How can we help you?
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What is Universal Credit?
What will I get on Universal Credit?
When will the final payments for existing benefits be?
- The deadline date on your letter
- When you make a claim to Universal Credit
What if I don’t want to claim Universal Credit?
I’ve not had a letter about the move to Universal Credit, should I just make a claim?
I’ve received my migration letter but I’m going to struggle to make a claim before the date in the letter – what should I do?
What is under-occupation?
Under-occupation is where a household is living in a home that has more bedrooms than it needs. Therefore the home is not occupied to its full capacity – or under-occupied.
We aim to make the best use of our homes. Where possible we try to avoid under-occupation so that we can provide customers with the most suitable homes for their needs. To do this we use a calculation to work out how many bedrooms a household requires. You can find this calculation in our Allocations policy.
Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit could be reduced if you are living in an under-occupied home. Click here to read Citizens’ Advice guidance about the so-called ‘bedroom tax’.
Can I set off fireworks in my garden?
Can I have a barbecue in my garden?
What should I do if there is a fire in my house?
Alert everyone in your home that there is an emergency. Leave quickly, closing your doors behind you. Follow your evacuation plan. If there is smoke, crawl along the floor, where the air will be clearer. Once you’re safely outside, phone 999 for the fire brigade.
What should I do if my smoke detector isn’t working?
What should I do if I have a disability that will make it hard for me to evacuate in the event of a fire?
Who is responsible for landlord health and safety at whg?
I live in a block. What should I do if there is a fire?
- If you are in your flat and believe there is a fire elsewhere in the building you can stay put, as long as you think it is safe to do so. If you smell smoke, see a fire, feel unsafe or are instructed by the Fire Service to leave, you should get out and stay out.
- If you discover a fire in your flat, get everyone in your flat to leave, closing any fire doors. Stay out of your flat and go to a safe space away from the building. Do not use the lifts. Once it is safe to do so call the fire service on 999.
- If you are in a communal area and believe there is a fire, you should get out, stay out, and call the fire service on 999.
- If you feel unsafe for any reason, leave the building. Follow the fire escape signs and close all doors behind you. Do not use the lift.
How often do you carry out building safety checks on my block?
- Visits by the Neighbourhood Impact Officers
- Quarterly communal fire door and annual flat entrance door inspections
- Fire alarms, lifts and emergency lighting.
What does ‘stay safe’ mean?
What are my responsibilities regarding fire safety?
How do I check my fire door?
- Check for signs of damage to either side of the door, the frame and hinges as well as the overhead closing device. Where you have seals installed on your door check these are free from damage.
- Open your door and fully release it. The door should shut fully into the doorframe without you having to shut it.
What do I do if I think a fire door is damaged?
Why are fire doors important?
Why are you increasing my rent?
When does the new rent start?
How have you calculated my rent increase?
What if I can’t afford the rent increase?
I pay a service charge. Will it increase?
I claim Universal Credit. Do I need to do anything?
I claim Housing Benefit. Do I need to do anything?
Do I have to change my Direct Debit?
Do I have to change my standing order?
How do you spend my rent?
What happens if I don’t pay the rent increase?
How can I get a rent statement?
How are you improving the repairs service?
We have invested an extra £5m and 20 additional colleagues have been recruited to the service so we can carry out more repairs each day. Following customer feedback we have introduced a ‘Repairs Booster Team’ who complete multiple repairs during a single visit. We have also launched a new repairs satisfaction survey to gather your feedback.
We have now almost cleared the backlog of repairs that we had. Thank you for your patience while we focused on getting these done.
Click here for repairs updates and waiting times.What should I do if I discover damp or mould?
If you discover damp or mould it’s really important that you let us know so we can work with you to resolve the problem. Give us a call on 0300 555 666 or report it online.
Dealing with damp and mould.What can I do to get rid of damp and mould?
How do I know if my mould is due to condensation or damp?
How can I reduce the amount of condensation in my home?
What causes condensation?
What is the best way to ventilate my home?
What happens when I make a complaint?
- If we think we can resolve your complaint quickly without the need for a formal complaint investigation, we will contact to let you know. If early resolution is possible (within 5 working days) we will give you the option of how you would like to proceed.
- Formal complaints – we will acknowledge all formal complaints within 5 working days of receipt.
- Stage 1 Investigation stage – we will contact you to discuss the details of your complaint and complete a thorough investigation into your concerns. We will aim to respond to you in writing within 10 working days of acknowledgement.
- Stage 2 Review stage – if you remain unhappy with the outcome of your complaint you can ask for your case to be reviewed. We will ask you to provide details of the issues you feel remain outstanding or any new evidence that you have that we have not previously considered and what you feel we could do to put things right. We will aim to respond to you in writing within 20 working days of acknowledgment.
I have been through the complaints process and I am still unhappy, what can I do now?
- You can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service at any point during the complaints process. It cannot investigate your complaint whilst it is going through our complaints procedure, however they may be able to help us in reaching a resolution.
- You can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service via telephone on 0300 111 3000, email at info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk, their website at www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk or via post to; Housing Ombudsman Service, PO Box 152, Liverpool L33 7WQ).
How do I give feedback or make a complaint?
If things haven’t gone as you expected or you’re unhappy with something we did, please let us know. We’ll work with you to understand what happened and do our best to put it right.
You can do this by filling in our feedback form. Click here for more information about feedback and complaints.
Does it matter if my house is a mess?
Will your gas engineer or electrician carry ID?
Why are electrical safety checks important?
Why are gas safety checks important?
Will my electrical safety check be really disruptive and messy?
What do I do if I smell gas?
My smoke alarm or carbon monoxide detector isn’t working properly. What should I do?
Do I get a copy of the gas safety certificate for my home?
What happens if I don’t let you in for my gas or electrical safety check?
Do I have to have a gas or electrical safety check?
What should I do if I need to rearrange my gas or electrical safety check?
Do I need to do anything to prepare for my gas check?
Do I need to do anything to prepare for my electrical check?
What happens during my gas check?
How long will my annual gas check take?
What happens during an electrical check?
How long will my electrical safety check take?
How can I check my rent account?
The quickest and easiest way to check your rent account is online. Sign up or sign in to get started.
Alternatively, you can ask for your latest rent statement by calling us on 0300 555 6666 (Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 8am-1pm) or emailing enquiries@whgrp.co.uk (we usually respond within five working days).
What details do I need to sign up to manage my home online?
I’ve made a payment so why does my online account say I am in rent arrears?
I can’t log in to my online account. What should I do?
What devices can I use to access my online account?
Can I swap my home?
- You aren’t in debt with your rent
- The other person’s landlord is happy for the exchange to happen
- You aren’t moving to a property where you will be overcrowded or have more space than you need
- You get our permission in writing and there is no ongoing legal action relating to your tenancy (eg) a Possession Order or injunction
What is a mutual exchange?
Who can I swap my home with?
- A whg customer
- A customer of another registered social landlord (usually a housing association)
- Someone who lives in a council-owned and managed home.
How long does a home swap take?
Why should I use HomeSwapper?
How do I join HomeSwapper?
Do I have to pay for HomeSwapper?
Do I have to swap in my local area?
What can I do if I’m struggling to use HomeSwapper?
Do I need permission to swap my home?
I need to move urgently. Can I exchange and then get permission?
What if my new home is not in a good condition?
What does whg say about pets?
Who is my local Community Housing Officer?
How can my Community Housing Officer help me?
Why do you have Community Housing Officers?
What can I do about noisy neighbours?
Can I make an anonymous report of ASB?
Who is responsible for dealing with ASB?
What grounds maintenance services can I expect to receive as part of my tenancy?
I want to get rid of some old furniture. How can I do this?
- Some charities, like the British Heart Foundation, will collect your items free of charge if they are in good condition to be sold in their shops.
- Local councils offer “bulky waste” collections.
- Make some extra cash by selling it online on sites like Ebay and ask the buyer to collect it in person. Or you could try Gumtree or Facebook market place.
- Give your furniture a makeover by painting or varnishing it.
My bin isn’t big enough for all of my rubbish, what do I do?
What can I do with large waste items, like my old fridge?
- Fryers Road Household Waste Recycling Centre, Bloxwich
- Merchants Way Household Waste Recycling Centre, Aldridge
Who is responsible for clearing up fly-tipping?
How can I report fly-tipping?
What is the punishment for fly-tipping?
What is fly-tipping?
Who is responsible for maintaining trees?
My bin hasn’t been collected. Who do I report it to?
Who do I talk to about a problem with parking?
Who do I report flytipping to?
How often is my block cleaned?
How often is the communal grass cut?
What can I do if I’m experiencing domestic abuse?
Who should I tell about pest problems?
Will whg get rid of bees or wasps that are in my home?
Will whg get rid of rats or mice?
Will whg pay for pest control?
Is whg responsible for getting rid of pests?
What can I do to prevent infestations?
What should I do if I have a pest problem?
Why are you carrying out investment works?
My neighbour is having improvement work done. Why aren’t I?
When will I find out if my home is due for planned investment works?
What do I do if I am unhappy with the work carried out by my contractor?
How do I apply for a whg home?
Who can join our housing register?
What if I need help registering?
Can I get a whg home straight away? If not, how long will I be waiting?
How will I be updated on the progress of my application for a home?
Can I appeal a decision that has been made about my application for housing?
I’m a customer and my home is no longer suitable. I’d like to move to another whg home. How do I apply?
You can check your eligibility for our housing register to see if you can join it.
If you rent a home with us and would like to move, the quickest and easiest way is to swap your home with someone else. This is called a mutual exchange.
We have signed up to the nationwide mutual exchange scheme HomeSwapper, which means our customers can use the service for free. Find out more about mutual exchange.
If you feel your home is no longer suitable due to a disability or medical issue, our aids and adaptations team may be able to help. Depending on your circumstances it may be more appropriate for you to join the council’s list.
What is overcrowding?
Overcrowding is when a household has fewer bedrooms than it needs to avoid sharing, based on the age, sex and relationship of the household members.
To prevent overcrowding we use a calculation to work out how many bedrooms a household requires. You can find this calculation in our Allocations policy.
If you believe you are living in an overcrowded home you may have housing options available to you. You can check your eligibility for our housing register and find out your options online by clicking here.
What is under-occupation?
Under-occupation is where a household is living in a home that has more bedrooms than it needs. Therefore the home is not occupied to its full capacity – or under-occupied.
We aim to make the best use of our homes. Where possible we try to avoid under-occupation so that we can provide customers with the most suitable homes for their needs. To do this we use a calculation to work out how many bedrooms a household requires. You can find this calculation in our Allocations policy.
Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit could be reduced if you are living in an under-occupied home. Click here to read Citizens’ Advice guidance about the so-called ‘bedroom tax’.
Why can’t I see any properties available to bid on?
I’m homeless. Can I apply for a property with you?
I’m interested in your properties outside Walsall. How do I register my interest?
What is a shortlist and why is it important to my application?
Why do I never see larger homes advertised?
What is Rent in Advance?
What is a Tenancy Sustainability Assessment (TSA)?
Do I need home contents insurance if I rent a whg home?
Why can it take a little longer to move in after I have been offered a home?
How do I make a payment?
Pay online
The quickest, easiest and safest way to check your rent account and make payments is online. Sign up or sign in to get started.
Direct Debit
Make paying your rent simple with a regular Direct Debit. It is safe and secure and you can choose a regular date when payments will be taken, so you know when your money will leave your account.
You can set up your Direct Debit online today. Simply sign in or sign up using your name, date of birth and National Insurance or rent account number. Then follow the instructions to set up your Direct Debit.
Call us
Call us to make a payment over the phone on 0300 555 6666 (Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 8am-1pm).
How can I check my rent account?
The quickest and easiest way to check your rent account is online. Sign up or sign in to get started.
Alternatively, you can ask for your latest rent statement by calling us on 0300 555 6666 (Monday-Friday 8am-6pm, Saturday 8am-1pm) or emailing enquiries@whgrp.co.uk (we usually respond within five working days).
I’m struggling to pay my rent. What should I do?
How do I set up a Direct Debit for rent payments?
What happens if I go into arrears?
How are service charges calculated?
If you live in one of our blocks, you will pay a service charge for maintenance of communal or surrounding areas. This includes cleaning communal areas, external maintenance, fire safety devices, lighting, lifts, and grass cutting. Service charges can be ‘fixed’ or ‘variable’. If you pay a variable service charge, we will consult with you before making any major changes, and you can ask for a summary of costs.
Your tenancy agreement will clearly show what services we will provide as part of your rent. If you are on a ‘social’ tenancy, any service charges that you need to pay will be detailed as a separate fixed amount alongside your rent. If you are on an ‘affordable’ or ‘market rent’ tenancy, the service charge is set as part of your rent amount.
We review service charges each year and may increase them. When they increase, we always aim to stay in line with Government recommendations to help keep charges affordable for customers. If we cannot do this, we’ll explain why when we write to you.
Shared ownership and leaseholder service charges
- Some shared owners will pay a service charge for maintenance of communal or surrounding areas. This includes cleaning communal areas, external maintenance, fire safety devices, lighting, lifts, and grass cutting.
- Shared owners and leaseholders also pay a service charge for the upkeep, repairs and improvements of buildings, and building insurance.
- If you pay a variable service charge, we will consult with you before making any major changes to the amount you pay. Please see point 1.9 of the rent and service charge policy for more information about this.
How are charges for leaseholders calculated?
- Leasehold customers are those who have bought their home, usually by taking out a mortgage. They do not pay rent to whg but they are responsible for any service charges that apply to their property.
- Leaseholders pay a service charge for the upkeep, repair and improvements of buildings, and building insurance.
- If you pay a variable service charge, we will consult with you before making any major changes to the amount you pay. Please see point 1.9 of the rent and service charge policy for more information about this.
What are wellbeing charges?
Rents for garages and commercial buildings
Can I ask someone else to manage my tenancy for me?
I’ve made a payment so why does my online account say I am in rent arrears?
How do I book a repair?
You can also email us on enquiries@whgrp.co.uk (we usually respond within five working days), or you can call us on 0300 555 6666 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm).
Emergency repairs can be reported 24 hours a day on the same phone number.
Before booking a repair, please double-check it isn’t your responsibility to fix in our repairs and home maintenance guide by clicking here.
What repairs are whg responsible for?
What repairs am I responsible for?
What happens after I book a repair?
If you have booked your repair using your online account, you don’t need to do anything else. We will confirm your appointment by phone, text message or letter, and then we will see you on the day. Remember we don’t give appointment times for repairs in communal areas.
Although we will do our best to keep to your appointment, sometimes we may need to change it. For example, if we do not have the part needed for the repair.
A responsible adult must be in your home while the work is taking place.
If you need to make special arrangements (like booking a day off work), we recommend asking a family member or friend to help out.
If your repair worsens, get in touch as we may need to re-prioritise it.When will my repair be completed?
You can use your online account to report your repair and choose from our best selection of appointments. Otherwise, your repair will be scheduled for the next available appointment.
If you report an emergency repair, we will attend the same day to make it safe and aim to complete the full repair within 24 hours.
Click here for repairs updates and waiting times.How do I cancel a repair appointment?
What happens on the day of my repair appointment?
On the day you must make sure we are able to get into your home so we can carry out the work. A responsible adult must be there to let us in and while work is being carried out.
Anyone we authorise to enter your home will carry identification. Always ask to see it before letting callers into your home and be aware there may be bogus callers operating in your area. If you have any concerns, call us on 0300 555 6666 to confirm they are who they say they are.
If we need to replace something in your home, where possible we will replace it with an identical or matching item.
Do I need to do anything before my repair appointment?
What should I do if I am unhappy about the condition of my home?
You should always report any repairs or other issues promptly. We will try and resolve the issue with you and inspect your property to work out the cause. If a repair is detected, it will be completed in accordance with our repairs policy. You can check appointment dates and find out more about any outstanding repairs using our online service. Or you can contact us by phone or email.
Sign up or sign in to manage your home online.
If you remain unhappy with the condition of your home and/or our service you can make a complaint through our formal complaints procedure.
Please be assured that our internal complaints team will investigate your complaint independently. The complaints procedure is free of charge to you and we will work with you to put things right if we’ve got it wrong.
What is a disrepair claim?
How are you improving the repairs service?
We have invested an extra £5m and 20 additional colleagues have been recruited to the service so we can carry out more repairs each day. Following customer feedback we have introduced a ‘Repairs Booster Team’ who complete multiple repairs during a single visit. We have also launched a new repairs satisfaction survey to gather your feedback.
We have now almost cleared the backlog of repairs that we had. Thank you for your patience while we focused on getting these done.
Click here for repairs updates and waiting times.Can I bring legal action against whg if I am dissatisfied with your service?
Can I redecorate or make alterations to my home?
You can paint and decorate inside your home and carry out minor DIY jobs such as putting up shelves or curtain rails, and you don’t need our permission for this.
But you cannot make major changes to the property without our permission – so it is important you check with us first before carrying out any such work.
Examples of what we will and won’t give permission for can be found in our Home improvement policy.
For specific guidance, refer to your tenancy agreement or contact us.
What do I do if I find faults in my new-build home?
What should I do if I think there is a gas leak?
Who maintains fences and gates?
We are responsible for maintaining any fence or gate we have provided. This includes any fence or gate which divides your garden from a public path or right of way. We also maintain fences and gates in communal areas.
Whilst we are responsible for defining the boundary between homes, you are responsible for any fence or gate that you have fitted yourself.
Who should I tell about pest problems?
How do I set up a Residents’ Association?
How will I know if my contribution has made a difference to the services I receive?
I would like to become more involved, but would need some support. Can you help with that?
I don’t have much time to get involved, so are there options for me?
How can I get involved in more whg community activities?
Will I get paid for being an involved customer?
What happens if I want to sell?
What percentage of the property can I buy?
What is a tenancy agreement?
- Your rights and responsibilities
- The services we will provide to you
- How your rent and any service charges are calculated
- How both us and you will keep your home in good repair
- How to make a complaint
Because there are many different types of tenancy agreement, you must refer to your own tenancy agreement for specific details relating to your tenancy.
If you breach your tenancy agreement you risk losing your home.
How can I get help with my tenancy?
Our priority is to keep customers feeling safe and secure in their homes. Your Community Housing Officer can provide guidance on any housing or tenancy issues.
You can also contact us with any questions about your tenancy, or to request a copy of your tenancy agreement.
How do I end my tenancy?
If you want to end your tenancy with us, sign in to manage your home online and visit ‘Thinking of ending your tenancy?’ under My tenancy to complete a notice to quit form. Or you can call us on 0300 555 6666.
Please check your tenancy agreement for details of the amount of notice you need to provide.
What is tenancy fraud and how do you deal with it?
- Deliberately providing false information or withholding information as part of a housing application
- Subletting a home to someone else without our permission
- Giving false information as part of a Right To Buy application
What is overcrowding?
Overcrowding is when a household has fewer bedrooms than it needs to avoid sharing, based on the age, sex and relationship of the household members.
To prevent overcrowding we use a calculation to work out how many bedrooms a household requires. You can find this calculation in our Allocations policy.
If you believe you are living in an overcrowded home you may have housing options available to you. You can check your eligibility for our housing register and find out your options online by clicking here.
What is under-occupation?
Under-occupation is where a household is living in a home that has more bedrooms than it needs. Therefore the home is not occupied to its full capacity – or under-occupied.
We aim to make the best use of our homes. Where possible we try to avoid under-occupation so that we can provide customers with the most suitable homes for their needs. To do this we use a calculation to work out how many bedrooms a household requires. You can find this calculation in our Allocations policy.
Your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit could be reduced if you are living in an under-occupied home. Click here to read Citizens’ Advice guidance about the so-called ‘bedroom tax’.