Tenant FAQs

Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) is defined in the Housing Act 1996 and the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 as conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to any person.

• conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person’s occupation of residential premises or
• conduct capable of causing housing-related nuisance or annoyance to any person

ASB can include a large range of behaviours that are unacceptable and impact the lives of those living or working nearby. Some of these unacceptable behaviours are listed below:

• domestic abuse
• physical violence
• verbal abuse, harassment, intimidation or threatening behaviour
• vandalism or damage to properties
• prostitution, sexual acts or kerb crawling
• criminal behaviour
• misuse of communal or public areas

You can find out more about ASB as well as how to report a case of ASB, here.

Street Parking

Street parking is controlled by the local council. Apply for a parking permit provided by the council

Estate Parking

You will need to apply to us for a parking permit (there may be a charge) on an estate where we provide parking. Parking spaces are usually limited and having a permit does not guarantee you a space and only allows you to park in designated areas.

To be eligible for a permit, your vehicle must be registered to your address and you must be up to date with your rent. You will need to provide certain documents with your application.

If you have a Blue Badge, you also need a permit from us, but you will not be charged for this.

You must, always, clearly display your permit so that it is visible from outside the vehicle.  If this is not the case, you will be issued with a fine. 

Parking permits at: Alderwick House & Brook House, Central West, Holland Gardens, Issigonis & Morris House and Windmill Court are provided by Parking and Property Management

Parking permits at: Artwood Apartments and 118 Bedfont Lane are provided by Parking Control Management

Please contact the parking enforcement company responsible for your block.

You should not keep any items in the communal area as it blocks emergency access in case of fire. This includes bikes, pushchairs and plants. If we see items in the communal area, they will be removed for your safety.

Meters are located in various places, depending on whether you live in a block or a street property. Most will be located in boxes or cupboards in the communal area near to their property entrance.

Certain customers have the right to exchange their tenancy with other social tenants. This is known as a mutual exchange and is an agreement by two or more tenants to swap their homes.

You can exchange if you are a ‘lifetime’ assured or secure tenant or a fixed term tenant. You must have the permission of all landlords involved in the exchange, and must not owe us any rent.

Submit an application for a mutual exchange

We can refuse a mutual exchange if:

• the property is too big or small for your household;
• there is a possession order in place against either you or the other tenant;
• we have served a notice of seeking possession on you or the other tenant;
• we have served an antisocial behaviour injunction against you or the other tenant; or
• your home is for a disabled person or a person with other support needs and the person you are planning to exchange with does not meet the relevant conditions.

 

Downsizing

Is your home bigger than you need? Is it becoming too hard to manage? Have you considered moving to a smaller home? It could really help you as smaller homes are easier to manage, you pay less rent and your bills are lower.

Family sized properties in London are at a premium. This has resulted in thousands of families in London living in overcrowded conditions.  We have over 200 families living in overcrowded households.

In April 2013 the Government reduced the amount of Housing Benefit given to households that are living in properties bigger than they need. 

We are here to help you if you would like to move to a smaller home. If you live in a home that is too big for your needs, you could be eligible for our downsizing scheme.

We will provide you with a dedicated officer who will help you in looking for a new home. You will also receive a higher priority on the transfer system. We also offer support and advice on finding removal companies and the re-connection and disconnection of services.

The primary resident needs to provide signed written confirmation that they wish to add a household member. They should also provide ID relating to that household member such as a passport, birth certificate or driving licence. If they wish to remove a household member, the tenant should notify the Customer Service team in writing - customer.service@sbhg.co.uk 

Downsizing

Is your home bigger than you need? Is it becoming too hard to manage? Have you considered moving to a smaller home? It could really help you as smaller homes are easier to manage, you pay less rent and your bills are lower.

Family sized properties in London are at a premium. This has resulted in thousands of families in London living in overcrowded conditions.  We have over 200 families living in overcrowded households.

In April 2013 the Government reduced the amount of Housing Benefit given to households that are living in properties bigger than they need. 

We are here to help you if you would like to move to a smaller home. If you live in a home that is too big for your needs, you could be eligible for our downsizing scheme.

We will provide you with a dedicated officer who will help you in looking for a new home. You will also receive a higher priority on the transfer system. We also offer support and advice on finding removal companies and the re-connection and disconnection of services.

Ending your tenancy

If you wish to end your tenancy you must check your tenancy agreement for your agreed notice period. Most of our tenancies have a 4 weeks’ notice period.

Notice periods start on a Monday. If you give us your notice on a Thursday we will count four weeks from the following Monday.

Your notice needs to be put in writing and signed by you. No one else from your household can end your tenancy.

We will contact you to confirm we have received your notice and to make arrangements to visit you at your home.

At the end of the notice period you need to hand in all sets of keys you were given at the tenancy start including any keys for back doors and windows. This is part of formally ending the tenancy.

Keys need to be with us at Mulliner House, Flanders Road W4 1NN by Monday 9.30am. You will also need sign a tenancy termination form and you may need to speak to an income officer.

Keys need to be handed in by the tenant in person. No one other than the tenant can end the tenancy at our office.

If you return the keys after 9.30am on Monday you may be charged for another week’s rent.

Please ask a member of our housing team for further information and advice.

 

Please email our Customer Service Team customer.service@sbhg.co.uk. They will send you a photocopy of the  original document you signed.

Please email our Customer ServiceTeam at customer.service@sbhg.co.uk 

We acknowledge that some of our residents may wish to keep pets in their homes. We recognise the positive effect pet ownership can have on health and wellbeing.

You can read our Pet Policy, here.

You may be eligible for the Right to Acquire scheme which helps tenants buy their home at a reduced price. To be eligible your property must have Right to Acquire status and you must have been a social tenant for a certain amount of time. Contact us for more information and to apply, customer.service@sbhg.co.uk 

Transfers

There are a number of options if you need or want to move out of your home. Tenants wishing to move can register to transfer home or apply to one of our moving home schemes. If you would like to move home, you need to speak to one of our housing advisors who will be able to go through all your options. 

Unfortunately we do not have an open housing list. If you are not currently a tenant of SBHG you will need to visit your local authority's housing department. 

For transfers on medical grounds, you can complete our online form and we will be in touch with how we can help.

Submit your transfer medical assessment form

There are many reasons why you may want to move home. Your family may have out grown your current home, your family circumstances may have changed or you might want to move to a new area. We will always do our best to help customers who want to move. 

However, the reality is that in London there are more people wanting accommodation than there are decent homes available. This means that moving home is not always quick or straightforward. We do our bit by building new homes and investing in our current properties.

You can find more information about moving house, here.

Exchanging your home

We support you if you want to exchange your home with another social housing resident.

If you hold an assured, secure or fixed term tenancy with us you can exchange with any of the following residents:

» Another resident who lives in one of our homes;

» A resident of another housing association; and

» A resident who lives in a local authority home.

How do I find someone to swap with?

There are a number of national exchange systems in the UK. We are signed up with Homeswapper and Exchangelocata. Both services are free of charge for SBHA tenants and you can start looking for matches as soon as you have registered.

If you need help registering on Homeswapper or Exchangelocata, you can visit us so a housing advisor can help.