Frequently Asked Questions

There are a number of ways to pay your rent:

There are numerous ways to pay your rent please goto the Paying Your Rent section on the website or click here.

http://www.wdh.org.uk/paying_your_rent.php

Yes, please contact the main office on 01822 813770 urgently as help and advice is available.

We are happy to enter into a reasonable agreement to repay arrears but it is essential you keep to it.

If you have other debts we would recommend that you contact the Citizen’s Advice Bureau or Housing Advice Centre.

Neighbour problems, anti-social behaviour and harassment take various forms. They can range from a barking dog, loud music or worse still violence.

If you experience problems please contact the Main Office on 01822 813770 and ask for the Neighbourhood & Communities Officer who will be able to offer help and advice.

Normally we will ask you first if you have tried to sort things out, for example by asking your neighbour to turn their music down. We will tell you what you need to do, what evidence we may need and how we can take action. We promise to take your problem seriously and thoroughly investigate. Where we cannot help you we will tell you why and how else you might solve the problem.

We want to make sure that our services meet our published standards and the needs of our customers and partners – your needs as residents – so your feedback is important to us.

Unhappy?
If you are unhappy with any of our services and you are a resident, leaseholder or service user, you have the right to complain. This can be done in a number of ways:

• In writing: Please send your comments to The Performance Officer, West Devon Homes, The Quay, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8AB.

• By telephone: contact us on 01822 813770

• By fax: on 01822 813799

• By email: enquiries@wdh.org.uk

• Via our website at: http://www.wdh.org.uk

• In person: please make an appointment if you wish to discuss your complaint in person with a member of staff. This can be arranged through either our Okehampton or Tavistock Office.

Upon receipt of your complaint we:
• May contact you by telephone or arrange a visit.

• Will send you a letter within 3 days to say we have registered your complaint.

• Will ensure that your complaint is investigated thoroughly. On completion of the investigation, we will send you a full reply within 28 days informing you whether your complaint has been upheld or not. If applicable we will include our recommendation for resolving the problem.

What if I am not happy with the result?

• You can request that your complaint is reviewed by the Chief Executive or another senior officer.

• If you are still not satisfied you will also have the right to appeal and have your case considered by a group of Board members.

• If you are still not satisfied, when we reach the end of our complaints process, you have the right to make a formal complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Scheme.

• Details of the options available to you will be provided.

What is the Housing Ombudsman Scheme?

• The Ombudsman is an independent body that investigates complaints.
If necessary we will provide you with details of how to proceed with your complaint. All complaints will be recorded onto a database and West Devon Homes will use these statistics when looking at improving its services.

We want to make sure that our services meet our published standards and the needs of our customers and partners – your needs as residents – so your feedback is important to us.

Happy?
If you are happy with any of our services and you are a resident, leaseholder or service user, please let us know.

This can be done in a number of ways:

• In writing: Please send your comments to The Performance Officer, West Devon Homes, The Quay, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8AB.

• By telephone: contact us on 01822 813770

• By fax: on 01822 813799

• By email: enquiries@wdh.org.uk

• Via our website at: www.wdh.org.uk

• In person: please make an appointment if you wish to discuss in person with a member of staff. This can be arranged through either our Okehampton or Tavistock Office.

This is called a mutual exchange.

As a tenant of West Devon Homes you have the right to exchange homes with another tenant of West Devon Homes, a tenant of another Registered Social Landlord or a tenant of a Local Authority.

Tenants who occupy specialised accommodation such as sheltered or adapted accommodation will only be able to exchange with someone who has an identified need for that type of accommodation.
You will need our permission to exchange homes. Please contact the Housing Services Department for advice on 01822 813770.

To report a Repair during the working day please contact the Repairs Hotline immediately on 01822 813205 (during normal office hours).

Non - Emergency repairs can also be reported on the website in & out of office hours offering a 24 hour reporting service, using our online repair reporting procedure.

Please be aware that if the repair was reported online (out of normal office hours) then the report will be dealt with on the next working day and be recorded as such.

For out of hours EMERGENCIES please call 01822 813204. DO NOT use the online repair reporting facility for emergency repairs.

What is classed as an emergency repair? Emergency repairs are those which put the health and safety, or security of the tenant or a third party at immediate risk, or that affects the structure of the building adversely.

Examples are: total loss of water, flooding, unsafe electrical faults, fire damage, offensive or racist graffiti, blocked main drains or soil pipes.

From 31st October to the 1st of May loss of heating and / or hot water is classed as Emergency.

If you are calling about the loss of heating and / or hot water at any other time of year, it will be treated as an Urgent repair.

However, Technical Services staff will ask you some questions to see if you qualify for your request to be treated as an Emergency.

Wherever possible we will try to complete repairs of this nature within 24 hours, but if this is not possible, because, for example, of parts required, we will ensure the situation is made safe within 24 hours. REPAIRS IN THIS CATEGORY WILL BE RESPONDED TO 'OUT OF HOURS'. IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY OUT OF NORMAL OFFICE HOURS (9am-5pm) PLEASE CALL: 01822 813204.

If it is a non-emergency repair you wish to report out of hours, you may use the online reporting facility and your report will be dealt with on the next working day.

Tenants who transferred to West Devon Homes from West Devon Borough Council in 1999 retained the Right To Buy (this is known as ‘The Preserved Right to Buy’) and may be eligible to purchase their present home at a discount.

This right is applicable providing that the tenancy of the claimant has been continuous.

New tenants of West Devon Homes do not have the Right to Buy but may instead have the Right to Acquire; a different scheme enabling tenants to purchase their home.

Only tenants living in property situated in the larger towns in the district, i.e. Okehampton and Tavistock, will have the Right to Acquire. Properties outside the two large towns are exempt from the scheme.

No, this comes under landlord responsibilities. Please contact our repairs hotline on 01822 813205, or via our website, to request this repair.