Keeping safe from fire in your flat

Despite the difficult situation with coronavirus, we’re continuing to do everything we can to keep people who live in council buildings safe.

We’re continuing with our ongoing programme to test all fire safety systems, to make sure that all emergency exit routes are protected and kept free of obstructions and any combustible material.

You can help us to keep you and your neighbours safe by making sure that you, or any visitors, don’t:

• store personal items in the communal areas  of the block
• smoke in the communal areas
• bring highly flammable items such as motorbikes, petrol cans, gas cylinders into communal areas

You should also regularly test your heat and smoke alarms and make sure that the hallways leading to your front doors are clear of obstructions.

As the weather gets warmer, we’re also asking you not to have barbeques on your balcony at this time.

Barking and Dagenham housing offer

We are committed to improving the range, quality and choice of its homes as well as improving the quality of information and services to our tenants. As part of this commitment we are introducing the Barking and Dagenham housing offer.

The offer sets out the service delivery standards that tenants and leaseholders can expect from the council. It also makes it clear what we expect from tenants not only in terms of your commitment to paying your rent but also your social responsibilities to your neighbours and the wider community.

Our housing offer to you (PDF, 720.00 KB)

Tenancy conditions

The tenancy conditions document contains rules that all tenants in council homes agree to live by and follow. You could lose your home if you break the conditions. It also sets out our commitments and responsibilities to you as your landlord.

LBBD Tenancy conditions (PDF, 969KB)

Giving up your tenancy

Tenants

Tenants must give four calendar weeks written notice of intention to move out. If you are transferring from one Barking and Dagenham council property to another, the notice period is not required.

Sending an email to Landlord Services is the best way, as this is quicker than a posted letter.

Be prepared

You are expected to move out of your old property and into the new property on the same day to avoid being charged rent on both properties. This is particularly important if you receive Housing Benefit, as this will not be paid for the same claimant at two different properties at the same time.

Always get confirmation from your property services officer about which date your tenancy needs to end, in order to ensure that the four weeks notice has been given.

It is your responsibility to make sure that rent and any other tenancy charges are paid up to the last day of your tenancy.

You must return the keys before the tenancy end date. No matter the date agreed, the tenancy will remain open and you will be charged until you return the keys.

If you register for My B&D, you can check your rent account online.

Register or login to My B&D

You can also call Landlord Services to check your rent liability.

If you receive Housing Benefit, your rent liability will rise considerably if you lose your entitlement to Housing Benefit before the tenancy end date.

A full weekly rent will be charged if you move out earlier than the notice end date you have given.

Arrears on closed tenant accounts

Whether you have chosen to leave your property and have left rent arrears or you have been evicted for rent arrears, you need to ensure you have made appropriate arrangements to pay any outstanding money due to the council.

We have a dedicated team who trace and collect these debts and if they have to pursue you, you can incur further costs for a court hearing or an enforcement agent’s costs.

Relative of a deceased tenant

We would like to be notified of a tenant’s death as soon as possible.

Contact us

020 8227 2926

rent@lbbd.gov.uk

We understand that reporting a death can be upsetting but we will need to ask you for certain information.

We will ask you for details of the person dealing with the tenant’s affairs, such as your name, address and telephone number. This is in case there is any later query.

We will also want to know if anyone has been appointed to deal with the tenant’s estate.

We will inform them of the rent due up until the time they return the keys of the property to us.

We will send letters about the outstanding rent to the tenant’s address unless we have been given contact details of the person appointed to manage the tenant’s affairs.

Housing Benefit

When a tenant has been receiving Housing Benefit this will be withdrawn from the week after the date of death.

This means the full rent will be payable from the week after the tenant’s death.

A full rent charge varies from property to property and this will be charged until the keys are returned.

Antisocial behaviour

Everyone has a right to enjoy their home and their chosen lifestyle, providing that this does not spoil the quality of life for others. This implies a degree of tolerance and respect for our neighbours and fellow residents.

Antisocial behaviour (ASB) will not be tolerated. We actively encourage the reporting of antisocial behaviour. Each case will be dealt with objectively and professionally.

These documents outline our policy and strategy for dealing with antisocial behaviour specific to council tenants.

Housing ASB policy (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Housing ASB strategy (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Housing ASB summary (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Read more about dealing with anti-social behaviour

Caretaking

Our caretaking service works closely with other council services to maintain a clean, pleasant and safe environment for our tenants and leaseholders. The main role of our caretakers is to clean all the communal internal areas of our housing blocks.

During their day-to-day cleaning, the caretakers will:

• patrol the estates
• repair communal doors
• replace light bulbs
• unblock chutes
• remove large items of rubbish
• remove offensive graffiti

These tasks not only improve communal areas, they also reduce fire risks.

Contact us

If you would like to contact your landlord in connection with something that is not covered on the website, please call 0208 215 3000 or email housingservicesoffice@lbbd.gov.uk