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"I am very happy, secure, comfortable and well looked after"
- Resident, Hanover Gardens, Bishopbriggs

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Before reading these questions, take a look at At Home With Hanover, our film that explains all about the services we provide.  If, after watching the film, you still have any queries, the information below should answer your question.  If you still have anything you'd like to know about us, then please contact us. 

What is Hanover? 

We are a housing association that provides and manages an imaginative range of specialist, affordable housing for older and frail older people. We also provide a small amount of affordable general needs housing.  

Hanover is an independent, not-for-profit housing association. Any trading surplus is used to maintain existing homes and to help finance new ones.  Many housing associations, including Hanover, also run shared ownership and owner occupier schemes to help people who cannot buy their own homes outright. For more information see About Us.

What sort of housing does Hanover provide?

The housing we provide is classed as ‘sheltered’, ‘very sheltered’, ‘amenity’ and ‘general needs’.  Watch a film about our sheltered developments here, or about our very sheltered developments here.

For more information on what these types of housing are, see 'Are you looking for a property?'. 

What facilities do Hanover properties offer?

Facilities differ depending on the type of development the property is located in.  Each property has its own front door and letter box and all of our developments aim to meet the individual housing and support needs of people in a sensitive and dignified way. We ensure that residents are able to retain their independence, live within a local community, and enjoy as much privacy or company as they desire. See 'Are you looking for a property?' to find out more.

Because we believe residents should retain as much independence as possible, we ensure that our properties are extremely safe and secure.  As well as each property having its own front door and letterbox, most of our developments have state-of-the-art door entry systems, meaning residents have total control over who they want to admit into their properties.  All of our properties for older people are linked to a community alarm service - often this is Hanover's own Telecare service.  For more information on all of this, watch our safety and security film here. 

Who do we provide housing for?

Hanover provides housing generally for people over 60 years of age, although in some areas we do also provide general needs housing.  If you are part of a couple and one of you is under 60, we can usually still offer you housing.   Please contact us to find out more. 

How do I apply for housing?
There are many methods of applying for our housing.  All you need to do is contact one of our area offices and we’ll send you an application form. 

How much is the rent?
Rent differs, depending on where you are interested in living.  Contact our area offices for more information. 

What do I do if I want to buy a property managed by Hanover?
You can find general information about Hanover’s service to owner occupiers and the location of managed developments, as well as which office to contact regarding these developments, here. You can also watch a film about our Owner Occupier service - click here for more details. 

What is Housing Support?
Housing Support is a range of services provided by Hanover’s staff that are designed to help residents maintain their accommodation, meet their duties as a tenant or owner and assist them to become involved in the local community.

There is a range of housing support services that Hanover offers, and service users may be entitled to housing benefit to meet the costs of these services.  For more information, take a look at our Housing Support Services Brochure.

Are Hanover properties residential care homes?
No.  Our housing is classed as Sheltered, Very Sheltered, Amenity or General Needs.  See 'Are you looking for a property?' to find out more.

How is Hanover funded?
Income generated through the rental or purchase of our homes is nowhere near enough to fund Hanover.  Because of this, other sources also provide much-needed income.  These include grants from the Scottish Housing Regulator, environmental grants from the Government and funding from local authorities. 

As well as this, sites for new developments are sometimes given to us by local councils, often with strict terms and conditions attached.  These terms and conditions could, for example, include the provision of a certain type of housing that has been identified as being in high demand in that particular area. 

What is Hanover Telecare?

Hanover Telecare is a 24-hour call and response service that provides community alarms and other services to Hanover residents, homeowners, housing associations and other local authorities.  There are more than 25,000 connections to Hanover Telecare. 

You can watch a film about Hanover Telecare, including an interview with our Telecare manager and real residents, here. 

The services Hanover Telecare offer include community alarms, lone worker monitoring and of course Telecare. To find out more click here.

What do I do if I want to make a complaint?
We take all complaints very seriously, and have a strict procedure to deal with complaints that are made by anyone about the service that we provide.  For more information take a look at our Complaints Leaflet.

What is the Charitable Trust?
The Hanover (Scotland) Housing Association Charitable Trust was set up in 1982.  Its aim is to supplement the work of Hanover by providing funds to improve the quality of life of older people, especially in Hanover’s own developments.  Find out more here.

What is Tenant Participation?
Tenant Participation encourages tenants to get involved in the decision-making process which governs how their homes, and Hanover as a whole, is managed. The sharing of ideas between tenants and the Association aims to improve the service that Hanover provides.  Find out more here. 

Can I still have my carer if I move into a Hanover property?
Yes.  Many residents receive support from home carers and support workers to help them maintain their tenancy within the development.

Can I have visitors? 
Yes, you can have visitors, although you are responsible for their behaviour.  

Can my family have keys? 
Yes.  You are provided with three keys when you become a tenant.  We recommend that you pass a set to your family as key holders, so we can contact them in the event of an emergency.

Can I keep pets in my home?
Yes.  You can keeps pets in your home as long as you receive prior written permission from Hanover, and as long as keeping the pets do not contravene any laws such as the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.  Residents are responsible for the behaviour of any pets owned by themselves, anyone living in their home or anyone visiting their home.  For more information, you should contact your area office.  

Can I redecorate my home?
Yes.  You may decorate the internal areas of your flat to your own individual tastes and style; however, we would prefer that any works instructed by you are undertaken by a reputable painter & decorator. If there are any varnished items such as skirting boards, doors and window sills, these should not be painted unless you have obtained prior permission from Hanover.

If you are a new resident and moving into a property shortly, you should check with the Sheltered Housing Manager or Hanover’s local Maintenance Department as there may be a redecoration allowance available for the property.

If you have any further queries regarding the above, please contact your  Maintenance Department at the relevant area office.
 
Do developments have car parking facilities?
Car parking facilities differ depending on the development - some do have a limited number of car parking spaces.  Hanover will only allocate parking spaces to residents where the space is within a driveway or other area that forms part of the tenancy. Some developments also have a limited number of garages which are available to residents.

Can I have an electric scooter in my home?
Yes, however you must obtain permission from our Maintenance Officer before bringing the scooter onto the development.  We will not normally refuse permission without good reason, but you must nevertheless obtain permission.  In most circumstances the scooter must be kept in your own home and charged using your own electricity.    To obtain permission or to find out more, contact our Maintenance Officer at our head office. 

What are Guest Rooms, who can use them and how do I book them?
Guest rooms are best described as ‘communal second bedrooms’.  Tenants can book the rooms up to two months in advance for friends and family who are visiting them.  A small charge is made for the use of the bedroom to offset the cost of heating and laundering the bed linen.  Its priority use is for friends and family staying to support a tenant during illness.  Any of the Association’s residents, family members and staff can book the Guest Rooms.  You can book them by contacting the Sheltered Housing Manager of the development directly.