Being a Whiteinch and Scotstoun Tenant

Whether you're one of our tenants, or hope to become one, this is what you need to know about being a tenant with Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association.
When you become a tenant with Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association, you sign a Tenancy Agreement. This is an important document that you should read carefully and keep in a safe place.

Your Tenancy Agreement

The Tenancy Agreement is a legal document which sets out the relationship between you and us, and the terms and conditions of your tenancy. Both you as the tenant and Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association as your landlord must do what the agreement says.

Make sure you familiarise yourself with Your Rights and Responsibilities as our tenant, and our Rights and Responsibilities as your landlord.
The Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 makes some changes to your tenancy rights, starting from May 1 2019. See here for more details.

Looking after your home

We are responsible for giving you a safe home to live in and for keeping any areas around it that we own or maintain, in good condition. You are responsible for keeping your home clean and in good order.

How do I look after my home?

Paying your rent

Once the Tenancy Agreement is signed, you become responsible for rent and service charges straight away. Payments are due monthly and in advance. This means that you need to pay the full month’s rent and service charges from the date when you sign up, not at the end of the month.

How can I pay my rent?

Claiming Housing Benefit

You can obtain a Housing Benefit claim form from Association Staff, however we cannot, in general, deal with claims. If you have a Housing Benefit problem, or require to claim, you should phone the Housing Benefit Office at 841 Crow Road, Glasgow on 0141 287 5050 in order to process your claim.

Universal Credit

In the dark about Universal Credit?

Don't struggle on your own. We are prepared for the changeover, and our staff are here to help.

Universal Credit has now come into force and will change the way you receive your benefits. Here’s some information if you are struggling to understand the new system.
Universal Credit is for people out of work or on a low income. It has replaced many benefits, including:

• Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Income Support
• Child Tax credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Housing Benefit

How to claim

Applications must be done online and in one sitting, taking around 20-40 minutes. Our Digital Hub at our offices has laptops and free Wi-Fi. If you need any help, come in and ask.

You must provide

• Personal info (including National Insurance and contact no)
• Landlord details (Whiteinch and Scotstoun Housing Association  1 Northinch Court  Glasgow  G14 0UG)
• Rent information
• Details of income
• Bank account details

When it arrives

Universal Credit takes at least five weeks to come through, and then you are usually paid monthly.
More questions?
If the above doesn't answer your questions, call us on 0141 959 2552 or pop into Reception and speak to us. We're here to help.

Your Housing Officer

As a Whiteinch and Scotstoun tenant you have a dedicated Housing Officer who can help you with any problems or queries you may have about your tenancy.

How do I get in touch with my Housing Officer?  Simply use any of the contact methods at the foot of this page.

Living with your neighbours

Disputes can occur because of ignorance and misunderstanding. Avoiding this can simply be a matter of keeping your neighbour informed.
It may be that a friendly word with your neighbour will solve any problem you have. It is important that you approach your neighbour in a calm manner.
Simple acts that can foster good neighbour relations

Being a good neighbour

Avoid playing music loudly or having the TV/radio/ stereo on too loud late at night. Respond in a reasonable way to a neighbour's request that you reduce the volume.
Take your turn of cleaning the stairs and the common areas. (This is a binding condition of your Tenancy Agreement.)
Ensure that you keep your pet under control at all times and do not allow fouling of the common areas eg. close, backcourts etc. (Please remember you need our written permission before you get a pet.)
If the situation does not get any better or you are worried about approaching a neighbour, get in touch with the office and ask to speak to your Housing Officer. We will deal with complaints in confidence.
Your Housing Officer will visit everybody involved and try to settle the situation. If mediation does not work and problems continue we may have to consider Court Action against the tenants concerned, if appropriate.
Any complaints due to Racial Harassment should be reported to the Association and the Police immediately. The Housing Association has a separate policy to deal with this type of complaint.
If you are threatened by a neighbour you should contact the Police. The Whiteinch and Scotstoun areas both have Community Police Officers based at:-

West End Police Station
613 Dumbarton Road,
Glasgow G11
Tel: 0141 532 3500

Ending your tenancy

If you wish to end your tenancy with us, you must give 28 days notice in writing. Please note that the termination period will commence from the date of receipt. To formally end your tenacy you need to fill out a Termination of Tenancy Form.
If you wish to give notice, drop by our office, give us a call or contact your Housing Officer.

Tenant Participation

The Association is committed to involving its tenants in the key elements of the business which directly affect them. We understand that not everyone can devote the time to be on the Management Committee so we will use other methods to gather tenant opinion. From time to time we will ask you to respond on specific issues using tear off slips on our Newsletter. We might seek volunteers to add to our consultation register, so that we can ask a group to comment on, for example, policy issues.
Please select the attachment to this page to download a copy of our Tenant Participation Strategy
If you would like to be involved in any of the ways highlighted in the Strategy, please contact Karen McQueen, the Association's Deputy Chief Executive at kmcqueen@wsha.org.uk

Your Right to Be Consulted

Under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, you have the right to be consulted about matters affecting your tenancy. These are policy matters, including matters related to how much rent you pay and how homes are allocated.
Reports on recent consultation exercises are attached to this page.

Keeping you informed

It is important to us that we communicate well with you, so that you are clear about what we are trying to achieve in what we are doing.
Our website, Tenant Newsletter and leaflets are all dedicated to keeping our tenants informed.

Getting involved

We value your opinons. We reguarly coduct customer satisfaction surveys, and your feedback ensures that we continually improve the service that provide.
 
You can also join our Customer Advisor Panel or Attend any of our Tenant Events.

How can i get involved?

If there is anything in your Tenancy Agreement that you are not sure about, please contact your Housing Officer as soon as you can. You can also get independent, professional advice about anything in your Tenancy Agreement from your local Citizens Advice Office.

Useful Telephone Numbers

• Scottish Gas Network (if you think there is a gas leak) 0800 111 999
• GCC Coronavirus info
• Graffiti, fly tipping and fly posting removal – 0300 343 7027
• Needle uplift - 0141 287 9700
• Water mains leakage or bursts - 0845 600 8855
• Roads and lighting faults - 0800 37 36 35
• Police Scotland - 101
• Crimestoppers - 0800 555 111
• Abandoned cars - 0141 276 0859
• Noise Pollution - 0141 287 6688
• Community Safety Glasgow (CSG) – 0800 027 3901
  (if calling from a mobile – 0141 287 1057 or 0141 276 7400)
• Dog Fouling Team – 0300 343 7027
• Vermin Infestation – 0141 287 1059