Your housing officer will visit you at your home from time to time to check that everything is alright.
Settling in visits
We will visit you in your home within 6 weeks of the start of your tenancy.
This visit is usually carried out by appointment made by your Housing Officer. This can either be your Tenancy or Rent Officer. The purpose of the visit is to:
- Make sure you have settled into your new home
- Discuss any problems or concerns you may have since moving in
- Discuss your rent and any financial problems
- Make sure you understand the information relating to your tenancy
Vulnerable visits
We carry out these visits regularly to ensure the well-being and safety of our vulnerable tenants, particularly those who may be at risk of harm or neglect. The primary goal of these visits is to assess the tenant's physical, emotional, and social well-being and provide support as needed. Vulnerable tenants may include:
- Older adults living alone
- People with disabilities or chronic illnesses
- Those with mental health conditions
- Victims of domestic abuse
- Tenants experiencing social isolation
We carry put these visits to:
- Identify potential risks: Welfare checks can help us identify potential risks to the tenant's health, safety, and well-being, such as neglect, abuse, or self-neglect.
- Provide support and referrals: Welfare checks can provide tenants with access to support services, such as home care, counselling, or benefits advice.
- Promote independence: Regular welfare checks can help our tenants maintain their independence by addressing any issues that may impact their ability to live safely and comfortably in their homes.
- Prevent crises: Welfare checks can help prevent crises, such as hospitalisations or emergency interventions, by identifying and addressing potential issues early on.
- Improve overall well-being: Regular welfare checks can contribute to improved overall well-being, including better physical and mental health, and increased social connections.
Tenancy audit
To make sure that the limited stock of properties owned by Harrow Council is used appropriately we carry out a rolling programme of tenancy checks during your time as a tenant. We call these “tenancy audits”. The main purpose of the audit is to ensure that:
- The correct person (the tenant) is living in the property
- Sub-letting, or other breaches of the tenancy conditions, are not taking place
- We hold up-to-date information about you and can tailor services accordingly
- You receive information about housing services
- You can raise any concerns you have or request information about services.
What happens on an audit?
Your Housing Officer will always have their identity card with them to confirm who they are and that they are employed by Harrow Council.
Our aim is to visit all our tenants at least once every three years. We will often undertake a tenancy audit as an additional part of visiting you in connection with other matters. We may also carry out unannounced visits.
We will ask a range of questions and carry out a brief inspection inside and outside your property and may make notes / take photos.
We will also ask you for two forms of identification as proof that you are the legal tenant.
One must be a document with your photograph such as:
- your current passport
- your photo driving licence
- your Freedom pass
The other item will need to be proof that you live at the property, for example:
- a recent bank statement
- a recent utility bill
- benefit or tax letters
We will take your photo if we don’t have it on file (it is held on a secure system and will be used for identification purposes).
Frequently asked questions
I've already given some of this information, why do I need to do so again?
We wish to make sure that any personal information we hold about you is accurate and up to date.
What will you do with my information?
Examples of how we use tenant information include finding out if:
- You need information in a particular language or format such as large print
- Someone in your household has a disability
- We need to update your family or household details
- There are any barriers which make it difficult for lesbian, gay, trans and bisexual people to receive our services fairly
- You have difficulty with reading and writing
Who will see my details?
The only people who will see your details are council staff who have access to our computer records and are responsible for inputting and managing the information on our computer systems. We may share information about you with our contractors who carry out works/repairs on our behalf. We will not share your personal information with any other parties outside of our department, unless required to do so by law. All information will be treated in a confidential and sensitive manner.