TENANT HANDBOOK - Dunedin Canmore · TENANT HANDBOOK. CONTACT DETAILS CONTACT DETAILS “Welcome to...

INFORMATION ON DUNEDIN CANMORE HOUSING ASSOCIATION

TENANTHANDBOOK

CON

TACT

DETA

ILS

CONTACT DETAILS

“Welcome to the DunedinCanmore Tenants Handbook.We have been involved in itsdevelopment and hope you findit interesting and useful”.

Tenants Forum – Repairs and

Communications Sub-Group

FLEMING PLACE

Our openingtimes

Monday – Thursday

9am to 5pm

(except Wednesday whenthe phones stay off until10am to allow for stafftraining)

Friday

9am to 4pm

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1. Contact details

Our address

8 New Mart Road

Edinburgh

EH14 1RL

Telephone number:0131 478 8888

Fax number:0131 624 5766

Our website address:www.dunedincanmore.org.uk

Email us at:[email protected]

Ten dokument mo� e zosta� przetłumaczony na Twój j� zyk ojczysty. Prosz� skontaktowa�si� z Pracownikiem Obsługi Klienta w Dunedin Canmore Association, 8 New Mart Road,

Edynburg, EH14 1RL lub zadzwoni� pod numer tel. 0131 478 8888".

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We can arrange for this handbook to be translated, put into Braille,typed as large print or audio taped. This handbook is also availablein electronic format.

Please contact our housing team on 0131 478 8888 if you requirethis service.

AB

OU

T DCH

AABOUT DCHA

LOCHRIN BASIN LANE

BackgroundDunedin Canmore Housing

Association is a non-profit

making charity. We are a

Registered Social Landlord,

registered with and regulated

by The Scottish Housing

Regulator. We are run by a

voluntary board of tenants,

local people and professionals

who make decisions about

important matters and

monitor our performance.

HistoryDunedin Canmore was formed in2005 with the merger ofDunedin Housing Associationand Canmore HousingAssociation. Both associationswere originally formed in 1975 tocarry out tenement rehabilitationwork in the adjacent inner cityareas of Fountainbridge & Dalry& Gorgie. Since the merger wehave grown significantly and ourpurposes have widened.

Our aims

We aim to provide goodquality, affordable andsustainable housing andservices to meet a widerange of housing needs.

Treating you fairlyWe want to be fair to everyone.Our Equality and DiversityPolicy ensures that everyonehas equal access to the serviceswe provide.

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2. About DCHA

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What you canexpect from usWe are committed to providing agood quality of service to all. Wehave produced a set of Standardsalong with tenants which sets outthe level of service whicheveryone should expect from us.To get a copy of our ServiceStandards please contact thehousing team on 0131 478 8888.

Comments,complaints andcomplimentsWe aim to get things right firsttime. However, despite our bestintentions and efforts, problemsmay arise from time to time.We want to know about this sowe can put it right and make sureit does not happen again. So, ifyou are dissatisfied with ourservices, you may want to makea complaint.

You can raise a complaint withany member of staff, who will tryand resolve your complaintstraight away. If for some reason

this cannot be done, we willmake sure that the matter is fullyinvestigated by a senior memberof staff and a satisfactory solutionachieved as quickly as possible.

Complaints aside, wewould also like to hearyour positive commentsand compliments too.

To make a complaint,

comment or compliment:

• Telephone us on 0131 478 8888

• Call in and see us at ouroffice at 8 New Mart Road

• Write to us at8 New Mart Road

• Email us at [email protected]

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Scottish Public ServicesOmbudsmanIf you have exhausted theAssociation’s complaintsprocedure and you are stilldissatisfied with the outcome,you may refer the matter to theScottish Public ServicesOmbudsman.

The Ombudsman will normallyonly consider matters that havealready been through theAssociation’s internal complaintsprocedure. Additionally, theusual time limit for making acomplaint to the Ombudsman is12 months after you becomeaware of the matter you want tocomplain about.

If you want to contact theScottish Public ServicesOmbudsman, details are:

Scottish Public Services

Ombudsman

4 Melville Street

Edinburgh EH3 7NS

Tel: 0870 011 5378

Email: enquiries@

scottishombudsman.org.uk

In addition to this, if you live inregistered supportedaccommodation you can complaindirectly to the Social Care andSocial Work ImprovementScotland (SCSWIS).

Looking after personalinformationWe will make sure that all yourinformation remains confidentialand is not passed on to anyoneelse without your agreement.Under the Data Protection Act1998 you have the right to accesspersonal information relating toyou in files that we hold – thereare certain exceptions, forexample, where the specificinformation includes reference tothird parties who may not wantthat information to be divulged.

If you want access to anyinformation held on our files,you should make your requestin writing to the Director ofHousing Services.

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Getting involved Everyone is concerned about howtheir home and neighbourhoodare managed. There are manydifferent ways to get involved:

Membership of theAssociationYou an apply to join theAssociation if:

• You are 16 years or over anda tenant of the AssociationOR

• You are 18 years or overand interested in theAssociation

If you are interested in joining,you should complete theapplication form at the end of thissection and make a one offpayment of £l.00.

Members are entitled to attendand vote at the Association’sAnnual General Meeting and tostand for election to theManagement Board. If you wantmore information about becominga member, please contact ourhousing team.

Tenant participationTenant Participation is abouttenants taking part in the decisionmaking processes andinfluencing decisions about:

• housing policies• housing conditions• and housing (and related)

services

It is a two way process whichinvolves the sharing ofinformation, ideas and power. Itsaim is to improve the standard ofhousing conditions and services.

Our aims for TenantParticipation are setout in our TenantParticipation Strategy. If you would like acopy of this, pleasecontact our TenantParticipation Officer on0131 478 8888.

There are different ways to getinvolved in Tenant Participation:

• Our Tenants Forum meetsfour times a year.

• We have sub groups of ourTenants Forum that meeton specific issues.

• There are RegisteredTenants Organisations(RTOs), which aresupported by the TenantParticipation Officer.

• Area meetings – for theareas where there aren’tRTOs.

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Dunedin Canmore Group application for membership

To: The Group Secretary, Dunedin Canmore HousingAssociation Ltd, 8 New Mart Road, Edinburgh EH14 1RL

Dear SirI wish to apply for membership of Dunedin Canmore Housing Associationand enclose the fee of £1.

Signed ....................................................................................................

Full name (please print)............................................................................

Address ..................................................................................................

................................................................................................................

Tel. no......................................................................................................

Tenant / owner occupier (delete as appropriate)

Occupation ............................................................................................

Date of birth ............................................................................................

Membership of other Housing Associations or Public Bodies

................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................

Relevant experience and / or reasons for wishing to become

a member

................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................

TENANCYAGREEMENT TEN

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EEMEN

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Every tenant has a Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreementor a Short Scottish Secure Tenancy. You will have signedyour tenancy agreement before you got the keys for yourhome. It is a legal contract between you and DunedinCanmore Housing Association setting out your rights andresponsibilities and our duties as a landlord.It cannot be changed without your agreement.

The tenancy agreement is signed by you and us and we both agree tokeep to the terms and conditions. Full details can be found in yourtenancy agreement but if you have any questions about your tenancyagreement please contact a member of the housing team who will bepleased to help.

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3. Your tenancy agreement

Rent

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

• You must pay your rentmonthly in advance on the1st of every month.

• We will consult with you onany proposed rent changes.

• We will give you at leastfour weeks notice of anyrent increase.

FIRRHILL

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Use of the house and common parts

• You must live in the house,furnish it and use it solely asyour only or principal home.

• You, those who live with youor your visitors must take careto avoid damaging your houseor the surrounding area.

• You must take reasonablesteps to keep your househeated and well ventilated.

• You must not use Calor gasheaters.

• You must makearrangements to insure thecontents of your house.

• You must not use the housefor any illegal purposes.

• You must ask permission tokeep pets.

• You must keep your houseand garden clean and tidy.

• We may take legal actionagainst you if you breakthese conditions.

• We can ask the Sheriff Courtto grant an eviction order ifyou breach the terms andconditions of your tenancyagreement.

• We can bring the tenancy toan end by serving legalnotices if we believe youhave abandoned the house.Please see section 9(Abandoning your Tenancyfor further details).

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

OXGANGS

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SLATEFORD GREEN

Changes to the household

• You require permission, but ifyou want to, you can:– take in a lodger– sub let your tenancy– assign your tenancy– ask for a joint tenancy– exchange your propertyYou must put your request inwriting and complete anyrequired forms.

• We will acknowledge yourrequest within five days.

• We will not unreasonablywithhold permission.

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

Respect for others

• You, those who live with you oryour visitors must not behavein an anti social manner orharass your neighbours.

• You, those who live with youor your visitors must notmake unreasonable orexcessive noise.

• We can take legal actionagainst you If you breakthese conditions.

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YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

Repairs, maintenance & alterations

• You must not lay laminateflooring without ourpermission.

• You must request ourpermission for anyalterations or improvementsyou may wish to make toyour home, including theinstallation of external TVaerials or satellite dishes.

• You must report all repairs tous as soon as possible.

• You are responsible for anydamage you, those who livewith you and your visitorsmay cause to the property.

• You must allow us access tocarry out repairs and anyplanned works.

• We will carry out repairs orother work necessary tokeep the house in a conditionwhich is habitable.

• See Section 6 for furtherinformation.

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Right to succession

• If you die, the tenancy maybe inherited by yourhusband, wife, co-habitee ormember of your householdwho lives with you.

• We will only allowsuccessions on twooccasions.

Ending the tenancy

• You must write to us givingus 28 days notice.

• You must leave the propertyin a good condition.

• We can ask the Sheriff Courtto grant an eviction order ifyou breach the terms andconditions of your tenancyagreement.

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

Right to buy

• You may have the right to buythe property you live in, butthis depends on the date yourtenancy started and whattype of property you live in.Please contact the HousingTeam for further information.

• We will advise you beforeyour tenancy starts with us ifyou have the Right to Buy.

• We will advise you of yourRight to Buy entitlement onrequest.

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

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ATHOLL WAY, LIVINGSTON

Information & consultation

• You have the right to beconsulted and kept informedbefore we make changeswhich affect you.

• You have the right under theData Protection Act 1998to inspect personal data heldon you.

• We will, if you request it,provide you with informationthat is accurate and we willbe open, transparent andhonest.

• We will, if you request it,provide you a copy of theinformation we hold on you.

YOU DUNEDIN CANMORE

YOUR RENT

YOU

R R

ENT

It is your responsibilityto make sure your rentis paid. Your rent is duemonthly in advance onthe 1st of each month.

If you wish to pay weekly orfortnightly this must first beagreed with your housing officerand it should always be paid inadvance (your rent must be thereready for payment on the 1st ofeach month).

Our aim is to charge rents whichpeople who may be on lowincomes can afford. Your rent ismade up of either one or twoparts. Everyone pays a basic rentfor their home and some tenantsalso pay a service charge. Abreakdown of your rent andservice charge can be found onyour tenancy agreement.

Your rent pays for

• Managing and repairing ourproperties.

• Paying for future repairsand improvements.

• Paying back the loans wetook on to build or improveour properties.

• Any rent lost through rentarrears and empty properties.

You may also pay a servicecharge in addition to your basicrent, the service charge pays foritems such as:

• Communal Landscaping• Stair Cleaning• Landlord Electricity Supply

Service charges and servicesvary from scheme to schemeand the type of property youlive in. Further details of theservice charge for your propertycan be found in your tenancyagreement and you can contactthe housing team if you have anyquestions about the servicecharge for your property.

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4. Paying your rent

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What we will do

• We aim to put any rentpayments you make toDunedin Canmore on to oursystem within two days ofreceipt.

• We will send you a rentstatement once a year or youcan contact us at any time foran up to date rent statementor check the balance on yourrent account.

• We will consult with you onany rent increase proposals.

• Our rents are reviewed onceper annum and any increasewill be charged from 1st Aprileach year. We will alwaysgive you four weeks noticeof any rent increase.

How to pay

There are a number ofways to pay your rent.You can choose the onethat suits you best:

Direct Debit – Paying by directdebit can often be the easiestmethod. You can set up a directdebit by contacting the housingteam, who will take your detailsover the phone or you can set upa direct debit on the day you signyour tenancy agreement.

Allpay Swipe Card – An AllpayCard, if required will be issued toyou once you have signed yourtenancy agreement. Your AllpayCard can be used at any PostOffice/Paypoint Zone.

By Phone (Anytime) – If youwant to pay your rent over thephone please phone 0844 5578321. You will need your Allpaycard and debit or credit card to dothis. If you do not have an Allpaycard, contact our housing team toarrange for one to be sent to youfree of charge.HYVOTS

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Internet Payments – This is aquick and easy way to makeregular or one off payments. Bylogging on to our website atwww.dunedincanmore.org.ukyou can use the secure site formaking payments. You must haveyour tenant reference number (ifyou do not know your tenantreference number please contactthe housing team) and it acceptsall major debit/credit cards.

At our office – We cannot takecash at the office but we cantake your payment if you have adebit or credit card. You can dothis in person or by phoning0131 478 8888.

By Post – You can send us acheque or postal order. Pleaseremember to quote your tenantreference number.

Difficulties payingyour rent

We recognise thattenants can sometimesfind themselves infinancial difficulties andwe are here to help.

If you are having difficulty payingyour rent it is important that youcontact us immediately. You canspeak to the housing team whowill offer assistance and help youto solve it. We can’t do thisthough if you don’t contact us.

We can:

• Arrange for you to repay yourarrears in instalments.

• Put you in touch with ourwelfare rights officers whocan check that you aregetting all benefits you areeligible for.

• If you are facing seriousfinancial difficulties, don’tdelay in contacting us. Wecan help you sort out yourproblems before they getout of control.

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• Ultimately, if you do not payyour rent or you fail to payarrears we will start takinglegal action against youwhich may lead to you losingyour home. You can ask ourhousing team for a copy ofour rent policy.

Housing benefitIf you are on a low income or

on benefits you may be

entitled to housing benefit

to help you pay all or part of

your rent.

You must make a claim forhousing benefit and you can dothis yourself by contacting yourlocal housing benefit office orcontact the housing team and wecan help you complete the form.

Remember, even if you do gethousing benefit it is still yourresponsibility to ensure that therent is paid. You must make surethat housing benefit get all formsor information they ask for andyou must ensure they get it ontime. Failure to provide housingbenefit with any information theyrequest can lead to a delay,suspension or cancellation ofhousing benefit entitlement.

GRAB A GRANDFour times a year we give away a “Grand” (£1,000).It’s divided into four prizes of £250.To qualify for the chance to win all you have to do is make sure thatyour rent account is clear or in credit. It doesn’t matter if you are onhousing benefit or paying full or partial rent, all you need to do ismake sure your rent is not in arrears.

The draws will take place on

31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 31 DecemberFor further information or to check the balance on your rent account,contact the housing team on 0131 478 8888 or register on ourtenant zone at www.dunedincanmore.org.uk and you can checkyour rent account at your convenience.

BEING A GOODNEIGHBOUR

GO

OD

NEIG

HB

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Respect for othersWe believe that you have the

right to enjoy living in your

home in a safe and secure

environment. You can help

avoid difficulties by showing

consideration to others and

meeting the responsibilities

as a tenant.

NeighbourdisputesIf you have a problem with aneighbour we hope that you willtry to speak to them to solve theproblem. If this does not work, oryou think it is too serious to dealwith by yourself, please contactour housing team for furtheradvice and assistance and wewill tell you how it will be dealtwith. You should also contact thepolice if it is a serious complaintabout noise or harassment. (Seeseparate sections on, noisecomplaints, anti social behaviourand harassment).

On many occasions we will workclosely with other agencies suchas the police, mediation andsocial work to resolve suchproblems.

We must remind you that anynuisance in and around yourhome – whether caused byyourself, members of yourhousehold, or visitors to yourhouse, is a breach of yourtenancy agreement. In thesecases we may take legal action.

For further information, please

ask for our leaflet on problems

with neighbours.

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5. Being a good neighbour

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Anti socialbehaviourIf you are being affected by AntiSocial Behaviour, it is best tospeak with your neighbour to letthem know how their behaviouris affecting you. They may not beaware that it is a problem.

If you feel that the problem is tooserious, such as threatening orviolent behaviour, or you havespoken to your neighbour andtheir behaviour hasn’t changed,contact your housing officer whowill investigate the matter further.It is important that you report anyincidents of criminal activity tothe police.

Some examples of antisocial behaviour are: • domestic noise• amplified noise/noisy parties• dumping litter and rubbish• vandalism and graffiti• verbal abuse• threatening or violent

behaviour• criminal behaviour such as

drug dealing

Keep a note of the date and timeof any incidents. Your housingofficer will provide diary sheets.

If the person causing the problemis our tenant or sharing owner wewill speak to them to get theirside of the story. We will remindthem of the agreement they havesigned and may issue a warningabout their behaviour.

Dunedin Canmore worksclosely with the police,local councils and otheragencies to deal withanti-social behaviour.

In cases of serious anti-socialbehaviour if a tenant ignores acomplaint and does not listen toour warnings we may have toconsider legal action.

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NoiseToo much noise from musicsystems, household appliances,some DIY tools, etc can causegreat annoyance and stress.Please be considerate whenusing these.

If the disturbance is mild or a“one-off”, it is best to speak toyour neighbour in the first place.They may not be aware that thereis a problem. If the problemcontinues contact the police,environmental health or yourhousing officer.

Harassment anddiscrimination

You must ensure thatyou, members of yourhousehold or visitors donot commit any form ofharassment.

The term ‘harassment’ coversthe types of behaviour which aredeliberately intended to annoy,intimidate, dominate or harm anindividual, family or group, whichis motivated by prejudice ordiscriminatory attitudes andwhere the harassment takesplace either in the Association’sproperty or in the vicinity of theAssociation’s property.

The Association may take legalproceedings to evict any tenantfound causing or allowingharassment. If you feel that youare a victim of harassment, youshould contact your housingofficer. All information you give usis confidential and we will nottake any action without yourapproval.

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PetsYour Tenancy Agreement will tellyou if you are allowed to keep apet. If you are allowed to have apet, you will be responsible for itat all times and making sure thatit does not cause a nuisance toneighbours or damage theAssociation’s property, includinggardens.

If you are having problems with atenant’s pet, please report theproblem to your housing officer.For more info on pet ownership,contact the office for our petleaflet.

Gardening

If you have a garden,keep it in good orderIf you do not do this, wecan do the work andcharge you.

If you share a back garden, youshare the responsibility forkeeping it clean and tidy, unlessyou pay a service charge forlooking after the upkeep.

If you are unable to maintaineither the garden or commonarea due to frailty, old age ordisability, the Associationmay be able to assist.Contact our housing team on0131 478 8888.

Parking /abandonedvehiclesYou can park private vehicles inthe communal car parking areasprovided, unless you live in adevelopment that is vehicle free.In some of our schemes, weemploy a parking company tosupervise car parks, which are onour private land. You can apply fora permit for your vehicle.

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There are some areas whereDunedin Canmore has no controlover parking provisions.

Rubbish disposalYou will be advised of the day,frequency and method of councilrefuse uplift. If you have awheelie bin, you should take it tothe street for collection and returnit to its storage space on the dayof collection. For communalrubbish disposal see the sectionbelow on living in flats.

Your local council provides specialuplift services – see usefulnumbers section.

Vandalism

Anyone witnessingvandalism toAssociation propertyshould report this to usand to the police. Wewill repair any damageto common areas asquickly as possible.

If the culprit is an Associationtenant, sharing owner or amember of one of thesehouseholds then strong actionwill be taken, including invoicingthem for the cost of repairing thedamage or even taking legalaction to evict them.

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Living in flatsIf you live in a flat you need totreat your neighbours with specialconsideration and work togetherto look after common areas andfacilities. In particular:

• Cleaning In many of theAssociation’s flats, we hirecontractors to cleancommunal stairs on a weeklyor fortnightly basis. However,you are jointly responsible forany cleaning required atother times. If you pay forsuch a service and are nothappy with the standard,please let the amenitiesofficer know.

If a stair cleaning service isnot provided, it is yourresponsibility, along with allother residents, to keep thestair clean and tidy and youshould be prepared to cleanthe stair at least once aweek. It helps if you canagree with neighbours on arota system to ensure thateveryone takes their turn.

• Safety and Security If yourstair has an entry phonesystem, make sure alloutside doors are keptlocked to stop unauthorisedpeople coming into thebuilding.

You must make sure thatlandings are kept clear ofobstructions. You must notleave anything outside yourflat that can cause anobstruction or be a potentialfire hazard.

REPAIRS

REPA

IRS

What happenswhen you reporta repair?

When you report a repairto us our RepairsReporting Team at NewMart Road will tell youthe priority of the repair.

We will arrange an appointmenttime that is suitable to you:

within a morning

(8am – 12 noon) or

an afternoon

(12 noon – 4.30pm).

If we need to inspect therequested repair, we will arrangefor our surveyor to visit you.

Each time you report a newrepair you will be given areference number. If you need tocontact us about the repairplease quote this number.

Who will attend?We have a team of skilledtradesmen who are based at ourworkshop at Bilston. They wearblue uniforms with the DunedinCanmore logo and travel in aDunedin Canmore Group van.They carry photograph identitycards at all times.

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6. Repairs

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Sometimes we rely on outsidecompanies to carry out work onour behalf. These companies areon our Approved List ofContractors and carry their owncompany identity cards.

If you need us toconfirm the identity ofthe person visiting yourhome please call us on0131 478 8888.

RepairresponsibilitiesWe are responsible for mostrepairs and maintenance items inyour home, and you areresponsible for others.

Fair wear and tear is accepted,however where in doubt we willarrange for our surveyor toinspect and make the finaldecision on who is responsible.

The following table gives someexamples of who is responsible.This is not a full list and if youare not sure please contact ourrepairs team.

In stairs, common repairs are onlyour responsibility when we ownat least three quarters of theproperties in the stair. The repairwill be passed to the local councilfor repair under a statutory notice,if we do not own at least threequarters.

FORTHQUARTER

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Outside your home Us You Comments

Roof ✔

Drains, gutters and pipes ✔

Walls and windows ✔

Chimney stacks and flues ✔

Pathways and steps ✔

Plaster work ✔

Boundary walls and fences ✔

Dividing fences ✔

Stair and other common doors ✔

Garage ✔

Whirly gigs in private gardens ✔

Inside your home Us You Comments

Doors and door furnituresuch as locks, handles,hinges, chains.

✔ Repairs will only becarried out if due to fairwear and tear.

Kitchen cupboards andworktops

✔ These are replaced ona 15-20 year cycle andrepairs will only becarried out if due to fairwear and tear.

Fitted wardrobe doors ✔ Repairs will only becarried out if due to fairwear and tear inwardrobes fitted by us.

Window frames ✔

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Glass in windows and doors ✔ You may be chargedfor the repair.

Keys lost or broken ✔ It is a good idea tokeep a spare set ofkeys with a friend orrelative. If you havecontents insurancelost keys may bereplaced.

Blocked baths, showers, sinksand toilets.

✔ See section 7 forsome useful tips.

Plugs, chains and toilet seats ✔

Baths, sinks, taps andshower units

✔

Electrical wiring includingextractor fans

✔

Electrical switches and sockets ✔ Only after tripswitches/circuitbreakers have beenchecked and reset.See section 7 foradvice.

Communal T.V. aerials anddishes

✔

Individual T.V. aerials ✔

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Faulty smoke and carbonmonoxide detectors

✔ If your carbonmonoxide detector issounding you must callGas EmergencyServices on 0800 111999. See section 7 formore information.

Door entry systems includingthe handset in your home.

✔

Central heating includingelectric fires where we havefitted them.

✔

Gas leaks or smell of gas. ✔ These must bereported to GasEmergency Servicesimmediately bytelephoning0800111999. Followingtheir visit we will carryout any necessaryrepairs. See section 7for further details.

Decoration ✔

Plaster on walls ✔ Unless a defect hasbeen identified by theproperty surveyor.

Mice, ants and other pests. ✔ There is a leafletavailable on requestgiving furtherinformation.

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You are responsible for:

• Any appliances or fittingsthat you have installed in thehouse including any damagecaused by these.

• Any damage caused byneglect of the property and/or fittings by you, anyonewho lives with you or visitorsto your home.

• Stair cleaning – If it is not

included as part of your

service charge.

• Any items you leave in thecommon areas.

• The cost of forced entry orfor making good following aforced entry by the police.

• Reporting any repairs to usas soon as possible.

• Allowing access to carry outrepairs and maintenance.

• Taking care to ensure pipesdo not freeze by heating yourhome over the winter.

If your home has beenvandalised, or damaged during abreak-in, you must tell the policeimmediately and obtain anincident reference number andthen report the repair to us. Theproperty surveyor will thendecide who is responsible for thecost of the repair. Where thedamage has not been reported tothe police we will hold youresponsible for the repair workand we may only carry out repairsto make safe and secure theproperty.

BLACKRIDGE, WEST LOTHIAN

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Rechargeablerepairs

We do not under normalcircumstances carry outrepairs that are yourresponsibility.

We will however carry out repairsif there is a risk to health andsafety or security of you or othersor if there is the possibility offurther damage to the property orits surroundings.

An account will be sent to you forthe cost of these repairs.

Right to repairThe Scottish Secure Tenants(Right to Repair) Regulations2002 cover some emergency andurgent repairs up to the value of£350. We will write and let youknow if the repair you haveasked for is covered by thislegislation. For further informationa leaflet is available or contact ourrepairs team.

Repair timescalesWe have the followingtimescales for attending a repairreported to us.

Emergency repairs –within 3 hoursRepairs which if not attendedwould seriously affect thestructure or security of theproperty or constitute a dangerto health.

For example:• No heating between

October and March• No water to the property• No electricity to the property• Broken windows affecting

security

Make sure it is an emergency –

you will be charged if it is not.

DCG HOME REPAIRS, BILSTON

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Urgent repairs –up to 48 hoursRepairs which require promptattention to prevent,further deterioration andextended damage to the propertyor our tenant and neighbours’health and safety.

For example:• Leaks which are likely to

cause extensive damage ifleft unattended

• No hot water

Routine repairs –within 10 working daysAny day to day repair that doesnot affect the health and safety ofour tenants or the deterioration ofthe property.

For example:• Faulty light fitting• Entry phone system not

working

We also have a timescale called“short contract” of 25 workingdays. This is used for jobs such asplasterwork and painter work thatrequire a number of visits to aproperty.

Sometimes we need a surveyorto inspect a property before wecan begin to carry out repairs.This will be explained to youwhen you report a repair and anappointment made for thesurveyor to visit.

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AlterationsYou may be able to makealterations or improvements toyour home at your own expense.Any alterations must have ourwritten permission and meet allour conditions. You need tocomplete an application formwhich is available from thehousing team on 0131 478 8888.

At the end of your tenancy youmay be entitled to compensation.For further information or to makea claim please let your housingofficer know prior to terminatingyour tenancy.

Please note we cannot considerclaims where you did not receivewritten permission from us forthe alteration.

MedicaladaptationsI f you need changes made toyour home for medical reasonswe may be able to help you.You will need to ask your GP orOccupational Therapist to applyon your behalf.

PlannedmaintenanceAs part of our commitment toensuring that all our homesmeet the requirements of theScottish Housing QualityStandard, we have a largeplanned maintenanceprogramme each year.

The programme covers aspectssuch as the replacement ofheating, boilers, kitchens,bathrooms, windows and othercomponents within your home.An assessment will be made byour surveyors before it is includedin the programme. You will beinformed by letter of any workrequired and start dates.

CALEDONIAN CRESCENT, EDINBURGH

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TOP TIPSTo avoid unnecessary callouts and costs here are afew useful tips to follow:

If you have no power orsome sockets or switchesnot working you shouldtry the following:• Open the cover on your

consumer unit (usually nextto the meter in the hallcupboard) and check that thetrip switches are in the ON

position. • Once all switches are in the

ON position flick the RCD(the big red switch) fullydown / off and on again.

If the power goes off again,it is likely to be caused by faultyappliances such as kettles,fridges, freezers and lamps.• Unplug all your appliances.

• Reset the trip switches andRCD as above.

• Now plug in your appliancesone at a time until a particularswitch trips again. You willnow know which is theproblem appliance.

• Leave that applianceunplugged and reset the tripswitches and RCD as aboveonce again.

Remember a total loss of

power may be a power cut

so check whether your

neighbours have lost power

as well.

SLATEFORD GREEN

35

Blocked toilet• If the bowl is already full,

remove some of the waterinto a bucket first.

• Use a plunger or toilet brushwrapped in a plastic bag,push it to the bottom of thepan and plunge about adozen times. This creates avacuum that may shift theblockage.

• If the bowl is not full, trypouring a couple of bucketsof clear water down.

• You should avoid puttingnappies and sanitaryproducts down the toilet asthese are the most commoncause of blockages.

Blocked sinks, basins,baths and showers• Hair and soap residue should

be cleared regularly (at leastonce a week) to prevent abuild up.

• Grease and tea leaves etcshould not be put downsinks.

• Try hot soapy water first toclear any blockage.

• Drain and sink clearingproducts should be usedwith extreme caution,always read themanufactures instructionsand warnings. Do not mixproducts as they could havea dangerous chemicalreaction to each other.

REPAIRS TEAM

36

Gas meters• If you have a card meter

remember to top it upregularly.

• If you go into emergencycredit you will need to putmore money than usual in toget out of the red.

• If you do run out of credit youmust reset your meter aftertopping up.

BLEACHFIELD COURT, DUNFERMLINE

LOOKING AFTERYOUR HOME

YOU

R H

OM

E

Home safety

As a tenant you musttake all reasonableprecautions to preventrisks to yourself and toothers. These risksinclude fire andexplosions arising fromthe use or storage of anyflammable or dangeroussubstances in and aroundyour house.

For example:• Heaters fuelled by liquid

petroleum gas (LPG) eg.calor gas heaters arenot permitted.

• Bicycles and motorcyclesmust never be stored onstairwells.

• Rubbish should always bedisposed of properly, usingcommunal or individualwheelie bins whereprovided and never left onlandings or within stairs.

• Unattended rubbish can bea health hazard and mayattract rodents, or could be afire hazard if set alight.

37

7. Looking after your home

DUFF STREET

38

ContentsinsuranceFor your own peace of mind, westrongly recommend you take outadequate insurance.

Dunedin Canmore HAdoes not insure thecontents of your home.

You should insure againstdamage to your possessions[furniture, carpets, clothing,appliances, such as your TV etc]caused by fire, flood or break-insor any other reason.

There are many contentsinsurance packages for tenants tochoose from. The ScottishFederation of HousingAssociations has an insuranceservice that offers discountedrates to tenants. For moreinformation or to request a leafletabout the scheme please contactour housing team.

Gas safety

If you smell gas pleasephone Gas EmergencyService immediately.

0800 111 999

Appliances such as boilers,cookers and gas fires owned byus will be serviced annually andgiven a recognised and approvedgas safety certificate for theforthcoming year.

The Government body for thecontrol of gas is the Gas Safe

Register. By law, only Gas Saferegistered engineers must carryout work on gas appliances orinstallations in your home. All ourengineers carry identification aswell as their Gas Safe Registercard. Please ask to see theiridentification.

You must allow our engineersinto your home at the time theservice is required. We will notifyyou well in advance when we arein your area.

39

Unfortunately despite the safetywarnings some people make ourjob more difficult by refusingaccess. The costs are in theregion of £500 or more.

Painted Gas Firecasings/surroundsIt is extremely dangerous topaint any part of your fire.Once heated the paint gives offpoisonous gases. Contact usimmediately if you have a paintedfire in your home.

Smoke detectorsTest your smoke and carbonmonoxide detectors weekly; holdthe button for a few seconds. Thealarm should sound. If there is nosound, contact our repairs team.

If you have a battery operatedsmoke alarm please contact usand we will change it to a mainsoperated one.

Bogus callersAlways ask for proof of

identification and check it

carefully – it must have a

photograph of the caller on it.

Never be persuaded or bullied tolet someone inside your home orworry about seeming rude. If indoubt – keep them out!

If you do not allow usaccess, we will startcourt action and recoverthe costs from you.

40

Priority serviceregister (PSR)If you are disabled, have a chronicillness or are of retirement age,you can join your gas andelectricity supplier's priorityservice register. As part of thisservice, you can give your gasand electricity suppliers apassword to be used by anyonethey send round to your home.Contact your gas and electricitysupplier to join their PSR scheme.If you get your gas and electricityfrom different suppliers, you'llneed to register with both of theirPSR schemes.

Crime prevention

You can getinformation on crimeprevention andcommunity safetyfrom the ScottishGovernment's CrimePrevention Unit on0131 244 3995.The line is openMonday to Friday, from9am to 5pm.

OXGANGS

ADVICE

AD

VICE

Money andbenefits

Our Welfare RightsOfficers provideinformation and adviceon a number of benefitand money issuesensuring tenants are notmissing out on socialsecurity payments thatthey may be entitled to.

They offer a confidential servicehelping with any issues you mayhave with paying your rent. Theycan provide information andassistance when applying forgrants and help with other debtsyou may have.

The social security system isvery complicated and it can bedifficult for tenants to get fulllegal entitlement. Our team ofwelfare rights officers offerconfidential advice on:

• Disability Living Allowance,claims and appeals

• Attendance allowanceclaims and appeals

• Housing benefit claimsand appeals

• Tax credits • Pension credit • Jobseekers Allowance • Benefit overpayments and

appeals againstoverpayment decisions

• Appeals against withdrawalof incapacity benefit

• Advice on what benefits canbe claimed

• Help with applications forms

41

8. Advice

WELFARE RIGHTS TEAM

42

Money advice

Our Money Adviceservice can helptenants in a numberof ways.

Tenants can speak in confidence

to a money advice worker, who isemployed by Citizens AdviceBureau but for convenience isbased in the Dunedin Canmoreoffice. The money advice workercan help with applying for grants,second hand furnishings toassisting you with budgeting.

If you need help with paying yourrent, gas, utility bills, council tax,credit card bills, or other bills, themoney advice worker can provideadvice about debt management,cheaper loans and budgeting.They will also speak to or write tocompanies on your behalf.Normally tenants can be seen byappointment in one of our offices,however if travelling to our officeis not practical due to ill health ormobility issues, a home visit canbe arranged.

Appointments can be arrangedby contacting us in person,email or telephone. Ourcontact details are:

Dunedin Canmore Housing

Association

8 New Mart Road

Edinburgh

EH14 1RL

Tel: 0131 478 8888

Email: welfare.rights@

dunedincanmore.org.uk

For Money Advice:Craig Henderson

0131 624 5572

Email: Craig.henderson@

dunedincanmore.org.uk

Independenttenancy advice

Shelter Scotland and

Citizens Advice Bureau

(CAB) can provide

independent, confidential

advice and information on

a wide range of housing

matters.

43

Energy adviceThere are lots of things that

you could do straight away to

help save energy, lower your

utility bills and cut your carbon

emissions. Best of all, these

cost absolutely nothing and

only take a few seconds to do.

See how many of the list you cancheck off in your property today:

• Close the curtains at dusk toreduce the amount of heatbeing lost through thewindows

• Set your heating timercorrectly – only have theheating on when you need it.

• Turn your thermostat downby 1 degree

• Set the temperature on yourhot water cylinderthermostat to 60ºC

• Always turn lights off whenyou leave a room

• Only boil as much water asyou need, (but remember tocover the elements, if you’reusing an electric kettle)

• Fill your washingmachine/dishwasher/tumbledryer to full or use the halfload/economy selection

• Don’t leave your mobilephone on charge all night – itonly needs a couple of hours

• Switch electrical appliancesoff standby when not in useespecially over night (e.g.TVs, DVD players, set topboxes)

• Switch your computer offwhen not in use, it does notuse more energy to startup and shut down thannormal running

• Switch off at the plug socketappliances that have atransformer (e.g. phonechargers, computers) asthese use power even whennot in use

• Use energy savinglightbulbs. They will lastlonger and save you moneyover the longer term.

44

Gas and electricitysuppliersFrom the start of your tenancyyou are responsible for your gasand/or electricity supply, If youwant to change the supplier foryour gas/electricity it is worthshopping around. Mostcompanies offer special rates topeople on low incomes.

10 green steps toa smaller footprintTo help tackle climate change andprotect the environment forfuture generations, the ScottishGovernment is encouragingpeople to adopt 10 simple stepsto cut their carbon footprint andcontribute to a greener Scotland.

The 10 greener steps are:

1 Recycle household wasteusing locally providedfacilities.

2 Turn off the tap whenbrushing your teeth.

3 Switch to using energysaving light bulbs.

4 Leave the car at home andwalk, cycle, use publictransport or car share oncea week instead.

5 Use rechargeable insteadof disposable batteries.

6 Re use carrier bags whenyou shop.

7 Buy more seasonal andunpackaged food.

8 Hang your washing up todry rather than using atumble dryer.

9 Organise or volunteer in anenvironmental project inyour local community.

10 Avoid flying where there’sa suitable alternative, andpay back the environmentalimpact of any flights youhave to take.

ENDING YOURTENANCY

END

ING

YOU

R TENA

NCY

MCLEOD STREET

Ending thetenancy

If you want to move outof your house, you mustlet us know and you mustgive us 28 days notice inwriting. If you don’t wantto write a letter, you cancomplete a Terminationof Tenancy form.

You can phone us torequest a form or youcan download one fromour website at www.dunedincanmore.org.uk

What happensnext?When you tell us you want toleave your house, your housingofficer will write to youconfirming the date the tenancyends and make an appointmentto visit you. We will be visiting tomake sure that the property is ina good condition. We will let youknow if you have to decorate orcarry out any repairs before youleave. If you are required to carryout repairs and you fail to do so,we will do the repairs and chargeyou the full cost.

45

9. Ending your tenancy

46

Before you leave,you must:• Allow the housing officer to

inspect your property.• Pay all rent and monies to us.• Return all keys/fobs for the

property and stair to us on orbefore the day your tenancyends with a note of your newaddress and telephonenumber.

• Let Housing Benefit andCouncil Tax know you aremoving.

• Leave the decoration ingood order.

• Leave the property cleanand tidy.

• Re-fit door closers if you haveremoved them.

• Put back original lights/sockets/switches/smokealarms/CO detectors.

• Leave the garden tidy andensure sheds are cleared.

• Take final meter readings.• Leave electric keys and gas

cards in the property.• Let us know the name of your

gas/electricity supplier.• Any alterations you have

made have been reinstatedunless it has been agreed inwriting by the Associationthat they may be left.

• All carpets/laminate flooringto be lifted, unless yourhousing officer has agreedyou can leave them.

• Any damage has beenrepaired to a conditionacceptable to us.

• Make arrangements tore-direct your mail.

• Remove all your furnitureand personal belongings,including items in theloft space.

RelationshipbreakdownSometimes a relationship withyour wife/husband/partner breaksdown and you may decide youcan no longer live together and adecision will have to be madeabout who will stay in the home.

Let us know if one of you isthinking of moving out of thehome or if one of you decides tomove out. You need to be awareabout your rights in law andyour rights and responsibilitiesrelating to the tenancy beforeone of you leaves.

47

We have a very useful leafletwhich explains your rights andwe will be happy to send one toyou or you can download onefrom our website atwww.dunedincanmore.org.ukYou may also want to considergetting advice from a solicitor orlocal CAB office.

If the person moving out is a soletenant or joint tenant, you mustspeak to us as you will have toarrange to end the tenancy legally.You will need to tell us in writing.

We cannot force a sole or jointtenant to end their tenancy if youcannot agree who is to move outand you may have to apply to thecourt to have the tenancytransferred into your name. Inthese cases, we stronglyrecommend you get legal advice.

If a joint tenant leaves the housewithout telling us and is no longerin contact with the remainingtenant, we can take action to endthe tenancy of the absent tenant.We have to go through anabandonment process and thiscan take a few months. Pleasecontact us for further advice.

Death of a tenantThe tenancy ends if a tenant dies.Certain people who live with thetenant have rights to take overthe tenancy, this is calledsuccession. The rules governingsuccession are set out by law.

The tenancy may besucceeded by:• Your husband or wife OR• The other joint tenant OR• Your co-habitee OR• Another member of your

family who was living withyou OR

• A live-in carer

In all cases, the house canonly be succeeded to if:• The person lived

permanently with the tenantat the date of death

• The house is their only home• They are at least 16 years

of age

Succession can only everhappen twice.

48

Abandoning yourtenancy

If we have reasonablegrounds to think you areliving somewhere elseor you have left yourhome without tellingus, we can take actionand end your tenancywithout going to court.

We will deliver a “Notice ofAbandonment” to your house.This will tell you that we think youhave abandoned your house andgives you 28 days notice tocontact us.

If you haven’t contacted us within28 days, we serve a secondnotice, this ends your tenancy.

We will change the locks anddiscard anything you have leftbehind if they are in a poorcondition or unhygienic condition.We will store items of value if it isgreater than the cost of storing.

You will be charged rent up to thedate that the tenancy endsYou will be charged for thestorage of your belongingsWe will try to trace you and takeaction to get you to pay anymoney you owe us.

If you are going to be away fromyour property for more than 28days, it is important that youcontact us before you go. If youdo not do this, we may think youhave abandoned your propertyand we end the tenancy

Moving onIf you find that your home no

longer suits your needs, we

may be able to help you.

There are several ways you cango about moving house if you areour tenant whether it’s a differentsize or in a different area.

49

Transfer

A transfer is when youare re-housed by us in aproperty more suited toyour needs.

If you want a transfer, you willneed to fill in an application form.You can get one from ourreception, or by telephone, or byrequesting or downloading on ourwebsite atwww.dunedincanmore.org.uk

There are two types of form, onefor Edinburgh (Edindex) and onefor outside Edinburgh. Pleasemake sure you complete thecorrect form.

If you want to be re-housed inEdinburgh, you will need to bidfor our properties through Key toChoice. Properties are advertisedweekly in the Evening News(Monday edition) or at www.keytochoice.scotsman.com Youcan only bid once your Edindexapplication has been registeredand you have received yourregistration number.

For outside Edinburgh, yourapplication will be assessed andyou will be placed on ourtransfer list. We will contact youwhen we are able to consider youfor a property.

ExchangeYou can swap your home with

another Dunedin Canmore

tenant or with a tenant of any

council, housing association or

co-op in the UK.

50

You must find the person to swapwith and you can do this by:

• The Edinburgh HouseExchange website isdesigned to bring togethertenants who are looking toswap with another person.You can register free for theHouse Exchange service atwww.edinburghhouseexchange.org.uk You donot have to live in Edinburgh.

• You can advertise in thepress.

You must not move without ourpermission and we will onlynormally agree if:

• You have no rent arrears orowe us any other monies.

• The exchange will not resultin over crowding or underoccupying our property.

• We get a satisfactoryreference from the landlordof the person you areexchanging with.

If you require further advice orinformation on transfers andexchanges please contact ourallocations team on 0131 4788888 or email [email protected]

Domesticviolence/abuseIf you are threatened with or aresubjected to violence from amember of your household or anex partner, you can get help.

Contact the housing team foradvice or if you are in anemergency situation out of officehours, contact your local councilemergency number or theScottish Domestic AbuseHelpline on 0800 027 1234.

Your rights

Relationship breakdownSometimes a relationship breaksdown. Your rights to remain in ahome that you share with apartner will vary depending on thelegal status of your relationship.

See page 46 – Ending yourTenancy or a leaflet is availablegiving further advice. You can getthis leaflet by calling the housingteam on 0131 478 8888 orvisiting our website onwww.dunedincanmore.org.uk

USEFULNUMBERS

USEFU

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WALLYFORD, EAST LOTHIAN

51

10. Useful numbers

GENERALDunedin Canmore Housing Association 0131 478 8888

Gas Emergency Service

(Emergency Gas Leaks) 0800 111 999

Scottish Power (Loss of Supply/Emergencies) 0845 27 27 999

Scottish Water 08457 600 8855

Scottish Public Services Ombudsman 0870 011 5378

Social Care and Social Work

Improvement Scotland (SCSWIS) 0845 603 0890

Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline 0800 027 1234

National Debtline 0800 808 4000

Energywatch Independent Watchdog

for Gas and Electricity Consumers 0845 9060708

Job Centre Plus

(to make a new claim for benefit) 0800 0556688

Job Centre Plus

(to check on existing claim) 0845 608 8630

Pension Service

(for pension and pension credit claims) 0845 6060265

Tax Credits 0845 3003900

Crisis Loans 0800 8576716

52

EDINBURGHCity of Edinburgh Council 0131 200 2000

Housing Benefit/Council Tax 0131 469 5000

Environmental Services 0131 529 3030Dog WardenRefuse CollectionSpecial UpliftAbandoned Cars

Rapid Response (City of Edinburgh Council) 0808 1003366

Social Work Department (Social Care Direct) 0131 200 2324

Police 0131 311 3131

Citizens Advice Bureau

Advice Only 0131 557 1500Appointments 0131 558 3681

The Advice Shop (Arrears/Benefit Advice) 0131 225 1255

Edinburgh Community Mediation Service

(Problems with Neighbours) 0131 557 2101

Grapevine (Disability Information Service) 0131 475 2370

Community Advice and

Help Initiative (CHAI) 0131 442 2100

FIFEFife Council 01383 602 388

Housing Benefit/Council Tax 08451 551144

Environmental Services 01383 602 388

Social Work Department 01383 609 111

Special/Bulk Uplifts 01383 602 388

Police 0845 6005702

Fife Community Mediation Service


Citizens Advice Bureau 08451 400 095

53

WEST LOTHIANWest Lothian Council 01506 776 800





Police (Livingston) 01506 431 200

West Lothian Advice Shop 01506 776 444

West Lothian Mediation Service


Citizens Advice Bureau 01506 432 977

54

MIDLOTHIANMidlothian Council 0131 270 7500





Police 0131 311 3131

Citizens Advice Bureau (Dalkeith) 0131 660 1636

Citizens Advice Bureau (Penicuik) 01968 675 259

Midlothian Mediation Service


55

EAST LOTHIANEast Lothian Council 01620 827 827





Police 0131 311 3131

Citizens Advice Bureau (Musselburgh) 0131 653 2748

Citizens Advice Bureau (Haddington) 01620 824 471

East Lothian Mediation Service


DUNEDIN CANMORE HOUSING ASSOCIATION LTD

Scottish Charity No. SC034572

Industrial & Provident Society 1823R(S)

Registered with the Scottish Housing Regulator. HAL 116

A Member of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations

8 New Mart Road, Edinburgh EH14 1RL

Tel: 0131-478 8888 Fax: 0131-624 5766

www.dunedincanmore.org.uk

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