We've pulled together all the most useful information you may need as a Karbon customer. This guide gives you an overview of your tenancy with us and helps make settling into your new home as easy as possible.
Within the guide, you’ll find out what to do and who to turn to when you need help or advice on a whole range of matters. There's information on how to get involved with our work to improve your community. Plus you’ll learn some useful tips to make your home a very safe and happy one.
There’s information about your tenancy and the wide range of services you can access, as well as general information about Karbon Homes.
To ensure your tenancy runs as smoothly as possible, you’ll be allocated a housing officer who will support you throughout your time with us. They'll provide advice on specific matters relating to your tenancy or any questions you have in relation to this handbook.
For general enquiries our Customer Relationship Team will be your first point of contact.
There are many ways to get in touch at a time that suits you best.
Head over to our Contact Us page to find out more.
With the help of Recite Me assistive tool, you can choose from a range of tools including, text-to-speech functionality, customisable styling options, reading aids and a translation tool that boasts over 100 languages, including 65 text-to-speech voices.
Since our formation in 2017, we’ve focused on delivering our three strategic aims - to provide good quality homes, to deliver excellent service to our customers, and to shape strong, sustainable places for our communities.
Our footprint covers the North East of England and Yorkshire, with around 34,000 homes across diverse communities, all facing different opportunities and challenges.
Some customers just need an affordable home, or a way onto the property ladder. Others might need a bit more – financial advice, community services, sheltered accommodation or even training that can lead to a new job. Whatever people need to feel more secure, confident and happy with where they’re at, we work hard to provide it.
We always make the effort to understand our customers. We believe that everyone deserves respect. Everyone’s voices should be heard. And everyone deserves someone in their corner now and then. We believe that by focusing on our three strategic aims, combining a sound business head with a strong social heart and staying true to our values, we can build strong foundations for even more people.
Improving services and building stronger foundations for more people
We’ll listen to you and make sure our services are tailored to meet your individual requirements. We'll work with you to develop our services further.
We aim to provide the services you want at a time and place that suits you. We want to offer a menu of services that you can choose from and a range of convenient ways to contact us.
We also provide opportunities for customers to raise suggestions about how we can improve our services.
To demonstrate our commitment to excellent customer service at all times, we have developed our Customer Service Standards. They outline what you can expect from us. Through these standards we are committed to:
Making sure you are actively involved in what we do and the decisions that affect you
Supporting you during your tenancy
Responding quickly if things go wrong
Valuing the diversity of our customers, treating everyone fairly and with respect
Providing clear and accurate information
Being flexible in the way that we provide our services
Building and maintaining our homes to a high standard
Our aim is to deliver all of this in a friendly, polite and respectful way.
Why we collect information
Collect rent and service charge payments
Provide a repairs and maintenance service
Manage complaints and support you in making a complaint if you need to
Provide a welfare rights service
Provide an anti-social behaviour service
We also collect satisfaction data to understand how we are doing and how we can improve. Acuity are our customer satisfaction partners and they conduct Customer Satisfaction surveys on our behalf.
We may use your information to:
Carry out our lawful functions as your landlord
Improve services based on your feedback
Check with you that the information we have is accurate
Compare it against other information to help combat fraud and crime
Assess your entitlement to a benefit of an opportunity
Check your identity when you contact us
Contact you for operational services, such as a visit or a repair, gas inspection arrangement or a request to contact us.
We may share your information with:
If you need further information, please contact us.
Your Karbon Homes officer will contact you a few weeks after you have moved in to arrange a new customer visit. It is important that you are available so they can answer any queries you may have and ensure your tenancy gets off to the best possible start.
Both your electric and gas (if applicable) supplies are provided by OVO energy. When you move in your gas supply may be disconnected for health and safety reasons. You should contact us and we will reconnect the gas supply and issue you with a certificate to confirm that the supply is safe to use. You can change your electricity and/or gas supplier at any time.
We will tell you if your water charge is included in your rent or whether you have to pay it directly to the water company. If the water rates are not included in your rent, you should contact the water company to register with them.
Make a note of where your stopcock is located.
Pay your rent as soon as you receive your rent account number to avoid falling into arrears.
Make a new claim for Council Tax Support or, if you’re already claiming Council Tax Support, inform the Council of your change in address.
Make a new claim for Housing Benefit or Universal Credit (including the Housing Element of Universal Credit) or, if you’re already claiming, inform the Council or Department or Work and Pensions (DWP) of your change in address.
We always recommend that you take out your own contents insurance to protect your own belongings against damage including fire and flood. We’ve arranged an easy and reasonably priced insurance scheme that you may want to consider, please contact the Customer Relationship Team for further details.
You should contact your preferred telephone provider who will advise you how to get connected. If you had a telephone at your previous address, you may be able to take the same number.
You should consider having your post redirected from your old address.
Remember to tell others that you have moved, in particular your doctor, dentist, children’s school, your employer, TV licensing, the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) and bank.
Our Money Matters Team offers free, confidential advice on all things money related, including Universal Credit, benefits checks and budgeting, borrowing, debt and more.
To find out how we can support you, visit email info@karbonhomes.co.uk or call 0808 164 0111 and ask for the 'Money Matters Team'.
If you’re going away from your home for a while, don’t be tempted to put your bins out early, put them out as close to collection time as practicable – don’t signal you’re out to burglars.
Don’t leave keys under mats or notes saying you’re out.
Always lock windows and doors when you go out.
Always ask callers for ID; if in doubt call their company to verify they are legitimate.
There is nothing more important than the safety of you and your family.
Damp and mould can affect homes, particularly during the winter months.
Our top priority is always providing you with a safe and healthy home – and it’s our responsibility to do so.
If you suspect you may have damp or a leak, please contact us straight away.
If you have excess condensation in your home, this can lead to problems such as mould growth, which can affect your health and the health of your home.
Take a look at the Healthy Homes section of this guide for top tips to prevent condensation.
When it comes to water safety, turning taps off and supervising children when using the bath are what usually come to mind. But there are areas of water safety that we don’t often think about, like legionella.
Legionella can be found in homes where water systems such as water tanks, taps and showers are unused. This allows bacteria to grow and develop in the water system.
Where water systems are used regularly the risk is very small. However, if you don’t use your shower for a week or more, it is advisable to flush it through.
If there is a tap or shower in your home that you rarely use, make sure you run them at least every few days and stand well away from the running water.
The best method is to take the shower head down and place it in either a bucket or plastic bag. Fill the bucket or bag with water this contains the spray and stops the droplets becoming airborne, then gently pour the water away. Cleaning the shower head with a bleach solution every three months is also advised.
If your system maintains stored hot water (as opposed to a Combi that heats it as it needs it), the thermostat should be set at 60c. Please do not turn it down.
If you're away from your home for an extended period, it is recommended you run all taps for five minutes to flush out the system.
To turn off your water
If you ever have any concerns or questions, please contact us.
We have an electrical safety policy that helps us manage electricity safety for all our customers.
We will inspect and test your electrical circuits (including fixed wiring and sockets) every five years. A copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for your home is available on request. Make sure you know where the consumer unit/fuse board is in your home. To switch off your electricity, simply turn the mains switch to the OFF position.
To ensure your home is safe:
When using electrical appliances, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you ever have any concerns about the condition of the electrical system in your home, please contact us. You can download our electrical safety factsheet on our website.
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas that can arise from the incomplete combustion of a fuel, generally due to an insufficient air supply. This can be gas, solid fuel, or oil.
The main way to stop this is to have your appliances regularly serviced and checked for safety, and that’s why it’s so important to allow us access to do this for you.
Also, never block vents or air bricks.
What are the signs or symptoms to watch out for that might indicate something is wrong:
Yellow or orange rather than blue flames (other than with living flame effect fires which do display a yellow flame)
Soot or yellow / brown staining around or on appliances
Appliances that keep going out
Increased condensation inside windows.
If you think your appliance has a problem, please contact us immediately.
If you suspect there are high levels of carbon monoxide in your home:
If you smell gas, you should:
Your responsibilities:
Gas Safety checks
If your home has a gas supply, we will arrange for a Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out a gas safety inspection every 12 months – this is a legal requirement and failure to provide access is a breach of your tenancy
We will provide you with a copy of your annual gas safety check certificate within 28 days of your inspection
If your home has gas, solid fuel or oil, we have fitted a carbon monoxide detector. If this activates please contact us immediately.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning
Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can mimic many common illnesses and may easily be confused with food poisoning, viral infections, flu or tiredness.
Symptoms to look out for include:
Headaches or dizziness
Breathlessness
Nausea
Loss of consciousness
Tiredness
Pains in the chest or stomach
Erratic behaviour
Visual problems
If you or your family experience any of the above symptoms and believe you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide, you should seek urgent medical advice from either your GP or an A&E department. If you think your appliance is spilling carbon monoxide, please contact us immediately.
Switch off or put out the appliance. If it’s a gas or oil appliance shut off the supply at the meter or control valve.
Open all doors and windows to ventilate the room.
Visit your GP and tell them that you believe you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide.
These simple, inexpensive tips can prevent fires in any home.
We have fitted smoke detectors in your home - please test them regularly
Take care when cooking. Don’t start cooking if tired and don’t leave a cooker unattended
Plan an escape route and make a bedtime check
Don’t overload electrical sockets
Don’t smoke when you’re tired or going to bed. Most cigarette related fires occur when falling asleep
Use candles carefully. Again, if feeling tired, extinguish candles before falling asleep
Keep all communal areas clear of objects
Contact your Fire and Rescue Service for a home fire safety visit.
We have a robust fire safety and inspection process in place for all schemes where there is a shared internal communal area, such as an entrance lobby. We carry out regular inspections, including testing fire alarms, safety and detection equipment.
If you have any concerns about fire safety where you live, please contact us. The Fire Service also provides a range of great advice leaflets. Also, most, if not all fire and rescue services offer to carry out a free fire safety check of your home. You can book one by contacting your local fire and rescue service direct.
You can find out more information about fire safety on our website.
Immersion heaters are generally safe and reliable and have safety cut-outs to prevent them overheating, but how do you know if they develop a problem?
Typical warning signs include:
Excessively hot water coming out of the hot water taps
Excessive noise or ‘bubbling’ from the hot water cylinder
Hot water coming out of certain cold water taps (some storage cisterns also feed cold water taps in the bathroom)
Steam or moisture in the roof space
If you experience these signs, please switch off the immersion heater system and contact Karbon Homes immediately.
Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral that was once used extensively as a popular building material. However, it is now known that asbestos can be dangerous and long-term exposure can lead to serious diseases.
Asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, so if your home was built after 2000 it should not be present. If your home is older than this, please don’t worry as asbestos is only a risk if it is disturbed or damaged through the release of fibres into the air.
You can download our asbestos safety factsheet on our website.
If you have any concerns at all about asbestos, please contact us.
We appreciate the benefit these can bring to people but the majority of Karbon Homes’ properties were built before they existed and therefore are generally not designed to accommodate them. We do however, provide parking bays for mobility scooters in our sheltered schemes.
Communal parts of any building
Mobility scooters cannot be stored or charged in any communal corridor or stairwell in any circumstances.
Sheltered communal premises
If you are thinking of getting a mobility scooter please speak to your scheme officer first. We will endeavour to help find a safe location where it may be stored and charged but this may not prove possible.
Ideally, scooters should be kept in a garage or a secure shed rather than in the home.
If you live in a high rise building, a block of flats or a sheltered scheme there may be special fire procedures. You will be told about these when you move in and notices will be displayed throughout the building.
Fire hazards on balconies range from smoking and carelessly discarded cigarettes, to using patio heaters, barbeques and storing combustible items. All these create a higher risk of fire.
What you are not allowed to do on your balcony:
You MUST not:
Use a barbeque (falling embers from a BBQ can burn items on your balcony and others around you)
Use a patio (outdoor) heater (gas or electric) or a flame pit
Store gas cylinders (or any item containing flammable liquid)
Use fireworks or indoor fireworks
Install reed fencing or other combustible screening
Dispose of a cigarette by flicking it over the side of the building
Smoking and unsafe disposal of cigarettes;
If you smoke:
• Always fully extinguish cigarettes.
• Take care if smoking on a balcony and use an ashtray or bucket with water or sand in to dispose of cigarettes safely.
Storage of combustible and/or bulky items
Do not store any (flammable) items on your balcony that might catch fire.
You should keep items on your balcony to a minimum by removing any rubbish and combustible items like furniture, timber, decorating materials, children’s plastic toys and other clutter. This helps to prevent flames spreading up the side of the building.
Never use BBQs (including disposable ones) on your balcony. They pose a fire risk which could easily spread to other homes.
If a fire breaks out on your balcony, it could spread much faster than a fire inside your building. Ideally, you should keep your balcony completely clear (although plants and a few items of patio furniture are OK).
Do not store BBQ fuel (such as gas cylinders or starter fuel) or any other flammable substances on your balcony.
Do not drop cigarettes over the side of your balcony - they could cause a fire on balconies below you. If you smoke on your balcony, use an ashtray and dispose of smoking materials as carefully as you would do indoors.
White/electrical goods (such as fridges and tumble driers) must not be stored on balconies. They are not suitable for outdoor use and could start a fire.
We can expect to see more extreme weather events such as flooding in the future due to our changing climate. Hopefully, you’ll never need this information, but it’s important to be prepared.
Have torches, medications and waterproofs to hand
Fill jugs and saucepans with clean water
Move your family and pets upstairs or to a high place with a means of escape
Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies when flood water is about to enter your home, if safe to do so
Turn off any equipment that uses water (like washing machines and dishwashers)
Do not on any account touch sources of electricity when standing in flood water
Keep listening to local radio for updates or call the Environment Agency Floodline on 0345 988 1188
If you rent your home, Karbon Homes is responsible for most flood repairs.
However, we’re not normally responsible for replacing or repairing any of your personal belongings that are damaged, including furniture.
It’s very important that you have your own contents insurance to protect your belongings.
We make it easy for you to insure your belongings under a special low cost household contents insurance scheme. If you would like further information about this, please contact our Customer Relationship Team and we’ll send you a leaflet about it.
Contact Karbon Homes
Contact our Customer Relationship Team and tell us:
What has happened?
What damage has been caused?
What if anything, you have done to try to repair the situation?
Whether the damage has affected neighbouring properties
Whether the property is habitable
Contact your contents insurance company
Most companies have a 24-hour helpline you can call. The staff will tell you what you need to do to make a claim following flooding.
Clean up
Karbon Homes will help clean up your home. We’re responsible for most flood repairs to the building.
Before you start cleaning up, take photographs of the flood damage on your wall.
Make a list of what has been damaged and keep it somewhere safe. This helps with your contents insurance claim.
Don’t throw away flood-damaged furniture, carpets and other belongings until your insurance company tells you it’s okay to do this.
Recover your valuables and keepsakes and put them somewhere safe. Use rubber gloves when you are handling them and put them in bags or boxes in a safe place. Most articles can be professionally restored so do not make rash decisions.
Flooding can contain pollutants which can affect the health and wellbeing of a person coming into contact with them. Combat this by applying basic hygiene precautions, including:
Washing hands after exposure
Decontaminating footwear by washing and treating with mild disinfectant
Keeping children and pets out of the contaminated area
Your rights and responsibilities form part of your Tenancy Agreement and it’s important that you read this separate document and talk to your Karbon Homes officer about anything you don’t understand.
This section of the guide is intended to help you understand your rights and explain some of them in more detail. Many are subject to certain conditions and formal procedures which are too detailed to set out in this welcome guide. If you are unsure of your rights, please contact us and we can explain them further.
How your rent is set
Rent for all housing associations is decided based on laws and rules from the government and housing regulator. If your rent changes in the future, it’ll follow these rules and limits set by the government.
If you're a shared owner, your rent is based on what’s written in your lease.
Besides rent, you might pay a service charge for things like cleaning shared areas, maintaining the grounds, and lighting or laundry in communal spaces. Everyone who benefits from these services shares the cost equally, and you’ll get a breakdown that shows what you’re paying for.
Your rent is due each week as stated in your tenancy agreement unless you have made an arrangement with us to pay fortnightly, four weekly or monthly in advance.
We've made it as simple as possible for you to pay your rent. Here are the best ways to do this:
With your debit card via your MyKarbon account.
Call our freephone number 0808 164 0111 and use our 24 hour automated payment line. You'll need your tenancy reference number when you call.
We can collect your payments weekly, fortnightly, four weekly or monthly on any day that is convenient for you. You can call us to set this up for you, or you can set it up yourself on your MyKarbon account.
You will need your allpay swipe card to use this service. Please contact us if you need a replacement card.
This section is designed to guide you through any repairs needed for your home. Your tenancy agreement outlines our repair responsibilities.
It explains who is responsible for which type of repair.
If you need a repair to your property, the first thing you should do is check whether the repair is something we can do for you, or whether you need to do it yourself.
We are responsible for keeping the structure and exterior of your home in repair, including:
Drains, gutters and external pipes
The roof
Outside walls, outside doors, windowsills, window catches, sash cords and window frames including necessary external painting and decorating
Internal walls, floors and ceilings, doors and door frames, door hinges and skirting boards but not including internal painting and decoration
Chimneys, chimney stacks and flues – this doesn’t include sweeping
Pathways, steps or other means of access
Plasterwork
Integral garages and stores
Boundary walls and fences
To keep in repair and proper working order any installation provided by us for space heating, water heating, sanitation and for the supply of water, gas and electricity, including:
Basins, sinks, baths, toilets, flushing systems and water pipes
Electric wiring, including sockets and switches, gas pipes and water pipes
Water heaters, fireplaces, fitted fires and central heating installations
If you damage something that we would normally fix, we can repair it and charge you for a reasonable repair cost.
Please note that we’re only responsible for water, electric and gas supply inside the property (after the meter or stopcock).
We can give you more information and advice about these matters.
If you’re suffering from ill health, are vulnerable or disabled and have nobody to help you, we may be able to do some of this work for you for a charge. For more information contact our Customer Relationship Team.
We can give you more information and advice about these matters.
If you’re suffering from ill health, are vulnerable or disabled and have nobody to help you, we may be able to do some of this work for you for a charge. For more information contact our Customer Relationship Team.
You can find out more on reporting repairs using the button below.
Repairs to your home can be reported by telephone, text, email, calling into or writing to our offices.
When you contact us, please make sure you have the following information:
As much detail about the problem as possible.
Times when there will be someone at home (am or pm).
If we need to work inside your home, you will ned to ensure that a responsible adult is there to let us in and to stay whole the work is completed.
You will know that your repair has been recorded because you will either receive a letter, email or text telling you when the work will be completed. Alternatively, you will be contacted to arrange for an inspection to be done.
Alternatively, we will repair the damage and you will have to pay for the cost of the work.
Examples of work which we may charge you for, which we call rechargeable repairs, are:
Damaged sinks or toilets
Damaged windows or doors and broken glass
Floods from washing machines
Changing locks due to lost keys
If you do the repairs yourself, or pay anyone else to do the work, but it does not meet our standards, we will have to carry out work to put this right and charge you for the cost of this work. Normally, we will invoice you for anything that you have to pay for shortly after you ask us to do the work, or, as quickly as possible after we have done the work.
If damage is caused by a break-in or vandalism, we’ll carry out work to make your home safe. We’ll not charge you anything for this work if you have told us about this kind of damage as quickly as possible and provide us with a crime or incident number to show that it has been reported to the police.
You can view the common costs for repairs using the button below.
Every year we’ll service and safety check gas, oil and solid fuel systems and appliance, lifts and fire alarms.
Under the Gas Safety regulations 1998, all landlords must make sure that gas appliances are serviced each year and gas carrying pipework is safety checked.
We’re responsible for the following:
Making sure gas appliances and flues are maintained in a safe condition
Making sure yearly maintenance and safety checks are carried out on or before the 12 month anniversary of the last gas service
Making sure we keep a record and issue these to other tenants
Making sure all safety checks are carried out by a Gas Safe registered installer
Faulty gas appliances which are not regularly maintained can become dangerous and can give off carbon monoxide.
You cannot see, taste of smell this gas, but it can kill.
There are about 30 deaths a year due to carbon monoxide poisoning from gas appliances.
For your own safety, you should not sleep in a room containing an open flue gas or solid fuel appliance (such as a wood burning stove, open fireplaces or charcoal grills).
If in doubt, please contact us and a member of our Gas Team will be able to give you further advice.
If you fail to keep appointments for servicing, we will take legal action to access your home.
You must allow us into your home to carry out the annual gas safety check and any other necessary safety checks to protect you and your family.
For more information about gas servicing, please contact our Customer Relationship Team.
We also carry out other checks to ensure the safety of you and your neighbours. These include electrical testing and fire door surveys (communal blocks). You must provide us with access to undertake these checks. If you don’t you may be breaching your tenancy agreement with us.
Before you undertake any improvements or alterations to your home you must write to us asking for permission.
You must seek permission also before putting up a satellite receiver. You must not start any alterations until you have received a letter from us saying you can go ahead.
We’ll normally allow most alterations and we may be able to help by providing you with some guidance on how to do it.
If you’ve carried out certain improvements, you will have the right to claim compensation when you leave your home provided that you obtained written permission to carry out those improvements in the first place. Please contact us for further details.
We will carry out planned programmes of work to replace or renew major items in your home such as kitchens and windows as they come to the end of their expected, useful life. We will take account of your wishes and wherever practical offer you a choice of replacement item from our approved list.
All homes are at risk of condensation, particularly through the winter months. Excess condensation in your home can lead to problems such as mould growth, which can affect your health and the health of your home. Small amounts of condensation are not usually a problem, and there are some everyday things we can all do to help prevent it.
As your landlord, it’s our responsibility to provide you with a safe and healthy home. If you spot any damp or mould in your home and following these tips does not help reduce excess condensation, let us know straight away.
We’ll arrange an inspection to identify the cause of any issues you are experiencing and work together to ensure any risks, hazards or problems are resolved as a priority.
The best way to prevent condensation is to reduce the amount of moisture produced in your home and keep it as warm and ventilated as possible.
Opening windows when cooking, showering, bathing and drying clothes helps moist air escape.
Turning your extractor fan on when cooking, showering and bathing removes excess moisture from the air.
If you can, setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature (between 18 - 21 degrees Celsius) will help to keep you and your home healthy while keeping your energy bills down.
If you have access, drying clothes outside reduces moisture in your home. When using a drying rack indoors, opening a window slightly or turning on your extractor fan helps reduce condensation.
Putting lids on pans when cooking prevents excess moisture in the air (and helps save on your energy bill.
Keeping your home heated where possible helps to prevent condensation from forming on walls, floors and ceilings.
Moving sofas and furniture away from radiators or heaters helps heat travel more effectively around rooms in your home.
If you spot condensation on a surface, wipe it down with a dry clean cloth or towel.
Twisting radiator valves higher in rooms you want warmer and lower in rooms you don't use as this often helps to save and energy and keep your home healthy.
Closing internal doors and using draught excluders keeps heat in the rooms you use the most often, reducing the amount of heat moving into colder areas of your home.
If your home has a storage heater, be familiar with your controls to stay warm and improve energy efficiency. ‘Input’ controls how much electricity is stored as heat. ‘Output’ controls how quickly that heat is released the following day.
In colder weather, turning ‘input’ up will store more heat. If you’re home and want more heat, you can set the ‘output’ higher. Turn ‘output’ lower while you’re asleep or out of the home to keep energy bills down. Remember, you need to set the ‘input’ today for the heat you need tomorrow.
If your home has a heat pump, it will usually be designed to only come on when your home gets cold. You can control how warm you’d like your home to be by using your thermostat. You don’t need to worry about timing it to go off when you’re out.
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, speak to your energy provider to find out about any help they might be able to give.
If you need any further advice or support, please contact us.
We expect all customers to treat each other with respect and consideration at all times.
Your tenancy agreement outlines your responsibilities to be a good neighbour. We also need you to take responsibility for the behaviour of those people living with you and visiting you so we can make sure your neighbourhood is always a peaceful and welcoming place.
We take anti-social behaviour very seriously and have a duty to tackle it and protect you.
What is anti-social behaviour?
This is any unreasonable behaviour which causes offence or fear to others and can include but is not limited to:
Loud noise or music (i.e. parties, loud radio or television)
Criminal behaviour or using your home for illegal or immoral purposes
Violence
Harassment
Domestic abuse
Karbon Homes does not classify the following as anti-social behaviour:
People mowing their lawn at a reasonable time of the day
People using their vacuum or washing machine at a reasonable time of day
People carrying out DIY at a reasonable time of day
Noise from a child or children playing in, or near their home
Impact noises caused by tenants in neighbouring properties, i.e. footsteps, chairs scraping or dropped items on the floor
These examples could become a concern if occurring regularly late at night or early in the morning.
Hate crime and harassment are severe forms of anti-social behaviour and ones we will not tolerate. Examples of this type of behaviour include:
Hate behaviour against certain people or groups because of their age, race, disability, gender, religious beliefs or sexuality
Using threatening and abusive language
Stalking
Damaging or threatening to damage another person’s property
What to do if you are experiencing anti-social behaviour
Contact us as soon as possible after the incident and tell us what happened. We have dedicated officers whose job it is to tackle any anti-social behaviour and they will treat all reports or concerns in the strictest confidence.
We also work with a number of different agencies depending on the nature of the problem, including the police and other specialist support services.
We operate an out of hours anti-social behaviour reporting service. This means you can report an incident when our office is closed by calling our freephone Customer Relationship number on 0808 164 0111.
We’ll work with you and support you throughout the process, We'll agree any proposed action with you. In most cases we will:
Agree an action plan with you and monitor the case closely
Write to and visit those involved
Issue incident report sheets and ask you to keep a record of events as they happen
Keep in regular contact with you
If a problem persists or becomes more serious we’ll consider taking more serious action
We will, as part of any investigation, consider the type of action we'll take against a perpetrator of anti-social behaviour
Any action taken will be reasonable and proportionate; this can be both non legal and legal actions ranging from a tenancy waning to civil court action.
We’ll deal with any reports of domestic abuse promptly and sensitively and will call on the support of the various agencies we work with who have expertise in this field.
We can help with finding secure accommodation and can put you in touch with a number of agencies who are skilled in helping and supporting you.
We’ll look to offer, where appropriate and safe to do so, additional security measures for you to remain safely in your home.
How you can be a good neighbour
Be considerate to your neighbours – try and keep the noise at a reasonable volume at all times
Do any building work or other noisy work during reasonable hours in the day
Please ensure you are responsible for all pets
Keep an eye on elderly or vulnerable neighbours. If you suspect they are being harassed and they may be too afraid to tell us, please report it on their behalf. We’ll deal with this diplomatically and sensitively
Did you know there are many ways you can have your say on what happens at Karbon?
Our customer engagement groups and forums make sure we can keep your voice at the heart of our decision making, shaping services and implementing change. It helps build a strong relationship between us.
It creates opportunities to have open and constructive discussions about how and why we do things at Karbon. We can also discuss how you feel about the business and what issues matter to you.
Here are all the different ways you can get involved with Karbon:
Make sure we’re focusing on issues that matter to you, provide valuable and independent customer feedback and provide recommendations on how we can make things better.
Here at Karbon, our aim is to give you the service you expect. The Complaints Review Panel helps us to do this by reviewing how we’re responding to customer feedback and assisting customers who need support in making a complaint.
Give all customers the opportunity to become involved in learning about our performance and services in their local area. We also invite partners and groups working within communities to join us for these meetings.
Checks and challenges our services, reports findings and suggests positive ideas for improvement.
Helps us to understand and explore the issues which effect residents living in our older person’s accommodation and work with them to make improvements.
Works with our Community Investment Team to review grant applications via our Community Fund, which supports projects that make a real difference to people’s lives and wellbeing within the communities you live in.
Address how we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, embed sound environmental practices and make a cleaner more sustainable environment for current and future generations
Reviews the most up to date housing policies and works with us to ensure our policies and practices are of a good standard.
Review our suppliers, services and materials, making sure they are of a high quality and purchased fairly.
Guide us in creating a safer living space for you and your community.
Test and give feedback on our digital platforms, helping to ensure they are easy for customers to use and provide a high quality online experience.
If you’d like to find out more about joining any of our customer engagement groups, please get in touch. Contact us at connectwithkarbon@karbonhomes.co.uk.
If you would like to get involved and help us to deliver services we can all be proud of, then we would love to hear from you.
We know that involving people who receive services is a proven and sound way to refine, rethink or be more efficient in how we deliver our services.
We work closely with a market research agency called Acuity. They carry out the majority of our customer feedback surveys on our behalf.
Acuity may call you from time to time to ask for your feedback about services you may have used as a Karbon Homes customer.
They will always explain who they are when they call, and they will ask if you are willing to complete the survey. Of course, if you don’t wish to take part then we completely understand, just let them know. Also, they will never ask you any personal questions relating to your finances. The telephone number that Acuity will call from will be 0191 821 0011.
Acuity is a member of the Market Research Society, so they are bound under a strict code of conduct.
We provide a range of supported housing options including supported living, and specialist supported housing for older people.
Other examples of these include:
Supported accommodation for people with mental health problems.
Supported accommodation for young people.
Supported accommodation for people with learning disabilities.
Support is provided either directly by our support staff, or by one of the many support providers we work in partnership with.
If you think you could benefit from further support, or you wish to know more about any of these services, please contact your Housing Officer.
At Karbon Homes, we have a specialist team to support our older customers.
We provide bungalows across the North East specially designed for the over 60’s with a range of services to help you stay independent.
If you need adaptations to help you be more mobile and independent we can quickly provide help with small things such as grab rails and lever taps.
We can also arrange major adaptations such as level access showers, stair lifts and access ramps following an assessment from an Occupational Therapist.
Our independent living and sheltered housing schemes offer you self-contained apartments with communal areas for socialising and the security of door entry and 24/7 emergency alarm.
Each has their own scheme officer to provide the support and advice you need to live an independent life at the heart of your community.
Our free telephone befriending service, Silver Talk gives people the opportunity to connect for regular, social telephone chats. The service is for customers aged 50 and over who get a call from our friendly, fully trained volunteers for an up to 30-minute chat at the same time each week.
Silver Talk is ideal for those who:
May feel lonely at times.
Can communicate over the phone.
We also run Silver Friends, a community group hosting events and activities for people aged 50+.
If you're interested in joining us and want to find out more, please call 0191 223 8662 or email silvertalk@karbonhomes.co.uk.
Our community connectors can help you access our Community Investment Fund.
We welcome applications from not-for-profit and voluntary organisations as well as local schools.
The grants aim to support projects that make a real difference to people’s lives and wellbeing within the communities in which we work.
We welcome applications if your project falls under one of our key themes:
Cost of Living
Bringing people together to create strong relationships within communities
Health and wellbeing
Improving places
We work hard to give you a brilliant service.
But we know that sometimes things do go wrong. If you feel like our service hasn’t been up to scratch, please let us know.
We value your feedback and use any complaints, compliments and suggestions you give us to see where we can improve our services.
We have a process for handling any complaints. It follows guidance from the Housing Ombudsman Service.
You can find out more information about our complaints service here.
Our complaints process has two-stages.
Call us on 0808 164 0111, between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday
You can contact us via email here
By live chat into our Customer Relationship Team
To our Head Office address: Number Five, Gosforth Park Avenue, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE12 8EG
With any Karbon colleague, who will pass this to the appropriate person.
Via Karbon’s Facebook page using Facebook Messenger
Via a Councillor, MP or other relevant third party (e.g., Housing Ombudsman or consumer rights organisation) or advocate
You can play a big part too by making the area you live a greener and more pleasant place to be.
It only requires one small change to make a big difference.
Listed below are some handy tips to help you save energy and money.
Turning down your thermostat if it is set too high could save between £85-£90 a year on heating bills. If you’re going away during winter, leave it on a low setting to prevent freezing.
On average replacing an old fridge freezer with an A+ rated model will save you around £57 in energy bills over the lifetime of the fridge freezer.
Taking a five minute shower, instead of a bath uses less water, and can save around £15 a year on energy bills.
Turning off your lights when you don’t need them could save you around £15 a year.
Turning off appliances such as TVs, computers and games consoles, rather than leaving them on standby will save you around £30 a year.
Only filling the kettle up with as much water as you need could save you around £7 a year.
Dry clothes for free outside or on a clothes horse, instead of using electricity with a tumble dryer.
Filling your washer or dryer up whenever possible or using the half load or the economical programme, if your machine has one, saves a significant amount of energy. Use ‘low machine' to 30ºC whenever you can.
Consider getting a water butt for your garden – this is a great money saving way to collect rainwater that can be reused to keep plants watered or clean household or outdoor equipment.
A lot of greenhouse emissions come from meat production in the food industry. By reducing the amount of meat and dairy we eat and adding more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains into our diet, we can significantly lower our carbon footprint.
When you’re making dinner avoid throwing out items that can be reused such as containers.
You can make a compost bin and use it for items such as fruit and vegetable scraps, tea bags, coffee grounds and paper filters and grass clippings.
Recycle materials such as paper, glass and metal – recycling reduces the need for raw materials, energy and landfill space, which then helps lower carbon emissions.
Many supermarkets now take soft plastics (such as crisp packets) and batteries that you can’t put in your recycling bin at home. These recycling bins are often found near the shop’s entrance.
If you have unwanted items, such as furniture, that could still be used by someone else, there are some great ways you can donate them to give them a new lease of life and create space in your home. Organisations such as the British Heart Foundation offer free collection appointments for bulky items.
All local authorities offer some form of bulky waste collections. Depending on where you live will depend on the service they provide. Some offer free collections whereas others will charge per item or per group of items. Head to your local authority’s website to see what service they can provide you.
Be careful. There are businesses that offer to take your bulkier items away for a cost. Whilst some are legitimate and will dispose of your waste correctly, some don’t and will dump it illegally. This is known as fly-tipping and you may face action against you and even a fine. Don’t let your good intentions get you into trouble.
Whenever possible, opt for things like walking, biking, carpooling or using public transport such as a bus or train which create lower carbon emissions than driving alone.
Public transport plays an important part in keeping our planet healthy. It offers a more efficient way to transport passengers and, the more people who use it, the fewer vehicles there are on the road creating emissions. Traveline North East offers complete, impartial information about all public transport services including bus, train, Metro and ferry. They cover journeys anywhere in North East England, plus travel anywhere in the UK on the national rail and coach networks
If you’re interested in cycling and need some inspiration and information on where to go - Sustrans have a wide range of cycle routes that you can download by visiting www.sustrans.org.uk.
If you’re heading to the shops to pick up something for dinner, remember to bring your reusable bags – 160,000 plastic bags are consumed a second, and can cause pollution, even ending up in the ocean and killing wildlife.
Sustainable shopping – buying pre-owned clothes and furniture is an easy way to lower our carbon footprint and save money. We can also donate our own clothes and furniture or swap with friends instead of them going to waste.
To apply for most of our properties you'll need to use a Choice Based Lettings system (CBL). There are various CBL systems depending on your area of preference.
North Tyneside Homefinder properties
South Tyneside Homes properties
Darlington Home Search properties
We also offer a range of tenure types at Karbon Homes. If you are interested in a Rent to Buy, Shared Ownership or Leasehold Tenancy, you can see our available stock by visiting the below websites.
Here is a checklist that will help you with the things you need to do when you move out.
Give us four weeks’ notice and provide us with your forwarding address.
Arrange to have your post re-directed.
Allow us access to carry out an inspection of your property before you move out.
Complete any repairs that we have advised are your responsibility before you leave – if you don’t then you will be recharged.
Pay your rent and any other outstanding debts before leaving and to cover your notice period.
Inform gas, electricity, water and telephone companies of the date you are moving out, your forwarding address and give final readings where applicable.
Inform Housing Benefit and Council Tax departments of the date you are moving out and your forwarding address. Remember to make a new claim when you move.
Inform others - such as your employer, doctor, dentist and children’s school - of your new address.
Contact your local authority to have any unwanted furniture or belongings removed.
Leave your property clean and clear of all your belongings – if you don’t then you will be recharged and we will dispose of any items left.
Ensure that you return all keys to us after agreeing how, when and to where with your Housing Officer. If you do not return all the keys, including meter cupboard and post box keys, we will change the locks and you will be recharged.
You can find out more about ending your tenancy using the button below.
Local Authorities are responsible for street lighting, highways and offer services to get rubbish taken away that is too big for your regular bin collections. So, if you would like to arrange a bulky waste collection for an old sofa or kitchen appliance, these are the numbers or online contacts you will need:
Local Authority contact details:
Durham 03000 260 000 www.durham.gov.uk
Darlington 01325 405 000 www.darlington.gov.uk
Gateshead 0191 433 3000 www.gateshead.gov.uk
Hartlepool 01429 266 522 www.hartlepool.gov.uk
Middlesbrough 01642 245 432 www.middlesbrough.gov.uk
Newcastle upon Tyne 0191 278 7878 www.newcastle.gov.uk
North Tyneside 0345 200 0101 www.northtyneside.gov.uk
Northumberland 0345 600 6400 www.northumberland.gov.uk
Redcar & Cleveland 01642 774 774 www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk
South Tyneside 0191 427 7000 www.southtyneside.gov.uk
Stockton on Tees 01642 393 939 www.stockton.gov.uk
Sunderland 0191 520 5555 www.sunderland.gov.uk
