First Things First … Welcome!
You are now an Apex Housing Association tenant and we are delighted to welcome you. We also thank you for choosing us as your landlord. You are new to us and we are new to you. The following information aims to make some of the more important introductions.
As a tenant you have rights and responsibilities and so too do we as a landlord. It is important you know and understand those rights and responsibilities. They are there to make sure you can make the most of being a tenant of Apex Housing Association Ltd (Apex).
The next important thing
If you were a secure tenant of the NIHE or another housing association at your last address and have transferred to Apex Housing Association accommodation, you will continue to be a secure tenant.
However if you were not, then for the first twelve months you hold what we call an Introductory Tenancy. This is a ‘trial period’ to allow us to get to know you and you to get to know us. If your Introductory Tenancy goes well you can then become a Secure Tenant.
The Introductory Tenancy
The first thing you do to become an Apex Housing Association tenant is sign a Tenancy Agreement. That will happen before you move into your new home. It is an important document because it is a protection for you and for us.
As an Introductory Tenant you do not enjoy some of the automatic legal rights that Secure Tenants enjoy. These include the right to:
- Buy your home
- Take in lodgers or sub-let part of your home
- Make improvements to your house or flat
- Exchange your home with another tenant
If things go wrong
The Introductory Tenancy allows us to move quickly against someone who breaks their Tenancy Agreement. And that can include eviction. One thing we are very particular about is anti-social behaviour. That can be against you, or by you or your visitors. Remember, our approach here is as much about protecting you as it is about protecting anybody else. As an Introductory Tenant you get exactly the same protection as any Secure Tenant.
If someone tells us you, or someone living in or even visiting your home, has been acting in an anti-social way then we will look into it. First, we will investigate their complaint thoroughly.
That may mean:
- Collecting evidence
- Interviewing witnesses
- Talking to the Police
If there is evidence to support the complaint we will take action. We will do that because we believe in protecting and looking after our residents and our property. We will take action whether the behaviour has been in your own home; outside it, or somewhere else in the locality.
The action taken could be as simple as getting you to agree to change your behaviour. However, if that does not work or if the behaviour was extreme then we will take action to evict you.
Eviction: A last resort… but a speedy one
Eviction is our last resort but if we feel it is the right action we will move quickly to use it. The process
works as follows:
- We will tell you in writing that we are going to court to evict you
- You can then ask for a review of the case within 14 days
- If you ask for a review other Apex Housing Association Ltd staff who have had no involvement with the case so far will check to see that everything was done right
- Their decision on the matter is final
- We will then seek an order for possession of your home from the court
If you end up in this situation you can of course get advice from an advice centre or a solicitor.
When things go right: becoming a Secure Tenant
The vast majority of our Introductory Tenants move on to become Secure Tenants. If there have been no problems during those twelve months then you automatically become a Secure Tenant. You do not have to do anything.