Help & Advice

You can book an everyday repair using our online appointment booking system – choosing a day and time that suits you. This makes it easy to book repairs on the go at any time using your smartphone or tablet. All you need to get started is a free online account. If you need a hand getting started, our live web chat service can guide you through booking your first appointment online.

RHP is legally required to:

• Keep the structure and exterior of all homes and communal areas in good condition.
• Make sure the supply of water, gas, electricity, sanitation, and water heating is in good working order.
• Keep lifts and communal lighting working.
• Make sure properties are fit for people to live in.

As an extra service we carry out repairs to:

• Drains, gutters and pipes
• Roofs
• External walls, doors, window frames and sills, catches and sash cords;
• Chimneys, chimney stacks and flues (but not sweeping)
• Front paths and steps
• Garages and stores which are built on our property
• Heating installations
• Water heating installations
• Supply of gas, water and electric
• Kitchen and bathroom to enable them to be used safely
• Any other item that causes a health and safety risk to our customers or the general public.

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining fences and gates
• Blocked sinks and toilets
• Repairing broken glazing unless there is a crime number which can be checked with the police
• Draught excluders
• Renewing light bulbs and fuses
• Repairing or replacing toilet seats
• Repairing any equipment that belongs to them
• Repairing kitchen cupboards except damage by rot, woodworm or where items are too old to repair
• Maintaining showers not installed by RHP
• Maintaining and testing a battery-operated smoke alarm
• Locks for internal doors
• Replacing, relocating or removing individual satellite dishes
• Arranging for lock changes and door repairs due to being locked out
• Repairing and replacing broken window handles
• All minor plaster repairs and all plaster repairs caused by the customer stripping wallpaper
• Kitchen and bathroom flooring not installed by us.

We want to keep you safe and have a legal obligation to service and check your gas boiler and appliances if they were installed by us, to make sure they’re burning correctly and free from carbon monoxide. We want to do this at a time that suits you, so if you’ve been sent a letter about your gas service, make sure you stick to the suggested date or rebook it online.

If we can’t enter your home when we need to, we’ll pop a card through your door, giving you an opportunity to rearrange the safety check.

Direct debit

The easiest way to pay is by setting up a direct debit so that your rent is automatically taken from your account each month on a day that suits you. To set up a direct debit click on the 'make a payment' icon on the homepage. Once you've done this then click on the 'set up a direct debit' link. You'll then be taken through the relevant steps. 

Standing Order

You can set up Standing Order payments from your bank account and agree with your bank how often you want payments to be made. This is a direct arrangement between you and your bank. This means that you are responsible for changing your payments if the amount of your rent changes.

One-off payments

You can make a one-off payment easily at any time through your RHP online account - all you need is your credit or debit card.

To make a one-off payment click on the 'make a payment' icon on the homepage. Once you've done this then click on the 'make a one-off payment' link. 

If you’re having trouble keeping your rent account up to date, please email customer.services@rhp.org.uk and we’ll put you in touch with a member of our rents team. They’ll be able to give you expert advice on budgeting and maintaining your payments.

We take fly-tippingvery seriously – it’s illegal and dangerous and can ruin the appearance of your outside spaces. The money and time used to sort it out can also affect your caretaking services.

If you report fly-tipping when you see it we can take action quickly against the people who are responsible. If they’re caught, fly-tippers can be fined or even sent to prison. Unless we are able to identify who's responsible for fly-tipping, we'll look to clear any rubbish away. To arrange collection of bulky items visit www.richmond.gov.uk.

If you were living in your home as a Richmond council tenant when it was transferred to RHP, then you may have a ‘Preserved’ Right to Buy. This can also apply if you then move to another home owned by us but it does not apply if you move to a property owned by a different landlord. If you have the Preserved Right to Buy, then you can buy your home  in the same way as if you were still a council tenant. We'll be able to tell you whether you have the Preserved Right to Buy. Under the Right to Buy scheme you may be eligible for a discount of up to £104,900.

The Government is currently considering extending the Right to Buy to all housing association tenants. We'll update this information as soon as we receive more details.

To complete a Right to Buy form click here. 

If you want to end your tenancy you’ll need to give us four weeks’ notice. The notice should be given in writing, dated, signed, and include details of your new address or a contact address. When we receive your notice, we’ll write to you, confirming your tenancy end date and when you should hand your keys in. You’ll then need to make an appointment with one of our team who’ll carry out an inspection of your home. You’ll also need to clear any rent that may be due.

Please make sure the property is clear of all furniture, rubbish and carpets. If you leave anything behind we’ll charge you for removing it. You'l need to make sure:

• The garden and shed are left clean and tidy
• All rooms, under-stair areas, cupboards and lofts are clear and left in good condition
• All doors, frames, fixtures and fittings are in good condition and that any damage has been fixed
• Gas fires, cookers, fridges and washing machines have been removed, the supply made safe and that any damage has been fixed.

Please return your keys to us before 12 noon on the last Monday of your tenancy. If we get them late you’ll be charged an extra week’s rent.

Before you leave your home, we’ll check whether any work is needed because of damage or neglect. The cost of any repairs will either be re-charged to you or you’ll be asked to carry out the work yourself to an agreed standard.

If there is asbestos in your home, it’s safe as long as it’s left undisturbed and you treat it with respect. If you think you have damaged asbestos in your home, let us know immediately - don’t try to remove anything yourself. To get in touch you can use our live chat service or email customer.services@rhp.org.uk.

We know that sometimes it’s useful to have a bit more space. That’s why we offer a number of garages and parking spaces across Richmond at really affordable rents. Prices range from £7 a week for your own parking space and range from £22-35 a week for a garage – long or short term. We also have sheds for rent at Chertsey Court for £3.00 per week, priority for these sheds will be given to Chertsey Court residents.To find out more, get in touch.

If you’d like a copy of any of our policies get in touch and we will send one to you. We have the following available:

• Allocations
• Affordable Rents
• ASB
• Complaints
• Domestic Violence
• Fixed term tenancy
• Hoarding
• Mutual Exchange
• Rent arrears
• Repairs
• Succession
• Safeguarding
• Tenancy

We know things sometimes so wrong, so we look carefully at every complaint and take steps to learn and improve from them where we can.

Our commitment to you

If you’re not happy with our service, we’ll aim to put things right and resolve your issue quickly (you can expect to hear from us within two working days). If we’ve caused any problems we’ll say sorry and give you a full explanation.  If it’s going to take us a bit longer than two days to sort things out we’ll let you know. 

Your options

If you feel there are still things we need to put right, we’ll look again at your complaint. There may be some new actions we can take to move things forward. We’ll always try to reach a decision fairly. If you don’t think we’ve done this, you can ask your Ward Councillor or MP to review your query independently. If you live in the borough of Richmond, you can contact the Tenants’ Champion. For more information, visit www.richmond.gov.uk/tenants_champion. 

The Housing Ombudsman is a free, independent service that was set up to look at complaints about housing organisations. You can write to them eight weeks after you receive our response - or the Tenants’ Champion may contact them sooner, if you’re OK with this.
Housing Ombudsman Service, 81 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4HN

We’re committed to resolving your issue brilliantly and quickly online. If you need help with anything,drop us a line via the ‘contact us’ page.

You can make a complaint however you want to, using our Contact us page, Live Chat, Facebook message or Tweet or write to us.

We have to maintain the main structure of your home to a reasonable standard for its age and type. This includes:

• foundations, external walls and walls separating flats
• roofs, loft spaces and chimneys
• joists and beams supporting ceilings and floors in individual flats
• window frames, handles locks and catches
• glass in any communal windows
• lifts, lighting and electrical fittings in areas you share
• all of the structural parts in the shared areas.

We also have to maintain the services and drainage, including:

• communal drains and tanks
• wiring, pipes, etc supplying water electricity and gas
• pipes, guttering, drains and sewers removing waste water and sewerage
• radio and TV aerials.

We also look after external decoration and everything else in the areas you share, and in the surrounding area. 

Your lease says you must keep your home in a reasonable condition for its age and type. You’re responsible for repairing or replacing:

• floors and ceilings inside your home
• internal walls of the home
• doors and door frames
• the glass in your windows
• water tanks if they only serve your home
• anything installed for heating and hot water for your own home – not the communal bits
• fixtures and fittings -bath, toilet, kitchen units
• pipes, wiring, drains inside your home plus any outside if they’re for your home only
• plaster work and decoration.

You can pay your major works invoice in 12 instalments, interest-free. To make things easier for you, If you want to start paying for the work when you receive the estimate, we can offer an extended payment plan of 24 months. To make payments, you can easily set up a direct debit by selecting the relevant invoice in your online account.

You can see an overview of the works planned for your home for the next five years in our Home Maintenance section. We’ll aim to contact you six to eight weeks before work starts

If you’d like to make a home improvement, please let us know by emailing customer.services@rhp.org.uk.

Your lease is a legal document that explains all of your rights and responsibilities. Included in your lease is:

• Your term. How long you get to live there – and the date it starts. This is the term of your lease. Usually 99 to 125 years. You can sell your home but each time it changes hands the term reduces.
• The basics. Who the lease is between – you and us, basic terms and details of the building you’re in.
• Your rights. But also your responsibilities – so what you’re responsible for.
• Ground rent. And when you have to pay it.
• Service charges. What they’re for. How much. When you have to pay.
• Our obligations. What it’s our duty to manage for you.
• Conditions. The agreement we both have to stick to your lease’s conditions.
• Specialists. Our right to use the surveyors, solicitors and contractors we need to keep to our part. Also any costs for these that you must contribute to.

Your lease is split into sections, including nine schedules. One schedule for specific rights, responsibilities or obligations. These are:

• First Schedule. This explains the estate’s layout and describes estate including gardens, store sheds etc.
• Second Schedule. Explains the actual building your home’s in.
• Third Schedule. Which parts are ours – your landlord’s.
• Fourth Schedule. Which are yours – what you’re responsible for.
• Fifth Schedule. Your rights of access. So how you get in, but also how things like power lines and water pipes get in.
• Sixth Schedule. Our rights of access. So our permission, with your agreement, to come into your home for essential work to your home, or the estate. It also explains that we can change the boundaries of the estate and its rights of way.
• Seventh Schedule. Spells out what you, as homeowner, have agreed to.
• Eighth Schedule. The rules for the management of the property.
• Ninth Schedule. What we must pay for as your landlord, and what you must pay for.

Your long-term lease means you have to pay ground rent. You have to pay it on the date that’s on your lease.

You can still call us if you have an emergency repair. An emergency repair is any fault which threatens life, danger of serious injury or major damage to property. This could be a total loss of water, a gas leak or no electricity supply. Emergency repairs include:

• Total loss of water
• Major leaks from pipes or roof
• Total loss of heating (31 October - 1 May)
• Blocked external drains
• Dangerous electrical fittings or installation
• Major structural damage

Most RHP tenants who've been a social housing tenant for three years are eligible to buy their home and can receive a discount of up to £16,000. To find out more about the scheme please go to https://www.gov.uk/right-to-ac...

Our retirement housing RHP Living offers opportunities to rent across Richmond. If you’re 55 or over, are determined to stay independent but want a bit extra in the way of support then one of our RHP Living homes may be for you.  Due to the demand for RHP Living, we only accept customers with an income below £40k, savings below £70k and customers with no freehold or leasehold interest in a property - unless there are severe medical circumstances that are preventing them from remaining in their home.

To join the waiting list for an RHP Living home, get in touch and we'll send you an application form. For those who need more support, we have two extra care schemes at Dean Road and Sandown Court, which offer accommodation with the extra benefit of care services from the London Borough of Richmond. You’ll need a referral from Social Services so please get in touch with your care manager or social worker. 

You could try www.homeswapper.co.uk, the mutual exchange service where you can swap your home with another housing association or council customer. We’ll pay the joining fee for RHP customers and you just need to add details of your home to the website. Our top tip is to include lots of photos and helpful information about the area you’re living in.

You could also join Home Choice, our online transfer scheme. You just need to complete an online application and once it's been accepted you can bid for any available homes on our website.There’s a high demand for homes advertised on Home Choice so we’d always recommend trying a mutual exchange first. Home Choice isn’t available for our keyworker customers or customers wishing to move to an RHP retirement home.

To rent an RHP home you’ll need to apply to join your local council’s housing register.

Richmond borough residents can find out more at www.richmond.gov.uk and Kingston borough residents can find out more at www.kingston.gov.uk

The deal

We offer smart, clean, affordable home across South-West London.

You can access our services 24/7, 365 days a year through our quick and easy-to-use website.

These include:

•   an essential repairs service

•   an emergency repairs hotline

•   regular cleaning of any shared areas and maintenance of green space surrounding           your home  

•    access to online employment advice and support

Our deal is simple. If you look after your home, are a good neighbour and pay your rent, you’ll get a ‘golden goodbye’ of £1,000 at the end of your tenancy with us. Full details of the scheme are included in our fixed-term tenancy policy which is available on request. See it as our helping hand for your next move. What’s not to like?

Our homes

We’ll make sure your new home is in tip-top shape by carrying out any improvements before you step through the door. This means that you can sit back and relax without the worry of things going wrong.

Your home will be let in a good condition that will last at least five-years. We’ll also make sure the structure and outside of your home and any shared spaces are at a decent standard, the water, gas and electricity supplies and heating work and that any lifts and communal lighting are working.

With your five-year tenancy agreement, we’ll arrange an annual visit to your home to check everything is OK.

If something unexpected does need to be fixed we offer an essential repairs service and an emergency repairs hotline. You can access our repairs service 24/7 365 days a year through our website. You can book a repairs appointment in just a few clicks, choosing a two-hour arrival time that suits you. For any emergency repairs you can call our special hotline on 0800 0322 433. 

For information on what's included in our repairs service check out the 'essential repairs' and the 'emergency repairs' sections on this page.

What’s included in the essential repairs service?

• Boiler or central heating breakdown
• Roof leaks
• Damaged gutters and pipes
• Blocked or leaking communal drains
• Damaged window or doors caused by burglary or forced entry
• Electrical sockets
• Baths, showers, toilets and basins (major repairs or leaks)
• Kitchen worktops, units and sinks.

You can book a repair appointment here choosing a two-hour arrival slot to suit you.

You can also check out our selection of how-to videos for help with repairs that you’re responsible for.

Our emergency repairs service covers:

• Total loss of power

• No hot water

• Major leaks from pipes or roof

• Total loss of heating between September to April (if the temperature is below 10 degrees)

• Blocked external drains

• Dangerous electrical fittings or installation

• Major structural damage

• Broken toilet if no other working toilet.

If you have an emergency repair appointment you'll be able to book this over the phone.

Examples of repairs that would be your responsibility under RHPi are:

•Minor repairs to sinks, basins, baths, showers and toilets (e.g. unblocking sinks, fixing toilet seats, tightening screws and replacing sealant around sinks and baths)

•Condensation (where connected to lifestyle and a need to ventilate the home)

•Light fittings, fuses and plugs (when due to a problem with an appliance and not the circuit. Please do not try and fix anything in your fuse board)

•Keys replacements and locks

•Pest control (except in communal areas)

•Fences between homes

•Minor repairs to kitchen and bathroom tiling

•Radiator bleeding

•Batteries in smoke/heat/carbon monoxide detectors and door bells (if any of these items are broken, RHP will replace them)

•Broken glass in windows due to accidental damage

•Cupboard doors

•Minor plastering

•Gates (except communal areas)

•Sheds

•TV aerials and satellite dishes (except communal aerials)

•Any repairs caused by misuse or home improvements

It’s important that you don’t carry out any repairs yourself that you’re not comfortable with. Check out our ‘how-to’ videos for simple household repairs.

What to do if there's a power cut