Our Homes

moving in and moving out

We hope that you will enjoy living in your home for many years, as many of our tenants do, but if your circumstances change, you may need to move. You may need a larger or smaller property, you may change your job or there may be reasons why you want to move out of the area altogether, such as wanting to live nearer to your family. This section explains the range of options open to you, and where to go for more information and advice.

First of all and most importantly, if you are feeling the need to move because of nuisance or harassment outside your home but are otherwise quite happy to live there, please let us know as soon as possible, so that we can take action on your behalf. Only in the most extreme circumstances should it be necessary for you to move away for this kind of reason, but if we agree that there is no alternative, then we will do everything we can to help you. Please refer to the enclosed leaflet on anti-social behaviour.

You may also need to move away urgently for personal reasons, for example if you are suffering domestic violence or if you have developed an illness or disability which makes it impossible for you to manage in your present home. Again, please tell us about this immediately so that we can work with you to resolve the situation. If you are getting older and would like to move into sheltered accommodation, we can advise you and assist to help you find you a suitable scheme in the area.

How do i apply for a move?

You can register for a transfer to another of our properties or to one belonging to another housing association in the Family Mosaic Group. We no longer maintain a local transfer list but have increased choice by becoming part of our parent Group scheme –Family Mosaic Choice Based Lettings. Please contact our office for more information and an application form, or you can get details online at www.familymosaic.co.uk and follow the link to The Tenant Zone

Once registered and approved you will be able to bid for properties across all of Family Mosaic stock in your priority group, including Charlton Triangle Homes. Please bear in mind, however, that there is often a lot of competition for available properties and you may have to wait a long time before you are successful. This is why it is important to explore as many different options as possible.

You can also register for the Greenwich Council Choice Based Lettings scheme which will give you access to properties, both council and housing association, across Greenwich. Application forms are available at our office, and you will soon be able to register on line at our office (est. July 2009). More information is also available on the Greenwich Council website: www.greenwich.gov.uk

You can register for a mutual exchange with another housing association or council tenant. If you have access to the internet try going to www.familymosaic.houseexchange.org.uk to see the latest possibilities for mutual exchange or visit the Town Hall or one of the local Council housing offices to register with Greenwich Council for an exchange.

You will need to meet certain conditions before we can consider you for a transfer:

• Your present home must be overcrowded or under-occupied (larger than your needs).
• You must not be in breach of your tenancy agreement, including being in rent arrears.
• Your home must be in good order; if not, you may be asked to put right any damage first.

Please enquire at the office for the latest information.

You may also wish to consider buying a home of your own. If so, please see the next section.

I've found a new home. What do i need to do before i move out?

Once you have arranged your move, please use the following Moving Out checklist to make sure you have done everything you need to:

• Write to us, giving four weeks’ notice of your leaving date. We will write back to you, confirming the date on which your tenancy will end. You will have to pay rent up to this date. (If you leave without giving us any notice, you will still be liable for the rent for that period).
• Let us in to inspect your home if necessary. If we find that the inside of your house or flat is in poor condition due to neglect or damage, we may have to charge you to put it right. If you have made any improvements, these will have to be left in place or you will have to re-instate the original fittings or layout. We may also want to show a new tenant round, so that we can re-let the property as quickly as possible.
• Contact the companies supplying your electricity, gas and water and your telephone line to let them know the date you are leaving. You may need to take final meter readings, but they will telI you about that. If you are claiming any benefits, you will also need to inform the Council Tax and Housing Benefits offices and the Benefits Agency of your new address.
• Get your mail redirected. The Post Office will be able to help you with this.
• Pack up all your belongings and dispose of any rubbish. This includes carpets and any flooring you have laid. Please leave the house as clean as possible for the next tenant. The property must be cleared and you may be charged if we have to remove furniture, carpets and possession you have left behind. Anything you leave behind will be thrown away, so make sure you have taken everything with you.
• Return the property keys to us on the day your tenancy ends (or before midday on Monday if it ends at the weekend). You should hand in your keys to one of our staff or put the keys in an envelope clearly marked with your name and address and post them through our letter box.
• If you meet all these condition you will be entitled to a payment of £100.

Please be aware that you must leave your property vacant. If we find someone else living there after you have left, we will take legal action to evict them and you will be responsible for paying the rent for the time they are there.

Buying a home of your own

If you moved into your present home before March 1999, you will be entitled to the Right to Buy your home. Please contact the office for an information pack. You can then make an appointment to see one of our staff, who will help you to take this forward.

If you moved in after March 1999, you will not have the right to buy, but you can still purchase your property under the Right to Acquire. Again, please ask our office for an information pack.

There are other low cost home ownership opportunities that you may be interested in. If so, try logging on to www.shared-ownership.org.uk. This will tell you all about the schemes currently operating in London. You can also try the Council’s website for the latest news on local schemes: www.greenwich.gov.uk and the www.familymosaic.co.uk website.