Below are details on topics that tenants frequently contact us about in relation to their tenancy agreement.
Contents Insurance
Wealden District Council insure the property in which you live but we do not provide contents insurance. Your tenancy agreement sets out your responsibility to take out contents insurance. There are a large number of insurance providers on the market and you can access quotes from many of these via comparison sites. In addition there are specialist providers which provider weekly premiums, cover just for social tenants, no excess amounts if you need to make a claim and much more. We therefore encourage you to shop around before deciding who to use for your contents insurance. It is a good idea to consider what a home contents insurance policy would cover you for should you make a claim, in order to help you make an informed decision on wheat policy is best for you.
Keeping Pets
- WDC tenancy agreement states: “Not to keep any pet without first obtaining the Council’s written consent”.
- If you keep a pet it must not cause a nuisance or be a danger to others
- View our Pets Procedure webpage, which also notes how to obtain permission
Maintaining Your Garden (if you have one)
- You must keep the garden (including hedges and trees) tidy and free of rubbish
- If you would like to add a shed or greenhouse you will need our written consent
Parking
- Council owned parking areas can only be used by cars or motorbikes which are taxed, insured and roadworthy.
- Before parking any commercial vehicle, caravan, boat or trailer on land owned by the Council (including gardens) you must get our written consent.
- In some areas we do have garages to rent. Please contact us for more information.
Running a Business From Home
- If you want to run a business from home you will need our written consent. Some businesses will not be permitted including car repairs.
- You will also need to check whether planning permission is required and may need to adjust your insurance.
Can I Install a Hard Standing at the Front of my Property?
If you want to install a hard standing on the front of your property, within the boundary of the property, you will need permission from both the council’s Housing Services and Planning Department as well as East Sussex Highways Department. You will have to pay the full cost of installing a hard standing and providing a dropped kerb.
Firstly, obtain permission from your Housing Officer that you can install a hard standing. Do not start the work until you have confirmed with Planning that you may proceed, and also confirmed with East Sussex Highways Department that they will agree to the dropped kerb being installed. Planning will advise if they have any concerns regarding your proposal and inform you accordingly.
The East Sussex Highways Department will employ their own contractor to carry out the work of installing the dropped kerb. They will first need to carry out a survey of the site in question. They will then be able to provide a schedule of costs.
Can I Install a Satellite Dish?
Before installing a satellite dish you must obtain written consent from your Housing Officer. You must also check the regulations with the Council’s Planning Department. Further information can be found in the Satellite Dish Policy
Improvements
Before carrying out any improvements or alterations to your property you must contact your Housing Officer for written consent. Please note that Non-Secure and Introductory tenants cannot carry out any improvements.
Due to the specialist nature and construction of retirement living courts, improvements and alterations need careful consideration. Detailed plans must be submitted and approved by Wealden District Council before any works are started. It is essential that you take advice from your Retirement Living Manager before undertaking any works in your property.
Costs incurred by Wealden District Council for carrying out work to the communal systems as part of your improvement may be passed on to you.
Improvement works include:
- New bathroom / kitchen
- Knocking down walls
- Erecting a conservatory
- Creating a hardstanding
This list is not exhaustive.
Lodgers and Subletting
- If you are thinking of taking in a lodger or letting out part of your property contact your Housing Officer to ask permission before doing so by completing the . Please note that if you are an Introductory or Non-Secure tenant you cannot take in lodgers or sub-let.
- If you are in receipt of benefits, taking in lodgers or subletting may affect your benefits so contact the Housing Benefit to find out.
Fire Safety
- All homes are now fitted with a smoke detection system that is connected to the main electrical supply. There is therefore no need to change the battery but you should test it on a weekly basis using the remote test button.
- Should you be concerned at any time that there is a fault, please report it as a repair.
Communal Areas
- Do not leave any personal belongings in internal and external communal areas, as this is a health and safety risk.
Rubbish Disposal
If you want to check your rubbish collection days go to the Bin Collection Day Search. You can also find out about disposing of large items at: Bulky Household Waste Collections page and for details of your nearest household waste recycling site Recycling Sites
Re-Charges
A re-charge is an amount of money the Council will require you to pay for works carried out to your current or previous home for which you are responsible for or for damage/neglect which has been caused by yourself or others including friends/relatives/visitors.
Your tenancy agreement states that you must keep your home clean, tidy and in a good state of repair.
What can I be recharged for?
Recharges normally fall into three categories:
- Repairs for which the landlord is not responsible for
- Dumped rubbish
- Works carried out as a result of wilful damage or neglect
Occupying Your Property:
It is the requirement of all tenant(s) that the property is occupied as their “only or principal” home, and that the property is not wholly sub-let. This means with permission you can take in a lodger or sub-let part of the property but not the whole property (see below).
Can I Take in a Lodger?
Introductory and Non-Secure tenant/s do not have the right to take in a lodger, but Secure and Flexible Fixed Term tenants do. We encourage you to advise us and there is a standard form available to use for this purpose –
In taking in a lodger you are not permitted to make the property overcrowded, and you are responsible for the behaviour of your lodger.
If you are claiming Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit you must inform the relevant department’s of the change in your household’s circumstances.
What is Subletting Part of the Property?
Subletting part of the property, whilst the tenant remains in occupation, can broadly be described as a more formal arrangement than taking in a lodger.
If you are considering subletting part of the property you must first obtain permission from the Head of Housing by writing in to the Housing Services Department.
If you are unsure about whether you are taking in a lodger or subletting part of the property, talk to your Housing Officer before allowing that person to share your home.
What is Subletting the Whole Property?
This is known as unlawful sub-letting and usually occurs where the tenant moves out of their Council property and allows other persons to use the whole property, usually in return for payment of rent. Subletting the whole of the property in this way is not allowed.
You can report someone that is subletting their whole property by contacting using the Report an incorrect property use form.