What is not covered in Private Sector Housing

Council owned property

If you live in council owned accommodation and you have an issue that relates to your home, you should contact your area housing office direct. Alternatively, you can contact the Lambeth service centre:
Phone: 020 7926 6000
email: housing@lambeth.gov.uk
Webpage: Council housing

If your home is managed as part of a tenant managed organisation, tenant managed committee or estate management board, you should refer to your local office.

Empty houses that are council owned

Although we will deal with private sector empty houses, we will not get involved if these are council owned empty properties. If you are aware of a house that is empty, and is also owned by the council, you should contact the relevant area housing office or Lambeth service centre.

Housing association owned property

Housing associationshave policies and procedures which determine how they manage their properties. If you are a housing association tenant and have a problem relating to your accommodation, you should contact your housing association direct. If you are not satisfied with the service you are receiving from your housing association, you should follow their complaints procedure. If you have gone through all the stages of the complaints procedure and are still not satisfied, you can contact:

Independent Housing Ombudsman
Norman House
105-109 Strand
London WC2R 0AA
Phone: 020 7836 3630

Please note that the independent housing ombudsman will not investigate a complaint unless it has first been raised with the housing association.

Leaseholder/freeholder disputes

The council’s tenancy relations officers will give advice and assistance to long leaseholders on matters relating to:

• Service charge disputes
• Landlords failure to effect repairs under repairing covenants
• Provision of insurance details

The service can be contacted at:

Tenancy Relations Officers
Room 120
2-7 Town Hall Parade
Brixton Hill
London SW2 1RJ
Tel: 020 7926 3029 or 020 7926 2460


Tel: 020 7926 3029 or 020 7926 2460

Further information and advice relating to all leasehold
matters can be obtained from:

The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE)
70-74 City Road
London EC1Y 2BJ
Tel: 020 7490 9580
Fax: 020 7253 2043
email: info@lease-advice.org
website: www.lease-advice.org

Tenancy advice

If you are living in privately rented accommodation and you would like advice that relates to your tenancy and the conditions of your occupation, please write to:

Housing Advice and Preventing Homelessness
2-7 Town Hall Parade
Brixton Hill
London SW2 1RJ

You can also speak to an advisor at the Brixton Customer Centre or by calling 020 7926 4200

Pests

If you are a home-owner and you have problems with cockroaches, tropical ants or other pests, you are expected to deal with this yourself. Agencies that can help to deal with these types of problems are listed in the telephone directories. If you are a tenant, you should speak to your landlord or agent, who will resolve the problem. If, however, the problem persists please speak to the council’s tenancy advice service, (see above) who may be able to give you advice on how you can use your rent to pay for necessary works. Council tenants should contact the Lambeth service centre on 020 7926 6000 or speak to their local area housing office.

Getting rid of rats from residential properties is free for everyone, no matter what their income and whether they own or rent their home. For more information on this, or if you are uncertain about what is covered, please contact:

Public Health and Pest Control
26 Wanless Road
London SE24 0HW
Phone: 020 7926 8860
Fax: 020 7926 8919
Webpage: Public health and pest control

Rubbish

Cleanaway Environment collect all the refuse and recycling in Lambeth. Although Cleanaway do remove bulk refuse from street properties and private estates free of charge, the removal of bulk refuse from council estates is within the relevant local estate cleansing contract. Street care monitor the provision of this service and have enforcement powers to ensure private land clearance. For more information please contact:

Street Care
5th Floor
Blue Star House
234-244 Stockwell Road
London SW9 9SP
Tel: 020 7926 9000
Fax: 020 7926 0530
e-mail: streetcarecallcentre@lambeth.gov.uk
Webpage: Recycling, rubbish and waste

Food premises

If you have a problem that relates to a food premises, or where food is being prepared for business purposes, please contact:

Food Safety Team
Environmental Health and Consumer Protection
2 Herne Hill Road
London SE24 0AU
Phone: 020 7926 6110
Fax: 020 7926 6130
Webpage: Food Safety