Social housing and garage tenants - frequently asked questions
You must get permission for certain improvements you wish to carry out to your home.
Under Clause '3.2 Your responsibilities - looking after your home' of your Tenancy Agreement, you must not do the following:
- g. Add, alter, replace or improve anything in your home without getting our written permission first.
- h. Put up any structure (such as a shed, garage, conservatory or satellite dish) anywhere on your home without getting our written permission first.
We will give you permission if it is reasonable to do so. If you make any alterations or improvements without our permission, we may ask you to:
- change your home back to how it looked before those changes; or
- pay us to carry out the work to change your home back.
For details of repairs you are responsible for, see your tenant's handbook
If you or other people in your home cause damage to your home or shared areas, we will decide if we will carry out the work (and charge you for it) or if you have to carry out the work.
If we give our permission to do the work set out under g and h above, it must meet the standard we set in our written permission and meet the building regulations.
You must get any necessary planning permission. You must repair and pay for any damage you cause to your home by adding your own fixtures, fittings and improvements.
Basildon Council tenants must obtain the Council's permission as their landlord pursuant to clause 3.2 of their Tenancy Agreement, before installing domestic CCTV, including doorbell cameras.
Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis and no equipment should be installed until such permission is granted.
Requests for permission must be made in writing to the Tenancy Services Team by email:
Basildon Council reserve the right to inspect the angle of any domestic CCTV to assess what area is being filmed.
As a condition of your tenancy, it is essential that you receive written permission from Basildon Council before making any alterations to your home. This includes fixing any form of domestic CCTV to your home; for example, drilling or using adhesive or any other method to attach the item.
Failure to comply with these conditions may be treated as a breach of your obligations under your tenancy agreement.
Permission may not be granted to install domestic CCTV in communal/shared areas or if any of the communal/shared area would be filmed by the device, for example, if your front door opens immediately into a communal/shared area.
If you do receive permission for a video doorbell or domestic CCTV you must make sure you don't install it to your front door, door frame or any fire-retardant cladding. If you screw anything into these places, it may breach the fire safety regulations and you will have to pay for any repairs or works to rectify.
All works must be carried out by a competent person having the knowledge and ability to work within the current Building Regulations, where required. You should choose a reputable and accredited person to install any domestic CCTV.
Basildon Council recommend that once you have received permission to install domestic CCTV you also display signs informing people that CCTV cameras are in use.
If the domestic CCTV has not been installed to a satisfactory standard or your leave the property you will be asked to remove the cameras and reinstate the property to its original condition. You may also be asked to reposition/remove your cameras if they are infringing on your neighbours' privacy.
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) provides further information regarding the use of domestic CCTV. It is your obligation to ensure that you comply with all relevant data protection legislation and guidance. For more information, please visit the ICO website Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
You can update your details on your tenant portal account.
You can order a replacement card on your tenant portal account.
We receive many queries from residents in relation to parking in the borough and appreciate that inconsiderate parking can cause issues amongst residents.
The majority of the land in the Basildon Borough is owned and maintained by Essex County Council. Any queries relating to parking on Essex County Council land should be directed to Essex County Council and/or the South Essex Parking Partnership:
- South Essex Parking Partnership (SEPP) (chelmsford.gov.uk) or by telephone 01245 606710
If you are having issues with inconsiderate parking on housing land, please contact the Tenancy Services Team:
If a vehicle is blocking your access onto the highways, this is classed as an obstruction and can be dealt with by Essex Police:
- www.essex.police.uk or telephoning 101
If you believe a vehicle is abandoned, please report this online:
If you are a Basildon Council tenant and wish to park on your front garden, you will be required to install a hardstanding and a dropped kerb. Prior to making any alterations to the property, permission must be requested from the Stock Condition Team for the hardstanding:
To install a dropped kerb, you will need to apply via Essex County Council:
Works cannot go ahead until the hardstanding and dropped kerb has been approved. Please note, you will be responsible for all costs associated with these works.
You can update your details on your tenant portal account.
You can request a repair to your property on your tenant portal account.
For more options, see:
If you need to contact the repair service about anything other than logging a new repair.
Energy Performance Certificates are available to be viewed online and are valid for 10 years.
You may need to request this from the council if any of the following apply:
- The property has not had a new boiler,
- the property has not had new wall insulation,
- you are a new tenant to the property.
In these instances, please contact us to request a copy.
You can request an adaptation to your property on your tenant portal account.
For more information, please see:
If you wish to sign your tenancy over to a qualifying family member, you need to submit this request in writing/
Please include the following:
- your name
- the property address
- you contact details
- details of the person who want to assign the tenancy to, and why
- attach any relevant evidence / documentation in support of the requested change.
we will call you to discuss.
If the tenant has passed away and you are living in the property, you can inform us in writing and discuss if you have succession rights.
Please include the following:
- your name
- the property address
- you contact details
- details of the person who has passed away
- details of your circumstances
- attach any relevant evidence / documentation in support of the requested change.
we will call you to discuss.
You need to claim under the 'Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims - England' in writing.
You need to request for a partner or spouse to be added as a joint tenant in writing.
Please include the following:
- your name
- your address
- you contact details
- details of the person you wish to be added and why
- attach any relevant evidence / documentation in support of the requested change.
we will call you to discuss.
You need to request for a partner or spouse to be removed as a joint tenant in writing.
Please include the following:
- your name
- your address
- you contact details
- details of the person you wish to be removed and why
- attach any relevant evidence / documentation in support of the requested change.
we will call you to discuss.
Neighbourhood nuisance and anti-social behaviour (ASB) can have a significant impact on residents and Basildon Council is committed to delivering a non judgemental, balanced service when dealing with such complaints.
We expect a reasonable level of tolerance between neighbours and will make fair evaluations on whether a complaint of neighbourhood nuisance is reasonable. An important part of creating sustainable communities is the recognition and acceptance by Basildon Council tenants and residents that the initial responsibility to resolve concerns with others lies with them.
Therefore, we may be able to provide advice, but we will not investigate the following concerns:
- A tenant going about their daily activities in their home, for example, playing with children, loud footfall, moving of furniture, babies or children crying, toilets being flushed (this is not an exhaustive list)
- Noise occurring at different times due to different working patterns or one off parties
- smoking or cooking odours, or clashes due to lifestyle or cultural differences
- Concerns which involve residents not being pleasant to each other, but are not serious enough to justify our involvement
It is important to be tolerant of other people's lifestyles and to be understanding of these possible differences. Behaviour that results from different lifestyles, or which would not be considered unreasonable by most people is not neighbourhood nuisance. Examples of this might include (this is not an exhaustive list):
- Lifestyle clashes
- Children playing or youths innocently congregating
- Ball games
- Parking disputes
- Concerns which do not breach the tenancy agreement, for example, people staring
- One off party
- Reasonable living noise such as lawn mowing, household DIY, hoovering, toilets flushing, doors banging, noise from household appliances or moving around in top floor apartments
- Putting refuse out on the wrong day
Ways in which residents may be able to prevent low level complaints being made against them may include:
- Informing your neighbours if you are going to be having a one off event
- Not to remove carpets from upper floor flats so that noise transfers to lower down properties
- Consider the use of appliance mats if you are running washing machines etc. overnight
- Telling your neighbours if your shift patterns have changed so they can be understanding of your needs
- Be considerate of your neighbours
- Do not carry out repairs or other works late at night or at other unsociable hours
- Do not play music, TV or instruments too loudly
- Keep dogs and other pets under control
- Be aware of where your children are playing, who is supervising them and what they are doing
If residents are not able to resolve their differences themselves they should contact Basildon Council where a Tenancy Services Officer may be able to offer mediation or other solutions in order to resolve the dispute.
In the event that residents are reporting more serious incidents of anti-social behaviour, this will be referred to the Anti-Social Behaviour team, to enable these incidents to be investigated. Residents will be kept informed of the progression of the investigation. Such instances may include:
- Hate Crime
- Domestic Abuse
- Threats of physical violence
- Drug dealing
- Vehicles causing a nuisance in open spaces
Should you have any concerns around criminal activity, harassment etc, please contact Essex Police directly on 101 or via their website www.essex.police.uk .
When reports are of loud music being played, and that is not just a one off incident or television being played loudly, incidents of this nature will be referred to Basildon Council's Environmental Health department to investigate.
Basildon Council work closely with outside agencies to provide support and advocate for our residents.
Referrals can be made on a residents' behalf with their consent. Organisations include:
- Adult Social Care
- Children's Social Care
- Family Solutions
- Peabody
- Social Prescribing
- Essex Frontline
- GP
If you would like some support or advice, please contact the Tenancy Services Team:
You must get permission to keep a pet in a council property.
Pets can be a source of comfort for us but keeping a pet is a privilege not a right. Clause 4.2 Your responsibilities - Controlling pets and animals, of Your Tenancy agreement states the following:
You must not do the following.
- h. Keep any animal that we consider to be unsuitable in your home, or anywhere in the area around your home.
- i. Allow any animals to become a health or noise nuisance, or to behave in a way that could annoy, frighten or cause a nuisance to other people.
- j. Allow any animal to foul any of our property, including areas you share with other tenants. You must clear up after any animal you are responsible for. If you do not, we will charge you for the cost of cleaning and any other expenses that are needed to remove the nuisance.
You must get our written permission to keep an animal in your home. We will give you permission if it is reasonable to do so. We can withdraw this permission at any time if it is reasonable to do so.
If your request is approved
- A permission letter and a 'Pet Contract' will be sent to your address by 2nd class post within 10 working days or by email via DocuSign
- One copy of the 'Pet Contract' must be signed and returned to Basildon Council's Tenancy and Estate Management Team
- You will also need to provide the pets microchip number
- The signed 'Pet Contract' will be added to your tenancy file.
If your request is turned down
A letter of explanation will be sent to your address by 2nd Class post within 10 working days
Before making a decision to have a pet, please consider whether you are able to meet the animal's long term needs.
- Can you provide the correct housing for the pet?
- Do you have the space and time to exercise the pets?
- Can you afford to keep the pets?
- Do you know how long the pet is likely to live, and can you commit to this responsibility?
- Do you accept that as an adult you are the one responsible for the upkeep of the pet?
- Have you checked you (and other family members) don't have allergies to pets?
- Do you have someone who will look after the pet while you're on holiday, in hospital or in residential care?
- Do you have children or other pets that might not get on with a new pet?
- Are you registered with a vet and are you able to get a sick animal there?
- Are you prepared to vaccinate the pets annually, microchip and neuter them, and can you afford to?
Request permission to keep a pet:
You may end your tenancy at any time by giving us at least four weeks notice. The notice must end on a Sunday.
Notice must be in writing and be signed by the named tenant(s).
Ways to terminate your tenancy
- Online: Give notice via your portal account
- By email: Send notice to terminate my tenancy
- By post or hand delivery:
Housing Voids Team
Basildon Council,
The Basildon Centre,
St Martin's Square,
Basildon,
SS14 1DL
If you send your notice via post, please send it recorded delivery.
If a tenant has died or is moving to a nursing home, the tenancy will continue to run until keys are returned to Basildon Council. Please notify us of these circumstances in your termination letter.
Importat information once you hand in my notice to terminate?
- Keys must be returned to the above address by 12pm on the Monday following the expiry of the notice.
- Keys must be returned in an envelope marked with your name (and the tenants if not the same) address and correspondence address.
- If the keys are not returned, you will be liable for full rent until they have been received.
- When handing in the keys, you will be required to sign a termination of tenancy form.
Please be advised that any items left in the property will be disposed of and you may be charged for this.
The communal areas are owned by Basildon Council who manage them to ensure the Health and Safety of all tenants and leaseholders. They are also known as means of escape routes in the event of a fire.
A communal area is an area that more than one tenant or leaseholder uses to gain access to the front door of their property or, a garden area which is exclusively for the use of the residents. The communal areas are owned by Basildon Council who manage them to ensure the Health and Safety of all tenants and leaseholders. They are also known as means of escape routes in the event of a fire.
These areas include corridors, stairwells, landing areas, lobbies, communal rooms, drying areas, bin stores, bin chute rooms, entrances to the building, gardens, external drying areas, meter cupboards, gas and electric cupboards, and parking areas. This list is not exhaustive.
Communal areas are not an extension of a resident's property and cannot be used for personal items or as an additional room.
The communal areas include the building structure and walls. No items should be affixed to these areas without permission.
Communal gardens are for the enjoyment of all residents on a scheme or in a flat block. The Council manages these gardens and residents pay a service charge for the grass cutting, pruning etc.
Permission must be sought from Basildon Council for any improvements to communal gardens, for the erection of sheds or any storage facility.
Communal walkways and gardens must not be segregated for a persons' own use, or for things such as children's play equipment or personal furniture, or to lay patios or decking, or alter the use of the garden.
Refuse sacks or other items should not be placed or stored in communal areas and should be disposed of in the correct bin/recycling container and placed out for collection on the specified day for your area.
Basildon Council offer a chargeable Bulky Waste collection service for household items:
If you need to report an issue with a communal area such as dumped rubbish or items outside a resident's front door, please complete the following form ADD FORM TO REPORT ITEMS IN COMMUNAL AREAS
If you require any further information on communal areas, please contact the Tenancy Services Team:
As part of the tenancy terms and conditions, the upkeep and maintenance of a private garden is the responsibility of the tenant.
Basildon Council do not offer a gardening service. Any gardening service will have to be arranged by the tenant.
If you are struggling to maintain your garden due to disability or illness, please contact the Tenancy Services Team: