Who is responsible? - Bournville Village Trust

Who is
responsible?
What are my
responsibilities
as a Tenant?
Caring for Bournville Properties – A Partnership
The care of Bournville Village Trust properties is the
joint responsibility of Trust and Tenant.
Once you have read this leaflet, you should have a
clearer idea of your responsibilities as a tenant and those
of the Trust as your landlord.
Who is responsible?
What are my responsibilities
…Concerning my new
tenancy
From May 2010 all new tenancies
issued by the Trust were “Assured
Shorthold Starter Tenancies”.
Providing that new tenants keep
to their tenancy conditions which
include looking after the home,
maintaining rent payments and not
causing a nuisance to neighbours
the tenancy will convert to a
“Non – Shorthold Assured”
tenancy after 12 months.
As a “Starter Tenant” you will not
have the same rights as other
tenants. In summary, you cannot:
• Take in lodgers
• Make improvements
• Exchange your home with
another tenant or transfer
to another landlord
If you do breach your tenancy
agreement, as a “Starter Tenant”
you can be evicted much more
quickly and more easily than
other tenants.
as a Tenant?
Any breaches to starter tenancies
are taken very seriously. If the Trust
takes court action you would lose
your home as the courts must
give us possession in all cases.
However please be assured we will
only take court action in serious
cases or where tenants have not
responded to us.
….Regarding repairs and
maintenance of my home
Though the Trust is responsible
for most repairs, you may be
responsible for minor repairs/
maintenance to your home such as
changing plugs, filling small plaster
cracks or the maintenance of TV
aerials (except communal aerials).
The Trust is not responsible for
damage caused as a result of
neglect or violation of your tenancy
agreement. You will be charged
for any repairs required in these
circumstances.
You are also responsible for
keeping the interior and exterior
of your home in a reasonable and
clean condition and to decorate
all internal parts of your home as
frequently as is necessary to keep
them in reasonable decorative order.
In some circumstances you may be
eligible for assistance with internal
decoration due to the property
type, or your being elderly and/or
disabled. Please ask your local Area
Office for details.
The Trust takes damage to
properties very seriously and will
consider taking legal action against
the parties involved if it becomes
necessary. If you continue to
misuse your property, you could
risk losing your home.
…As to alterations and
installations to my home
It is essential that you consult
your Area Office before altering
your property or installing new
fixtures and fittings. Your landlord’s
permission is required even if the
alterations meet the specifications
set by the BVT Design Guide. All
alterations on the Bournville Estate
are subject to approval from the
Trust’s Estates Department who
will provide you with a copy of the
“BVT Design Guide” on request.
...Compensation for
improvements
You have the right to claim
for compensation for any
improvements you carry out to
your home at your own expense.
You will receive this compensation
at the end of your tenancy and is
subject to the following conditions:
• Only improvements carried out
since 1 January 1995 and which
have been approved by the Trust
qualify for compensation.
• The Trust will produce a list
of qualifying improvements.
• You need to make a written
application for compensation.
• Compensation will be calculated
by dividing the total cost to you
(including VAT) by the notional
life of the improvement and
multiplying by the number of
complete years remaining of the
notional life.
• Any compensation due will be
paid directly after the end of
the tenancy. If the rent account
is in arrears, or if there are any
unpaid debts, the amount will
be credited to these accounts.
The remaining amount will be
paid to you.
Typical improvements considered for compensation, along with their
notional lives are:
• Bath, shower, wash basin or toilet.
12 years
• Kitchen sink, storage cupboards in bathroom or kitchen,
work surfaces for food preparations.
10 years
• Space or water heating.
12 years
• Thermostatic radiator valves.
7 years
• Insulation of pipes, water tank or cylinder.
10 years
• Loft and cavity wall insulation.
20 years
• Draught proofing of external doors
or windows.
8 years
• Double glazing or other external window replacement/
secondary glazing.
20 years
• Rewiring or provision of power, lighting or other
electrical fittings.
15 years
• Any object improving security of the home
(excluding burglar alarms).
10 years
…Regarding insurance of
my home
Though the structure of your
property is insured by the Trust,
the contents are not and it is your
responsibility to take care of this.
Details of a home contents
insurance scheme are available
to tenants from your local Area
Office and are competitively priced
with simple payment options.
If you arrange your own contents
insurance, check that it covers the
cost of damage accidentally caused
by you, your family or a visitor to
your home.
…Relating to Council Tax
You are responsible for paying
council tax directly to the Council
and you should inform them of any
change to your tenancy, especially
if you change address.
Under certain circumstances, you
may be entitled to a tax benefit,
for example if your home has been
adapted to meet a disability or if you
are the sole resident. Contact your
local authority for further details.
…Concerning private
businesses
As your property is let to you as
a private dwelling, you are not
allowed to run any kind of business
from your home.
…Relating to lodgers
You do have the right to house a
lodger, but it is your responsibility
to obtain the approval of the Trust
before they move in. Please note
that if you are receiving Housing
Benefit, you must also inform the
Benefit Service.
Remember: If you are an assured
tenant, you have agreed not to
sublet any part of your home.
…For my garden
You are wholly responsible for
the maintenance of your garden.
The Trust expects you to follow
these guidelines:
• Keep gardens clean and tidy
and never erect or remove
hedges, walls or fences without
the Trust’s consent.
• Do not allow hedges to grow over
2 metres at the rear or 1 metre
at the front of your property and
don’t let trees grow to a height
which reduces the amount of
light available to your neighbours.
• Don’t plant trees close to
boundaries, drains or your
property, and never attempt to
remove trees without consulting
the Trust.
• Don’t erect sheds without first
obtaining approval from the Trust.
• Consider your neighbours
when lighting a fire. If you are
being disturbed by the smoke
or smell from a fire, contact the
Environmental Health Department
who will be able to advise you
on the best course of action to
take. Please note some areas
of Bournville Village Trust are
considered “smokeless zones”and
the lighting of fires is not allowed.
The Environmental Health
Department can advise you if you
live in a “smokeless zone”.
We consider your responsibility for
maintaining your garden to be a
high priority and regularly carry
out estate inspections which will
identify untidy gardens. If you
breach these tenancy conditions,
you may risk losing your home.
In Birmingham, the Trust operates
a Garden Equipment Hire
Scheme so that tenants may
borrow essential items of garden
equipment. Your Area Office can
provide you with an information
leaflet giving you further details
of the scheme.
Communal garden areas are
maintained by the Trust.
They improve the appearance
of BVT estates and should be
respected so they can be enjoyed
by all residents alike.
The Trust also has a number of
allotments available on the estate.
If you are interested in renting an
allotment please contact the Estates
Department at the Estate Office,
Oak Tree Lane, Bournville.
…Regarding rubbish
collection
Collection of weekly rubbish
is the responsibility of the
local Environmental Services
Department. However, if you need
to dispose of larger items such as
furniture, you must contact the
department who may be able
to arrange a special collection.
Contact numbers are located in
the Useful Information booklet.
Do not put rubbish bags out before
collection day.
The Trust provides and maintains a
number of tree belts and spinneys
on the Estate which back on to the
rear gardens of some properties.
Tipping of household waste and
rubbish is not permitted here.
…As to my car and/or
caravan
It is your responsibility to ensure
your car is parked in an appropriate
place. You are NOT allowed to park:
• on a grass verge or a footpath.
• obstructing an emergency access
route or right of way.
• in a garden – except on
hard-standings or driveways.
• on Trust land without permission.
Where it is not possible to park
in a driveway or garage, you will
find that kerb side parking on the
estate is usually restricted to one
side of the road. This is done on a
voluntary basis in order to maintain
the flow of traffic and to make the
roads safer to all users.
Caravans and boats should be
parked within the guidelines set
by the Design Guide.
The Trust has a number of garages
to rent across the estate. Please ask
at your local Area Office for
further details.
…Concerning pets
You are not allowed to keep pets
in homes with communal access
areas. If you have your own
garden, it is up to you to ensure
your pet doesn’t create any mess
or noise that will disturb your
neighbours.
It is your responsibility to ensure
the garden is secure and that pets
cannot escape through gaps in
hedges/fences.
If you fail to keep your pet under
control, you could be at risk of
losing your home.
• Keep the volume of stereos and
televisions at an acceptable level
and position these appliances
away from walls adjoining two
properties.
• Repairs to cars and other vehicles
should be rare, but if essential,
should be carried out during
daytime hours when it is least
likely to disturb your neighbours.
The same applies to DIY activities.
If you are being troubled by
nuisance neighbours, there are a
number of steps you can take to
resolve the matter:
S TE P
1
Try to talk to them. They may
not know they are disturbing
you and it is best to work out the
problem amicably.
2
S TE P
Everyone has the right to live
peacefully in their own homes.
As a tenant, it is your responsibility
to ensure that everyone, whether
they are living with you or just
visiting, treats your home and your
neighbours with respect. If every
tenant follows these guidelines,
conflict will be kept to a minimum:
If this doesn’t work, contact the
dedicated Anti-Social Behaviour
team. BVT takes the problem of
nuisance neighbours very seriously
and will do everything it can to
resolve the situation at this stage.
3
STEP
…Regarding my neighbours
If the neighbour is still causing a
disturbance, the Trust may consider
taking legal action against them,
which can result in their eviction.
It is a good idea to keep a written
account of all the incidents over a
period of time as you may be asked
to give evidence in court.
We do not tolerate harassment,
discrimination, bullying or
anti-social behaviour against
individuals or groups and we have
strict procedures for dealing with
such incidents. All serious cases
are dealt with within 48 hours
and with sensitivity and respect
for all parties involved.
Who is responsible?
What are the Trust’s
…Relating to letting
our homes
After making your application for
accommodation, you can expect
written notification from the Trust
within 14 days stating whether
it has been provisionally accepted
or refused.
Once you have been accepted,
the Trust will contact you at least
every six months to review and
confirm your application details.
Any significant changes to your
original application will be
recorded and you will be notified
if there is any change to your
application within 14 days.
You will be offered an opportunity
to view your prospective home
with a member of Trust staff before
a final decision is made. A copy
of the tenancy agreement will
be sent to you before you move
into the property to give you
time to consider all the terms
and conditions.
responsibilities?
A post tenancy visit by the Assistant
Housing Officer will take place
within 28 days of moving into your
new home in order to discuss any
problems that may have arisen since
the tenancy began and anything
you might need help with.
We offer a range of other services
including Community Fund
assistance which may be discussed
with you if applicable.
There are a variety of leaflets about
the service we provide available at
the Area Offices.
…And in Shropshire
In Shropshire, all our homes are let
through the choice based lettings
scheme: Choose Your Home.
Choose Your Home is a free and
easy-to-access service. Choose
Your Home shows customers on
a weekly basis all the homes that
are available for rent. It allows
customers who have joined the
scheme to choose up to three
homes per week that they would
like to be considered for.
This doesn’t mean that if you see
a home you will automatically
get it, but it will mean that you
get to choose homes you would
like to be considered for, rather
than choose one for you.
How do I apply?
There are three ways that you can
join Choose Your Home:
• By logging onto
www.chooseyourhome.org.uk
clicking on the ‘join’ button and
following the instructions.
• By contacting the Choose Your
Home team by telephone on
01952 217 101 between 9am
and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
• By contacting your local BVT
Area Office.
You will be given an opportunity
to view your prospective home
with a member of Trust staff before
a final decision is made. A copy
of the tenancy agreement will
be sent to you before you move
into the property to give you
time to consider all the terms and
conditions.
A post tenancy visit by the Assistant
Housing Officer will take place
within 28 days of moving into your
new home in order to discuss any
problems that may have arisen since
the tenancy began, and anything
you might need help with.
…When communicating
with me
You will receive an
acknowledgement of any letter
within five working days and a full
written reply within 14 working
days. If this is not possible, you will
be notified as to the reason for
the delay.
You can expect telephone calls to
be answered promptly with staff
identifying themselves by name.
If there is no one available to deal
with your call, you will be called
back as soon as possible.
Anyone visiting an Area Office of
the Trust will not be kept waiting
for more than 10 minutes. If the
person you wish to speak to is
unavailable, a further appointment
will be arranged within the next
seven days either at the office or
your home.
If you request a home visit, you can
expect to be offered an appointment
at a mutually convenient time within
seven days.
…As to repairs and
maintenance to my home
The Trust is responsible for most
repairs to Bournville Village
Trust properties. Please refer to
the “Maintaining Your Home”
brochure for further information.
To ensure that emergency repairs
such as gas leaks, electricity power
cuts or leaking water pipes, get
treated as quickly as possible, the
Trust operates an out-of-hours
emergency service. You can reach
this service on 0800 387 765.
Remember: this is an emergency
service only and if you misuse it,
you will be charged accordingly.
All work will be carried out to the
best of our ability and with the
least disturbance possible.
If an appointment cannot be kept,
you will be given at least 24 hours
notice.
…When making decisions
that influence me
…In issues of equal
opportunity
We believe that you as a tenant
should be informed of any
significant changes to the Trust,
including management decisions,
and you have every right to
express your own opinions about
such matters.
The Trust is committed to ensuring
that all tenants are dealt with
equally and no one is given better
or worse treatment because of
their age, disability, ethnic or
national origin, race or colour,
gender, HIV status, marital status,
religious or political beliefs and
sexual orientation. This is in
accordance with our Equality and
Diversity Policy.
You can expect to be consulted
either individually or as a group if
there are any changes which might
affect you. A consultation period of
at least 28 days will take place.
The Trust also offers you
opportunities to make your views
heard at Tenant Association
meetings. These group meetings
are given encouragement and
support from the Trust and are
supplied with grants to enable
them to operate. To find out more
about how the Trust involve you,
read the “Getting Involved with
BVT” leaflet.
Trust staff are all trained in
implementing the Equality and
Diversity Policy. We carry out annual
reviews of our services to make
sure everyone is being treated fairly
and encourage those living on
BVT estates to voice their opinions
through Tenant and Resident
associations and be part of the
Trust’s decision making process.
If you would like to find out more
about our Equality and Diversity
Policy, your Area Office will be
able to provide you with a leaflet
and answer any questions that you
may have.
…When I put forward
a complaint or appeal
If you approach the Trust with any
complaints, no matter how serious,
they will be dealt with as quickly
and effectively as possible. If you
want to find out more, including
how to put forward a complaint of
your own, consult the “You say, we
listen” leaflet or speak to your local
Area Office.
Any complaint regarding harassment
will be investigated immediately
and the victim interviewed within
48 hours after the claim is received.
The procedure for dealing with
harassment complaints is detailed
in the Harassment Policy and all
proven cases will be reported to the
Housing Services Committee.
The Trust aims to support the
victims and take whatever actions
are necessary to make sure your
right to live in peace in your own
home is protected.
…Regarding confidentiality
and monitoring their own
performance
You can expect any information
you give to the Trust to be
treated with the utmost privacy.
The Trust accepts its obligations
under Human Rights and Data
Protection legislation and will not
knowingly breach confidentiality.
The only time we will release this
information will be when we have
a legal obligation to do so or when
you have given your consent.
We make sure that all aspects of
our performance are constantly
monitored so that we can provide
you with the most professional and
efficient service possible.
How to contact us
For general advice and further
information contact:
BVT BIRMINGHAM
TELEPHONE
On request, we can
supply an audio
CD giving all the
information contained
in this leaflet.
0121 472 3831
BVT SHROPSHIRE
TELEPHONE
01952 293 777
Bournville Village Trust, Estate Office, Oak Tree Lane, Bournville, Birmingham B30 1UB.
55712 P138
www.bvt.org.uk