Updates on Accommodation contracts
For updates on the Accommodation contracts, please go to Service Family Accommodation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)where you can subscribe for update notificationsApplications for Service Family Accommodation
On receipt of an Assignment Order, Service personnel should apply for Service Family Accommodation (SFA) as soon as possible via the E1132 form which can be found here.
The National Service Centre (NSC) has noticed an increased number of instances of Service personnel calling regarding the status of their E1132 application within hours of making the application. To reduce the volume of calls to the NSC, we would be grateful if you could wait for 15 working days after you have applied for SFA to enquire about your request, if you have not already been contacted by Pinnacle with an offer of SFA.
Local Authority Garden Waste Collection and Charges
Many local authorities provide a home collection service for garden waste and charge a small fee for green waste collection. We have been contacted by several families querying the charge to remove garden waste and whether their CILOCT (Contribution in lieu of Council Tax) should cover this.
According to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, councils don’t have to collect garden waste but they can choose to provide this service. They are allowed to make a charge, and most do. The charge applies to everyone who chooses to use the service regardless of whether the leaves and other garden waste comes from trees and vegetation that do not belong to the resident (eg all the leaves that fall from street trees).
The level of CILOCT payable by Service personnel occupying SFA and SLA is calculated annually by the MOD. The charge is determined by dividing the number of occupied properties (by type) by the total amount payable to local authorities for each type of property. Like SFA charges, CILOCT does not vary by region, nor by the services provided by the local authority. If a local authority chooses to provide a garden waste collection service, it is free to charge for it and that cost is not covered by CILOCT.
Any complaints or concerns regarding garden waste collections should be raised with your local authority.
Tumble Dryer Fire Risk
There is a potential safety hazard with some tumble dryers manufactured between April 2004 and September 2015. Please check your tumble dryer and if it has the makers name of Indesit, Hotpoint, Creda, Swan or Proline please visit the web page https://safety.indesit.eu/tumber dryer alert to confirm if you should take any action.