Advice Housing Association tenants' rights

[woad]

Hi

Wondering if someone could assist with general advice re the rights of Housing Association tenants?

Some friends have the following "horror stories", same HA in both instances:

"Had chap at door yesterday and was someone from XXX just to see if I had paid my rent. She caught me unawares How dare as didn’t even know they were coming maybe if check my account they will see I did"

and

"Similar happened to me, mix up with rent and somebody was phoning me at 8 in the morning. I was recovering from surgery and didn’t answer and they didn’t leave a message but just turned up a few hours later. It borders on harassment"

Is this legal? Even if it is a clause in the tenancy agreement is it legal? Do they have any grounds to complain on?  In the first instance i advised to contact HA with the individuals details, as to my mind if they were from the HA and acting within remit of role, they could, surely, have checked the accounts system and perhaps phoned. Not just turn up and ask. Always assuming it was a genuine HA employee.

I am astounded; I rent privately. If my landlord or their agent wishes to visit the property, for any reason, they have to provide 48hours notice. The letting agency has never contacted me asking if I have paid my rent nor turned up announced on my doorstep asking me "have you paid your rent"! 

[dx100uk]

depends who XXX was from...name and shame.

 

[woad]

Queens Cross HA, Glasgow

[stu007]

Hi

Ah Queens Cross HA with Head Office in firhill/Gascube Road Maryhill know this lot.

Well if they were form Housing Association the first thing they should have asked that person is to provide identification (I do this with my own Housing Association then phone them to confirm the person ID.) Never ever let them into your property or discuss anything until you confirm there Identity is correct.

You are also correct that if this was for supposed rent issue they could have called rather than send a Housing Officer out but on the other hand the Housing Officer may have come out to see if there was an issue and I do say If there was an issue and what assistance they could offer to resolve the issue.

If it is written into the Tenancy Agreement then the Housing Association do have a right to check with the Tenants.

Sadly Private Renting and Social Housing Renting rules are completely different and yes you are correct on what the Landlord of Private Renting has to do but Social Housing is different.

What they need to do is follow the Housing Associations Complaint Procedure and make a Formal Complaint in writing to them explaining what happened and for clarification that the Housing individual that came to the property on XX/XX/XXXX was one of their staff members.