T N A N TE HANDBOOK
CONTENTS Important information for new and existing tenants.........................................3 Please get involved and help improve our housing service............................4 Your local housing office .........................................................................................5 General facts about West Dunbartonshire Housing ........................................6 Aims of West Dunbartonshire Council Housing / Data protection statement.......................................................................................7 Staff teams...............................................................................................................8-9 Your housing officer................................................................................................ 10 To be completed at lease signing........................................................................ 11 Your home.................................................................................................................. 12 Your tenancy............................................................................................................. 13 Your rent..................................................................................................................... 14 Ways to pay.............................................................................................................. 15 We can help you...................................................................................................... 16 Your right as a tenant.............................................................................................. 17 What happens if I abandon my property?......................................................... 18 What happens to my tenancy if I die?................................................................ 19 Looking after your home........................................................................................ 20 Medical Adaptations.............................................................................................. 21 Contents insurance................................................................................................. 22 Keeping safe and secure in your home............................................................. 23 Fire.............................................................................................................................. 24 Keeping your home secure................................................................................... 25 Moving home............................................................................................................ 26 Checklist for ending your tenancy...................................................................... 27 Comments, complaints and compliments....................................................28-29 Useful West Dunbartonshire Council phone numbers.................................. 30 Other contact details.............................................................................................. 31
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R O F N IO T A M R O F IN T N A T IMPOR S T N A N E T G IN T IS X E D N A NEW As a tenant of West Dunbartonshire Council we hope that you will enjoy living in your new home. This handbook gives you important information about being one of our tenants. It is provided in addition to your tenancy agreement. We don’t expect you to sit down and read it all in one go; however it is a handy source of bite size information about all the services available to you as a WDC tenant. If you can’t find the answer to your query please call the Contact Centre on 01389 738282.
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PLEASE GET INVOLVED AND HELP IMPROVE OUR HOUSING SERVICE At West Dunbartonshire Council we have a long history of tenant involvement and once you have settled into your new home perhaps you will think about becoming involved in tenant participation, this would allow you to become directly engaged in decision making which will influence housing service decisions for the future. There are many ways to participate, as an interested tenant, joining a community group or being part of a scrutiny panel. To find out more please contact Tenant Participation on 01389 737697.
HOUSING NEWS Housing News is a quarterly newspaper which is distributed to all West Dunbartonshire Tenants, it provides up to date news on housing in West Dunbartonshire including information on new builds, tenant consultations, staff profiles and information on tenant and residents group. Housing News is delivered to your door or a copy can be picked up at your local library. If you would like to share your West Dunbartonshire Housing Story please call Jane Mack at Tenant Participation on 01389 737 281.
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YOUR LOCAL HOUSING OFFICE At your local housing office you can have face to face contact with knowledgeable staff that can help you with a range of advice from managing your tenancy, to paying your rent, reporting repairs and applying for a new house. There is no need to make an appointment just pop in and we are there to help and answer your questions.
Clydebank Town Centre Office Clydebank Shopping Centre 10 Sylvania Way South Clydebank G81 1EA
Opening Hours 09.00 - 4.30pm Monday -Thursday 09.00 - 4.00pm Friday
Alexandria Town Centre Office 17 Mitchell Way Alexandria G83 0LW
Opening Hours 8.45 – 4.45pm Monday - Friday
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T S E W T U O B A S T C A F L GENERA G N I S U O H E R I H S N O DUNBART • 81% of tenants are satisfied with the quality of services we provide (source Annual Return on the charter 2015/16) • West Dunbartonshire rent homes in Clydebank, Dumbarton, Alexandria and Gartocharn • West Dunbartonshire Council own 10,690 homes • And factor 6000 former council properties, which are now owner occupied • We re-let around 1000 houses per year • We have 3500 – 4000 applicants on our waiting list. • The annual rental income of £39 million is used to manage and maintain our properties, including your home • We have 10 active Registered Tenants Organisations, where tenants can debate and shape policy in relationship to their housing and work together to improve their community.
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E IR H S N TO R A B N U D T ES W F O AIMS COUNCIL HOUSING • To provide good quality and affordable homes. • Provide a high quality repair service • Building new homes • Working in partnership with other housing providers to regenerate West Dunbartonshire • Enabling our customers to influence policy and participate in decision making.
DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT Data will be held by WDC in accordance with our legal obligations. It will only be shared in line with our registration on the Public Register of Data Controllers, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1988. We will not share your data without asking you first and you will have the right to say no. You have the right to inspect any record kept by us and can access these records by requesting this in writing.
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STAFF TEAMS There are 180 members of staff working in housing, to provide tenants with a good housing service. Housing Operations are split between the 3 geographical areas and deliver an area-based housing service with housing co-ordinators responsible for the management of their local teams. Housing Officers are community based and you will be given contact details including email and mobile numbers at your sign up meeting. There will always be a duty Housing Officer available at each office between 8am and 5pm.
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Dumbarton, Leven and Lomond Wards Alexandria Town Centre Central Renton, Bellsmyre, Towend,Bonhill, Brucehill, Castlehill, Westbridgend, Haldane, Gartocharn, Milton Estate, Old Bonhill, Dalmonach, Redburn, Davidson Road, Silverton, Dumbarton East, Milton, Bowling, Tullichewan, Rosshead and Westcliff
David Lynch Co-ordinator 01389 772232
Waterfront Ward Central Whitecrook, Clydebank East, Town Centre, Old Whitecrook, Dalmuir MSF, Dalmuir West and Old Kilpatrick
Myra Feeney Co-ordinator 07816 171285
Kilpatrick and Central Wards Central Radnor, Hardgate,Littleholm, North Drumry, Kilbowie Court,Parkhall, East and North Kilbowie, Duntocher, Second Avenue, Faifley, Boquhanran, South Drumry
Scott McLelland Co-ordinator 07772 442950
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YOUR HOUSING OFFICER You should by now know who your housing officer is. It is their job to help and advice you on all matters concerning your tenancy. Your Housing Officer must ensure that all tenants adhere to the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement. Please read it carefully so that you are aware of your rights and responsibilities. Your housing officer should be your main contact for any housing issues you may have. Our housing officers are knowledgeable and understanding and will have the experience to provide you with the advice you need on main issues including:
• Rent Management • Garden Maintenance • Cleaning Responsibilities • Antisocial Behaviour • Tenant Participation • Changes to your Tenancy
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TO BE COMPLETED AT SIGN
-UP
My housing officer is Contact Details phone Email If your housing officer is not available please call the duty housing officer Your home is in
Your team leader is Contact details Your area co-ordinator is Contact details
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YOUR HOME Before You Move In Check List Pay one week’s rent in advance and make arrangements for regular repayment If applicable, apply to West Dunbartonshire council for Housing Benefit Contact Utility Companies for Gas and Electricity, give meter readings and set up payments Know how to work your central heating system Arrange contents insurance Connect your phone and internet Register for Council Tax with West Dunbartonshire Council
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YOUR TENANCY What does being a tenant of WDC mean? As a tenant of WDC you gain the right to occupy a property as your home. Your responsibilities are set out in your Tenancy Agreement. Your housing officer will have explained their terms of your Tenancy Agreement, please ask if you have any questions and remember your tenancy agreement is a legally binding document and it is important you understand it.
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YOUR RENT Your annual rent is charged weekly in advance, over 47 weeks and is reviewed annually. We will only review the rent after consulting tenants and registered tenant organisations. The consultation period for reviewing the rent commences in November with any rent increases being notified in March and applicable from April. If we are going to increase you rent, we will give you at least 28 days notice in writing. There are five weeks in the year when you are not charged rent. If your rent is up-to-date, you don’t need to pay anything in the rent-free weeks, this can help tenants with budgeting and saving. If you are behind with your rent, you must continue to pay in these weeks so that the amount you owe is reduced. The rent free weeks are • The first week in April • Two weeks in July • Two weeks over Christmas and New Year
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Y A P O T S Y A W By Standing Order or Direct Debit You can arrange to pay by direct debit or standing order. This means that your rent is paid automatically from your bank account. You can collect a direct debit or standing order form from The Clydebank Town Centre, Sylvania Way South or The One Stop Shop, Mitchell Way, Alexandria or contact Finance at 01389 738 282.
In Person You can use your swipe card at The Clydebank Town Centre Office or One Stop Shop, Mitchell Way, Alexandria by cash, credit or debit card. You can also pay in this way at any Post Office or Paypoint outlet.
By Telephone Call our contact centre on 01389 738 282 or call our automatic telephone service 0845 303 9487 and press no 2, have your 10 digit reference number to hand.
By Internet Go to www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk on right hand corner of the screen you will see the option Pay It, this will take to a menu of items which can be paid online, scroll down until you come to rent.
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WE CAN HELP YOU We know it can be hard finding enough money to go round, but please don’t be tempted to skip a rent payment. We offer a range of support services which will help you manage your money and prevent you getting into debt. If you do have rent arrears, don’t worry we can still help you, but you need to talk to us.
We may be able to give you advice on: 1. Help with repayments; we can get you back on track with an affordable repayment plan. 2. Help with money, welfare advisors can get you on top of debt and help you budget your money. 3. Help with benefits and Universal Credit, you may be entitled to more benefits and we can help you access them. 4. Help with fuel bills, fuel advisors can help you switch to lower tariffs and access low payment plans.
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T N A N E T A S A T YOUR RIGH Full details of your rights are set out in your tenancy agreement. You have a Scottish Secure Tenancy which is legally binding contract between you as the tenant and West Dunbartonshire Council (the landlord). Your tenancy gives you the right to stay in your home for as long as you want, as long as you do not break the terms of the tenancy agreement. Your tenancy can only come to an end, if you die, you give 28 days notice to terminate the tenancy or by West Dunbartonshire Council gaining an eviction order from the Court. If you have any problems paying your rent or any problems with your home please contact your housing officer who will be happy to discuss matters with you. If you don’t engage with us, we may have to seek legal action through the Sheriff Court. Anyone who lives with you, or intends to live with you, can apply to be a joint tenant. We are happy to agree this unless there is good reason not to give our approval. If your relationship with your partner or joint tenant breaks down, you may need to decide who is going to live and take over the tenancy of your home. When tenants are married to each other, they both have a right to the stay in the home, even if it is not a joint tenancy. If there is not a joint tenancy the husband or wife of the tenant has occupancy rights. 17
WHAT HAPPENS IF I ABANDON MY PROPERTY? If it is suspected that you have abandoned your property, housing officer will serve a notice to quit on you, giving you 28 days to respond. During this time we will carry out investigations to find out if you are still staying at your home. If after 28 days, it appears you have abandoned the property, the house will be repossessed by serving a second notice and changing the locks. Please talk to us, we are always here to help you.
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WHAT HAPPENS TO ? E I D I F I Y C N A N E T Y M If a tenant dies, other members of the household may be able to take over the tenancy (known as succession). The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 has made some changes to the right of succession, at the time of writing (December 2016) the changes have not been made in law however the draft guidance from the Scottish Government states that the main change will be that unmarried partners must have lived in the home for at least 12 months before they qualify to succeed the tenancy. Your housing officer can provide you with further information.
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LOOKING AFTER YOUR HOME Maintenance staff and our approved contractors are here to help you and to provide a repair service you are happy with. As your landlord we are responsible for making sure your home is windproof and watertight and we must maintain gas, electricity, water and drainage. We also maintain all common area and facilities in blocks of flats or maisonettes as well as open areas around our properties. The Housing (Scotland ) Act 2001 gives West Dunbartonshire tenants the right to have small urgent repairs carried out within a given timescale. This is called the right to Repair Scheme.
As a tenant, you should • • • • • •
Keep your property clean and in good decorative order. Keep your garden tidy Take precautions to prevent further damage once a repair has been identified and to report it to us promptly. Repair damage caused by you. Maintain appliances you have installed eg a fire, shower or cooker. Report any criminal damage or vandalism to the police.
For further information on repairs refer to the Repair Handbook.
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MEDICAL ADAPTATIONS Tenants who are having mobility problems or who find it difficult to make use of their kitchen or bathroom should contact The Health and Social Care Partnership at West Dunbartonshire Council. An occupational therapist will be able to assess your need for adaptations which could help you live independently in your own home. Please call HSCP for advice. If you live in Dumbarton or Alexandria call 01389 776499 Or 01389811760 if you live in Clydebank.
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CONTENTS INSURANCE As your landlord, WDC have arranged buildings insurance for the structure of your home but you must insure the contents, your personal belongings and decorations. If you don’t insure your belongings you risk having to pay the full cost of repairing or replacing them if they are damaged or stolen. The cost of household insurance is small compared with the cost of replacing all your possessions. It is really important that you have contents insurance in place. You can get an idea on how much this will cost by looking at a price comparison site like www.moneysupermarket.com you will be surprised how affordable contents insurance can be. Please call 01389 737867 should you need further information or wish to arrange low cost household insurance. 22
KEEPING SAFE AND SECURE IN YOUR HOME GAS SAFETY If you smell gas, think you have a gas leak or are worried that fumes containing carbon monoxide are escaping from a gas appliance please call the free National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999.
GAS APPLIANCE SERVICING We have a legal duty to service all our gas appliances and heating systems every year. Our agent, City Technical will contact you before this service is due. It is vital that this service is carried out for 2 reasons to ensure your appliances are safe and to reduce the risk of breakdown. If you have any concerns about your gas appliance please call City Technical on 0844 579 6493.
ELECTRICITY If your electricity goes off, first check if other houses in your area are affected. If you smell burning or unusual smells coming from your appliances or the fuse box switch off the appliance immediately and call emergency repairs available 24 hours 0800 197 1004. If you have a problem with your electrical storage heating please contact 0800 073 8708
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FIRE
Everybody’s home is at risk of fire, so it is important to know how to protect yourself if a fire starts in your home:
• Have an emergency plan on how you would leave your house in the event of fire. • Keep low as the air is cleaner and cooler near the floor. • Never open a door if it is warm to touch.
• If there is a lift, never use in the event of a fire • If your clothing catches fire, stop, drop and roll. • Do not stop for valuables • Remember – get out stay out and dial 999.
To book a free home safety visit call the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Call 0800 0731 999 or visit www.firesscotland.gov.uk 24
KEEPING YOUR HOME SECURE Home security is the best way to reduce your chances of being burgled. Some safety tips to keep your home secure: • Make sure all doors are locked even when you are in the house or garden. • Keep all keys in a safe place and make sure all family members know where they are. • Close and lock all windows and doors when you go out.
• Fit a security chain • Fit a spy hole. • Tell a neighbour if you are going away for a long period. • In order to protect against identity fraud, shred all correspondence which includes your personal data.
• Fix a timer to a light if you are away from your home overnight or during holiday periods. 25
MOVING HOME We understand that your circumstances may change and that you may want to move to another property. This section of the handbook explains your options. TRANSFER If you need more or less bedrooms, you could apply for a larger or smaller house, within West Dunbartonshire Council. Your housing officer can advise you on this.
MUTUAL EXCHANGE A mutual exchange takes place when two tenants want to exchange houses with each other. The website www.homeswapper.co.uk is an online service which holds details of mutual exchanges within West Dunbartonshire and throughout Scotland. A mutual exchange can take place between Scottish secure tenants regardless of location. Council tenants can swap with housing association tenants. Your housing officer is the best person to advise on this process.
RIGHT TO BUY The Right to Buy your council house ended in Scotland on 31 July 2016. The legislation which ended the right to Buy is the Housing (S) Act 2014. Council tenants therefore can no longer buy their home. 26
CHECKLIST FOR ENDING YOUR TENANCY Give 28 days notice in writing if you want to end your tenancy. An email is fine. Receive written agreement Arrange a maintenance inspection Re-direct mail Provide final meter readings Arrange to have your phone and internet disconnected. Contact Council Tax and provide information on date you will move and your new address Clear out your home Return keys to your local housing office before 10am on the last Monday of your tenancy Provide West Dunbartonshire Council with a forwarding address.
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COMMENTS, COMPLAINTS AND COMPLIMENTS We aim to get things right first time. However, despite our best intentions and efforts, problems may arise from time to time. We want to know about this so we can put it right and make sure it does not happen again. If you are dissatisfied with our services, you may want to make a complaint. In the first instance, you can raise a complaint with any member of staff, who will try and resolve your complaint straight away. If for some reason you are not happy with the outcome, please ask how to complain to a senior manager. 28
If you do not wish to complain to the Service Area you may feel more comfortable calling the Customer Relations Team on 01389 738 273 or fill in an online complaint form which you can find on West Dunbartonshire website. The easiest way to find this is to google West Dunbartonshire complaint form. Or you can email customer.relations@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Or write to
Customer Relations West Dunbartonshire council 3 Aurora House Queens Quay Clydebank G81 1BF
If you are still unhappy you can complain to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman by phone, post or email. Phone 0800 377 7330 Email www.spso.org.uk/contact-us
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION AWARDS
If you have had a great service from any West Dunbartonshire Council staff you can nominate any of our staff, project or team for an employee recognition award. For further information please email communications@west-dunbarton.gov.uk or call 01389 738282
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USEFUL WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL PHONE NUMBERS General Housing Enquiries Homeless Emergency Reporting a Repair
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01389 738 282 0800 197 1004 ( 24 hours) 0800 073 8708 (8.30-4.15pm)
Reporting a Repair (24 hours)
0800 197 1004
Gas Heating Repairs (City Technical)
0844 579 6493
Council Tax
01389 737 444
ASB Helpline
01389 772048
Grass cutting
01389 608412
Environmental Health
01389 738 290
Litter hotline
01389 772 059
Pest Control
01389 738 282
Caretaking Service
01389 738 282
IF YOU NEED HELP OR ADVICE THE FOLLOWING CONTACTS MAY BE ABLE TO HELP
Citizens Advice Bureau Drop in service or call Dumbarton Alexandria Clydebank
01389 744690 01389 752727 0141 4357590
Opening hours 9.30am – 3.00pm. Clydebank has a twilight service Thursday 4pm -6pm, by appointment only.
Shelter Shelter offers housing advice for everyone. Phone an advisor on 0808 800 4444 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday
Women’s Aid Local office Dumbarton Clydebank Domestic abuse helpline
01389 751036 0141 9528118 0800 027 1234
Police Scotland Non-emergencies 101 Emergency 999
Working4U Can assist with a variety of issues that could help with tenancy sustainment. Contact on Mon – Friday 9am – 4pm
01389 738296 31
Housing and Employability West Dunbartonshire Council Council Offices Garshake Road Dumbarton G82 3PU Tel. 01389 737149 www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk
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