Through our Mission Statement we aim to provide efficient and cost effective landlord services to our leaseholders (which includes shared owners), which preserve the investment in your home and improve the quality of life.
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June 2011

Please call us on: 01283 528528.
If you require an audio version of this handbook or assistance with a language or
Braille translation, call 01283 528528 or email:
This is a free service.
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June 2011

Section 11
Section 12
Section 13
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Welcome to Trent & Dove Housing
About this handbook
Customer Service Standards and Fairness
About your lease
Financial matters
Consultation for major works and repairs
Repairs and maintenance
Safety in the home
Living in your home
Resident involvement
Support services
Useful contacts
Glossary
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19
31
35
41
49
55
59
61
65
5
7
9
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June 2011

Trent & Dove Housing was formed to receive the transfer of homes from East
Staffordshire Borough Council in 2001. The Company is a non-profit making organisation currently owning and managing over 5000 homes in East Staffordshire.
We also manage over 200 leasehold properties, a number of Shared Ownership properties and Rent to Purchase properties in addition to approximately 1500 garages. The properties we own and manage are throughout East Staffordshire and
South Derbyshire.
Trent & Dove Housing has a management Board that is made up of 6 elected tenant members and 6 independent members. The Board has overall responsibility for looking after the interests of tenants and the Company.
Having 6 elected tenant members on our Board means that the views of communities are at the heart of everything we do.
It is important that our services are available to all our leasehold customers and we want to make it easy for you to contact us. If you have difficulty accessing our services, we can visit you in your own home (where appropriate), or can provide information in a format to suit you, including –

Large Print

Audio

Braille

Alternative languages – written or through interpreters

Sign language
Trinity Square 11 Bradley Street
Horninglow Street
Burton upon Trent
DE14 1BL
Uttoxeter
Staffordshire
ST14 7QA
01283 528528 01889 561870
Email us: enquiries@trentanddove.org
Emergency Telephone: 01283 528528 (24 Hours per day, 365 days a year including Christmas and Bank Holidays).
More information is available on our website: www.trentanddove.org
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June 2011

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June 2011

We have produced this handbook as a guide to the services we provide for shared ownership leaseholders.
This handbook describes your rights and responsibilities as a shared owner and our responsibilities to you as your landlord. It contains information about your lease and will help answer questions you may have about your home, your neighbourhood and your service charge.
This handbook is a general guide for shared owners and is not a legal document. It is not intended to be comprehensive and you will need to refer to your lease if you have specific queries.
At the end of the handbook you will find a list of some of the common words and phrases we use in this handbook and their meaning. We have also included a list of useful telephone numbers and addresses for Trent & Dove Housing and other key local services.
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June 2011

Topics covered in this section include:

Service standards for shared owners

How do I make a complaint?

Mediation

Housing Ombudsman

Fairness in equality and diversity
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We are committed to delivering excellence in customer service at all times.
In order to achieve and maintain excellent customer service we have developed a series of service standards with the help of our customers. If you feel that our service has ever fallen short of this standard, please let us know.
Trent & Dove Housing will:

Provide an annual itemised service charge bill in March of each year, which provides estimates of service costs for the forthcoming financial year. Actual costs will be calculated on the completion of the end of year account, and credits or debits will be carried forward to the next accounting period. You will be provided with the full details of these processes.

Ensure that service charges offer value for money.

Offer a wide range of service charge payment options.

Provide access to advice and assistance for shared owners who require help with payment of their service charges.
 Consult with you prior to any major works costing over £250 per shared owner.

Send four newsletters every year to all shared owners in the periodical
Streetwise.

Respond to shared owners queries within 10 working days, or advise you of when a full response can be given.

Provide all new shared owners with this handbook which clearly explains their rights and obligations.

Provide opportunities for you to be involved in decisions about delivery of the service.

Carry out regular surveys to assess the quality of our services, and use the results to improve our services.

Advise shared owners who are having problems with anti-social behaviour.

Collect service charges through a firm, proactive and personal approach to managing arrears, taking legal action as a last resort.

Aim to have an adviser available during office hours to assist with general queries.
Our aim is to provide an excellent service to all our residents. However, we do know that sometimes things can go wrong and there may be occasions when you feel our service has fallen short of your expectations. We would welcome the opportunity to deal with these matters as quickly as possible and would ask that you speak to us about your concerns first to allow us the chance to put matters right.
Should you still feel that the issue has not been dealt with to your satisfaction, we have a simple, official complaints process which means that the complaint can be taken to the highest levels within the company if necessary. There is an official
Comments Compliments, and Complaints form available at our offices. You can also download a copy of the form from our website or you can write, e-mail or telephone us.
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We would also like to hear from you if our staff have provided you with outstanding service or if you have any comments to make on how our service can be improved.
To request a form or to make a complaint, comment or compliment:
Telephone: 01283 528528
By email: enquiries@trentanddove.org
Online at www.trentanddoveorg
If you are not satisfied with the way your complaint is progressing we may suggest or you can request mediation as a way of resolving your complaint at any stage.
Mediation is a voluntary means of resolving a dispute with the help of a neutral third party to find a compromise, which all parties agree to.
The ombudsman will investigate your complaint only if you have been through all stages of our customer complaints’ procedure and you still remain dissatisfied. You can contact the ombudsman at:
Address: Housing Ombudsman Service
81 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4HN
Telephone: 020 7421 3800
Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Data protection
We take our responsibilities towards collecting and recording personal data under the Data Protection Act 1998 very seriously and are committed to ensuring that we record all data accurately and carefully.
We will only hold data that is relevant, accurate and related to the purpose for which it is held and will not keep it any longer than is necessary.
You have a right to access personal data about you and can request this by completing a Data Subject Access Request form, available from our offices. There may be a fee chargeable.
Freedom of Information
As a charitable registered social landlord (not a local authority), Trent & Dove
Housing is not governed by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 but we do make information about our operations and performance freely available through our website and other publications.
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Trent & Dove Housing is committed to fairness in equality and diversity. We strive to provide homes and services in a fair and openly transparent way to East
Staffordshire’s diverse community and to employ a workforce that reflects the community we serve.
At the heart of our equality and diversity policy is a commitment to valuing the diverse community in which we operate and respecting the differences between people and their cultures, to eliminate discrimination and promote community cohesion.
We value the individual contributions of people and we are committed to eliminating discrimination on the grounds of the nine ‘Protected Characteristics’ as defined in the
Equality Act 2010 which includes;

Race,

Disability,

Gender,

Sexual Orientation,

Gender Reassignment/Identity,

Age,

Religion,

Pregnancy & Maternity,

Marriage/Civil Partnerships.
We also include within this those who have caring responsibilities, unrelated criminal activities, are HIV positive or with AIDS, or any other matters which cause a person to be treated with injustice.
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June 2011

This handbook provides general information about shared ownership housing provided by Trent & Dove Housing and is intended for guidance only. As each lease is unique, this handbook cannot provide a comprehensive guide to your rights and obligations contained in your individual lease.
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What is a lease?
When you purchase a shared ownership home you are granted a lease, which is the legal agreement between you and Trent & Dove setting out the rights and responsibilities relating to your occupation of the property. It sets out your rights and obligations as the owner (lessee) and our rights and obligations as the landlord
(lessor).
The main terms of the lease are:
• You are responsible for paying your rent, any service charges and insurance premiums monthly in advance.
• Your rent is reviewed annually. We will give you one month’s notice of a rent review.
• You are responsible for repairing and maintaining your home.
You may also have to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of common parts depending on the property you own.
• If you wish to carry out alterations or improvements to your home, you must first obtain Trent & Dove’s written permission.
• You may purchase additional shares in the property at the current market value.
• You cannot sell the property without first contacting Trent & Dove. Under the terms of your lease you may have to sell to someone nominated by us.
Your mortgage lender should keep the original copy of your lease and copies can be obtained from them. If you do not have a mortgage you should keep your original copy of your lease and ensure it is safely stored.
If you are unable to locate a copy of your lease please contact your housing officer who may be able to help, however please bear in mind Trent & Dove may charge for this.
Length of lease
If you are the first person to buy the property, the lease will usually be granted for a period of 125 years. Subsequent owners take over the number of years remaining on the lease at the time of their purchase.
Joint owners
The lease can be held in the joint names of more than one owner. Each joint owner has equal rights and is responsible for meeting the obligations of the lease.
Where there is a dispute between joint owners we advise that you seek legal advice from a solicitor, the Citizens Advice Bureau or a Housing Advice Centre. wnership lease
Changing the name on your lease
If for any reason you wish to change the name on your lease you need to contact your solicitor. Trent & Dove will need to give approval for the change for which a fee may be payable. Before giving consent, we will require notification in writing from all parties to the lease confirming that the transfer can take place.
Occupying your home
You must occupy the property as your main or principal home. If you expect to be away from the property for a long time it is advisable to discuss the matter with Trent
& Dove to avoid any problems that could occur.
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June 2011

Subletting
Your lease does not allow you to sublet the whole or part of your property. This is because the property must be your main or principal home.
Succession
Your shared ownership lease can form part of your will. When a shared owner dies the property can be passed on to any person in accordance with their wishes.
A person succeeding to a shared ownership lease should contact a solicitor to ensure they receive appropriate advice and the correct legal procedures are followed with regard to the lease and any mortgage outstanding. They should also notify Trent
& Dove immediately in order that our records can be changed accordingly.
Your shared ownership lease
Your main responsibilities under the lease
You own and are responsible for maintaining and repairing everything inside your home or everything that relates to your home, including:
 Internal walls and plasterwork, ceilings and floor surfaces.
 Wiring that is only for your home.
 Internal doors and frames.
 Internal decorations.
 Internal fixtures and fittings, unless they belong to us (for example and entryphone handset).
Your main obligations
These are the things you must do to keep to the terms of your lease:

To pay your ground rent and service charges (if applicable), when due.

To pay your insurance (if applicable), when due.

To keep your home in good repair and decoration including services used solely by your property.

To pay the cost of major works and any long term contracts.

To allow us, or our contractors, access to your home carry out essential work which you have not done (we will charge you for doing this work).

To allow us reasonable access to your property in an emergency or if we give you reasonable notice.

Not to make alterations to the exterior or interior structure of your home without getting written consent from us beforehand.

Not to cause a nuisance or annoyance to other people living in the vicinity.

To notify us of any change in ownership and pay us the appropriate fee.

To inform us in writing of your correspondence address if you are not living in the leasehold property.
Trent & Dove Housing’s responsibilities
We own and are responsible for maintaining and repairing the outside parts and main structure of the building and estate your property is in.
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June 2011

Our main responsibilities are:


The roof, foundations and walls.
 Shared water tanks, drains, plumbing and wiring.
External door and window frames.
 Communal hallways, corridors and stairways.
 Communal gardens and recreational areas.
Our main obligations
We must :

Maintain and repair the structure, exterior and communal areas of the building or complex.

Insure the building your property is in

Keep the communal areas clean and well lit.

Consult you about certain building work.
Improvements, alterations and additions
You need
Trent & Dove’s written permission if you wish to carry out any improvements, alterations or additions to your home such as:
• any structural alterations
• a conservatory
• an extension
• replacing doors and windows
• television aerials and satellite equipment
• installation of new bathrooms and kitchens.
You may also need other approvals, for example planning permission and building control consent. Before you start any work please contact your housing officer to ascertain the information we need in order to assess whether we can grant permission. Please note that Trent & Dove will not unreasonably refuse permission.
If you are obtaining a ‘second mortgage’ or additional lending on your existing mortgage to pay for any improvements, alterations or additions, your lender must obtain our prior written consent.
Your shared ownership lease
If you decide to sell your home, the association will not reimburse you for the improvements, alterations or additions you have made. Details of the permissions we have given for such work will be passed to the valuer in order that they can be taken into account in the valuation. If you wish to purchase further shares in your home they will be disregarded in the valuation process.
Businesses
In accordance with your lease, your property should be used for residential purposes only, however in certain circumstances we may permit you to run a business from your home if you can demonstrate it will not cause a nuisance or annoyance to neighbours. We will not permit you to exhibit any business or trade sign on the premises.
You will need Trent & Dove’s written permission and you may also need the council’s planning permission and consent from your mortgage lender. If you are considering
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June 2011

running a business from your home, please contact your housing officer for further advice.
Buying further shares
– staircasing
The process of buying further shares in the property is called ‘staircasing’ and the procedure for this is set out in your lease. In most cases you will be able to purchase further shares at any time following your initial share. The size of share you can buy depends on your lease. In most cases you can buy 100% of your home. If you live in a house or bungalow you will obtain the freehold if you can buy 100%.
If you live in a flat, it will remain leasehold.
Your shared ownership lease
If you are interested in buying more shares in your home you will need to contact
Trent & Dove in writing and ask for a valuation of your home to be made. We will then arrange for an independent valuation to be carried out on your home, which is based on its current market value. You will have to pay for the valuation. The valuation excludes any major improvements or alterations you have done to your home and you may need to show that you received permission for these. The valuation also assumes you have maintained the property in good order.
Trent & Dove will then send to you an offer of sale. This confirms how much the extra share will cost based on the valuation received and how much your rent will reduce by. The offer is valid for three months.
If you require an increased mortgage to purchase the further share, you should contact your mortgage lender for advice about what you would be expected to pay.
Trent & Dove will need to approve any new mortgage offer or re-mortgage.
You may need to pay stamp duty, depending on whether you paid duty in full when you purchased your initial share. You are advised to contact your solicitor about this.
If you are buying all the remaining shares in your home, you will need to instruct a solicitor to carry out the legal work for you. You will also need to pay Trent & Dove’s legal costs.
Selling your home
You may sell your home at any time, but you must inform Trent & Dove in writing that you want to move. The lease agreement details how you can sell your home. Unless you own the property outright, clauses in the lease enable Trent & Dove a period of up to 8 weeks to put forward a prospective buyer. The value of your share is set by an independent valuer at the start of this period and will reflect the current market value for your home. There will be a fee for the valuation, payable by the shared owner. If Trent & Dove cannot find you a buyer during this period, you are free to sell your share on the open market. Your purchaser will need to complete an application form and be approved by Trent & Dove before proceeding. If you own 100% of the property and there are no sales restrictions in the lease, you can sell the property on the open market. shared ownership lease22
Our fees and charges
You will have to pay a proportion of the costs of any repairs and insurance, usually through your service charge.
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We may make a charge for services we provide to individual leaseholders or their advisers. We will advise you of these charges at the time the service is requested.
Our current charges are:
 Solicitor’s questionnaires

Notice of assignment

Notice of charge

Copy of your lease

Letter of consent

Site inspection for consent (if applicable)
£60
£25
£25
£20
£10
£50
Our charges may change from time to time.
For a current list of our charges, please call us on:
01283 528528.
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June 2011

Topics covered in this section include:

What are service charges?

Management and administration charges

How is the service charge set?

How can I pay my service charge and rent?

What happens if I cannot afford to pay my service charge and rent?

What happens if I ignore my service charges and rent?

Mortgage arrears

Insurance

Debt management
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June 2011

What are service charges?
Your service charge is the money you pay towards the day-to-day running costs of your block or estate.
Your service charges can include things like;

lift maintenance

Digital TV Aerial

communal lighting / cleaning

door entry systems

Care-taking services for in store cleaning, car park and drying areas.

garden maintenance

repair and maintenance work (including major works if applicable)

buildings insurance

Administration costs and any other running costs of your block or estate.
The charges you pay depend on the terms of your lease.
Management and administration charges
We try to minimise our management and administration charges as far as possible.
They cover the following costs and tasks:

Providing a management service.

Service charge and rent calculation.

Collecting and accounting for service charge and rent payments.

Recovery of arrears.

Arranging buildings insurance (where applicable).

Handling insurance claims.

Responding to customer queries.
 Provision of a response based repairs’ service for those items which we are responsible for maintaining.

Undertaking inspection visits.

Consulting with shared owners about management issues.

Providing newsletters and handbooks.

Undertaking home visits and meetings.

Sundry expenditure such as stationery, telephones and IT systems
How is the service charge calculated?
The service charge year runs from 1 st April to 31 st March. Each year we look at how much money has been spent on providing the day-to-day running of your block or estate and also estimate how much will be needed in the next financial year. These estimates are based upon actual costs incurred in the previous financial year, inflation and prices from contractors. The estimate will be sent to you in the form of an account by the 1 st April of each year.
By the end of September in each service charge year we will send you a service charge invoice, which shows the following:
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June 2011


The actual costs for the previous year based on our accounting records.

The difference between the actual costs and the estimated costs that we charged you in the previous year. If the actual costs are greater than the amount we estimated, we will tell you what the difference is and ask you to make payment. If they are less, we will deduct the difference from the total bill.

The current balance on your account.

The total amount you need to pay based on the above breakdown.
You will contribute a fair proportion of the overall charge
Sinking Fund
For some blocks or estates we collect money and place this into a sinking fund (or reserve fund). The fund is used to pay for future maintenance and redecoration of the blocks and estate. The fund will spread the cost of the work ensuring you do not receive large bills for the work.
The service charge account will show how much you must pay into the fund, and information about the amount of money in the fund.
Service charges for freehold houses
If you purchase your property outright you may still have to pay estate charges for the maintenance of roadways, lighting, drains and other services.
Managing agents
Some developments have managing agents who are chosen by the Landlord or a management company to manage and maintain the blocks and estates on their behalf.
If you are a leaseholder and your property is managed by a managing agent the following will apply:

The managing agent will send a demand to us for service charges. Trent &
Dove will pay the service charge and pass on the charge to you as part of our service charge. We will split the charge into monthly payments.
 The managing agent will not deal direct with you unless you contact them with an enquiry.
If you are unhappy with service-charge accounts
If you are not satisfied with the summary of the service-charge accounts we provide, you should write to us to request an inspection of our accounts.
You should do this within six months of receiving your summary. We will reply within
14 days of receiving your request, giving you two months to arrange an inspection of our accounts.
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Limits to how much we can charge you
You must pay for work and services that are considered fair, reasonable and proportionate, so long as they are carried out to a reasonable standard.
We can only charge you for work and services as set out in your lease and any that we have consulted you about, where appropriate.
Charges for work carried out previously
We can only charge you for work completed if we sent you a demand for payment within 18 months of us incurring the costs. However, if during this period we told you that you would have to contribute to these costs, you would also be liable for these service charges.
How can I pay my service charges and rent?
We have various ways for you to make payments to Trent & Dove including:
Direct debit
In Person
By post
By phone
Direct debit is a trouble-free way of paying your service charge and rent from your bank account. Just call us on: 01283 528539 with your bank details to set this up in one easy call. Payments made by direct debit are secure and guaranteed by your bank or building society. Because of administrative costs this service may be restricted to minimum payments.
You can pay by cash, cheque, debit or credit card at your local housing office. Please have your service charge and rent reference number with you. You will receive a receipt for any payment. If you are paying by cheque, please make it payable to Trent & Dove Housing.
You can pay your service charges and rent by post. We accept cheques or postal orders, which should be made payable to Trent & Dove Housing.
Do not send cash through the post. Please make sure you include your service charge and rent reference number and property address with your payment. We will send you a receipt for your payment. You should send your payments to: Trent & Dove Housing, Trinity Square,
Horninglow Street, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, DE14 1BL.
You can make payments over the phone if you have a debit card by calling: 01283 528528.
We will automatically post a receipt to you. You will need your service charge and rent reference number and debit card with you when you call.
How do I check the balance on my service charge and rent account?
We will automatically send you a statement of
your service charge account at least twice a year if there is a balance on your account. The statement sets out everything that has been added to or taken out of your account. We will
send you a statement of your rent account every 13 weeks, however if
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June 2011

you would like a statement at other times please contact your housing officer. You can check your service charge and rent account balance at any time by calling Trent
& Dove Housing on: 01283 528528.
What happens if I cannot afford to pay my service charges and rent?
Your rent and service charge is due on the first day of each month in accordance with your lease. Paying in arrears is not permitted.
If you have difficulty paying please speak to your housing officer as soon as possible for advice on 01283 528528 . Advice can be given about the various benefits or help available and about budgeting.
An agreement can be made for regular payments to be made to clear the arrears.
The housing officers will contact you if you are behind with your payments and this may be by letter, telephone or personal visits. The housing officers may also contact your mortgage lender and tell them that you have not paid.
Trent & Dove will consider taking legal action if the debt continues to rise or satisfactory arrangements have not been made to clear the arrears. If a court awards a possession order, you risk losing your lease and your share in the property.
We will offer you a range of direct debit options to help you pay your bill by instalments, but you are required to pay the full years charge over a maximum 12 month period. If you have purchased your home with the aid of a mortgage, you may consider approaching your lender. They may be able to settle your invoice on your behalf, and add the amount to your mortgage.
It is important that you pay your service charges in full and promptly according to your chosen payment method. If payments are not received and we are able to satisfy The
Residential Property Tribunal Service that the charges are properly due and reasonable, then we can begin forfeiture proceedings by applying for a court order. The court has wide discretion where forfeiture is concerned, but if forfeiture is approved by a court, this can lead to us repossessing your property.
Alternatively we may seek a county court judgment for payment. If the court grants us judgment, payment can be enforced in a number of ways. These include enforcement by an attachment of earnings through your employer or seizure of goods by the court bailiff.
You will have to pay legal costs and any court fees. If you ignore the order of the court, you and your family could lose your home or possessions.
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June 2011

If you have a mortgage and think you won’t be able to make a payment when it is due it is important that you contact your mortgage lender immediately.
Building insurance
In the majority of cases, Trent & Dove
Housing is responsible for buildings insurance for your home ( this is NOT contents insurance ). The cost of our
cover is generally much lower than you will find elsewhere.
If your mortgage lender offers you insurance, you should tell them that we insure the building on your behalf – this is one of our obligations under your lease. You will pay a share of the
You are not insured against any damage you may cause to someone else’s property (third party liability damage).
For example, if there is a leak from a pipe in your property that floods into your neighbour’s home. It is YOUR responsibility to take out a separate insurance policy to cover this. insurance cost through your service charges.
The policy taken out by Trent & Dove Housing insures the building up to the reinstatement value of your home. This means the cost of putting it back in its condition before the damage.
Be aware that if you staircase to 100% and own the freehold to the property you will be responsible for insurance.
Insurance cover - summary of key areas
Buildings and permanent structures are insured against damage caused by: fire; storm; flood; collision; malicious damage; subsidence; escape of water/frost damage; accidental breakage of glass, fixed sanitary ware or bathroom fittings. Full details of
Insurance cover are available on request.
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June 2011

General exclusions/limitations of cover

General wear and tear or damage occurring gradually is not covered

If your home is unoccupied for more than 90 days a number of restrictions and policy conditions will apply. If this arises please contact our leasehold team on 01283 528667 for further details .
This is just a summary of cover and exclusions applying.
Making a claim
Our insurers require prompt notification of claims so it is important to notify us as soon as possible after an incident occurs. Failure to notify us in good time could result in cover being restricted or claims being denied altogether.
In the event of an incident, please call our leasehold team on: 01283 528667 as soon as possible with full details of the loss or damage. We will:

Send you a claim form to complete. This must be completed and returned to us within 14 days of the incident

Forward your completed claim form to our insurer
Our insurer will arrange for the damage to be assessed and reach agreement with you and about what repairs or replacements are required before arranging for the work to be carried out.
You must not settle, reject, negotiate or agree to pay any claim or repair costs without permission from us or our insurance company.
Contents insurance
We offer an attractively priced contents insurance scheme through My Home
Contents Insurance Ltd. Benefits of the scheme include:

Flexible regular pay as you go options by cash, direct debit, cheque, postal order and credit/debit card payments.

Realistic sums insured.
 The excess is £50 refundable on no fault claims.
If you would like more details of the scheme, please call our insurer on: 0845 337
2463.
Are you in debt?
While many people are able to manage their finances even when money is tight, debt will affect a number of people at some time in their lives. It can be a distressing time and strain on even the strongest relationships as it causes feelings of isolation and shame. This section of the handbook is relevant to anyone who might find themselves in this position.
It is important to remember that if you are in this situation you are not alone. Help and advice is available. Make time to take control of your debts to ensure they don’t
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June 2011

control you. If you are finding it difficult to seek help, for whatever reason, then the following steps will guide you through the debt process.
Moving home costs
Moving home can be very expensive, whether you are moving to your first home or to another property. People do not always take into account the expense they will incur during this time.
You may be tempted to take out a loan to cover the expenses of the move and things you want in your new home, but remember you will then have to pay this money back plus interest.
Some doorstop lenders operate on the basis that they will target those moving into a new home, and although it can be tempting being offered money there and then, their interest rates can be very high.
It is always important to consider all the options and assistance that may be available to you when moving. For example:

Do you know anyone who has a van or lorry who could help?

Hiring a van and asking family and friends to help is often a much cheaper option than removal companies.

You may be eligible for help from local charities and furniture reuse schemes.
Ask your housing officer for further information.

If you are in receipt of income support and other associated benefits, you may be eligible for a grant from the Social Fund or an interest free loan. Again, ask your housing officer for information.
It is important to remember that if you are moving to a larger house, your costs are likely to increase, e.g heating and lighting. It may be the case that if you are an existing customer with a telephone company you can take your number to the new property and save costs.
D on’t fall into the debt trap before you have even moved in.
Write down all your incomings and outgoings so that you have a clearer idea of your finances.
Once you have written down your current payments for rent and utilities (e.g. water) you will see what money you have left to make offers towards priority payments.
What should you pay first?
It is important to make sure that you are paying your essential living costs. These are called ‘priority payments’ as any of these creditors can take action against you (see table below):
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June 2011

Rent
Mortgage
Loss of home
Council Tax
Gas, electric & telephone
Water
TV Licence
Car hire purchase
Court fines
Loss of home
Removal of your possessions, take money from your wages, make you bankrupt or get a charge order over your home. Loss of liberty.
Disconnection
Removal of possessions, attachment of earnings or a charge over your home
Fine or loss of liberty
Loss of vehicle
Removal of possessions or loss of liberty
Please remember.....
Your priority creditors would rather make a sensible repayment plan with you that you can afford, than unrealistic payments that you are unable to make and fall behind with.
Credit cards, store cards, unsecured bank loans and overdrafts, to name but a few, are unsecured debts and often known as ‘non-priority debts’. You generally have to deal with these debts by coming to an arrangement with the creditor to pay an amount you can afford.
How do you calculate what to offer?
The calculation is quite simple:

individual debt amount multiplied by excess income available

divided by total debt amount to all creditors.
Example:
Mr A owes a total of £11,500 to three creditors the amounts are:
Creditor A
£6,000
Creditor B £3,000
Creditor C £2,500
TOTAL
£11,500
He has excess income of £55.00 after paying his priority creditors.
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June 2011

The pro rata to offer Creditor A is:
£6,000 multiplied by£55.00 divided by £11,500 = £28.69
If you can’t come to an affordable arrangement, the creditor may claim their money through the court. The court can then order you to make payments at a rate you can afford, after looking at your income and outgoings (expenses). As long as you keep up with the payments as ordered by the court, the creditor cannot take enforcement action against you, such as using bailiffs.
You may be able to ask the court f or a ‘time order’. This means the court can reduce or even stop the interest that is mounting up on the money you owe and reduce payments to a level you can afford, but you have to show the court that you have real difficulty making the original payments. You may also have to show that you would be able to pay the full instalments again later.
Please seek advice if a bailiff has contacted you to collect a debt, as the law about bailiffs may differ depending on what type of debt you owe.
With most debts, bailiffs are involved only if you can’t come to an arrangement to pay a creditor, and then only after your case has been to court. However, this does not apply to Revenues and Customs bailiffs and VAT bailiffs.
Bailiffs usually work by threatening to take your possessions to persuade you to pay what you owe, or taking and selling things you own to repay your debt.
You may believe bailiffs are allowed to force their way into your home, but they are normally allowed to do this only because of debts from unpaid fines. They may force their way into your home only if they have been inside your home for the same debt on an earlier occasion.
If you do let a bailiff into your home, they will usually take ‘walking possession of some of your belongings. This means that you cannot negotiate acceptable payments with the bailiff, or if you miss payments that you have agreed with the bailiff, they can legally force entry into your home and take those items away.
Bailiffs will be able to take belongs outside your home, for example a car.
For most types of debt, ‘basic household items’ cannot be taken away by a bailiff.
This includes a bed, cooker, fridge and most furniture, but not a television or other less necessary items.
Please remember that county court bailiffs can carry out eviction after possession proceedings.
Debt collectors are not the same as bailiffs. They cannot take any direct action against you, apart from asking you to pay. If you believe a debt collector is harassing you or putting undue pressure on you to pay, contact the Trading
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June 2011

Standards Department at your local council. If you are being physically threatened, contact the police.
Many people who are in debt decide that bankruptcy is the only option.
Bankruptcy is a legal remedy to clear your debts by declaring that you are insolvent
(unable to meet your financial commitments). There are two ways of becoming bankrupt:

Make yourself bankrupt. You will need to pay a court fee to do this.

For a creditor to apply to the court to make a person bankrupt. It is far less common to do this unless they are sure that they will realise the money that is owed to them.
Bankruptcy is not an easy option and you should get expert advice before applying to make yourself bankrupt. It may not be suitable if you:

Have a certain type of job (e.g. if you work in finance or you are a solicitor).

Own or are buying your own home.

Have other assets.

Are likely to inherit money or goods during the bakruptcy period.
It is sensible to seek advice, but do not be tempted by a fee charging debt advice agency as the money that you pay them could be going direct to your creditors.
The following are some agencies that can offer you help and advice:
National Debt Line www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
Consumer Credit Counselling Service
Citizens Advice Bureau
0808 808 4000 www.cccs.co.uk
0800 138 1111 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
your local citizens advice bureau is listed in the phone book
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June 2011

Office of Fair Trading
Community Legal Service Direct www.oft.gov.uk
0845 7224 499 www.clsdirect.org.uk
0845 345 4345
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June 2011

Topics covered in this section include:

Consultation on major works or repairs

Consultation on long term agreements

Emergencies

Planned maintenance
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June 2011

We make every effort to consult shared owners on any housing management issue that will affect them. If we want to charge you for any costs for major work to your block or estate, we must comply with specific regulations.
Major works
These are large repair jobs, such as replacing roofs or windows, or redecoration, which need to be done as buildings gradually wear out or need repair. They are almost always planned well in advance, except in emergencies.
Your rights to be consulted
Under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, we must consult you before we begin any major repairs, maintenance or replacements:

t hat you will be required to pay more than £250 towards, or

where a long term contract exists and you must pay more than £100 per financial year.
We must consult you about which contractor to use if we want to enter new agreements with contractors that last more than 12 months.
We will consult you as an individual shared owner and, if you are a member of a recognised Residents’ Association
(RA), we will also consult you through this. The consultation process varies slightly according to the type of work that we propose to do.
Consultation on major works and repairs
only
We will send you a written notice detailing the work we propose to carry out and say when and where you can see details of it. It will explain why the work is needed and allow 30 days for written comments . We will obtain two estimates from contractors including the most nominated contractor, if applicable. We must take your views into account and if you nominate (put forward) a contractor, we must try to get an estimate for the work from them.
If your nominated contractor is not included on our approved list of contractors/registered with the Safe Contractor scheme, we will ask them to make an application to be admitted to the list. They can only be considered for the intended work if they meet our requirements and standards.
We will send you a second notice setting out at least two estimates for the work and say when and where you can see details of them, together with a summary of the comments we have received and our responses to them. We will allow 30 days for written comments on the estimates.
We will take into account any comments we receive and advise you of the outcome before awarding the work.
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June 2011

If the work is awarded to a contractor who is not a nominated contractor or not the contractor with the lowest estimate, we will write to you again within 21 days together with our reasons for the award, any comments we have received and our responses to them.
Consultation on long term agreements
In the same way, we will consult you if we wish to enter into a long-term agreement with a contractor, to provide works or services where the cost to any one shared owner in the block is more than £100 during the year. (
Note : We currently have a number of service contracts in place which exceed £100 per year; consultation on costs will only arise when services are re-tendered.)
Examples of long-term Agreements or Contracts lasting for more than 12 months are:

Lift maintenance.

Maintenance of door-entry systems.

Grounds maintenance.

Maintaining communal lighting.

Cleaning of windows and communal areas.
A long-term agreement is a contract lasting for more than 12 months where a contractor has been employed to carry out, for example, servicing of door entry systems.
If additional repair or refurbishment work is required and will cost any shared owner in the block more than £250, we will send you a written notice.
The notice will describe the work, and say when and where you can see details about it. It will explain why the work is needed together with an estimate of the cost.
We will allow 30 days for written comments and will send a reply within 21 days to any leaseholder who writes in.
Contracts requiring advertising in the European Union (EU)
If the contract sum for major works, repairs or long term agreements is at a level where EU procurement rules apply, they must be advertised by public notice. In such cases we will not be able to give you the opportunity to nominate a contractor of your own choosing.
Emergencies
We do not have to consult you during an emergency, or during circumstances beyond our reasonable control. We can still charge you the cost of the work, so long as the Residential Property Tribunal Service is satisfied that we were justified in doing the work without proper consultation and that the charges are reasonable.
This may apply in cases of very urgent work needed to protect health and safety, or for specialised work where it is difficult to get more than one estimate. Examples may include; burst water mains, collapsed chimneys or roofs and falling masonry.
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June 2011

Paying for major works
We understand that we need to be flexible about the way we ask you to pay for the work.
We will give you the option to pay for major work or repairs over a longer period. The length of term we offer will depend upon the cost you will have to pay.
Alternatively, your mortgage lender may be prepared to lend you extra money to cover the costs.
Please contact the leasehold team for more information about ways you can pay.
Meeting the cost of charges and making payments is covered in detail on page 21.
Planned maintenance works
Where the cost of any works to each shared owner is under £250 and, formal consultation is not required, we aim to contact you at least eight weeks before the proposed start date, to let you know that works are planned to your property.
If we need to survey your property, we will contact you at least four weeks before the proposed start date to make a convenient appointment to survey your property before the work is carried out. For some works, such as external painting, we will not need to contact you regarding a survey.
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June 2011

Topics covered in this section include:

Summary of repair and maintenance responsibilities

How to report a repair

Response times and targets

Home improvements

Estate maintenance

Graffiti and rubbish

Bulky waste collection
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June 2011

As a home owner you are usually responsible for all repairs to your home. You should check your lease to see what you are responsible for.
If you live in a flat, Trent & Dove is usually responsible for maintaining:

The structure of the building such as the walls, foundations and roof.

Internal and external communal areas.
This work will be paid for through your service charges.
Reporting repairs
The easiest way to report a repair that is our responsibility, is to phone us on 01283
528528. We provide a 24-hour service for emergency repairs; whilst all other repairs may be reported they will be held over until the next working day.
Our Customer Services Advisers are available 9am
– 5pm, Monday to Friday, to make appointments and coordinate repairs. When you report a repair, we will tell you what category it falls into and the estimated time for us to respond.
Although it is not possible for us to attend to every repair on the day you report it, we will make sure that the more urgent the work is, the sooner we’ll do it. We’ll carry out the work as soon as we can, depending upon what it is. As a minimum we follow these timescales:
Emergency repairs – things that present a health and safety risk or cause a real danger to people or property. If occurring outside normal working hours, in many cases the contractor will only be able to make the situation safe, returning later to complete the repair. We aim to attend within a maximum of 24 hours depending upon the nature of the repair required.
Urgent repairs – things that cause a significant inconvenience but are not a health and safety risk. We will attend and complete the repair within seven calendar days of it being reported.
Routine repairs
– things that can be annoying but are not urgent. We will attend and complete the repair within 31 calendar days of it being reported.
We offer five different repair appointment slots to choose from:

All day access – 8am to 6.30pm

Am
– 8am to 1pm

Pm
– noon to 6.30pm

The school run - 9.30am to 2.30pm

The appointment system is not available for emergency repairs.
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June 2011

You can also report your non-emergency repairs online using our website at; www.trentanddove.org
The link to HOUSECALL provides diagrams that will help you to identify the type of repair you require and the service is also available in alternative languages.
You can also report repairs in the following ways;
In person – our offices are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Head office:
Trinity Square
Uttoxeter office:
11 Bradley Street
Horninglow Street Uttoxeter
Burton upon Trent
DE14 1BL
Staffordshire
ST14 7QA
01283 528528 01889 561870
By post - You can write to our repairs ’ centre. Please give us as much detail about the repair as possible and send your letter to:
Trent & Dove Housing
Trinity Square
Horninglow Street
Burton upon Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 1BL
By email - You can email us at: enquiries@trentanddove.org
.
When you report a repair, we’ll need to know:
- Your name and address
- A contact telephone number
- Full details of the repair
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June 2011

New homes
– defects liability period
If you have moved into a newly built home it will usually be covered by the builder’s guarantee. This is often called the ‘defects liabilty period’. Repairs occurring during this period will normally be undertaken by the builder.
This guarantee is usually for a period of six or 12 months. Details about this and how to report a repair during the period are included in the Home User Guide provided by Trent and Dove when you move in.
Home improvements
You must ask for our permission in writing before you carry out certain alterations to your home. Examples of the types of alterations that will need our permission include:

Installing new windows and doors.

Erecting conservatories, sheds and garages.

Replacing fencing and boundary walls.

Removing or altering walls.

Altering window and door openings.

Installing gas or electric fires.

Any electrical additions or alterations.

Erection of satellite dishes. This is only allowed where the service is not provided by Trent & Dove Housing.
You would not normally need our permission to replace a bathroom suite or to replace kitchen cupboards.
If you have any doubt about whether you need our permission, call a member of our leasehold team on 01283 528667 before starting work on your home.
You will be responsible for maintaining any alterations or fittings you have made to your home. Even if they were made by the previous leaseholder, you will still have to maintain them.
Landscape maintenance
We aim to regularly cut and maintain all grassed areas for which we are responsible, in accordance with the following schedule:
 High amenity grass not to exceed 30mm (1¼ inches) in height.

General amenity grass not to exceed 75mm (3 inches) in height.

Open space grass not to exceed 100mm (4 inches) in height.
We do not remove grass cuttings in general amenity and open space areas as this increases the cost of the work. However, we spread the cuttings evenly over the area.
A number of our Housing Schemes receive a high specification Grounds
Maintenance Service, for which additional charges are made. Details on service standards are provided separately to this document.
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June 2011

Shrub and tree maintenance
Shrubs and mature trees on
Trent & Dove’s land will be routinely pruned in accordance with good practice. We will not do any work on shrubs or trees that you own. To report overgrown shrubs or a dangerous tree in a shared area, contact your
Housing Officer on: 01283 528528.
Weed control
We will spray weeds with a special herbicide twice each year when required. We will also remove inappropriate trees and shrubs and treat the stumps and roots where possible, to prevent them growing back. Areas we will treat include:

Paths, roadways and steps that we own.

Joints between kerbs and road surfaces.

Parking areas, car parks, tarmac, concrete and gravel areas that we own.
Removal of graffiti and dumped rubbish
Graffiti is removed on a priority basis, with offensive and racist graffiti being the highest priority and normally removed within 24 hours.
Call our Customer Service Advisers on 01283 528528 or visit our offices in order to report graffiti, on a property owned by us, or rubbish dumped on our land. We will arrange to remove the items as quickly as we can.
Bulky waste and electrical goods collection service
To arrange for the collection of bulky items including electrical goods, call East
Staffordshire Borough Council on: 0800 269098 or email: environment@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk
.
A fee is payable to East Staffordshire Borough Council for this service.
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June 2011

40
June 2011

Topics covered in this section include:

Gas safety

Electrical safety

Fire safety

Burst and frozen pipes

Condensation

Door entry systems

Asbestos
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June 2011

Gas Safety
Around 40 people die in the UK every year from carbon monoxide poisoning due to faulty gas appliances. By law we must service communal (shared) gas heating systems and appliances every 12 months to prevent this from happening to our customers.
You are responsible for the safety of all gas appliances in your home and are required to have them serviced annually by a suitably qualified and competent Gas Safe registered contractor; checks are made for appliance condition and service piping, any gas leakages and levels of Carbon Monoxide. The contractor will then complete a short report for you, a copy of which must be forwarded to us.
Please be advised that it is a serious breach of the Lease not to comply with this requirement.
All works relating to gas appliances must be carried out by a qualified and competent, Gas Safe registered contractor. On completion of any work, the contractor MUST complete a short report using recognised certificates/records, a copy of which must be sent to us. It is a serious breach of the terms of your lease if you do not send a copy of this document to us. When work on a gas appliance is carried out, the contractor should also immediately examine:

The effectiveness of any flue (chimney);

The supply of combustion air;

The operating pressure or heat input or, where necessary, both;

The operation of the appliance to ensure its safe functioning.
Gas leaks are very serious and require immediate attention. If you can smell gas or have any suspicion that gas is leaking, follow these simple steps:
- Put out cigarettes; turn off gas cookers and fires and anything with a naked flame.
- Turn off the main gas supply. The main gas on/off lever can be found next to your gas meter.
- Open all windows and doors. This will allow any gas that has built up in your home to disperse.
- Do not turn on any lights or sockets or light any matches.
- Do not use a phone or mobile. Using a light switch or other electrical appliance might generate a spark, which could ignite any escaped gas in the air.
- Call National Gas Emergency Service immediately on: 0800 111 999 from outside the property.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning
Carbon Monoxide is a colourless, odourless, poisonous gas. It can kill without warning as it does not have a smell and you cannot see it. The initial symptoms of
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June 2011

CO poisoning are similar to flu (but without the fever). Other symptoms include tiredness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, pains in the chest and stomach pains.
If you or your family experience the above symptoms and you believe that carbon monoxide may be involved, you must seek urgent medical advice.
How to prevent CO poisoning
You should have your heating system (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually by a “Gas Safe” registered contractor. The contractor should also check chimneys and flues for blockages, corrosion, partial and complete disconnections and loose connections.
- Always use a Gas Safe registered contractor to fit and service your gas cooker and appliances.
- Make sure appliances are installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and gas regulations.
- Never block air vents on an appliance.
- Never use an appliance if you think it may not be working properly.
- Never block outside grilles, flues or airbricks.
- Never sleep in rooms that have a gas back boiler.
- Never burn charcoal or fuel-burning camping equipment inside your home, garage, vehicle or tent.
- Never leave a car running in a garage even with the garage door open.
- Never operate un-vented fuel-burning appliances in any room with closed doors or windows or in any room where people are sleeping.
- Do not use petrol powered tools or engines indoors.
- Install CO detector/alarms. Make sure the detectors are not covered by furniture or curtains.
Electrical safety
We recommend that you have an electrical safety check carried out once every five years. Always keep a torch handy and know where your fuse box and main switch is located.
New building regulations require all electrical alterations in your home to be carried out by a competent person who will give you a certificate to say that the work has been tested.
How you can help to reduce the risk of fire from faulty electrical appliances and installations;
- Switch off all electrical appliances that are not in use.
- Turn off and disconnect televisions at night.
- Make sure plugs are wired correctly and checked regularly for damaged or loose cables.
- Do not overload sockets when using adaptor plugs and do not wire more than one appliance into each plug.
- Do not run cables under carpets or rugs as this can cause over-heating or fires.
- Avoid using extension cables wherever possible.
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June 2011

- Never touch switches with damp or wet hands and never take electrical appliances into the bathroom.
- Ensure all electrical appliances are regularly checked by a qualified electrician and only used in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Fire safety
Around 400 people die every year in house fires in the UK. Many could have been prevented by following a few simple precautions:
To reduce the risk of fire:

Never leave a chip pan on the cooker unattended.

Do not leave candles unattended.

Keep matches and lighters away from children.
 Don’t overload electrical power points.

Never smoke in bed. Empty ashtrays last thing at night, making sure nothing is still burning.

Make sure all open fires are guarded and never allow anything to come into contact with portable electric fires.

Do not use portable gas heaters.
 Don’t obstruct halls, corridors, stairs or balconies.
 Don’t wedge open fire doors.

Close all doors at night and keep fire doors shut.

Install smoke alarms and test them regularly.

Ensure that you know where the keys are to any locked windows and doors.

Discuss an escape route with your family and make sure that your children know what to do in case of fire. Teach them how to make a 999 call and give their address.
If there is a fire in your home:
- Alert everyone in your home and get everyone together
- Stay calm and leave quickly by the safest route.
- Don’t collect valuables or possessions as this could cost you your life.
- Close all doors and windows behind you if you can.
- Dial 999 and ask for the Fire Service.
If you are trapped in your home because of a fire, close all windows and doors and use a damp cloth to seal the bottom of the door to stop smoke from coming in.
If the room starts to fill with smoke, stay as close to the floor as possible and cover your mouth with a damp cloth, taking short breaths.
If there is a fire and you could have prevented it, you may have to pay to put right the damage in your home.
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June 2011

Smoke detectors
Buying and fitting a smoke detector and alarm will give you and your family precious extra minutes in the event of a fire.
- You should test your smoke alarm weekly by pressing the test button firmly until the alarm sounds. If it doesn’t sound, change the battery as soon as possible and retest the alarm.
- You should vacuum the dust off your smoke alarm at least once a year and wipe the cover. Always test it after you’ve cleaned it.
- Cooking can sometimes cause the alarm to go off: open a window or fan the air under the alarm to stop it – NEVER remove the battery from the alarm unless immediately replacing it with a new one.
Fires in blocks of flats
The walls and doors between flats, stairs and corridors have been specially designed and constructed to resist fire, stop the spread of smoke and keep the building safe.
You can help to prevent fires:
- Don’t place items that could catch fire easily, such as rubbish or old furniture, in communal areas.
- Keep fire doors closed.
- Keep access/escape routes clear.
If a fire starts:
- Stay calm; unless the fire is in your flat, it is usually safe for you to stay there unless a fire officer tells you to leave.
- Pack the bottom of your door with a damp cloth to prevent smoke getting into your flat.
- Never use a lift.
- If you are told to leave, don’t return to your home until the fire service tells you it is safe to do so.
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June 2011

Burst and frozen pipes
An uncontrolled escape of water can cause extensive damage to your home and your personal possessions. It may even reach your neighbours’ properties causing damage to their homes and belongings. Many reported burst pipes are caused by them becoming frozen during periods of cold weather.
By taking some simple precautions, you could avoid this happening to you.
To help prevent burst pipes in cold weather:
- Try to keep your home sufficiently warm at all times, even when you are not there by leaving the heating on a low setting.
- Know where your stopcock is and make sure you can turn off the main water supply if you need to.
- If you have an outside tap, make sure it is lagged. If it has a separate stopcock, turn it off over the winter period.
If your pipes freeze or burst you should:
- Turn off the main stopcock.
- Switch off your immersion heater if you have one.
- Switch off your heating and hot water system.
- Turn on all your taps to drain off as much water as possible.
- Try to find out where the water is coming from and contain it if possible by putting rags or a bucket under it.
- Report the problem to us if communal areas are affected, or the damage affects other property owned or let by Trent & Dove Housing.
It is important that you do not use your lights if water is dripping through a light fitting.
Condensation
Cooking, bathing and washing and drying clothes are all common causes of condensation, which happens when there is too much moisture in the air. If condensation occurs regularly, it can cause damp and mould.
You can prevent condensation by keeping your home heated and well ventilated, and by closing the kitchen or bathroom door when you are cooking, washing or bathing. Try to dry clothes outside; if you must use radiators, open a window.
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June 2011

Damp forms when a fault in the structure of the building lets water in from outside.
The usual signs of damp are mould, a musty smell and, in some cases, tide marks and wet patches on the wall or ceiling.
There are two types of damp:
- Penetrating Damp – Water comes in through the walls or roof. This may be due to cracks in the plaster or loose roof tiles.
- Rising Damp – Problems with the building’s damp proof course. (Most properties have a damp-proof course, a membrane built into the outside walls to stop moisture from the ground rising through the flat. You can help to prevent rising damp by ensuring your damp-proof course is not covered by soil).
Condensation is more likely to happen when there is more moisture in the air than usual and when surfaces are cooler. How you ventilate and heat your home affects the level of condensation.
Condensation can create conditions in which mould can grow and damage clothing, furniture and decorations, particularly wallpaper. In addition, when mould dries, it sends spores into the air that can cause breathing problems in some people.
We have listed below some easy steps that you can take to reduce or prevent condensation occurring in your home.
Cooking:
- Do put lids on boiling pots and pans.
-
Don’t leave kettles boiling.
Washing clothes:
- Always dry washing outside if you can.
- If you do dry your washing indoors, leave a window open wherever possible.
- Always make sure that you vent a tumble drier to the outside of the house (unless it is a self-condensing type).
Generally:
During cold spells, it may be better to keep the heating on at all times using a lower temperature setting, rather than switching the heating on and off for short periods.
Where possible, try to heat the whole house including rooms that you do not use regularly.
Do
- Keep a small window or vent open when there is moisture in a room.
- Allow space for air to circulate around your furniture.
- Close doors so that moist air does not spread through your home.
- Increase ventilation when cooking, washing up, bathing or drying clothes by using extractor fans (where these are fitted) or opening windows.
- Open cupboard and wardrobe doors to help keep them ventilated. Try not to overfill them as this stops the air circulating.
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- Where possible, position freestanding cupboards or wardrobes against internal walls.
Don’t
- Use paraffin and portable gas heaters.
- Block permanent vents.
- Fit additional draught proofing in rooms which have condensation or mould problems, or where there is a fuel-burning cooker.
- Fit additional draught proofing to windows in the kitchen or bathroom.
Door entry systems
Door entry systems are generally found in blocks of flats with communal entrances.
They increase security and control who has access to the flats.
You can operate the main external door simply by pressing the door entry button in your flat.
We’ll give you a communal door key (sometimes called a fob) when you buy your property and we will show you how the system works. Contact us on 01283 528528 if you need a replacement key – although you may have to pay for this.
The communal door should be kept locked at all times and should never be propped open. If you notice a fault with the door entry system you should report it immediately to us. Phone us on 01283 528528.
Asbestos
Because of its strength and fire resistance, asbestos was widely used in the construction of many buildings between 1900 and 1999. Asbestos materials are unlikely to release fibres into the air, or cause any threat to your health, if they are undamaged. There is only a risk to health if they are disturbed by building work.
The sorts of places where you might find asbestos in your home include;
- Artex (usually found in ceiling and wall coatings.
- Plastic floor tiles
- Fire protection linings
- Some gas central heating boiler units
- Ceiling and roof tiles
- Pipe insulation coverings (not the foam type)
- Flue ventilation pipes to internal bathrooms
- Soffits and fascias
As all of these materials may contain asbestos, they should not be broken, sanded, cut or drilled.
If you are concerned about asbestos in your home, please contact us on 01283
528528. You will be responsible for the cost of removing asbestos from your property and liable to pay a proportion of the costs if asbestos is removed from the communal areas.
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Topics covered in this section include:

Anti-social Behaviour

Mediation

Taking action and supporting you

Domestic Abuse

Racist or Homophobic Behaviour (Hate Crimes)

Parking
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We expect all our customers to treat our staff politely and with respect. We reserve the right to politely end contact with the customer if they are unnecessarily abusive, aggressive or violent to our staff.
Introduction
Our aim is to deal with all reports of anti-social behaviour quickly and effectively. The law describes antisocial behaviour as “acting in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress”.
Some examples of anti-social behaviour include:
- Vandalism and graffiti.
- Violence.
- Verbal abuse.
- Swearing.
- Alcohol and drug abuse.
- Loud music.
- Car repairs and inconsiderate parking.
- Hate crimes involving racial harassment or religious beliefs.
- Domestic violence.
- Noisy pets
As a Trent & Dove shared owner, you are responsible for making sure that everyone living with or visiting you treats your home and the neighbourhood with respect and follows the rules set out in your lease.
Most of our customers never cause or experience anti-social or nuisance behaviour.
However, a few people do and the following information refers to them.
Living near someone who behaves anti-socially can be unpleasant and stressful and can make life a misery. When problems first arise it is often better to speak to the people involved. They may not realise that their behaviour is affecting you. If you approach them, you may be able to work out a solution together. This is particularly relevant where issues about parking or noise are a problem.
We take reports of anti-social behaviour seriously and will take action to help prevent and resolve any problems. If you want to report an incident of anti-social behaviour you can contact us by telephone on 01283 528528, by letter or e-mail
(enquiries@trentanddove.org), or in person at our offices in Burton or Uttoxeter.
You will need to tell us the name of the person(s) you want to complain about, their address, the problems they are causing and whether or not you have spoken to them about the complaint.
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We will ask you to complete an anti-social behaviour report form. These are available at our offices. Once we receive this we can begin an investigation. If the matter is very serious or involves racial abuse or hate crime, please contact your area office immediately.
We appreciate that a quick response is important when you report anti-social behaviour and we have set timescales for dealing with incidents. You can find out more about how we deal with antisocial behaviour in our leaflet called ‘How to deal with Anti-socia l behaviour, Nuisance and Hate Crime’.
Mediation
We offer a mediation service, which is an independent, confidential organisation skilled in bringing about resolutions between neighbours. Mediation does not need to be face to face. The mediator can shuttle between the parties concerned to see if they can help all to reach a compromise or agreement. If you would like to be put in touch with this service, please contact us on 01283 528528 .
Taking action and supporting you
If the problem still cannot be resolved, you will be asked you to fill out an anti-social behaviour report form. This is so we can assess what has been happening to you and what action needs to be taken. Your complaint will be investigated and we will keep you updated on what action is being considered. We will need to interview the person or people who are allegedly causing the problem. You may be asked to keep further incident logs because if the matter proceeds to court these will be used as evidence. We may also refer you to other agencies that will support you such as the
Police or the Council.
If we have sufficient evidence we can consider the most effective way of taking action. If the person concerned is our tenant, this may involve serving a Notice
Seeking Possession (NoSP) for breaching the terms and conditions of their tenancy agreement. This is a very serious course of action as it could mean they would lose their home if a judge decides that eviction is the only option. If we take this action you will need to give evidence in court to a judge, as he or she will want to talk to you about the nuisance you have suffered.
Domestic Abuse
This happens when someone harasses or assaults another person who they are or have been in a close relationship with. It can be actual, threatened or attempted violence, or it could be sexual, emotional, mental or physical abuse.
We will not tolerate any form of domestic abuse in our homes. We will provide help and support to anyone experiencing this type of problem, and encourage them to get help to make sure they or other members of their family are not in danger.
Racist or Homophobic Behaviour (also known as Hate Crime)
Other forms of anti social behaviour occur against individuals and groups because of their skin colour or their ethnic background, or because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
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We work in partnership with the Police and other local agencies such as East
Staffordshire Racial Equality Council (ESREC) share information within a framework known as Partners Against Crimes of Hate (PACH), to try and eliminate racist incidents. We respond to reported incidents within set timescales. To report an incident of racist or homophobic behaviour, you can contact us by letter, telephone, fax, e-mail or in person at Trent & Dove main office (01283 528528) or Uttoxeter
Office (01889 561870). You can also report the incident on behalf of someone else.
Alternatively you can also report the incident to:
Police by telephoning 08453 302010
PACH on 01283 510456 (e-mail: administration@eaststaffsrec.co.uk
)
Or the website www.report-it.org.uk
(and completing the on-line True Vision self reporting form).
Estate Management
We want you to live in your home, in a community where you feel safe and secure and we aim to give you the highest possible standards of service. We monitor our services by visiting your neighbourhood regularly to check the area.
We involve residents’ groups, tenants, leaseholders and shared owners in these visits. We ask Community Safety Officers and local Council representatives and agencies such as the police to deal with any issues in neighbourhoods that are their responsibility.
Gardens
If you have a garden you are responsible for ensuring it is looked after and kept in a reasonable condition. You should not use your garden to store rubbish, old furniture, vehicles or vehicle parts.
Running a Business from Home
You must apply in writing to Trent & Dove Housing if you are thinking of running a business from home. We will then carry out a full assessment, including its effect on your neighbours. You should also contact the Local Authority to check if you would need planning permissions. Most properties are not suitable as premises for running a business.
Illegal Use of your Home
You must not use your home for any illegal purposes, such as dealing in drugs, prostitution, or storing stolen goods or keeping unlicensed firearms.
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We take these matters very seriously and will take steps to stop any tenant or leaseholder who uses their home in this way, or who commits a serious crime in or near the property.
Parking
Where parking spaces are provided for your property, in accordance with your lease you should only park vehicles that are roadworthy and taxed private motor cars. No caravans or boats of any kind should be parked on your property.
Please do not park in spaces provided for other properties.
Please ensure that no obstruction, nuisance or annoyance is caused to neighbours, other drivers, pedestrians or emergency services.
Vehicles should only be parked in designated areas and not be parked or driven on any landscaped or amenity area.
Where visitors’ parking spaces are provided, these cannot be reserved or allocated.
It should be noted these spaces are not for vehicles such as caravans, motor homes, boats and commercial vehicles.
Abandoned vehicles
If you are concerned that a vehicle near to your home or on your estate may be abandoned, please report this to your housing officer in order that we can investigate this and liaise with the local authority as appropriate. Alternatively you can contact the local authority direct.
Before deciding whether a vehicle is believed to be abandoned, officers will look to see if it:

Is displaying a current tax disc.

Has not moved for a lengthy period, for example several weeks.

Displays a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) but has been left on the highway or communal land owned by Trent & Dove, for example a garage forecourt or parking area.

Is deemed to not be in a roadworthy condition, for example, missing number plates, no wheels, smashed windows, in a poor state of repair.
This list is not exhaustive and officers will exercise their judgement. A notice may be placed on the vehicle allowing the owner time to retrieve the vehicle.
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Topics covered in this section include:

Our approach to resident involvement

How you can get involved
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Trent & Dove Housing wishes to provide you with the best service available for the money you pay to us through the charges we make. Your views do matter and by working in partnership we can make sure that we provide services that you want and value.
You can choose the level and the way in which you wish to be involved.
We will keep you up to date with what’s going on and the different ways that you may wish to be involved.
We will ensure your contribution is valued and used, giving you feedback wherever possible, to improve services.
How you can get involved
One of the best ways of checking the quality of our services is to ask customers for their views.
You can see our commitment to resident involvement by visiting our website at www.trentanddove.org
or by visiting your local office.
There are a number of ways in which you can express your opinions, or become involved in the management of your homes, influencing the way in which we maintain or improve standards:
One to One visits - Discuss matters face to face with one of our staff, at home or in one of our offices.
Questionnaires and surveys - From time to time we may send surveys, or telephone you, asking for your opinion on our services and requesting your suggestions to help us improve services.
Estate walkabouts - Get together with housing staff and see the issues at first hand, looking at ways of resolving problems and making improvements.
Planning schemes and improvement programmes - Give feedback to help us decide priorities and plan improvements to homes and neighbourhoods.
Scrutinise our services - Join other residents in assessing current services against our standards, making proposals on improvements and efficiencies which can help us to provide greater value for money.
Newsletters - Streetwise magazine is sent regularly to all residents to keep you up to date with news, advice and local interest stories. You can tell us what you’d like to read about or perhaps request to join the editorial group.
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Service information leaflets - These leaflets, which are available in our offices and on our website, give details of our services and standards so that you can see what to expect from us.
Annual Report / Calendar - These tell you how we have performed in the last financial year or showcase the things we have been doing to meet our vision of transforming homes, lives and neighbourhoods. They also contain information on our future plans.
Focus groups / working groups / Service improvement groups - Work with members of our housing teams and management, formally or informally, to identify and discuss changes to services.
Complaints, compliments and comments - Tell us whether you are happy or not with our services, or simply make a comment, in person, over the phone or on a special form. Your comments help us learn where we can make improvements.
Resident groups - Apart from the residents associations which meet regularly in your area, there are many estate groups organised through our community partners such as the Police and Communities Together group. These groups give you the opportunity to meet with others from your community to find out what is happening, arrange social events and have a collective voice to build a community spirit.
For more information on becoming involved, please contact our Resident
Involvement Officer on 01283 528652 or your Leasehold Management officer
01283 528667.
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Topics covered in this section include:

Telecare technology with firstCall 24/7

Floating support for older people
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Trent & Dove’s community alarm service, firstCall 24/7 provides a twenty-four hour monitoring and emergency mobile response visiting service.
The main aim of the service is to assist older, disabled and or vulnerable people to live independently at home, secure in the knowledge that in an emergency, help is at hand around the clock seven days a week.
The service, which is Telecare Accredited, provides telecare assistive technology such as fall detectors, bed sensors and medication reminders as well as personal pendant alarms to summon help in an emergency.
An alarm can be fitted in any property as long as you have a working telephone line connected. The alarm unit is connected to your telephone and portable buttons or pendants are available to wear around your neck or wrist. These will work anywhere in your home.
There is a small charge for this service but you may be able to claim financial help through a Supporting People Grant if you are on a low income.
Floating support for older people
If you are aged over 55 and living in East Staffordshire, we can offer a free service that can provide assistance to help you manage finances, personal safety, completing forms and accessing local activities and service.
To find out more about this service, contact our Senior Floating Support Worker on
01283 528669.
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Topics covered in this section include:

The Leasehold Advisory Service

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal

Tenant Services Authority

Useful contacts
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The leasehold advisory service provides free advice on the law affecting residential long leasehold property and commonhold. They may be contacted at:
31 Worship Street
London
EC2A 2DX or by calling: 020 7374 5380 or by emailing: info@lease-advice.org
The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal is the body appointed to make decisions on disputes between a landlord and residential leaseholders. The LVT is an independent body unconnected to either party or any other public agency.
The decision of the LVT is binding on both parties although there are rights of appeal to the Lands Tribunal. The LVT may be contacted by calling: 0845 600 3178 or via their website at: www.rpts.gov.uk
The Tenant Services Authority is the national Government agency that regulates housing associations in England. They may be contacted at:
Maple House
149 Tottenham Court Road
London
W1T 7BN or by calling: 0845 230 7000 or by email via their web site at: www.tenantservicesauthority.org
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Organisation
Trent & Dove Housing :
Anti-social behaviour
Ground rents
Insurance
Invoice payments
Leasehold queries
Repairs reporting
Ambulance
(emergency)
Crime stoppers
Fire
NHS direct
Burton Queens Hospital
East Staffordshire Borough Council
Abandoned vehicles
Council tax
Fly tipping
Pest control
Street lighting
Police
(emergency)
Police
(non emergency)
How to contact
01283 528528
01283 528630
01283 528630
01283 528539 (Finance)
01283 528667
01283 528528
999 or 112 from a mobile
0800 555 111
999 or 112 from a mobile
0845 4647
01283 566333
01283 508500
01283 508576
01283 508030
01283 508576
0800 269098
0300 111 8000
999 (or 112 from a mobile)
0845 456 456 4
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Listed below are some words and phrases we use in this handbook, together with brief explanations.
Arrears
Assignee
Any leaseholder debts, including service charges and ground rents, which remain unpaid after the due date.
The person buying the lease ie the purchaser.
Assignment The term used when you sell your lease.
Assignor
Block
Common parts /
Communal
Consultation
Covenants
The person selling a lease ie the leaseholder.
The building described in your lease in which your property is situated.
The parts of the building or complex which you share with other residents, for example, entrance hall and staircases, lifts, paths, communal gardens and drying areas.
The process of informing you about major works, their cost and long-term agreements.
Legally binding obligations and responsibilities contained within your lease.
Demised premises
The parts of the building that have been sold to you.
Enfranchisement The process where leaseholders may be able to buy the freehold of their block.
Exceptions and reservations
Rights we keep as landlord over your home.
Fixtures and fittings
Forfeiture
Freehold
Ground rent
The fittings in your flat that you are responsible for maintaining and replacing, for example kitchen units, bathroom suite, central heating system but not including any communal boiler.
The process whereby we can lawfully terminate your lease and repossess your property, usually for non payment of service charges and ground rent or for breaches of covenant.
Outright ownership of the property and the land upon which it stands.
An annual payment to the landlord, usually £10 per annum.
Landlord or
Lessor
Lease
The person who owns the freehold of the property and who grants a lease to a leaseholder.
A legal agreement which sets out the rights and responsibilities of both the leaseholder (you) and your landlord (Trent & Dove
Housing).
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Leaseholder or
Lessee
Leasehold
Leasehold valuation tribunal
(now referred to as The
Residential
Property Tribunal)
Management and admin fee
Someone with the right to possession of a flat or maisonette, for a fixed period of time, usually 125 years.
Ownership of a property in a building subject to the payment of service charges and rent for a fixed period of time, usually 99 or125 years.
The body which make decisions about service charge disputes between landlords and leaseholders. It is made up of a panel of people with experience of property disputes such as solicitors and surveyors.
Major works
Mortgage
The fee charged by the landlord to cover the cost of managing your lease and the provision of services such as newsletters, forum meetings and responding to queries from leaseholders.
Works to the building or complex resulting in a cost to individual leaseholders of more than £250.
A loan secured on your property, usually from a bank or building
Mortgagee society to buy or improve your home. Your home may be at risk if you do not keep up repayments on it.
A bank or building society that lends money to enable a purchaser to buy a property.
Quiet enjoyment The right to live in your home without interference from the landlord. This has nothing to do with noise.
Service charges Payments that you have to make to your landlord to cover the cost of maintaining, repairing and possibly improving the common areas and exterior of the structure.
Advance payments collected through service charges to fund items of major expenditure, for example roof repairs.
Sinking fund
Staircasing
Tender
Term
Purchase of further share or shares in your property
The process of advertising and selecting contractors to undertake work and services.
The length of the lease, usually 99 or 125 years.
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Celebrating 10 years of transforming homes, lives and neighbourhoods
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June 2011