your homeowners' handbook - islington & shoreditch housing

your homeowners’ handbook

islington and shoreditch housing association

providing good homes today, changing lives tomorrow

2 islington and shoreditch housing association tenants’ handbook

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ISHA’s mission

Islington and Shoreditch is a community Housing Association managing, maintaining and developing quality affordable housing for people in housing need in Hackney, Islington and adjoining neighbourhoods.

Contents

Section Page

1 About Us 4

2 Who does this Handbook apply to? 6

3 How to Contact Us 8

4 Payments 11

5 Service Charges and Other Charges 15

6 Sinking Fund 20

7 Keeping an eye on service delivery 22

8 Difficulties with Payments 24

9 Selling Your Home 27

10 Purchasing Additional Equity or ‘Staircasing’ 31

11 Repairs and Maintenance 33

12 Buying a new home 37

13 Complaints 40

14 Conditions of Occupancy 42

15 Insurance 48

16 Homeowner Involvement 51

17 Recycling and Refuse 52

Appendices 53

Useful contacts 65

disclaimer: this is not a legal document and should not be relied upon as such

section 1about ISHA


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Islington & Shoreditch Housing Group (ISHA) is a community &neighbourhood-based Housing organisation managing & developing quality affordable housing for people in North London, especially in Hackney, Islington, Waltham Forest & adjoining areas.

We provide rented, supported, shared ownership and leasehold accommodation.

We are regulated by the Housing Corporation, which is a Government body. ISHA does not make profits, instead we invest all the money we collect from rents and other charges in providing you with high quality services as well as repairing, improving and maintaining your homes and building new homes.

section 1 about ISHA

section 2 who does this handbook apply to?


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Who does this handbook apply to?

s Shared owners (sometimes referred to as New Build Homebuyers and/or Social Homebuyers).

s Leaseholders (including former Shared Owners who have staircased to 100% ownership).

section 2 who does this handbook apply to?

section 3how to contact us


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If you wish to contact ISHA, you can do this in a number of ways.

You may wish to visit, call or write to The Business Team at our office:

Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association102 Blackstock RoadLondonN4 2DR

key contacts

Business Manager 020 7704 7321

Property Services020 7704 7300 [email protected]

Tenancy Services Manager (Islington, Waltham Forest and Camden)

020 7704 7353

Tenancy Services Manager (Hackney) 020 7704 7341

Revenue Officer (Hackney) 020 7704 7346

Revenue Officer (Islington, Waltham Forest and Camden)

020 7704 7350

Resident Involvement Manager 020 7704 7349

The office opening hours are 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Alternatively you can telephone our office on 020 7226 3753 or Fax us on 020 7704 7304.

(Please ask for the Business Team). You can also report repairs that are our responsibility during office hours on the same number or e-mail [email protected].

You may also wish to visit our website which will give you more information about the association, how and where we work, as well as providing email contact details. The address is: www.isha.co.uk.

section 3 how to contact us


Customer Care Standards

We wish to provide the highest standard of customer care to all residents. Details of our customer care standards are set out at the end of this Handbook

Getting to the ISHA office

Buses: 4, 19, 106, 236.

Underground: Finsbury Park (Victoria, Piccadilly Lines, First Capital Connect), Arsenal (Piccadilly Line).

Parking: There is a disabled parking bay immediately outside the office.

Location of the Office:

section 4payments

11section 4 payments


This section explains what charges are payable and why and the methods available for paying.

Shared owners

You will be required to pay rent in respect of the proportion of the property you do not own. This will be until such time that you own the property outright, i.e. buy the remaining equity otherwise known as ‘staircasing out’.

Your rent is calculated as a proportion of the property that you own and the value of your home at the time that you purchased it – i.e. the higher the value the higher the rent. The rent is increased on an annual basis. The date of your increase will be found in your lease but is usually 1st April. The mechanism for increasing the rent will also be detailed in your lease; however, it will normally be increased by the RPI (Retail Price Index) plus 1/2 %. We will always provide you with at least one month’s notice of your annual increase.

Rent payments must be made monthly in advance on the first of each month. If as is normal you pay a service charge, then this is paid at the same time. The first payment towards your rent and service charge will usually have been made by your solicitor (using your funds) on completion of the purchase. Please check the period that this payment covers to ensure that you know when your next payment is due. If you are purchasing by way of assignment (i.e., from a previous owner) please check that your solicitor has made arrangements with the vendor about apportioning the charges for the month of purchase.

You will also have to pay buildings insurance as a proportion of the overall premium cost for the building (block of flats or etc). This is normally either calculated equally, or apportioned according to size of property. This will be detailed within your lease.

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How to pay?

You may pay your rent and service charge together by way of either standing order or direct debit. A Direct debit mandate will be sent to you when you first purchase your home. You will need to complete the form and return it to ISHA well before the next payment is due. (Standing orders should be signed and sent direct to your bank). If you have any questions you should contact the Business Team as above.

Leaseholders

You will normally be required to pay a small ground rent once a year. This is normally due on 25th March or 1st April each year.

The first payment will usually be made by your solicitor on completion of the purchase. Please check the period that this payment covers to ensure that you know when your next payment is due. If you are purchasing by way of assignment (i.e., from a previous owner) check that your solicitor has made arrangements with the vendor about apportioning the rent.

You will also be required to pay a service charge to cover external repairs, and possibly cleaning of common parts, gardening and various other items. This is all covered in more detail below. You will receive an annual reconciliation setting out the actual costs of these services, and a payment or extra charge in adjustment will be made. Again if you are purchasing by way of assignment (i.e., from a previous owner) check that your solicitor has made arrangements with the vendor about dividing the charges between you and the previous owner.

How to pay?

We prefer payment of service charges by Standing Order or Direct Debit.

A Direct debit mandate will be sent to you when you first purchase your home. You will need to complete the form and return it to ISHA well before the next payment is due. (Standing orders should be signed and sent direct to your bank). If you have any questions you should contact the Revenue Team at ISHA on 020 7704 7346 or 020 7704 7350.

section 4 payments


You can pay over the telephone if you have a debit or credit card. You need to contact the Revenue Team at ISHA and have your Agreement Number, payment card details and payment amount available to hand:

Using the Internet you can pay your service charges 24 hours a day. Go to our website: www.isha.co.uk and click on ‘Payments’. Please have your payment card ready.

If you prefer Standing Order please contact the Revenue Team on 020 7226 3753 for a standing order mandate. This should be sent direct to your bank.

If you wish to pay by cheque or postal order please call the Business Manager to check the arrangements available.

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section 5service chargesand other charges

section 5 service charges and other charges


This section of the handbook outlines what you may be required to pay for within your service charge.

It gives you examples of many of the items that are included in a typical charge, which can be recovered from owners.

It also explains how we calculate your service charge and how we let you know how much we have spent each year.

All leaseholders and shared owners living in ISHA property must pay a service charge to cover external repairs, and possibly cleaning of common parts, gardening and various other items. (If you are a shared owner, the rent that you pay goes towards the loan that the association has taken out to buy the remaining equity in your property. It does not cover the cost of repairs needed for the property in which you live).

How does the service charge work?

The service charge for your property will be set annually and any increase will usually take effect from the beginning of the service charge financial year (normally 1st April but detailed in your lease).

Service charges will differ from one scheme to another and depend upon the layout of the estate, the type of property you have purchased and upon the terms of your lease. ISHA is only allowed to make charges for services specified in the lease.

For shared owners, this annual charge is split into 12 monthly instalments and is paid at the same time as rent.

The service charges for leaseholders will be payable either once per year, normally the 1 April, or bi-annually on 25 March and 29 September. ISHA will send you an invoice at the time that the charge becomes payable.

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What will I pay for?

You will normally need to pay a service charge for the upkeep of common areas and in addition a charge for day-to-day maintenance of the block. You will also need to pay a fair contribution towards future replacements of structural elements of the buildings and towards redecoration of any communal hallways and the exterior of the building on a cyclical basis, normally every five years.

Charges are normally either split equally, or apportioned according to size of property. This will be detailed within your lease.

Examples of charges that may be included are:

s Gardening and grounds maintenance i.e. grass cutting, shrub pruning etc.

s Sweeping of communal areas.

s External lighting.

s Fire alarm maintenance.

s Lift maintenance.

s Maintenance of bin area.

s Paladin bin and skip hire.

s Routine cleaning of common parts.

s Lighting of common parts.

s Repairs service to common parts.

s Re-decoration of common parts.

s Replacement of floor coverings to common parts.

s Repairs to entry phone.

s Exterior painting.

s Roof renewal.

s External lighting replacement.

s Communal lighting replacement.



s Resurfacing of courtyards and parking spaces.

s Common drainage renewal.

s Re-pointing of walls.

s Boundary wall renewals.

s Administration and management charge.

The exact elements of the service charge will vary depending on the arrangements at your address.

In order to recover its costs of administering the services and managing the scheme, ISHA will include an administration or management fee within the charge.

How do I know the charges are fair?

At the end of each financial year ISHA will account to you for service charges collected by preparing a statement of income and expenditure, showing actual costs compared to service charge income. We must provide this information within six months of the financial year end. The statement will also show the balance in any sinking fund in respect of the provision for future repairs and maintenance. Sinking funds will be held in separate business reserve accounts.

If the total spent is less than our estimate, then your service charge account will be in credit. In this case we will normally refund you with your share. If we have spent more than we have estimated, then we must ask you to pay your share of the shortfall. If there is a substantial shortfall in income at the end of the financial year, we will discuss repayment methods with each individual owner.

If you feel that the service charges that we ask you to pay are unreasonable, in the first instance please contact the Business Team.

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If you then still feel that the charges are unreasonable, you can apply to a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal for an assessment (please see Useful Contacts on page insert page Details of the procedure (including the costs involved) can be obtained from the Business Team. (In certain cases, especially with new Shared Ownership schemes ISHA may have had the charges certified by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal in advance of completion).

Other charges

Other charges that some leaseholders and Shared Owners will have to pay to ISHA include water charges, upkeep of private roads and gardens etc.


section 6sinking fund


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It is in your interests that ISHA maintains a sinking fund to cover the future provision costs of long-term repairs and maintenance to the structure of your building and the area around it. This is done in most properties where there are leaseholders and Shared Owners.

As well as regular redecoration of the common parts and externals of the building, major replacements will be required over a much longer timescale. Examples are the replacement of window frames, gutters, lighting, lifts, roofs etc.

These costs can be high. Therefore we aim to accumulate a fund in anticipation of the expense that will be incurred. This both protects your asset and creates a fund for lessees in residence at that particular time.

You will receive an annual statement of the balance of your scheme’s sinking fund (including any interest accrued on the account to your benefit) when you receive your annual income and expenditure account.

section 6 sinking fund

section 7keeping an eye on service delivery


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Where services are provided we will normally visit the estate on a monthly or quarterly basis to ensure that the expected level of quality and service is being provided.

If you live on an estate you will also receive an estate grounds cleaning and maintenance questionnaire from time to time and it would be much appreciated if you could complete this and return it to the Tenancy Services Manager (see below).

Estate inspections are publicised in advance in our newsletter ‘ISHA News’ and on estate notice boards. Estate inspections are undertaken by the Tenancy Services Manager and Estate Officer on a monthly or quarterly basis on all our estates. Residents are welcome to attend these to give their feedback on standards of service delivery.

For further information on estates work, please contact our Tenancy Services Managers:

s In Hackney – on 020 7704 7341

s In Islington, Camden and Waltham Forest – on 020 7704 7353.

section 7 keeping an eye on service delivery

section 8difficulties with payments


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Here we suggest what you should do if you fall into payment difficulties with your rent or service charge.

It outlines some of the benefits which you may be able to claim, as well as the crucial steps to be taken to prevent you being threatened with losing your home.

(Please note that ISHA cannot accept liability for any information given on this section - if in doubt you should seek professional advice).

If you are experiencing difficulties in paying your rent and/or service charge contact your Revenue Team at the ISHA office. You should also contact your mortgage lender immediately. We may be able to advise you regarding benefits that you may be able to claim or we can refer you to another agency for more detailed advice.

If you fall behind with payments of rent and/or service charge we will contact you to discuss your current circumstances. If you are unable to repay the debt immediately we will consider allowing you to pay by instalments. We may make an agreement with you to pay your arrears. Your mortgage lender may also try to help you in these circumstances. If you fail to maintain mortgage payments, interest is accrued on the instalments unpaid.

If you have other debts and are not sure which to pay first we can help by referring you to a specialist money advice agency. This is a free and independent service.

Your local Citizens Advice (CAB) may also offer independent debt counselling advice and assist with preparing offers to creditors or submissions to County Court.

If arrears of rent and/or service charge increase or do not reduce or you do not respond to efforts to discuss the problem, or you fail keep to arrangements made to pay the arrears, ISHA may approach your mortgage lender. We will usually ask them to pay the arrears on your behalf. When this happens, the money you have paid is added to your mortgage debt and you will have to pay interest on the increased sum outstanding to the mortgage lender. There may also be a charge levied

section 8 difficulties with payments


by the mortgage lender for writing to you regarding rent arrears.

A Mortgage Broker or Independent Financial Advisor (IFA) may also be worth consulting if you wish to consider re-mortgaging or rescheduling your debts.

We will always seek to avoid repossession action being taken for failure to keep up payments and will liaise with the mortgage lender when arrears are at a serious level to establish whether such action can be avoided.

If your financial situation is such that you decide to sell the property, we will try to assist as much as possible.

Housing Benefit and Department for Work and Pensions payments

If you become unemployed or your income reduces substantially you should immediately contact the Housing Benefit Office at your Local Authority and your local office of the Department for Work and Pensions. You may also wish to seek the advice of Citizens Advice or Legal Advice Centre. Claims are usually not backdated so it is very important to make a claim as soon as your circumstances change.

Housing Benefit

If you are eligible for Housing Benefit this may cover all or part of the cost of your rent and service charge each month.

If you wish you can ask for payment to be made direct to ISHA. If your account is seriously in arrears then we will require the Housing Benefit office to pay the association direct.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

If you qualify for Job Seekers Allowance and you or your partner are under 60 years, the DWP will not make any payment towards your mortgage cost for the first 39 weeks. After that they will pay you a part or full amount of interest on your mortgage

section 9selling your home

27section 9 selling your home


The process for Shared Owners

If you are a shared owner you will be required to give ISHA the opportunity to find a shared ownership purchaser for you.

You may sell any time. This is known as an “assignment”. According to the terms of your lease you must normally allow ISHA the opportunity to find a purchaser from our waiting list. (We do, however, have a time limit to find a suitable nominee. This will be detailed in your lease and in most cases is a period of 12 weeks from the date of receipt of your written notice). If we fail to find a purchaser for you within that period, you will be free to sell your share on the open market.

The sale price is based on a valuation that is carried out by a member of the Royal Institute of Charter Surveyors. This will be arranged by ISHA but at your own expense.

Should you wish to sell your home you must first contact the Business team who will send you a letter asking for your payment to cover the cost of the valuation. On receipt of your cheque, we will instruct a Valuer to carry out a valuation by prior appointment with you. The Valuer will forward a report to us and we will then write to you to explain how much your share is worth and enclose a copy of the valuer’s report. You cannot sell your property at a higher price than the valuation.

ISHA has the right to nominate a purchaser. Should you wish to proceed with the sale, you must sign and return a declaration that you agree to pay our administration costs. These costs will be determined by the lease, and will either be 1% of the value of the share or our reasonable costs.

Any suitable nominees will then be selected from our waiting list and a letter sent, asking them to contact you if interested.

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Agreeing a Buyer

Should a nominee be interested, appointment times will be arranged with you. If you decide to proceed we will prioritise the applicants according to our Shared Ownership sales policy and offer the property to those who are most in need.

The purchaser is then advised to apply for a mortgage and to instruct a solicitor. You will also be asked to instruct a solicitor at this stage. ISHA will also notify our own solicitors.

Completion of the assignment will take a minimum of 8 weeks. Pleased remember that your purchaser has to go through all the stages you went through when you first purchased the property.

When the purchaser has a mortgage offer and has signed the agreement to buy, you will be contacted by your solicitor to sign your part of the Agreement. At this point, ISHA will have to sign a “Consent to Assign” which gives permission for you to sell your home to the purchaser.

When the solicitors have all the agreements and a deposit from the purchaser you will exchange contracts (i.e. make the sale legally binding) and set a date for completion.

The purchaser’s solicitor will then send the purchase price, less any deposit previously paid to your solicitor. Once this money is received the sale is complete and possession is passed from you to the purchaser. You will normally vacate the property by mid-day on the day of completion.

Please note that if you are in arrears of rent and/or service charges, or other charges, completion must not take place unless the arrears are cleared as part of the completion of the sale.

section 9 selling your home


The process for leaseholders

If you are a leaseholder you are free to sell on the open market, although you will be required to pay back some or all of your discount/grant if you sell within five years of exercising the Right to Buy/Acquire.

The amount that you are required to repay is reduced by one fifth for each complete year after your original purchase Enquiries regarding the sale of your home should be made to the Business Team on 020 7704 7321

You should be aware that you might require the consent of ISHA as part of the process. This consent will not be unreasonably withheld. The new purchaser will be required to sign a Deed of Covenant which says that you will agree to abide with all the conditions of your lease or transfer. A purchaser will not be able to register their ownership with the Land Registry until the Deed has been signed by the purchaser and approved by ISHA.

section 10purchasing additional equity or ‘Staircasing’

31section 10 purchasing additional equity or ‘Staircasing’


If you are a shared owner, you may wish to buy additional shares of your equity. This is known as ‘staircasing’.

This part of the handbook outlines what you must do and who at ISHA to contact.

If you have purchased a new home directly from ISHA on a shared ownership basis and you have lived in your property for a year, you have the option of buying a further share or buying outright. However, if you bought your home from another shared owner you do not have to wait a year. If you choose to “staircase” it is normally done in multiples of either 10% or 25% if you are able to afford it you can eventually purchase your home outright.

You should check your lease before doing this. If you are still in doubt please contact the Business Team on 020 7704 7321

You must buy any further shares at the current market valuation. This valuation is carried out by a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in. This will be arranged through ISHA to ensure an independent and objective valuation. However you will be responsible for paying the cost of the valuation. To do this you should in the first instance write to the Business Team at ISHA, 102 Blackstock Road, London N4 2DR stating that you wish to purchase an additional share of your Shared Ownership home. You will need to instruct a solicitor and you should consult your lender to ensure that you can afford to increase your mortgage.

As you purchase additional shares in your home, then the rent that you pay to ISHA will reduce, although of course your mortgage repayments will increase. Once you have purchased your home outright you will no longer be required to pay rent at all. However if you pay a service charge, this will not be affected.

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section 11repairs and maintenance

section 11 repairs and maintenance


This section gives you information about different aspects of repair and maintenance of your home. It gives you a guide to your responsibilities, and details the normal responsibilities of ISHA as well as how you can report a repair. There are special rules if your home is new – please see Buying a new home below.

The basic rule is that homeowners are responsible for carrying out internal repairs and maintenance (i.e. everything within the walls of your home), whilst the landlord is responsible for carrying out external and structural work and will recharge you.

The types of repairs that we have responsibility for will include:

s Roof repairs.

s Maintenance of estate roads and car parks, including external lighting.

s Window repairs and replacement.

s Door entry systems.

s Fire detection and preventative equipment.

s Lifts.

s Redecoration to common areas – internal and external.

s In addition ISHA is planning to offer a repairs service to Homeowners. This will be offered at a competitive price and full details will be provided soon.

Residents who own a house on a development that has communal courtyards, gardens or parking spaces etc., will normally pay a small service charge for the maintenance and upkeep of these areas

Reporting repairs

If you notice that a landlord’s repair is needed in a common area please telephone our repairs help desk on 020 7704 7300 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, or email on [email protected], or visit our website at www.isha.co.uk (for lift breakdowns call the telephone number displayed on the lift).

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In the unlikely event of a ‘landlord’s responsibility’ emergency occurring outside office hours use the same number and explain that you are an owner.

Response times for repairs

ISHA is committed to maintaining standards in relation to how long you should expect us to undertake to carry out a repair.

Therefore we have defined response times for different categories of work – if you report a repair you will be told when you can expect it to be undertaken. These are as follows :

Emergency repairs

These are repairs which may endanger health, safety or security. To be carried out or made safe within 24 hours of notification. Examples of repairs falling within this category may include, but are not limited to – burst pipes or overflows, severe storm damage or flooding, failure of communal electricity, breakdown of lifts etc

Urgent repairs

These are repairs that require attention to avoid deterioration or unreasonable inconvenience to occupiers. To be carried out within 5 working days of notification. Examples of repairs falling within this category may include, but again are not limited to – partial loss of water supply, door entry system not working, glazing repairs to communal areas, faulty communal TV aerial, blocked gutters causing water penetration to the dwelling etc.

Routine repairs

Other repairs for which ISHA has a responsibility. To be carried out within 20 working days of notification. Examples include repairs to communal/external walls, brickwork and slate/tiles, minor plumbing repairs to landlord’s fixtures and fittings etc.

section 11 repairs and maintenance


Planned maintenance and redecoration

If we are the freeholder of the block in which you live, we may set up a sinking fund or reserve with which we aim to provide sufficient funds to undertake redecorating of the common arrears on a cyclical basis, as well as long-term repairs or replacements. The fund is made up of contributions within your service charge and is held in trust by ISHA.

At the time that works may be required, we will consult with all leaseholders in accordance with a number of particular legal requirements, notably Section 20 notices. This means that we allow you the opportunity to nominate a contractor. If you do not wish to nominate a contractor, we will seek a number of tenders and give you every opportunity to have a constructive involvement in the process.

What you must not do:

s As an unqualified person carry out any work to gas appliances or similar, including pipe work, any work to electrical wiring or switches etc, or mains water supply (to do so is likely to be illegal and dangerous to you and possibly to other residents of the building)

s Carry out any structural works to the building

s Carry out any work to parts of the building which are ISHA’s responsibility

s Please note It is essential that you arrange for any gas appliances within your home to be serviced annually by a CORGI registered contractor (listed in Yellow Pages).

See Section 15 below for more details on carrying out improvements

Condensation

This is a common problem given our damp climate. At end of this handbook you will find a section explaining ways to reduce condensation in your home.

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section 12buying a new home

section 12 buying a new home


Each new ISHA home has been constructed to The Housing Corporation development scheme standards.

Under the terms of our contract with the builder any reported building or materials defects (not wear and tear) which occur during the twelve months after practical completion (NOT from the date of your purchase), will be made good by the building contractor.

Electrical and mechanical defects (including plumbing) are also covered for 12 months after practical completion. After the first year major structural defects are covered under the National House Building Council Buildmark warranty, which continues until 10 years after practical completion. The warranty will help you secure your mortgage and provides cover for newly built and converted residential homes registered with NHBC.

Any defects must be reported by you to the Repairs Help desk on 020 7704 7300 or [email protected]. You must give details of the problem and how access can be arranged as soon as possible. It is inadvisable for you to report defects directly to the builders since ISHA will be unable to help you if you do not deal with the problem effectively. The defect will be reported via our Helpdesk to the builders who will contact you to arrange a convenient time to remedy the problem.

NB The builder cannot reasonably be required to remedy minor cosmetic defects. Ordinary wear and tear and damage is not covered.

An inspection will be carried out in your property normally by a Development Project Manager, employer’s agent and builder’s representative. This will be towards the end of the defects period, normally twelve months after building work is completed (again NOT twelve months from your date of purchase).

When all repair work has been completed, you will be asked to sign a form that confirms that all defects have been made good.

It is most important that you report any problems before the defects period has expired. After the defects period is over, you are responsible for all the repairs and maintenance within your home.

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Condensation

As previously mentioned this is a common problem given our damp climate. At end of this handbook you will find a section explaining ways to reduce condensation in your home.

There can sometimes be particular problems in new buildings as a considerable amount of water will have been used in the construction. This must now be given time to dry out.

Whenever possible keep your rooms well ventilated with trickle vents, doors and windows open and ensure that there is a reasonable level of background heating. You are also advised to leave cupboard doors ajar and try not to pack too many contents into them. This should help to prevent mildew from developing.

As the plaster dries out there are likely to be minor cracks; this is normal and not a defect. Larger cracks should be reported within the defects period to the repairs help desk so that the builder can repair them.

Some windows and doors may swell and stick particularly in damp weather. Planing them is inadvisable because draughty gaps may appear when the wood shrinks back during dry weather. The builder will ease swollen doors and windows within the defects period.

NB If you wish to decorate it is advisable to wait at least one year until the walls have dried out.

Even when the building has completely dried out, condensation remains a potential problem. The high insulation standards of new homes means that unless windows are regularly opened or ventilation provided in some other way, water vapour from bathrooms and kitchens may condense on the walls and windows leading to an unsightly growth of black mould.

section 12 buying a new home

section 13complaints


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It is hoped that this will not be needed in your case but we are aware that things can go wrong and we wish to put right mistakes and learn from them in the future.

Please use ISHA’s complaint procedure if you consider we have:

s Not fulfilled our responsibilities or;

s not carried out a stated policy, procedure or;

s not provided the type of service you feel you are entitled to or;

s not taken into account matters that we ought to have done when coming to or making a decision or;

s acted in a biased way or unfairly discriminated against you;

There is a leaflet available on our website or by calling the office which sets out the complaints process.

section 13 complaints

section 14conditions of occupancy


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All the conditions of occupancy are fully set out in your lease. Below are some of the issues most frequently raised by residents.

If you wish to have any of the terms of your lease explained you should contact the Business Team on 020 7704 7321, at 102 Blackstock Road, London N4 2DR; or email [email protected]

Getting on with your neighbours

Having good neighbours is an enormous benefit for all of us. Please be considerate to your numbers and keep noise etc to a minimum. If problems do arise we expect neighbours to try to sort matters out in an amicable fashion.

However very rarely more serious problems do arise and in the worst cases this can constitute harassment.

Harassment will not be tolerated and is seen as a serious breach of the tenancy or lease. Any leaseholder, tenant or member of their household who commits an act of intimidation or violence against neighbours may be taken to court by the Association.

Racial harassment whether verbal or physical, will be severely dealt with. Perpetrators may be faced with lease forfeiture proceedings. This may result in them losing their home without compensation.

If you have suffered any form of harassment you should contact your Tenancy Services Manager immediately so that the matter can be investigated and appropriate action taken promptly.

A booklet; ‘Residents’ guide to tackling anti-social behaviour’, is available on request from our office as well as on our website. We also have an anti-social behaviour policy and procedure which is available on request.

section 14 conditions of occupancy


Improvements

If you want to carry out an improvement that needs our permission, start by contacting our repairs team. A surveyor will let you know how much detail you need to provide in your written request for permission which you should send to the Business Team.

You should make your request in writing to the Business Team detailing the precise nature of the works you wish to carry out, including any detailed plans drawn to scale, a specification of works and a builder’s quotation for the work. If planning permission is required then a copy of the written permission from your Local Authority Planning Department should also be enclosed. Any works carried out must always conform to Building Regulations and be undertaken with the minimum possible disturbance to neighbours.

Consent will not be unreasonably withheld.

If the value of your home increases due to the improvements you have completed, the additional value will be disregarded by the Valuer if you later decide to purchase additional equity (i.e. staircasing).

If you wish to borrow further money from your mortgage lender to finance the works, the association will normally agree subject to:

s the total borrowing not exceeding the current value of your equity share;

s the Mortgagee Protection Clause will only apply to the amount used to buy equity in the property.

Improvements to common parts.

If you would like ISHA to carry out improvements to your building e.g., extra security features, ISHA would have to consider whether it could afford the cost (as ISHA would bear the cost related to rented properties). If so ISHA would write to all leaseholders to see whether there is agreement to the proposal before seeking priced tenders for the work.

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Under many leases, money collected for maintaining the building cannot be used to fund improvements and the required work can then only be done if owners agree to separately pay the cost involved.

Television Reception

Residents in flats are not permitted to erect any dish or aerial to the outside of the building.

You should be aware that many residents consider satellite dishes to be unsightly. It has also been argued that the value of flats is reduced when satellite dishes appear on a block. There may also be planning restrictions that will be enforced by the Local Authority. If there is a demand, arrangements may be made for a communal dish, able to serve all flats in a block, with the costs being met by subscribers only. Please contact your Tenancy Services Manager if you wish to have such a service considered.

The installation of cable television is permitted for both flats and houses, but only with our prior written permission. New properties often have ducting built in to allow the easy installation of a cable service if there is not an existing local supply at the time of construction.

When satellite dishes are installed without our permission, we will remove the equipment and you will be charged for the cost of removal and any other expenses.

Pets

Residents living in flats with no separate garden are not permitted to keep pets without the consent in writing of the Tenancy Services Manager. Where consent has been given and in our opinion the animal subsequently causes a nuisance, consent will be withdrawn and you must immediately remove the animal concerned.



Door-Entry System

If a door-entry system is fitted in your property, this is intended to prevent unauthorised entry to the communal areas. Please do not, therefore, release the lock unless you are sure of the identity of the caller, and do not wedge open any communal door, or tape down the release button on your handset.

Car parking

Please ensure that you are aware of the rights that you and your visitors have to use parking spaces on your estate. Some properties are sold with rights to a particular parking space and you should only use another space if you have the agreement of the relevant owner. Many estates have no visitors’ parking spaces available (many have no parking at all) and you should ensure then that any visitors’ park off the estate. These rights are more specifically detailed below:

ISHA has some estates with designated car parking spaces that are regulated by our parking contractor. These are within ISHA owned housing estates containing spaces to be used only by those with valid permits issued by ISHA.

Our parking control contractor daily patrols the sites and the parking enforcement service is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, except on Bank Holidays.

Only those residents living on an estate can apply for a permit for their particular estate (or a temporary permit on behalf of their visitors).

We cannot guarantee we will be able to supply you immediately with a permit, on receipt of your application. Permits are not issued on a first come, first served basis but in accordance with the following priorities:

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Priority 1: Those aged over 60 who are single and disabled.

Priority 2: Families with disabled household members.

Priority 3: Tenants with mobility problems.

Priority 4: Families with one child under 3 years.

Priority 5: Families with one child under 10 years.

Priority 6: All other applicants.

Those residents that are in arrears or who have had legal action taken against them for any other breach of a tenancy condition will not be eligible to be considered for a parking space.

Cars should always be taxed and in roadworthy condition if you are parked on the association’s estates. Permission is not normally given for the parking of any commercial vehicles or caravans on the estate.

Permits will be issued at a cost per year for each vehicle occupying a space, for all tenants and leaseholders. This will be on a par with the charges levied for parking permits by the London Boroughs of Islington and Hackney.

For further details of the cost of parking spaces, please speak to the Housing Administrative Officer on 020-7704 7344.

NB Registered disabled car owners will not be charged but still need to apply for a valid parking permit for their estate. You will need to supply appropriate supporting documentation such as your disabled badge.

For further details on the scheme, please speak to your Tenancy Services Manager or the Housing Administrative Officer.


section 15insurance


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This part of the handbook summarises the details of our block insurance policy. ISHA as a landlord is responsible for providing buildings insurance.

We would strongly advise you to insure the contents of your home. (Insuring your contents is the responsibility of the householder however ISHA has negotiated a competitively priced block insurance scheme, ‘the Simple scheme’; for details call 08456 718 172 for full policy wording or you can access their website at www.royalsunalliance.com).

The cover

If you live in flat, buildings insurance for your property will be provided by ISHA through its block policy. This means that we have an insurance policy in which all our properties included rented and leasehold are insured.

The cover provided by our policy is known as “all risks” and includes accidental loss, destruction or damage to the property insured, including destruction or damage by fire, lightning, explosion, flooding, bursting or overflowing of water tanks and apparatus.

For example, if the resident of the flat above you caused flooding of your home due to an overflowing washing machine, then the damage caused to the fabric of your flat itself should be covered. This might include redecoration, repairs to electrics etc. However it would not cover damage to your contents e.g. carpets, TV etc – these items must be covered by your own contents insurance.

Included within our policy we have arranged public liability insurance to protect ISHA as an owner, in respect of accidents occurring in or about the buildings for an amount not exceeding £5 million.

The interests of mortgage lenders are automatically noted on the policy so you do not have to arrange this individually.

section 15 insurance


Premium costs

If you are a leaseholder, ISHA is required to insure your property as a requirement of your lease. The cost of the insurance is then recharged to you. We renegotiate the cover periodically through our broker to insure that we achieve the best value for money.

If you need to make a claim on the policy, you should notify the Business Team by telephoning 020 7704 7321 immediately giving full details of what has happened and the damage/ loss that has occurred. We can then arrange for the claim to be processed.

Please note This leaflet only summarises the cover that is provided. The exact terms and conditions are laid out in the master policy. If you want more details or need a copy of the master policy this can be obtained from the Business Team by emailing [email protected] or by phoning 0207 704 7321- we may make a small charge for providing this copy.

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section 16homeowner involvement

ISHA is keen to involve all residents in shaping our service to meet your needs. Opportunities to get involved will be set out in our resident newsletter, on our website, and in other ways. Please contact our Resident Involvement Manager on 020 7704 7349 if you want to know how you can get involved. This officer is based at our main office.

section 16 leaseholder involvement

section 17recycling and refuse


ISHA encourages residents to recycle as much as possible and to always be thoughtful about refuse.

Use the bins provided, do not leave objects in common parts, and do not create noise at unreasonable times.

appendices to the leaseholders handbook

53appendices


Equal Opportunities Statement

Islington and Shoreditch Housing Association (ISHA) works in a multi-cultural and diverse society and as such believes that no person should suffer disadvantage by reason of their race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexuality, innate appearance, disability, marital status, social class, age, responsibility for dependants or HIV/AIDS status.

ISHA has developed a Diversity Strategy and will work within the framework of this as well as all current legislation and codes of practice .

If you are a resident we will:

s Treat you fairly and equally whatever your race, colour, age etc.

s Take prompt and effective action if you face harassment in and around your home.

s Make sure our reception area and office is accessible and easy for you to use.

s Provide the information you need in paper and electronic format in ways you find easy to understand.

s Take into account any particular needs you have when you move into one of our properties and subsequently during your tenancy.

s Only work with contractors and other agencies that share our commitment to be fair to all.

In carrying out this policy, we will actively assist disadvantaged groups to benefit from its services. ISHA will seek to identify the needs of disadvantaged groups within the community and to work with statutory and voluntary agencies representing their interests.

If you apply for a job with us or are employed by ISHA we will:

s Recruit and promote staff solely on their ability.

s Provide training and other opportunities to help you develop in your role.

s Make sure you have the necessary equipment and support to do your job effectively.

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s Take prompt and effective action if you face harassment at work or in the course of carrying out your duties.

As an employer, we will encourage job applicants from all sections of the community. ISHA will also seek to be in a position where our workforce reflects the composition of the communities and areas we work in.

The Association will seek to ensure equality of opportunity in the provision of housing services, employment of staff and building and other service providers to the Association, and to this end will recruit, promote, train and behave towards all these groups solely on the grounds of merit.

No person or group of persons applying for housing, or for a job, or for contracts with the Association, will be treated less favourably than any other person or group in contravention of the Equal Opportunities Policy.

In carrying out its policy, the Association will actively assist disadvantaged groups to benefit from its services. The Association will seek to identify the needs of disadvantaged groups within the community and to work with statutory and voluntary agencies representing their interests.

As an employer, the Association will encourage job applicants from all sections of the community, and to this end will recruit, promote and train all employees on a fair and equal basis. The Association will seek to move to a position where its workforce reflects the composition of the communities and areas it works in, at all levels of employment.

To help fulfil its commitment to Equal Opportunities the Association will use monitoring as a tool to assess the success or otherwise of the Equal Opportunities Policy, and to decide what measures, if any, need to be taken.

In its contracts with other service providers such as contractors and consultants, and in working with all other agencies including referral and management agencies, the Association will seek to ensure their commitment to Equal Opportunities in the provision of housing, the

appendices


delivery of services and employment, and that they operate a written Equal Opportunities Policy.

In the composition and operation of the Association’s Board and Sub-Committees and of its wider membership, the Association will seek to ensure proper and fair representation of the communities we serve.

All members of staff and Board Members will be expected to act professionally and in accordance with the Equal Opportunities Policy of the Association and will actively promote the policy whilst performing their duties. To achieve this staff will receive training and encouragement from Management. The Association will provide written procedures to allow aggrieved groups or individuals to challenge activities or decisions that they consider to be contrary to this policy.

This policy provides a broad outline of the Association’s intentions. Detailed operational matters are included in other policy and procedure documents and are available on request. The Board will review this policy annually. The Chief Executive is responsible to the Board for the implementation of the Equal Opportunities Policy.

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Customer Care Policy

ISHA aims to provide high quality services to its tenants, leaseholders, shared owners and every person, agency or organisation that it comes into contact with.

ISHA will also ensure that these standards are adhered to internally to ensure that staff respond to one another efficiently and promptly. This in turn will ensure high levels of service to our customers.

The values that support ISHA’s customer care standards are:

s Politeness.

s Courtesy.

s Respect.

s Fairness.

What can our customers expect?

Some of the standards include:

Standards for reception/ personal callers

We will have our offices open between 9.00 and 5.00pm on weekdays.

We will attend to people ringing the bell in reception within 30 seconds.

We will see visitors for housing staff within 10 minutes and offer an interview if required.

We will offer use of an interview room for private interviews.

We will provide special services for people with hearing or sight problems (loop induction system, publication in large print or Braille).

We will provide translation or interpretation on request for people who do not speak English as a first language.

appendices


Standards for letters and emails

We will send an acknowledgement slip or e-receipt within 48 hours (excluding week-ends and public holidays).

We will answer letters or emails in full within 10 working days.

We will send requested forms within 10 working days.

We will provide letters in other formats if needed (Braille, large print, on cassette or translated into another language).

Standards for telephones

We will have phone lines open on weekdays between 9.00am and 5.00pm, including lunchtime.

We will always give you our name so that you know whom you are talking to.

We will aim to answer the phone within 5 rings (At peak times there may be a call queuing system).

If you need to ring us at evenings and weekends, the 0207 226 3753 number will have an answer-phone service to take messages. It will give information on emergency repairs telephone numbers and office opening hours.

We will provide an interpreting service on request to assist tenants who do not speak English so that you can communicate with us.

Also included are standards for visiting your home, complaints and for communications and publications.

For more information on our Customer Care standards, please pick up one of our leaflets in reception.

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Getting It Right – Our Complaints Process

ISHA wants to provide you with the best possible service. In order to achieve this we would like to know what people think about our services. We welcome residents’ feedback and would appreciate any comments or compliments you wish to make about our service or a member of staff.

If you are unhappy with a service that you have received from us, we would like you to tell us so that we can try and put things right. We can only improve our service to you if we know what aspects are not working well.

Compliments

Comments/compliments

If you have a suggestion on how we can do something better or if we have done something particularly well, please complete the comments/compliments form within our complaints booklet.

By letting us have your comments and telling us what we have done well, you can help us provide better services.

Harassment

ISHA is committed to evicting any tenant or a member of their household who harasses or threatens another resident on racial or other grounds. A racial incident is classified as “any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person”.

Threatening, insulting or abusive words and behaviour (spoken or written) are a criminal offence and perpetrators should be reported to your local Police station or to the ISHA office. ISHA will not tolerate any harassment due to race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, gender, sexuality, innate appearance, disability, marital status, social class, age, responsibility for dependants or HIV/AIDS status.

appendices


Criminal activity

Examples of criminal activity include drug dealing and usage, prostitution and handling stolen goods. As well as being a breach of the tenancy agreement, these acts are against the law.

If you suspect a neighbour of committing these crimes, please voice your concerns directly to your Tenancy Services Manager. ISHA works with the Police to ensure that we tackle and reduce crime on our housing estates.

Domestic abuse

Everyone has the right to live in a safe home environment, free from abuse. It is also a condition of your tenancy not to commit or allow members of your household to commit or threaten to commit any act of violence which could prevent a tenant or any other person with a right to occupy from continuing to live peaceably at the premises.

If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic violence, neglect, or emotional or sexual abuse you can contact your local Police station. ISHA can also provide confidential advice and assistance.

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CONTROLLING CONDENSATION

Condensation occurs when moisture in the air comes into contact with cold surfaces or cools down rapidly forming water droplets.

It is produced by cooking, washing and the use of certain types of portable gas heating.

The moist air condenses on cool surfaces such as walls, mirrors, wall tiles and windows, and sanitary ware. It is common in bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms particularly in the winter months.

In moist conditions mould spores in the air can grow and usually show themselves on walls, ceilings as black or dark green spots. Common locations are around window reveals, ceilings and corners of walls in bathrooms and kitchens and sometimes behind furniture in bedrooms.

Preventing condensation

Condensation can occur in any home and you can take steps to prevent it by taking the following action:

s Close kitchen and bathroom doors to prevent steam going into other colder rooms particularly when cooking or bathing.

s Open kitchen and bathroom windows slightly when cooking or washing so that steam can escape.

s Use ventilators and extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms where provided.

s Open windows in other rooms for a while each day to allow a change of air.

s Do not use bottled gas heaters or paraffin.

s Wipe down surfaces where moisture settles to prevent mould forming for example on windowsills.

s Do not block air vents in windows or walls.

appendices


Try to produce less moisture:

s Dry clothes outdoors whenever possible, otherwise use well ventilated rooms.

s Cover pans when cooking.

s Vent any tumble driers to the outside following the manufacturers instructions. Do not insert tumble drier flexible hose in existing airbricks without checking with Property Services first on 020-7704-7300. This is important as some airbricks or vents are to assist with combustion of your boiler.

s Maintain space behind furniture for air to circulate.

Keep your house warm:

s Take steps to prevent heat loss for example draught proofing, not opening windows and doors too wide in cold weather;

s maintain background heating in your home particularly in the winter or when the temperature is less than 17 degrees centigrade.

Conditions of occupancy

A lease is a binding contract between two or more parties normally for either 99 or 125 years total. In most cases the landlord is ISHA who will own the freehold, and the relationship between you (the leaseholder) and ISHA (the landlord) is determined by covenants, or written conditions within the lease. The covenants outline the responsibilities of both ISHA and you as the leaseholder.

For comprehensive details of these responsibilities you should always refer to your lease. However a summary of the main points is as follows:

Our responsibilities

s To allow you to enjoy your home without interruption from ISHA or agents acting for us.

s To keep the buildings insured (but not your contents).

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s Subject to payment of service charges, to keep the building and all external parts in a good state of repair, including redecoration of external and internal common areas.

Your responsibilities

s To pay your rent and/or service charge at the times specified within the lease.

s To maintain your home in a good state of repair and to periodically redecorate.

s To make good any damage done to common areas, which may have been caused by you or your family and friends.

s To allow our surveyor access to your home (on giving reasonable notice) to undertake an inspection, if it should prove necessary.

s To inform us of any notices that you may receive from a local or public authority.

s If you decide to sell your home you must allow ISHA one month in which to nominate a purchaser (shared owners only). This one-month time limit is not mentioned in the section selling your property. Could this be checked out?

s To use the property as a single residence and not to do anything which could cause a nuisance to other residents

s Not to play music between the hours of 11.00 pm and 8.00 am, or at any times that it may cause a nuisance to other residents

s Not to use the parking spaces provided other than for taxed motor cars or motor cycles

Other conditions of the lease

Sub-letting: shared owners

Sub-letting of your home to someone else is not permitted under the terms of your lease.

In exceptional circumstances ISHA may be willing to consider a request

appendices


to sub-let a property. An example of where consent may be granted would be if an owner had to work abroad for a limited period as an obligation of his/her employment (would we need to see proof of this?). If this was the case the property could only be sub-let to a person/persons who would normally qualify for shared ownership and the rent charged must be no more than sufficient to cover the costs of your mortgage and rent/service charge. We will need a copy of the assured short-hold tenancy agreement to be used and details of the Lettings Agent who would manage the arrangement. Your mortgage lender must approve your request to sub-let before ISHA will consider it. If you require further advice in this regard please contact your Tenancy Services Manager.

Sub-letting – leaseholders

For all other residents who own their home outright, consent to sub-let will be governed by the terms of your lease. In most cases you are free to sub-let providing you seek consent from ISHA. Consent will not be unreasonably withheld. If you want to sub-let for a period in excess of 12 months you will need to arrange for your tenant to enter into a Deed of Covenant. Any requests should be made in writing to the Business Team at ISHA.

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The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE)2nd Floor 31 Worship StreetLondonEC2A 2DXTel: 020 7374 5380 (Lo-call: 0845 345 1993)Fax: 020 7374 5373Email: [email protected]: www.lease-advice.org

Leasehold Valuation Tribunals in England (Part of the Residential Property Tribunal Service)10 Alfred PlaceLondonWC1E 7LRTel: 020 7446 7700Fax: 020 7637 1250 / 020 7637 9789

Office of the Deputy Prime MinisterLeasehold Reform TeamZone 2/H10Eland HouseBressenden PlaceLondonSW1E 5DUTel: 020 7944 4287Email: [email protected]

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors12 Great George StreetParliament SquareLondon SW1P 3ADTel: 020 7222 7000

Consumer Credit Counselling Service 0800 138 1111Environmental HealthLondon Borough of IslingtonEnvironmental healthPublic Protection Division159 Upper StreetLondon N1 1RETel: 020 7527 3258 (office hours)020 7527 3229 (night hours 8pm-2am Sunday to Thursday and 10pm-4am Friday and Saturday).Fax: 020 7527 3057Email: [email protected]

Useful Contacts

useful contacts


London Borough of HackneyEnvironmental HealthNeighbourhoods and Regeneration DirectorateDorothy Hodgkin House12 Reading Lane, London E8 1HJTel: 020 8985 7711Fax: 020 8356 4980Email: [email protected] time service 9.00am-5.00pm Monday to Friday. Out-of-hours as follows: Thursday 6.30pm-2am. Friday 9pm-5am. Saturday 9pm-5am. Sunday 6.30pm-2am.

London Borough of Waltham ForestEnvironmental HealthCommunity Protection Service154 Blackhorse RoadWalthamstow E17 6NWTel: 020 8496 3000Office hours, Monday to Friday 9.00am-5.00pm. Duty officer (noise) up to midnight from Sunday-Thursday on 020 8496 3000. Weekend noise service: Fridays 6pm-2am; Saturday 4pm-2am – telephone number for this service: 020 8496 3000.

London Borough of CamdenEnvironmental HealthCamden Town Hall ExtensionArgyle Street, London WC1H 8EQTel: 020 7974 2090Fax: 020 7974 6955Times: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. Telephone weekend noise service on 020 72784444.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Islington:The Advice and Learning Centre86 Durham RoadFinsbury ParkLondon N7 7DUTel: 0870 751 0925Fax: 020 7561 7475Visit to the office are by appointment only. Telephone advice times: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday10.00am-12.00pm.

Hackney:Dalston (East End)491-493 Kingsland RoadDalstonLondon E8 4AUTel: 0870 126 4013Fax: 020 7249 7699Visit to the office a Monday and Tuesday AM appointment booking. Telephone advice times: Monday 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-16.00; Tuesday 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-16.00; Thursday 13.00-16.00.

Mare Street (East End)236-238 Mare StreetHackneyLondon E8 1HETel: 0870 126 4013 / 020 8525 6350Fax: 020 8985 0462Drop in advice times: Mon-Thurs: 10am-3pm. Telephone advice times: Mon-Thurs 1pm-4pm.

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Woodberry DownSt. Olaves CottageWoodberry DownLondon N4 2TWDrop in advice times: Mon-Thurs 9.45am-3pm.

Camden (Holborn)3rd Floor, Holborn Library32-38 Theobalds RoadLondon WC1X 8PATel: 08451 202965Fax: 020 7404 1507Drop in advice times: Tues 10am-12noon, Thurs 5pm-7pm (for people who work, study or have child care commitments 1st, 3rd and 4th Thursday of the month). Friday 10am-12noon. Telephone advice times: Mon-Fri 1pm-4pm.There is also the bureau at the St. Pancras Community Centre: Tel 0845 0505152

Waltham Forest167 Hoe StreetWalthamstowLondon E17 3ALTel: 0845 1264 026Drop in advice times: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-3pm. Thursday 10am-1pm. Appointments allocated on first come first served basis. Telephone advice times: Monday 2pm-5pm; Tuesday 10am-1pm; Wednesday 2pm-5pm; Thursday 3.30pm-5pm’ Friday 10am-1pm.

Housing BenefitLondon Borough of IslingtonBy post: Benefits ServiceLondon Borough of IslingtonPO Box 34750, London N7 9WFTel: 020 7527 4990By person at a Homes for Islington area housing office.

London Borough of HackneyKeltan House, 89-115 Mare StreetLodnon E8 4RUTel: 020 8356 3399Fax: 020 8356 3655Minicom: 020 8356 3655

London Borough of Camden1st Floor; Camden Town HallArgyle Street, London WC1H 8NJTel: 020 7974 5950/020 7974 5766 (Claims forms)Fax: 020 7974 5817Minicom: 020 7974 6866(textlink)www.camden.gov.uk/housingbenefit

London Borough of Waltham ForestBy Post: Revenues and Benefits ServiceLondon Borough of Waltham ForestPO Box 856, London E17 9PNTel: 020 8496 3000Fax: 020 8496 8434Minicom: 020 8496 3010Email: [email protected]

useful contacts


Notes:

69notes

your homeowners' handbook - islington & shoreditch housing

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