We are committed to making sure that you know what your rights are.We will consult with you on any changes to your tenancy agreement or any other changes to the service that we deliver. Please keep to the conditions of your tenancy agreement. If you break any of these conditions, we may take legal action against you.This could cost you money and may lead to you losing your home. Also, please contact us if you think another of our residents may be breaking their tenancy agreement.

It is important that you read your agreement carefully and understand it. Please ask us if you do not understand something in your tenancy agreement.

Your tenancy agreement is a legal contract that sets out your rights and responsibilities as our tenant. This section summarises those rights and responsibilities in simple terms.

Your rights

The right to live in your home.

• You can stay in your home for as long as you choose, but you must keep to the conditions of your tenancy agreement. Please see your tenancy agreement for more details.
• You can live in your home in peace and quiet.
• You can have access to your home, including any shared areas, at all times.
• Some of our tenancies, which are aimed specifically at key workers (nurses, teachers and so on) state that you have the right to live in your home as long as you do not change your job. If this is applicable to you, this will be explained to you when you sign your tenancy. For further information, please contact us.

Repairs

• We must repair and maintain certain parts of your home and keep it in a safe condition.
• Your tenancy agreement clearly sets out what your repair responsibilities are.
• We will carry out repairs to your home within set timescales.

Compensation

• You may be able to claim compensation if we do not do certain repairs on time.
• You will be able to make certain improvements to your home yourself, with our permission, and possibly receive compensation for them if you move out.
• We will offer you alternative accommodation and a disturbance allowance if we have to do major work to your home, with a home-loss payment if you cannot move back.

Consultation

• We will not change your tenancy agreement without your permission.
• We will ask you about long-term maintenance and improvement work that we plan to carry out on your home.

Lodgers and subletting your home

• You can invite other people to live with you, as long as you have our permission and your home doesn't become overcrowded. (Your tenancy agreement tells you how many people are allowed to live in your home).
• You can have a lodger or sublet part of your home as long as you have our permission in writing.You cannot sublet all of your home.

Succession

• In some circumstances, your tenancy can be passed to your husband or wife, or a person who was living with you at the time of your death. Please contact us for details.

Moving home

• You may apply to move to another property.
• You may exchange your home with another person, with our permission.

Getting involved

• We will give you opportunities to get involved and influence services.
• We will consult you on how we manage your home and the services you receive.

Information

• We will show you the information which we have about you, if you ask to see it. (However, there is some information we can't show you).
• We will tell you what rent and service charges you must pay.
• We will tell you beforehand about any change in your rent or service-charge payments.

Opportunities for all

• We will treat you fairly and not unfairly discriminate against you.

Your responsibilities

Everyone has the right to enjoy life in their own way, as long as they don't disturb the people living near them.A good neighbour will accept and understand the different lifestyles of others.The following is a list of your responsibilities.

Rent and service charges

• You are responsible for paying the rent and other charges in line with your tenancy agreement.
• Service charges will include items such as maintaining door-entry systems, cleaning shared areas and gardening.

Nuisance

• You are responsible for the behaviour of every person living in, or visiting, your home.
• You are responsible for them in your home, in shared areas and in the neighbourhood around your home.
• You, your family and your visitors must not cause a nuisance, annoyance or disturbance to any other person.
• You, your family and your visitors must not throw anything from a window, block or balcony.

Harassment

• You, your family and your visitors must not harass any other person. Examples of harassment include:
  - using or threatening to use violence;
  - using abusive, racist or insulting words or behaviour;
  - damaging or threatening to damage another person's home or belongings;
  - writing threatening, abusive or insulting graffiti; and
  - doing anything that interferes with the peace, comfort or convenience of other people.
• You, your family and your visitors must not use or threaten to use violence against any of our employees, agents, or contractors.

Using your home

• You, your family and your visitors must not use your home or any shared area for any illegal activity.
• You, your family and your visitors must not damage or draw graffiti on our property.You may have to pay for repairs or replacements.
• You must not run a business from your home without our permission.
• You must keep your home clean and redecorate when necessary.
• You must allow our staff or representatives to enter or inspect your home, or carry out any necessary repairs.

Domestic violence

• You must not harass or use mental, emotional or sexual abuse to anyone who lives with you.

Pets

• You must usually ask us for permission if you want to keep any animal.

Vehicles

• You, your family and your visitors must not park a vehicle anywhere on your property, except in defined parking areas.
• You must not do major car repairs or park an illegal or unroadworthy vehicle on the land around your home or on the road.

In and around your home

• You must not place or store goods in any shared area, or block any corridors, staircases, balconies or lifts.
• You must not put up structures, such as sheds or garages, anywhere on your property without our permission.
• You must keep your garden tidy by cutting the lawn, pruning trees and trimming the hedges.

Ending the tenancy

• You must give us at least four weeks' notice in writing when you want to end your tenancy.
• You must leave your home clean and tidy, and in a reasonable condition, and remove all rubbish, furniture including carpets, gripper rods, hard flooring and personal belongings before your tenancy ends.
• If you have an assured shorthold tenancy with us you cannot give notice until this runs out. Once it runs out you must give us four weeks' notice.