 1NH Tel: 0141 578 8020 Your Local Councillor Civic and Corporate Headquarters 12 Strathkelvin Place Kirkintilloch, G66 1TJ Tel: 0300 123 4510 Telephone Payments Telephone Payments 0300 123 4525 Touch Tone Payments 0300 123 4524 You can also visit the Council’s website at www.east dunbarton.gov.uk Other Organisations Care and Repair in East Dunbartonshire Tenants Support Services 3 Cowgate Kirkintilloch, G66 1HW Tel: 0141 578 0156 Email: [email protected] East Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau / Welfare Rights 11 Alexandra Street Kirkintilloch Glasgow, G66 1HB Tel: 0141 775 3220 Email: [email protected] Womens Aid 4 Freeland Place Kirkintilloch, G66 1ND Tel: 0141 776 0864 Email: [email protected] 7 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 8 8 Victim Support East Dunbartonshire Kirkintilloch Police Station 45 Southbank Drive Kirkintilloch, G66 1XJ Tel: 0141 776 8139 Email: [email protected] Emergencies Police, Fire, Ambulance 999 Police 99 Main Street Milngavie, G62 6JH Tel: 0141 532 2000 Police 45 Southbank Drive Kirkintilloch, G66 1XJ Tel: 0141 532 4400 Police 113 Kirkintilloch Road Bishopbriggs, G64 2AA Tel: 0141 532 2000 Police (night time noise) 0141 532 4400 Utility Information Transco: Tel 0870 608 1524 Empas: Tel 0845 270 9101 Gas emergency helpline: Tel 0800 111 999 Scottish Power emergency helpline: Tel 0845 27 27 999 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 9 Other Useful Telephone Numbers and Websites TV Licensing: Tel 0300 790 6131 or www.tvlicensing.co.uk Scottish Water: Tel 0845 600 8855 Crimestoppers: Tel 0800 555 111 West of Scotland Race Equality Council: 0141 337 6626 Homeswapper: www.homeswapper.co.uk Scottish Government: www.scotland.gov.uk Complaints and Comments If you have a complaint or comment on any service you have received from the housing department you can do this by contacting the Council: l in person l by phone: 0300 123 4510 l by email: [email protected] l by using a complaints form l in writing: to the Council’s Customer Services Manager at Broomhill Industrial Estate, Kilsyth Road, Kirkintilloch, G66 1TF l by using the online complaints form on the Council’s website at www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk Independent advice about any complaint can be obtained from: Scottish Public Services Ombudsman 4 Melville Street Edinburgh EH3 7NS Tel: 0800 377 7330 Website: www.spso.org.uk 9 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 10 10 Housing Association General Needs Housing Provision Antonine Housing Association 3 Cowgate Kirkintilloch, G66 1HW Tel: 0141 578 0260 Email: www.antonine.org.uk Castlerock Edinvar Housing Association Pentland House Almondvale South Livingston, EH54 6NG Tel: 01506 436 530 Email: www.castlerockedinvar.co.uk Hillhead Housing Association 2000 60 Highfield Road Kirkintilloch, G66 2PS Tel: 0141 578 0200 Email: www.hillheadhousing.org Trust Housing Association Ltd. Cairn Housing Association First Floor, Pavilion 5 15 North Claremont Street Watermark Business Park Glasgow, G3 7NR 345 Govan Road Tel: 0141 353 1944 Glasgow, G51 2SE Email: www.cairnha.com Tel: 0141 227 1994 Email: www.trustha.org.uk Cube Housing Association Link Housing Association 70 Glenfinnan Road Watling House Glasgow, G20 8JX Callander Business Park Tel: 0141 945 3155 Falkirk, FK1 1XR Email: www.cubehousing.co.uk Tel: 08451 400 100 Email: www.linkhousing.org.uk Housing Association Sheltered Housing Provision Bield Housing Association Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association 7 Eagle Street Pavilion 5 (Ground floor) Glasgow, G4 9XA Watermark Business Park Tel: 0141 270 7200 345 Govan Road Email: www.bield.co.uk Glasgow, G51 2SE Tel: 0141 553 6300 Email: www.hsha.org.uk Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 11 Housing Association Sheltered Housing Provision Link Housing Association Trust Housing Association Watling House Pavilion 5 (First Floor) Callander Business Park Watermark Business Park Falkirk, FK1 1XR 345 Govan Road Tel: 08451 400 100 Glasgow, G51 2SE Email: www.linkhousing.org.uk Tel: 0141 227 1994 Very Sheltered Housing Provision Abbeyfield Scotland Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association 14 New Mart Road Pavilion 5 (Ground floor) Edinburgh, EH14 1RL Watermark Business Park Tel: 0131 225 7801 345 Govan Road, Glasgow, G51 2SE Email: www.abbeyfield-scotland.com Tel: 0141 553 6300 Email: www.hanover.org.uk Particular Needs Housing Provision Key Housing Association Loretto Housing Association 77 Renfrew Street Lipton House, 2nd Floor Glasgow, G3 3BZ 170 Crown Street Tel 0141-342 1890 Glasgow, G5 9XD Email: www.keyhousing.org.uk Tel: 0141 420 7950 Email: www.lorettoha.co.uk Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Sanctuary House 7 Freeland Drive Glasgow, G53 6PG Tel: 0800 781 4382 or 0141 876 4900 Email: www.sanctuary-group.co.uk Blackwood Housing Association 1 Belses Gardens Cardonald Glasgow, G52 2DY Telephone: 0141 883 4477 Email: www.mbha.org.uk 11 Tenants Housing Handbook_leaflet 1 - introduction 19/03/2013 14:10 Page 12 12 3 Your new home Will my new home be in good condition? After the last tenant has moved out and before you move into your home, we will carry out general repairs and maintenance to make sure that it meets our relet standard. The amount of work that we have to do largely depends on the age and condition of the property when it is handed back to us, but we will bring all properties up to our relet standard before you move in. It is important to move in to your new home quickly, at the start of your tenancy. If not, we may think that you do not need it or have abandoned the property. Also, if you are eligible for housing benefit you will not be entitled to it when you are not living in the property. We want you to be happy and comfortable in your new home and you can decorate and personalise it to make it your own. What will my Housing Officer discuss with me at the tenancy sign up? At the tenancy sign up, your Housing Officer will ask you to sign your tenancy agreement.