FAQ

Tenants for all our rented homes are nominated by the local Councils we work with.  Therefore if you wish to rent one of our new homes you must register with your council.  For more information have a look at your council web site:

www.stevenage.gov.uk

www.north-herts.gov.uk

www.stalbans.gov.uk

If you are interested in buying one of our new shared ownership homes, you should contact our Home Ownership Team for more information.

In 2002 the Government set out target rent standards for affordable housing.  Following consultation with councils and housing associations the Government produced a formula for setting rents which takes into account:

When we build affordable housing, it is important to know that we are providing the right type of homes to meet the housing need.  To make sure that we do, we work closely with local councils who have carried out a great deal of research into the housing needs of the local area.  Using this information the council’s can tell us what type of homes they need to be built in any location to meet local needs for affordable housing.  For more information have a look at your council web site:

www.stevenage.gov.uk
www.north-herts.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk

When we build homes we try to ensure environmental sustainability by building homes that reduce carbon emissions and waste both during construction and during their life.  We are also very interested in ensuring that all our new homes reach the Housing Corporation’s “excellent” eco-homes rating. 

This means that we will:

• Try to use materials from sustainable sources during construction; and
• Ensure that new homes are thermally efficient, reducing energy consumption and costs for residents;
• Make the most of existing natural resources, such as water and sun-light, to reduce consumption and running costs

To help you in the case of an emergency, please take the time to familiarise yourself with the locations of the items listed below.

COLD WATER STOPCOCK

Usually found under the sink or in a downstairs toilet or cupboard.

HOT WATER VALVE

Usually found in the airing cupboard.

GAS METER/TAP

Usually found in a white plastic box on the outside of the property or in a cupboard downstairs.

FUSE BOARD

Usually found downstairs, often in the hall or under the stairs.

BOILER LOCATION

If it's a wall boiler it will most likely be in the kitchen. If it's a back boiler it's most likely in the lounge or dining room behind the gas fire.

As your landlord we have a duty to maintain your property, however as part of your lease you too have a responsibility to keep certain items maintained. These include:-

• WC seats and fitting
• TV Arial and socket
• Internal door handles and fittings
• Plugs and chains to sinks
• Pest Control
• Changing light bulbs
• Changing fuses in main fuse box
• Washing lines and posts (unless communal)

More details of the repairs you are responsible for can be found in the tenants handbook.

• DON’T switch your lights on or light a match
• Open windows and get out of the property
• Call Transco on 0800 111 999, then call our Heating Services team on 01462 474747
  

• Try to reset your trip switch in the main fuse box (all switches should be facing the same way)
• If it is still tripping, unplug all appliances, reset trip switch and then plug everything in one by one to see which one could be causing the problem.
• If you find a particular appliance is the cause, try it in another socket, if this trips then the appliance is probably faulty.
• If the socket still continues to trip call the repairs team on 01462 474700
  

Under present legislation, NHH has to ensure that all gas, oil, electric and solid fuel appliances within our properties have an annual service and landlords inspection carried out.

If you own your flat and improvement works are required to the building, you are required, in accordance with the provisions in you lease, to contribute to the cost of the works. You will be notified in advance by a Section 20 Notice (1985 Landlord and Tenant Act) of your likely contribution.

For further information please contact the Home Ownership Team on 01462 633276.

If you are within the first 5 years of your lease the amount of money you are required to contribute to improvement works will be limited by your Section 125 Notice (Landlord’s Offer Notice).

For further information please contact the Leaseholder Services Team on 01462 633276

Our service is provided in conjunction with the Hertfordshire County Councils' Occupational Therapists team, who will assess a tenants needs before adaptations are considered. 

The length of time you'll have to wait will be dependant on the assessment and budget availability. 

Details of all our Planned Maintenance programmes can be found by follow this link Click here .

If your doors have been measured and you have chosen the style of your new one, they will be fitted before the contract end date stated in the original letter received from NHH. 

If you are aged 70 or over, in receipt of attendance or disability allowance you may be eligible for 1 room in your property to be redecorated every 4 years.

If you have someone who can do redecorating for you a voucher can be issued and the amount will be dependant on which room is to be re-decorated.

YOU RUN THE RISK OF BEING EVICTED FROM YOUR HOME.

North Hertfordshire Homes will issue a notice seeking possession of the property in order to make sure it’s safe, and to comply with their lawful duty as landlords.

We hope this shows you how important it is to let NHH carry out a safety/service check on gas appliances every year and their commitment to keeping you safe and healthy whilst living in their property.

IF YOU ARE A TENANT AND YOU HAVE NOT HAD A GAS SERVICE/SAFETY CHECK IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY ON 01462 474700.

Gas is a safe fuel if it is used correctly and treated with respect.

Tenants are asked:

• To let our approved gas engineers into their homes to carry out the annual service/safety check.
• To report any problems with appliances at once to our repairs contractor on telephone number 01462 678881.
• To be very cautious when purchasing second hand gas appliances always buy from a reputable company.
• Do not block or reduce ventilation to gas appliances; do not block gas flues or chimneys taking combustion fumes away from that appliance.
• To be alert for any signs of carbon monoxide and report them immediately to our contractor TSG on 01462 678881 or to our Heating Section on 01462 474700. Always switch off the appliance if in doubt.
• Do not carry out any ‘do- it- yourself’ work to install or repair gas appliances. Apart from being very dangerous you could also be breaking the law.
• Report gas leaks to TRANSCO on 0800 111 999.

Your rent is normally due every Monday.

For further information or if you have a query please contact your Neighbourhood Officer.

As NHH is a registered charity we aim to charge affordable rents so the rent you pay goes towards:

• The cost of building or developing new homes
• Carrying out repairs and improvements to existing properties
• Managing your houses
• Helping pay back loans used to modernise older homes and to build new ones

Service charges are different from rent. They cover the cost of things like lighting and cleaning of communal areas, door entry phones and keeping lifts in working order. Your tenancy agreement will tell you if you have to pay a service charge. 

Service charges are different from rent. They cover the cost of things like lighting and cleaning of communal areas, door entry phones and keeping lifts in working order. Your tenancy agreement will tell you if you have to pay a service charge. 

ASB is Anti Social Behaviour such as: Violence or threats of violence towards any person, racist behaviour, prostitution, criminal activity, drug abuse and dealing, verbal abuse, offensive behaviour, Domestic violence, criminal damage, writing graffiti, blocking communal areas, the list continues. It is anything which causes a nuisance, threat or damage to another person or property.

If a complaint of ASB is received, it will be thoroughly investigated. If substantiated and the perpetrator continues to act anti socially, there are several legal remedies that can be taken, these include: Sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract, seek an Anti Social Behaviour Order, seek an injunction, seek possession of the perpetrator’s property, seek a demoted tenancy, arrange mediation.

Contact your Neighbourhood Office if you wish to discuss this in greater detail.

NHH is committed to tackling ASB and has signed up to the Government’s Respect Agenda. The six core commitments are:

1. accountability, leadership and commitment
2. Empowering and reassuring residents
3. Prevention and early intervention
4. Tailored services for residents and provision of support for victims and witnesses
5. Protecting communities through swift enforcement and
6. Support to tackle the causes of anti social behaviour.

If you wish to end your tenancy, you must give four weeks’ notice in writing to NHH. The notice must end on a Monday and the keys must be returned by that date.

You must not leave anyone else in your home when you move out. The property must be left in a clean and tidy condition.

You must allow access by appointment to prospective tenants and to our staff to view your home within the final four weeks of your tenancy.

Contact your Neighbourhood Office if you wish to discuss this in greater detail.

You have the right to exchange your home with another tenant of North Hertfordshire Homes, or of a secure tenant of a Local Authority, or of a registered social landlord or of another North Hertfordshire Homes.

You must obtain the written permission of North Hertfordshire Homes before any exchange can go ahead. Your request for permission must be made on an exchange application form.

North Hertfordshire Homes is required to notify you of the outcome of your application within 42 days. North Hertfordshire Homes may only refuse permission on certain grounds, for example if your home will be too big or too small for the family you want to exchange with or a possession order has been granted.

Contact your Neighbourhood Office if you wish to discuss this in greater detail.

You may only assign your tenancy with the written permission of North Hertfordshire Homes. Assignments are generally only permitted to comply with an order of a court or to effect a mutual exchange. In exceptional circumstances, consideration will be given to requests to assign the tenancy to a family member who would otherwise be entitled to succeed to the tenancy.

Contact your Neighbourhood Office if you wish to discuss this in greater detail.

Passing your tenancy to another on death is called a “succession”. There can be only one succession of your tenancy.

In the event of your death, your tenancy will pass to your husband or wife, provided they did not succeed to the Tenancy after the date of this Agreement and lived with you before you died. If they are already a joint tenant, they will become a sole tenant.

If you are not married then another member of your family can become the tenant, provided that they have lived with you for the previous 12 months. A member of your family is a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece. If your home is not suitable for this member of your family either because of size or type then we will offer that person alternative accommodation.

Your unmarried partner may be considered a member of your family if they can show that you were living together for the previous 12 months as man and wife. 

North Hertfordshire Homes will also give consideration to a same sex partner who can show that he/she has lived in the property as the tenant’s partner for the previous 12 months.

Contact your Neighbourhood Office if you wish to discuss this in greater detail.