Setting up your home

You can register for an online account to view your rent statements and check your payments. Find out more and register.

Your electricity supply is switched on with British Gas at the point of move in – you can then swap if you want to. You can choose which electricity company to use. They’ll want to know:

• your name and address
• the meter reading and the date you moved in
• how you’re going to pay.

You can ask your supplier to fit an electricity payment meter, but please let us know first, so we have this on record.

If your home has gas, we’ll let you know when you sign up.

If the gas supply needs to be connected, we’ll also tell you how to get this sorted. You mustn’t allow anyone to touch your gas supply unless they’re a qualified Gas Safe engineer.

We let many of our homes with the gas supply ready to use. Your gas supply is switched to Scottish Power at the point of move in – you can then swap if you want to. You can also ask your supplier to fit a gas payment meter if one hasn’t already been installed.

Some of our properties have a communal gas supply. We’ll let you know if you live in one of these schemes and the cost of your gas supply will be included in your service charge.

Checking your gas safety

We’ll give you a copy of the gas safety record for the property, which tells you when gas appliances were last serviced and checked. For your safety, you must give us access to your home to run an annual check.

Adding a gas supply

If you don’t have a gas supply and you decide to add one, you must let us know so we can include it in our annual safety checks.

Internet

If you want an internet connection, contact your preferred supplier and pay any connection or equipment charges.

You might find that a phone and broadband package is cheaper than arranging them separately, so check with your supplier.

Social Tariff Scheme

Starting in August 2022, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) will run a new social tariff scheme to assist struggling families with access to cheaper broadband. It will allow internet service providers to verify – with customers’ permission – whether they receive a relevant benefit and, therefore, are eligible for extra financial support. These benefits include universal credit, pension credit, income support, income-based job seekers allowance, and income-related employment support service.

In line with this, the government has called on all broadband providers to offer and promote social tariffs – discounted broadband and mobile deals for people on Universal Credit and other benefits.

DWP anticipate that this service could save customers over a hundred pounds a year in some instances. The new system will also simplify the process by removing the need for customers to prove their entitlement to broadband providers as regularly as every month.

Fibre Broadband

Find out more about Fibre Broadband on our dedicated webpage.

Phone

If you want a phone connected at your new address, contact your preferred phone company. You’ll have to pay a fee to reconnect an existing line or put in a new one.

If your move is local, you may be able to keep your old phone number – but you should ask about this before you move. If you change your number, don’t forget to let us know.

TV

All our homes provide access to terrestrial TV channels, but you may decide to purchase additional TV services (Sky, Virgin Media, etc.). You should check that the services you’re purchasing are compatible with your home first.

For a charge you can ask Royal Mail to re-direct post from your old to your new address. To do this, get a form at your local post office or visit their website.

When you move, don’t forget to tell:

• your council – so they can send your council tax bill and sort out any housing benefit
• your local Jobcentre – if you’re claiming income support or other benefits
• the child benefit service – phone 0300 200 3100 or visit gov.uk
• the pensions service – phone 0345 606 0265 and any other pension providers you may have
• your employer
• your doctor and dentist
• TV Licensing – phone 0300 790 6131 or visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk
• the DVLA – phone 0300 790 6801 or visit the DVLA website
• your bank, building society and credit card companies
• your children’s school.

Your water supply will be connected when you move in. Phone the water company to tell them:

• your name and address
• the date you moved in.

We’ll tell you if your service charge includes water. Otherwise, the water company will set up your account.

If you want to have a water meter fitted to save money on your bills, just contact your water provider directly.

We insure the building of your home, but not your personal belongings. We’d advise you to take out insurance to cover your belongings against flood, fire, burglary or damage.

There are lots of insurance companies that offer contents insurance. It’s worth comparing them to find the best deal for you.

The Citizens Advice website has lots of tips and information on what to look for when signing up for household contents insurance.

RSA Insurance Group

We’ve teamed up with RSA Insurance Group, who have a contents insurance plan designed for tenants with a lot of great benefits that are not available on the open market. These include nil excess, no set contract and flexibility around how and when you wish to pay.

There are two ways you can sign up:

• Fill out the application form and post it to RSA, URIS Group, Quay Point, Lakeside Boulevard, Doncaster, DN4 5PL.
• Or call 0345 6718172 and apply over the phone.