Your housing association usually has a number of responsibilities to you as your landlord. Check your tenancy agreement if you are unsure about your housing association's responsibilities. If you are unhappy with the housing association's service you may be able to use their complaints procedure.

Your housing association should not interfere if you keep to the terms of your tenancy agreement.

Your housing association will usually have to:

• carry out repairs to the structure and outside of the accommodation
• decorate the outside of the accommodation at least once every seven years
• allow you to keep lodgers
• give you permission to sublet, transfer or exchange your accommodation if the request is reasonable
• investigate why you are behind in your rent before starting legal proceedings for rent arrears

Your housing association usually won't be able to increase your rent for improvements you have carried out yourself.

Get advice if you are unhappy with the service your housing association is providing. An adviser can help you make a formal complaint.