|
|
At St Albans City and District Council, your safety comes first. To keep your home safe and compliant with the law, we carry out Gas Safety and Alarm Checks every year, and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) every five years.
Gas Safety & Alarm Checks – Every Year
These checks are a legal requirement. Our contractors inspect all landlord-owned gas appliances, fittings and flues, and also check your smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms.
You’ll receive a letter with your appointment details. If the time doesn’t work for you, please contact the contractor to reschedule.
✅ You must allow access – it's part of your tenancy agreement.
❌ No access can lead to legal action – including a court injunction lasting the duration of your tenancy.
Access Injunctions Granted:
- 2020–2021: 1
- 2021–2022: 6
- 2022–2023: 12
- 2023–2024: 13
- 2024 to date: 2 granted, 5 applications in progress
Electrical Testing – Every 5 Years
EICRs help prevent electrical faults and hazards. The engineer will check sockets, light fittings, smoke detectors, and your consumer unit. If anything is unsafe, they’ll make it safe before leaving.
For major repairs (like a rewire), we’ll book a follow-up visit.
Thinking about adding new wiring? Please request permission first using the Tenant Enquiry Form on MyStAlbans.
At the Council, every tenant and leaseholder is assigned a dedicated Neighbourhood Housing Officer (highlighted in yellow on our team posters) or Income (Rent) Officer (shown in blue)—your primary contacts for tenancy-related matters. Whether you’re moving in, managing your home, or navigating financial responsibilities, they’re here to ensure your home and neighbourhood stay safe, comfortable, and well-maintained.
How Neighbourhood Housing Officers Support Tenants
-
Sign-ups – Guiding you through starting your tenancy
-
Settling-in visits – Checking in after you move in
-
Tenancy audits – Understanding your needs and ensuring your tenancy is up to date
-
Tenancy changes – Assisting with succession or joint-to-sole tenancy arrangements
-
Ending tenancies – Supporting you through the process when moving out
-
Supporting tenants in need – Offering extra assistance where needed
-
Investigating tenancy breaches – Addressing issues such as anti-social behaviour
-
Estate inspections – Ensuring communal areas are safe and clean
How Income (Rent) Officers Assist
-
Rent account management – Helping you understand and manage your rent account
-
Payment support – Providing advice on rent payments and addressing arrears
-
Financial guidance – Signposting to services for budgeting and financial support
-
Rent reviews – Keeping you informed of any changes to your rent
Specialist Teams for Other Housing-Related Issues
While Neighbourhood Housing and Income Officers support you with day-to-day tenancy and financial matters, some issues are handled by our specialist teams:
-
Repairs and Compliance – Responsible for maintaining your home and communal areas, including routine repairs, safety checks, and planned maintenance programmes
-
Tenancy Sustainment – Offers personalised support for residents facing complex needs, such as health challenges, risk of homelessness, or major life changes
-
Community Protection – Responds to serious anti-social behaviour, supports high-risk residents, and works with partners to keep communities safe
-
Housing Allocations – Manages applications for social housing and ensures that homes are allocated fairly according to housing need
-
Leasehold Services – Supports leaseholders with service charges, repairs to communal areas, and lease-related queries
If you're unsure who to contact, visit MyStAlbans. We're happy to help.
Did you know that St Albans City and District Council does not cover your home contents as part of your tenancy agreement? If the unexpected happens—fire, theft, water damage, or accidental breakages—having contents insurance means you won’t be left out of pocket.
Why Consider Home Contents Insurance?
Even if you take the best care of your belongings, accidents and theft can happen. Contents insurance provides peace of mind, ensuring that your furniture, appliances, clothing, and valuables are protected from life’s unexpected events.
The Crystal Insurance Scheme – Designed for Social Housing Tenants
We’ve partnered with Thistle Tenant Risks to offer the Crystal Insurance Scheme, an affordable home contents insurance policy available to all social and affordable housing tenants.
✅ No excess – you don’t pay the first part of the claim
✅ Flexible payments – pay weekly, fortnightly, or monthly
✅ Covers theft, water damage, fire, and more
✅ Includes tenant improvements (up to £2,000 or 20% of the sum insured)
✅ Protects contents in sheds, garages, and outbuildings (up to £3,000)
✅ Covers key loss, lock replacement, and external glazing damage
How to Apply
Applying is easy! You can:
📞 Call Thistle Tenant Risks on 0345 450 7286
📄 Complete an application form
🌍 Visit Crystal Insurance for more information
Before applying, take a moment to review the Thistle Insurance Services Terms of Business and Insurance Product Information Document to ensure it’s the right policy for you.
As part of this year’s Great British Spring Clean, a team of Council officers, colleagues from Morgan Sindall and residents took to the streets of Dellfield on Thursday 3rd April — collecting an impressive 17 bags of rubbish in just 90 minutes.
Armed with litter pickers, gloves, and a shared determination to make a difference, the team tackled litter hotspots around the neighbourhood as part of the national campaign led by Keep Britain Tidy. The group’s efforts have helped give the area a fresh look and sent a clear message that we take pride in our shared spaces.
In addition to the bagged waste, our partners at Veolia have been tasked with removing several fly-tipped bulky items, including a fridge and a mattress, which were flagged during the clean-up.
This was a fantastic team effort that reflects our ongoing commitment to resident engagement and environmental responsibility — but we don’t want to stop here!
👉 Where should we go next? Do you know of a local area in need of a clean-up? A park, estate, or pathway that could use some TLC? Email us at residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk
Together, we can make every part of our district cleaner, safer, and greener.
From 7th April 2025, all council rents and service charges are changing. If you're a council tenant, you should have already received a letter with your new rent amount.
💳 If you pay by standing order or recurring online banking, you’ll need to update the amount yourself to match your new rent charge from 7th April 2025.
📲 If you receive Universal Credit, an action will appear in your journal’s ‘To-Do’ list on 7th April 2025. It will ask you to confirm your new rent and service charge amounts. Make sure you complete this so your housing costs are paid correctly.
🧾 If you pay by Direct Debit, we’ll take care of it for you. Your payment will be updated automatically and you’ll receive a notification in advance.
Need help? Visit the Council’s Universal Credit page at stalbans.gov.uk/universal-credit or give us a call.
|
|
|
We are pleased to launch a new series of Community Afternoons – free, welcoming events designed to bring people together, share helpful advice, and celebrate the strength of local community connections.
Whether you are looking to meet your neighbours, speak with Council representatives, learn more about local services, or simply enjoy an afternoon out, these events are for everyone – and there is something for all ages and interests.
We are delighted to be joined by Playing Out, a wonderful local charity promoting safe, active outdoor play. They will be running fun and creative activities for children, allowing adults the opportunity to connect, chat, and access support and information.
Representatives from the Neighbourhood Police Team, local support services, and St Albans City & District Council will also be in attendance to answer questions, provide guidance, and listen to what matters most to you.
📍 Join Us This Spring
Harpenden – Westfield Recreation Ground
🗓 Thursday, 15th May 2025
🕒 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
🌳 Find out more about Westfield Recreation Ground
Camp, St Albans – St Luke’s Church
🗓 Thursday, 19th June 2025
🕒 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 St Luke’s Church, 46 Cell Barnes Lane, AL1 5QJ
💬 What to Expect
• Meet Council Officers – Share your feedback and learn more about local initiatives
• Access Support – Speak with your Neighbourhood Police Team and community organisations
• Receive Practical Advice – On home improvements, repairs, energy saving and more
• Enjoy Children’s Activities – Provided by Playing Out, with outdoor fun and creativity
👋 Have an idea for a future Community Afternoon?
We would love to hear from you – please email residentengagement@stalbans.gov.uk
Let us come together to connect, support one another, and build a stronger, more vibrant community – starting this spring.
We look forward to welcoming you.
The easiest way to protect yourself, your family, and your home from fire is by making sure you have working smoke alarms and testing them regularly.
You should have at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home. We recommend testing all alarms once a month to make sure they’re working properly. It only takes a minute and it could save a life.
How to Test Your Smoke Alarm
Before testing, let everyone in the property know to avoid causing panic. Then:
- Do a quick visual check. A mains-powered alarm should show a solid green light. A battery-operated alarm usually won’t show any lights.
- Press and hold the test button for up to 10 seconds. The alarm should sound loudly.
- If it doesn’t go off—or starts beeping regularly—it may need a new battery.
Never remove the battery without replacing it, even if the alarm goes off by mistake.
Helpful Tips
✅ Ask someone to help you check whether the alarm can be heard in every room. ✅ Change the battery regularly (or according to the manufacturer’s advice).
❌ Don’t try to test the alarm using real smoke or fire.
❌ Don’t climb on furniture to reach alarms - ask for help if needed.
Free Smoke Alarm Support
If you or someone you know needs help fitting or checking smoke alarms, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service offers free Home Fire Safety Visits. During the visit, they’ll check your alarms, offer advice, and fit free smoke alarms if needed.
To book a free visit:
- Call 0300 123 4046
- Or visit the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service website
Stay safe—test your alarms every month and make sure everyone in your home knows what to do in the event of a fire.
 |
|
|
|
Located at St Albans Civic Centre, the Communities Thirst Coffee Cart is the perfect spot to swing by for a coffee, a cool drink, or a sweet summer treat!
Communities Thirst is run by Communities 1st and staffed by volunteers. Every drink ordered will go towards helping them to develop their key life skills, improve their wellbeing and increase their employability skills.
The coffee cart isn’t run for profit – it’s run to create a positive social impact and make a meaningful difference in the lives of its volunteers.
It is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4pm so please stop by, meet the volunteers and enjoy a tasty beverage.
If you’d like to volunteer on the coffee cart, get in touch with Communities 1st on 01727 649 955 or email training@communities1st.org.uk
|
|
|
Recycling in St Albans City and District is simple – and it makes a big difference. Here’s a quick guide to help you sort your waste correctly and keep our communities clean and green:
Black Wheeled Bin – Mixed Recycling
✔️ Plastic bottles, tubs, trays, and pots
✔️ Glass bottles and jars
✔️ Food and drink cans, aerosols, and foil Collected fortnightly (alternates with general waste) Rinse items before placing them in the bin
Black or Green Box – Paper & Card
✔️ Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, envelopes
✔️ Flattened cardboard boxes Collected fortnightly (same week as mixed recycling) Remove plastic wrapping before recycling
Brown Wheeled Bin / Purple Refuse Sacks – General Waste
✔️ Non-recyclable household waste Collected fortnightly
Please don’t overfill or leave extra waste beside the bin
Green Wheeled Bin – Garden Waste (Subscription only)
✔️ Grass cuttings, leaves, branches, cut flowers Collected fortnightly (pauses over Christmas and New Year)
Small Green Caddy – Food Waste
✔️ Fruit and veg peelings, meat, bones, tea bags, coffee grounds Collected weekly You can use compostable liners, paper bags, or carrier bags (except black bags)
Bagged Side Waste – Textiles & Small Electricals
✔️ Paired shoes, worn clothing
✔️ Small appliances like toasters and kettles Collected weekly if bagged and left next to your bin Use a standard carrier bag (not black sacks)
About Your Bins (Boxes and Bags)
You can also check what goes in which bin by entering your postcode in the Recycle Now search tool.
For a full overview of what to put where, download our St Albans Recycling leaflet:
St Albans Recycling Guide (pdf - 6.05 MB)
Need Help?
Got a problem with your bin collection? Contact the Council’s Waste and Recycling Team at www.stalbans.gov.uk/about-my-bins or call 01727 809019.
Let’s work together to reduce waste, recycle more, and keep St Albans looking its best!
|
|
|
Looking to improve your health and wellbeing? The Healthy Hub St Albans is here to support you.
Located at the Civic Centre in St Albans, the Hub offers free advice, information, and guidance from a range of local organisations – all in one place.
Whether you need help with finances, employment, independent living, or want to get more involved in your community, the Healthy Hub can connect you with the right support.
What’s Available?
• Citizens Advice – Free, confidential guidance on your rights and responsibilities
• Communities 1st – Volunteering opportunities and local services
• St Albans Community Bank – Financial advice and support
• Hertfordshire Independent Living Service (HILS) – Services for older and vulnerable residents
• Shaw Trust – Help finding work and developing skills
Opening Hours The Hub is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm. Some partners have specific drop-in times, so check ahead if you're planning a visit.
Need More Info? You can get in touch with the team by emailing: Healthy.Hub@stalbans.gov.uk
Take the first step towards a healthier, more confident you – drop into the Healthy Hub and see what’s on offer!
A huge thank you to everyone who recently completed our Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) survey.
Your feedback helps us better understand your experience as a tenant or Leaseholder and plays a vital role in shaping the way we deliver and improve our services.
To thank residents for taking part, we offered the chance to win a £20 Love2Shop voucher—and we’re pleased to announce that all ten winners have now been contacted by their Neighbourhood Housing Officer.
Congratulations to our winners from:
Green Lane, Dorant House, Sherwoods Rise, Kitchener Close, Hill Close, Church Street, Aldwick Bungalows, Hill End Lane, Cutmore Drive, and Cavan Drive.
Your views really do make a difference, and we’re grateful for your time and input.
We look forward to hearing more from you through future surveys, conversations with your Neighbour Housing Officer, and upcoming Community Afternoons.
Let’s keep the conversation going!
|
|
|
|
|
