Home Your tenancy

1. We are responsible for repairing the structure and the outside of your home, and also for any systems that supply water, gas and electricity within your home.
2. We are also responsible for repairing any of our systems for heating your home, or for providing hot water or sanitation (baths, sinks and toilets).
3. You are responsible for decorating the inside of your home, anything that we are not responsible for and also for items which you own or have put in.
4. You must report any repairs that are needed that we are responsible for as soon as you notice them.
5. We will give you a receipt for all the repairs we agree to do and all the inspections you ask for. If you do not receive a receipt within three days for any repair which you have reported, you must tell the repairs call centre.
   • Report a repair
6. You are responsible for any damage to your home caused by you, your family or your visitors. You must pay us for any damage.
7. You must use your home properly and responsibly. You must keep all grates, grids, drains and gullies (not including gutters that catch water from the roof) clean and clear, and you must take care not to block toilets and sinks.
8. You must not alter your home without our written permission.
9. You must not remove any items we own from your home, or from any other property we own, without our written permission.
10. Following a mutual exchange with another tenant, you will be responsible for the decoration that the previous tenant has left. We will repair any damage caused by the previous tenant and charge them for it. You will also be responsible for any improvements or alterations that the previous tenant did, unless we agree to be responsible for them.
11. Any officers or contractors who call at your home in relation to repairs or other housing matters must carry identity cards.
12. During repair work, we will try to cause as little damage as possible to your decorations. However, if we do cause any damage during repair work (if that repair work was not your fault), you may be entitled to an allowance to redecorate.
13. Secure tenants have the right to be consulted on a number of matters including managing, maintaining and improving their homes. We have set out a framework for consulting our tenants in our current Tenants Participation Charter.
    • Tenants Participation Charter (PDF 1.3Mb)
14. We will regularly paint the outside of your home and shared areas.
15. We will make sure we have removed our rubbish, building materials and equipment from your home after we have finished the repair work.
16. We will repair all entrances, halls, stairways, lifts, rubbish chutes, lighting and other common parts of all blocks of flats and maisonettes.
17. We will pay compensation for certain repairs if we do not do them within a certain time, depending on certain conditions. Your housing office can give you more details.
18. You have a right to carry out your own alterations or improvements, but you must get permission, in writing, from your housing office first. You may also get compensation for this work when you end your tenancy. Introductory tenants do not have this right. You get this right if you become a secure tenant.

See also

• How to report repairs to your home
• Your right to improve your home