Our standards

When we talk about our mission to get people housed, we don’t just mean the provision of inexpensive housing. We believe that for individuals to thrive, their home needs to feel safe and looked after.

The properties we manage are often at the end of their life cycle and aesthetically, do not look the same as what you might see in the private rental sector. However, the buildings you live in will be at a standard that meets or exceeds legally required standards, and maintained in this condition whilst the property is still under our management. Health and safety in our properties is of vital importance to us.

Property standards

We want to push up standards in the property guardianship sector. One of the ways we try to do this is to clarify and publicise the legal rights that all current and prospective guardians have.

In 2017, we worked with other responsible property guardian organisations to publicise the legal minimum standards all property guardian companies should comply with.

  1. Health and safety requirements apply to all buildings where property guardians live, whether they are commercial, residential or other types.
  2. Fire safety, gas safety and any potential on-site hazards fall under the same regulations as tenants, and are enforceable by the same authorities.
  3. Property guardians sign-up as licensees, not tenants; two of the key differences include non-exclusive occupation of the premises and shorter notices to leave. In return, guardians live in low-cost accommodation.

Our repairs service

As well as these housing fundamentals, we understand the stress and irritation that smaller problems can cause for guardians and property owners alike. We manage all kinds of repairs in a fuss-free, timely and respectful way. So, if a guardian notices a problem with the property they are living in, they’ll feel no hesitation in giving us a call, night or day. Should any issue stand unresolved, we are members of the Property Ombudsman Scheme, which provides great reassurance to all parties.

“My partner and I experienced some issues in our flat due to a leak in the property above. Dot Dot Dot were extremely helpful and responded quickly. They communicated efficiently with contractors and the building owner, making sure to include us in conversations so that we were kept informed.”
Tall block of flats, grey sky

Zoe

Dot Dot Dot guardian, south east London

Like everything we do, our approach to repairs and maintenance serves to remove the barriers to housing good people in good buildings, for the benefit of property owners, guardians, and the local community.

Accessibility

Property guardianship is different to renting a home in the private sector which means that it’s not suitable for everyone. Our guardian recruitment process aims to ensure that the demands of guardianship will not put anyone in a difficult or vulnerable position at any point. This is important for us at Dot Dot Dot as we ask more of our guardians than a regular housing provider.

To check whether you could be suited to guardian life, please read carefully through our accessibility guide.