Social Policy
REQUEST FOR EVIDENCE
We would really like to hear about how the following issues have affected you, please make your experience count by sharing it with us today.
All the information you provide will help us to determine how best to channel our campaigning activities.
If there is an issue you think we should be tackling, let us know by Clicking here.
NHS DENTISTRY
On the 28th March Citizens Advice published ‘Gaps to Fill', a report which assesses the impact of the 2006 dental reforms on access to NHS Dentistry.
The report shows that access to an NHS dentist is a postcode lottery. The reality is that many have no choice but to seek costly private treatment, or to go without.
In a survey Hart District Citizens Advice Bureau has conducted locally on this matter we found that:
65% of people interviewed were without an NHS Dentist.
1 in 5 people had no dentist at all.
67% of private patients were forced into private dental care.
If you had,or are currently experiencing, problems registering with an NHS dentist please contact us today.
We would also like to hear from those who have been forced into private dental care and any extra cost this may have caused.
Retaliatory Eviction
In the private rental sector, a tenant is initially issued with a 6 month 'Assured Shorthold Tenancy'. If the tenancy is not renewed after the 6 month tenancy expires it lapses in to what is known as a periodic tenancy. When this becomes the case, the Landlord can serve a Section 21, two month notice to quit at anytime and does not have to give a reason why.
This can make it hard for a tenant to pursue their statutory rights. Many people are living in poor conditions because they are afraid to make a complaint to their Landlord, through fear that complaint would lead to immediate conviction.
Have you ever been evicted for standing up for your statutory rights? Or are you afraid to stand up to your landlord through fear of eviction? Please help us to uncover the extent of this problem by sharing your experience.
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Welcome to our Social Policy page,the page that offers you the chance to shout out about the matters affecting you.
At Citizens Advice we have a duty to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services both locally and nationally. Part of this role is making people aware of new services or changes to existing ones, but a much larger part involves collecting evidence on the effectiveness of these services from the people who use them...YOU.
Citizens Advice uses the evidence you provide us with to highlight the effects that policies have on real people in the real world, and to suggest where improvements can be made.
Please help us identify the issues effecting you by taking part in our surveys and responding to our polls.
SOCIAL POLICY NEWS
From 6th April 2007, when you pay a deposit for privately rented accommodation, your landlord or agent must protect it using a government authorised tenancy deposit scheme. MAKE SURE YOU ASK YOUR LANDLORD ABOUT IT!
The schemes are designed to safeguard your deposit and to make the resolution of disputes between Landlords and tenants easier.
How it works:
At the beginning of a new tenancy agreement, pay your deposit to your landlord or agent as usual. Within 14 days of payment the landlord or agent is required to give you details about how your deposit is protected including:
- The contact details of the tenancy deposit scheme
- The contact details of the landlord or agent
- How to apply for the release of the deposit
- Information explaining the purpose of the deposit
- What to do if there is a dispute about the deposit
If you do not receive this ask: 'how is my deposit protected?'
At the end of the tenancy, check whether you are leaving the property and its contents in the condition in which it was let to you - allowing for fair wear and tear - and check that you have paid your rent and any other expenses. Then agree with your landlord or agent how much of the deposit should be returned to you. Within 10 days - you should have received the agreed amount of the deposit.
If you and your landlord or agent can't agree how much of your deposit should be returned, there will be a free service offered by the scheme protecting your deposit to help resolve your dispute. Check the information your landlord or agent gave you at the beginning of your tenancy for details.
What to do if your landlord or agent hasn't protected your deposit:
If this the case, apply to your local county court. The court can order the landlord or agent to either repay the deposit to you or protect it in a scheme. If your landlord or agent has not protected your deposit, they will be ordered to repay three times the amount of the deposit to you.
Safeguarding your deposit:
Remember, you have a responsibility to return the property in the same condition that it was let to you, allowing for fair wear and tear. So it is a good idea to make sure that when you sign your tenancy agreement, you:
- Keep a detailed list of contents (furniture and fittings)
- Record the condition of the property and its contents (photographs are a good idea)
- Check the circumstances in which your landlord or agent could have a claim on your deposit.
Further information about the new tenancy deposit laws can be found at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/DG_066385
For more information on our national Citizen Advice campaigning activities please visit our national site at http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk and click on 'Campaigning For Change'.
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