Housing Management

• New tenants
• Exchanges
• Transfers
• Untaxed or abandoned vehicles on Council land
• Your Tenancy conditions
• Giving Notice on your tenancy
• Communal Areas - cleaning, landscaping and trees
• Neighbour Nuisance - safer estates and anti social behaviour
• Garages - how much, where are they available and waiting lists
• Pets

New tenants

As our tenant, you are most likely to have a secure tenancy. This means that you have the legal right to stay in your council home as long as you keep to the conditions of your tenancy agreement. (A tenancy agreement is the document we have to give you by law, and which you signed at the start of your tenancy.)

There are occasions where you may be granted a non-secure tenancy. This will depend on the circumstances surrounding your application, and you will be fully informed of the implications of this type of tenancy when an offer of accommodation is made.

When you sign the tenancy agreement, your Housing Officer will explain the details of the tenancy agreement, and provide details to you of the important issues regarding your new tenancy and discuss how to pay your rent.

Soon after your tenancy starts, you will also be asked to complete a short survey. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions as your responses will help us to improve our service to you.

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Exchanges

If you want to exchange your accommodation with another tenant, you must both send a written application to your Housing Officer, who will consider all the relevant factors before reaching a decision.

You must not exchange accommodation without written permission from your Housing Officer.

If you want to exchange your tenancy for a property owned by another local authority, or by a housing association, we will only allow you to exchange if:

• you and the other tenant apply to your landlords;
• the landlords exchange reports on their tenant's conduct;
• both landlords agree to the exchange.

If you get permission for an exchange, you must accept the property you are moving into in the condition you find it on the day the exchange takes place. We will not pay any costs involved in moving or redecorating.

The exchange system is designed to allow tenants to exchange tenancies of our properties, help the exchange of tenancies with tenants of other local authorities and make best use of our own stock of properties.

PDF  Housing Exchange Register Application Form - 28/08/2002 : 465Kb

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Transfers

We will accept an application from you to transfer to other accommodation under the following conditions:

• You must have lived in your present home for 12 months.
• Your rent account must have been clear of any arrears for the previous 6 months.
• Your property must be in an acceptable condition. If there is damage to your home, you will be expected to have repaired and/or redecorated to a satisfactory standard.

There are other facts, which you need to be aware of when applying for a transfer:

• If we believe that you make your situation worse to get more points, we will defer your application for 12 months (for example, if you are already in an overcrowded property and you accept a lodger).
• We will look at tenants with equal points depending on the date they applied.
• You must tell us immediately if your circumstances change, such as marriage or birth of children.
• You must tell us every year that you want to stay on the housing register by returning the registration card. If you do not return your card, your application will be cancelled.
• If we do not receive a reply within five days of offering you accommodation, we will offer it to another person on the housing register.
• If you refuse two offers of accommodation without good reason, we may take you off the housing register.
• If you get accommodation from us by making a false or misleading statement or by withholding relevant information, we may repossess your home.

The Council will suspend your transfer application if/when your Housing Officer visits your home and it is not in reasonable condition.

If you are offered a transfer and after you have moved from our property it is found to be in need or repair of redecoration, you will be charged for the cost to the Council of undertaking this work. To give you an idea of likely charges, some approximate costs are listed below:

Renew internal door £70
Replace single or double electric socket £10 to 15
Remove rubbish from garden £60 upwards
Decorate living room £150 - £200 (incl. labour)
Clean property £75
Chemical clean bathroom suite £15

If you are transferring to a property that includes a decoration allowance, the cost of any decorating or repairs to your old property will be deducted from this allowance.

PDF  Application for Housing Transfer Form - 28/08/2002 : 548Kb

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Points System for Transfers and Exchanges

Our points system for allocating housing and exchanging homes takes into account your needs and our need to make the best use of our properties.

We will not award points in any category for 12 months if we think that you or any member of your household has made your housing condition worse in order to get priority on the Housing Register.

We give points for the following:

1. Length of time on the housing register

Every 6 months on the Housing Register (we will award up to 12 points) = 1 point

2. Your family

Retired, childless couples, single people 15 points Families (including confirmed pregnant women, families with adult children and households including children below 18 who normally stay overnight at least 2 nights per week) = 25 points

3. Under occupation

For each bedroom which would be released if you were looking for smaller accommodation = 20 points

4. Over occupation

You need a separate bedroom for:

• You and your partner = 10 points
• A single adult child aged 18 or over = 10 points
• A single child = 10 points
• A child over eight who would otherwise have to share with a brother or sister of a different sex = 10 points
• If a child aged 10 years or over has to share a bedroom with another child of the same sex in households who would not qualify otherwise for points for overcrowding = 5 points

Points are only awarded in this category for members of the household who currently live with you permanently. We will award points for each bedroom short.

5. Children in flats (under 11 years old)

• Ground floor (with steps) and first floor = 5 points
• Second floor = 10 points
• Third floor and above = 15 points
• Lack of enclosed garden space or play area = 5 points

6. Medical points

The Specialist in Community Medicine at Gloucester Royal Hospital assesses medical priority. Points are awarded where the current housing situation is making the medical condition worse.

• Slight = 5 points
• Substantial = 10 points
• Urgent = 20 points
• Most urgent = 50 points
• More than one member of the household with a medical priority = 10 points

Additional Medical Points

We may award extra medical points if your current accommodation is not suitable. We must receive a written assessment from an appropriate agency.

• Severe physical disability = 10 points
• Learning disability = 10 points
• Mental illness = 10 points
• Gradually-worsening disease = 10 points
• Other similar medical reasons = 10 points

Where an Occupational Therapist has assessed that the necessary adaptations for someone with special needs cannot take place in the current accommodation and a move is required:

• Urgent need = 40 points
• High need = 30 points
• Medium need = 20 points
• Low priority = 0 points

7. Social Factors

Written confirmation is required before any points are awarded under this category. Management points will be awarded where there is an over-riding urgent reason for a transfer. This is rarely used and must be approved by the Head of Housing Management or Area Manager.

• Management move = 50 points
• Move because of violence, domestic violence or severe harassment = 30 points
• Young people leaving care or full-time education will receive priority up to age 21 = 25 points
• Where applicants are leaving high care provision establishments and move on accommodation is needed to make best use of specialist resources = 20 points
• To move nearer to relatives to receive or provide support = 10 points
• To move nearer to a special school or other specialist facility = 10 points
• To move nearer employment if you do not have satisfactory transport or the distance is over 8 miles = 10 points
• Other relevant social reasons = 10 points

8. Living in the District

We award points for every 5 years you have lived in the Stroud District = (up to 10 points).
5 years and over = 5 points
10 years and over = 10 points

9. Local connection with the area

We will only award points in this category if you currently live in Stroud District and only chose one parish because you want to:
Stay in your present town or village = 5 points
Return to your home town or village = 5 points

In rural areas if the housing stock is very small in your village, you may still be awarded these points if you choose up to a total of 3 surrounding parishes.

The total number of points allows us to give priority to those in the greatest need. We will tell you what your priority is. You should also try to help yourself by finding someone who will exchange homes with you.

Untaxed or abandoned vehicles on Council land

Vehicles and caravans are often left on Housing land and car parks. This:

• Causes an eyesore
• Can pose a danger to children and adults
• Can be a target for vandals and joy riders

Abandoned vehicles may obstruct emergency and pedestrian access, take up scarce parking spaces and lead to neighbour disputes. The Housing Management Division works hard to keep abandoned vehicles off our land.

Keeping untaxed or unroadworthy vehicles on housing land is a breach of your tenancy agreement.

You should also not park vehicles on housing land if they are:

• Large commercial vehicles
• Caravans
• Boats or trailers

If you do, we may remove them and charge the costs to you.

If people see abandoned or unroadworthy vehicles in our car parks, this could encourage others to dump vehicles as well.

If you have a genuine reason to park any of the above on housing land, please contact your Housing Officer.

What Housing Management is doing :

We will put a notice on the vehicle requesting that it be removed within 14 days. If the vehicle is deemed to be in a dangerous condition, we may order it's removal the same day to prevent the possibility of injury.

We will establish the identity of the owner of the vehicle through the DVLA. We will then contact the registered keeper to ask them to remove it. If we do not receive a response from the keeper, we will write to them again advising them of the costs which will be incurred if we have to remove the vehicle. If the vehicle is still not removed, we will arrange for its removal and disposal.

What can you do?

• Take responsibility for your own vehicles
• Report untaxed, unroadworthy or abandoned vehicles to your Housing Officer. If they are left on the highway (ie, not on housing land), vehicles should be reported to the police. Please give the details of the vehicle and the registration number. Alternatively use our Report It form for abandoned vehicles
• If you know who owns the vehicle, please inform us.

Send details to housing.management@stroud.gov.uk

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Your Tenancy Conditions

The Council will rent you your property. Both the Council and the tenant have a number of rights and duties under this agreement. These are set out in Schedules 1 - 5 of the Tenancy Agreement and are included within the Tenant's Handbook.

The Council is required to

• Provide you with Security of Tenure (unless otherwise stated)
• To maintain the structure of the outside of the building
• To maintain the gas, water and sanitation systems
• To maintain the space and water heating systems
• To maintain any parts of the building you share with other tenants or leaseholders

However, we will not do any repairs needed because of damage caused by you, your household, visitors or others. In addition we will not be liable if you have installed a defective system or fitting without permission.

What you can do if you think we are not carrying out our responsibilities

If you think that we have not carried out the repairs we are responsible for you must
tell us about the problem. E-mail housing.repairs@stroud.gov.uk with the job number and details.

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Giving Notice on your Tenancy

You must send us four weeks written notice to our offices at Ebley Mill if you want to end your tenancy. If it helps, we can send you a 'termination of tenancy' form so that you can be sure that you have given us the information we need.

Your tenancy will officially end at midnight on Sunday four weeks after we receive your written notice. If you have a joint tenancy, both tenants should sign the written notice.

The information you need to send us

• The date you are going to leave
• Your reasons for leaving
• Your new address

What happens before you hand your keys in?

• Your housing officer will confirm the date your tenancy will end on within five days of receiving your letter
• An officer will arrange an inspection of the property with you

What you must be sure to do

• You should leave the property secure, with the windows and doors locked and fastened
• You should leave the house in a clean and tidy condition
• You should take all your contents, carpets and curtains. Do not take the items listed on the key receipt you signed with the tenancy agreement
• You should turn the water off at the main stop tap
• You should make arrangements for the meters to be read with the electricity, gas and water companies

Other important points

• You should hand your keys in to reception at Ebley Mill (or to the Scheme Manager if you live in a sheltered housing scheme) by 9.00 am on the date your tenancy is due to end. Do not send keys in the post.
• We will charge you more rent if we receive the keys after this time.
• We can charge you for any damage that has been caused during the tenancy
• We can remove most household items free of charge. You can make arrangements by phoning 01453 754424 or via recycling@stroud.gov.uk
• We will clear any other items you leave and charge you for removing and disposing of them.

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Communal Areas - Cleaning, landscaping and trees

If you live in a flat with shared hallways, staircases or landings; you should share the cleaning of these areas with the other tenants or residents who use them. These areas must be kept clean and nothing should be stored in them due the danger this could cause to other residents and the risk in case of fire. If the majority of tenants in a block are in favour, we can arrange for the cleaning of communal areas to be carried out for you. This will mean an extra charge on your rent, or a service charge if you have purchased your flat.

Contact your Housing Officer for more details.

The Council will not, generally, carry out any work to trees that are growing in the gardens of tenants or resident's properties. These trees are the responsibility of the tenant or resident to maintain. We may, in certain cases (eg elderly, frail or disabled tenants), carry out certain tree works if we think that you are not reasonably able to manage these yourself. You should contact your Housing Officer for more details.

If you plant a tree in your garden, you must take account of:

• Your neighbours and whether the tree may restrict their light
• Damage to the foundations of your property or any nearby property
• Future maintenance of the tree, which will be your responsibility

If a problem arises, we can decide what action can be taken.

We maintain the areas around blocks of flats, if they are not specifically attached to any particular property (ie grass-cutting, litter picking, planting and weeding) to ensure that the areas around our flats are kept as neat as possible.

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Neighbour Nuisance - safer estates and anti-social behaviour

There are times where you can be made to feel like a prisoner in your own home. You may be suffering from:

• Drug takers
• Violence
• Noise
• Unruly children
• Harassment
• Vandalism

You are entitled to live in peace and quiet. The Council recognises that it is unfair for just one or two people to spoil this. We are working with the Police to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime on our estates. We are also involving other agencies, particularly Social Services, to help.

What you need to do

• Tell your Housing Officer or local Police Officer what is happening
• Keep a diary of incidents (your Housing Officer can provide diary forms for you to complete)

Both the Police and Housing Officers can give evidence in Court, if the case proceeds that far, and you are unwilling to appear yourself.

What we will do

• Listen in strict confidence
• Investigate your complaint
• Talk to the Police, Social Services and other agencies, if appropriate
• Agree an action plan with you, which might involve:
• Mediation (a meeting chaired by an independent person to bring together the parties involved in a dispute to help them find a solution to the problem)
• Refer families for social or medical support
• Employ professional witnesses
• Serve a legal notice
• Obtain an injunction or perhaps an anti-social behaviour order against a resident
• Evict a tenant - even if it is their family or visitors who are the troublemakers. This step is only taken when all other avenues have been exhausted.

Remember: tenants who are evicted as a result of anti-social behaviour are likely to be regarded as intentionally homeless and will not be re-housed.

How long will this take?

• A week to start investigating your complaint; less if it's urgent
• A month to arrange mediation if everyone agrees
• A month to get an injunction; less if it's urgent
• Eviction may take a long time because of the legal processes involved

Useful Contacts

Victim support 01453 751488
Citizens Advice Bureau 01453 762084
Police 0845 090 1234
Crimestoppers 0800 555111

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Garages

For 2004/2005, Garages cost £3.80 per week for Council tenants or £4.47 per week (inc VAT) for private residents or non-council tenants.

Garages are available in the following Parishes and streets:

NORTH AREA

Bisley Bracelands [ 10 garages ]
Windyridge [ 7 garages ]
Cashes Green Hillcrest Road [ 26 garages ]
Queens Drive [ 24 garages ]
Stanton Road [ 7 garages ]
Cranham Church Close [ 3 garages ]
Ebley Devereaux Crescent [ 22 garages ]
Orchard Road [ 25 garages ]
Hardwicke Elmgrove Estate [ 51 garages ]
Kings Stanley Coldwell [ 5 garages ]
Coldwell Close [ 7 garages ]
Coldwell Lane [ 7 garages ]
St Georges Avenue [ 5 garages ]
Leonard Stanley Brimley [ 30 garages ]
Mankley Road [ 15 garages ]
Wesley Road [ 10 garages ]
Paganhill Archway Gardens [ 8 garages ]
Keats Gardens [ 7 garages ]
Mathews Way [ 43 garages ]
Oak Tree Garages [ 14 garages ]
Painswick Ashwell [ 11 garages ]
Upper Washwell [ 8 garages ]
White Horse Lane [ 8 garages ]
Randwick The Hill [ 6 garages ]
The Martins [ 11 garages ]
The Wordens [ 6 garages ]
Stonehouse Wharfdale Way [ 10 garages ]
Chestnut Avenue [ 1 garage ]
Meadow Road [ 6 garages ]
Kings Road [ 4 garages ]
Festival Road [ 25 garages ]
Midland Road [ 10 garages ]
Park Road [ 50 garages ]
Stroud Bisley Road [ 21 garages ]
Dudbridge Hill [ 6 garages ]
Highfield Road [ 16 garages ]
Nouncells Cross [ 16 garages ]
Slad View [ 2 garages ] Summer Street [ 13 garages ]
Target Close [ 21 garages ]
Reservoir Close [ 16 garages ]
Uplands Capel Court [ 6 garages ]
John Bevan Close [ 12 garages ]
Upton-st-Leonards Ash Grove [ 25 garages ]
Whiteshill Victory Road [ 5 garages ]
Whitminster The Close [ 8 garages ]

SOUTH AREA

Alkington Church View [ 8 garages ]
Berkeley Fishers Road [ 18 garages ]
Lower Berrycroft [ 13 garages ]
Cam The Crapen [ 4 garages ] Draycott [ 5 garages ]
Fairmead [ 6 garages ]
Hague Avenue [ 5 garages ]
Marment Road [ 12 garages ]
Springfields [ 12 garages ]
Tilsdown Close [ 10 garages ]
Tyndale Road [ 14 garages ]
Chalford Court View [ 4 garages ] Frithwood Park [ 4 garages ]
Dursley Acacia Drive [ 3 garages ]
Kingsway [ 5 garages ]
Oak Drive [ 4 garages ]
St Georges Road [ 9 garages ]
Somerset Avenue [ 4 garages ]
Welling Close [ 10 garages ]
Hamfallow Baylands [ 21 garages ]
Hinton Oakfield Way [ 14 garages ]
Minchinhampton Albert Road [ 11 garages ]
Cleeve House [ 1 garage ]
Box Lane [ 3 garages ]
Glebe Road [ 17 garages ]
Syon Road [ 15 garages ]
Old Common [ 9 garages ]
The Tynings [ 6 garages ]
Nailsworth Bunting Hill [ 8 garages ]
Lawnside [ 47 garages ] Nortonwood [ 23 garages ]
Tynings Road [ 4 garages ]
West Tynings [ 10 garages ]
Woodpecker Walk [ 7 garages ]
Concord [ 2 garages ]
Park Road [ 16 garages ]
Newmarket Road [ 8 garages ]
Rodborough Fishers Way [ 8 garages ]
Slimbridge Tyning Crescent [ 8 garages ]
Thrupp Dallaway [ 6 garages ]
Queens Court [ 7 garages ]
Uley Lampern View [ 8 garages ]
Raglan Way [ 4 garages ]
Woodchester Beech Grove [ 6 garages ]
Berrymore [ 3 garages ]
Wotton-under-Edge Dryleaze Court [ 11 garages]
Mount Pleasant [ 18 garages ]
Pitman Place [ 17 garages ]

A waiting list system operates on date-applied basis. Council tenants are given priority over private applicants because the garages are intended for the use of Council tenants. They are offered to private residents only if there are no Council tenants on the list.

Applicants will only be offered a second garage if there are no applicants on either the Council tenants list or the Private list.

Garages are primarily let for the storage of taxed and insured motor vehicles. There may be times where garages may be let for storage of an untaxed or classic vehicle, or on rare occasions where garages may be difficult to let, for storage.

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Pets

Generally you are allowed to keep pets, (for example, a cat, dog, rabbit or caged birds) if you have our permission. We will only allow one cat and/or one dog.

We do not normally allow pets or livestock in sheltered schemes. However, if you are moving into this type of accommodation for the first time and you have a pet, you may bring it with you. Unfortunately you cannot replace it if it dies.

We do not allow pets of any sort in flats with shared hallways or staircases.

Apart from the types of accommodation above, we may give you permission to keep livestock in certain circumstances (for example, chickens) but you must get our written permission beforehand.

If we do allow you to keep a pet or livestock, you must:

• Keep them under control at all times
• Not allow them to damage the property
• Not allow them to foul in public places

If you do not keep to these conditions, we may order pets or livestock to be removed from your premises.

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