We hope you will be very happy in your new home

We've tried to bring together all the information you will need to know as a customer of 54North Homes.

As a starting point please take a look at our Customer Welcome Pack. We have created this handbook to help you throughout your tenancy. It contains lots of useful information about settling into your new home, advice on utilities, reporting repairs, how to pay your rent and much more. It also contains links to lots of other local services that might be helpful to you.

 

54North Homes Customer Welcome Pack

Before / as you move in, we will provide you with the following information about your new home:
- Tenancy agreement
- Gas safety certificate (if your home has a gas supply)
- Electrical safety certificate
- Energy performance certificate
- Service charge schedule (if applicable)
- Fire safety instructions (if you live in a block of flats which needs a fire risk assessment
- Information on fire door safety (if you live in a block of flats which needs a fire risk assessment )

You can move in as soon as you have signed your Tenancy agreement.


Moving home checklist

Your old home. Have you:
- Given notice to your current landlord?
- Taken a final reading of your electric, gas and water supplies?
- Set up mail redirection with the Post Office?

Your new home. Have you?
- Set up a direct debit to pay your rent?
- Registered on our self-service portal to manage your rent account?
- Taken meter readings and contacted your utilities suppliers to set up new accounts?
- Registered for Council Tax with your local council
- Arranged your contents insurance?

Remember to give your new address to the following:
- Your employer
- Department of work and pensions (DWP)
- Doctor
- Dentist
- Bank/Building Society
- Any credit or loan companies
- Schools
- DVLA
- Insurance companies
- Mail order/store card companies
- TV licensing
- Any agencies that provide you with support
- You also need to register at your new address to vote: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

As a 54North Homes customer, it is your responsibility to adhere to the terms in your tenancy agreement. Your Housing Officer will send you a copy of your signed agreement. Please ensure you read and understand this, as breaching any of the terms in this agreement could lead to action being taken. 

We only insure your home (including permanent fixtures and fittings) against structural damage. We do not insure your belongings. We therefore strongly advise all our customers to take out contents insurance to cover their belongings against the cost of loss due to theft, fire or flood.  Unfortunately, accidents do happen, and they can be very costly to put right yourself without insurance.
The insurance we offer in partnership with Royal & Sun Alliance starts from less than £1 per week. To find out more click here. However, you are free to go with any other provider.

To compare rates between different insurance providers, you can visit a price comparison website such as https://www.comparethemarket.com or www.moneysupermarket.com

When you move into your new home, you must contact the existing energy suppliers to set up an account in your name and provide them with the meter readings as they were on the day you moved in.

You can find out who your current energy supplier is here or call 0845 330 0889.

If you have a gas supply, it will be capped off at the meter and will not work. Please contact 54North Homes to get your gas uncapped. If there is a Gas Card, the supplier will arrange for you to pick up a card from the nearest pay point outlet to your new address.

If you need help with your energy bills, you should speak to your individual supplier first of all as you may be able to switch to a better tariff. You could also visit a cost comparison website such as Money Supermarket, Compare the Market or Go Compare for comparisons between different providers and tariffs.

Water
Your water will be supplied by Yorkshire Water. You will need to contact them to set up an account at www.yorkshirewater.com or Tel: 0345 124 2424.
They will inform you if you have a meter set up or if you pay rates.

If you don’t have a meter currently but would like to find out more, please visit: www.yorkshirewater.com/watermeters/frequently-asked-questions/

 

 

Rent should be paid in full and on time each month. It is your responsibility to ensure this.

Not keeping up with your rent is a breach of your tenancy agreement and can result in serious action being taken which can, in some cases, lead to you losing your home. 

Our preferred method of payment is Direct Debit as it is convenient and secure. To set up a Direct Debit, please click here.

You can find advice on managing your money and information on who to contact if you're struggling to pay your rent here. 

If you live in a property with communal spaces, such a shared entrance hall or outdoor space, you will be required to pay a service charge in addition to your rent, which will cover the maintenance of these areas. This will be explained to you as part of your tenancy offer.

You will receive a breakdown of what your service charge covers every year as part of your annual rent review. To find out more, please email us at: hello@54northhomes.co.uk 

We recommend that you register your valuables for free on the Immobilise police-recognised database, to reduce property crime and increase the chances of you getting your valuables back if the worst happens.