Options for Existing Hjaltland Tenants
Repairs and Maintenance
The responsibility for repairs to Housing Association houses and flats is shared between the landlord and tenant, with Hjaltland responsible for maintaining the fabric and permanent fittings of the property. The tenant remains responsible for internal decoration, furnishings and removable fittings. Further details are described in Hjaltland's Tenants Handbook.
Repairs are categorised according to how urgently they are required and dealt with accordingly. Planned maintenance, e.g. external painting, upgrading of the building and permanent fittings, is carried out in a rolling programme, the details of which are available from Hjaltland staff.
To report a repair, please telephone, fax, email, write or call along to reception at:
Hjaltland Housing Association Telephone: 01595 694986 |
Adaptations and other forms of housing support
The Housing Association puts adaptations e.g. shower unit, ramps for wheelchairs etc, into 2 or 3 of its properties a year on average where a tenant or member of the tenant's household has a special need. The Association will also be happy to help special needs tenants find other support services (e.g. from the Council's Education and Social Care Department) to help them live comfortably and independently in their own homes.
Right to Buy
The Right to Buy is confined to the minority of Hjaltland tenants whose tenancies began before 2 January 1989. Anyone who has or does become a Hjaltland tenant since that time does not have any right to purchase their rented property from Hjaltland Housing Association.
Transfers and mutual exchanges
Hjaltland will always try to assist tenants who wish to transfer from one of the Association's properties to another, and will give top priority to those transfers which will result in better use of their housing stock e.g. a household living in one bedroom but needing two, transferring houses with households having a larger property but seeking a smaller one.
Mutual exchanges between a Hjaltland tenant and a Council tenant - whether within Shetland or elsewhere in the U.K. - are normally approved, as long as the exchanging tenants do not become overcrowded as a result, have a good rent payment record and the other landlord has given consent. If a Hjaltland tenant is interested in a transfer or a mutual exchange, then he or she should let staff at Hjaltland Housing Association know, no form filling is required. For further information see the HomeSwapper website www.homeswapper.co.uk.