tenants handbook

Section Four

LIVING IN YOUR HOME

HOME SECURITY

We want to make our homes as secure as possible, but we need your help to do this. Burglaries cause a great deal of distress. Remember the following points:

Close all windows secure and lock all entrance doors when you go out
Avoid letting it be known that your home is empty by leaving curtains closed in
the daytime, or by leaving notes for callers
Never leave cash or valuables lying around
Lock up before you go to bed, making sure that the windows are secure,
especially on the ground floor, or where they are near drainpipes or flat roofs.
You may wish to leave a light on at night in a room and ensure that all the
curtains are closed
Never leave car keys on window ledges or on view near to your front door letter box
Never let strangers in unless they can prove their identity. This includes the
Company's staff, all of whom have official identification cards showing the
company's logo, their name and photograph.
All our Maintenance Contractors also carry identification.
Keep sheds and outside buildings locked
Let your neighbours know if you are going to be away from home, so that they
can keep an eye on your home and report anything suspicious to the Police
If you live in a block of flats, make sure the entrance and exit doors are kept
closed. Do not allow any callers into the block unless they are your own visitors

Tips from the Police

Make sure the contents of your home are adequately insured against fire and
theft and that any terms about declaring items, etc, are complied with
Photograph valuable items and use the marking methods available, so that your
goods can be traced if stolen. Make a note of serial numbers
Go around your home carefully outside and in, imagining you are a burglar.
Look for weak points where a burglar could gain entry. As necessary, make
entry more difficult by using the security locks on all external doors and locking
devices on windows
Whenever you leave the home, even for a short period of time, make sure that
all doors and windows, including those in garages and sheds, are securely locked
Do not leave ladders, steps, etc, visible in the garden
Make your back garden private and secure. Lock rear entry gates
Keep front hedges and fences no more than waist high, so that neighbours
can see your front and side doors

If your front door can be locked by a key from the inside, make sure you have a spare key in a convenient place near the front door so that you can get out in an emergency.

When you are away
When you are away from your home, try to make it look occupied:
Leave the lights on in the evening (but not just the hall or landing lights); get a neighbour to come in and switch them on, or use an automatic time switch
Remember to cancel papers, milk and other regular deliveries before going on holiday
Arrange for a neighbour or friend to cut your grass and generally keep an eye on the home while you are away
Never leave valuables and easily transportable items like video units or car keys where they can be seen from the windows
Hide small valuable items like jewellery or, even better; take them to your bank before going on holiday

Neighbourhood Watch
There are some neighbourhood groups run by the Police. If tenants wish to form their own groups, we will support them. For information call our Tenant Participation Team on 0161 331 2000.

SAFETY IN YOUR HOME

Each year, more people are killed or injured by accidents in the home than any other type of accident. Young children and older people are especially at risk. We suggest you observe the following points:

Keep floors and floor coverings in good condition
Replace used light bulbs at once, and use lights when it's gloomy
Keep stairs well lit for your own safety
Use non-slip polishes and non-slip mats
Use safe household stepladders when you need to
Keep children away from cookers and turn pan handles away from the front of the cooker
Keep all medicines and cleaning materials out of children's reach
Keep children away from electrical sockets and use safety covers on sockets when
you are not using them
Do not leave matches or lighters around where there are young children
Make sure that plugs are wired correctly, and that the correct fuses are fitted
and working
Avoid long flexes
Don't have too many items plugged into one socket
Never touch plugs, switches or electrical equipment if you have wet hands

Fire
If you discover a fire at home, leave the room immediately and close the door behind you.

Alert everyone in your home.
Get out.
Stay out
Call the fire service out by dialling 999

Make sure all your family know what to do in the event of a fire and how they would escape safely.

Plan your escape routes and keep your exits clear.
Keep door and window keys available at all times.

 

Smoke Alarms
Make sure you have a working smoke alarm fitted at home.
Smoke alarms can be fitted free during a home fire risk assessment

TO ARRANGE A HOME FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT CALL FREE ON 0800 555 815

Main causes of fire in the home are:

being careless with cooking equipment
being careless with matches and smoking materials
being careless with candles
drying clothes too close to fires and heaters
children playing with matches
faulty electrical equipment
using portable heaters too close to furniture and curtains

ADAPTATIONS

We work with Tameside Council to ensure that tenants who require a specially adapted home receive the best service. Often simple aids and adaptations to an existing home will enable a tenant who has a disability to lead an independent life. If more substantial adaptations are required, we will liaise with Tameside Council.

Where adaptations are required, we need to give permission before work is started.

HOME CONTENTS INSURANCE

We operate a very competitive Home Contents Insurance scheme through Aviva. To join the scheme, you must have a clear rent account and keep the account clear. The cost of joining the scheme is collected through your rent account on a weekly basis.

Cover starts from £6,000 for people over 60 and £9,000 for people under 60. The amount of cover can be extended to a maximum of £25,000. You have the choice of taking out additional accidental damage cover if you wish. For further information please contact us or click here.

PEST INFESTATIONS

Should you discover any unwanted pests in your home i.e. rats, mice, fleas etc., please contact your Neighbourhood Management Officer who will discuss with you the options for removal.

This may involve a visit from Tameside Council’s Environmental Health Department who charge for some of their treatments.

ENERGY SAVING IDEAS

A quick glance through this list will show you how easy it is to make real savings on your fuel bills by following a few simple do's and don'ts. Even little things such as not leaving electrical equipment i.e. your TV on stand-by or checking furniture isn't placed too near radiators or heaters will make a big difference to how much energy you use - and how much money you save.

Do think about turning your thermostat down by just 1ºc as this can cut up to
10% off your fuel bill
Don't leave central heating switched on if you don't need it. Background heating is
only needed if the temperature is freezing or if you are going away for a few days
Do open doors in sunny rooms and let warm air travel around your home
Do turn off lights when you leave a room. Beware of leaving dark areas which
might be dangerous for children and the elderly
Don't use more lights that you really need to during daylight hours. Ensure your
curtains or blinds are adjusted to let in as much light as possible
Do fit an energy saving light bulb if you use a light for an average of three hours a
day or more. It uses around a quarter of the electricity and lasts eight times longer
than an ordinary light bulb
Don't forget if you fit lower wattage bulbs in main lights, directional lights can be
used for reading and sewing. Make sure you have adequate lighting in areas
such as hallways
Do make sure you defrost your fridge regularly as this will help keep it running
efficiently, and reduce running costs
Do always put the plug in a basin or sink. Leaving hot water taps running
without the plug in is both wasteful and expensive
Don't have your water to a scalding temperature. For most people, setting
the thermostat to a level of 50ºc-55ºc is quite adequate
Do hang your washing out in fine weather rather than using the dryer
Do only fill the kettle by the amount of water you need

RECYCLING

New Charter recycles and you can as well, by reducing and reusing your waste.

For more information on recycling paper, plastic, furniture, garden waste and many more items contact the Recycling Team at Tameside Council on 342 8355. Alternatively you can visit their website at www.tameside.gov.uk/recycling

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Further information, and/or help and advice in case of difficulty in using the
system, including problems, can be obtained by sending an email to the following
address. Please give as much information as possible.


Email: contact@newcharter.co.uk