Housing

Conditions of Tenancy - Chapter 18

Compensation

In certain circumstances you may be entitled to claim compensation. This section sets out the type of compensation you may be able to claim. If the compensation for loss of services is £25 or less, we will add that amount to your rent account unless you ask us to pay you in another way.

Loss of services

18.1 If you pay for heating or hot water in your rent and you lose this service, we will compensate you for any period over 48 hours you are without heating or hot water. During those periods, we may be able to provide a heater for vulnerable tenants.

18.2 If we need to carry out major work to your home and this means you cannot use a room during the work, we will compensate you for the period you are not able to use the room. Please speak to your local housing office for more information.

Repairs

18.3 If we make an appointment to carry out a repair to your home and the contractor breaks that appointment without giving you 24 hours' notice, you can claim compensation of £10.

18.4 In certain circumstances, if we do not carry out repairs within a reasonable time, you can ask for another contractor to do the work. This is called the right to repair. If the second contractor does not carry out the repairs on time, you may be able to claim compensation. You must give us notice of what you plan to do. The repair should be urgent and up to the value of £250. You should contact a housing officer, the housing advice centre, a solicitor, a law centre or a citizens advice bureau for more information.

Removal and disturbance payments

18.5 By law, we have to make payments for a loss of home. We may also pay reasonable connection charges (such as reconnecting your telephone) and removal expenses (disturbance payments) to tenants who have been served with a possession order because:

We want to empty the property to renovate, demolish or transfer ownership of the block; or
We need to carry out major repairs to the property which cannot be done with the tenant still living there

If we do not have to get a court order to repossess a property, we may still make removal and disturbance payments.

18.6 We may need under the Housing Act 1985 to gain possession of the property to demolish, sell or carry out major work. We will do this by applying to the court for a possession order. If this happens and you have to permanently leave your existing home, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact your local housing office for more information.

Contact

Stephen Clarke

Divisional Director of Housing Services

Roycraft House

15 Linton Road

Barking

IG11 8HE

Tel: 020 8227 3738

Fax: 020 8227 5730

Textphone: 020 8227 5755

Email: stephen.clarke@lbbd.gov.uk|