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At Legal & General Affordable Homes, your rent is charged on a monthly basis. Depending on the type of tenancy or lease you have you may also have a service charge to pay.

To check what your current rent amount is, please contact your Management Provider who will be able to confirm your total rent charge. This is always listed in our lease or tenancy, however if you have lived in your home for typically more than one year, this is likely to have changed to due our annual rent review in April each year.

You can pay your rent and service charges in two ways:

• By setting up a direct debit so that the money comes out of your back account each month on the same date.  This is the best way to pay and ensures your account is always up to date. You can set this up directly with your Management Provider.

• By making a direct payment online or by contacting your Management Provider. Depending on who your Management Provider is, they will provide a range of options for rent and service charge payments.

Usually you will require your unique reference number to make a rent or service charge payment. This is usually written on your rent statement. If you don’t have a copy of your latest rent statement you can contact your Management Provider to confirm this.

If you are having problems paying your rent or service charges please get in touch with your Management Provider they can talk through things with you. talk things through. There will also be helpful local agencies who can offer advice and support, and your local Council website will have information on these key local services.

Please don’t ignore any reminders we send you to pay your rent and service charges otherwise we might take legal action to recover the debt.

If you are a rented customer your rent pays for:

• Repairs to your home and surrounding neighbourhood
• Improvements to your home, such as new bathrooms and kitchens
• The costs of running our business

If you are a shared owner, your rent is the based on the percentage of the property which is still owned by Legal & General Affordable Homes. This will change if you purchase more of your home.

Any changes to your rent are effective from the rent review date specified in your tenancy agreement or lease unless otherwise notified.

Your rent will be recalculated based on the method stated in your tenancy agreement or lease and this is usually in line with the specific inflation rate which will be stated in your contract.

This can sometimes change if the Government decides on a different amount. In all cases, we will let you know if writing of any chances at least one month in advance.

Some residents pay service charges for the property they live in. Some rented customers do not pay a separate service charge as these are included in the total monthly rent charge.

A service charge is a charge for a service provided to the communal parts of a neighbourhood or building and are shared with other properties in a building or on a neighbourhood.

Your service charges are called ‘variable’ service charges. The expected cost of providing the service is split between the properties receiving the service on the neighbourhood or in the building.

Service charges are estimated at the beginning of each financial year based on the cost of our contracts and estimated spend on some services, such as electricity. Service charge budgets are prepared carefully to make sure that they are realistic and reasonable.

We send you a summary of our expenditure within six months after the end of the financial period, which  shows you if there is an over or under charge.

We provide a wide range of services. The services we provide differ depending on where you live and the local facilities available. In addition, some services are not charged to some rented tenants as legislation prevents us from charging these.

Here are a few examples of the services that may be included in your service charge:

• Fire safety protection
• Cleaning and window cleaning
• Lift maintenance
• Door entry maintenance
• Gardening of communal areas
• Lighting in communal areas
• TV and digital aerials
• Management fee.

This list is not exhaustive, the service charge will included costs for services delivered to your neighbourhood or building and these may differ from another neighbourhood or building.

Like many other Registered Providers, L&G do not hold an internal waiting list and most of our homes available for rent are advertised through the Local Authorities housing register or choice-based lettings scheme. If you are looking to move, you will need to apply to be added to the Local Authority housing register and you will then be able to apply for any Legal & General Affordable Homes property will become available.

Existing L&G customers wishing to move to another L&G property are subject to the same needs criteria as other applicants. We’ll assist customers who wish to move home and require support in providing information to the relevant Local Authority.

In exceptional cases and where there’s a demonstrated serious housing related issue, consideration may be given if a management transfer is possible. This is dependent on available homes.

Your management provider will be able to discuss your options to move with you.

As an L&G customer you have free access to www.homeswapper.co.uk. This is a national scheme so you are able to search for properties across England. You will need to have passed your 12 month probation period before you can progress with a mutual exchange application, however you can begin searching before this date.

A mutual exchange is when you ‘swap’ your home with other social housing tenant and you take on each other’s tenancy terms. Once you have found a suitable home, you can let your Management Provider know who will then discuss next steps.  

Please note, swapping homes means you inherit the tenancy of the previous tenant in that home. The mutual exchange must have the approval of the landlord for both properties in order for the home swap to take place. All homes are taken as seen. Therefore, you are responsible for and you will be accepting the exchanged property as you see it. Unless you or your Management Provider have agreed that the outgoing tenant must fix any damage to your new home, you will become liable for the work, such as damage caused by hanging pictures, shelving etc.

Yes you can. This is known as ‘staircasing’.

When you buy more shares in your home, your home is re-valued and you buy the shares at the current market value, at the time you are buying the shares. Most homes allow you to staircase up to 100% ownership, but there are some which have a maximum staircase threshold of 80%. Usually you will be aware of this during the sales process, and your lease will have more details about any restrictions. Take a look at our staircasing page for more information.

If you do decide that you want to move on, you will need to let us know. There is a time period specific within your lease where we need to directly offer the property to another eligible shared owner. If we are unable to source a suitable purchaser in this  time, you can put the property on the open market.

As part of your tenancy conditions, are you required to give us one months’ notice should you want to leave your home. In order to do this you can contact your Management Provider and they will let you know how to do this.

You are able to take in a lodger but you must ask our permission before doing so as we need to check that this does not cause any tenancy issues such as overcrowding. We also require their personal details so ensure we have an up to date record of who is living in your home.

You are not allowed to sublet your home. Please note that should you do this, this would be a breach of your tenancy conditions and it may put your tenancy at risk.

You may be able to buy your rented home, but there is a specific criteria on which properties are eligible as part of Right to Acquire legislation. For more information you can visit Right to Acquire: buying your housing association home: Overview – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and if you want to find out more please contact your Management Provider.  

If you do share your name with us, your details will always remain confidential unless you give us permission to disclose them. If you prefer, you can decide not to provide your name, but this means we would not be able to update you on what action we are taking. It may also limit the action we can take.

At L&G Affordable Homes, we recognise that pets provide many benefits for you and your family.

However, pet ownership is a privilege, and as an L&G Affordable Homes customer, you are required to ask us permission for any pets in your family before you move in or if you would like to get a pet at any point after you’ve moved in.

You can find more about our Pet Policy here.

There is a legal process in order to remove a person from your lease or tenancy. If this is a household member and they are not included in your contract document with us then you are able to progress with this by contacting your Management Provider.

If you are a shared owner you will need to instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf to remove someone else from your lease. Please note that until this has been completed, all current leaseholders would be legally responsible for the property and any amounts due for it.

For renters we do not usually add additional people onto the tenancy before the fixed-term tenancy review. When your tenancy does come up for renewal, at this stage we can review if you would like to add someone onto your tenancy.

For shared owners this is a  a legal procedure and you would need to instruct solicitors to act on your behalf to add someone else to your lease.

We kindly remind all L&G customers of your responsibility to dispose of your own waste, recycling or bulky items in the appropriate bin. Failing to appropriately dispose of your rubbish is a criminal offence.

You can find out more about your bin days or disposing of any large/bulk items that do not fit in the bin on your local council website, which can be found here.

If you suspect fly-tipping in your area, please report this to your local council.

Being a customer of L&G isn’t just about the bricks and mortar; delivering a great customer experience is also an essential ingredient, and we’ll be by your side every step of the way providing the services you require when you need them.

We pride ourselves in delivering good quality homes, however despite our stringent inspection process, things can go wrong from time to time. We understand how disappointing it is when something is not working as it should, and our dedicated Aftercare team is here to assist you for the extent of your 12-month defects period, helping in any way they can.

Our Aftercare team will advise whether any issue you notice can be considered as a defect and they will see it through to resolution. Defects are faults in the construction of a new-build property that can relate to workmanship, material, or design issues, but do not include wear and tear, damages, or misuse.

Our Developer partners are responsible for rectifying any defects in your home during the first 12 months after completion of the building works, but we will do the legwork and manage defects on your behalf to ensure timely and satisfactory completion. Even if your home was completed well before you move in, we will extend the warranty so that you can benefit from the same, 12-month defect liability period.

You will find further specific information about what’s covered, how to report defects and how long it will likely take to remedy those in the Home User Guide, when you collect your keys. Should you however wish to contact us beforehand, please message us on aftercare@landgah.com

ASB includes a range of unacceptable behaviours such as:

• Dog fouling, uncontrolled and noisy pets, inconsiderate or dangerous parking and abandoned cars. 
• Noise nuisance at high levels or unreasonable hours.
• Environmental health issues such as rubbish dumping Vandalism and graffiti.
• Drug misuse, alcohol-related nuisance and prostitution.
• Hate incidents motivated by someone’s age, disability, faith, sexual orientation or race.
• Harassment, including verbal and physical abuse and threats.
• Acts of violence.

ASB can be hard to define, and although some behaviours can be annoying, they are not classed as antisocial, such as:

• Children playing in the street or communal areas, unless they are causing damage to your home.
• DIY during reasonable hours (typically councils recommend Monday-Friday: 08:00-19:30, Saturday: 09:00-17:00, Sundays and Bank Holidays: 10:00-14:00).
• Minor car repairs.
• Young people gathering socially, unless they are rowdy, inconsiderate and intimidating to others.
• Someone parking lawfully outside your home.
• Civic dispute between you and your neighbours, such as boundary issues or shared driveways.

At L&G, we understand the importance of you feeling safe and enjoying your home. Therefore, reported ASB incidents are taken seriously and are investigated by our Management Providers. Your Management Provider should respond to you within 5 working days. They should communicate with the relevant parties, sharing information with you about how your ASB case is being investigated. Your Management Provider will also provide you with any information on accessing additional support, if necessary.

If a crime has been committed, you can report it anonymously to Crime stoppers by calling 0800 555 111, or to the police. Please take a note of your crime reference number so you can let us know when you report ASB.

If you are unhappy with how a report of ASB has been dealt with, you can log a complaint. You must have reported the ASB at some point before you can make the complaint. All complaints will be reviewed in line with our Complaints policy.

Domestic abuse can affect anyone regardless of your gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, disability, age or lifestyle.

It is important to us that you feel safe in your own home. If you’re experiencing domestic abuse or worried about a neighbour, please contact your Management Provider.

Domestic abuse can consist of any of the following:

• Physical or sexual abuse
• Violent or threatening behaviour
• Controlling or coercive behaviour
• Psychological, emotional or other abuse
• Economic abuse

If you feel that you or someone else are in immediate danger, please call 999. If you’re unable to speak, press 55 at any time and you’ll automatically be transferred to the police.

Don’t suffer in silence. You can check the support that’s available from domestic abuse organisations and charities here.

We understand if you feel scared, nervous or worried about contacting us or our Management Providers. It’s a big step but we are here to support you. Your safety matters to us.

It doesn’t matter whether this behaviour consists of a single incident or a course of conduct.

You can find more about your housing rights as a victim of domestic abuse here.

Your contract terms will explain what repairs you are specifically responsible for.

If you are a shared owner, you will be generally responsible for all repairs, other than those covered by our building insurance.

If you need to change your appointment it is best to ring your Management Provider to let them know. We appreciate as much notice as possible to ensure we can rebook any appointment promptly.

It’s important to ensure you are at home if you have made an appointment for us to attend to sort out a problem. If you can’t make the appointment, even on the day please do let your Management Provider know straight away by calling them directly.

If you are not at home when a contractor visits, they will leave a card to let you know that they came and how to get in touch to rebook.

Please note, that if you do regularly miss appointments you may be recharged for the cost of attending.

Living in a newly build home there may be restriction to the amount of alterations you can make. Internal decoration is fine, but if you want to make any major changes to your home, such as altering the layout or creating an extension this will need our permission.

The best way to check this is by contacting your Management Provider, and by viewing our policy on alterations under the Policy section.

As you live in a newly build home, there are usually planning restrictions which prevents you from installed a satellite to the front of your home.

Your Home User Guide will give more information about this, and it is best to check with your Management Provider before you agree an installation to avoid further costs later if the dish needs to be removed.