Housing associations

All social housing in the borough is provided by over 25 different housing associations and is accessed via the Housing Register. The majority of housing associations are registered with the Regulator for Social Housing, and have to adhere to Consumer and Economic Standards. Information regarding the Regulator for Social Housing can be found on their website.

All registered social landlords have to be members of the Housing Ombudsman Scheme. The Housing Ombudsman acts as an independent arbitrator for any disputes that may arise between a resident and their social landlord. Information regarding the Housing Ombudsman can be found on their website.

Making a complaint to your housing association

If you are unhappy with the service you are receiving from your housing association, then you are able to complain to them. You will need to ensure that you have complained to your housing association prior to raising any issues with the Housing Ombudsman, as you need to give the housing association the opportunity to investigate and resolve the issues raised. Each housing association should have their complaints policy and process accessible on their website. Most housing associations will accept a complaint through a variety of means;

a customer account
online form
phone call
letter

The Housing Ombudsman has put in place a statutory Complaint Handling Code which means that landlords are obliged by law to follow its requirements.

The Complaint Handling Code mandates a standard complaint definition.

'An expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standard of service, actions or lack of action by the landlord, its own staff, or those acting on its behalf, affecting a resident or group of residents’

There can only be two stages to a complaint process, and clear timelines as outlined below.

Stage 1	Stage 2
Acknowledge
within 5 working days of the complaint being received	within 5 working days of the complaint being received
Respond
within 10 working days of the complaint being acknowledged	within 20 working days of the complaint being acknowledged
Extend
up to 10 working days, with explanation as to why	up to 20 working days, with explanation as to why
Response to be provided when answer to complaint is known, not when all the actions are completed. Any additional complaints, must be included in response if they are related and response has not been issued. Response must be in clear plain language and include: - complaint stage - complaint definition - decision and reasons for decision - remedy to put things right - details of any outstanding actions
Details of how to escalate to stage 2 if not satisfied.	Details of how to escalate to Housing Ombudsman if not satisfied.

Ex-council house covenants

If you bought your property from the council/housing association and have a query regarding the covenants in the deeds, you can find out more information by contacting the relevant housing association. Sovereign Housing Association Ltd or VIVID Housing Association's contact details can be found below.

Renting a garage

The availability of garage rentals is managed by Sovereign Housing Association and VIVID. Their details can be found below.

Housing association list

Housing associations provide many different sizes and types of self-contained accommodation. Some associations provide more specialised accommodation for people with specific needs, such as sheltered accommodation. A list of all the housing associations with their contact details is set out below.

Click on the housing association for full details

A2Dominion

33 Staple Gardens
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 8SR

Telephone: 0800 432 0077
Fax: 020 8825 1997
Email: customer.services@a2dominion.co.uk
Visit A2Dominion's website

The Abbeyfield Society

St Peter's House
2 Brickett Road
St Albans
Herts
AL1 3JW

Telephone: 01727 857536
Visit The Abbeyfield Society website

Abri (formerly Radian and Yarlington)