Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone over the age of 16 can apply for housing. The Association aims to help those most in need. We use a points system to determine if you qualify for acceptance onto the waiting list.

If we are unable to accept you onto our waiting list, you will be advised of the reason. You do have the right of appeal if this happens.

The Association also assists Inverclyde Council in housing Homeless applicants through the Nominations Agreement and Homeless Referrals (known as Section 5 Referrals).

If you have a medical condition which is aggravated by your current housing conditions, you may be entitled to extra points. You must complete a medical form in order to be considered for these points.

The current legislation, The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 gives priority to people who:-
a) are occupying houses which do not meet the tolerable standard; or
b) are occupying overcrowded houses; or
c) are living under unsatisfactory housing conditions; or
d) are homeless or threatened with homelessness; and
e) have large families.

Contact the office for an application pack or you can download one from this website.

It is difficult to give you a time scale, because it depends upon a suitable property becoming available, and also how many other people are on the list wanting similar properties. You can reduce the likely waiting time by widening your choice of areas as much as you can, so that more properties match your needs.

Again this is a difficult one! We receive new applications every day, and because we offer properties on the basis of housing need, someone who has only just applied for housing may be in more need than someone who has been waiting some time, so could be offered a property before them. When a suitable property becomes available, we consider all the applications we have for that type of property.

The Association has concentrated on giving help to those in most housing need and not those who have simply waited longest. After registering your housing needs you will receive a letter detailing your points allocation and position on the list within 28 days which will give you an indication of your prospects of accommodation.

Yes. We have over 3,000 households on our housing list and a turnover of around 100 properties per year (re-lets and new build). Therefore the vast majority of applicants on the Housing Register may never be rehoused.

If you are in an Association property, you should apply for a transfer using the normal application form. You may also wish to consider an exchange details are available at the office and on the homeswapper website.

Unfortunately, Cloch HA does not provide a complete furniture package. You should seek advise from the Department of Work and Pensions or the Homeless Service who may be able to assist you in obtaining furniture.

Yes, as a tenant of a Housing Association, you have the right to swap home with another tenant, either of the Association, another housing association, or a local authority. You should contact your own landlord to discuss this before making an application to move. It can take up to 28 days before a decision is made, you should not move before you have permission from your landlord.

See the homeswapper website for available homes in the area.

If you are homeless or being threatened with homelessness, contact Inverclyde Council's (or your own local authorities) Homeless Services Department for further information.

We offer Scottish Secure Tenancies. These are monthly tenancies that can only be ended by the tenant giving notice to leave the property or by the landlord taking legal action where a tenant has broken the terms of their tenancy.

The tenancies are monthly tenancies. They continue until a tenant wishes to end the tenancy or the landlord takes legal action to recover the property.

We only evict on the grounds laid down in our Tenancy Agreement. Eviction is always used as a last resort.

We contact all parties involved in a dispute and try to resolve the situation. We, in conjunction with Inverclyde Council's Anti-Social Investigations Team, use a range of services to assist people in dispute such as mediation, negotiation, but sometimes when one party is clearly as fault we take action for breach of our Tenancy Agreement or pursue an Anti-Social Behaviour Order via the Sheriff Court.

If you are experiencing threats of violence, actual violence, or criminal behaviour, then you may wish to contact the Police in the first instance.

The Housing Association will investigate your problem and, again with your consent, attempt to bring about a solution within the powers available to us. If this is not possible, or not what you wish, our officers will give appropriate advice and assistance on the courses of action, and support, available to you.

If you are experiencing threats of violence, actual violence, or criminal behaviour, then you may wish to contact the Police in the first instance.

Women – Inverclyde Women’s Aid (Tel: 01475 888505)

For immediate safety issues you should contact the Police, who do have a domestic violence unit.

The Housing Association can give general advice on housing rights and housing options. If you are an Association tenant you should contact the Housing Services Section to discuss options.

Other agencies such as the Citizens Advice Bureau should be able to give general advice on how to deal with your problem, or who to contact.

For more detailed legal advice, or action, you should seek legal advice.

The majority of our properties are built to Housing for Varying Needs standards and we do have a few properties which have been designed especially for people with physical disabilities.

The Association does not directly provide support for these tenancies, and this provision may be available from the Local Authority.
 

You must give at least 28 days notice in writing.

You can donate any suitable items to local voluntary agencies suchas the Ardgowan Hospice or the British Heart Foundation who have a storage area, you will find their details in the phone book. They give items to people in the greatest need. These agencies are usually charitable organisations and are in no way linked to Cloch Housing Association.

Rents vary according to the property type and size. For examples please contact the Housing Services Section at the office.

Rent is reviewed each year and is applicable from the 1st of April(payable on or before the 28th March). You will be given at least one month’s notice in writing about this.

You may be able to claim Housing Benefit to help with the rent. You will need to complete an application form. Evidence of your identity, all income, all savings or other capital and your national insurance number must be provided. This information is also required for your partner (if you have one) and anyone else living in your household.

Housing Benefit is the name of the Government’s scheme for helping people on low incomes meet the cost of rent. The scheme is complex, but the Association’s staff will give you a form at the start of your tenancy should you wish to make a claim to the local authority. Please contact us if you would like more information. Forms are available from the Association or the local authority.

You may not be actually paying rent if you are receiving Housing Benefit paid directly to the Association by the council. However, if your benefit is not paid for any reason, your rent account will show arrears, and this may be the reason why you have received a letter. Whenever you receive a letter from us about arrears, you should contact the Housing Services Section straightaway so that we can help you to sort it out.

Remember, your claim for Housing Benefit is your responsibility, and you must make sure that you have provided all the information that the council needs to process your claim.

Your rent is due on or before the 28th of each month in advance. If you pay after this date, then your account will show arrears. If you cannot do this due to your salary date, just pay a little extra each month until you are in front. Do talk to your Housing Officer if you are concerned about this or wish to set up another payment arrangement.

Housing benefit is usually paid four weeks in arrears whereas your rent is due monthly in advance. This means that your rent account will always appear to be at least one week in arrears. However, all our tenants receiving housing benefit are paid in arrears, so we will disregard any arrears which have arisen purely because of the way housing benefit is paid.

If, for whatever reason, you skip a rent or service charge payment, then you must contact your Housing Officer immediately. We can agree for you to clear your arrears debt by paying extra each month, based on your own financial circumstances, and put you in touch with people who can offer specialist advice.

The first thing to do if you have a problem in paying your rent is to contact the Association. Our staff are trained to help people who are having financial trouble. Please let us know if you have any difficulties and we will do our best to help. Don’t forget – you may be eligible for Housing Benefit.
 

There are several ways of paying:

• Direct Debit . We will complete a Direct Debit form for you to have payments taken from your bank account.
• At any Post Office or PayPoint.  You can pay using your allpay card over the counter at any Post Office or PayPoint Outlet.
• Over the phone. You can pay using your allpay rent payment card and a debit/credit card by telephoning 0870 243 6040.
• Over the Internet. You can pay using your allpay rent payment card and a debit/credit card by going to www.allpayments.net
• By Text - You can pay your rent using your credit/debit card and your allpay card, call the office for details of how to register
• At the Association's offices by card payment only - you cal come in and pay by card or call our finance department on 01475 783637.

The Association is responsible for insuring the structure of your home. This is paid for via your monthly rent; this does not include the contents of your home. We can provide details of external companies who offer contents insurance. If you would like details of a scheme or a copy of the Buildings Insurance Policy, please contact the Housing Services Section.

Your rent is broken down into two basic components rent and service charges. The service charge element is linked to services delivered on each individual development and includes things like:

• Heating Charge
• Electricity Charge
• Close Cleaning
• Furniture Charge
• Sheltered Housing Wardens
• Fire alarm systems 

The charge may change every year depending on how much money has been spent on the development. A detailed breakdown of the service charge can be obtained by contacting the Association and providing your address.
 

Your rent is spent on repairs, improving older properties, employing staff, paying interest on the loans taken out to build your home and a reserve fund. Details of our income and expenditure can be found in our annual accounts in the Financial Information section of our Annual Report.

Housing Associations have strict guidelines in terms of rent levels they should be setting for a particular type of property. The Scottish Government issues guidance on how rents should be calculated linked to the size of the property, the market value and average earnings in the area. These rents are usually significantly lower than rents charged by letting agencies.

Your tenancy agreement includes an agreement to pay your rent every month, in advance.
We need the rent from you and all residents on time, so that we can provide the best services possible. 

If you are having problems paying your rent, contact our office immediately. Don’t put this off. It is very important that you discuss this with us before the arrears get too large. If you contact us, we will always help you and look for some mutually acceptable arrangement to clear any debt - for example in installments. We want to help you resolve any problems with your rent as quickly as possible, so that they don’t get any worse. But please bear in mind that if you persistently fail to pay your rent on time, the Association will seek repossession of your home.

If you receive any letters about arrears, contact the Association immediately.

If you have any queries about your rent account, such as your current balance, please contact us.
 

We have an out of hours emergency repairs service please use the emergency numbers issued to you with your most recent newsletter, you can also download a copy from the important documents section.

Outwith normal office hours, at the weekend or during a holiday period; but only for an emergency repair. If you call out a contractor for a non-emergency you will be recharged the full cost of the call-out.

Any repair which is an immediate danger to the occupants or which poses a threat to the structure or security of the building would constitute an emergency repair. E.g. fire or flood.

Some repairs are the responsibility of the tenant and some are the responsibility of the landlord. Details are included within the Tenants' Handbook

People living in Housing Association properties are responsible for the maintenance of their garden. The Association does not offer a garden tidy scheme.

Your rent includes a contribution towards the cost of repairs and maintenance, and, in general, the Association will ensure that the exterior and structure of the house is kept in good order, and that the heating, water heating and sanitation installations are in proper working order. This is described in detail in the Tenants Handbook. If in doubt, contact us.

We have satellite dishes installed in most closes, the TV provider should be able to connect directly to this system.  If in doubt please contact your Maintenance Officer.

If you dont live in a close you will need to make an alterations application in writing. Permission must be sought prior to commecning with any work. Please contact the Association for more information.

You may not be granted permission to install a satellite dish if your newbuild / refurbished property is still under the 1 year defects liability period.

In general the Association does not give decoration grants.  Decoration is the tenant's responsibility.

Please contact the Association's Housing Services Section.