Handbook contents

Download the full Tenant Handbook (PDF — 385kb)

Welcome to Ducane Housing Association
We hope you will enjoy your stay with us. You will already have signed a tenancy agreement with us which sets out your legal duties as a tenant. This handbook tells you a bit more about your tenancy and our service. If you would like us to explain any points more clearly please call in to the office and we will do our best to help you. To help you settle in, our staff can give you information about the local shops, public transport, language classes, holiday activities etc. We also have leaflets on local medical facilities, schools, and childcare.

About Ducane Housing Association
We are a small, independent charity set up in 1972 to provide rented housing for people working and studying in London’s hospitals and universities. Most of our tenants are from overseas. We are registered with a government agency, the Housing Corporation that regulates the work of housing associations. We are also a member of the National Housing Federation, the trade body for non-profit housing providers.

A Board who meet five times a year oversee our work, is made up of experts in housing and other relevant professions as well as some former or current tenants. The committee agrees all our policies and is responsible for seeing that we carry out our work efficiently and within our agreed budget. Any tenant can become a shareholder of the Association for just £1.00 and any shareholder can stand for election to the Board. Ask for details at our office if you are interested.

Contacting the office

We are based at:

11 Du Cane House
101 Ducane Road
London W12 0UD

Phone 020 8735 4990
Fax 020 8735 4991
General enquiries by email to enquiries@ducaneha.org.uk
Emergency telephone 07860 867 265

Office Opening Hours - Monday to Friday 9.15am to 4.30pm

Running your Housing Service
Our team delivers your service. Our jobs are:

Chief Executive - Mike Wilkins
Responsible for the overall running of Ducane Housing Association

Chief Execitive Assistant - Laura Clarke
Assist Chief Executive in all management projects, HR and management of staff and ensuring the office runs smoothly. Dealing with the maintenance team, along with dealing with Perryn House, which Ducane are the Management agent.

Housing Services Manager — Doreen Carter
Deals with tenancy matters, rent arrears, any requests for a transfer and housing applications. Will also handle any complicated queries you may have about your tenancy. Dealing with Parsifal College, which Ducane are the Management agent.

Housing Administrator
Meets callers to the office, takes rent payments, and will take down details of any repairs you need done. Will also handle any complicated queries you may have about your tenancy. Works closely with the Housing Service Manager.

Maintenance Team — Mike Hill, Lazare David, Will Carter, Gavin Templeton
Undertake 95% of all repairs and maintenance work in Ducane properties.

In-house painter/decorator — Junior Julian
In house painter/decorator for all Ducane's properties.

Cleaner — Jeanette Egyir
Prepares vacant flats for the next tenant.

Any of our staff will be happy to deal with your queries but if your request is complex or requires specialist knowledge, we may have to refer you to another member of staff. Our staff sometimes need to attend business outside the office so it may save your time if you phone first to make an appointment.

If you have a problem with us — our Complaints Procedure
If you are not happy with any aspect of our service please contact the Housing Services Manager to explain why. If they cannot sort the problem out to your satisfaction, you should ask for an appointment to see the CEO, If, having met the CEO, you are still dissatisfied, you should write to the Chairman at our office in Ducane Road. Full details of this procedure are available in the office.

As a last resort, if you have gone through all three stages of our procedure, you may wish to contact the Independent Housing Ombudsman service at

105-109 The Strand
London WC2R 0AA

Phone 0845 7125 973
www.ihos.org.uk

The Ombudsman will not take complaints about rents or service charges unless you can prove that we made a decision wrongly. The service will not hear any complaint unless you have exhausted all the options available under our complaints procedure. If you would like help with you complaint, you can contact the local Citizen’s Advice Bureau or law centre.

Your right to see your files
Under the Data Protection Act 1984 you have a right to check any details about yourself, which we store on our computer system. Most of this will be about rent payments and arrears, if any. You also have a right to see information we keep about you in our files. This will include the information you put on your application form and copies of any correspondence between you and us. We would require a minimum of two weeks notice in writing if you wish to see your file.