Resolving neighbourhood disputes Disputes between neighbours are a fact of life for many reasons, whether it is barking dogs, noisy parties or even abusive neighbours. Here at Territory Housing we are finding that there is a common misunderstanding that we are responsible for intervening and settling disputes because we are the landlord. We are not legally able to intervene in disputes between neighbours, however, we are happy for you to lodge complaints about other public housing tenants at any of our Territory Housing offices. Territory Housing can only act in accordance with our policy guidelines and cannot become involved in disputes over activities that are considered part of routine urban life and within normal tolerance levels. We are also unable to take any action over suspected criminal offences, eg if your neighbour is being physically or verbally bothered by another neighbour, or if illegal substances are being used on a public housing property. We urge that if you do become aware of such activities, you immediately contact the police, who are the appropriate and lawful authority to handle such matters. If you become involved in a dispute with a neighbour, you now have access to free and confidential mediation services through the Community Justice Centre (CJC). The Northern Territory Government has set up the centre to give the community a safe and informal environment to sort out minor disputes between neighbours without the need for legal action. The Community Justice Centre is run by volunteer mediators and is easy to access and use. For further information and assistance, phone toll free 1800 000 473. Make sure they are carrying identification cards If someone knocks on your door claiming to be a Territory Housing representative, you have the right to ask for identification before you allow him or her into your home. All our staff are required to carry photo identification cards displaying the Territory Housing logo, countersigned by an authorised Officer of the Department, when visiting tenants at any of our dwellings. You will be within your rights to refuse entry to any housing officer who does not produce such identification – and we would appreciate a call if any unidentified person does come knocking, claiming to be from Territory Housing.
Transcript
4
19474 Housing Tenancy Talk PC4 MQO.pmd
PAntone 273 C PAntone 273 C
Resolving neighbourhood disputes
Disputes between neighbours are a fact of life for many reasons,whether it is barking dogs, noisy parties or even abusiveneighbours.
Here at Territory Housing we are finding that there is a commonmisunderstanding that we are responsible for intervening andsettling disputes because we are the landlord. We are not legallyable to intervene in disputes between neighbours, however, weare happy for you to lodge complaints about other public housingtenants at any of our Territory Housing offices.
Territory Housing can only act in accordance with our policyguidelines and cannot become involved in disputes over activitiesthat are considered part of routine urban life and within normaltolerance levels. We are also unable to take any action oversuspected criminal offences, eg if your neighbour is beingphysically or verbally bothered by another neighbour, or if illegalsubstances are being used on a public housing property. We urgethat if you do become aware of such activities, you immediatelycontact the police, who are the appropriate and lawful authority tohandle such matters.
If you become involved in a dispute with a neighbour, you nowhave access to free and confidential mediation services throughthe Community Justice Centre (CJC). The Northern TerritoryGovernment has set up the centre to give the community a safeand informal environment to sort out minor disputes betweenneighbours without the need for legal action.The Community Justice Centre is run by volunteer mediators and iseasy to access and use.
For further information and assistance, phone toll free 1800 000 473.
Make sure they arecarrying identification
cards
If someone knocks on yourdoor claiming to be aTerritory Housingrepresentative, you have theright to ask for identificationbefore you allow him or herinto your home.
All our staff are required tocarry photo identificationcards displaying the TerritoryHousing logo,countersigned by anauthorised Officer of theDepartment, when visitingtenants at any of ourdwellings.
You will be within your rightsto refuse entry to anyhousing officer who doesnot produce suchidentification – and wewould appreciate a call ifany unidentified persondoes come knocking,claiming to be from TerritoryHousing.
March 2004
2 3
PAntone 273 C PAntone 273 C
19474 Housing Tenancy Talk PC4 MQO.pmd
Is your beloved pet up to no good?
Our domestic pets are a source of great joy and a pleasure to have around. Forhealth and nuisance reasons, there are limits to how many dogs and cats we canown.
As a Territory Housing tenant, you will have read the common provision agreementconditions that say you cannot keep more than two dogs and/or one cat at your home.You should also be aware that you can onlykeep pets if they can be contained within asuitably fenced yard.
If we receive complaints that your animal is anuisance, a health hazard or dangerous toneighbours or passers-by, we will be forced totake action in accordance with Territory Housingpolicies and other relevant legislation. This couldmean that you will be asked to remove your pet.
If you have problems with a neighbourhooddog or cat, you should lodge your complaintdirectly with your local council for action.Local councils can be contacted throughthe following numbers:
Darwin City Council (Animal Education Officer) Phone: 8982 2606Palmerston City Council Phone: 8935 9922Alice Springs Town Council Phone: 8950 0500Katherine Town Council Phone: 8972 1322Tenant Creek Council Phone: 8962 0000Nhulunbuy Corporation Ltd Phone: 8987 1933
Employment Incentive Scheme
In the past, some of our tenants have been concerned aboutcommencing employment, or increasing their working hours, as higherhousehold income leads to an increase in rent.
In an effort to encourage more tenants to enter the workforce, TerritoryHousing introduced the Employment Incentive Scheme. The scheme,introduced in February 2002, enables tenants to increase theirhousehold income through working, without seeing an immediateincrease in their weekly rent. The scheme also guarantees an ongoingfixed term lease for at least twelve months after the tenant hascommenced working, regardless of eligibility.
The scheme works in two stages. Stage one freezes your householdrent at the current rate for a period of three months. The freeze on yourrent is applied even if your new household income makes youineligible for public housing. Stage two, your rent is calculated at 23%of your household income but will not exceed the market rent for theproperty you live in. This is also for a period of 3 months. To ensure youreceive a significant benefit from the scheme, a minimum householdincome from wages of $200 gross per week is needed.
At the end of Stage two, you will be assessed again. If your householdincome exceeds our eligibility limits, you will pay market rent. If youare still eligible for public housing, you will continue to pay 23% of yourhousehold income as rent. Unless special circumstances exist, thescheme can only be accessed once in a twelve month period.
On 25 January 1999, Territory Housing introduced Housing 2003, a fiveyear reform for public housing. One of the changes was an increase tothe rate used to calculate rent. Tenants who were on a rebate as at 25January 1999 (Pre Housing 2003 tenants) remain on the older, lowerrate and all tenants that were allocated public housing after this date(Post Housing 2003 tenants), pay the higher rate - this is why you maybe paying more for your dwelling than your neighbour – even thoughthe dwellings are identical and you are receiving the same income.
Pre Housing 2003 tenants remain on the lower rate until they have achange in income type, eg Newstart Allowance to wages, DisabilityAllowance to Age Pension etc, at which time they become a PostHousing 2003 tenant and pay the higher rate. Once a Pre Housing2003 tenant is converted to a Post Housing 2003 tenant, they will not goback, even if they return to the income type they were on previously.In other words, if you are a Pre Housing 2003 client on a Centrelinkbenefit, then you start work and access the Employment IncentiveScheme, you will become a Post Housing 2003 tenant. You will remaina Post Housing 2003 tenant even if you stop working and go back onCentrelink benefits.
For further details regarding the Scheme and how it might affect yourfuture rebate calculations, please contact your local Territory HousingOffice.
We respect your privacy!
In July 2003, the Northern Territory Government introduced new Freedom of Information and Privacylaws that must be followed by all government agencies.
We at Territory Housing respect your privacy by guaranteeing never to release any information aboutyou, including information you have given us, without first asking your permission to do so.
Under the new laws, you can apply to see the information we have on file about you, and if any of thedetails are incorrect, you have a right to have it changed or to add a statement that says youdisagree with the detail in question.
To find out more about the new Freedom of Information or Privacy laws, you can contact theInformation Management Unit on Phone 89998481, or pick up a brochure from your nearest TerritoryHousing office.
March 2004
2 3
PAntone 273 C PAntone 273 C
19474 Housing Tenancy Talk PC4 MQO.pmd
Is your beloved pet up to no good?
Our domestic pets are a source of great joy and a pleasure to have around. Forhealth and nuisance reasons, there are limits to how many dogs and cats we canown.
As a Territory Housing tenant, you will have read the common provision agreementconditions that say you cannot keep more than two dogs and/or one cat at your home.You should also be aware that you can onlykeep pets if they can be contained within asuitably fenced yard.
If we receive complaints that your animal is anuisance, a health hazard or dangerous toneighbours or passers-by, we will be forced totake action in accordance with Territory Housingpolicies and other relevant legislation. This couldmean that you will be asked to remove your pet.
If you have problems with a neighbourhooddog or cat, you should lodge your complaintdirectly with your local council for action.Local councils can be contacted throughthe following numbers:
Darwin City Council (Animal Education Officer) Phone: 8982 2606Palmerston City Council Phone: 8935 9922Alice Springs Town Council Phone: 8950 0500Katherine Town Council Phone: 8972 1322Tenant Creek Council Phone: 8962 0000Nhulunbuy Corporation Ltd Phone: 8987 1933
Employment Incentive Scheme
In the past, some of our tenants have been concerned aboutcommencing employment, or increasing their working hours, as higherhousehold income leads to an increase in rent.
In an effort to encourage more tenants to enter the workforce, TerritoryHousing introduced the Employment Incentive Scheme. The scheme,introduced in February 2002, enables tenants to increase theirhousehold income through working, without seeing an immediateincrease in their weekly rent. The scheme also guarantees an ongoingfixed term lease for at least twelve months after the tenant hascommenced working, regardless of eligibility.
The scheme works in two stages. Stage one freezes your householdrent at the current rate for a period of three months. The freeze on yourrent is applied even if your new household income makes youineligible for public housing. Stage two, your rent is calculated at 23%of your household income but will not exceed the market rent for theproperty you live in. This is also for a period of 3 months. To ensure youreceive a significant benefit from the scheme, a minimum householdincome from wages of $200 gross per week is needed.
At the end of Stage two, you will be assessed again. If your householdincome exceeds our eligibility limits, you will pay market rent. If youare still eligible for public housing, you will continue to pay 23% of yourhousehold income as rent. Unless special circumstances exist, thescheme can only be accessed once in a twelve month period.
On 25 January 1999, Territory Housing introduced Housing 2003, a fiveyear reform for public housing. One of the changes was an increase tothe rate used to calculate rent. Tenants who were on a rebate as at 25January 1999 (Pre Housing 2003 tenants) remain on the older, lowerrate and all tenants that were allocated public housing after this date(Post Housing 2003 tenants), pay the higher rate - this is why you maybe paying more for your dwelling than your neighbour – even thoughthe dwellings are identical and you are receiving the same income.
Pre Housing 2003 tenants remain on the lower rate until they have achange in income type, eg Newstart Allowance to wages, DisabilityAllowance to Age Pension etc, at which time they become a PostHousing 2003 tenant and pay the higher rate. Once a Pre Housing2003 tenant is converted to a Post Housing 2003 tenant, they will not goback, even if they return to the income type they were on previously.In other words, if you are a Pre Housing 2003 client on a Centrelinkbenefit, then you start work and access the Employment IncentiveScheme, you will become a Post Housing 2003 tenant. You will remaina Post Housing 2003 tenant even if you stop working and go back onCentrelink benefits.
For further details regarding the Scheme and how it might affect yourfuture rebate calculations, please contact your local Territory HousingOffice.
We respect your privacy!
In July 2003, the Northern Territory Government introduced new Freedom of Information and Privacylaws that must be followed by all government agencies.
We at Territory Housing respect your privacy by guaranteeing never to release any information aboutyou, including information you have given us, without first asking your permission to do so.
Under the new laws, you can apply to see the information we have on file about you, and if any of thedetails are incorrect, you have a right to have it changed or to add a statement that says youdisagree with the detail in question.
To find out more about the new Freedom of Information or Privacy laws, you can contact theInformation Management Unit on Phone 89998481, or pick up a brochure from your nearest TerritoryHousing office.
4
19474 Housing Tenancy Talk PC4 MQO.pmd
PAntone 273 C PAntone 273 C
Resolving neighbourhood disputes
Disputes between neighbours are a fact of life for many reasons,whether it is barking dogs, noisy parties or even abusiveneighbours.
Here at Territory Housing we are finding that there is a commonmisunderstanding that we are responsible for intervening andsettling disputes because we are the landlord. We are not legallyable to intervene in disputes between neighbours, however, weare happy for you to lodge complaints about other public housingtenants at any of our Territory Housing offices.
Territory Housing can only act in accordance with our policyguidelines and cannot become involved in disputes over activitiesthat are considered part of routine urban life and within normaltolerance levels. We are also unable to take any action oversuspected criminal offences, eg if your neighbour is beingphysically or verbally bothered by another neighbour, or if illegalsubstances are being used on a public housing property. We urgethat if you do become aware of such activities, you immediatelycontact the police, who are the appropriate and lawful authority tohandle such matters.
If you become involved in a dispute with a neighbour, you nowhave access to free and confidential mediation services throughthe Community Justice Centre (CJC). The Northern TerritoryGovernment has set up the centre to give the community a safeand informal environment to sort out minor disputes betweenneighbours without the need for legal action.The Community Justice Centre is run by volunteer mediators and iseasy to access and use.
For further information and assistance, phone toll free 1800 000 473.
Make sure they arecarrying identification
cards
If someone knocks on yourdoor claiming to be aTerritory Housingrepresentative, you have theright to ask for identificationbefore you allow him or herinto your home.
All our staff are required tocarry photo identificationcards displaying the TerritoryHousing logo,countersigned by anauthorised Officer of theDepartment, when visitingtenants at any of ourdwellings.
You will be within your rightsto refuse entry to anyhousing officer who doesnot produce suchidentification – and wewould appreciate a call ifany unidentified persondoes come knocking,claiming to be from TerritoryHousing.
