We're really pleased to welcome you as a Thirteen customer, and we hope that you'll be happy in your new home. We know you’ll be busy unpacking, so we’ve put all the information you’ll need as a new customer in one place.

Keeping in touch

My Thirteen

You can now register as a customer on My Thirteen. This is your online account. Through My Thirteen you can save time by managing your rent payments and raising repairs, any time of the day.

Contact details

• email: customerservices@thirteengroup.co.uk
• calling 0300 111 1000 from 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday or 9am to 3pm, Saturday
• visiting one of our Touchpoint stores

Your home

Paying rent

There are lots of ways to pay your rent and you’ll find them all here.

If you’re eligible for housing benefit or universal credit housing costs, it’s your responsibility to make and manage your claim. Please contact your current local authority and ask for a change of address to be completed.

Contents insurance

As your landlord we look after the building. We recommend that you have contents insurance to protect your belongings. You are responsible for any loss or damage to these items. There are some special offers available on contents insurance for Thirteen customers. Find out more about contents insurance.

Gas and electricity

You’ll need to register the gas and electricity supply at the property in your own name before you can use them. You can find out who your gas supplier is with this free online tool or call 0870 608 1524 (charged at 7p per minute).

You can find out who supplies your electricity too, with this free online tool or call 0800 111 4005.

Once you’ve set up your energy accounts in your name, please call us on 0300 111 1000. We will arrange a gas safety check and we’ll reconnect the power.

If you have pre-payments meters, you need to have credit on them when we attend your appointment. We won’t be able to reconnect your supply if you don't.

Please don’t set up your energy accounts until you have signed a tenancy agreement with us.

Repairs

We are responsible for some repairs to your home. You are responsible for others. This includes fixing or paying for damage that hasn't been caused by fair wear and tear.

You can see more information about the types of repairs and timescales we provide here.

You can raise a repair on My Thirteen or call us on 0300 111 1000.

Decorating

We want you to enjoy your home so please keep it well decorated and clean. You should also make sure that your garden is neat, tidy and well maintained.

You should talk to us if you need support in your home or want to make any alterations. You can paint your ceilings, interior walls, skirting boards, interior doors and frames without permission. If you intend to do anything else such as:

• Painting tiles, kitchen units, exterior doors, or brickwork
• Replacing or moving fixtures and fittings
• Changing the building structure
• Electrical or plumbing work

You should ask permission first. This is to avoid causing damage or safety issues. This could result in significant costs for you, or tenancy action being taken by us.

Keeping you safe in your home

Gas and electric safety checks

It is a legal requirement that we ensure your gas and electrical appliances are running safely. We’ll get in touch to arrange an appointment when your appliances are due to be serviced.

Please always make sure that someone is at home to let our engineer in on the day of your appointment, but if you need to rearrange, just give us a call.

Read more about gas safety.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

We will check hard wired smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as part of our electrical safety checks, however as an extra safety measure we recommend that you check them frequently too.

Communal areas

If you live in a building with a communal area, for example a high rise building, a sheltered scheme or any building with a communal entrance, please read these important fire safety notices.

Thirteen Fire Evacuation Notice

Thirteen Fire Door Information

Read more about building and fire safety

Find out more about the range of things we do to help maintain and keep your home safe.

Your tenancy

By signing your tenancy agreement, you agree to stick to a range of commitments to Thirteen.

You agreed to pay your rent in full and at the right time. If you pay monthly, then this needs to be in advance.

Please be considerate to your neighbours. Don't let visitors or anyone in your household cause a nuisance or annoyance.

When we contact you throughout your time with us, please keep in touch. Let us know if your circumstances change. This could be things like getting a job, keeping a pet, leaving your home empty or looking to leave us.

We're sure it won't happen but if you don't keep to the terms of your tenancy agreement, we could take action. This could lead to you losing your home. Please pay your rent, keep your home, garden and any communal spaces in good condition, and be a good neighbour.

Help and support

In your home

Every year we visit your home to check and service gas appliances. There's no cost to you and will contact you when your service is due.

We're constantly improving our homes to meet modern living standards. When your home is due for investments will contact you about the plans.

Your home is at risk if you fall behind with payments. If you are experiencing difficulties managing your finances, please contact us. We’re here to help.

In your neighbourhood

We want all our customers to feel safe in their home and neighbourhood. However, we realise anti-social behaviour (ASB) can happen and make customers feel unsafe.

ASB is anything that causes or is likely to cause you to feel alarmed, distressed, intimidated or harassed.

We take ASB seriously and are here to support you if you have an ASB issue. We have a clear way of dealing with it when customers report it to us.

Our housing services and living well coordinators are there to help with most incidents of ASB. We also have specialists who can give support based on the needs of the people involved and the seriousness of the incidents.

All our customers have support from a dedicated housing services or living well coordinator. They cover neighbourhoods, estates and buildings. They know these areas well and visit regularly. They can help you with managing your rent, answering questions about your property and improving the neighbourhood.

To speak to your coordinator, or to find out who they are, call us on 0300 111 1000.

To report anti-social behaviour email asb@thirteengroup.co.uk or call us on 0300 111 1000

We hope you enjoy your time in your new home. Remember, please get in touch if you need us. We are here to help.