Housing services queries should be directed to your Local Housing office:

Maybush Local Housing Office: Income Team

This office is open for payments or rent arrear queries only. All other queries should be directed to Shirley Local Housing Office.
Address: 43/45 Irving Road, Maybush, Southampton, SO16 4EG
Telephone: 023 8058 5565
Open: Mondays only: 8:30-12:00 and 1:30-4:30pm

West: Millbrook, Maybush, Lordshill, Shirley, Coxford, Lordswood

Address: Shirley Local Housing Office, Redcar Street, Shirley, Southampton, SO15 5LL
Telephone: 023 8078 9344, Fax: 023 8052 8255
District Manager: Mrs Parmjit Thiara
Open: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30-4.30pm / Wednesday 10.00-4.30pm and Friday 8.30-4pm

East: Weston, Peartree, Sholing, Merryoak, Itchen, Woolston

Address: Peartree and Sholing Local Housing Office, Portsmouth Road, Woolston, Southampton, SO19 9BX
Telephone: 023 8044 2604, Fax: 023 8043 8793
District Manager: Miss Ruth Cheater
Open: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 8.30-4.30pm / Wednesday 10.00-4.30pm and Friday 8.30-4pm

East: Thornhill, Harefield, Townhill Park, Hightown, Midanbury, Bitterne

Address: Thornhill Local Housing Office, Tatwin Crescent, Thornhill, Southampton, SO19 6JT
Telephone: 023 8042 0520, Fax: 023 8044 2666
District Manager: Miss Ruth Cheater
Open: Tuesday: 8.30-12pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm / Thursday: 8.30-12pm and 1.30pm-4.30pm

Central: Central, Highfield, Bevois, Swaythling, Northam, Bassett, St. Denys

Address: Central Local Housing Office, 100F St. Mary's Street, St. Mary's, Southampton, SO14 1PE
Telephone: 023 8083 2211, Fax: 023 8033 6240
District Manager: Miss Helen Prophett
Open: Wednesday: 10am-4.30pm / Friday 8.30-12pm and 1.30pm-4pm

Southampton City Council works in partnership with other organisations to provide tenancy support for customers who may need it. They are able to offer support around finance and paying the rent, independent living and / or managing substance misuse. If you are interested in accessing any of these services please contact a Local Housing office whose locations and opening times are listed in question 1 above.

Your tenancy agreement is a legal document which describes the rights and responsibilities of Southampton City Council and you as a council housing tenant. The agreement is available to download at the bottom of this page.

If you are suffering from nuisance or anti-social behaviour then you should contact a Local Housing office whose locations and opening times are listed in question 1 above. Together, a course of action can be taken to deal with the nuisance. It is our intention to help stop the nuisance as early as possible.

Often the first step will be a referral to an independent mediation assessment service. A Mediation Assessor will see both you and your neighbour separately. We have found that in most cases nuisance between neighbours stops once there is an understanding between them about the cause and effect of the nuisance.

It is a condition of your tenancy agreement that you keep the communal areas clean and tidy. In addition to your own cleaning, Neighbourhood Wardens typically operate on a rota which sees blocks cleaned on a quarterly basis.

A transfer is where an existing council tenant applies to move to a different home within the city; either remaining as a Southampton City Council tenant or becoming a tenant of a housing association. You can obtain an application form from:

• Gateway, Southampton
• At any Local Housing Office in Southampton
• Online

A mutual exchange is a swap between council or housing association tenants. After getting written permission from the council, each tenant signs over their tenancy to the other.

The easiest way to apply for an exchange is through the Homeswapper website which automatically matches you to possible exchanges. Homeswapper is free for Southampton City Council tenants and can be used to exchange either within or outside of Southampton.

Once you have found a suitable exchange you must tell us that you wish to move. You do this by completing an “Application to Exchange” form. These forms are available at any housing office or from Gateway. You must get the written agreement of the council before carrying out the exchange. The Housing Management Officer will consider your application and let you know within 42 days whether or not they agree to the exchange. They will also arrange inspections of your home.

You must give at least four weeks written notice that you will be moving out and your notice must end on a Monday. This notice is required as part of your tenancy agreement. If you are joint tenants, the written notice must be signed by at least one of you. The easiest way to give notice is to complete a short form available at a Local Housing office whose locations and opening times are listed in question 1 above.

The only time you do not have to give the full four weeks notice is where:

• You have accepted a transfer through Homebid
• We have asked you to move to a new home so we can do major works to your old one
• The tenant has died.

At the discretion of the manager, two weeks notice can be accepted if you are an elderly tenant moving into residential care accommodation.

Your keys, fobs and tokens must be handed in to any Local Housing Office on or before 12 noon on the Monday that your notice ends. If the Local Housing Office is closed, you can hand deliver keys through the letter box. However, you must ensure that all keys are correctly labelled.

If you return your keys after 12 noon you will be charged an extra weeks rent. If you do not return your keys and fobs on time, you may also be charged the cost of changing the locks. You must pay your rent for all of the time until your notice runs out and your tenancy ends. If you do not give four weeks notice you will still be charged the four weeks rent even if you have already moved out.

You must clear your rent account and any maintenance charges before moving. Leaving owing the council any housing debts could mean you will be given less priority on, or be excluded from, our housing list if you apply for housing in the future. You will be pursued for these debts even if you are no longer a council tenant.

When you move into a Council tenancy, we will make sure it meets our “Moving In Standard”. You will be expected to look after the home during your tenancy, keep it well decorated and report any repair issues. If you leave the property in the future you will need to make sure it meets the “Moving Out Standard”.

You can find a copy of the standard at the bottom of this page.

We believe that all tenants and leaseholders should be able to help guide the way their homes are provided and managed. To achieve this we will work in partnership with tenants, leaseholders, prospective tenants and other residents to design, monitor and review services.

There are many ways for you to get involved in our service. Please see take a look at the Tenant Participation pages for some of the ways for you to have your say about the service you receive. Use the contact details at the bottom of this page for further information.

The necessary form can be obtained from any Local Housing Office (see question 1 above) and it is also available online.

Applications can be made from both council and private tenants but priority is given to council tenants. Applications are sorted according to the area requested and prioritised by length of time on the waiting list. You will be contacted when a garage becomes available. A garage will not be issued to a council tenant who has rent arrears.

The Housing Repairs Contact Centre is a dedicated telephone service for council tenants to report repairs to council homes and communal areas. You can use it to:

• Report repairs and arrange repair appointments
• Get expert advice on repairs and chase up any outstanding repairs
• Report any complaints you may have about repairs.

During office hours you can report your repair by using one of the following methods:

• Report it online
• Email: housing.repairs@southampton.gov.uk
• Telephone: 0800 519 1919

Emergency repairs, out of normal office hours, can be reported by calling 023 8023 3344.

You must get our written permission before you start any work to alter, add to or improve your home. This is a condition of your tenancy. To get this permission you need to give written details of what you propose to your housing office. You may need to give further details (e.g. drawings or plans) once our property inspector has looked at your proposals. You must not start any work until you have a letter from us giving you permission. You must also keep to any conditions we set for the work and it must be done to a satisfactory and safe standard.

Examples of home improvements needing our permission, include:

• Knocking down or building any walls, inside or outside of your home
• Adding to or changing your heating or hot water system
• Fitting a new kitchen, bathroom or shower cubicle
• Installing laminate, wood block or similar flooring
• Installing a satellite dish
• Building a garage, carport, outdoor aviary, conservatory or similar structure
• Installing a driveway, hard-standing or paved parking area

(These are not the only works you have to get our permission)

1. Direct Debit

What is direct debiting? With your consent, rent payments can be transferred regularly and efficiently from your bank or building society account to your rent account.

How does direct debiting work?

• You complete this simple mandate and return to Housing Management
We will then:
a) Arrange the Direct Debit with your bank/ building society
b) Notify you in advance of any changes, then amend payments accordingly

• Payments will usually be deducted from your account as follows:
a) weekly - on a Friday
b) monthly - on or any day you wish

Date may vary slightly over bank holiday periods. Further information is available from the Housing Management, Rent Records and Accounts section. Direct debit forms are available from any Local Housing Office or at Gateway at One Guildhall Square or you could phone 023 8083 4801

2. By Payment Card (PayPoint)

You can use your paypoint card to pay at a Post Office or shop accepting paypoint payments. Most shops offering this service display a sign outside.

3. Online payments

You can make a payment using our secure online system. You will need your rent account reference number and debit/credit card. Please note if you choose to pay by credit card then a 2.5% surcharge may be added to the transaction. Click on the following link – pay for it.

4. By Phone

During working hours you can phone the Income Services Team on 023 8058 5565 or a Local Housing Office. Alternatively, you can phone our 24 hour automated service on 023 8083 2990. Please note, if you choose to pay by credit card then a 2.5% surcharge may be added to the transaction.

5. At Any Bank

You can pay by bank giro at any bank. Fill in the bank giro slip with:
- your rent account reference
- our sort code: 08-90-26
- our account number (for the credit account box): 61561067

6. By Post

You can send a cheque for your rent made payable to Southampton City Council to any Local Housing Office but do NOT post cash or bankcards. Write your address and rent account reference number on the back of the cheque and post it with your rent card.

7. Local Housing Offices

Staff at any local housing office will take your payment.

8. Standing Order

This is available every month on a date to suit your banking arrangements. Please contact us on 023 8083 4188 for more information.

Your rent balance can be confirmed by contacting the Income Team at Maybush Local Housing Office. If you require, your balance can be sent to you via e-mail or text.

Maybush Local Housing Office: Income Team
Address: 43/45 Irving Road, Maybush, Southampton, SO16 4EG
Telephone: 023 8058 5565

Paypoint Cards are a free and convenient way to pay your rent. Payment of rent can be made using your payment card at any one of over 100 shops in the city where you see the PayPoint symbol.

Simply take your card and cash to your nearest PayPoint outlet. Tell the retailer what you want to pay and how much. Hand your cash to the retailer who will process your payment on the PayPoint terminal. Please keep your PayPoint receipt as proof of payment.

It is always free to make a cash payment using a PayPoint card. However, some retailers may impose their own charges if you choose to pay by credit/debit card. Apart from payments made at Post Offices, there is a single transaction limit of £200. You can pay more but the retailer will process it in separate payments.

If you are in arrears with your rent you still have to pay during the rent free weeks. The rent free weeks this year are weeks commencing:

29/08/2011
19/12/2011
26/12/2011
26/03/2012

If you provide a payment reference number, you can pay your council tax and other council invoices at the Local Housing Office. Your reference number is essential.

Housing benefit is a national welfare benefit which helps people on a low income pay their rent.

You can claim by completing one of our application forms. Before you send the form to us, make sure you have read the form carefully and answered all the questions fully. Check that you have signed all the pages where you are required to sign, and that you have included all the evidence and proofs we ask for. The Local Housing Office only accepts Housing benefit forms for Council tenants.

You can get an application form from Gateway at One Guildhall Square, a Local Housing Office, the Income Services Team or by contacting Benefit Services on 023 8083 3009. When submitting a form you should always request a receipt.

We value your views about our services this feedback is vital to help us maintain our high standards and improve areas where we could do better. If you want to make a comment, compliment or complaint about any of our services you can do so in the following ways:

• You can fill in the online comment, compliment or complaints form and your comment, compliment or complaint will be sent to the relevant department who will look into it
• You can write to the local Housing Office
• You can phone the Local Housing Office
• You can email us using the details at the bottom of this page

You can find details about your local Councillor by visiting Find my Councillor or enter your postal code in the 'Where I live' field at the top of this page.