Rechargeable Repairs
You are responsible for taking care of the inside of your property and for certain repairs.
We repair and maintain the structure of the property you live in. This includes all the outside parts and any fixtures and fittings inside your home that we provide. It also covers pipes, wiring, and fittings for your heating system, drains, power and lighting, any smoke detectors we have installed and servicing any appliances we own.
We are normally responsible for any walls and fences outside your home which separate our land from lanes and public areas, and any steps and paths leading from the property boundary to your entrance doors. We also maintain garages that are part of the building, and any common facilities or open areas.
Telephone our Repairs freephone number 0800 0196 444 at any time. The Repairs Contact Centre is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
When you report a repair, we will put the work into a response time category before passing it to the contractor. Each category has a maximum time allowed for the work to be done. If necessary the work will be inspected first.
When you report a repair to us we assess the nature of the problem and the circumstances and then put it into one of the following categories.
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Emergency - make safe within 24 hours.
For situations where there is real danger to life or limb, major damage to the property, flooding, or the home is insecure.
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Urgent - repair completed within 3 days.
For situations that are causing serious inconvenience or where there is a health or security risk or a risk of damage to the property.
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Routine - repair completed within 21 calendar days
For situations that do not cause immediate inconvenience or where there is no danger to people's lives.
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Inspections - We will need to inspect some repairs before we can decide what work we need to do. We will arrange an appointment with you.
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Our operatives work between 8.00 am and 4.30 pm (3.30 pm on Fridays). For Emergency or Urgent repairs they may call at any time. For routine repairs we will usually have agreed a morning (up to 12.00 noon) or afternoon (after 12.30 pm) appointment on a particular date.
What if I am not in when the operative calls?
If the operative calls and you are not in, a card will be left asking you to phone the Repairs Freephone number 0800 0196 444, to discuss when the contractor should call again. If you do not respond the job may be cancelled. If you fail to keep an agreed appointment your repair will be cancelled and you will have to report it again.
Under the Right to Repair Scheme, we must complete certain repairs within set time limits. These are repairs which, if not carried out on time, could affect your health or safety. They are called qualifying repairs.
If we do not complete a qualifying repair within the correct time you have the right to instruct another approved contractor to do the work and bill us. Also, you may be entitled to compensation.
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What if I can't carry out my responsibilities?
If you are elderly or disabled and have no-one who can help you we may be able to do some tasks for you.
If you have a repair which is needed because of damage done by you or someone in your home (even a visitor), we expect you to repair it or arrange and pay for it to be done. We will always do emergency work to make your home and family safe but we will charge for this. You will be asked to sign a form agreeing to pay for the work. If your home is damaged by a break-in or vandalism you must report the problem to us immediately and we will carry out the repair if you get a crime incident number from the Police.
You are responsible for your own belongings, carpets, fittings and so on, and for decorating inside your home. We strongly advise you to take out home contents insurance against loss or damage to your own belongings.
If any of our employees or contractors cause damage to your property which could have been avoided, we will carry out the repairs and pay you compensation for any losses.
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By law, we must carry out a gas safety check every year. You must let us into your home to carry out these checks. If you don't we may have to take action to gain access.
You must keep the inside of your property clean and properly decorated, heat and ventilate the home, and maintain the garden. You must also do certain repairs:
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replacing lost keys and changing locks if you are locked out
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replacing bulbs and fluorescent starters
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repairing doors and fixtures inside your home (this includes making adjustments for new carpets)
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trying to clear blocked wastepipes or toilets
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filling minor cracks or holes in wall plaster
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putting up any TV aerials or satellite dishes (you will need our permission for satellite dishes)
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replacing the battery in your smoke detector (if it is battery-operated)
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taking action to prevent pipes freezing
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maintaining any fences you or a previous tenant have put up
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What standard of service can I expect?
We will respond to repair problems in an efficient and helpful way. Most repairs are carried out by our own work force. For certain types of work we use sub-contractors who have been selected carefully. Our operatives and sub-contractors must follow certain rules of behaviour when working in or around your home. All operatives must carry identification. Always check this and contact us if you are in any doubt.
What if I am not satisfied with the service or quality of work?
If you have a complaint, please phone our Repairs Call Centre or complete one of our customer comments forms. We will look into your complaint. If we need to do any work to put the problem right, we will make sure it is carried out to a good standard as soon as possible. If you are still unhappy, you should follow our formal complaints procedure.
Do you check up on the quality of workmanship?
We carry out regular quality control visits to make sure that our operatives and sub-contractors are working to high standards. We also do random checks on what you think of our service. We may phone you or send you a questionnaire or we may arrange for a Customer Liaison Officer to interview you in your home.
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Your co-operation is needed
You may need to make certain arrangements and prepare for our operative's visit.
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Operatives cannot be left alone in homes. If you leave your home the operatives will have to leave the property too.
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You should not leave your key hidden somewhere for operatives to pick up and let themselves into your home.
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In bad weather conditions operatives cannot, for their own safety, work at height, eg on ladders or on the roof.
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You are expected to allow operatives to get on with their work by keeping children and pets out of their way and away from builders tools, materials, rubbish or skips.
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If furniture or carpets need to be moved before repair work is done, you should get this done before operatives arrive.
What our operatives should do
Our operatives will deal with you in a professional way. You can expect them to:
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introduce themselves and show you proof of identity before entering your home
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explain what they are going to do and discuss how this will affect you
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protect your belongings, furnishings and floor coverings from damage, dust and paint
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keep your home secure at all times
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make sure materials and tools do not cause danger to you or your visitors
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clear up rubbish and leave the area tidy at the end of each working day
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make sure essential services (water, electricity and so on) are connected at the end of the day and when they have finished the repair
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be polite to you at all times
Operatives may not, without your consent:
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play radios in your home or garden
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use your phone or make/take private calls on their mobile phones
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use your power supply or other facilities.
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