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Looking After Your Home

Making Changes to Your Home

Seaside Homes has ensured that your home is decorated to a high standard and would prefer that you do not make any alterations, including painting, without first seeking the advice and permission of the Housing Management Team. Should permission be granted, all decoration must be done to a high standard and finish. If permission is not granted, you could be recharged for the cost of redoing it at the end of your tenancy. This recharge may also be applied should the decoration have deteriorated badly over the course of your tenancy.

You will also need written permission from Seaside Homes to erect a shed or garage in your garden, also if you wish to install an external aerial for radio or television.

You are not allowed to make any structural changes to your property without express and specific permission from Seaside Homes.

When you move in, your Housing Officer will fill in an inventory which you sign which states what condition the property and fixtures and fittings are in when you move in. It is your responsibility to make sure that the property remains in a similar condition. This will be checked when you move out. You may be charged for any damage and repairs needed. We will expect some fair wear and tear over the course of your tenancy but any damage caused over and above this will be your responsibility.

Adaptions

Where Seaside Homes has not been made aware of a need prior to moving in, any tenant who needs an adaptation to their home to help them to live with a disability, illness or infirmity may have any reasonable adaptation required, provided there is an assessment of needs and that they are able to gain proper funding and have the adaptations installed professionally.

Seaside Homes cannot help to provide adaptations or their funding itself, but will co-operate with any agencies who wish to make such alterations to your home.

In the first instance, please tell your Housing Officer of your need and they will guide you through the process with the Housing Management Team in order that you may continue to enjoy your independence at home.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Anti-social behaviour is defined as acting in an manner that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm, distress and is a nuisance to others.

What is Anti-Social Behaviour?

Seaside Homes hopes you never experience this whilst you are one of our tenants, but we define it as behaviour from a group or an individual that causes alarm distress, harm or harassment to another group or individual.

Examples of anti-social behaviour include:

  • Excessively loud music
  • Graffiti or Vandalism
  • Criminal damage
  • Drug and alcohol abuse (misuse and drug dealing)
  • Pets and animal nuisance
  • Litter, fly tipping and uncontrolled rubbish
  • Verbal or physical abuse
  • Criminal damage, theft and joy riding
  • Discrimination, harassment and intimidation

How to Deal With Anti-Social Behaviour

Our approach to anti-social behaviour is simple. Seaside Homes neither condones nor tolerates it from our tenants or their neighbours and we expect them and their visitors to behave at all times in a way which does not cause nuisance or annoyance to others.

If you experience anti-social behaviour of any kind, contact the Housing Management Team or your Housing Officer on:

01273 294400 (option 4 followed by option 2)

If you witness an act of vandalism, criminal damage or another crime, in emergency call 999 and ask for the Police In a non-emergency call 101.

Safety & Security

Seaside Homes wants you to feel safe and secure in your new home. To help you do this we would suggest the following:

  • Always lock your doors and windows when you leave your home.
  • Do not store flammable substances such as bottled gas, petrol or paraffin heaters in your home.
  • Report any broken emergency lights or communal fire doors straight away.
  • Test your smoke alarm at least once a month (your Housing Officer will show you how to do this).
  • Always check ID before allowing unknown callers into your home.

Energy Saving Advice

Running your home costs money. Using gas, electricity and water can be expensive. However by following the simple suggestions listed below you might find you need to spend less on your bills and this will help you save money around the home.

  • Turn down the thermostat on your central heating. Just turning down the thermostat by a couple of degrees will save you money.
  • Use the timer on your boiler to switch the heat and hot water on at regular intervals.
  • Use energy saving light bulbs throughout your home.
  • When boiling the kettle only fill it with the amount of water you need.
  • Wherever possible use a washing line and avoid the cost of using a tumble dryer.
  • When cooking open a window rather than use an extractor fan.

Condensation

Condensation is caused by everyday things like cooking, washing and bathing – even breathing causes moisture to be released into the air. Condensation can cause black mould on walls, furniture, clothes and curtains. The mould looks bad and can even damage your health – medical research has found links between mould, house dust mites and illnesses of the throat and lungs. The damp left by condensation will also damage plasterwork and timber windows.

Every home gets condensation at some time – usually when lots of moisture and steam are being produced such as bath times, when cooking meals or washing clothes.

It is quite normal to find your bedroom windows misted up in the morning after a cold night – it doesn’t mean you have a serious condensation problem.

How to reduce condensation

Although condensation is quite normal, there are some simple things you can do around the home that will help reduce the amount of condensation. By reducing condensation you will prevent the problems it may cause. You can reduce condensation by:

1. Producing less moisture

  • Dry your washing outside the property whenever you can. You can also hang it in the bathroom, keeping the door closed and the window wide open.
  • Never use portable gas bottles or paraffin (flue less) heaters.
  • Permanently vent your tumble drier to the outside of your home, using a suitable kit recommended by the manufacturer of the appliance.
  • While cooking, always cover pans and don’t leave kettles boiling.

2. Ventilate well to remove moisture

  • When a room is in use, keep a small window and/or a trickle vent open.
  • Ventilate bathrooms and kitchens.
  • Keep bathroom and kitchen doors closed even if they have extractor fans.
  • Ventilate cupboards and wardrobes, and do not overfill them to let the air circulate freely inside.
3. Insulate and heat your home

  • Keep your home warm with insulation, draught proofing and heating, as this reduces the risk of condensation.
  • A constant, low-level form of heating is the most economical way to keep your home warm and reduces the likelihood of condensation. It will also help you save money in the long run.

Keeping the effects of condensation under control

By carrying out some simple maintenance rountines and good practice around your home, you can keep the effects of condensation at bay. Some simple things you can do are:

  • Treat and remove the mould, there are various products on the market that will help such as fungicidal products available in DIY stores.
  • Wipe down windows, frames and other affected areas with a fungicidal (mould killing wash) that carries a Health and Safety Executive ‘approval number’. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions precisely. Dry-clean mildewed clothes and shampoo mouldy carpets.
  • After treating mould-affected areas, redecorate using a good-quality fungicidal paint. Where possible remove lining paper and wallpaper, treat the plaster and then paint or paper the area again.

Pets

If you wish to keep a pet in your home, Seaside Homes will consider each request individually. We ask that you contact your Housing Officer in the first instance and discuss it with them.

We realise that pets are as much a part of your family as everyone else, but you must bear in mind that we will only allow pets that are suitable for the location and size of your home. The animal’s welfare is a top priority and we will always strive to allow pets to be kept where it is possible.

Please note that permission to have pets can be withdrawn at any time if we suspect that your pets are being mistreated or are causing damage to the property. If that happens, you will be given a reasonable time of no less than four weeks to rehome them. Please speak to your Housing Officer if you have any questions.

Seaside Homes would like to make it clear that you are responsible for any damage of your property that has been caused by your pet. We will expect you to repair the damage caused by your pet and return the property to the condition it was in when you received it. We also expect that these repairs will be carried out at your expense.

If your pet causes distress to other tenants or neighbours through a lack of control being exercised, or should they cause damage to someone else’s property, then Seaside Homes reserves the right to ask you to re-home it.

There is a general policy of acceptance for service animals such as Guide dogs and companion helpers. In these cases please ensure that the Housing Management Team is aware of their presence. If you have not already informed them and they will help where they can to ensure you are both given due consideration.