Garage policy

This policy has been reviewed by our customers

Version 1.4 January 2026

1. Scope
2. Purpose and objectives
3. Policy statement
4. Definitions
5. Policy
6. Contacting SNG
7. Complaints
8. Compliance
9. Sustainability
10. Responsibilities
11. Equality, diversity and inclusion
12. Related documents
13. Legislation and regulation
14. Review

1 - Scope

This policy sets out Sovereign Network Group’s (SNG’s) approach to the management of its garage assets.

Where the term garage is used in this policy and associated processes, it also includes parking spaces for which a charge is applied.

This policy applies to:

• all customers, regardless of tenure type, who live in properties owned or managed by SNG.
• non-residents, including private individuals, commercial entities and charities who hire a garage from SNG.

This policy does not cover:

• garages included within a tenancy agreement or lease as part of a home or located within the curtilage of a property.
• larger general parking areas.

These exclusions will be managed in accordance with the relevant contractual and policy documentation.

2 - Purpose and objectives

The purpose of this policy is to set out SNG’s approach to managing garage assets in a way that aligns with organisational strategy, demonstrates value for money, and meets identified customer needs.

Where evidence shows that garages are no longer viable, we will consider demolition, disposal, redevelopment, or repurposing the garages. SNG will ensure that any significant changes to garage sites are planned in alignment with local needs, neighbourhood impact and organisational strategy.

Where there is clear and sustained demand and garages remain financially viable to manage and maintain, they may be retained. However, garages may still be considered for regeneration or redevelopment in line with the Strategic Asset Management (SAM) Strategy.

Whilst garages are not a social housing activity, we acknowledge that garages play an important role in supporting modern lifestyles, particularly for customers who need additional storage solutions.

SNG recognises that some customers have medical needs or disabilities that require secure and accessible storage, such as for mobility scooters, powered wheelchairs or essential medical equipment. Where appropriate and in line with the garage licence agreement, garages may be used to support these needs, providing a safe and practical alternative to storing equipment in communal areas.

Customers must notify SNG where such equipment contains a lithium battery and ensure it is serviced and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. For safety reasons, charging of any equipment or electrical / battery operated items is not permitted in garages.

This approach supports customer independence, helps reduce obstruction risks and promotes safety for everyone.

3 - Policy statement

SNG may retain garage assets where there is clear and sustained demand and where maintenance and management costs remain financially viable, unless they are required as part of a regeneration or redevelopment project.

All garages will be subject to structured, periodic assessment through the SAM process to determine their long-term viability, condition, performance, and strategic value. Where SAM reviews identify garages as surplus due to low demand, poor condition or disproportionate maintenance costs, SNG will consider appropriate actions such as demolition, disposal, redevelopment, or repurposing.

Priority for disposal or repurposing will be given to garages that:

• are not financially viable to repair or maintain
• are in poor condition or contribute to neighbourhood issues such as anti-social behaviour (ASB)
• offer greater social value or financial return through regeneration, redevelopment or sale

SNG will ensure that decisions relating to significant changes to garage sites are informed by local need, neighbourhood impact, and customer considerations, and are aligned with organisational strategy. Where garages are proposed for demolition, redevelopment or disposal, SNG will engage with affected licensees at an early stage. This will include particular consideration of customers who rely on garages for mobility aids, medical equipment or other disability-related needs, and will help inform any mitigation measures where reasonably practicable.

4 - Definitions

Licence - A formal agreement granting permission to occupy or use a garage or parking space under specified terms.

Garage - A building typically used to house a motor vehicle, although SNG no longer stipulate the use of a garage.

Parking Space - An allocated open-air or marked area designated for parking a vehicle, for which a charge may be applied.

Strategic Asset Management (SAM) - The organisational process used to assess, plan, and optimise the use, maintenance, and long-term value of SNG assets.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) - Anti-social behaviour, including actions that cause nuisance, harassment, alarm, or distress to others.

5 - Policy

Where garages are retained and managed, this Policy sets out:

• Garage lettings, licence agreement and terms
• Repairs and maintenance
• Garage charges and income collection
• Termination of licence and disposal of goods.

5.1. Garage lettings, licence agreement and terms

Who can rent a garage?

Our garages can be rented by anyone aged 18 years or over, whether they live in an SNG home or not.

We won’t normally let a garage to someone who:

• owes us money, unless there are exceptional circumstances where the benefit of allocating a garage may outweigh the issue of the arrear.
• has an active or historic ASB case. We will still use our discretion in such cases.
• intends to use the garage in a manner that could negatively impact the neighbourhood or compromise the sustainability of their tenancy.
• intends to use the garage as a base to run a trade or business. Garages are not designed, insured, or legally classified as commercial premises; lack appropriate health and safety, fire protection, ventilation, security and welfare facilities; and it may constitute an unlawful change of use under planning regulations, potentially incurring business rates.

We will only let a garage to an employee or their relatives, and Board members or their relatives, in line with SNG’s Conflict and Declaration of Interest Policy.

Prioritisation and lettings

SNG customers will be given priority when allocating available garages. SNG will not impose a limit on the number of garages that can be rented by one household providing the terms of the garage licence agreement is being adhered to. However, applicants who don’t currently rent a garage will have greater priority over those that already have a garage licence agreement with SNG.

In neighbourhoods where parking issues are identified, SNG may implement local lettings arrangements to prioritise or restrict garages to local residents. Any decisions to apply such arrangements will be jointly made by the Locality Manager (Customer and Neighbourhood) and Customer Support Manager, and with the Head of Financial Services where income implications exist.

Locality Managers (Customer and Neighbourhood) and the Customer Support Manager have discretion to authorise reduced charges for charities or community groups where this provides a clear benefit to SNG customers or the local community.

The garage licence agreement

We have a standard garage licence agreement, with terms and conditions that clearly set out rights and expectations.

It explains how a customer ends their garage licence, how we’ll deal with any personal items left behind in the garage and what we’ll charge for clearing anything. After ending the licence agreement, we will dispose of any items left inside and recharge the costs of clearance to the former licensee.

We’ll end any garage licence where a customer breaches any condition of their licence agreement.

Garage licences can’t be transferred to anyone else. However, there may be circumstances where SNG will agree to issue a new garage licence agreement to another member of the household, for example, if the garage licensee dies and the surviving partner wishes to continue to rent the garage. We will also agree to garage licensees swapping garages and, in such cases, new garage licence agreements will be issued. Such decisions will be at SNG’s discretion.

Garage use and conditions

Customers must use garages only as permitted under the terms of their garage licence agreement. Garages may not be secure or watertight, so we recommend that customers take out insurance for any items stored in the garage. SNG accepts no liability for damage or loss; items are stored at the customer’s own risk.

Permitted uses:

• Storage of a private motor vehicle that is taxed, insured or appropriately declared
• Storage of low-value personal belongings, including hobby-related items (e.g. gym equipment)
• Charity use
• Business storage, provided the garage is not used as a base to operate a trade or business.

Prohibited uses:

• Storing flammable liquids, gas cylinders or lithium batteries
• Charging or storing e-bikes, e-scooters, or lithium battery powered devices, except where explicitly permitted under section 6.4 for essential medical or disability-related mobility equipment
• Modifying the garage. This includes installing electrics or using extension leads, trailing cables or external power sources from neighbouring properties to supply electricity to the garage
• Storing personal, sentimental or valuable items susceptible to damage from damp or water ingress
• Using the garage as a base to run a trade or business
• Using the garage as an advertising space
• Storing waste materials
• Keeping or breeding pets or animals
• Subletting the garage
• Any illegal or anti-social activities
• Causing nuisance or disturbance to the community.

Vehicles parked on garage forecourts or in designated parking bays must:

• Be taxed, insured and roadworthy
• Fit wholly into the allocated parking space
• Not cause obstruction or nuisance to others.

Any vehicle found in breach of these conditions may be removed and destroyed at the customer’s expense.

5.2 Repairs and maintenance

SNG will maintain garage assets in a safe and functional condition and will carry out regular external checks to identify any management issues. Internal inspections will be carried out when garages are empty, before being re-let.

Garage condition data, including periodic stock condition surveys, will inform investment planning and decisions within the Strategic Asset Management and Financial Management Plans.

Investment will be prioritised for garages where there is demand or a clear safety risk. Where a garage is not financially viable to repair, SNG may offer a suitable alternative garage, subject to availability, and the original licence will be ended.

Customers are responsible for reporting any repair issues. Reports of damp or mould will be assessed, although Awaab’s Law does not apply as garages are not dwellings.

Garage repairs

Garages requiring repairs will fall into one of the following categories:

• Usable but substandard – for example, cosmetic defects, stiff doors or minor water ingress.
• Functionally unusable or unsafe – for example, structural damage or risk, asbestos disturbance, or fire or security risks.

Garages that are usable but substandard

Where a garage remains reasonably usable for its intended purpose, rent will normally continue to be charged, even where repairs are required. Usability will be determined by the condition of the garage, based on a repairs or survey-led assessment, rather than the customer’s personal circumstances or available alternatives.

The continued storage of vehicles or belongings within a garage during the repair period may indicate that the garage remains usable. However, this will be considered as supporting evidence only and does not, by itself, determine whether a garage is chargeable.

Where repairs are subject to prolonged or repeated delays attributable to SNG, this may amount to a service failure, even where the garage remains technically usable. In such cases, the appropriate response will normally be proportionate compensation, rather than suspension or removal of the charge.

Compensation will be considered in line with the Complaints Policy and will reflect the nature of the service failure rather than automatic loss of use:

• Where compensation relates directly to loss of use or charges that should not have been applied, this will normally be offset against any garage arrears or credited to the garage account.
• Where compensation relates to distress, inconvenience or service failure rather than the charge itself, compensation will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the Complaints Policy.

Garages that are functionally unusable or unsafe

Where a garage cannot be used safely, SNG will terminate the garage licence and, where possible, offer the customer a suitable alternative garage.

If no alternative garage is available, the licence will be terminated and the garage may be re-offered to the customer once repairs are completed and the garage is fit for use, provided there is no outstanding debt on the garage rent account.

Any rent charges applied for the period during which the garage was unusable will be credited or zeroed to reflect the loss of use. Arrears that accrued while the garage was usable will remain payable, and where these remain outstanding, the garage will not normally be re-offered.

5.3 Garage charges and income collection

Garage charges

Garage or parking space charges are set out in the licence agreement. Customers will be informed of any changes following an annual review of charges.

We charge new garage licences in the same geographical area the same amount. This may be higher for garages considered to be in a prime location or in high demand.

We won’t apply a VAT charge to the first garage of an SNG customer who’s also our social rented customer. But we will charge VAT for any subsequent garages they rent. VAT is also applied to garages rented by non-SNG customers. This will apply if a social rented customer subsequently moves to a property that is not owned or managed by SNG.

As part of each policy review cycle, SNG will consider the impact of garage pricing and VAT arrangements on low-income customers, alongside affordability, demand and equality considerations.

Paying for garages

SNG’s approach to garage and parking space payments is designed to be fair, consistent, and supportive, while recognising that garages are a non-essential product. In line with the garage licence agreement, customers are required to pay charges monthly in advance. Direct Debit is the default payment method, reflecting established sector practice and ensuring charges are collected efficiently and sustainably.

Requiring payment in advance by Direct Debit helps prevent arrears building up on a non-essential service and ensures customers prioritise their core rent obligations.

Exceptions to Direct Debit

While Direct Debit is the required payment method, SNG will consider alternative arrangements in exceptional circumstances to ensure no customer is unfairly disadvantaged.

Examples include customers who:

• do not have access to a bank account
• are survivors of financial abuse and cannot safely use shared or controlled accounts
• have disabilities that limit their ability to use standard banking services
• are experiencing short-term crises that temporarily restrict access to banking.

These exceptions form part of our operational garage income and arrears procedures. They do not alter the core licence agreement requirement for Direct Debit as the default payment method but allow officers flexibility to respond sensitively to individual needs.

Repayment plans

Repayment plans for garage arrears are not normally offered because garages are optional products, and allowing arrears to accrue may risk customers diverting income away from essential housing costs. However, where exceptional or vulnerable circumstances apply, SNG will take a pragmatic approach to prevent further hardship. Situations where discretion may be used include but are not limited to:

• severe mental health issues
• terminal illness
• customers living in a care home
• cases involving domestic or financial abuse
• bereavement, where additional time is required to clear a garage
• temporary unemployment where garage storage is essential to maintain work-related tools.

Assessing arrears and licence termination

Where a customer is both an SNG tenant and a garage licence holder, SNG reserves the right to end the garage licence if their home rent account falls into arrears. This is to safeguard the customer’s primary housing. Discretion may be applied where the customer is engaging with support, the circumstances are temporary, or ending the licence would disproportionately affect them.

5.4 Termination of licence and disposal of goods

The garage licence can be ended by the customer or SNG in line with the terms of the garage licence agreement. We require one week’s notice, which will always start on a Monday and terminate on the following Sunday. The agreement also explains what the licensee should to do with the garage keys when the garage licence has ended.

SNG will make reasonable attempts to work with former licensees to arrange the clearance of any remaining items left in the garage after the licence has ended. SNG will issue a notice to the former licensee or occupier providing a defined period in which to collect the items. Where this is not possible, for example, where the previous licensee has passed away and goods are left behind, they will be treated as abandoned.

If goods remain uncollected after the notice period, SNG may dispose of them or sell them in accordance with relevant legislation. The organisation reserves the right to recover associated clearance and disposal costs and accepts no liability for any loss resulting from disposal.

6 - Contacting SNG

Customers can contact us in a variety of ways:

• Online via our website or customer portal
• By email
• By phone
• Via social media

6.1 Support for customers

We can provide a variety of support for our customers:

• Via our website, which can:
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  • adjust the colour of the document
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  • support audio
  • support translations
• Via the telephone
  • London and Herts areas: weekdays between 8am and 6pm on 0300 373 3000
  • South and West areas: weekdays between 8am and 6pm on 0300 5000 926
  • Customer Service Advisors can provide a range of information in a number of formats (e.g. translations, audio versions, large print).

Where customers contact us, we will take our time to carefully listen to their needs and to see how we can meet them, as per our Vulnerability and Reasonable Adjustments Policy. Staff involved in garage lettings, enforcement and termination decisions will receive appropriate training on vulnerability, reasonable adjustments and policy exceptions, ensuring decisions are proportionate, well-evidenced and consistent with SNG’s Equality Act duties.

7 - Complaints

Any customer who is dissatisfied with how we have managed their case is able to submit a complaint using our Complaints process. Once our Complaints process has been exhausted, and if they remain dissatisfied, then they can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service, who can consider if we have acted appropriately.

8 - Compliance

Compliance with this policy (and related processes) will be monitored by the Garage Working Group on a regular basis (normally six-weekly), through the production of garage income, rent loss and lettings performance reports and asset management data.

Garage lettings, licence termination and clearance activity will be monitored using available equality and diversity data, alongside case outcomes, to identify and address any disproportionate impacts on protected or vulnerable groups.

9 - Sustainability

At SNG, we recognise the critical importance of sustainability in our operations and services.

We are committed to managing garage assets in a way that balances environmental responsibility, social value and economic viability.

Sustainability considerations specific to this policy may include:

• ensuring garage assets are retained, repurposed or removed in line with demand, condition and long-term viability, supporting the efficient use of land and reducing unnecessary environmental impact
• considering opportunities for regeneration, redevelopment or alternative uses where garages are under-used, contribute to neighbourhood issues or no longer represent good value for money
• supporting safer, well-managed neighbourhoods by addressing garage sites that contribute to anti-social behaviour or environmental blight
• recognising the role garages can play in supporting customers’ needs, including secure storage for mobility aids or essential medical equipment, where appropriate
• managing garage income and investment proportionately, ensuring resources are used effectively and do not detract from the delivery of core housing services.

By integrating these considerations into garage management decisions, SNG aims to create lasting environmental, social and economic value for our customers, communities and the wider organisation, in line with our long-term commitment to sustainable development.

10 - Responsibilities

Customer and Neighbourhood Director - Garage income and rent loss

Regional Director Localities (Customer & Neighbourhood) - Portfolio Holder for Garage Management

Regional Director Localities (Property Services) - Garage repair and maintenance

Assistant Director Customer Accounts - Garage income

Head of Financial Services - Garage charges

Head of Programme & Asset Grading – Strategic Asset Management - Strategic asset management

Head of Asset Management - Asset management

Customer Support Manager - Garage rent loss, lettings and local letting plans

Locality Manager - Local lettings plans

Garage Working Group - Directors and Managers responsible for all garage related activities

11 - Equality, diversity and inclusion

We will apply this policy consistently and fairly and will not discriminate against anyone based on any relevant characteristics, including those set out in the Equality Act 2010.

At SNG, our commitment is to make sure that no individual or group experiences unfair, discriminatory, or prejudicial treatment in recruitment, pay or promotions, housing, or any other service we provide, such as lettings, tenancy advice, repairs or rent collection.

SNG strives to be an open, inclusive, and diverse organisation where everyone has a right to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. As an organisation we value the diversity and talents of all individuals and the richness that brings to our culture.

We understand the varying needs of our residents and communities and promote equality of opportunity in employment and service provision.

We deliver appropriate, accessible, and flexible services, being tolerant, understanding and not judging others or their lifestyle choices. We stand up to and challenge prejudice, discrimination, and harassment in all its forms.

12 - Related documents

• Repairs and Maintenance Policy
• Customer Accounts Policies
• Income Management Policy
• Former Customer Arrears and Credit Write-Off Policy
• Anti-Social Behaviour and Hate Crime Policy
• Complaints Policy

13 - Legislation and regulation

The legislation listed in this policy is not intended to cover all legislation applicable to this policy. To comply with clause 1.1 of the Regulator of Social Housing’s Governance and Financial Viability Standard, which requires adherence to all relevant law, SNG will take reasonable measures to ensure compliance with all applicable legislation by reviewing policies and procedures and amending them as appropriate. Any queries relating to the applicable legislation should be directed to the policy owner.

14 - Review

This document will be reviewed every 3 years, or sooner if significant changes occur in the relevant legal or operational landscape.