Housing Service

Difficulties Paying Rent?
If you are having difficulties finding the money to pay your rent, you should get in touch with your Housing Officer straight away. As well as checking to see if you are eligible for any benefits, your Housing Officer will make a sensible arrangement with you to pay what you owe over time. Once you make and arrangement it its very important that you keep to it and make regular payments.

We always try to deal sympathetically with you if you are having financial problems. However, if you do not make or keep to an agreement to pay rent which you owe the Association will, as a last resort, take legal action. This could result in eviction.

Welfare Rights?
To help tenants to get as much help with their finances as possible, the association employs a Welfare Rights Officer. This Officer will provide advice on any benefits you might qualify for and help you to apply for them. The Welfare Rights Officer can also help to put in appeals and will attend tribunals with you if necessary.
This is a very useful service. If you think that the Welfare Rights Officer may be able to help you, please contact you Area Office.

If you want advice or assistance about money problems or debts from someone who does not work for the Association, then you should contact the Citizens or Money Advice Bureau. The Social Work Department or Department of Works and Pensions may also be able to help.

Repairs?
It is important for both you and the Association that houses are maintained to a high standard. The Association will repair most items in your home, however, you will be responsible for doing some repairs. Please refer to the tenants handbook for information on these repairs.

If a repair needs to be done because you have been careless or negligent, e.g. flooding from your washing machine or shower, then you have to do it yourself or pay for it to be done. We may carry our repairs that are your responsibility and then send you a bill for the cost of the work.

If you are unable to give access after it has been arranged but you do not cancel the appointment, you will be recharged the cost of the contractors time for the aborted call.

How to Report a Repair?
You should let us know as soon as possible if a repair needs done. This lets us get repairs done before things get any worse. The best way to report a repair is to phone your Area Office. Be ready to rell then your address, the nature of the problem, which room is affected, when you can give access for the repair. Most repairs can be identified without and inspection. In some cases however, a Housing Officer or Technical Officer will call at your home to see exactly what is needed before a repair can be ordered.

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