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Your livin home guideA guide to the services provided by livin.
14 A guide to getting involved 1 - 4
16 A guide to moving on 1 - 3
18 Useful contacts 1 - 3
11 A guide to aids and adaptations 1 - 5
12A guide to managing and improving your neighbourhood and communities 1 - 5
13 A guide to tackling antisocial behaviour 1 - 3
17 A guide to ending your tenancy 1 - 3
15 A guide to giving feedback on our services 1 - 5
1 Introduction 1
5 A guide to reporting repairs 1 - 6
6 A guide to gas safety 1 - 5
8 A guide to Legionella control 1 - 2
2 A guide to your tenancy - rights and responsibilities 1 - 7
3 A guide money matters, paying your rent and debt advice 1 - 3
4 A guide to taking care of your home 1 - 4
10 A guide to understanding tenants improvements 1 - 3
9 A guide to dampness & condensation 1 - 3
A guide to asbestos 1 - 57
Contents
You, our tenants, are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to providing you with excellent services and ensuring you can choose to have a say in how we develop your services in the future.
This guide provides a range of interesting and helpful information; it will act as a useful reference guide to living in your home and community. We want you to be settled in your home and make a success of your tenancy.
We provide an “On the phone and in your home” service which means that our teams are on hand to offer advice and support at a time, and location, convenient for you.
Once again, welcome to livin and I hope you find this guide helpful and interesting. Please contact us if you have any questions about your home or the services we provide.
Colin Steel Chief Executive of livin
Welcome to yourlivin home guide
1
2A guide to your tenancy - rights and responsibilities
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
2
IntroductionYour tenancy agreement is a very important
legal document which you should keep safe. It
includes the rights and responsibilities you have
as a tenant and the rights and responsibilities we
have as your landlord.
When you accepted your home you signed a
tenancy agreement. Your tenancy agreement will
be either an “Assured (non-shorthold) tenancy”,
or an “Assured (shorthold) tenancy (starter
tenancy)” or a “Fixed term tenancy” and will be
clearly identified on your tenancy agreement.
As an assured tenant you have the right to live in
your home for as long as you wish, provided that
you keep to the terms of the tenancy agreement.
If you are not going to be living in your home for
any length of time, we need to know. You may
be going into hospital for example, and we need
to know how to get in touch with you and who
will be looking after your home while you are
away.
Brief details of the types of tenancy we use are
noted below.
Types of tenancy
n Transferring assured tenancies
n Assured (non-shorthold) tenancies
n Assured (shorthold) tenancy
(starter tenancy)
n Demoted tenancies
n Fixed term probationary tenancy
n Fixed term tenancy
Transferring assured tenancyIf you were a tenant of Sedgefield Borough
Council at the time of the stock transfer, you have
the same tenancy agreement as an Assured (non-
shorthold) tenant (see paragraph below). However,
you will retain the protected “Right to Buy” your
home that existed at the time of the transfer.
Assured (non-shorthold) tenancyThis is a standard tenancy agreement. It allows
you to stay in your home for as long as you keep
to the conditions of the tenancy agreement.
We will give Assured (non-shorthold) tenancy
agreements to new tenants who have transferred
from another Registered Provider or Local
Authority, and to those tenants who have held
an Assured (shorthold) tenancy (starter tenancy),
with us for 12 months, unless they have broken
the tenancy conditions.
Fixed term tenancyA tenancy is for a predefined fixed period of
time (minimum of five years). Such tenancies will
normally only be offered where a property is let
on an affordable rent basis. The following factors
will apply when making a decision about offering
and/or extending a fixed term tenancy:
n livin reserves the right to issue the most
appropriate type of tenancy to take account
2A guide to your tenancy - rights and responsibilities
3
of the individual circumstance of the
applicant to ensure it would not have an
adverse effect on the tenant or wider
community
n Fixed term tenancies will normally
be extended, if the tenant’s household
circumstances have not changed
n Where a tenant does not have their fixed
term tenancy extended they will have the
right to appeal the decision in accordance
with an agreed procedure
n When a fixed term tenancy is not extended,
advice and assistance will be provided that
fully considers the housing options available
to the household
Assured (shorthold) starter or probationary tenancyIf you are a new tenant and have not transferred
from another Registered Provider or Local
Authority, we will give you an Assured (shorthold)
tenancy (starter tenancy) agreement or a Fixed
term probationary tenancy. The agreement
lasts for 12 months. If there have not been any
problems with the conduct of your tenancy, we
will convert you to an Assured (non-shorthold)
tenancy or a fixed term tenancy after those
12 months.
If you break the tenancy conditions, we may
take legal action against you which could lead
to you losing your home. This could be because
of unpaid rent, nuisance problems, moving out
of the property without telling us or if you are
neglecting the property. We may also extend
your starter or Probationary tenancy for a period
of six months.
If you are an Assured (shorthold) tenant (starter
tenant) you will not have the following rights:
n Right to make improvements
n Right to compensation for eligible
improvements
n Right to exchange
n Right to acquire
n Right to take in lodgers and sub-let part of
your home
Demoted tenancyShould an assured tenant cause antisocial
behaviour, the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003,
enables us to demote Assured tenancies to
Assured (shorthold) tenancies (starter tenancies),
for a period of 12 months.
At any time during this period of demotion the
tenancy can be brought to an end. If no action is
taken during the demotion period the tenancy
will become a fully assured (non-shorthold)
tenancy after 12 months.
If you are unsure, or would like further
information concerning your tenancy, please
contact your Communities Team.
4
Your rightsRight to take in lodgers and sub-let part of your homeYou may take in lodgers as long as you do not
grant a sub-tenancy or exceed the number of
people allowed to live in your home.
As long as you first get our written consent, you
may sub-let part of your home. We may give
consent subject to reasonable conditions. You
must not grant a sub-tenancy of the whole of
your home.
Right to make improvements to your homeYou may make improvements, alterations and
additions to your home, including external
decoration, fixtures and fittings, as long as
you get our written permission and all other
necessary approvals (for example, planning
permission or building regulations approval)
beforehand.
If in doubt, please ask us first. When you move
out we may ask you to pay the cost of putting
right any alterations you have made to the
property without our permission.
Right to compensation for eligible improvementsIf you carry out certain improvements to your
home and then your tenancy ends, you may be
entitled to some compensation towards the costs
of these improvements. This will be explained
further at the time you apply for permission to
carry out the work.
Right to exchangeYou can exchange this tenancy for another
assured tenancy of a Registered Provider or
secure tenant of a Local Authority subject to first
getting our written consent.
Right to consultation
We will consult you on matters affecting your
home and your tenancy.
Right to informationYou have a right to information from us about the
terms of your tenancy. For further details please
refer to your tenancy agreement.
Right to buyIf you were a tenant of Sedgefield Borough
Council at the time your home was transferred
to us, and you live in a general needs home (this
is a property that is not for elderly or disabled
people), then you may have a preserved right
to buy. This means you may be able to buy your
home at a discounted price.
Right to acquireIf you don’t have the preserved right to buy, then
you may still qualify to buy your home through
the right to acquire scheme.
2A guide to your tenancy - rights and responsibilities
5
Right of succession – the right to pass on your tenancyIf you are an assured (non-shorthold) tenant, your
husband, wife or civil partner may have the right
to take over the tenancy when you die, as long as
you were not a successor to the tenancy yourself.
This is called “the right of succession.”
If you are unmarried or widowed, or if your
partner does not claim the tenancy when you
die and there has not already been a succession,
we may be prepared to give this right to another
close member of your family. They must have
been living with you for over 12 months before
your death.
By law a tenancy can only be succeeded once.
This means that if your tenancy was passed to
you when someone died, it cannot be passed
on again when you die. However, in certain
circumstances we may pass the tenancy to your
sons, daughters or other close relatives who have
always lived with you. If a property has been
specially built or adapted for a disabled person
and where there is nobody in the household who
needs these features after you die, we may offer
more suitable alternative accommodation to
anyone still living in your home.
The right to assign your tenancyPassing your tenancy to someone else while
you are alive is called assignment. In certain
circumstances you may be able to assign your
tenancy to another person who is living with you
and who would qualify to take over the tenancy.
This will depend on the circumstances and the
type of tenancy agreement you have. We will
normally only agree to an assignment if the
person would have been entitled to “succeed”
to the tenancy, (see the previous section on
succession).
If there has already been an assignment or a
succession, legally there are no further rights
to take over the tenancy. However, in certain
circumstances we may pass the tenancy to your
sons, daughters or other close relatives who have
always lived with you.
You cannot pass your tenancy to someone else
if you leave your home because, by leaving, you
will no longer be an assured tenant.
6
ResponsibilitiesYour responsibilities as a tenantYour main responsibilities are:
n To pay your rent and other charges when due
n To use the property as your main home
n To insure your personal belongings, furniture
and decorations against fire, theft, vandalism
or burst pipes
n To keep the property and garden areas in a
clean and tidy condition
n To ask our permission before carrying out any
alterations or improvements to the property
n To have our consent in writing before sub-
letting part of the property
n To make sure that you, your family, or any
friends or visitors to the property, do not cause
nuisance or harass your neighbours or anyone
living or working in the area
n To allow our employees, contractors or agents
acting on our behalf access to your home
at reasonable times and subject to reasonable
notice, particularly in relation to the servicing
of gas appliances
Our responsibilities to youWe will:
n Let you live in your home for as long as you
want to, as long as you keep to the conditions
of your tenancy
n We will carry out any important repairs to your
home – please see the “Repairs” section of
your handbook
n Let you know about any changes we want to
make to your tenancy agreement or changes
to the services we provide
n Listen to your views about any proposed
changes and give you at least four weeks’
notice before any changes start
n We will insure the structure of your home, but
not the contents (you are responsible for
insuring your personal belongings)
2A guide to your tenancy - rights and responsibilities
7
Home contents insuranceTenants are responsible for insuring their
personal belongings, furniture and decorations
against fire, theft, vandalism or burst pipes.
To make it easier for our tenants to get home
contents insurance, we have negotiated a Home
Contents Insurance scheme designed specifically
for our tenants.
You can insure the contents of your home in an
easy and affordable way. The benefits of the
scheme include:
n No hidden costs
n Cover for theft and loss of keys
n New for old cover (except clothing and
household linen where an allowance for wear
and tear is deducted)
n Easy payments weekly, fortnightly, monthly
or annually
For full details of the scheme, please contact us.
Buildings insuranceThis covers the structure of your home. As your
landlord we are responsible for insuring all its
buildings including your home.
Further informationIf you have any questions about your tenancy,
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111
2344 if using a mobile.
3A guide to money matters, paying your rent and debt advice
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
2
IntroductionWe have introduced this chapter to help you
manage your finances. Paying your rent is
important. It is a condition set out in your tenancy
agreement that rent and/or other charges
(including water rates) must be paid on time.
Failure to do so will result in action being taken
against you, which could ultimately result in us
recovering possession of your home through the
County Court.
It is rarely too late to seek help – if your account
is in arrears or if you think you will be unable to
pay your next rent payment, contact the Home
Support Team to arrange a repayment plan or
speak to a Financial Inclusion Officer.
Ways we can helpWe can help to make sure that you are claiming
all of the benefits that you are entitled to, how
to deal with debt and maximise your income.
One thing to remember about claiming benefits
is that the sooner you claim the sooner you can
‘benefit’; not all benefit claims can be backdated.
The Financial Inclusion Team will help and
support you in maximising your income and
prioritising your debt, we also work in partnership
with Citizens Advice Bureau and can refer you for
confidential and free debt and money advice if
you have debt problems. You can be referred to
other agencies, if specialist advice is needed.
Payment optionsWe offer a number of different ways to help make
paying your rent as easy as possible. You can pay:
n By Direct Debit. This is the easiest and
most convenient way to pay your rent. We
offer a choice of three payment dates to suit
monthly or weekly payments. Contact us on
0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if using a
mobile
n By Standing Order, either weekly or
monthly
n Online at livin.co.uk
n We can also issue payment cards so that
you can pay at over sixty local outlets
including Post Offices, and all over the UK.
Look for the Paypoint sign
n By phone. Our payment line is available
24 hours a day, seven days a week on
01388 814704. You will need your tenancy
number and your credit or debit
card details
n By post. Simply send your payment (we
advise you not to send cash) to livin,
Farrell House, Arlington Way, DurhamGate,
Spennymoor, County Durham, DL16 6NL
with a note telling us your name, address
and tenancy number and we will send you a
receipt. Please make cheques payable
to livin
3A guide to money matters, paying your rent and debt advice
3
ContactsFor more information about any of the above
payment methods, please contact the Home
Support Team on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
If you are having difficulty paying your rent,
it is important to contact your Payment
Improvements Advisor at the earliest opportunity.
You may be entitled to claim Housing Benefit to
help with your rent payments. To find out, you
can make an online claim by visiting the Durham
County Council website at durham.gov.uk
Further informationIf you have any questions about your rent, please
contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if
using a mobile.
Further information relating to your rent can also
be found on our website at livin.co.uk
2
Introduction This chapter explains your responsibilities for
looking after your home.
As a general rule we are responsible for the
structure of your home along with the plumbing,
heating and electrics.
We will maintain the components of your home
when they require it and will carry out necessary
repairs, but you also share the responsibility with
us for taking care of your home.
Reporting repairsYou are responsible for reporting a repair when
one is needed. This should be done promptly
and you should take reasonable precautions to
prevent further damage until we arrive to carry
out the repair.
Allowing us access to your homeWe will need to be able to access your home
from time to time to allow us to carry out
important maintenance work.
If you have a heating appliance, we need to
access your home each year to carry out a safety
check. These checks are important as they ensure
that your fixtures and fittings are safe and help
to prevent these appliances from breaking down
which could leave you without heating and hot
water.
Once a repair has been reported, quite often
we will need to be inside your home to carry out
the necessary work. You can help us by agreeing
suitable access arrangements.
If suitable access cannot be arranged for us to
carry out repairs, we may decide to exercise our
rights as a landlord to gain entry to your home
to carry out the repair. This will depend on the
nature of the repair, considering Health and
Safety matters and the risk of further damage
being caused to your home and adjoining
properties.
We will also need access to your home to carry
out various types of surveying work. We need to
carry out these surveys to determine our future
planned work programmes, to check that your
home is safe and also to ensure that our property
records are accurate.
Emergency accessThere may be circumstances where we need to
gain access to your home urgently; for example a
sudden flood or a gas leak. If you are unavailable,
we will make attempts to contact you, however,
we may need to force entry without your
permission. In these circumstances we will involve
the emergency services, leave your home secure,
and leave contact details for when you return.
4A guide to taking care of your home
3
Keeping your home in reasonable conditionTo keep your home in a reasonable condition you
will need to carry out some regular maintenance
work.
Activities such as window cleaning, sweeping and
weeding garden paths, keeping drainage grates
clear of debris, removing rubbish and gardening
not only keep your home clean but can also help
to keep your home safe for you and your family.
Keeping your house warm can help prevent
pipes from freezing and bursting in the winter.
Operating extractor fans and opening windows
can also reduce the occurrence of condensation.
Repairing deliberate or accidental damageYou are responsible for the repair or replacement
of damage caused to your property by you, your
family, visitors or even your pets. These repairs
should be made using suitable materials and
should be carried out to a standard, matching
the original condition.
We may carry out this repair for you, but you will
be charged for this service.
Reporting criminal damageIf someone damages or vandalises your home,
and you do not want to be held responsible, you
must report the matter to the police, obtain a
crime reference number and cooperate with the
police during their investigation.
If we are required to repair this damage, we may
decide to recharge you for this service.
Internal decorationYou are responsible for the decoration of all
internal walls, ceilings and woodwork. This
includes the filling of minor cracks and holes
before you redecorate.
TV aerialsWe will only maintain communal systems.
The maintenance of aerials and satellite dishes
is your responsibility.
Minor repairsSome repairs are your responsibility and we will
not carry out the repairs on the following list;
n Adjusting doors after the fitting of
new carpets
n Clearing blocked bath, basin, sink or toilet
(unless a blocked drain)
n Replacing plugs to bath, basin or sink
n Repairs to toilet seats
n Repairs to door bells (unless part of door
entry systems)
n Repairs to clothes posts and clothes lines
n Plumbing of washing machines or
dishwashers
n Installation/disconnection of cookers and
other electrical appliances
4
n Electrical plugs, fuses, light bulbs,
fluorescent tubes
n Installation of additional
bolts or locks to external doors,
outbuildings, gates and so on.
Replacement of lost or stolen keysWe do not keep spare keys so if you lose them,
you will need to replace them. We can change
locks, but we will charge you for this service.
Maintenance of your own fixtures and fittingsYou are responsible for the repair, replacement
and servicing of any fixture, fitting or appliance
that you have added to your home, including
outdoor sheds.
You are also responsible for the repair and
replacement of any improvement or alteration
that you have made to your home (unless we
have an agreement to maintain it for you).
Testing of smoke and carbon monoxide detectorsWe will repair defective smoke and carbon
monoxide detectors. We will also carry out
annual function testing of these alarms, cleaning
them and ensuring that they are in good working
order.
You are responsible for checking the operation
of these alarms on a weekly basis. This can be
done by pressing the test button. If batteries
are required, you are responsible for their
replacement.
In the event of a fire or the occurrence of carbon
monoxide, these devices will give you and your
family precious seconds to escape serious injury
or even death.
County Durham handypersonThis scheme is run by Three Rivers Housing
Association’s Care and Repair department.
The service can help with small scale jobs for
residents of County Durham who are over 60,
disabled, victims of crime, at high risk of falling or
who are vulnerable in other ways.
If you feel that you meet these criteria and you
need a job carried out that does not come within
livin’s responsibility please ring 0191 375 3705 or
email: [email protected]
Further informationIf you have any questions about your caring for
your home please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
4A guide to taking care of your home
2
Introduction This chapter explains what you should do when
your home needs a repair, and how we will
respond.
We are committed to making sure that we
provide you with a high quality, efficient and
effective repairs service.
Some repairs may be your responsibility. If you
are unsure if we are responsible for the work that
needs doing, please refer to our leaflet ‘Taking
care of your home’.
Reporting repairsYou are responsible for reporting a repair when
one is needed. This should be done promptly
and you should take reasonable precautions to
prevent further damage until we arrive to carry
out the repair. For example place a bucket under
leaks.
When you report a repair, you will need to give
the following information:
n A description of the problem and where it is
n Your name and address, including the
postcode
n Telephone numbers where we can contact
you (home and/or work)
n Details of how to get into your home
(if necessary)
Telephone
You can report your repair by telephoning the
following numbers:
0800 587 4538 (free from a landline) or
0300 111 2344 (cheaper from mobiles – charges
vary depending on your network)
Online You can also report your repair 24 hours a day
and seven days a week by using our ‘Locator’
system.
We have introduced this system to make it easy
for you to report your repairs online. All you have
to do is point and click on the diagram of the
item you need repairing and it will identify what
the problem is and order the correct repair for
you.
It also gives you the opportunity to tell us when
you will be in, so that we can make a suitable
appointment, which will then be emailed to you.
You can also email us with repair queries at
In writingYou can also contact us by letter. Please
remember to include all of the relevant
information which we will need to make you
an appointment, and to enable us to send the
appropriate tradesperson.
5A guide to reporting repairs
3
Your repairs informationAfter contacting us about a repair you will be
given a job reference number and telephone
numbers to call if you want to check on the
progress of your repair.
Depending on the type of repair you need, you
should also be given an appointment.
If you prefer to check the progress of your repair
online, you need to be registered for our Online
Services facility. To register, please visit our
website and click on the tab ‘about your home’.
Once you have registered we will send you an
activation code in the post and then you will be
free to view the services and accounts you want,
when you choose.
Out of hours repairsIf you have an emergency repair to report out of
normal working hours, you can contact us using
the following telephone numbers:
0800 917 1773 (freephone number) or
0300 111 2344 (cheaper from mobiles – charges
vary depending on your network)
This service is for emergencies only so please
only ring if you have a genuine emergency repair.
The out of hours emergency service only deals
with very urgent work, not jobs that can safely be
left until normal working hours. The call centre
staff will determine whether your request is an
emergency.
If your repair is not an emergency, the call centre
staff will offer you appropriate advice about how
to deal with your problem or will arrange for
someone to call during normal working hours.
You may also be asked to help resolve or make
safe an emergency yourself, such as turning
off the water supply, and it is therefore always
useful to know the location of certain essential
items, for example your boiler (please note
the manufacturer’s name), fuse box, gas meter,
electric meter, water stop tap and water tanks.
When the out of hours team are required to
respond, they will complete a repair in full
whenever possible, but in some situations a
‘make safe’ or temporary repair will be carried
out. Please do not expect the job to be done
fully during emergency hours.
If a ‘make safe’ or temporary repair has been
carried out, we will arrange for a permanent
repair to be completed within normal working
hours.
Our trained staff are ready to deal with all
emergencies such as:
n Total loss of electrical power
n Unsafe power or lighting socket
n Serious leaks in water systems which cannot
be contained
n Serious roof leaks which cannot be
contained
4
n Gas leaks
n Security of property e.g. fixing locks,
boarding up
n Gain entry to a property (if due to loss of
keys, this will be a rechargeable repair)
n Failure of a stair lift (e.g. where tenant
cannot access facilities
n Heating failures involving vulnerable people
The two hour target for attending to an
emergency can only be adhered to if sufficient
resources are available to carry out the work,
for example during times of extreme weather
conditions it is unlikely that sufficient resources
would be available to respond to every
emergency at the same time.
Emergency out of hours calls are expensive to
the organisation and if you abuse the system we
may charge you for the visit to your home.
Repair prioritiesWhen you report a repair it is placed into one
of two categories; a repair with an appointment
time or a repair that requires a pre-inspection:
Repairs - Attended to by appointment
This category is for repairs which can be clearly
diagnosed over the telephone and which are not
emergency repairs. Our customer services team
will make a mutually agreed appointment with
you for the repair to be carried out.
Pre-inspected repairs - Attended to by appointmentWhere a repair cannot be diagnosed clearly over
the telephone, we will carry out an inspection
to determine the extent of the repair required.
Our customer services team will make a mutually
agreed appointment with you for an inspection
to be carried out, and our inspector will inform
you of what action we will be taking. Customer
services will be advised of the necessary repairs,
and an appointment will be made with you for
the work to be carried out.
Allowing us access to your homeOnce a repair has been reported, we will need
access to your home to carry out the necessary
work. You can help us by agreeing suitable
appointments and by informing us in advance if
these arrangements are no longer suitable.
Prior to the appointment please make sure
that our repairs team have access to the area in
which they will be working. This will involve you
removing any of your fixtures and fittings that
may get in the way.
You should also take reasonable steps to protect
your personal belongings, for example, lift your
carpets, move items of furniture and store any
fragile or breakable possessions well away from
the workplace.
5A guide to reporting repairs
5
Text aheadBefore an appointment takes place, if we have
your contact telephone number we will send you
a text message to remind you that we are coming
to carry out the repair. This will give you a further
opportunity to contact us if the appointment is
no longer suitable. To enable us to provide this
service, please ensure that we have an up to date
telephone number.
Missed appointmentsOnce an appointment has been made with you
to carry out a repair, you need to arrange for
yourself or another adult to be present for the
duration of the works. The delivery of a repairs
service is expensive, and we cannot afford to
make multiple visits to your home in order to
carry out a repair. If you abuse the system we may
charge you for the visit to your home.
Quality assuranceWe could ask you to let us check the work done
in your home. If we do, please let us in to do this,
as it will help ensure the works are carried out to
a high standard.
We may also ring you to enquire about your
satisfaction with repairs. Your feedback is helpful
to us as it can be used to improve the services
that we provide.
SecurityAlways ask to see the identity card of anyone who
calls at your home to carry out repairs and claims
to work for livin. All staff carries identification
cards. If you are unsure, do not let them into your
home and contact us for advice.
Emergency situationsIn an emergency, we may need to enter your
home if we believe that a situation could cause
personal injury, cause serious damage to your
home or damage a neighbouring home. If this
situation occurs, we will make every effort to
contact you.
Rechargeable repairsPaying for the repairsYou don’t have to pay for things that have been
damaged by fair wear and tear. If there is a
doubt about how the damage happened we will
come and check the problem before we make a
decision. We will also decide whether to take any
further action because; if you have caused the
damage then you have also broken your tenancy
agreement.
6
Charges We only charge you for the work if the damage
is caused deliberately, an accident or by neglect.
We will not ask you to pay if the damage has
been caused by fair wear and tear or because of
the age of the property or installation.
If your repair is rechargeable we will let you know
how much you will have to pay and you will be
asked to sign an ‘acceptance for recharge’ form
before we agree to do the work.
Once the work is completed we will send you a
bill. If you want time to pay the money we can
make an agreement to collect it in instalments.
If the bill is not paid, or the payment of the
instalments maintained, we could take legal
action to recover the debt.
You should know that outstanding debt may also
prevent you transferring to another one of our
homes.
RefusalsYou can refuse to have this work done, but NOT
if the damage poses a health and safety issue
or risks further damage being caused to your
home. In these circumstances, we may decide to
exercise our rights as a landlord to gain entry to
your home to carry out the repair.
You can choose to do the work yourself, but
we must be allowed to come and check that
the work has been completed to an acceptable
standard. If the work is not to an acceptable
standard we will carry out the work for you and
recharge you for the costs.
Termination of your tenancyIf you terminate your tenancy we will carry out
a survey of your home. If there is any damage
identified we will seek to recover the repair costs.
If necessary, we may use legal action to recover
the monies owed.
Further informationIf you have any questions about the repairs
service, please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
5A guide to reporting repairs
2
IntroductionThis chapter explains the gas safety service. By
law we must ensure that all of our homes that
have a gas supply have an annual gas safety
check. The gas safety check that we carry out
is very important, as it will ensure that our gas
appliances and fittings are safe to use and we
will carry out a visual check to your own gas
appliances (cookers and fires) while we are in
your property. This ensures that your gas fixtures
and fittings are safe. All safety checks are free of
charge.
The dangers of carbon monoxideEvery year, approximately 50 people die in the
UK from carbon monoxide poisoning caused
by gas appliances and flues that have not been
properly fitted or maintained.
When gas does not burn properly, it produces
poisonous carbon monoxide. You can’t see it.
You can’t taste it. You can’t even smell it. Carbon
monoxide can kill without warning in just a matter
of hours.
The early symptoms of carbon monoxide
poisoning include tiredness, drowsiness,
headache and pains in the chest and stomach.
You are at risk of this if:
n Your gas appliances are not working
properly
n Your gas appliances have not been checked
for safety or maintained regularly
n There is not enough fresh air in your room
(do not block air bricks or other vents)
n Your chimney or flue is blocked
n You have allowed unqualified people to
install or maintain your gas appliances.
Accessing your homeMaking appointments with youAt least 10 working days before we carry out
the annual gas safety check we will give you an
appointment. If this appointment is inconvenient,
please contact us on freephone 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 (cheaper from mobiles – charges
vary) and we will rearrange it to a time that suits
you better.
If you are unavailable during normal working
hours, we will make you a special appointment
on an evening or on a weekend.
If you cannot keep your appointment, please
let us know in advance. If you do not, our costs
increase and our time is wasted.
Text aheadIf we have your contact telephone number we will
send you a text message to remind you that we
are coming to carry out the gas safety check. This
will give you a further opportunity to contact us if
the appointment is no longer suitable. To enable
us to provide this service, please ensure that we
have an up to date telephone number for you.
6A guide to gas safety
3
Failing to allow us accessDespite the importance of gas safety checks, a small number of our tenants do not allow our gas engineers access to their home.
Failure to allow access for the annual gas safety check to be completed is a breach of your tenancy agreement and you may be charged the cost of any missed appointments.
If you do not allow us access you will receive a warning card from the gas engineer.
If you fail to allow us access for a second appointment you will receive a further warning card from the engineer.
If a further appointment is not kept you will receive a final warning card and if you still fail to allow the gas safety check to be completed after receiving these cards, your details will be passed to the Support and Intervention Team for legal action to be taken.
This could result in you losing your home!
What happens during a gas safety check?During the gas safety check we will service and repair all the gas appliances that we own. We will also carry out a visual inspection your own appliances, such as your cooker, and list any faults. You can then arrange any necessary repairs.
We will also check that all of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are clean and are working correctly. If any of your detectors are not working properly then we will
repair or replace them for you free of charge.
If you haven’t got a smoke detector or carbon
monoxide detector fitted already, then we will fit
one for you free of charge.
We will explain the gas safety certificate, send
out by post two to three days after the service a
copy of the certificate and tell you what we will
do next if any extra work is needed.
The gas safety check will only take up around one
hour of your time to complete. We will protect
the areas where we work with dustsheets and our
engineers will clear up any mess that is made.
This work could save you money as it will ensure
that our gas appliance(s) are in good working
order.
Any problems with our gas appliances during the
period between annual gas safety checks should
be reported to our customer service centre
immediately by calling 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
Gas Safe RegisterGas Safe Register is the new Governing body
responsible for ensuring that all our gas
engineers are qualified and competent to work in
your home.
The Gas Safe Register scheme came into effect
on 1 April 2009 and is administered by the
Health and Safety Executive. By law anyone who
works with gas has to be registered with the Gas
Safe Register and should carry photographic
registration cards as proof of this.
4
Always remember to check the engineer’s
registration card before allowing them to carry
out work on your gas appliances. All our gas
engineers are registered with the Gas Safe
Register.
For more information on the Gas Safe Register
visit their website at gassaferegister.co.uk
How will I know the work has been done correctly?We only employ qualified staff to carry out
this work and you will be given a copy of the
Landlord’s Gas Safety record. We will also check
a sample of works done to make sure it is carried
out to a very high standard.
We may ask you to let us or a contractor working
on our behalf to check the work done in your
home. If we do, please let us in to do this, as it
will help ensure the work has been carried out to
a high standard.
Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectorsMost of our homes are fitted with smoke
detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. In
the event of a fire or the occurrence of carbon
monoxide, these devices will give you and your
family precious seconds to escape serious injury
or even death.
We will check that these detectors are in good
working order during the annual gas safety check,
however, you should ensure that you test them
on a weekly basis by pressing the ‘test’ button. If
you are elderly or disabled, ask a relative, friend
or neighbour to do it for you.
Under no circumstances should you disconnect
or remove batteries from smoke or carbon
monoxide detectors.
What should I do if I smell gas? Turn off your gas supply immediately. Find the
lever next to your meter and move it one quarter
of the way round, either right or left, until the gas
stops.
Once the gas has been turned off, open the
windows and doors to let in plenty of fresh air.
Do not turn any electrical switches on or off, light
matches or lighters, or smoke.
Immediately ring the National Gas Emergency
Service on 0800 111 999. They will come to your
home and make it safe.
If the engineer from the National Gas Emergency
Service tells you something in your home
needs to be repaired, call our contact centre
on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 (cheaper
from mobiles) and we will arrange for one of our
engineers to call.
If you believe you may have suffered from any
symptoms related to carbon monoxide poisoning
visit your GP or the hospital at the earliest
opportunity.
6A guide to gas safety
5
Stay safe n Never use a gas appliance if you think it
is not working properly. Signs to look out
for include yellow or orange flames, soot or
stains around the appliance and pilot lights
which frequently blow out.
n Never cover an appliance or block the
convection air vents
n Never block or obstruct any fixed ventilation
grills or airbricks
n Never block or cover outside flues
Further informationIf you have any questions about gas safety,
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile, or the gas
servicing team at Mears Ltd. on 0845 602 5983.
2
What is asbestos?Asbestos is a fibrous material that is made
from a group of natural materials found in
rocks. Large amounts of asbestos-containing
materials (ACM’s) were used for a wide range of
construction purposes in new and refurbished
buildings until 1999 when all use of asbestos was
banned.
This means that some homes built or refurbished
before this time may contain asbestos.
When is asbestos a problem?Generally, asbestos is perfectly safe if it is in
good condition and not disturbed or damaged.
However, if asbestos containing materials are in
poor condition or are damaged or disturbed, for
example, drilled, cut or sanded, this can release
fibres into the air. Breathing in these fibres can
cause serious damage to the lungs.
Sound, undisturbed asbestos-containing
materials do not pose a direct health risk but they
should be carefully managed to ensure they are
in good condition and to prevent fibres being
released accidentally.
Where in my home could I find asbestos?Asbestos can be found in many materials
including:
n Roofing sheets, roof slates and tiles
n Roofing felts or lining panels
n Guttering and rainwater pipes
n External wall cladding and panels
n Fascia and soffit boards
n Panels beneath window frames
n Pads fitted beneath stainless-steel sinks
n Cold-water tanks in loft spaces
n Service ducting
n Tiles, slats, canopies and firebreaks
above ceilings
n Internal partitions walls
n Decorative textured coatings
n Panels behind or under heaters
n Panels on or inside fire-resisting doors
n Toilet cisterns
n Bath panels
n Floor tiles and linoleum
*This list is not exhaustive
7A guide to asbestos
3
What do I do if I find asbestos?You can’t tell whether something contains
asbestos simply by looking at it. Often you
can only find out by analysing it in a specialist
laboratory.
If you think any material may contain asbestos
or if you think your home contains damaged
asbestos material, then don’t try and deal with it
yourself, contact us immediately on
0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if using a
mobile.
How do we manage asbestos?We have a legal duty to protect against the
health risks posed by asbestos.
We regularly survey and sample all our empty
properties for any possible asbestos-containing
materials and if we find asbestos containing
materials, we record these on our database.
When planning refurbishment or major repair
work for your home, we will arrange for a survey
to be undertaken before we begin the work, if
there is not a survey already in place.
A specialist surveyor from the asbestos surveying
company we use will make an appointment with
you to come and do the survey. They may need
to take samples from your home for testing.
We need to know what asbestos-containing
material may be in your home before starting any
building work. If you don’t allow the surveyor into
your home, this could delay the planned work.
What if asbestos is found in my home?If we find some asbestos-containing material that
has been identified as high risk, we will remove it
immediately using licensed contractors.
If the asbestos-containing material carries a much
lower risk, we will:
n remove (if appropriate) when we do any
major building work to your home, or
n seal and bond the material to stop it
releasing fibres.
If the material is in good condition, sealed and
not exposed, and so unlikely to break up, we will
record its type and where it is.
We share our surveys with all of our contractors
so they are aware of the presence of asbestos
and will take this into account before they start
any work.
We will also inform you about the presence of
asbestos in your home after a survey has been
conducted, we will also inform you if no asbestos
is present.
If asbestos containing material has been found
within your home from time to time we will
arrange with you to re-inspect the material.
7A guide to asbestos
4
Frequently asked questionsWhat are the health risks?Asbestos-containing materials can cause serious
illness, including some forms of cancer. Often it
takes many years for the disease to show itself.
There is asbestos-containing material in my home, why not remove it straight away?Disturbing asbestos-containing materials that
are in good condition may produce dust and
increase health risks. We survey homes to find
out whether there are asbestos-containing
materials, we also check their condition. Materials
in good condition do not cause health problems.
If we find materials in poor condition, we will
consider removing them or sealing them.
However, when we need to do building work
on your home, disturbing asbestos may be
unavoidable. If so, we would look at how we
could safely remove the material.
I may have disturbed or damaged some asbestos containing materials in my home - what should I do?Contact our Building Health and Safety Team
on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if using a
mobile and we will arrange to have the material
inspected and assessed. We will then decide
what needs to be done to make it safe.
I’ve been told my decorative wall coating (Artex) contains asbestos. What is it and is it safe?Decorative coating was widely used in properties
on interior walls and ceilings. Older types of
decorative coating contained a small amount of
asbestos. Decorative coating is safe as long as
it is left alone - it is very hard and is unlikely to
produce dust.
Can I hang a picture on a wall coated with old decorative coating?Tapping in a normal picture hook is not a
problem, but never drill or screw through old
decorative coating as this could create harmful
dust.
Your guide to asbestos in your homeCan I decorate walls and ceilings coated with old decorative coating?You can paint walls and ceilings coated with old
decorative coating, but do not scrape. If you
notice any damaged areas, please contact the
5
Building Health and Safety Team for advice.
Is it OK for tenants to sand off old decorative coating?No, because this could cause large amounts of
harmful dust. Contact us for advice.
Can I repair or re-skim walls or ceilings that are coated with decorative coating?Please contact us for advice.
Can I remove and dispose of plastic floor tiles that contain asbestos?Plastic floor tiles are unlikely to produce much
harmful dust, but you still need to be cautious.
Environmental and Waste Regulations state that
you should transport and dispose of all waste
asbestos safely and properly. We suggest you
contact us for advice before removing floor tiles.
Can I overlay old plastic floor tiles that contain asbestos with another floor covering?Generally, this is OK as long as no sanding or
scraping is involved. Nailing down floor coverings
or gripper rods though the tiles will not produce
harmful dust. If in doubt, contact us for more
advice.
I have noticed some broken pieces of plastic floor tile that I think contain asbestos. Is my health at risk?No, even broken pieces of tile don’t produce
much dust, so there should be little health risk.
But contact us and we will help you dispose of
them safely.
Further informationIf you have any questions about asbestos, please
contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if
using a mobile.
2
Legionella controlLegionella bacteria are found naturally in
water sources. They can multiply in domestic
water systems given the right conditions of
temperature and nutrients. Breathing in or
ingestion of legionella bacteria can cause a form
of pneumonia called legionnaire’s disease, as well
as other less serious illnesses.
We will carry out risk assessments to our housing
stock in line with recommendations determined
by the Health and Safety Executive, Approved
Code of Practice L8.
The risk in domestic properties is very small given
the relative small size of most domestic water
systems and the high throughput.
In our larger premises including sheltered
housing we employ a specialist contractor to
carryout regular assessments and cleansing
to ensure that water hygiene is managed and
maintained.
To avoid the risk of this bacteria forming, the
following regular operations are advised:
n Legionella survives best in water
temperatures of 20 - 45 degrees celsius. It
starts to die if heated to above 50 degrees
celsius. If you have a hot water cylinder
you should ensure that your water
temperature exceeds 60 degrees celsius, by
turning up your cylinder thermostat
n Shower heads and hoses should be
dismantled and descaled every three
months or when the shower rose shows
signs of blocking
n If your taps have not been used more
than once a week the bath, basin, and sink
taps should be run for a minute. Similarly,
the shower hose and rose should be flushed
through in this manner.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Raising the temperature of the warm water
is one way to control Legionella growth,
but could also increase the risk of burns
and scalding. Please take care of the risk of
scalding and burns, especially if you have
children.
Further informationIf you have any questions about Legionella,
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
8A guide to Legionella control
9A guide to understanding dampness and condensation
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
2
Is your home damp?Damp can cause mould on walls and furniture.
Damp housing encourages the growth of mould
and mites and can increase the risk of respiratory
illness.
Some damp is caused by condensation. This
chapter explains how condensation forms and
how you can keep it to a minimum, reducing the
risk of dampness and mould growth.
What is condensation?There is always some moisture in the air, even
if you cannot see it. When the warmer moist air
comes into contact with a cool surface, water
droplets form. This is what happens when your
bathroom mirror steams up.
When this happens on your window, the glass
mists up and drops of water run down the
window. When it happens on a wall, the wall
soaks up the moisture and becomes damp.
Mould could then grow on the damp areas.
Where does condensation come from?Your body produces moisture all the time, when
you breathe and perspire. In fact, the average
person produces 0.85 litres of moisture per day
through breathing alone.
We also put lots of moisture into the air when we
take a bath or shower, cook or wash the dishes.
Moisture is also produced when we dry clothes
indoors or use an unvented tumble dryer.
Bottled gas heaters produce large amounts
of moisture into the air. This moist air travels
through your home and when it comes into
contact with a cool surface it will condense and
turn to water.
Where can it happen?Condensation happens on cold surfaces and in
places where there is little movement of air. It
often appears as a dark patch in corners near the
skirting and on the ceiling.
Areas with poor ventilation can be prone to
condensation. This could be behind furniture;
particularly wardrobes, beds drawers and even
clothing if they have been placed against an
outside wall. Condensation can happen in
any room but it is most likely to occur in your
bathroom, bedrooms and hallway as they are
generally cooler.
Moisture in the form of condensation is most
commonly found in bathrooms and is easily seen
on tiles. To prevent mould, open the window
after bathing or showering, wipe the tiles down
and close the door.
How can the mould be removed?Mould can be easy to remove. You can normally
wipe it off with a disposable cloth using some
household cleaner. There is no need to use
strong chemicals. Wipe over the area again every
few days using diluted household cleaner to stop
the mould growing back. This should become
part of your regular cleaning routine.
9A guide to understanding dampness and condensation
3
How can condensation be prevented?To help reduce the risk of condensation in your
home:
n Keep a window open when drying clothes
indoors; don’t dry clothes over warm
radiators
n Keep the kitchen door closed when cooking
n Keep lids on pots and pans when cooking
n Keep the bathroom door closed when
running a bath and bathing
n Open the bathroom window when finished
bathing
n Don’t overfill cupboards and wardrobes –
make sure air can circulate
n If you have an extractor fan in the kitchen
and bathroom make sure to use it
n If your home has been fitted with a whole
house ventilation system make sure it
remains switched on
n Don’t keep furniture and wardrobes hard
against walls – make sure air can circulate
n Keep your heating on low throughout the
day in cold weather to maintain a
background heat
n Avoid using bottle gas heaters as they
produce a lot of moisture
n Adequately heat and ventilate rooms at risk
n When using an unvented tumble dryer,
make sure the hose is put out the window
or door.
Further informationIf you have any questions about dampness and
condensation, please contact us on
0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
10A guide to understanding tenants improvements
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
2
Getting permission to make alterations or improvements to your homeYou may wish to carry out improvements,
alterations or additions to your home, but you
must always get our written permission before
you start any work. This includes the fixing of a
satellite dish or TV aerial and the erection of a
garden shed, greenhouse or fencing. Please write
to us giving full details of the work you intend to
carry out, or complete the online form.
We do not normally withhold permission, but the
work must be carried out to our standard and
have a minimum of 12 months guarantee.
You may also need to get approval from other
parties before you start the work, for example,
some work may require building regulation
approval and planning permission. All works
should be carried out by a suitably qualified
contractor, for example, alterations to gas or
electrical installations. Our staff can advise
on this.
At the end of your tenancy you may be required
to leave any fixtures or fittings you have installed
or reinstate our original fittings.
No improvements that you make to your home
will affect the rent you pay.
There must be no rent arrears outstanding on
your account.
Satellite television equipment
We have no objection to you installing satellite
television systems, however, in order to ensure
that you do not damage the external fabric of the
building we do ask that you obtain our written
permission. Many of our properties are either
solid wall or non-traditional cavity construction,
therefore bolting the brackets required to carry
a satellite dish may cause structural damage that
could result in damp problems. We will be able
to advise on the best method of installation but a
few guidelines worth considering are as follows:
n Check that you are not in a conservation
area
n Do not connect the satellite dish to the
chimney stack
n Ensure that the dish is sited lower than the
highest part of the roof and should not
exceed this height
n The dish should not exceed 27.5 inches
(70cm) in diameter
n If there is an existing satellite dish erected
on the building you must contact the local
authority to check if planning permission is
required
If you live in a flat and wish to install satellite
apparatus that require cables to run through
a communal area, you will need to submit a
detailed plan before permission can be granted.
For further advice please contact the Property
Team on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344.
10A guide to understanding tenants improvements
3
Wood or wood effect flooring
We have no objection to you fitting wood or
wood effect flooring in your home, however, you
will need written permission from us before fitting
the flooring.
Please note that it may be necessary for the
flooring to be removed for maintenance
purposes, for example to access concealed
pipework or electric cables. In this instance
it is your responsibility for removal and any
reinstatement of the flooring. We will not be
responsible for re-laying, repairing or making
good the flooring. For this reason we would
suggest that any flooring you fit is ‘clipped
together’ rather than glued.
Wood or wood effect flooring is not covered
by standard household insurance. If you have
wood or wood effect flooring in your home,
please check with your insurer that it is covered,
including re-laying and making good any
damage.
If you move from the property, you should
remove the flooring and reinstate the floor to its
original condition.
This also applies to vinyl floor coverings.
Compensation for improvements
If your tenancy is coming to an end, you may be
able to get compensation from us for certain
improvements, such as a new bathroom, toilet,
kitchen, central heating and energy efficiency and
home security improvements.
You must have received our written permission
before carrying out the improvement and will
need to submit two estimates from bona fide
contractors, stating the reason for choosing a
particular estimate.
Compensation will only be paid at the end of the
tenancy and the amount of compensation will not
be the full cost of the work as depreciation will be
deducted. Most improvements have a notional
life of less than 10 years. We suggest that you
keep all of the receipts for improvement work
that you carry out. This will help us to process
your compensation easily.
Also, the amount of compensation will be set
against any sums that may be owed to us.
Where the tenancy is terminated through a
possession claim, based on breach of Tenancy
Agreement, you will not normally be entitled to
compensation.
Further informationIf you have any questions about tenant
improvements, please contact us on
0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
2
What is the aids and adaptations service?This is a discretionary service provided by livin for people who live in one of our homes and need it adapting because they:
n Have difficulty with normal day to day activities because of age, illness or disability
n Have problems with climbing steps or stairs
n Have problems getting in and out of their home or around the rooms inside it
n Have difficulty with personal care such as bathing or using the toilet
What is an adaptation?
It is an alteration to the home to make it easier to carry out daily activities such as:
n Getting in and out of the home
n Climbing steps or stairs
n Preparing meals
n Using the toilet
n Bathing
We may be able to help with providing:
n Grabrails or handrails
n Stair lifts or vertical lifts
n Ramps for wheelchair users only (not motorised scooters)
n Alterations to doors and steps
n Alterations to bathrooms or kitchens
We can fund adaptations up to a maximum of
£15,000. Above this tenants will need to apply to
Durham County Council for a Disabled Facilities
Grant.
Who can apply for an adaptation?
Tenants can apply if they live in a livin property;
however an assessment needs to be carried out
by a member of the Occupational Therapy team,
who are employed by Durham County Council
Social Services, before we can carry out any work.
How to apply for an assessment
To apply, contact Social Care Direct and ask
to be referred to Social Services for an
Occupational Therapy assessment.
Contact Social Care Direct by:
Telephone: 0845 8505010
Fax: 0191 3835752
Minicom: 01429 884124
Email: [email protected]
It is essential to contact Social Care Direct to
request an assessment as they may request
personal details and consent may also be
required for an assessment to be carried out.
What happens next?
When Social Services receive a request the
Occupational Therapy service will arrange to visit
to carry out an assessment.
11A guide to aids and adaptations
3
The appointment will be confirmed by letter or telephone, but if this is inconvenient, another time can easily be arranged.
An Occupational Therapist or an Occupational Therapy Assistant will carry out an assessment using the Fair Access to Care (FAC’s) guidelines from the Government. (For more information on this visit the Department of Health website at dh.gov.uk and check the publications section).
What will happen during the assessment?
You may like to ask a member of your family or a friend to be with you during the assessment.
You will be asked questions about your health, disabilities and how you cope with daily activities. Any information that you give to the Occupational Therapist including medical and personal details is treated in the strictest confidence.
You will be asked to show them how you carry out the tasks which are difficult for you and perhaps try out some equipment that may help you.
The Occupational Therapy staff will suggest ways of helping with your difficulties and discuss what is available to you. They may recommend adaptations to your home or equipment which will help you to carry out an activity more easily and safely.
You may be asked to go for Physiotherapy for further rehabilitation before a decision about alterations to your home to meet your long term
needs can be made.
What happens after the assessment?
Following your assessment your levels of need will be determined as either:
n Critical
n Substantial
n Moderate
n Low
Only those that are assessed as having a critical or substantial need will be eligible for adaptations.
It is important to remember that what may be a solution to another person with similar needs may not be the answer for you.
The Occupational Therapist or the Occupational Therapy Assistant may visit with a surveyor or Occupational therapist from livin to see if the recommendations made are feasible and comply with law.
The most cost effective solution to your problems will always be recommended. Showers, stair lifts and ramps are always a last resort and cannot be recommended for reasons of personal choice alone.
Ramps are only installed if you are dependent upon a wheelchair (to access your home).
It is sometimes necessary to use specialist companies to carry out some of the work (stair lifts and ramps for example). If this is the case we will let you know when the adaptation is
approved.
4
The work on your adaptation will be carried
out as soon as possible and you will receive a
letter to tell you when it has been ordered with a
contact name and telephone number to enquire
about the time of the work.
Major items like stair lifts and bathroom
alterations will take longer than small ones
like grab-rails and handrails. This is because of
the extra time needed to carry out the surveys
necessary at the planning stage, ordering the
materials and carrying out the work.
Once your application has been assessed your
adaptation will be placed on our waiting list in
date order.
Only adaptations that have been assessed as
urgent by the Occupational Therapy Team will be
moved to the top of the list.
Can livin refuse to carry out the work?
Adaptations are a discretionary service and
all recommendations from the Occupational
Therapy team will be assessed by the Property
and Development team. If the work is not classed
as reasonable or practicable, we may refuse to do
the work. We will confirm in writing why we have
refused to do the work.
What if my home is not suitable for adaptations?
Occasionally the outcome of the assessment
is that you need a more suitable property,
especially if your existing one is not suitable for
adaptations. However, Occupational Therapists
or Occupational Therapy Assistants can only
write a letter of support to livin highlighting the
type of property you need. This information will
be used when they allocate empty properties.
If you are currently on a housing list, you are not
eligible for adaptations other than minor health
and safety works to your current property whilst
you wait.
Will I have to pay towards the adaptation?
No, we do not charge for this type of work to be
carried out. We currently have a limited budget
for Disabled Persons Adaptations that is set from
our annual budget.
You will be required to complete an eligibility
declaration to assist livin in this process to claim
relief for Value Added Tax (VAT) on the work to
your home.
How long will I wait for an adaptation?
There is not a set timescale for adaptations,
however, from the assessment to the work being
complete could take 12 months.
11A guide to aids and adaptations
5
How much disruption will there be during the works?
There may be some disturbance to your home
during the works, particularly if we are doing
internal alterations. This will however be kept to
a minimum by the workmen who will clear up
afterwards.
All new fittings and fixtures will be decorated
where necessary. However, we are not
responsible for redecoration of existing areas
disturbed by the works.
Whenever possible the workmen will restore or
provide all existing essential amenities within
your property at the end of each working day.
The contractor that will be carrying out the work
will visit you before commencement of the work
to inform you of all arrangements.
Further information
If you have any questions about adaptations
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
12A guide to services to help you in your home and how we manage your neighbourhood and communities
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
2
Supported servicesWe know that managing a new home can be
difficult, especially if it is your first tenancy. If
you are having problems with your tenancy,
please contact us and we may be able to provide
support and advice.
We can help you to:
n Understand your tenancy agreement and
how to keep it
n Help you manage your money and your rent
payments
n Help you claim benefits
n Provide advice on getting your gas and
electric connected
n Advise you how to look after your property
n Help you deal with antisocial behaviour
n Assess if you need extra support and put
you in touch with other support agencies,
if you need them. Some of these agencies
can help people with alcohol and drug
problems
Supported/Sheltered housing
This type of housing can help older and
vulnerable people to keep their independence
and maintain their privacy in a safe environment
by providing a low level of support.
If you are living in supported housing you can
choose how much you become involved in any
activities that take place in the schemes.
Care Connect
The Care Connect service is an alarm service
provided by Durham County Council.
This provides 24-hour emergency cover every
day of the year. In the event of an emergency,
operators will respond to your call and offer
reassurance and appropriate support.
For more information about this service contact
Durham County Council.
Tenancy visits
We carry out annual visits to your home to talk to
you about your tenancy and ensure that you are
keeping to your tenancy conditions.
During this visit we will update the information
we have on you and your household so that we
can make sure you are getting the right services.
Garden maintenance scheme
We provide a garden maintenance service for
vulnerable tenants needing support to maintain
their garden. Please contact us for further
information.
Sponsored decoration scheme for our vulnerable tenants
The sponsored decoration scheme is available
to vulnerable tenants who have had major works
carried out in their homes or who have moved
into a home which is in need of decoration. If you
are eligible for the scheme, you can exchange
12A guide to services to help you in your home and how we manage your neighbourhood and communities
3
the decoration allowance you receive to have
up to two rooms fully decorated to your own
requirements. You would be required to provide
your own decoration materials. If you would like
further details about this scheme please contact
your Property Services Team.
Being a good neighbour
Everyone is entitled to enjoy their home quietly
and peacefully. You must not cause nuisance or
disturb your neighbours. You must also make
sure that anyone living with you or visiting your
home behaves responsibly.
As a good neighbour, please be considerate by:
n Keeping the volume of televisions, radios
and stereos as low as possible, late at night
and early in the morning
n Trying to avoid installing music systems
against walls that divide you and your
neighbour
n Carrying out work to your home during
reasonable hours
n Parking vehicles responsibly and respecting
your neighbours’ parking and access needs
n Return your rubbish bin back to its normal
storage area when it has been emptied
n Being a responsible pet owner, for example,
if you have a dog, make sure it does not
bark or whine for long periods and arrange
for it not to be left alone if you are away
from home for a long time. Do not let it soil
communal areas inside or outside flats
n Controlling your children when they are
playing outside your property
n Making sure any visitors respect your
neighbours and the area you live in whilst
they are travelling to and from, and while
they are in your home
Nuisance
If your neighbour is being too noisy or is causing
a nuisance, talking to them is often the best
way to solve the problem. Most people are
reasonable if you speak to them in person and
sometimes they may not realise that they are
causing a nuisance.
If you do not think you are able to sort the
problem out yourself please contact us and we
will discuss the best way to deal with it.
Communal areas
Everyone living in your block is responsible for
keeping the shared communal areas neat, clean
and tidy. This includes the stairs, landing and
hallways.
You must not leave rubbish on the stairs or in the
hallways, as this may be a safety hazard. You must
not place any items of furniture in the hallways
or on landings – this could be a hazard if people
need to leave the block quickly in an emergency.
Keep communal areas secure by keeping doors shut when not in use.
4
We inspect shared areas on a regular basis. Please contact your Communities Team if you need to report any problems or if you would like to know more about the inspections for the shared areas near your home.
Enviromental assessments
The Communities Team will carry out regular assessments to make sure that the neighbourhood is clean and well maintained.
If you notice any problems in your neighbourhood or you would like more information about assessments in your neighbourhood please contact your Communities Team.
Community plans
19 community plans have been produced that highlight the key issues across each of our communities. Residents and tenants helped identify issues and actions to improve their community after teams at livin carried out a series of public consultation events. Our teams will work in partnership to deliver actions from each plan in a bid to tackle problems and improve neighbourhoods. To find out more or to view a copy of your community plan visit our website or call the Community Team using the contact details at the front of this chapter.
Abandoned homes
If you think that a property that is owned by us looks abandoned, please tell us immediately. We
will investigate and take the appropriate action.
Dumping rubbish
We want neighbourhoods to be clean and attractive places to live. If you find dumped rubbish in a shared area or you see someone dumping rubbish in your neighbourhood, please contact your Communities Team. If the rubbish has been dumped on land we are responsible for we will take necessary action. If it is not on our land we provide appropriate guidance and advice to try to resolve the problem.
Neighbourhood improvements
We carry out a wide range of work in your neighbourhood including:
n Ground maintenance – we will maintain grass, trees and flowerbeds on open spaces that we are responsible for
n Unadopted footpaths – we will keep footpaths that are our responsibility maintained so they are safe
n Neighbourhood improvements – we put money aside to improve car park areas and so on
n Open air communal areas – we inspect and manage our garage blocks, garage sites and garden sites
Vandalism and graffiti
If you see vandalism or graffiti please let us know, if it is on our land or property we will arrange for it to be removed. If it is not our land or property we will refer your report to Durham County
Council.
12A guide to services to help you in your home and how we manage your neighbourhood and communities
5
livin community fund
The livin community fund is open to all tenants or residents as well as community groups from our neighbourhoods. Our aim is to create economic, social and environmental communities by investing in local projects and initiatives.
We are encouraging initiatives to tackle issues in three different categories:
Economic – to help people and neighbourhoods to thrive. This includes tackling unemployment, financial confidence, antisocial behaviour and much more
Social – to help to improve the health and wellbeing of Residents
Environmental – to help residents to live ‘greener’ and be environmentally responsible as well as improving the landscape where you live
If you’ve got an idea simply fill in a submission form which can be found online or by requesting
a form from our Improving Communities Team.
Untaxed and abandoned vehicles
We will investigate untaxed or abandoned vehicles that are found in our neighbourhoods; however these vehicles can also be reported to
Durham County Council.
Rubbish and refuse collection
Durham County Council is responsible for both rubbish and refuse collections. A wheeled bin collection service is provided for each home and has a regular collection. If you have a large
amount of household waste to dispose of you can take it to any of the council amenity sites free of charge.
The council also provided a bulky waste collection for items to be removed from outside your home. For more information on the full range of services and any charges contact
Durham County Council.
Street lighting
If you notice a broken or faulty street light you
should contact Durham County Council to
report it.
Stray dogs
Please contact Durham County Council’s Dog
Warden service to report stray dogs.
Vermin and pests
For advice about pest control and problems with vermin you should contact Durham County
Council.
Further information
If you have any questions about our services
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111
2344 if using a mobile.
If you need to contact Durham County Council, please telephone 0300 123 7070.
13A guide to tackling antisocial behaviour
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
13A guide to tackling antisocial behaviour
2
Tackling antisocial behaviour
This chapter is to give you advice if you are
suffering from, or have witnessed antisocial
behaviour (ASB) and want to report it to us.
ASB can have a serious negative effect on the
quality of life of individuals and of entire
communities if allowed to continue unchallenged.
We have a dedicated team of experienced and
highly trained staff to deal with serious ASB and
support victims and witnesses. ASB can include:
n Excessive noise
n Drunken and offensive behaviour
n Verbal abuse
n Violence (including threats of violence)
n Criminal damage
n Illegal drug cultivation and dealing in
addition to other criminal activities.
Solutions to deal with ASB
We have a range of measures to resolve and
prevent ASB:
n A dedicated 24 hour telephone reporting
system
n Mediation: This is conducted by trained
and impartial professionals, allowing
residents to speak to each other in a non
formal setting in order to resolve issues
between them.
n Family intervention plan (FIP): FIP’s are
useful for families if their children are
causing ASB. Support workers will work
closely with families to improve parenting
skills, ensure children attend school and
offer other advice and support to reduce
ASB caused by youths.
n Housing behaviour agreements (HBA): These agreements are used by livin to
outline the terms of the livin Tenancy
Agreement to perpetrators of ASB. They
are signed by these individuals to show that
they understand what their obligations are
and they agree to comply with them.
n Acceptable behaviour contracts (ABC): These are similar to HBA’s but are issued in
partnership with Durham County Council
and the local Police. The contracts are
designed to prohibit individuals from
engaging in ASB in the local area and are
monitored by multiple agencies to ensure
they are being adhered to.
n Good neighbour agreements for new tenants: These are given to new
tenants at sign-up as a further reminder as
to what their responsibilities are when
moving into the community.
n Covert CCTV: Used to monitor more
serious cases of ASB such as criminal
activities, the use of technical equipment
often provides invaluable evidence against
3
perpetrators of ASB, which is used in court
for possession proceedings and/or legal
injunctions, in addition to being passed to
police as part of criminal investigations.
n Noise monitoring: The use of technical
equipment can be installed to record
incidents of excessive noise such as loud
music, drunken parties or other noise at
unreasonable hours of the day and night.
n Possession notices: These are legal
notices served once other warnings and
remedies have failed or been ignored. This
is the first legal step in recovering
possession of properties from persistent
perpetrators of ASB; if incidents continue
then the case will be progressed to County
Court and heard before a judge.
n Trespass letters: Served on people who
are not tenants but are visiting livin
properties and causing problems for local
residents and behaving in an unreasonable
manner. These letters prohibit individuals
from visiting a given address or being in a
given locality. They are enforced by a legal
injunction if they are breached.
n Antisocial behaviour injunctions: These served on individuals and prohibit
them from engaging in ASB. If breached,
these injunctions can be heard at court and
individuals may receive a large fine or in
serious cases imprisonment.
n Vexatious complaint letters: These letters
are served on persistent complainers who
make unwarranted complaints with little or
no substance regularly. This is a preventative
tool which may be followed with an
injunction.
n Demotion and/or suspension of preserved right to buy/acquire
In appropriate circumstances enforcement
action can be taken in cases involving
antisocial behaviour which will demote
a tenancy to shorthold/starter from being
fully assured as detailed within chapter two.
Suspension of preserved right to buy or
right to acquire may be the consequence
of action taken in court proceedings related
to antisocial behaviour.
Further Information
If you have any questions about antisocial
behaviour, please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
ASB can be reported 24 hours a day on the ASB
report line: 01388 424690 (this is replied to
during office hours Monday to Friday).
2
IntroductionOur tenants are at the heart of the services that
we provide and your views on how well we are
doing are important to us.
This chapter explains how you can get involved
in telling us what you think of our services. This
could cover repairs, home improvement works,
antisocial behaviour and the work we do in our
neighbourhoods.
We are committed to delivering excellent
services to you, but we can only do that if we
know what you want.
Why get involved?
By getting involved you can:
n Influence decisions that affect you and your
neighbours
n Give your views on the services you receive
n Help us to understand the needs of people
from different backgrounds
n Make a difference, meet people and
develop your own skills
n Make your area a better place to live
Ways to get involved
There are many ways you can get involved
ranging from attending meetings to being
involved from your home on the Readers Panel.
Below is a brief overview of the various ways you
can get involved.
Tenants panel
The panel meets every month and works with
us to improve services by commenting on, and
developing, ideas and proposals to make a real
difference to the services we provide.
Becoming a board member
Register your interest in becoming a Board
member and we will contact you when
vacancies arise.
Mystery shopping
Mystery shopping is an easy way to get involved.
It’s a great way for you to test the services
that you receive. You can do this by making
anonymous phone calls, receiving a visit to your
home, sending emails or by visiting our website.
We will then use your findings to improve service
delivery.
Scrutiny panel
Effective Tenants Scrutiny is an important part
of co-regulation and offers an enhanced role for
tenants ensuring that the priorities and views of
tenants are at the heart of the organisation.
The Scrutiny Group works on behalf of tenants
to ensure that livin is a well-managed, viable
organisation that puts tenants at the heart of its
business. It provides an independent check and
14A guide to getting involved
3
if needed challenge to drive up performance,
advises and influences standards to improve
service delivery and standards of performance.
Readers panel
Comment on documents produced by livin by
post or email.
Setting up or taking part in your local tenant/
resident association.
Tenant and resident associations are groups
of people who live in the same area that get
together to make a positive difference in
their area. They are a great way of bringing
communities together to deal with local issues
and run social events. Get in touch if you and
your neighbours are interested in setting up a
group. We offer support to all of our affiliated
residents associations.
Sedgefield residents federation
This is a group made up of tenant and resident
associations and other community groups within
the area we manage.
Focus groups
We often create focus groups to look at
individual service areas, for example, antisocial
behaviour and financial inclusion.
Taking part in consultations, forums or public meetings
Give us your views on consultations through
attending local events, road shows, forums and
public meetings.
“Your voice local choice” community plans
Community plans are important commitments
that we make to residents in our
neighbourhoods. You can get involved by
telling us what is important to you and your
neighbourhood. You can also get involved in
monitoring the development and progress of
these commitments.
Taking part in regular surveys
Take part in telephone surveys, postal surveys or
talk to our teams to give your views about the
services you receive.
Frequently asked questionsI am interested in getting involved, what do I need to do?We have a list of volunteers which is made up
of all the tenants and leaseholders who want to
get involved. To join the list we just need some
information about you, so please complete the
form on our website or give us a ring.
4
How much time will it take to get involved?The amount of time you give will depend on the
ways you choose to get involved. If you don’t
have much time there are lots of quick ways you
can get involved.
Will any training be provided to help me get involved?We will provide training to help tenants and
leaseholders with certain types of involvement,
depending on how you want to get involved.
Do you pay expenses for meetings?We cover out of pocket expenses such as travel
costs, childcare and carer expenses.
This is so that everyone has an equal chance
to get involved regardless of personal financial
circumstances.
Further information If you have any questions about getting involved
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or
0300 111 2344 if using a mobile.
Further information on getting involved can also
be found on our website at livin.co.uk
14A guide to getting involved
15A guide to giving feedback on our services
[email protected] livin.co.uk0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344
1
2
Introduction This chapter tells you what to do when you want
to give us your feedback about the services
we provide. This can include compliments,
complaints and general comments to give us
suggestions about how we can improve the
services we give you.
What type of feedback can I give? Compliments
We really would like to hear from you if you are
happy with our services. If there is a particular
person you have spoken to, or a service you think
that we are really good at, please let us know.
Any compliment you give us will be forwarded to
the person or service team you are praising.
ComplaintsWe always try to provide you with an excellent
service but recognise that sometimes things
can go wrong. We regard your comments as an
opportunity to look at if our services are meeting
your needs or not.
Don’t be afraid to tell us what you think we are
doing wrong.
Your right to services will not be affected if you
make a complaint. We need to know so that we
can make changes and stop these problems
happening again. Your complaint is the first step
in helping us put matters right.
General comments and suggestions to improve
services
Your comments may not be a compliment or
complaint, but they are still important to us. They
can help us to plan future services and give us
ideas on how to improve the services we provide.
How to give us your feedback You can give us your feedback:
n By completing the feedback form on
the website
n In person to one of our officers
n By telephoning us on 0800 587 4538 and
asking for the Customer Relations Team
n In writing (letter, fax or email)
n By completing a satisfaction survey - we
send these to customers using our services
You can give us your comments yourself or you
can ask someone to do this on your behalf. If
you would like someone to deal with this on your
behalf please tell us on the comments form. You
can also ask our staff to help you. If you wish to
refer a complaint to us via a Councillor, Board
Member or MP an authorisation form must
be completed before your complaint can be
discussed with your representative.
We will acknowledge any feedback you give us
within two working days, but we have a specific
procedure for dealing with complaints (see
overleaf).
15A guide to giving feedback on our services
3
You can get independent advice on making a
complaint from the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).
Their contact details can be found in the phone
book.
Our complaints procedure If you require the services of an interpreter or
translator in making your complaint, please
let us know.
Standard complaint stages: Informal This is an opportunity for us to deal with issues,
‘on the spot’, at the first point of contact.
Stage 1
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of
how we have dealt with your complaint during
the informal process, you can ask to have the
outcome reviewed by a manager. This is Stage 1
of our internal complaints procedure. (For details
of how your complaint will be dealt with see
‘What happens next?’)
Stage 2 If you do not consider the matter has been dealt
with in accordance with our Customer Feedback
Policy, you can ask to have the outcome reviewed
by another officer from an unrelated area.
Appeal If you do not consider the matter has been dealt
with at Stage 2 in accordance with our Customer
Feedback Policy, you can write us outlining
the reasons why within 28 days of the date
on your stage 2 closing letter. If your reasons
are considered valid we will arrange for your
complaint to be reviewed by our Appeals Panel.
What happens next?
Stage 1
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint
within two working days. This will be either
verbally, in writing or by email, confirming the
comment you made, when we received it,
and who will be responsible for handling and
monitoring your complaint. We will aim to visit
you to resolve Stage 1 complaints within 10
working days. If the investigation will take longer
than this, we will update you in writing every 10
working days. Once the Stage 1 investigation
is concluded we will write to you with our
findings. If you do not consider the matter has
been handled in accordance with our Customer
Feedback Policy you can ask for your complaint
to be investigated further, however, you must do
this within 28 days of the date on your Stage 1
closing letter.
Please note: We will not reopen your complaint
if you simply do not agree with the stage 1
decision.
4
Stage 2 When we receive your request we will send an
acknowledgement receipt within two working
days. If your reasons are not considered valid
we will write to you and let you know. If your
reasons are considered valid your complaint
will be passed to one of our officers working
in a service area unrelated to the one you
are complaining about. They will visit you to
investigate your complaint and aim to contact
you with their findings within 10 working days. If
the investigation will take longer than this, we will
update you in writing every 10 working days.
Once the Stage 2 investigation is concluded
we will write to you with our findings. If you do
not consider the matter has been handled in
accordance with our Customer Feedback Policy
you can appeal and ask for your complaint to
be reviewed by the Appeals Hearing Panel.
However, you must do this within 28 days of the
date on your Stage 2 closing letter.
Please note: We will not reopen your complaint
if you simply do not agree with the Stage 2
decision.
Appeal If your reasons for requesting an appeal hearing
are not considered valid we will write to you and
let you know. If your reasons are considered valid
you will receive an acknowledgement within
three working days and your appeal will be
passed to the Appeals Panel for a review hearing.
The Appeals Panel will review the outcome of
any Stage 2 complaint or any very serious or
multi-department complaint. They aim to contact
you within three working days and give you an
expected hearing date for dealing with your
complaint within 28 working days. They also aim
to give you a full response to your complaint
within 15 working days of the Panel Review
Hearing being held. If there are any delays in
issuing the full response, you will be contacted in
writing to explain why.
If your appeal is upheld you will receive a written
apology, which will include:
n Confirmation of the details of the complaint
n Details of the result of the complaint
n A clear statement of what we have done,
or will do, to resolve the complaint
(including a timescale if necessary)
n A clear statement of any action we have
taken, or will be taking, to make sure that
the circumstances that made you complain
do not happen again
At the completion of the appeal hearing, we
will give you details of how to complain to the
Housing Ombudsman Service, in case you still do
not consider your complaint resolved.
15A guide to giving feedback on our services
5
Please note that where an interpreter or
translator is required, the time limit for response
may be extended by five working days at any
stage within the complaints process.
Complaints about a partner or contractor
If you have a complaint regarding one of our
partner contractors, please let us know. As your
landlord we need to know if the service you
receive from our partners is not satisfactory.
Complaints received about our partners will be
logged and referred to the partner’s complaints
team for action.
Our partners are expected to follow livin’s
internal complaints policy and procedure and we
will monitor their actions and response to your
complaint and log the outcome.
Anonymous complaints
Occasionally we may receive a complaint from a
complainant who wishes to remain anonymous.
We reserve the right not to investigate
anonymous complaints where it is clear that a full
investigation is not practicable or the grounds of
the complaint are not within our remit.
Further information
For further information about giving feedback,
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111
2344 if using a mobile.
You can also find out more information via our
website at livin.co.uk
2
We have introduced this chapter to provide
information to existing tenants who may want to
move to another livin home or to another social
landlord.
Durham Key Options
We let our homes through the Durham Key
Options choice based lettings scheme. This is a
partnership between:
n livin
n Cestria Community Housing Association
n Dale and Valley Homes
n Derwentside Homes
n Durham County Council
n East Durham Homes
n Teesdale Housing Association
If you wish to move to a home owned by one of
the landlords above you will need to fill in the
Durham Key Options application form.
You can do this by either:
n Completing an application form, we can
send you one through the post
n Completing the form online at
durhamkeyoptions.co.uk
n We can also visit you in your home to help
you complete a form if necessary
Once we have your completed application form
we will check to see if you can join the scheme
and we will let you know in writing. We will also
send you a ‘User Guide’ which tells you the next
steps.
Mutual exchange
Some council or housing association tenants may
exchange (swap) their homes with each other.
If you are interested in swapping your home,
there are two ways you can do this, through
Durham Key Options or the Homeswapper
scheme.
Durham Key Options (County Durham only) n You can apply to advertise your home
through the Durham Key Options
scheme. You will need to log-on to
durhamkeyoptions.co.uk and complete
the mutual exchange application, giving
details of your home. We will check your
application and let you know if it has been
accepted
n If you cannot complete the application
form online please contact us and we will
send you a form in the post or we can
visit you in your home to help you fill in the
application form if necessary
16A guide to moving on
3
If your application is accepted your home will
be advertised as a mutual exchange property
on the Durham Key Options website. You will be
able to view other available mutual exchange
properties and other tenants will be able to see
your advert. For more information about mutual
exchange please contact us or visit our website.
This scheme only includes properties from the
Durham Key Option partner landlords.
Homeswapper (national scheme)livin is part of the National Homeswapper service
which helps council and housing association
tenants from across the country to swap homes.
n If you are interested in advertising your
home on this website you will need to visit
homeswapper.co.uk and complete
some details about your home and also the
type of home you are interested in. We will
then receive a request from Homeswapper
to approve your application. If your
application is accepted you will be able to
log onto the website and look at other
properties
n If you do not have access to the internet you
will need to contact us and we will send you
the form out in the post or we can visit you
in your home to help you fill in the
application form if necessary.
If you find another home and the other tenant
agrees they want to move into your home you will
need to contact us immediately. Your application
to exchange homes must be approved by the
appropriate landlords
Further information
If you have any questions about moving on,
please contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111
2344 if using a mobile.
Further information relating to moving on can
also be found on our website at livin.co.uk
2
IntroductionIf you are a livin tenant and want to end your
tenancy, you need to be aware that it is much
more than just returning your keys.
How much notice do I have to give?
You must give us four weeks written notice to
end your tenancy*. We will send you a ‘notice to
terminate’ form, or you can fill one in online. Your
tenancy can end on any day of the week and you
must give us the keys by 12 noon the same day.
If you leave your home without telling us, you will
still be liable for four weeks rent.
*We may reduce the notice period in certain
exceptional circumstances. Please contact us for
further information.
What do I need to do before I leave?
You must leave your home clean, empty and
in good condition. We may charge you if we
have to remove any items which have been left
behind. You must allow our Home Letting Co-
ordinator access to inspect your home before you
leave to discuss any issues and arrange for any
outstanding repairs to be reported.
You must make sure that all fixtures and fittings
are left intact. If there are broken or missing items
you may be charged for replacing them.
We will use the notice period to advertise and
allocate your home to the next tenant. Properties
are usually advertised for letting on the Thursday
following receipt of any notice.
We will, in most cases, offer your property to
someone the following week. We may also need
to make arrangements for the next tenant to view
your property so that they can make an informed
choice.
We will always make an appointment with you
first if we wish to show anyone around your home.
We may also arrange for your utility services to be
switched to our preferred supplier. This process
takes approximately 28 days so if you decide to
withdraw or extend your notice, please let us
know immediately.
Can I change my mind?
If you decide not to move or if you need more
time to move out, please contact us on
0800 587 4538 / 0300 111 2344 to discuss this
further.
How do I return my keys?
You must contact us to make arrangements for us
to collect all of your keys. You can contact us at
any time to collect your keys before your tenancy
is due to end but you will be charged rent up to
the day your tenancy officially ends. You will be
given a receipt that shows how many keys you
returned to us and time you handed them in. If
the keys are not returned on time or there are any
keys missing, we will charge you for changing the
locks and for any rent lost during this time.
17A guide to ending your tenancy
3
What do I need to do on my moving out day?
You must supply your gas, electricity and water
meter readings to your suppliers to make sure
your final bill is accurate.
You must inform the Durham County Council,
Council Tax and Benefits section (if applicable)
that you are moving and your forwarding
address as this may affect any housing
benefit claim.
Hand over all keys to your Home Letting
Co-ordinator.
Leave your home clean, tidy and empty.
Further information
For further information about moving on, please
contact us on 0800 587 4538 or 0300 111 2344 if
using a mobile.
You can also find out more information via our
website at livin.co.uk
Automated rent payment line 01388 814 704
Reporting anti social behaviour (out of hours) 01388 424 4690
Useful contact details
2
18Contact livin
General switchboard 0845 505 5500
Online visit: livin.co.uk email: [email protected] twitter: @weare_livin
Advice and supportCitizens Advice Bureau citizensadvice.org.uk
Social Care Direct durham.gov.uk
MIND [email protected]
National Centre for Domestic Abuse nedv.org.uk
0844 499 4123
0845 850 5010
0300 123 3393
0844 804 4999
County Durham Welfare Rights durham.gov.uk
Age UK ageuk.org.uk
Women’s Aid National Helpline womansaid.org.uk
Victim Support victimsupport.org
0191 370 8787
0800 169 6565
0808 200 0247
0845 277 0977
Customer Service Centre (including 24 hour repair reporting)
0800 587 4538 (free from a landline)
0300 111 2344 (cheaper from mobiles - charges vary)
3
Electricity, gas and waterNational Grid (Gas Leaks) nationalgrid.com
Electricity Supplier
Northumbrian Water nwl.co.uk
0800 111 999
0845 601 3268
0845 717 1100
Gas Supplier
Northern Electricity Dist. Ltd (loss of power) epr.ofgem.gov.uk
The Energy Saving Trust energysavingtrust.org.uk
0870 608 1524
0800 668 877
0800 512 012
Other useful numbersDurham County Council (All Departments) durham.gov.uk
Benefits Agency (Jobcentre plus)
Police (Durham Constabulary) durham.police.uk
0300 123 4567
0191 382 5000
Department of Work and Pensions dwp.gov.uk
Durham County Credit Union durhamcountycu.co.uk
NHS nhs.co.uk
0845 606 0265
0191 375 7677
101 (24 hour non-emergency contact number)
111 (24 hour non-emergency urgent care)