Information and permissions

What helped me was treating the paperwork like a small delivery log. ‘Sent on 12 May to Priya in the grants team’ is much more useful than ‘I’m sure we sent that ages ago’. I also found that taking a photograph or saving a copy of each completed form can help if anything needs to be checked later.

I found it useful to keep a record of the item requested; the person or organisation requesting it; who would supply it; the date requested; the date sent; the secure route used; whether receipt was confirmed; the landlord contact; whether consent was requested and received; any other permissions; and any outstanding items.

What helped me was asking for a written list of everything still outstanding. If the delay involves a landlord or another department, you might find it useful to ask who is following it up and when. I learned that, if a landlord appears to be withholding consent unreasonably, it is better to ask the council to explain the options rather than trying to resolve the legal position yourself.