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Looking after your property

Looking after your home - Looking after your garden - Aerials - Cars - Shared areas -  Rubbish collection - Getting rid of bulky items -  Insuring your belongings - Using your home for a business  

Looking after your home

You must look after your home, keep it clean and use it responsibly. If you, or anyone living with you or visiting you, cause any damage to your home or to council premises, you will have to pay for repairs or replacement. You must tell us about the repairs that need to be done to your home. Go to reporting repairs for more information.

Looking after your garden

If you have a garden, you must keep it neat and tidy by cutting the lawn, clearing the weeds and trimming the hedges. You must not store or keep any bulky or unsightly items in your garden. You must not use your garden for large items such as trailers, unless you have our permission in writing.

Aerials

If you want to install your own outdoor television aerial or satellite dish, you must get our permission in writing first. If you want to install a satellite dish and you live in a flat, you may need to get planning permission first. Most of our blocks of flats have digital IRS TV systems already installed.

Cars

You may only park roadworthy vehicles that are taxed and have a current MOT certificate on our land. You must not park any vehicle on grassed areas. You should only park vehicles in garages, in designated parking areas, or on a proper driveway.

Shared areas

If you live in a flat or maisonette, you should co-operate with your neighbours to keep the shared areas clean, tidy and clear of anything that may cause obstruction. If you leave things lying around that obstruct landings and stairs, we will remove them and charge you for doing so.

Please take care not to leave dangerous and/or flammable objects in communal areas.

You should report repairs needed to shared areas, such as lighting, go to reporting repairs  for more information.

Rubbish collection

Medway Council provides a weekly collection service for rubbish, and an alternate weekly collection for recycling and food and garden waste. Visit rubbish collection to find out your collection day.

Getting rid of bulky items

If you have large items that are too big for the weekly rubbish collection, we provide a free bulky-waste collection service. You are entitled to have one collection every six months free of charge. Up to three bulky items can be removed at each collection. If you require a further collection within six months you will be charged a fee.

Visit bulky waste for more information

Insuring your belongings

It is your responsibility to find and contact an insurance provider. We insure the structure of your home. This does not include cover for your belongings, fixtures, fittings and alterations you may have at the property. We strongly advise you to get your own home contents insurance as protection against accidental damage, theft, water leaks and so on.

Using your home for a business

If you want to run a business from your home, you must get your housing officer’s permission in writing and any planning permission you may need. We will not give you permission to run a business from home if it is likely to cause a nuisance to your neighbours, for example, noise and deliveries.

For more information contact Housing Officers by telephone: 01634 333 344 or by email: housing@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Housing Officers , Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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