Living in Council Hostel Accommodation

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• Living in Council Hostel Accommodation

If you are currently living in one of our hostels, the information on this page provides a guide to what you need to know.

We can provide temporary hostel accommodation for you while we assess your application for housing. During your occupation we expect you to agree to the following terms and conditions.  

• You will not have any exclusive right of occupation of the accommodation nor any security of tenure.
• If we need to terminate your stay in the hostel, we will give you at least 24 hours notice.
• If, however the safety of other people staying at the hostel is at risk, we may give you less notice.
• If you break any of the conditions of your licence, you and any members of your household may be asked to leave the accommodation and this may have a negative effect on your housing application.

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• You must keep to the terms and conditions of occupation.
• You must use your hostel accommodation in a proper and considerate manner.
• You must pay your accommodation charges in full and on time.
• You are not allowed to carry out any trading or business from the hostel accommodation.
• You are not allowed to carry out any redecorations to
  the premises.
• You must not, under any circumstances, leave children (aged 17 or under) alone in the hostel.
• You must not use the hostel, or allow it to be used, for any illegal/immoral purpose.

We may vary the charges for the accommodation and any of the conditions set out here by giving you 28 days written notice.

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You should bring your own toiletries, towels, clothes, crockery, cutlery and kitchenware.

Please remember that you only have the room or flat as allocated (and furnished), plus kitchen cupboards in which to keep your belongings and utensils.

If you bring too much you will not be able to fit it all into your room - there are no other facilities at the hostel where you can store your belongings. You must not bring any extra furniture or fittings with you. Please leave our furniture/fittings inventory in your room.

You must keep all hallways, stairs and landings clear of obstructions at all times. You must keep prams, pushchairs, bikes etc in your room, or in an area agreed by your Scheme Manager.

Under health and safety regulations the Scheme Manager will check any electrical appliances that you bring into the hostel. You will not be allowed to use any appliances that are in a poor condition.

Hostel rooms are allocated on availability and according to the size of your family. There are communal kitchens, bathrooms and toilets/shower rooms.

Your room will be furnished with a mixture of the following:

• Single bed(s)
• Table
• Folding chair(s)
• Wardrobes
• Curtains
• Lampshades
• Bedside unit

You should bring your own cot (with mattress and bedding) or carry cot (with bedding).

We will lend you the following fire retardant bedding and bed linen whilst you stay in the hostel. You must not use your own bedding due to health and safety regulations.

• Duvet(s)
• Duvet cover(s)
• Pillow(s)
• Pillow case(s)
• Fitted bottom sheet(s)

It is your responsibility to wash the bed linen we loan to you. You may wash this as often as you want.

In the kitchens there are communal cookers, refrigerators and freezers. Microwaves are available at most hostels. You will have a cupboard in which you can store your tinned and dry food, saucepans and crockery.

Sheds, if available, may only be used for storing prams and pushchairs.

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You must pay your accommodation charges (rent) on time every Monday.

Arrears won't be tolerated and it could have an adverse effect on your housing application - this may also mean you lose your temporary accommodation.

You may drink alcohol in your own room, however we will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour resulting from this. You may smoke in your own room but smoking is not allowed in any communal areas.

You and any member of your household or visitors must not do anything which causes or is likely to cause a nuisance or annoy someone else. We will investigate any complaints of nuisance or harassment and take appropriate action.

If you are offered alternative accommodation or a different room at the hostel, the permission to occupy your present accommodation may be terminated by us. We will give you at least 24 hours notice. You must tell the Scheme Manager if you are offered alternative accommodation.

Bathrooms and toilets are shared and you should leave them in a clean and dry state. Do not flush disposable nappies down the toilet - please wrap them up and dispose of them properly.  

You must keep your accommodation, including communal facilities, in a clean and tidy condition. If there is a cleaning rota at your hostel, issued by the Scheme Manager, you will be expected to take your turn.

You or any member of your household or visitors must not damage, tamper with or make alterations to any part of the structure, fixtures, fittings, furniture, or equipment provided at the hostel. If you are responsible for any damage that requires repair you will be asked to pay for it.

In case of a fire you must:

• clear the room of all occupants
• shut the door to contain
  the fire
• sound the fire alarm
• call the fire service by dialling 999
• tell the Scheme Manager who will take other action as necessary.

We won't tolerate any illegal drugs or weapons in any of our hostels. We will report you or your visitors to the Police if there is reasonable suspicion of drug or solvent abuse, or of being in possession of a dangerous weapon. This may result in you being evicted. If any of your visitors are found with drugs, we will ban them from the building and inform the Police.

The kitchens are communal and it is important that you clean the sinks, worktops and cookers every time that you use them.  Do not leave washing up in the sink or on the worktops.  

Please wrap up your kitchen waste before putting it in the bins provided in the kitchens. You should empty the bins into the dustbins at the end of each day, or before if they are full.

There is a laundry room in the building for residents’ use only. There are also coin operated launderettes within walking distance. We provide drying areas in the rear garden.

You must not, under any circumstances, dry washing on any of the radiators as this will cause condensation and mould. You must not put up any additional clothes lines inside or outside the building, and you must not hang washing outside windows. Please make sure you take note of the Scheme Manager’s instructions.

Your room should be left in a clean, tidy and secure condition by 10am on the day of departure. Please make sure that you leave the Council a forwarding address.

• You must return any equipment/bedding that has been loaned to you. It must be in a clean condition and this will be checked by the Scheme Manager.

• If you have caused any damage to Council property you will be asked to pay for the repairs.

• On the morning of your departure you must hand your keys over to the Scheme Manager. If you hand the keys in late  for every extra day the keys are kept. If you lose your keys you will be charged for the fitting of a new lock or the cutting of new keys.

Any rubbish or personal belongings left behind will be removed and you will be recharged for our costs in doing this. Any belongings left will be kept for 28 days and then disposed of without further notification.

If you lock yourself out of your accommodation and it is outside of office hours you will be charged to gain access. If you lose any keys you will have to pay for replacements.

You must tell your Scheme Manager, or if they aren't there, the Hostels Manager, if you or any of your family won't be at your accommodation overnight or for any longer period.

If you don't use your accommodation, this will be investigated and you may be asked to leave.

You or your visitors are not allowed to bring in or keep any pets in the hostel.

Removals can be organised and booked for you, using our authorised removals contractor, for a subsidised charge which needs to be paid in advance.

If you would like us to organise removals for you, contact our Temporary Accommodation Admissions Section on 020 8547 5003 and ask to speak to an Admissions Officer in the first instance and they will provide you with further details.

You must tell the Scheme Manager of any incident involving other residents or other persons, and all cases of infectious or contagious diseases. You must also report any birth or death within your accommodated family. We will keep this information confidential.

Please report any repairs, damage, blockages or breakages to the Scheme Manager or, if they are away, the Hostels Manager.

Your Scheme Manager is there to help you with queries between 8.45am and 5.00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.45am to 4.45pm on Fridays. Their days off are Saturday and Sunday, Bank Holidays and other public holidays.

Only get in touch with the Scheme Manager outside of these hours in an emergency, for example, if you are locked out of your room or the fire alarm is sounding.

If the Scheme Manager is unavailable and there is an emergency, contact the Emergency Out of Hours Service on 020 8547 5003.

The Scheme Manager will inspect your room once a week to ensure that you are keeping to the terms and conditions of living in your hostel accommodation.  

All occupants are responsible for the security of the hostel. You must not leave doors or windows wedged open or left unlocked. Do not allow any of your visitors access to the hostel if you are not at home.

You are advised not to leave items of value or money in your room. The Council does not have any insurance to cover the theft of personal property, and does not accept liability for loss of, or damage to, your property.

Please keep the volume of your TV/radio at an acceptable level and show consideration for others. Do not use radios in the kitchens or other communal areas and keep your room door closed. Do not put up any outside aerials, satellite dishes/cable installations for either TV or radio. If you own a TV you are responsible for paying your own TV licence.

You must park your vehicle/motorbike in a considerate manner. If parking bays are provided please use them. Do not park on pavements, grassed areas or kerbs. Do not block any entrances or exits. Vehicles parked inconsiderately and any untaxed/abandoned vehicles will be removed/disposed of and you will be charged for any costs in doing this.

• Visitors are only allowed between 8.45am-10.30pm.
• You must make sure that all of your visitors leave the premises by 10.30pm. The Scheme Manager is responsible for knowing how many people are on the premises in case an emergency such as a fire occurs.
• You are responsible for your visitors at all times.
• You must not allow your visitors to cause nuisance or annoyance to other residents/officers or others.
• You must not leave your visitors alone in your room at any time, or give your hostel keys to anyone else.

We reserve the right of access to your room at all reasonable hours for our council officers and authorised agents. This is to inspect the state of repair and cleanliness of the room and to carry out any repairs that may be necessary. We may also want to see that you are keeping to our terms and conditions.

We may require access at other times in the case of emergencies.

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• Hostels Manager:
  Tel: 020 8547 5464
  Email: housing-tau@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

• Scheme Manager, Thomas Pooley Court Hostel
  Tel: 020 8390 8874
• Scheme Manager, 33 Gloucester Road Hostel
  Tel: 020 8296 0314
• Scheme Manager, Saxon House Hostel
  Tel: 020 8546 2701
• Scheme Manager, Four Oaks Hostel
  Tel: 020 8391 3731

• Emergency Out of Hours Repairs:
  Tel: 020 8547 5003
  (available Monday to Friday after 5pm and before 8.45am; 24 hours Saturday, Sunday and public holidays)

• Admissions Section
  Tel: 020 8547 5003
  Email: housing-tau@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

• Homelessness Assessments Team
  Tel: 020 8547 5003
  Email: hat@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

• Housing Advice Service
  Tel: 020 8547 5003
  Email: housingadvice@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

• Housing Finance (for any queries regarding your accommodation charges)
  Tel: 020 8547 5003

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