a) Settling in

Introduce yourself to your neighbours. They may be able to provide local information if you are new to an area.

Please be considerate to your neighbours while you are getting your home set up by not causing a nuisance by doing DIY late at night.

b) Subletting and taking in lodgers

You may be entitled to sublet part of your home if you get our permission first.

To find out more about subletting part of your home, contact your neighbourhood housing officer.

You are free to take lodgers into your home.

You must make sure that a lodger does not make your home overcrowded. (The number of people allowed to live in your home is shown on the rent information card.)

If you are on Housing Benefit and you take in a lodger, you must tell the Housing Benefit section.

If you are still not sure, please contact your neighbourhood housing officer.

c) Looking after your garden

You must keep the garden in a reasonably tidy condition. This includes making sure that any bushes you have don't overhang pavements or roads.

If your garden has a tree that we did not plant, you are responsible for making sure it does not interfere with the structure of your home.

If you have a disability that prevents you maintaining the grass or hedge, we may be able to help you with the gardening.

Your neighbourhood housing officer can give you more information.

d) Animals

You can keep a normal domestic pet unless your tenancy agreement says otherwise.

If you live in sheltered housing or a high-rise flat, you can have small caged birds, but you cannot have any other type of pet.

If you have a pet, please be considerate to your neighbours (especially if you live in flats that have shared areas). Do not allow the pet to cause a nuisance. In particular, you must not allow your pet to foul public areas.

e) Rubbish

You must store rubbish tidily and not put it out for collection until the day it is due to be collected. This helps to prevent animals from damaging rubbish sacks and spreading litter and waste.

You must place your rubbish where it can be easily picked up, but not on the pavement.

If we provide containers to store rubbish, such as in flats, you must put the rubbish into bags and put it in the bins. Do not leave it on landings or stairs.

We will only remove garden waste if you put it in our green garden waste bag. You can buy these from us.

You can take large items to the Waterside Household Waste Recycling Centre. They will get rid of them for you free of charge.

The centre is open from 8am to 4.30pm during winter and 8am to 6.30pm during the summer.

Or, you can arrange for large items to be collected.

There is a charge for this. For more information, phone our call centre on 01793 445501.

Do not leave large items such as old washing machines and sofas in gardens or other areas in flats such as landings, corridors and rubbish stores.

f) Vehicles

Parking cars

If you do not have your own parking space, you may park anywhere it is legal to do so.

You must not spoil the environment (for example, by churning up grass verges).

If you have space for a driveway in your garden, you may be able to get permission to install a drive. (See section 5-1 Home improvements.)

Parking caravans and boats

You need to stand your caravan or boat on a hard surface, preferably separate from any driveway used for parking a car.

If this is a problem, contact your neighbourhood housing officer.

Repairing your vehicle?

You can carry out minor repairs to your own vehicles.

Please be considerate to your neighbours and the environment when you are carrying out repairs by keeping everywhere as tidy as possible and getting rid of used or old materials (such as oil and tyres) in the proper way. If you keep causing a nuisance, we can stop you from repairing cars.

Renting a garage

We rent out garages in many areas of the borough.

If you want to find out about renting a garage, contact the Lettings Section on 01793 445503.

You should not use garages for storage.  They are meant for vehicles only.

g) Working from home

If you want our permission to run a business from your home, speak to your neighbourhood housing officer.

If you run a business from home without our permission, you will be breaking your tenancy agreement.

h) Helping to stay independent

‘I live alone and I am worried about my safety.’

We run a community alarm system called Homeline. The service provides an electronic alarm system 24 hours a day for elderly people or people with special needs. The alarm system links your home through to our communications centre. A team of mobile wardens is on call to deal with emergencies and find appropriate help when needed. Various remote sensors, which can monitor temperature and movement, can trigger alarm calls, and there is an individual alarm button if you have an accident or are suddenly ill.

Many of our bungalows and flats, specifically designed for elderly people, already have Homeline installed.  However, it is available to any tenant who asks for it.

There is a small charge for this service. However, there are a number of ways to receive a grant to help pay if you are on a low income. Phone our Homeline office on 01793 464430 for more details.

i) Sheltered housing

‘I want to live an independent life, but may occasionally need help.’

Sheltered housing may be the answer.

Sheltered housing is made up of a group of unfurnished properties, usually flats, designed for elderly people and people with disabilities. They provide a comfortable and secure home for those who want to stay independent, but have the comfort and security of knowing that help is at hand if they need it.

We have 33 sheltered schemes spread throughout the borough.

Each scheme has a warden who lives on the site, who will call on you to make sure you are well. When the warden is off duty, a team of mobile wardens are on hand to help in an emergency.

Each scheme has facilities such as a shared lounge, garden and laundry. These are available for all residents to use at any reasonable time.

Tenants in most schemes also form a committee that organises social events such as day trips and bingo.

For more information, contact the Allocations and Advice section on 01793 445503

j) Ending your tenancy

If you want to end your tenancy you must give us at least four weeks’ notice in writing.

All tenancies start and end on a Monday, so your four-week notice period will start on the first Monday after we receive your notice.

When you have given us notice, we will send a building surveyor to check your home.

You should leave the property in a clean condition and in a reasonable state of repair. If it’s not, we will charge you our costs for cleaning or repairing it. On your last day in your home, do the following.

• Give your gas, electricity and water meter reading to the relevant companies.
• Turn off the gas, electricity and water supplies.
• If necessary, tell the Benefits Section your new address.
• Tell the Council Tax section your new address.
• Return the keys, either in person or by recorded delivery. (You must still pay rent until we receive the keys or the notice period ends, whichever is later.)
• Leave the property clean and tidy.